Chinese movie question

[JonBidinger]

For my Chinese Civilization class I have to do a 10-page research paper. I was thinking that I would do something relating to a chinese film currently on Blu-ray. Does anyone have any suggestions on what movie I should pick. I was thinking that maybe I could compare and contrast with historical accuracy, but I'm not necessarily attached to that. But whatever I do choose, I wan't it to be easy enough to research, that is that I can easily find books or internet articles dealing with the topic. My first idea was Red Cliff, but I'm open to suggestions. Thanks.

[P@t_Mtl]

Red Cliff is part of a epic poem from China call Romance Of The Three Kingdoms. It's a epic story, think of it as China's Illiad & The Odyssey. Might be a interesting subject.

[kpkelley]

The first thing that came to mind was A Chinese Odyssey, which is based off of a famous children's story(Into the West, Journey to the West, something like that), but it's not a Historical piece, more like major religious and cultural work. The only other Historical pieces involving Chinese cinema on Blu-ray revolve around the Japanese occupation in WWII, like Ip Man or Lust, Caution.

One side bit of info, Chinese Odyssey is being adapted into a futuristic video game by the makers of Heavenly Sword.

[drobswim13]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Red Cliff is part of a epic poem from China call Romance Of The Three Kingdoms. It's a epic story, think of it as China's Illiad & The Odyssey. Might be a interesting subject.

What he said.

Also, there are two different versions of the Three Kingdoms story. One is Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. It plays out the story of the Three Kingdoms era during the collapse of the Han Dynasty, all the way to the unification of China again. The book spans about 100 years or so (a little less). However, the factual accuracy of that story is always under scrutiny because, even though all of those events did happen in that order, the tale that Luo tells is sometimes highly exaggerated.

The other story of this is Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, written by Chen Shou. This is more accurate to what actually happened during this period, and does not have the exaggerations that Luo put in ROTK.

John Woo based Red Cliff off of Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, in order to provide a more realistic version of the Battle of Chi Bi.

I think it would be a very interesting story and should be worth pursuing. All the best!!

[Travis]

Red Cliff is good. Many of the people in the stories are gods now. The temples in Taiwan are full of them. In my home, I have had a statue of Guan Gong (Gwan Yu) the general with the red face for almost 10 years.

I was lucky to watch the movie with my wife who is Taiwanese, she helped explain it for me. There is a lot more to the story and what happens afterwards with the 2 viceroys. Very important characters in that movie for Chinese culture, history, mythology.

A more modern one that I enjoyed was the director's cut of Fearless.

On DVD there are lots.
Raise the Red Lantern is great.
The Road Home is one of my favorites.

[drobswim13]

Originally Posted by Travis

Red Cliff is good. Many of the people in the stories are gods now. The temples in Taiwan are full of them. In my home, I have had a statue of Guan Gong (Gwan Yu) the general with the red face for almost 10 years.

I was lucky to watch the movie with my wife who is Taiwanese, she helped explain it for me. There is a lot more to the story and what happens afterwards with the 2 viceroys. Very important characters in that movie for Chinese culture, history, mythology.

A more modern one that I enjoyed was the director's cut of Fearless.

If you speak of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, then yes, there is a ton more that happens afterwards with them. They are the main topics in that whole period, with Sun Quan and the kingdom of Wu being thrown into the mix, as well.

[BTobin]

ummm Crouching, Tiger, Hidden Dragon

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by BTobin

ummm Crouching, Tiger, Hidden Dragon

+1 for this because of its thematic and moralistic relevance to classic Chinese culture (yes, it is there despite the wuxia-nature of the film)

+1 also for Fearless, since it is about an important Chinese figure at the beginning of the 20th century

How about Raise the Red Lantern? It is one of the great Yimou's films, from 1990, which deals with a concubine in 1920s China.

[Azyiu]

Why limit yourself to one movie or one genre? Why not write a paper on the history of Chinese / Hong Kong movies? There are tons of info on the net, as well as on books. In fact, just to throw something interesting at you, did you know the Chinese (the commies) national anthem is actually the theme song of a 1934 movie? Yeah, now do your homework and surprise your professor.

[Travis]

House of Flying Daggers is interesting. The way people can deal with love and affairs and face. I had a hard time watching it. People who react to their lover moving to another with this violence is strange in my book, not romantic. But, jealousy for some is a sign of true affection.

Only saw the movie once because I didn't like it. Did one of the men commit suicide? i think so...

Suicide is big for solving problems in Asia. I know I'm oversimplifying, but even Dragon Boat Festival; to honor a poet who drowned himself because of problems with the powers that be. Maybe the Emperor had a bounty on him, one version I heard of the story, but still. I think we should fight till we die, never give up. Life is hard, death is easy.

The Martyr Shrine in Taipei is full of people who committed suicide before the Japanese could capture them. For me as an American, who grew up with Rambo, why didn't they keep fighting and take as many with them until they were killed.

Even in Taiwan, when the students do poorly on their college entrance exams they'll try to do themselves in. Disputes with lovers, people will commit suicide or threaten to do it.

The view of suicide in Chinese culture by some is twisted. I'm sure there are many movies that touch on this theme.

[goochspot]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Why limit yourself to one movie or one genre? Why not write a paper on the history of Chinese / Hong Kong movies? There are tons of info on the net, as well as on books. In fact, just to throw something interesting at you, did you know the Chinese (the commies) national anthem is actually the theme song of a 1934 movie? Yeah, now do your homework and surprise your professor.

Because it's only a ten page paper. People have dedicated hundreds of pages on what you just described and they haven't even scratched the surface.

I would use one film. If you were to use two films, maybe do a compare and contrast paper. Maybe take a "realistic" film and something like Crouching Tiger and compare and contrast their relevance to Chinese Culture. Like that saying, "Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story."

[Travis]

Great sig!

[TheZoof]

I think 'The Last Emperor' would be a good one. Shot in the forbidden Kingdom with a lot of facts based on how the Chinese transformed into a communist country. Great movie too!

My wife thinks Red Cliff isn't that great or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon... she thinks they are silly.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by goochspot

Because it's only a ten page paper. People have dedicated hundreds of pages on what you just described and they haven't even scratched the surface.

I would use one film. If you were to use two films, maybe do a compare and contrast paper. Maybe take a "realistic" film and something like Crouching Tiger and compare and contrast their relevance to Chinese Culture. Like that saying, "Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story."

I see I see... then again, colleges only require short 10-page papers these days? I would have so tell my professor to save us both time and energy, and ask to be excused for the rest of the year; while giving him a finished book by the end of the year instead.

[mikejet]

Why not compare and contrast The Departed with Infernal Affairs?

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Why not compare and contrast The Departed with Infernal Affairs?

Oh yeah, what a very good idea!

[Travis]

Out of all mentioned, Raise the Red Lantern is my #1 pick for a paper.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Why not compare and contrast The Departed with Infernal Affairs?

Because Infernal Affairs is a Hong Kong film, and despite how badly China wants to dominate Hong Kong (it being a territory of China), it has a high degree of autonomy and is a completely different culture.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Because Infernal Affairs is a Hong Kong film, and despite how badly China wants to dominate Hong Kong (it being a territory of China), it has a high degree of autonomy and is a completely different culture.

Err.... yes and no. For most of everything I would say Hong "Commies Infested" Kong has a pretty high degree of autonomy, but when it comes to government policies, politics etc, the commies from Beijing have more influences in the background than some people ever imagined. Anyway, that's another topic...

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Err.... yes and no. For most of everything I would say Hong "Commies Infested" Kong has a pretty high degree of autonomy, but when it comes to government policies, politics etc, the commies from Beijing have more influences in the background than some people ever imagined. Anyway, that's another topic...

That is how I interpret the situation from my admittedly limited knowledge. But yes, another topic.