Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Wayne Wang's Films Explore the Chinese American Experience.

Filmmaker Wayne Wang. With the films "Chan is Missing," "Dim Sum," "Slamdance" and "Eat a Bowl of Tea," to his credit, Wang is the first Chinese-American film director to make an impact in the American film industry. Wang has focussed his work around the problems of identity and assimilation, and other issues in the lives of Chinese-American immigrants. He made his first film, "Chan is Missing," on a budget of only $22,000, but the mystery set in San Francisco's Chinatown became both a critical and box-office success. Chan's latest movie, "Eat a Bowl of Tea," takes place just after World War Two, when Chinese women were first allowed to immigrate to America in large numbers. It will be shown next week on public television's "American Playhouse" series. (Rebroadcast. Originally broadcast on Wednesday, July 26, 1989).

22:50
Queue

Guest

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on April 27, 1990

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, April 27, 1990: Interview with Wayne Wang; Commentary on Little Richard, Part 1; Interview with Eugene Richards; Review of the film "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her…
Queue
06:58

Little Richard, the Early Years: Finding His Way.

Rock historian Ed Ward begins a two-part profile on Little Richard. This week he tells us about Little Richard's early years, when he had more ambition than success and was still trying to make his mark in the music world.

Commentary
Queue
11:25

Eugene Richards Captures Emergency Medicine on Film.

Photojournalist Eugene Richards. His latest book, "The Knife & Gun Club: Scenes from an Emergency Room," has been called the "modern day version of Dante's 'Inferno.'" It chronicles the trauma center of Denver General Hospital, where Richards spent twelve to twenty hours a day photographing and talking to the staff.

Interview
Queue
04:03

An Elaborately Silly Movie.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the controversial new film "The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover." It's by British director Peter Greenaway, who directed "The Draftsman's Contract."

Review

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
22:18

Wayne Wang's Films Explore the Chinese American Experience.

Filmmaker Wayne Wang. With the films "Chan is Missing," "Dim Sum," and "Slam Dance" to his credit, Wang is the first Chinese-American film director to make an impact in the American film industry. Wang has focussed his work around the problems of identity and assimilation, and other issues in the lives of Chinese-American immigrants. He made his first film, "Chan is Missing," on a budget of only $22,000, but the mystery set in San Francisco's Chinatown became both a critical and box-office success.

Interview
Queue
22:18

Tom Hulce on Playing a Slain Civil Rights Worker.

Actor Tom Hulce. He was nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Mozart in the movie "Amadeus," and for a Golden Globe for his role as brain-damaged garbage man in "Dominick & Eugene." More recently, Hulce played the black-sheep of the family in "Parenthood." Next week, Hulce stars in "Murder in Mississippi," a made-for-TV movie about the freedom summer.

Interview
Queue
21:33

Wayne Wang Discusses His Early Life.

Filmmaker Wayne Wang. With the films "Chan is Missing," "Dim Sum," "Slamdance" and "Eat a Bowl of Tea," to his credit, Wang was the first Chinese-American film director to make an impact in the American film industry. Wang went on to direct "The Joy Luck Club," and the films "Smoke" and "Blue in the Face." His newest film is set in Hong Kong, "Chinese Box" starring Jeremy Irons.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

52:30

Israeli and Palestinian activists share a vision for peace in Gaza

Tonya mosley interviews two men deeply impacted by the violence on either side of the Israeli Palestinian conflict who still believe peace is possible. MAOZ INON (mah-OHZ EE-nohn) is an Israeli entrepreneur whose parents were among the 12-hundred killed by Hamas in October of 2023, the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. AZIZ ABU SARAH (ah-ZEEZ ah-BOO SAH-rah) is a Palestinian peacebuilder. When AZIZ was only 9, his brother was arrested and tortured in an Israeli military prison and subsequently died from his injuries.

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

See All Recent Segments

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue