MovieChat Forums > San xia hao ren (2006) Discussion > Chinese 'Film Chief' doesn't like the mo...

Chinese 'Film Chief' doesn't like the movie

posted 17 years ago by mac_alain
10 replies | jump to latest

quote: ...for Chinese film Chief Zhang Hongsen, it is a movie without love and not worth watching.

Zhang, deputy director of the film bureau under the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), said Jia's movie is set to be a loser in the box office and it cannot draw eyeballs of Chinese film viewers.

"I don't deny that the movie is good. But it lacks love and care to working classes," Zhang said, adding young directors, including Jia, are easy to set their love and the movie apart.

"These directors neglect a fact that the movie is histrionic. This raises the likelihood of turning the movie into a kind of absolute realism. Their movies are inanimate and hard to drag views into cinema."

Jia Zhangke, who is acknowledged for his favor in portraying the struggles of the working class in China amid a rapid social and economic changes, is urged by Zhang to learn how to care for others.

"I have discussed with Jia. Although their movies depict the struggling working class, they are 'cold' to viewers."

Zhang's words raise speculation that 'Still Life' poses a lackluster performance in the box office despite its acknowledgement by the international film community.

More here:

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-03/26/content_836643.htm

Obviously Jia is not in the Chinese government's best books. No assisting Zhang Yimou with the Olympic opening ceremony then...

[–] kerpan 17 years ago

...few films show more genuine affection and fundamental respect for their rather downtrodden characters than Jia's.

MEK

Every dream is a prophecy: every jest is an earnest in the womb of Time.

[–] mac_alain 17 years ago

The issue for the government is obviously that they are Chinese downtrodden characters. The "must save face syndrom"?

Shame on the government. China still has some way to go. But she will get there, I am sure of that.

edit: People have started to post "Comments" (see bottom of article). I have been reading these comments for some time now and am pleasantly surprised that critical ones do not seem to be removed.

[–] frAnkzOnE 17 years ago

Lack the love for the "Party"...that's what this beloved Chief was saying, coz he believes or tries to convince someone that people ARE the Party.

But it is sad though that it didn't get as much attention from the general Chinese movie goers as it deserves. Two reasons account for this: Low income and Hollywood. 80 Yuan for a ticket may be equivalent to 10 bucks in the US, but this is a country where in Beijing the average income is about 300 dollars/month or something, so people usually save up for the "big hit" movies that "really matters". Besides, how hard is it to get a pirated DVD in China for some 5 Yuan. So sad.

[–] aama 17 years ago

This movie is the worst postal card of China.

[–] debblyst 17 years ago

I'll say only this: "Still Life" is the Chinese film the world has been waiting for, the film that tells us about the other side of the "economic miracle". Enough with ancient and medieval aristocrats and ninjas, their brouhahas, extravagant costumes and silly gravity-free fights. "Still Life" is the real thing.

[–] Izualizm 17 years ago

I am a native Chinese speaker and I can say that the translation of this article is way off and misleading.

From what I read in the original article, what the guy said is that, the director tries to capture the lives of the work class, but at the same time, fails to show empathy with them. And this makes the film seemed cold, and gives you the feeling that the director is a reporter who is trying to be too neutral, rather than a person who really relates or want to you to relate to said working class.

Kind of hard to explain it in English, so bear with me again: The thing is during the past few decades, there are quite many great Chinese films about struggles of unwealthy people, and most of them had this magic that will touch you. When watching these films, you often feel as if you are watching the directors' autobiographies, there are passions in them really got you more immersed. What that Bureau guy seemed to suggesting is that 'Still Life' falls short on that kind of expectation.

For the record I have not yet seen the film and I hate these censorship bureaucrats for their censorship *beep* they pull off. Just wanted to clear things up hehe.

[–] mac_alain 17 years ago

Ni hao, Izualizm,

very interesting to get your feedback on this. What puzzles me though is that the article was posted on a Chinese (newspaper) website. They should perhaps know better with regards to translations.

you often feel as if you are watching the directors' autobiographies, there are passions in them really got you more immersed.

Yes, I noticed that very much for instance in Zhuangzhuang TIAN's Springtime in a Small Town. There are some revealing and moving interviews in the DVD extras section touching on his having been banned for many, many years. I understand he is well known and respected in China, as were (are?) in fact his parents.

Try to see "Still Life". It's a *very* good movie.

Zai Jian

[–] Capeman 16 years ago

The title of this post is somehow misleading. I didn't read the original article, but from the quote, I can't see he doesn't like it. Please read it carefully. I even kind of agree with him. I like this film very much, but I don't think those people depicted in this film would like it. It's their real life. They would not be interested to see it on screen in such a way. They'd rather watch those vulgar shows in this film. As for the majority of others, this is also not what they care. This kind of film can never be a mainstream in any country despite the truth that it's real artwork.

About Tian Zhuangzhuang, he was banned because about ten years ago, he sent his film Blue Kite which was set in Cultural Revolution to an international film festival before getting official permit. A rule is a rule, but now it's less strict. That is China. Everything is changing so fast.

To some other posters above, it's not about 'losing face'. If you've been to China, you can see these scenes everywhere especially in undeveloped area. Certainly nobody wants to show his/her dark side to others. In this film, you should notice the strong spirit of these low-income people. They're not protesting, and they're not sitting there waiting for welfare. They just work hard to make a living and definitely expect achieving a better life.

[–] construe04-3 15 years ago

Just saw this film last night on Pearl, to be exact ,only the first half as the second half was cut down and replaced by some BBC documentary. Frustrated and angry as I completely lost the clue of the ending of the film. Anway, I'll catch it up from some DVD uploaded on the internet.As a native Chungking people, I can't help laughing aloud numerous times during watching it simply because of the dialect, the same or similar dialect as I'm exposed to since I was born and those familiar figures, scenes ,even plots. Everything is so realistic ,so alive, from the language to behaviour to clothes to thoughts. They're exactly what they are. No exaggeration. As far as I have seen, the figure I like best is that ChowyunFa's fan, a young chap who reminds me so much of my brother, who instantly became his fan since seeing there's a better tomorrow more than 20 years ago, imitating the characters' smoking, dress, words, manner, etc. and one of his ringtones is also that theme song from The Bund , another TV Drama starring Chow which has influenced many many many Chinese People since 1984. In general, I find quite a few familliar scenes from those young groups, their hot temper, fighting, Majar, language,etc., can all be found on a lot of young man back in my hometown. BTW, that motorbycle guy at the beginning of the film with some of his hair dyed to be golden is another realistic figure, who looks, speaks and behaves exactly like any typical young man in Chungking. Enjoy this film a lot. The director or the writter must have been studying the real life in that area deeply as everything in the film, every detail, even a small ornament would be so authentic so vivid. e.g., that 13-year boy sings popular songs which were indeed popular back in around 2005 and it's those 2 songs he sings let me know the rough time the film was taken. I like this film is purely because of the dialect, the unique language they speak which is completely different from Mandarine or Standard Chinese in terms of pronounciation and vocabulary as I have been exposed to this language environment since I was born. The outsiders who don't know the dialect may not find out or feel how great it is. The translated ones just lose 99% of luster this film deserves. BTW, I ever passed through Fengjie in 1987, when my dad took me to get back home from Wuhan by a ship. Sad those gorgeous magnificent mountains ,villages and scenes are buried under water and never never recover what they used to be. Recommend whoever can visit China to see Chungking with his own eyes as Chungking is far more fascinating and prosperous than Peking or Shanghai, where you'll get to know the same dialect as used in this film and you'll see another real city life.

[–] lukechong 14 years ago

Awful first half. Much better second half.