Reviews written by Graham
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Cageman (Universe Version)
December 5, 2006 Slice of social realismCageman might have been better titled Cagepeople, because it is all about the occupants of a men’s hostel in Hong Kong, who do indeed live in cages – not all the time, of course, but they sleep and keep their belongings inside them. The film doesn’t concentrate on one particular occupant, but shares its time evenly between 7-11, a ninety-nine year old who sells all kinds of goods to his fellows from inside his cage, which he hasn’t left in twenty years. He also has an assistant, nicknamed Sissy. Other tenants include a tinker, a very short fellow called ‘Monkey face’, who also owns a monkey, a cook, a perpetually drunk Taoist, and Mao, a young newcomer, recently released from prison. The owner of the hostel is Fatty, who has a retarded son to help him run the place. Almost the entire film takes place within the hostel, and there is barely a female to be seen.
The motivating incident of the film is the announcement that the block in which the hostel is located is to be demolished by its owners, to make for a development. Issues of relocation and compensation arise among the tenants, and cause divisions. Two politicians also arrive on the scene, and compete in shaking hands for photos and making promises, though their own motives will not appear until later. The occasional presence of TV crews only complicates the situation. Plenty of social issues appear as the film goes on: the treatment of the poor, the disabled, and the addicted in Hong Kong, and the gap between the rich and the poor. Politicians, it seems, are the same everywhere. While offering no solutions (which can’t be expected of a film), the movie nevertheless portrays humanely and sympathetically the underbelly of Hong Kong.
In a character-driven film such as this, acting is of prime importance. I had no trouble believing in any of these people – they looked and sounded like the roles they were playing, so that they quickly become real people, caught in a real situation, largely at the mercy of forces much stronger than themselves.
There is also an amount of humour in the film, as one would expect with such a range of characters. Of particular note is a discussion regarding the difference between a beggar and a homeless person. There is plenty of realistic dialogue, the kind one would expect to hear uttered by down-and-outs in the absence of females, and this seems to have earned the film a category III rating (which I thought only applied to sex and violence).
This film is quite a change of pace from the typical Hong Kong fare. It would appeal more to those interested in socially-aware movies rather than escapist entertainment. At 145 minutes, it is also quite long, though it doesn’t drag. There is enough lively dialogue and intrigue to maintain interest.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Das Testament Des Dr.Mabuse (DVD) (China Version)
Das Testament Des Dr.Mabuse (DVD) (China Version) DVD Region 6
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August 15, 2006 Good transfer and English subsI won't spend much time discussing the movie. It is a classic film by Fritz Lang, about Dr Mabuse, who was the subject of an earlier silent film also by him.
This film follows the further exploits of the title character, in organising criminal activity and terrorism.
The transfer is very good, especially given the age of the film. The English subtitles were also very well done, perfectly translated and quite easy to read.
Anyone looking for a cheaper version than the US release of this classic film should consider this release.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Love Go Go (Taiwan Version)
December 18, 2005 Another hit from Chen Yu-HsunLove Go Go is the second feature film by the Taiwanese director Chen Yu-hsun, whose first directorial effort, Tropical Fish, was highly enjoyable and very promising. Love Go Go seems, at first, a lighter film. Tropical Fish, while also funny, seemed more socially conscious, whereas the main themes in Love Go Go are a set of three related stories of love, with characters who initially seem more like caricatures in their awkward desperation, and yet who become, almost unexpectedly, strangely humanised by film’s end.
The three stories seem straightforward tales of love and frustration. At first, they even seem light, but turn out unexpectedly subverting themselves. There is plenty to laugh at (the director’s experience in writing sit-coms is evident), but these are counterbalanced by unexpected glances of touching humanity, connections between characters that suddenly spring up, loaded with sentimental meaning. The actors contribute most ably in this process of humanisation, though apparently almost all of them (except for Tang Na, playing Li Hua) were new to acting. They, in turn, are assisted by an eclectic array of photographic and editing techniques, such as time-lapse photography, musical interludes, dream sequences, whatever was required either to entertain or to add further insight into the lives of the protagonists, who, having started out as ridiculous cut-outs, end the film as the most likeable collection of lead characters I’ve seen in a film for a long time.
This was an engaging mixture of comedy and drama, certainly a change from the older generation directors from Taiwan such as Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao Hsien or Tsai Mingliang. In fact, I would be rather tempted to write an article comparing this film to ‘Terrorizers’, for example. There is enough to compare and contrast between these two films. In sum, this was fun, but far from empty froth. I don’t know if the Chen Yu-hsun has made a third film, but if so, I am certainly keen to see it.
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Goldenward Series Of Chinese Movies - Terrorizers
Goldenward Series Of Chinese Movies - Terrorizers DVD Region All
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December 16, 2005 Great Edward Yang filmIn the following I hope to write a review of Edward Yang’s ‘Terrorizer’ that does justice to its presentation of the twin themes of interconnectedness and disconnectedness, which move through the work like the forces of Yin and Yang.
Superficially, the movie deals with three couples in states of loose adherence. The characters, and the unstable relationships between them, are altered through tangential, almost incidental interactions among themselves.
Firstly, there is a photographer, evidently the son of a wealthy family, and his girlfriend, who he deserts for most of the film to follow his fascination with a rather unlikable Eurasian woman (White Chick) who he initially photographs fleeing from the police with a male accomplice. This fascination is the reason for the photographer’s break with his girlfriend. He goes on to rent the apartment she was escaping from, for use as a dark room. White Chick will later link up with a boyfriend to perpetrate a series of sex-scams, forming the second rather unstable ‘couple’ of the film, joined by the common pursuit of easy money rather than romantic attachment. The third ill-starred pair is a married couple, a doctor (Li-li Chong) and an authoress (Chou Yufen). The doctor has been waiting for a promotion and appears frustrated in its delay. His wife, a novelist, feels that her world as a housewife is growing smaller and smaller. How can she possibly write under such circumstances, she asks. A budding affair with her ex-colleague is further undermining the marriage.
This complicated tangle of trajectories is portrayed in the typically cool, disconnected, Taiwanese style, with naturalistic sound only, and no music except that which is played on radios etc. The manner in which the stories are presented and connected parallels their content, for there is no consistent point-of-view presented that could link us to any one character, and the editing tosses us from one situation to another, leaving it to the viewer to make the connections between the scenes, and in turn, the characters themselves. I suspect that this manner of presentation was itself designed to convey certain realities of life in Taipei, a rough mixture of fortuitous coincidence and disconnectedness, a situation which the technology such as phones and cameras, designed to make life better, only serve to compound further.
This is a film that I found enjoyable to ‘assemble’, and which rewarded concentrated viewing, even while avoiding answering many of the questions it raised. I suspect that further viewings may only raise other questions rather than bring me closer to answers. ‘Terrorizers’ is very much an art film, and very much a Taiwanese film. I would recommended it most to those who already profess an interest in this combination, such as lovers of Taiwanese New Wave films generally. Those who like Antonioni’s ‘Blow Up’ may also find some points of interest, as well as several interesting parallels. In sum: a mature work from an original and talented ‘auteur’.
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Goldenward Series Of Chinese Movies - Oyster Girl
Goldenward Series Of Chinese Movies - Oyster Girl DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$10.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:December 12, 2005 Classic from Taiwan - with English subtitles tooOyster Girl was praised, after its release in 1964, for its ‘healthy realism’. Its degree of realism seems great reduced today, after the films of Hou Hsiao Hsien and Tsai Ming Liang and other New Wave figures. Yet, for the time, even the portrayal of poverty, low-class labour and unflattering conditions generally must have been a challenge to the purely escapist orientation of earlier films.
The story itself nevertheless contains many familiar melodramatic elements: the ups and downs of romance, unexpected pregnancy and its associated scandals, unwanted advances from other men and the like. The main character, the oyster girl of the title, is Ah Lan, daughter of a widowed and alcoholic father. She loves Jinshui, who also likes her, though he must spend time away on fishing boats in order to save enough money to marry her (especially since her father insists on a large dowry). She is also bothered by Ah Huo, who continues to make advances despite her rejection and his own girlfriend’s reproaches.
In spite of these familiar features, Oyster Girl remains a stand-out film, perhaps because the social background and context are so well developed and integrated into the film. The drama is played out among oyster farmers and fishermen, showcasing their activities and aspects of their lifestyle, and this social context also seeps directly into the story itself through the issues of poverty and dysfunctional families. Perhaps it is this combination of the familiar and the strange which makes this film more interesting than the middle-class melodramas of the period.
‘Oyster Girl’ was suitably honoured by Hou Hsiao Hsien in the first episode of ‘The Sandwich Man’, as the film being promoted on the sandwich man’s placards.
As for the DVD itself, in contains burn-in subtitles in both Chinese and English, with dialogue (and a couple of songs) in Mandarin.
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Grandma And Her Ghosts
Grandma And Her Ghosts DVD Region All
(2)Our Price: US$10.99Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:December 11, 2005 Miyazaki-style with a Taiwanese twistGrandma and her Ghosts is an animated film from Taiwan, something of a rarity compared to Japan's massive anime output. This is no mere copy of the Japanese product, however, for it is distinctly Taiwanese, particularly with its emphasis on folk beliefs regarding the deceased and the fate of their ghosts. There may be some resemblance to Miyazaki's films, but it is different enough to stand on its own.
The main storyline has to do with Dou Dou, a young boy left at his grandma's house when his mother has to go overseas for family reasons. Dou Dou is scared of his grandma, and her strange house, especially when left there alone while his grandma goes to other houses to carry out various rites for the dead. Despite his grandma's intention to protect him from sight of the spirits that are her daily companions, it is not long before he discovers their presence. Needless to say, in the course of the movie, both of these reluctant companions will be affected by their being tossed together by fate. There is also a demon-possessed cat and an odd assortment of ghosts to spice things up.
The presence of ghosts and demons, some almost pitiful, some quite threatening, means this is not a movie for small children, though in a way, to shield them too cautiously would be to duplicate the grandma's own wish to shield her grandson from this important area of human experience, one which children are naturally curious about. I would not call this a children's film per se, though I think older children could gain from it.
The animation itself is quite colourful and appropriate to the subject matter. It is modestly hand-drawn, with definitely no overblown 3D CGI. The voices of the actors (at least in the Mandarin version I viewed) were also good, especially that of the grandma, whose voice was coarse and authoritative, capturing the personality of the old lady superbly.
At eighty minutes, it is just the right length, and especially noticeable in its absence is the kind of disproportionately lengthy climax that so many anime movies seem to suffer from (Steamboy, for example). Compared to Miyazaki's products, it is less polished, but endearing for the same reason.
Chinese viewers will see much that they recognize, and non-Chinese viewers may also find it interesting for its portrayal of folk customs and beliefs. Besides ethnographic appeal, there is enough humour and basic human interest to make this a movie well worth seeing, even for the non-anime fan.
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Strawman (Taiwan Version)
Strawman (Taiwan Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$10.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:December 11, 2005 Classic from Taiwan - funny and movingStrawman is a Taiwanese film set during the Second World War. At that time, Taiwan had been a Japanese colony for almost fifty years. Taiwanese men of fighting age had been recruited (or pressed) into the Japanese army, and as the Pacific War went the allies’ way, Taiwan also became subject to bombing (albeit not as severely as Japan itself). In ‘Strawman’, this geopolitical situation is mediated through the lives of two brothers in the countryside, their family, and their village. The ‘Strawman’ of the title, an ineffective scarecrow, witnesses these changes in village life that the war brings.
***Minor spoilers ahead***
The two brothers, the main actors of the film, avoided the military draft due to eye problems provoked by their mother with this aim in mind. But even then, the family did not escape tragedy, for their sister become crazy after her husband was killed in action. Surrounded by a brood of children (one of whom is named ‘Cowdung’), they attempt to feed themselves and their families, a task not helped by occasional requisitioning by Japanese overlords and collaborators.
During the course of the film, an elder brother returns to the village with his wife and two children. He has been quite successful in business in Japan, and intends to negotiate the sale of the fields he owns to a Japanese firm for use in sugar production. The contrast between these brothers and their families is skillfully shown, particularly as the poor local children are made to wait while for the leftovers from the guests’ meal.
In the near vicinity there is also a bridge that is a target for American bombs, which leads to the main story in the second half of the film: what to do with an unexploded bomb? Since scrap metal was becoming a precious commodity for the war effort, the brothers decide to take it to the Japanese for a reward. The journey they make with the bomb, and with a local official in tow, is quite a humorous one, leading to a conclusion which is ultimately satisfying, though also amusing in a bittersweet way.
***End of minor spoilers***
To simply call this film ‘realistic’ would be a little misleading. While reflecting genuine historical situations, it does so in a manner reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ ‘magic realism’. The performances of the actors, old and young, greatly contribute to this effect. What better mode to show the effects of a destructive war on a village so directly affected by it, yet so alien to it in spirit, than through a lens that is both compassionate, yet has such an accurate eye for irony and the sheer ridiculous?
It is easy to see why this film was acclaimed when released in 1987, and I am eager to watch the two other films in the director Wang Tung’s ‘Banana Trilogy’: Banana Paradise, and The Hill of No Return.
As for the DVD itself, this is a regular DVD5 with burnt-in Chinese subtitles, dialogue in Mandarin and Japanese and no extras.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Tropical Fish (Taiwan Version)
December 4, 2005 Funny film from promising Taiwanese directorHaving seen quite a few Taiwanese movies, I was interested in seeing how the films of the director Chen Yuxun compared to those of Tsai Mingliang or Hou Xiaoxian. ‘Tropical Fish’ compares rather favorably. It is much lighter than the works of his elders, and is very funny in places, though in no way a shallow, predictable potboiler. The plot deals with a mediocre student about to face national exams, who is caught up in a kidnapping. The impending exams loom large as the story progresses in a way that is both humorous and perhaps also critical of how these tests are of such paramount importance in determining education and career possibilities. There also seems to be some contrasting of Mandarin speakers and Taiwanese speakers which follows class distinctions quite closely. Though dependent upon the Chinese subtitles, I quite enjoyed hearing Taiwanese spoken in such an earthy and piquant style. The plot moves forward in a controlled manner, avoiding predictability, and (with a few musical interludes) towards a quite satisfying conclusion. I really enjoyed this one, and am looking forward to seeing the director’s next film, Love Go Go. Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Suffocation (DVD) (China Version)
December 4, 2005 Excellent thrillerOn the cover of the DVD, ‘Suffocation’ is labeled ‘The First Chinese Psycho Movie’. This, for me, conjured up the ideas of Halloween or Friday the 13th and other ‘slasher’ films. Having the benefit of hindsight, what I think is meant, is ‘psychological’ movie, which it certainly is, with a surrealistic blending of fact and fantasy which proves very satisfying in how it is all worked out in the end.
Lead actor Ge You plays (as he did in ‘Butterfly Smile’) a photographer. He is in almost all the scenes, and it is very much his movie. He is certainly talented enough to pull it off, though he is also well-supported by the rest of the cast.
I don’t wish to give any plot details away, since putting it all together is part of the fun. The story itself is presented in sections, arranged non-chronologically and often with nightmarish visuals. This allows for some quite innovative camera-work, giving it an expressionistic, almost ‘art-house’ feel.
The English subtitles were quite well-translated, with few errors that did not affect comprehension or enjoyment. The DVD also includes about 12 minutes of director interviews, which were quite interesting, and which were also subtitled in English, as well as some behind-the-scenes footage. --- In all, a very good DVD version of a very good movie.
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Er Zi Ying Xiong (VCD) (China Version)
Er Zi Ying Xiong (VCD) (China Version) VCD
(1)Our Price: US$5.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:October 2, 2005 Entertaining silent drama
70 mins. Silent, with intertitles in Chinese and English. The image is only slightly cropped, so the intertitles have not had their sides chopped off, which is sometimes a problem on other discs.
This film is also called ‘Poor Daddy’, though the Chinese means ‘Hero Son’, both of which are accurate titles. The ‘poor Daddy’, ‘Boatman Hu’, is a hen-pecked husband who is afraid of his second wife. Besides yelling at him, she also beats his son on the least excuse. As if that weren’t enough, she is also entertaining a lover, a good-for-nothing bully. Fortunately, the ‘Hero Son’ has more pluck than his humiliated father, and is also wise to the plans of his hated stepmother and her lover. With the aid of a crippled fisherman, he attempts to rescue him from their snare.
The image is very dark for the first 5 minutes or so, but is fine after that. The actors have been well cast, and all perform well, alternating between comedy and drama with ease. This is a drama in the classic style, with boldly-drawn characters, plenty of ups-and-downs, and a genuine cliff-hanger ending. Highly enjoyable.
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Xin Nu Xing (VCD) (China Version)
September 30, 2005 Ruan Lingyu's last filmChinese intertitles only! 2 discs. 103min.
This VCD contains a spoken dub made in the eighties, which adds nothing to the story, but replicates the title cards, which are still included, though sometimes for a very short duration. Personally, I found the dub irritating and watched the film with the sound off, as it was meant to be. The title cards are often quite long, and frequent. By 1934 it seems even silent movies had begun to stretch beneath the new possibility of incorporating the spoken word as a primary carrier of meaning in film.
The story itself is a simple one, of a single mother, and the challenges she faces supporting herself and then her daughter in Shanghai. As expected from Ruan Lingyu, her performance is terrific, and is given added poignancy since she would soon take her life in the same way (and for similar reasons) as the heroine of the story. An amazing and tragic ‘swansong’ from this unique talent.
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ZAO QI ZHONG GUO DIAN YING (VCD) (1927-1949) TI YU HUANG HOU (China Version)
ZAO QI ZHONG GUO DIAN YING (VCD) (1927-1949) TI YU HUANG HOU (China Version) VCD
(1)Our Price: US$5.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:September 30, 2005 "Queen of Sports" - great film!Silent, with Chinese intertitles. Image quality is okay for its age. The usual artefacts, but quite viewable. The director is the legendary Sun Yu, and the film stars Li Lili and Bai Lu.
Li Lili is in her element here as Lin Ying, an ubullient young woman with energy to burn who has come to Shanghai to study at a sports school. As a child, she was fond of climbing trees and running around, and has great natural talent. The focus of the film is clearly on sport, including physical training, study and competition, though while at the school, she becomes rather fond of her coach, the brother of a classmate whom she knew in her childhood, as well as earning the jealousy of some catty classmates.
Li Lili, a rather more physical actress than many, gets to show her athletic nature in a part that seems made especially for her. The film advocates sport and physical health as important for the whole nation, and there is also implicit criticism of the effete manners of the upper-classes in the city. There are also moments of humour that lighten several scenes, including a Laurel-and-Hardy duo of groundsmen. An interesting and entertaining example of an early sports film.
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Qing Hai Zhong Wen (VCD) (China Version)
Qing Hai Zhong Wen (VCD) (China Version) VCD
(1)Our Price: US$5.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:September 30, 2005 Average Silent filmThis VCD has Chinese and English intertitles, though these are often quite cropped, so words are missed. Even the English title loses its first letters, but I think it reads ‘Don’t Change Your Husband,’ which is fairly descriptive of this simple morality tale of a wealthy married couple and a playboy who lures the wife away. Her husband is distraught when he discovers that his wife has been seeing another, though his mother seems buoyed by the thought that he can now get rid of the ‘hussy.’
Overall, not a bad film, but nothing outstanding about it. There are a few continuity problems, but the actors do well with the uninspired material. The playboy, particularly, is very easy to despise (what a slimeball!), and the husband actually looks very much like Jet Li! Perhaps of interest to collectors of silent films, but not that interesting in itself.
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ZAO QI ZHONG GUO DIAN YING (VCD) (1927-1949) E LIN (China Version)
ZAO QI ZHONG GUO DIAN YING (VCD) (1927-1949) E LIN (China Version) VCD
(1)Our Price: US$5.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:September 25, 2005 Short, but entertaining silent from ChinaThis is a silent film with intertitles in Chinese only, and no soundtrack. This is quite a short film, at 41 minutes, though it does seem longer, perhaps because so much of the story is transmitted through the intertitles, which are quite frequent.
The story deals with a local tyrant, who decides to extorting money from a wealthy couple through a ‘protection racket.’ The couple decide to stand up to him, and the usual fighting ensues.
One of the highlights of the film was the early martial arts work of the wealthy Hua Ren’s sister, nicknamed – rightly – the boxer. She can certainly pack a punch. I can’t say where this film was coming from politically and haven’t seen any references to it in the usual literature on early Chinese cinema.
The print used was a little dirty, and sometimes a bit faded, but watchable nevertheless - what one would expect of a film of this age. Overall, yet another interesting curio from the silent era.
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A World Without Thieves (DTS Version) (Hong Kong Version)
A World Without Thieves (DTS Version) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 3
(28)Our Price: US$10.99Usually ships within 7 daysRelated promotions:September 25, 2005 Movie a Disappointment - Nice DVD set, thoughI have been a fan of Feng Xiaogang for quite some time, and of Ge You also - he is easily my favourite Chinese actor. However, this movie seems to miss the mark, in spite of the best efforts of talented actors Ge You, Rene Liu and Baoqiang Wang (from Blind Shaft). Whether Andy Lau acted well I could not judge, distracted as I was by the ridiculous wig he was wearing for most of the film.
The script reads like a good idea, but in the end, the character of 'Dumbo' seems a bit too naive to be credible.
What bothered me most, however, was the amount of shameless product placement - an assortment of brand names repeated in the credits. Feng Xiaogang has always tended towards commercialism, but oversteps the mark here.
At best, an entertaining holiday film, with pretensions to depth, but too much commercialism to make it ring true.
The DTS 2 DVD set was, nevertheless, a bargain and well produced, well worth the money.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
A Century Of Japanese Cinema - Basara - The Princess Goh (Hong Kong Version)
A Century Of Japanese Cinema - Basara - The Princess Goh (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region 3
(1)Our Price: US$13.99Related promotions:September 8, 2005 Sumptuous sequel to 'Rikyu''Basarah - Princess Goh' continues both the plot and the style of Rikyu, a historical drama. The major characters this time are the princess of the title, who is the adopted daughter of Hideyoshi. She seems almost like two different characters, as the action in the film is separated by a jump of several years. The new tea-master, successor to Rikyu, is Oribe, who is a quite different personality, younger, and a little more flamboyant than his predecessor. Another major character is Usu, the gardener of Oribe. His centrality in much of the story, I think, is what tips this film away from the politics and intrigue of Rikyu towards a more character-based drama. There is the usual array of governors and petty warlords to flesh out the political intrigues underlying the story, though they hardly dominate the screen-time, even if essential for the plot.
The photography is superb, and with some stunning outdoor scenes for contrast, it looks even better than Rikyu. The director Teshigahara spent his time between film-making and flower-arranging, of which he was also a master. His eye for detail, shot-framing, colour and movement are superb. I'm glad the plot moved forward relatively slowly, so I had time to take in the visuals. Everything on screen seemed to belong there, like brush-strokes on a masterpiece.
Scenery and sets aside, the actors have been well-cast and convincingly present the story, which seems to repeat similar themes to those of 'Rikyu': political power versus artistic refinement, represented by the tea master and the intricate tea rituals, paraphernalia and etiquette. However, even these emphases seem less strong here than in Rikyu. The characters, accordingly, seem less like types, and more like real people. They do not 'represent' political power vs. artistic refinement so clearly as in Rikyu, and as mentioned above, the significance of Usu, the tea master's gardener, and his reciprocated feelings for the princess, add an additional element of love across class boundaries, though this is never made explicit (thankfully, since is a tired theme, much better left, as here, in the substrata).
Overall, this is essential viewing for anyone that enjoyed 'Rikyu'. If you didn't like 'Rikyu', don't expect anything else from this film. If you can stand slow pace, and enjoy sumptuous visuals, I heartily recommend it, but if you haven't seen 'Rikyu', see it first.
As for the DVD, the video transfer is lovely, with brilliant colours and detail. The English subtitles are okay, though I wish they could start sentences with a capital letter. The DVD also comes with a pamphlet inside, with a more detailed plot outline, as well as some information on the director Teshigahara.
In sum: superb film, well presented. I hope the people at Panorama can release more of his films such as 'The Ruined Map', 'Face of Another', 'Pitfall', 'Summer Soldiers,' and 'Woman in the Dunes'.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This)
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Chinese Classic Animation Te Wei Collection (DVD) (China Version)
Chinese Classic Animation Te Wei Collection (DVD) (China Version) DVD Region All
(1)Our Price: US$6.99Related promotions:September 1, 2005 Wonderful collection of unique animationThis collection consists of four pieces of animation, each averaging about 20 mins in length. All of the stories are quite simple, and it is the animation that is the star of the show.
The first, 'The Conceited General' is drawn in a different style to the others, with clear lines and bold colours, similar to that of Disney etc. It is a fable about a general who, after defeating his enemies, becomes lazy and self-confident and lets himself go.
The following three pieces are drawn in a different style completely and resemble traditional paintings, in light colours, and often with a softness of line, quite different to the Disney and Miyazaki styles. They all depict scenes from nature, the movements of birds, animals and fish, plants, rivers, waterfalls, with consumate grace, complemented by traditional music. They really are a pleasure to watch, and have quite a calming effect on the senses.
These three are:
'Where is my Mother?', which is like a simple children's story, with tadpoles trying to find their mother, asking an assortment of other animals for directions.
'The Cowboy's Flute' is quite musical, consisting of a young boy and his ox as they cross rivers and doze in meadows. The ox, apt to wander and often stubborn, is particularly responsive to the music the lad plays on his flute. There is little story, the emphasis being on the animation and music. A real visual treat.
'Feeling of Mountain and River' was my favourite on the disc and consists almost entirely of images of landscapes and flowing water, and music played on the qin, though there is a back-story of the old qin-player instructing a child who aids him when he falls ill sick. The melodies are simple and superbly rendered, and the animation fits them perfectly.
As for the DVD itself, the items are well presented, with the choice Chinese or English subtitles. I was not familiar with Te Wei previously, but am delighted with this superb collection.
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August 29, 2005 Silent great (with English titles)
A few details on the film first: Xiao Wan Yi (=Little Toys) was made in 1933, directed by Sun Yu, and stars Ruan Lingyu, Yuan Congmei, Li Lili, Luo Peng, Han Lan’gen. This print is quite watchable, and contains intertitles in Chinese and English. The title refers firstly to Ruan Lingyu's occupation as a designer of toys in her village. It may also be seen as indicating how the people themselves are toys in hands of fate (especially in this turbulent period, with its warlords, and the Japanese occupation of Manchuria). The viewer is certainly left with the impression of events slowly overtaking the protagonists of the film (and perhaps also the audience).
Ruan Lingyu is, as always, superb, and Li Lili is at her vivacious best in the role of her adult daughter.
Another winner among many excellent silent films from China available from Yesasia.Did you find this review helpful? Yes (Report This) -
Lao Gong Zhi Ai Qing (VCD) (China Version)
Lao Gong Zhi Ai Qing (VCD) (China Version) VCD
(1)Our Price: US$5.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:August 29, 2005 A true piece of film historyHow can one write a review about such a film? This is the earliest extant Chinese film, and is also known as 'A Labourer's Love' and 'Romance of a Fruit Peddler'. It was directed by Zhang Shichuan and stars with Zheng Zhegu, Yu Ying, Zheng Zhengqiu. Fortunately for non-Chinese silent film buffs, this prints contains the original intertitles in Chinese and English.
The film itself is a short comedy (22mins) about a fruit seller trying to win the hand of a doctor’s daughter.
It is a definite curio, combining over-acting with some interesting camera work (using double exposure for example). You can feel how silent cinema was, at the time, still very much a novelty, though subject to ongoing inventiveness in technique and advances in modes of storytelling.
Fascinating.
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Yi Chuan Zhen Zhu (VCD) (China Version)
Yi Chuan Zhen Zhu (VCD) (China Version) VCD
(1)Our Price: US$5.99Usually ships within 7 - 14 daysRelated promotions:August 29, 2005 Early silent adaptation of French short storyThis is another wonderful silent film from the very early days of the Chinese film industry. The film, at a healthy 100 min, is essentially an adaptation of Maupassant’s “The Necklace”. The title cards are in Chinese and fairly grammatical English.
The studio was evidently making the film with a western audience in mind. The story was from a western source and it had a European feel. Interestingly, when a letter in Chinese is shown to the camera, it even fades into an English translation.
The actors were well chosen, and it was easy to distinguish between them (helped by cards introducing each major character).
As for scenery, there were attractive interiors of houses shown (the middle classes seemed to be doing pretty well then), a motor car or two and rickshaws. There were some interesting technical touches in it (night shots filmed in bright light, which became dark when a cigarette was being lit, or a torch was being shone), a fairly mobile camera in some places, and even a little section of stop-motion animation. The print was pretty good - not immaculate, but complete and quite watchable. There was no soundtrack at all though, which seems fairly standard practice for these films. Personally, I prefer it that way - much better than the repetitive and inappropriate music silent films are sometimes saddled with.
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United States - English
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