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Comparative Literature 110: Hong Kong Cinema

Winter 2026

MIDTERM PAPER/EXAM

Films watched in entirety (all available on Canvas course site):

· Fist of Fury (Dir. Lo Wei, starring Bruce Lee, 1972)

· Supercop (aka. Police Story 3, Dir. Stanley Tong, starring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh, 1992)

· A Better Tomorrow (Dir. John Woo, starring Chow Yun-fat, 1986)

· Infernal Affairs (Dir. Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung Chiu-wai, 2002)

Additional list (film clips shown in class, in chronological order of year of film release):

· Dragon Gate Inn (Dir. King Hu, 1967)

· Enter the Dragon (Dir. Robert Clouse, starring Bruce Lee, 1972)

· Drunken Master (Dir. Yuen Woo-ping, starring Jackie Chan, 1978)

· Once Upon a Time in China (Dir. Tsui Hark, starring Jet Li, 1991)

· Wing Chun (Dir. Yuen Woo-ping, starring Michelle Yeoh, 1994)

· Rumble in the Bronx (Dir. Stanley Tong, starring Jackie Chan, 1995)

· The Killer (Dir. John Woo, starring Chow Yun-fat, 1989)

· Hard Boiled (Dir. John Woo, starring Chow Yun-fat, 1992)

· Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Dir. Ang Lee, starring Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, 2001)

· Ip Man (Dir. Wilson Yip, starring Donnie Yen, 2008)

Choose and focus on at least three films from the above lists.  The films should be directed by at least three different directors and feature at least three different stars.   Discuss and compare the generic characteristics and historical evolution of Hong Kong martial arts films and action films in terms of theme, plot, and/or style.  The minimum length of the paper should be 5 full pages, double-space, font size 12 (preferred script: Times New Roman).  If you wish to choose any film from outside the above lists, please let me know first.  You should not write about the films of one particular star or director only.

Avoid simple generalization.  Please refer to specific elements and details of the films.  You might wish to consider such formal and stylistic features: characters, stars, scenes, choreography, cinematography, editing, lighting, sound, music, pacing (rhythm), and so on. You may consult assigned reading materials or do some additional research outside the class.  Please always acknowledge your sources.  Do not use the passages of a publication or online source without appropriate citations.

Plagiarism is not tolerated at UC Davis.  Using AI or a translation app is also considered plagiarism.  If such a case arises, the student will receive F for this assignment.  It may be reported to the Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs.  Our canvas course site uses the “Turnitin” program to automatically detect significant overlap between a student’s paper and existing sources.  If there is a significant similarity between them, that would be a possible case of plagiarism.

The course partially fulfills your writing requirement.  Your writing is expected to reflect college-level competence in form and content.  Both what you write and how you write will be evaluated.  Relevant aspects of writing will be looked at as usual: coherence, organization, argument, elegance, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and so on.

The paper is due  11:59 pm.  Please submit your paper electronically to our Canvas course site by the deadline.  No late paper will be accepted without a legitimate excuse.  We do not accept re-submission and re-write.

Notes on Format

(Points may be deducted for not following the right format)

· For citation and documentation, we prefer the MLA style although the Chicago Manual of Style is fine also.

· Double-space throughout the paper.

· Indicate page number on each page.

· Italicize all film titles and book titles.

· Indent the first sentence of each new paragraph.  

· Do not leave extra space between two paragraphs to make the paper look longer.

· We prefer Times New Roman, font size 12.

· 1-inch (2.54 cm) margin on all sides.

· Minimum length, 5 full pages.

· Write a title for your paper.

· Write your name and the course title at an upper corner of the first page: COM 110: Hong Kong Cinema

At the bottom of the paper, write a separate sentence about the status of your attendance, such as “I have attended all lectures,” “I missed one class,” etc.  Please be truthful.  Missing four or more than lectures will result in F for the course.