THE CINEMA OF ANG LEE

Born in Taiwan, Ang Lee is one of cinema’s most versatile yet popular directors, whose ability to cut across cultural, national and sexual boundaries has given him recognition in all corners of the world. His astonishingly diverse CV shows him tackling culture clashes and globalisation (Eat Drink Man Woman, 1993), period drama (Sense and Sensibility, 1995), blockbusters (Hulk, 2003) and even the western (Brokeback Mountain, 2005). In this book, the first full-length study of Ang Lee’s work, Whitney Crothers Dilley uses suggestive readings of gender and identity to uncover the enormous appeal of this acclaimed contemporary director.

Whitney Crothers Dilley is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Shih Hsin University, Taiwan’s most prestigious media/film school. Her publications include Feminism/Femininity in Chinese Literature (2002), edited with Peng-hsiang Chen, and articles in The Tamkang Review and Disputatio. She received her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Washington in 1998.

'This new book's essential characteristics are clarity, perceptiveness, sympathy and thoroughness. This is no coterie text for cineastes or crabbed work for academics. Instead, it's eminently clear-headed and lucid, covering all his films in detail, but also containing a perceptive and even profound overview of the inner nature of Lee's achievement ... It's an understanding of the deep nature of her subject that makes Dilley's groundbreaking and comprehensive book such a rewarding read, and such a very fine achievement.'
Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times

‘Dilley's book provides an essential overview of the debates surrounding Ang Lee and his films … Dilley [displays] analytic strength, particularly in her exploration of the use of language throughout Lee's films ... Dilley's book also collects great insights into the production and reception of Lee's cross-cultural films.’
Brian Hu, Asia Pacific Arts

'The first major study of a director who deserves much more attention … Essential reading for any scholar of either contemporary Chinese or American film.’
Chris Berry, Goldsmiths College, University of London 

'The author's knowledge of Chinese culture marks the book positively and also provides valuable insights into and thematic analyses on Lee's films.’
Heidi Philipsen, 16:9