Crazy English (film)
Encyclopedia
Crazy English is a 1999 Chinese documentary
directed by Zhang Yuan
. The film premiered along with Zhang's Seventeen Years
at the 1999 Locarno International Film Festival
. It established Zhang's position as a "legitimate" director after years of working independently from, and often at odds with, the Chinese authorities
.
In contrast to earlier films, like East Palace, West Palace
(1997), Crazy English was produced with the cooperation of the state-owned Xi'an Film Studio, which enjoys a "presented by" billing in the film's credits.
's most popular motivational speakers, Li Yang
, the founder of "Crazy English
". Li is known for his stadium-sized presentations where he exhorts his audiences to engage in mass recitations of English phrases and idiom
s, often with a strong nationalist
bent: "Conquer English to Make China Stronger!". Li, however, has also courted controversy. Despite the fact that he teaches a foreign language, Li has never left China, a fact not revealed in the film until the end. Other common criticisms, including accusations that Li Yang is a "nationalist huckster" and that his methods do not actually improve English-speaking ability, receive a much more subtle presentation in Zhang's film.
The film follows Li on his tours throughout China with a few interspersed interviews. Zhang Yuan has described the film as a combination of Leni Riefenstahl
's Triumph of the Will
and Robert Zemeckis
' Forrest Gump
.
neighborhood. At the time Zhang Yuan had not even heard of Li Yang or his "Crazy English" programs. After meeting with the manager, Zhang was sufficiently intrigued by the idea of a documentary about Li to arrange for an actual meeting with the motivational speaker.
Once the two men met, Zhang Yuan "immediately" decided to make the film. Though made with the assent of official authorities, the filmmakers were nevertheless forced to make certain cuts before being allowed a limited release for their documentary. Zhang has noted that his own opinions of Li Yang vary dramatically from admiration to disgust. One critic also noticed Zhang's ambivalence in the film and noted that the film seems to shift from appreciation or amusement at Li Yang's methodologies to one darker in tone, as Li Yang's mass rallies begin to resemble Mao-era Red Guard
rallies or even Hitler's Nuremberg Rally
.
While China remained ambivalent, the west also responded to Crazy English with mixed reactions. At least one critic felt that the film was too long and better suited for television
than film.. On the other hand, the film journal Senses of Cinema
showered praise on Crazy English, saying, "This is a fascinating film - for China watchers, for educators and for fans of the documentary film - and is an absolute must for festival patrons."
As for the film's subject, Li Yang was reportedly less than pleased by the film's portrayal of him as a demagogue, and he has gone on to say that the film was "not a real documentary" accusing Zhang of manipulating the film to appeal to Western audiences.
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
directed by Zhang Yuan
Zhang Yuan
Zhang Yuan is a Chinese film director who has been described by film scholars as a pioneering member of China's Sixth Generation of filmmakers...
. The film premiered along with Zhang's Seventeen Years
Seventeen Years (film)
Seventeen Years is a 1999 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yuan and starring Li Bingbing in her feature film debut. Seventeen Years was screened at several international film festivals where it garnered numerous accolades, including the Director's Award at the 56th Venice Film Festival.The film is...
at the 1999 Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
. It established Zhang's position as a "legitimate" director after years of working independently from, and often at odds with, the Chinese authorities
State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television
The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television is an executive branch under the State Council of the People's Republic of China...
.
In contrast to earlier films, like East Palace, West Palace
East Palace, West Palace
East Palace, West Palace is a 1996 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yuan starring Hu Jun, Si Han. It is also known as Behind the Forbidden City or Behind the Palace Gates....
(1997), Crazy English was produced with the cooperation of the state-owned Xi'an Film Studio, which enjoys a "presented by" billing in the film's credits.
Subject
The film follows one of the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's most popular motivational speakers, Li Yang
Li Yang (Crazy English)
Li Yang is the Chinese creator of Crazy English, an unorthodox method of teaching English. He claimed to have taught English to more than 20 million people in a decade.-General Experiences:...
, the founder of "Crazy English
Crazy English
Crazy English is a brand name related to a non-traditional method of learning English in mainland China conceived by Li Yang. Li believes that the traditional way of learning English in China is ineffective. Li Yang's method places heavy emphasis on practicing English orally...
". Li is known for his stadium-sized presentations where he exhorts his audiences to engage in mass recitations of English phrases and idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
s, often with a strong nationalist
Chinese nationalism
Chinese nationalism , sometimes synonymous with Chinese patriotism refers to cultural, historiographical, and political theories, movements and beliefs that assert the idea of a cohesive, unified Chinese people and culture in a unified country known as China...
bent: "Conquer English to Make China Stronger!". Li, however, has also courted controversy. Despite the fact that he teaches a foreign language, Li has never left China, a fact not revealed in the film until the end. Other common criticisms, including accusations that Li Yang is a "nationalist huckster" and that his methods do not actually improve English-speaking ability, receive a much more subtle presentation in Zhang's film.
The film follows Li on his tours throughout China with a few interspersed interviews. Zhang Yuan has described the film as a combination of Leni Riefenstahl
Leni Riefenstahl
Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl was a German film director, actress and dancer widely noted for her aesthetics and innovations as a filmmaker. Her most famous film was Triumph des Willens , a propaganda film made at the 1934 Nuremberg congress of the Nazi Party...
's Triumph of the Will
Triumph of the Will
Triumph of the Will is a propaganda film made by Leni Riefenstahl. It chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg, which was attended by more than 700,000 Nazi supporters. The film contains excerpts from speeches given by various Nazi leaders at the Congress, including portions of...
and Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Lee Zemeckis is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Zemeckis first came to public attention in the 1980s as the director of the comedic time-travel Back to the Future film series, as well as the Academy Award-winning live-action/animation epic Who Framed Roger Rabbit ,...
' Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
.
Production history
The seeds for Crazy English first arose when Li Yang's manager asked to meet with Zhang Yuan at a bar in Beijing's SanlitunSanlitun
Sanlitun is an area of the Chaoyang District, Beijing containing many popular bar streets and international stores.The area has been under almost constant regeneration since the late 20th century as part of a city-wide project of economic regrowth...
neighborhood. At the time Zhang Yuan had not even heard of Li Yang or his "Crazy English" programs. After meeting with the manager, Zhang was sufficiently intrigued by the idea of a documentary about Li to arrange for an actual meeting with the motivational speaker.
Once the two men met, Zhang Yuan "immediately" decided to make the film. Though made with the assent of official authorities, the filmmakers were nevertheless forced to make certain cuts before being allowed a limited release for their documentary. Zhang has noted that his own opinions of Li Yang vary dramatically from admiration to disgust. One critic also noticed Zhang's ambivalence in the film and noted that the film seems to shift from appreciation or amusement at Li Yang's methodologies to one darker in tone, as Li Yang's mass rallies begin to resemble Mao-era Red Guard
Red Guards (China)
Red Guards were a mass movement of civilians, mostly students and other young people in the People's Republic of China , who were mobilized by Mao Zedong in 1966 and 1967, during the Cultural Revolution.-Origins:...
rallies or even Hitler's Nuremberg Rally
Nuremberg Rally
The Nuremberg Rally was the annual rally of the NSDAP in Germany, held from 1923 to 1938. Especially after Hitler's rise to power in 1933, they were large Nazi propaganda events...
.
Reception
Despite of its official approval, Crazy English received only a limited release in select cities within China. Zhang Yuan has stated that the film's reception within China was difficult to read, given the mass adoration (and criticism) that Li Yang often elicits.While China remained ambivalent, the west also responded to Crazy English with mixed reactions. At least one critic felt that the film was too long and better suited for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
than film.. On the other hand, the film journal Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema
Senses of Cinema is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Senses of Cinema publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career overviews of the works of key directors, and coverage of many...
showered praise on Crazy English, saying, "This is a fascinating film - for China watchers, for educators and for fans of the documentary film - and is an absolute must for festival patrons."
As for the film's subject, Li Yang was reportedly less than pleased by the film's portrayal of him as a demagogue, and he has gone on to say that the film was "not a real documentary" accusing Zhang of manipulating the film to appeal to Western audiences.
External links
- Crazy English from the Chinese Movie Database