Watch Crazy English

Crazy English is a 1999 Chinese documentary film directed by Zhang Yuan. The film documents the phenomenon of Crazy English, a language teaching method developed by Li Yang, an English teacher from China. The documentary follows Li Yang as he travels around China, conducting his trademark public speaking events, which are essentially motivational speeches that use English as a way of inspiring his audience.

The documentary starts off by introducing Li Yang and his background. Li Yang grew up in a small village in China and had a difficult childhood. He was bullied by other students in school, and his teachers did not believe in his abilities. However, he was determined to succeed, and after studying English in university, he became an English teacher in Beijing. He quickly became frustrated with the traditional methods of teaching English, which he felt did not engage students and did not help them to truly learn the language.

Li Yang developed his own teaching method, which he called Crazy English. This method involves a combination of motivational speaking, singing, and shouting in English. Li Yang believes that by immersing oneself in the language and by creating a positive emotional connection to the language, one can learn English more effectively than by using traditional methods.

The documentary then follows Li Yang as he travels around China, conducting Crazy English events in various cities. The events attract large crowds of people, and Li Yang's energetic and emotional style of teaching quickly becomes popular. The documentary shows clips from these events, which are often chaotic and loud, with participants shouting English phrases at the top of their lungs. Despite the chaos, Li Yang's message of self-improvement and the power of English resonates with many of the participants.

The documentary also shows interviews with some of the participants, who explain how Crazy English has helped them in their personal and professional lives. Some participants credit Crazy English with helping them to get better jobs or promotions, while others say that it has improved their confidence and self-esteem.

Throughout the documentary, Li Yang faces criticism and opposition from people who believe that Crazy English is a gimmick or a scam. Some people accuse Li Yang of being a fraud or of exploiting people's desire to learn English. Li Yang defends himself by saying that he truly believes in the power of his method and that he is genuinely trying to help people.

The documentary also touches on some of the broader issues facing China at the time, such as the increasing importance of the English language in a globalized world and the challenges facing the Chinese education system. Li Yang argues that Crazy English is not just about learning English, but about changing the way that Chinese people think about education and self-improvement.

Overall, Crazy English is a fascinating and entertaining documentary that offers a glimpse into one man's unconventional approach to teaching English. While Crazy English may not be for everyone, the documentary shows that it has had a profound impact on many people's lives and has sparked important conversations about education and globalization in China.