As I've mentioned before, I am unable to attend the last screening of Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words. Luckily, a fellow blogger was able to attend the Sunday screening and emailed me a review he wrote. I thought the review was very well-written, and asked if it could be excerpted.

Anyways, the following is an excerpt of a review written by Dave (Soft Film: Vintage Chinese Cinema).

"...the heart of Hong's film — although most reviewers so far emphatically regard it as a glaring distraction — is the reenactment of Anna May by actress Doan Ly. She performs, in interview fashion, excerpts from Anna May's voluminous correspondence (evidently, much of it taken from letters to her dear friend, the noted photographer Carl Van Vechten), as well as songs from her European stage shows (the Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower", "Parlez-moi d'amour", and Noel Coward's "Half-Caste Woman"). At first, Doan Ly's lack of resemblance to Anna May proved a stumbling block for me, but as soon as I let go of that unrealistic expectation, I began to appreciate her sensitive performance and Hong's use of this technique.

Anna May Wong is such an icon that it's often difficult to get a sense of her as a flesh-and-blood person. The performance of her letters and songs gives Hong's documentary an emotional depth that is quite touching. Incidents that I'd read about, such as Wong's absence from her mother's funeral because of her decision to keep working during the Broadway run of On the Spot (1930-31), are brought to life with great poignancy.

Yunah Hong's Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words paints a remarkably vivid portrait of one of the 20th century's most fascinating icons and is highly recommended to fans and strangers alike."

Read the full review: http://softfilm.blogspot.com/2011/03/anna-may-wong-in-her-own-words.html

There is one last screening in the Bay Area on Wednesday (3/16).

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at 7:15 PM
at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, San Francisco, CA
Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
In Attendance: Yunah Hong (Director)
Preceded by short SLAYING THE DRAGON RELOADED, by Elaine Kim (30min)

Tickets: $12 for regular admission; $11 for students/seniors.

http://caam.gala-engine.com/2011/films-events/film/106/

Since I am studying for my midterms, I had to choose between viewing the documentary or a screening of Shanghai Express. I chose Shanghai Express. I don't get a lot opportunities to view Shanghai Express on the big screen, and documentaries tend to be shown more than once around the country. To make a long story short: I will be attending the Sunday 5:55pm showing of Shanghai Express. I'm really looking forward of seeing the marquee on that day!


Anna May Wong and Warner Oland in Shanghai Express. Click on the photo for a larger image (637x521 pixels).

Event: Shanghai Express at The Stanford Theatre
Date: March 12th-14th, 2011
Locations: The Stanford Theatre, 221 University Ave, Palo Alto, CA
Website: Shanghai Express at The Stanford Theatre
Description: The Stanford Theatre Foundation is dedicated to bringing back the authentic movie-going experience of Hollywood's Golden Age. Classic Hollywood directors never intended you to watch their pictures on a video screen in your living room (or while jogging). The magic of the movies depends on a larger-than-life image and the shared reactions of a large audience.

Saturday, March 12th, 2011 at 5:55, 9:25 PM
Shanghai Express
Anna May Wong, Marlene Dietrich

Sunday, March 13th, 2011 at 5:55, 9:25 PM
Shanghai Express
Anna May Wong, Marlene Dietrich

Monday, March 14th, 2011 at 5:55, 9:25 PM
Shanghai Express
Anna May Wong, Marlene Dietrich

Tickets: $7 for adults, $5 for seniors (65+) and youth (18 and under).

http://www.stanfordtheatre.org/stf/calendars/Winter%202011.html
http://www.stanfordtheatre.org/stf/aboutMore.html

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Is anyone else going? Please let me know. :)

Unfortunately, I am unable to attend these screenings due to my upcoming midterm exams. But hopefully someone will be able to attend and email me about their experiences. :)



Event: Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
Date: March 12th, 13th & 16th, 2011
Locations:
March 12th & 16th: Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, Japantown, San Francisco, CA
March 13th: Pacific Film Archive Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA

Website: Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
Description: "I represent one considerable spot of yellow that's come to stay on the silver of the screen," declared the legendary Chinese American actress Anna May Wong early in her career. Intricately constructed and visually rich, ANNA MAY WONG: IN HER OWN WORDS chronicles the life of the first Asian American actress to grace Hollywood screens in the early 20th century. Eight years in the making, this documentary features insightful commentary from prominent Asian American actors, artists and film scholars, as well as from Wong’s acquaintances, family friends and studio colleagues. A treasure trove of clips and images from Wong's cinematic career draw viewers into the magic of her screen presence and craft.

Actress Doan Ly re-enacts Wong's cabaret performances and makes Wong's words, culled from interviews and letters, literally come alive. Hong allows audiences to imagine the challenges confronting Wong as an unconventional Chinese American woman within her family and community, and the endless limitations confronting Wong as an Asian American actress during a period steeped in racist and sexist attitudes and policies. Yet despite all this, Wong still held true to her love of the "irresistible" motion picture. "For there is nothing I prefer to do. The harder the work, the greater the satisfaction in accomplishing it." Through hard work, determination and personal sacrifice, Wong would star in over 50 films during her over-20-year career and leave an indelible mark in the history of motion pictures.

Saturday, March 12th, 2011 at 12:45 PM
at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, San Francisco, CA
Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
In Attendance: Yunah Hong (Director)
Preceded by short SLAYING THE DRAGON RELOADED, by Elaine Kim (30min)

Sunday, March 13th, 2011 at 3:30 PM
at Pacific Film Archive Theater, Berkeley, CA
Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
In Attendance: Yunah Hong (Director)
Preceded by short SLAYING THE DRAGON RELOADED, by Elaine Kim (30min)

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 at 7:15 PM
at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, San Francisco, CA
Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words
In Attendance: Yunah Hong (Director)
Preceded by short SLAYING THE DRAGON RELOADED, by Elaine Kim (30min)

Tickets: $12 for regular admission; $11 for students/seniors.

http://caam.gala-engine.com/2011/films-events/film/106/

These two events have already transpired. However, these particular events have a tendency to recur. So if you miss an event one year, you can always go another year.


From the John Kobol collection; photographed by Eugene Robert Richee.

Event: “Made in Hollywood: Photographs from the John Kobal Foundation”
Date: Already ended
Location: Norton Museum of Art 1451 S. Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Websites: http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2010-12-16/culture/made-in-hollywood-at-the-norton-museum-reminds-us-of-what-it-s-like-to-be-starstruck/

http://www.norton.org/Exhibitions/Current/MadeinHollywood/tabid/462/Default.aspx


Movie still from Piccadilly (1929)

Event: Piccadilly Revisited @ City Hall Theatre
Date: Already ended
Location: Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong
Websites: http://www.chinatownartsspace.com/news/entry/2011_hong_kong_arts_festival_trailer

http://www.hk.artsfestival.org/en/prog/27/

Here is another of Hal Roach's sketches, I suppose meant to move Anna into a cartoon world.


https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/__88w5YGfchw/TViSTZEzdzI/AAAAAAAAE1c/c1GP4vxRl4M/s400/Anna-May-Wong-by-Hal-Roach.jpg

If I may, I'd like to mention that I've added a lot of new Anna May Wong products to my Zazzel Store:

http://www.zazzle.com/anebo10*