Description
In the early decades of the 20th century, a time like today when one’s Chinese heritage made a person the target of prejudice, cinematographer James Wong Howe reached the pinnacle of success in his field, rising from camera department slate-holder for Cecil B. DeMille to director of photography for some of American cinema’s most-treasured films. Winner of two Oscars, Howe emigrated from China to the U.S. at age five in 1904, when the Chinese Exclusion Act was in full force, and, by dint of his talent and determination, had his artistry recognized. This course will follow Howe through his extraordinary career, screening in large format six of his most significant movies, analyzing those elements that made his camerawork so distinctive and providing behind-the-scenes information on the creation of each film.
