To mark the recent release of the "Arthur Dong Collection", a 3-disc retrospective of ten films by Arthur Dong on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker speaks exclusively with The Queer Review's editor James Kleinmann. During the conversation, Dong reflects on his career in film and more recently as an author; discusses what it was like to revisit his first independently made film from 1970, Public, for this new 2K restoration; shares what drew him to documentary filmmaking; gives an insight into his approach to assembling the four hours of bonus features included in the Blu-ray release; credits the work of Arthur J. Bressan Jr. and Stanley Kubrick as creative inspirations; and names the LGBTQ+ films that have impacted him.
Included in the collection are Sewing Woman (1982), Forbidden City, USA (1989), Hollywood Chinese (2007), The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor (2015), Coming Out Under Fire (1994), Out Rage ’69 (1995), Licensed to Kill (1997), and Family Fundamentals (2002), along with four hours of bonus features including Public (1970, Arthur Dong; first time available, restored with a new score), Living Music for Golden Mountains (1981-2010, Arthur Dong - director’s cut); Hollywood Chinese: Arthur Dong in conversation with Jacqueline Stewart (courtesy of Academy Museum of Motion Pictures); 45 Years in Film: Arthur Dong in conversation with Oliver Wang (Courtesy of Criterion), additional interviews, outtakes, and trailers. The Blu-ray also includes a booklet essay by film critic Alonso Duralde, and an Arthur Dong filmography gallery.
With over 150 awards to his name, the full scope of Oscar-nominee Arthur Dong’s storytelling mastery is brought to light in this special edition Blu-ray collection of groundbreaking films that explore the Asian American and LGBTQ experience.