It would be fair to say that there are a plethora of films that address issues that both modern China and modern Japan face. Below are two of my personal recommendations. First of all, Xiaoshuai Wang's 2001 film Beijing Bicycle is a phenomenal take on life in current day Beijing. It especially deals with current rifts that exist societally between the urbanites of China and the rural peasants that are immigrating into Chinese cities at rapid rates. Some in my group going with me to China in July have seen this film already, and we were all blown away by its tenacity, its honesty, and its symbolism. My recommendation for a film that deals with current issues in Japan is Masayuki Suo's 1996 masterpiece Shall we Dansu? This is not to be confused with the cheap pointless Jennifer Lopez-Richard Gere remake. No, this a serious take on issues regarding selective borrowing and the importance of tradition versus progress in modern Japanese culture. The film is deep, it's heartfelt, and it's obviously quite personal. It also evolved into a huge phenomenon in Japan during the 1990s. You can check out trailers for both films below, and hopefully you'll be able to check out one or both in order to increase your depth of understanding of these two dynamic cultures.Beijing Bicylce Clip and Trailer
Shall We Dansu? Trailer
12 comments:
I watched the Beijing Bicycle trailer, and it looks excellent. I take the scene when he is looking for his bike as a metapohor. There are so many bikes, and they are indistinguishable from one another. Are the people of Red China any different? Under a communist government where everyone is controlled by their government, it is easy to become lost in society.
Beijing Bicycle was amazing. I have decided it is one of my favorited films. The soundtracks pretty sweet. It is very honest and quite disheartening, but excellent. The differences between urban poor and rural poor is prominent. Other themes include the difficulty for migrants in Deng's new economy, and the nature of the new economy in general. The urban landscapes are stunning and the fading of Confucianism is displayed well. It is a must see.
Happy Times was great too, but I preferred Bicycle. Check out Happy Times, it is a bit more light, but it is still relevant and delivers a similar message about the economy.
In my time I looked up Chinese films and comiled a list I would like to see, and attached links to trailers. Check it out
1. 24 City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34-aVx6Qa_8
2. In The Heat of The Sun
Shows the Cultural Revolution positively from the perspective of the youth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeWN-SWLLbE
3. The World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgJgek_sZ8M
4. Eat Drink Man Woman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrNlK9d7LI8
5. Shanghai Dreams
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8lmhi_shanghai-dreams-bande-annonce-vost_shortfilms
6. Devils on The Doorstep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2SUlORRcgM
7. The Days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdYwdl9Sm04
8. The Sun Also Rises
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQE6xHoW6z0
9. Raise the Red Lantern
10. Farewell My Concubine
11. The King of Masks
Shall We Dance looks very interesting
the beijing bicycle film looks like something really good. (: my favorite part of that little bit is the pep talk that the manager is giving to all the delivery boys. it kind of shocks me the difference in american society and chinese society.
the chinese boys were willing to work for quite little, and earn a bicycle. americans are quite into the big personal gain. i know that's my mindset. just the attitudes and seeing the city life the way it is is quite fascinating to me.
in the second one, the monotony of it all really depicts chinese life to me. for some reason i always see the asian lifestyle as having a set pattern and routine. but the dancing twist sounds kinda nice. haha.
Woah Mr. Prill, I have a list of about 10 movies now to watch!! And I cannot even go to the movie days, so adding some more. I'm excited to watch. The "Shall we Dance" one seems almost exactly like the Jenn. L. one, Americanized version, what makes it special really? The bicycle one, though, looks very insightful! :D
to be honest miss gustufson, i don't really like that trailer at all. this is the production trying to sell a special japanese film, to a mainstream american audience... it's all marketing, but it's bad marketing because people that dig that sort of slosh will be disappointed by the fact that the film has too much depth for their lazy minds to digest, and people that have i sophisticated taste in film arts will be turned off by the very nature of the trailer... at any rate, give it a chance.
Perhaps Beijing Bicycle is the director's criticism of the modern Chinese Government?
Yes, Alec, Raise the Red Lantern is on my list of Zhang Yimou's I havn't seen. It sounds fantastic.
It says on a review, "...one of the more sublimely beautiful and openly disturbing films of the
1990s."
To Live, shot in 1994 fits that description well, but later in the review, Raise the Red Lantern is said to be Zhang Yimou and Gong Li's greatest work together. INCLUDING To Live.
So, thats a movie to see, most definitely. Mr. Prill, if you have seen it I'd like to hear your opinion of it. Thanks.
Great review of Raise the Red Lantern here:
http://www.reelviews.net/movies/r/raise.html
Both of these movies seem very interesting especially the Beijing Bicycle but i was woundering how come they don't like advertise these movies like lets say others in theaters?
mr. hicks, i LOVE raise the red lantern... for me, it's zhang yimou's best, and i've seen most of his films. HIGHLY recommended!
miss hammond, advertising is all about marketing to a certain audience... if you go to see a movie like beijing bicycle, then you will see trailers for films of similar sensibilities, what marketers call "prestige films." if you go see the new wolverine movie, then you'll see trailers for sub-par action flicks. i hate to sound elitist, but that's how it works, if you go to see good films, you will see previews for potentially good films (which incidently often have lower advertising budgets, so you won't often see them advertised on television).
yeah Greg, Bicycle is more a critique of Deng's economy and globilization than a critique of Communism
The Beijing Bicycle trailer was really good. it makes me what to know what happened to that kid who worked for that company.
& then the Shall We Dance looks pretty funny.
but my question is, why did you put Shall we DANSU? & not Dance unless that was a type-o. ?
so, Beijing Bicycle looks like a great film. im really itching to see it. its interesting how the main guy seems to want that bike so badly, he is willing to work so much for little pay, just to earn the bike. it shows the difference between his society and ours. anyways, ill definatly be putting this one on my movie list!
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