Sixteenth. Love and Duty by Bu Wancang (1931)

Love and Duty (1931)
Director: Bu Wancang

Love and Duty is a silent film about a woman's struggle in pursuing her true love and fulfilling her duties as a mother of three (who have different fathers). This is also the first time, I am able to catch my first glimpse of the infamous China's first prima donna in the silver screen, Ruan Lingyu. While watching the film, Ruan cinematic standards in front of the camera was really one of the best during that time. In a silent film, it is exceptionally hard to express one's feelings. Yet Ruan did it gracefully in showing her pain, pleasure, passion and desire. Many critics say that she set a high standard for the actors and actresses for the Chinese film industry in the 1930s and even now. To me, it were as if the film was made for her.


Ruan's pain and reluctance

I felt that the use of typography in silent film is something that is quite unique to me. Well, I guess something 'old' can always be 'new' to someone, especially in such a different generation. I think it was handwritten and carefully calligraphed.






However, I felt that the story line of Love and Duty is expectable, maybe this was because I had watched too many of these kind of films for this course. But I'll definitiely give thumbs up for the kind of narrative provided in this film if I were to be in the 1930s when it is first screened.

[1] A Century Of Chinese Cinema: The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival and beyond by Frank Bren. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/01/14/hongkonged.html
[2] Ruan Lingyu. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://shanghai.cultural-china.com/html/History-of-Shanghai/History/Historical-Figures/200810/31-954.html
[3] The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival by Frank Bren. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/01/14/hongkonged.html

Fifteenth. Cannot Live Without You by Leon Dai (2009)

Cannot Live Without You (2009)
Director: Leon Dai

I decided to do a poster for Cannot Live Without You.




[1] No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti (Cannot Live Without You) by Jeffree Benet. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://www.cinemalicious.com/film-reviews/drama/55-family-life/378-no-puedo-vivir-sin-ti-cannot-live-without-you.html
[2] Movie Review – Leon Dai’s “No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti” by Christopher Bourne. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://www.meniscuszine.com/film/no-puedo-vivir-sin-ti-20091222/index.html
[3] NO PUEDO VIVIR SIN TI REVIEW. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2010/03/no-puedo-vivir-sin-ti-review.php
[4] Not Without You - Film Review. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://www.moviexclusive.com/review/notwithoutyou/notwithoutyou.html

Fourteenth. The Twilight Samurai by Yoji Yamada (2002)

The Twilight Samurai (2002)
Director: Yoji Yamada



A quiet samurai film that was film during the modern times. The Twilight Samurai is a film which I realised I had fallen in love with after the credits had finished rolling. I sat there, looking at the blank screen on my laptop and there was a strange, really strange feeling in my heart. It was a moving film where Yamada took his time to build up before the film's climax towards the end of the film. Somehow, I did not want to deliberate my feelings and comments after watching it because the feeling might disappear.

How did Hiroyuki Sanada play the role of Seibei Iguchi so well? It was so real and so sincere. His dilemma in accepting the orders of his clan and his happiness when Tomoe visits to play with his daughters. He does not smile nor tries to talk to Tomoe when she visits, yet his little gestures like gazing over them with a gentle look, I'd knew he had so much feelings for her! It was really sweet when he finally confesses his feelings to her knowing that he may not return alive. I must say that Yamada did a brilliant job in resurrecting the 1700s during the era of the samurai in Japan. During the fight with Yogo, the scene brought me into the realm of samural, where such things do happen during that period of time. It was so exciting, that might be because in my mind I really hoped that I would not see Seibei die. Seibei Iguchi's simple character had so much depth and understanding. It were as if he only existed in a fantasy world and that this kind of charisma cannot be found. I admire him.

Not even my blog entry, nor good reviews of the film will do The Twilight Samurai any justice. One has to watch it and truly experience Yamada's version of a samurai to fall in love with it. I am glad I did (:

[1] The Twilight Samurai by Collin Souter. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=8211
[2] The Twilight Samurai (Film Review) by Nicholas Rucka. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.midnighteye.com/reviews/twilsamu.shtml
[3] The Twilight Samurai. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.asianmovieweb.com/en/reviews/the_twilight_samurai.htm
[4] The Twilight Samurai (2002) FILM REVIEW; He's a Meek Bookkeeper, but Don't Get Him Riled. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C07E7DC143AF930A15757C0A9629C8B63

Thirteenth. Bodyguards and Assassins by Teddy Chen (2009)

Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)
Director: Teddy Chen
Award: Best film in 29th Hong Kong Film Awards

At first look, bodyguards and assassins seems like the usual action kungfu movies where the good guy went through hardships and fight his way through and eventually got the hard earned victory. But director Teddy Chen opt to deviate from the norm and focus more on political and historical build up in the movie.

The movie basically comprises of two portions: the first part focuses on character development and place them into historical context of the movie and how the characters are related to one another. Despite effort in developing characters, I think that due to the larger number of characters involved in the story, some of the character development are not complete or lacks the depth such that it still leaves the audiences scratching heads thinking how he comes to play in the story. An example will be the character played by Leon Lai, a martial art expert previously from a rich family who later became a beggar. His character is being called upon late in the movie and mainly flashbacks are given to portray how he comes about. It seems that his appearance in the movie is very abrupt and less convincing.

The second part is where the carnages set in with the bodyguards, recruited by Li Yutang, protecting Sun Wen as he attends the meeting to discuss his plan for revolution and leaves Hongkong safely. They are met with assassins from the Empress Dowager Ci xi, led by Yan Xiaoguo, who will try by all means prevent the meeting to occur. It is near an hour of intense fighting and bone breaking moments, with actions which I think are choreographed nicely, action flicks are sure to love it! I think that director Chen succeed in building up the atmosphere and tension for this portion of the movie.

The ending of this movie is unexpected and definitely bring tears to the weak hearted, with the bodyguards all sacrificing themselves for the safety of Sun Wen. This is unlike normal Chinese films where the good triumph and everyone lives to see the good days ahead. I feel that this is to portray the true historical context whereby it is never easy to achieve freedom and build a republican government, sacrifices have to be made. Judging by the action choreography and the effects provided, I felt that it is a good film. However, I did not really like the film probably because all his bodyguards died. I wanted to like it but I did not. Maybe in my mind, I really did not like the triumph of evil in the movie.

[1] Bodyguards and Assassins Review. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2009/12/bodyguards-and-assassins-review.php
[2] Bodyguards and Assassins. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/bodyguards_assassins.html
[3] Donnie Yen heads 'Bodyguards and Assasins'. Kungfu Cinema. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.kungfucinema.com/donnie-yen-headsbodyguards-and-assassins-6195
[4] Bodyguards and Assassins - Film Review. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/bodyguards-and-assassins-film-review-29227
[5] Bodyguards and Assassins Review. Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://martialartsmoviejunkie.com/movie-reviews/bodyguards-and-assassins-review/

Twelfth. When the Tenth Month Comes by Dang Nhat Minh (1985)

When the Tenth Month Comes (1985)
Director: Dang Nhat Minh

Duyen's undying love for her husband who had lost his life while in the military during the Vietnamese War has brought out the different percepts of the Vietnamese culture of duty and sacrifice. However, this had drove her to insanity where her plan to hide the fact that her husband is dead from her family affects herself too. As she receives fake letters from her husband every now and then, she slowly believed that he is still alive. Dang Nhat Minh did not specifically distinguish who were ghosts or the living in scenes where it was ambiguous. It was only known where there was mention of her husband or when she really sees him. At one point of the film, the hallucinations were so real to Duyen that the director tried to bring it across to the audience by having a usual marketplace where the ghosts looked 'touchable'. His style is very different from usual horror films, where normally the ghosts were translucent and full of vengeance.

In the scene where she finally meets her husband in her hallucination, she wants to hold Nam's hand, but as they look at each other, their hands were in a position as though they were holding hands, but they do not touch. Through this way, the audience can understand that although her late husband looked so real to her, there is still an absence of the element of touch.

Duyen: Do you have something to tell me?
Why are you silent?
Have I done something wrong?
Then why do you look so sad?
Nam: I want those still living to have happiness.
Duyen: Happiness?
Nam: Only living people can bring happiness to each other.
I've completed my role in the living world.
Duyen: No. You're still with me, I still feel you near me everyday.
Nam: What remains of me is something intangible.

I felt that even though she's in a state of denial in such a way that she starts to have hallucinations of her husband, that particular scene is her own hallucination but Nam said "what remains of me is something intangible", deep down inside she knows that her husband is dead.

In a surprisingly good way, Khang had fell in love with Duyen in the process of writing fake letters from her husband for her. Is it probably because he really assumed the role of her husband that he could find the feelings for her? That as he thinks slowly of Duyen everytime he writes a fake letter, his own heart follows its way to her?

I couldn't imagine how many widows in Vietnam have suffered as their husbands, fathers and family members sacrificed themselves for the war that lasted for almost 20 years. Dang Nhat Minh's interpretation and version may not be the worst one.


[1] Bao Giò Cho Đến Tháng Mười (When the Tenth Month Comes). Retrieved on 28 April 2011 from http://forgottenclassicsofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2009/12/bao-gio-cho-en-thang-muoi-when-tenth.html
[2] Bard in China Presents “Vietnamese Cinema: Past, Present, and Future,” Two Evenings of Film and Discussion, February 4-5. Retrieved on 28 April from http://www.bard.edu/news/releases/pr/fstory.php?id=1390

Eleventh. A Borrowed Life by Wu Nien-jen (1994)

A Borrowed Life (1994)
Director: Wu Nien-jen
Award: Grand Prize at The Torino Film Festival in Italy

A Borrowed Life was the first film that talked about the intergenerational gap of the rural working class as one of the social colonial effects in post-second World War in Taiwan. In the film, the protagonist's father, Duo Sang, faces a huge generation gap with his son and daughter because they lived in an era of changing times. While Duo Sang was Japanese and Minnanese educated, his children were Mandarin educated and know little of the Minnanese dialect. Throughout the film, we could see that there was an erosion of culture and the replacement of another just within a family. Duo Sang felt that he was not living his own life anymore. Although his son, Wen Jian, tries to be emphatic towards his father, it was never appreciated. In fact, I felt that whenever Wen Jian tried to help his father or gave him money, Duo Sang had let his ego take place and rejected it. It was as though Duo Sang was trying to tell his son that no matter how emphatic he is, he could never understand how he felt in this agonizing changing society. At the same time, it reminds and pains Duo Sang of his misplacement in the society.

I felt that this generation gap issue is also evident in our own society as well. Although it is not as drastic as having language barriers as we could still communicate with our parents, however I felt that there was still a slow distancing cultures and ethos in this fast changing global community. As we have known, the proliferation of the Internet exposes all of us to different cultures in the world and people could choose how they wanted to be educated. At the same time, while the younger generation is adapting to the global culture, it leaves the older generation behind in their own times. More often than not, we do see a hybrid of cultures and acceptance of other cultures. Unlike in A Borrowed Life, Duo Sang's daughter could not appreciate her father's love for Japanese music and stuff. A simple example can be that there is an increase in the number of Chinese in Singapore being attracted to the anime or manga from Japanese, at the same time watching Hollywood blockbuster films are also part of their favourite past times. Traditions were often lost, if not argued as something that is superstitious and that it is not practical.

I felt that in this aspect, it is good in a sense that the new generation starts to be able to appreciate other country's culture. However, the dilution of traditions is not a good thing as I believe that some of the traditions actually has an imbedded certain moral value which holds the community at peace, at where it is now.

[1] A Borrowed Life (1994) FILM REVIEW; Generation Gap for a Generation. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990ce5db1038f93aa15750c0a963958260
[2] Island on the edge: Taiwan new cinema and after By Feiyi Lu.
[3] Borrowed Modernity: History and the Subject in A Borrowed Life by Chaoyang Liao; Vol. 24, No. 3, Postmodernism and China (Autumn, 1997), pp. 225-245

Tenth. Taste of Cherry by Abbas Kiarostami (1997)

Taste of Cherry (1997)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Award: Palme d'Or in Cannes Film Festival 1997



After watching the film, I was puzzled regarding the ending scene where Kiarostami and his crew were filmed filming Taste of Cherry. To me, there was no link and that there was no ending either. But having said that, it was mentioned that Abbas Kiarostami once said in a conference at Paris many years ago that,

I believe in a cinema which gives more possibilities and more time to its viewer — a half-fabricated cinema, an unfinished cinema that is completed by the creative spirit of the viewer, [so that] all of a sudden we have a hundred films.

- Abbas Kiarostami

In that case, I was inspired to have my own kind of ending to the story. Well, I did not bother to thinking about why did Mr Badii want to commit suicide nor did he have any family members, kids or is he even homosexual. I just had an imagination that he did kill himself. And that was because the film had set to be so solitary, so lonely. The use of almost monochromatic scenery as Mr Badii's car drove through the dirt hills and roads. There were almost no life. Trees were absent and I felt that because all of them have died. They gave up on living.

Colours but not colours at all.





Even the poster for Taste of Cherry is in the same monochrome tone as the movie.

Many may argue that Taste of Cherry is about Kiarostami breaking the taboo in the Iranian film of committing suicide and that the theme of the movie is about suicides. Yet to me and some of the critics, Taste of Cherry was not about the theme of committing suicide. It is about living. What the taxidermist told Mr Badii in the car struck me the strongest.

I'll tell you something that happened to me. It was just after I got married. We had all kinds of troubles. I was so fed up with it that I decided to end it all. One morning, before dawn, I put a rope in my car. My mind was made up. I wanted to kill myself. I set off for Mianeh. This was in 1960. I reached the mulberry tree plantations. I stopped there. It was still dark. I threw the rope over a tree but it didn’t catch hold. I tried once, twice, but to no avail. So then I climbed the tree and tied the rope on tight. Then I felt something soft under my hand. Mulberries. Deliciously sweet mulberries. I ate one. It was succulent, then a second and third. Suddenly I noticed that the sun was rising over the mountaintop. What sun, what scenery, what greenery! All of a sudden I heard children going off to school. They stopped to look at me. They asked me to shake the tree. The mulberries fell and they ate. I felt happy. Then I gathered some mulberries to take them home. My wife was still sleeping. When she woke up, she ate mulberries as well. And she enjoyed them too. I had left to kill myself and I came home with mulberries. A mulberry saved my life. A mulberry saved my life.

I came to the conclusion that Mr Badii did kill himself because there were no mulberries to save him. One can only realise how precious life can be only through his own experience and enlightenment. Mr Badii was advised, but he was not convinced. Maybe he realised it when he was lying in his own grave but maybe not. I chose not.

[1] Taste of Cherry, Review by Jonathan Rosenbaum. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://www.jonathanrosenbaum.com/?p=6553
[2] Taste of Cherry by Roger Ebert. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19980227/REVIEWS/802270309/1023
[3] Taste of Cherry - Abbas Kiarostami. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://www.filmref.com/directors/dirpages/kiarostami.html#cherry
[4]Taste of Cherry (1997); Dir. Abbas Kiarostami: The Taboo of Suicide. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://www.sheilaomalley.com/?p=7982
[5] Concepts of Suicide in Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry by Constantine Santas. Retrieved on 27 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/00/9/taste.html