Chinese Literature and Culture in the World Series Editor Ban Wang Stanford University Stanford, CA, USA As China is becoming an important player on the world stage, Chinese literature is poised to change and reshape the overlapping, shared cultural landscapes in the world. This series publishes books that reconsider Chinese literature, culture, criticism, and aesthetics in national and inter- national contexts. While seeking studies that place China in geopolitical tensions and historical barriers among nations, we encourage projects that engage in empathetic and learning dialogue with other national traditions. Imbued with a desire for mutual relevance and sympathy, this dialogue aspires to a modest prospect of world culture. We seek theoretically informed studies of Chinese literature, classical and modern -­ works capa- ble of rendering China’s classical heritage and modern accomplishments into a signifcant part of world culture. We promote works that cut across the modern and tradition divide and challenge the inequality and uneven- ness of the modern world by critiquing modernity. We look for projects that bring classical aesthetic notions to new interpretations of modern critical theory and its practice. We welcome works that register and ana- lyze the vibrant contemporary scenes in the online forum, public sphere, and media. We encourage comparative studies that account for mutual parallels, contacts, infuences, and inspirations. More information about this series at http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/14891 Harry H. Kuoshu Craziness and Carnival in Neo-Noir Chinese Cinema Harry H. Kuoshu Department of Asian Studies Furman University Greenville, SC, USA Chinese Literature and Culture in the World ISBN 978-3-030-73080-2 ISBN 978-3-030-73081-9 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73081-9 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifcally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microflms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifc statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affliations. Cover illustration: Pattern © Melisa Hasan This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG. The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland PREFACE A library trip to the Duke University in 2014 was unforgettable. CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure hosted by Qinghua University) was then not readily accessible in the United States, and I had to use a specifed terminal in the Duke Library to reach for it. When I entered “flm, crazy stone” as my key words, the sheer quantity of articles retrieved genuinely amazed me. That was my entry into a rich network of discourses in connection to this flm and to a cinematic craziness. This mini book is a result of that entry. This library trip took place soon after I was appointed to hold Herring Endowed Chair in Asian Studies and Film Studies at Furman University. The endowed fund greatly facilitated my research trips and conference attending in connection with this mini book project. I remain indebted to this source of support. An earlier, shorter version of current Introduction is published in Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, a Shanghai-­based academic jour- nal (“The Neo-noir­ Crazy Stone Phenomenon.” Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art, 37.2 (2017): 102–117). The current section on flm Happy in Chap. 3 contains parts of a published article (“Forrest Gump Becomes a Chinese Film Director: Idealism, Formalism and an In-­between Audience,” Global Studies Journal, 8.1 (2015): 1–11). In 2018, I deliv- ered a key-­note speech, “Crazy Stone Phenomenon in the Perspective of Neo-­noir Networking” at the 3rd International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities in Hangzhou, China. v vi PREFACE Appreciation goes to Ann Barrington, who continued to help me edit my language, and to my students of flm classes at Furman University, who have sampled Chinese cinematic craziness with warm reception. Greenville, SC, USA Harry H. Kuoshu CONTENTS 1 Introduction: Crazy Stone Phenomenon and Chinese Neo-noir Comedies 1 1 Black Carnival: The Stone Phenomenon 2 2 Dog and King: To Confgure Craziness 6 3 Darkness: Black Humor, Film Noir, and Neo-noir 11 4 Modernity: Modernism, Postmodernism, and Post-socialism 19 5 Laughter: Carnival Revelry and Darkness 23 6 Nihilism, Cynicism, and Chinese Neo-noir 25 References 33 2 Prelude: Rehumanization Craziness and Traditional Noir 37 1 “Modernist” Craziness 38 2 Desperate Songstress: Cool, Rocking Darkness 44 3 Desperation: Self-Chasing and Existential Modernism 47 4 Obsession: Activating Cultural Psychoanalysis 51 References 57 3 Discourses: Crazy Stone Dropped in a Postmodern Pond 61 1 Postmodernism 62 2 Grassroots 64 3 Carnival 70 4 Egao (Mischievous Parody) and Shanzhai (Copycatting) 73 References 80 vii viii COntents 4 Films: Because of Crazy Stone 85 1 Lost and Found: Darkness for Sale 86 2 Stone Hitting on Swords: A Postmodern Masquerade 91 The Second Best: To Uncrown National Heroes 93 Almost Perfect: A Doomed Quest 95 A Simple Noodle Story: Bright-Color, Neo-noir Profanity 98 3 Happy: Idealism, Formalism, and Bitter Laughter 102 4 Crazy Racer: To Construct a Ning Hao Brand 110 5 Crazy Foolish Thieves: Connections with Hong Kong 116 References 126 5 Dual Retrieval of Cinematic Craziness: A Coda 129 References 137 References 139 Index 155 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Harry H. Kuoshu is Herring Professor of Asian Studies and Film Studies at Furman University. He is the author of Metro Movies: Cinematic Urbanism in Post-­Mao China (2011), Celluloid China: Cinematic Encounters with Culture and Society (2002), and Lightness of Being in China: Adaptation and Discursive Figuration in Cinema and Theater (1999). ix LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1.1 Crazy Stone. A black carnival 3 Fig. 2.1 Desperate Songstress. “As she emerged with her songs, she dies in her songs” 46 Fig. 2.2 Desperation. Police and fugitive; a person chasing his own shadow 48 Fig. 2.3 Obsession. Yearning and fear; male anxiety 52 Fig. 2.4 Obsession. The rape victim becomes disillusioned 53 Fig. 3.1 Crazy Stone. Egao (mischievous parody) reference to Mission Impossible 74 Fig. 4.1 Lost and Found. Darkness for sale 87 Fig. 4.2 The Second Best. An ancient-­costume masquerade 92 Fig. 4.3 Almost Perfect. A doomed quest 96 Fig. 4.4 A Simple Noodle Story. Bright-­color, neo-­noir profanity 101 Fig. 4.5 Happy. Forrest Gump in China 103 Fig. 4.6 Crazy Racer. To construct a Ning Hao brand 111 Fig. 4.7 Crazy Foolish Thieves. Hong Kong connections 117 Fig. 5.1 Crazy Twins. To be crazy is to rejuvenate 130 Fig. 5.2 Crazy Alien. A monkey story 136 xi.