I've explored foreign films and TV shows on occasion for many years. Over 20 years ago I had an interesting conversation with a couple of enthusiasts for the Hong Kong martial arts films at a Dragon*Con. What an interesting evening that turned out to be. There was so little available seating in the lounge we had to share a table, and that's really what conventioning is all about - getting to know your fellow fans.
They told me about their favorite films and directors. I had seen a couple of these films but didn't really understand the genre. As a fan of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, I knew that Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert were heavily influenced by the Hong Kong martial arts genre. I didn't realize until then how much depth there was.
But modern #cdramas aren't like the old classics. For some people that's a good thing. Maybe for everyone.
To me the difference in generational formats is a lot like switching from Doctor Who in the 1970s and 1980s to Doctor Who in the 2000s (the New Who format). Modern #cdramas are filmed on amazing city-sized sets with widescreen cameras in full color and all the modern technology you could hope for. One of the oldest Chinese movies I can recall watching, either in the 1980s or 1990s, was The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. It was, for its time, an engaging movie (I know hard-core fans will hate me for saying no more than that). But it wasn't anything like a modern "costume drama".
I've watched over a dozen of these shows so far. Well, that doesn't sound like very many. But when you consider that a single season can have anywhere from 24 to 60 episodes, the viewing hours add up. And I've enjoyed a few of these shows enough that I've watched them more than once. So there's more viewing hours for you.
I've published the reviews on the SF-Fandom Forums. You can scroll through a summary of those reviews on the main site's Guide to Cdramas. I started a thread in the Fan Sites forum with a more concise list of links to my reviews.
If you've heard of shows like Novoland: Pearl Eclipse and Novoland: Eagle Flag, they're part of a larger franchise that is based on a fantasy world often compared to Middle-earth. I really enjoyed both productions. I hope you do, too.
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