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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
Nov 03, 2004 - 09:52 AM |
 
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That's one Imamura film that I do not have. I'll keep looking.
Do you know he apprenticed for Ozu?
What's your thesis about? |
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Magnolia
Board Biatch
Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31098
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Nov 04, 2004 - 11:29 AM |
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Where do you all find these movies? Can you get them here? Some sound interesting ... |
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BOYCOTT BENSON SALON |
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Benoist_Shanghai
Low Seater
Joined: May 18, 2003
Posts: 3057
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Nov 04, 2004 - 12:20 PM |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 04, 2004 - 01:11 PM |
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Dear Mag: try the stores on PuDong South Rd.. The cross street is ZhangYang Rd. You should take the DongChang Rd. exit of Line#2. Very large selcetion that caters to all kinds of tastes. Much more time-and-cost-effective than the street vendors.
Don't pay more than 6 RMB for DVD5. |
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Magnolia
Board Biatch
Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31098
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Nov 04, 2004 - 01:42 PM |
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Thanks Serend! I usually don't go to the street vendors ... but my DVD man is renovating this month. Will be going out to get some of these recommendations soon! |
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BOYCOTT BENSON SALON |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 04, 2004 - 02:01 PM |
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i enjoy buying dvds from street vendors and small shops  |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 05, 2004 - 09:06 AM |
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serend,i know Imamura apprenticed for Ozu,he was an assistand of ozu's,finally he left ozu,his early movies are close to his master,but middle and late ones are different |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 05, 2004 - 04:51 PM |
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Niko: I am sorry to admit that I haven't got a chance to watch Imamura's earlier films...  I am trying to make up lost time, you see. That's why I was surprised that he apprenticed for Ozu, since I saw little similarities between his later films and Ozu's classics. Forgot that we have an expert here 
We'll watch a couple this weekend. Will let you know how I like them.
Still working on my re-incarnation  |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 05, 2004 - 07:56 PM |
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acturally,i've just seen few movies from Ozu,"tokyo story"...his movie is very exquisite and humanistic...tokyo story not only tells a japanese family's story,but also all human being's story.
hey,serend,looking forward to your reincarnation,hehe.chinese believe eternity,some bad people will be cursed to become pigs,cows,donkey(  )...in afterlife...wahaha...well,serend is..is..eh...a...mmm...umm...good person  |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 07, 2004 - 06:04 PM |
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I'll stay an A$$ if I'm gonna choose again. One of my few deep-rooted problem with Chinese culture is that donkey is not included in the 12 zodiacs.
I'll be happy to tell people: "Wo shu lyu!"
Saw "Hana and Alice" by Iwai last night. Too sweet for me, and too wish-fulfilling. After "Swallowtail" and "All about Lilly Chou", Iwai is apparently back in commercial land again.
I have seen 6 movies by Ozu, and I must say that "Tokyo Story" is the greatest. Visually stunning in a very subtle way. "An Autumn Afternoon" is very good, too. Less emotionally held back than "Tokyo". |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 08, 2004 - 08:13 PM |
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i bought"hana and alice" yesterday,havent seen it.i like Iwai's movies,from his earlier movie,like"ghost soup","fireworks" to later "love letter","picnic"and "april story","swallowtail","all about lili chou",his movie has awaken my past memory,hehe.
in "swallowtail"he focused on emigrates,expecially chinese emigrates in JApan,and "all about lili chou","lili chou" is also a chinese name.maybe chinese emigrate is a special group in every country. |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 08, 2004 - 08:40 PM |
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And in "Hana and Alice", there are moments when Chinese is spoken by Alice's father. Iwai does seem to have a thing for China.
Is "Fireworks" good? I have it but it stays low on my priority list. I have a date with some femme fatale tonight----in film noir, of course... |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 08, 2004 - 09:17 PM |
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"fireworks" is about some children,very early movie of Iwai,pure,sweet...but to me,it's so so.
enjoy your sweet night,Mr.donkey,lol |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 09, 2004 - 12:03 PM |
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Call me Mr. A$$, or "Bottom". |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 10, 2004 - 09:18 PM |
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i've just finished seeing "hana and alice",very good and touching.especially the last ballet dance,so graceful...in the modern world,many pure things have been forgotten or laughed,but they are still kept in Iwai's movie.
as u said "Iwai is apparently back in commercial land again",the feeling of "hana and alice" is like earlier "love letter",a little sentimental,love is fragile,right?hehe
in short,the movie is worth my tears  |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 10, 2004 - 10:01 PM |
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oh,forget to call u Mr. A$$, or "Bottom".sorry |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 10, 2004 - 10:45 PM |
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Bottom is glad that you like "Hana and Alice". I find the actress playing Alice very beautiful, in a uniquely Japanese way.
"Rabbit-Proof Fence" is definitely better than the trailer told me. The story itself is not much, but what a powerful atmosphere to render it! The sound is amazing! One of the best Aussie films I have ever seen. Surely better than the feel-good junks like "Strictly Ballroom" and "Muriel's Wedding".
"Suzhou River". Did you see that one? Zhou Xun is surprisingly good in the film, even though overall I still think she's not much of an actress. Again, the story is not much (somewhat ludicrous---aimed at catering to the European arthouse audience, perhaps), but what atmosphere! The long panning shot early in the film is very good, taking after, but stronger than, Hitchcock's "Rear Window". Pity that the director did not make more of the voyeuristic angle: exploring voyeurism would have been so fascinating in this city of close human contact...
I am watching "Miss Oyu" by Mizoguchi. A bit bored, so far. Too stylized. |
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niko
Rocker
Joined: Aug 23, 2004
Posts: 602
Status: Offline
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Nov 11, 2004 - 07:28 PM |
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the actress playing Alice is very beautiful,i think so.lala,compared with Zhou xun,Alice is unique.acturally,i dont like Zhou xun,dont know why she is so popular now.havent seen "Suzhou River",i saw "there is a Hollywood in Hongkong" by Fruit chan,Zhou xun played a material chinese mainland girl in HK,very affected...mmm...dont think she knows how to play a role.
i'm not familiar with Aussie films,any good directors to recommend?lately,there is an Aussie films week in shanghai,you know?well,i saw an Aussie film"man of flowers" by Paul fox,didnt understand it much.another one "holy smoke"(is it called Aussie film?the director is Jane campion,i've forgotten what it said,something about mind power) |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 11, 2004 - 10:29 PM |
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I don't remember if Campion is kiwi or Aussie.
I can tell you a few Aussie films that are "supposed" to be good: "Picnic by Hanging Rock", "Galipoli" (as homoerotic as "Top Gun"), "Last Wave", etc.. I like none of these. What I do like is one early Kate Winslet film, "Heavenly Creatures". And "Jackie and Hillary" (about the cellist Jackie du Pre) is not too bad. I love Rachel Griffith! One of the only contribution kiwis made to civilization, besides a few bottles of decent sauvignon blanc and OK chard..
But the gem of Aussie film-making is Nicholas Roeg, who made "Don't Look Now", "The Man Who Fell to Earth", and "Walkabout", among many classics. His movies can be somewhat eccentric, but the visual is always fastidiously beautiful, in an understated way. I strongly recommend him, niko. |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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Nov 11, 2004 - 10:42 PM |
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Zhou Xun took my breath away in "Emperor and Assasin", playing the blind girl of the swordsmith. She went downhill from there quite rapidly. Of the 4 Starlets of China, I positively hate Zhao Wei and Zhang ZiYi, indifferent to Zhou Xun, but oh my, isn't Xu Jing-lei something else! Her face is illuminated with intelligence and strength of character. She's the only Chinese on screen that I am deeply attracted to. But I read that her favorite actor is Kevin Costner...sigh, no one is perfect...
I have seen 2 films by Fruit Chan. One ("Scent of Dorian") I really admire, the other ("Public Toilet") is so-so: he tried to pull off too many tricks in one film, and hence lost coherence. But even when his films flop, they flop in interesting ways. I have bought "Hollywood, HK" and "Dumpling" recently, though I haven't got around to watch them, yet. Tonight is my "Opera Night". "Il Nozze di Figaro".
BTW: is that you in your avatar?? |
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Magnolia
Board Biatch
Joined: June 01, 2004
Posts: 31098
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Nov 12, 2004 - 10:52 AM |
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Can I call you Bottom too?
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_________________
BOYCOTT BENSON SALON |
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Caesara
Post Roaster
Joined: July 31, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: The Middle Kingdom (Shanghai)
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Nov 12, 2004 - 11:08 AM |
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I picked up Rabbit-Proof Fence on a whim and was stunned by the imagery in the film. The simplicity and humanity were well-rendered, and the visuals of the landscape took my breath away. I don't think that story could have survived well in any other setting. The small girls' near-androgyny in some shots gave them a strange and compelling symbolism as the representative images of Australian Aboriginals.
The initial shot of Suzhou River was inspired. He pans across the filthy water, and the grimy daily lives of the people living on it, and says that "If you stay here long enough, you'll see everything on this river." Follows it with "I could tell you I'd seen a Mermaid sitting on the steps, combing her long blonde hair [Western fantasy image!], but it'd be a lie." The music thunders in with the main titles at this point, which highlights the comment. I thought this was a brilliant set-up for the rest of the film. The videographer ending up sailing drunk on the river at the end was a lovely bookend. The ideas of modernity and rootless modern love in urban space in China (exemplified by Shanghai) were really quite engaging as well.
A'course, I adore Top Gun as well. |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Nov 12, 2004 - 11:34 AM |
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| Caesara wrote: |
The videographer ending up sailing drunk on the river at the end was a lovely bookend. The ideas of modernity and rootless modern love in urban space in China (exemplified by Shanghai) were really quite engaging as well.
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Your post is a pleasure to read, Caesara. Allow me to return the favor: if you like "Suzhou River" for the reason above, I would highly recommend Wang Xiao-shuai to you. His "So Close to Paradise" is an overall stronger film than "Suzhou River". In fact, I believe the director of "Suzhou River" may have borrowed a bit too lavishly from that earlier film.
Wang is also known for "Beijing Bicycle" (excellent), "Brother" (good), and "Frozen" (somewhat pretentious noir).
BTW: my guess is that "Frozen" is another source of inspiration for "Suzhou River". |
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serend
FooJay
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 1712
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Nov 12, 2004 - 11:36 AM |
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Mag: yes, I am Bottom, and you can be Titania if you get a better hat.... |
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ocryan
Talker
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 91
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Nov 12, 2004 - 11:39 AM |
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why dont any shops carry the chapelle show dvd?
that mofo is like the best selling dvd of all time, you would have thought they would pick up on it |
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