| MAN-U I MPORTS' NEWS |
|
|
| MAN-U I MPORTS' NEWS |
|
|
|
|
|
Forbidden City USA Preview Showing
|
Presents... Arthur Dong’s Historical Documentary FORBIDDEN CITY U.S.A. Makes Home Video Debut on November 12 Documentary Remembers
the “Chinese Cotton Club” that inspired
FLOWER DRUM SONG LOS ANGELES, CA - Acclaimed filmmaker Arthur Dong, whose FAMILY FUNDAMENTALS is in current theatrical release, brings his first feature length documentary to home video on November 12. FORBIDDEN CITY U.S.A. discovers the history of the notorious and groundbreaking Chinese American nightclub that inspired the musical FLOWER DRUM SONG, which is in revival on Broadway this fall. FORBIDDEN CITY U.S.A. makes its home video debut exclusively on DVD, featuring never-before-seen bonus footage, on November 12, with a pre book date of October 22. The DVD is specially priced for the private home video market with a Suggested Retail Price of $39.95; institutional and other uses are priced separately. Home video consumers can purchase the video by contacting the DeepFocus Film Library at 800-343-5540 beginning November 12 (pre-orders accepted); institutional and other users should inquire at www.DeepFocusProductions.com ; and retailers can contact DeepFocus Productions directly at 323-662-6575 or info@DeepFocusProductions.com . From the swinging 30s to the big bands of the 40s, crowds in San Francisco were packing the nation’s premiere all Chinese night club Forbidden City. Compared to the Cotton Club of Harlem, which featured America’s finest black entertainers, Forbidden City gained an international reputation with its unique showcase of Chinese American performers, such as the “Chinese Frank Sinatra” and the “Chinese Ginger Rogers,” in All-American productions. FORBIDDEN CITY U.S.A. captures the glamour and social significance of this period. Combining interviews and remarkable archival film and photographs, the film looks behind the musical characters of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s FLOWER DRUM SONG, which was loosely based on the real-life Forbidden City nightclub, to show a generation of Asian American pioneers who fought cultural barriers and racism to pursue their love for American song and dance. In July 1985, filmmaker Arthur Dong was interviewing legendary agent and Forbidden City headliner Jadin Wong and ended up discovering the rich history of the night club. Initially, Dong found mere traces of the nightclub, as Forbidden City and other similar hotspots were considered nothing more than fads, and many elder Asian Americans were embarrassed by the club, remembering it as a low-class burlesque house. On his own, Dong began collecting oral histories of over 100 Forbidden City alumni, which led to an overwhelming wealth of materials to draw upon in reconstructing the illustrious time of Forbidden City. Dong’s discoveries led him from personal collections, including rare color footage of the club, to major Hollywood studios, where he obtained new prints of classic films featuring the hottest Forbidden City stars. Combining these archives with entertaining and insightful interviews, Dong created the first comprehensive record of Forbidden City. Garnering over a dozen honors when the film was released in 1989, FORBIDDEN CITY U.S.A. went on to be broadcast on PBS as part of the “American Experience” series. Director Arthur Dong subsequently directed a string of acclaimed documentaries, including COMING OUT UNDER FIRE and LICENSED TO KILL. His newest film, FAMILY FUNDAMENTALS , a portrait of three conservative Christian families and their gay children, opens in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco on October 11. FORBIDDEN CITY U.S.A. makes its home video debut exclusively on DVD on November 12, with a pre-book date of October 22. The DVD features bonus footage that has never been seen before, as well as a nostalgic scrapbook with over two hundred period photos and assorted memorabilia from the club. The DVD is specially priced for the private home use video market with a Suggested Retail Price of $39.95; institutional and other uses are priced separately, please inquire at www.DeepFocusProductions.com . |
| SRP: |
$39.95 |
|
Running Time: |
Features
- 56 minutes / Bonus features - 20 minutes (approx.) |
| Format: |
Full
frame (from 16mm print) |
| Bonus
Features: |
Bonus
Footage, Nostalgic Scrapbook |
| Pre-Order
Date: |
October
22, 2002 |
| Street
Date: |
November
12, 2002 |