Ep. 394: Hero (2002)

Dustin's second pick of the month was required to be a martial arts film. Why? Because he has focused his PhD work on martial arts and kung fu cinema. So, Dustin picked a film from 2002 that made its way stateside following the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. We're talking Zhang Yimou's Hero. Once we get it on the analysis table, Dustin digs into his PhD work and how Hero represents that. We discuss form and genre in regards to Wuxia films. The film's ideology and politics are ripe for discourse. And, finally, we try to figure out the film's gender representation. So, tune in for our 3rd week in the celebration of Pops, and take time to watch Hero if you've not seen it before—or just give it a rewatch because it's good!

Time Stamps

00:30 - Introductions and Synopsis

02:28 - Quick Hero Reviews

13:23 - Expanding the Syllabus

28:27 - Analysis

56:45 - Shelf or Trash

57:20 - Wrap up and Next Week's Film