China Blossay

China in the 20^th Century experienced a myriad of cultural and social pressures. The films Yellow Earth (Chen Kaige, 1984), and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2000) play upon the themes of these pressures and the effect that they play upon the character’s lives. Within these films, marriage and gender roles, tradition’s merits and downfalls, and Cultural Revolution reforms contribute stress to the main characters. Often the main character’s true selves in these films are unable to be expressed under the constraints of their society, and thus as expressed through the film, characters are only able to live half a life; unable to exist within their culture or as an individual. Often, thus culminates in their death, as the character is unable to truly live within the world.

In Yellow Earth, the viewer is shown both the struggles of tradition and the failures of upcoming reform. Gu Qing, a soldier from a propaganda section of the Communist Eighth Route Army, encounters Cui Qiao, her brother, Hanhan, and father, Da Shu, a peasant family. Cui Qiao is forced into marriage with an older man in order to obtain a dowry to pay for her mother’s funeral and brother’s future dowry. However, Cui Qiao greatly fears her upcoming method and looks to the ‘modern’ Brother Gu as a means of escape. Yellow Earth shows us the faults of the modern and traditional, and Cui Qiao’s decision of which to base her life around.

Yellow Earth contrasts both traditional and modern pressures. Da Shu represents tradition and at first seems very gruff; he sees the marriage/sacrifice of Cui Qiao to an old suitor as his best option to sustain his family. However, this is later contrasted by the great love he is shown to have for his children. This is evidenced by the scene in which he tells Cui Qiao of her upcoming marriage date; although he is not shown, his tone of voice dramatically changes to reveal his sadness. Faced with the heavy expenses of his wife’s funeral and is son’s future dowry, Da Shu goes against his moral standing and allows the marriage to a much older man. The viewer is shown that as Da Shu succumbs to traditional cultural pressures, he sacrifices his daughter. Under the pressures of his culture, Da Shu is unable to reach a fortuitous conclusion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HYsU2dQFt4

 Brother Gu falls to the modern communist pressures in China. After spending time with the family, he bonds with Cui Qiao and Hanhan and wishes to remove Cui Qiao from her current situation. However, Brother Gu is unable to enlist Cui Qiao f army due to regulations and red tape.  Because of these restrictions, Cui Qiao’s hope in the Communist’s future Cultural Revolution is left unfulfilled. Brother Gu also ultimately must leave behind Cui Qiao in order to conform to modern pressures.

Cui Qiao also must now make a choice. Confined to a culturally traditional world with Brother Gu gone, she consents to the marriage in order to uphold her families’ status and her brother’s future. However, having tried to exist within the constraints of the traditional culture, Cui Qiao finds that she must sacrifice herself in order to do so. Unwilling, Cui Qiao thus defies her culture by running away from her husband. In attempts to join the Cultural Revolution’s modern culture, she solidifies her break with her own culture by crossing the river in attempts to reach a communist camp. However, due to its restrictions, Cui Qiao cannot belong there either. Unable to exist in either, she disappears into the river, and removes herself from this world. Through Cui Qiao, the viewer is shown that both traditional and modern cultures have their own pressures and rules. In attempting to remove herself from these pressures in order to stay true to herself, Cui Qiao removes herself from this world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YQB2CBEI2es#t=217s

In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Li Mu Bai, Shu Lien, and Jen each struggle with their conflicting societal duties and their desires. Unable to reach enlightenment, Mu Bai seeks to give up his life as a Wuxia warrior. In order to place his sword, Green Destiny into good hands, he journeys with the warrior Shu Lien. Mu Bai and Shu Lien harbor feelings for each other, but cannot express them due to honor for Shu Lien’s deceased husband. Shu Lien delivers Green Destiny to a mutual friend, and encounters Jen, an aristocrat, who is placed in an arranged marriage and is envious of the warrior lifestyle. It is revealed that Jen has also been trained in Wuxia, and that she too has a love that cannot be realized due to cultural pressures.

Shu Lien and Mu Bai both struggle with their love for each other. Tied down by upholding the honor of Shu Lien’s deceased husband, the two are unable to realize their true selves. Unable to be true to himself, and tied down by desire, Mu Bai cannot reach enlightenment, and thus cannot further his Wuxia training, which encompasses his whole life. Shu Lien is also unfulfilled, with no chance for marriage or intimacy. As the events of the film unfold, Mu Bai changes as he sees Jen question the culture that defines her. In turn, Mu Bai question himself, and decide to show his feelings to Shu Lien. However, Mu Bai dies attempting to redeem Jen. Thus, Mu Bai and Shu Lien are left unfulfilled. Mu Bai’s regret is so great that he chooses to remain with Shu Lien as a ghost. Shu Lien is left to live on, forced to remain within her cultural boundaries. Both characters deviations against their culture lead to their punishment, however their inability to live life as they desired was a greater wrong.

Jen’s position is also that of one who cannot realize their desires without breaking cultural rules. Desiring both freedom and to be true to her parents, Jen cannot be true to herself. Young Jen was attacked by desert bandits, and ultimately fell in love with their leader, Lo. However, loyalty for her family drives her to leave him. From this point on, Jen is divided between freedom and duty, and ultimately breaks on the day of her arranged marriage. At Mu Bai’s death, she is forced to find a true resolution, following his advice to live a life true to herself. Replicating an old myth, Jen calmly jumps from the top of a mountain and disappears from sight. In this manner, she carves a new space in which she can be true to herself. Again, it is shown that those who cannot exist within the constraints of their culture cannot exist at all; yet being true to oneself is still presented as a better option than living half a life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvoWL5Aq90w

Through Yellow Earth and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, we see that one must reject their culture, or reject themselves. Often the pressure from marriage, gender roles and one’s culture forced them to live either half a life, or no life all. Cui Qiao and Jen, trapped between desires, remove themselves from this world. It is apparent from Yellow Earth that some change to culture is necessary; however traditional pressures are only replaced by modern ones, which fails to make a difference.  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon shows that the repercussions to defying ones culture are great; but that the repercussions for sacrificing one’s nature are greater.

Misc en scene in Fallen Angels

The 1995 film, Fallen Angels by Wong Kar-wai is a visually stimulating story presenting urban life in Hong-Kong. Within the film there are two main storylines; that of the hit man, Wong, and the mute, Ho. Fallen Angels is a film that rests on its powerful visual imagery. With a minimal plot, it is the characters, the set pieces and visual effects that invest the viewer in the film.  I aim to take a deeper look in understanding how the misc en scene within Fallen Angels compares and contrasts Wong and Ho.

Fallen Angels does an excellent job of showing its characters in their world as they interpret it. The Hong Kong presented in the movie is the one shown to us by the characters in the film; extorted and self-focused. Constantly the audience is presents with the visual signifier of a mirror; it is often unclear at first whether a shot is of a character or their reflection. This represents both the introspection of the characters, and their uncertainty of whether they have become the image they created. The focus on the character’s interpretation of their world is supplemented by the music in Fallen Angels. Rather than the music being selected as a personal choice by the director, the music is chosen by the characters themselves, with their actions synched to the beat and flow of the music. Even the angles and perspective were based on the character’s self absorption. By using close ups, and a hand camera shots, the viewer was forced to be very ‘close and personal’ with the characters in the film, yet removed by the strange angles and perspectives, mimicking the way the characters are the focus in their environment but also removed from it.

Fallen Angels relies on its visual and auditory signifiers of urbanity to create the striking interpretation of Hong Kong which is presented to the audience. Throughout the film, unnatural lighting and strong use of shadow were used to emphasize the unnatural character of urban life. The characters in the film further build upon this, living unnatural lives in an unnatural city. Shadow also adds to the urban trope of the film, creating a gritty, dark, and unwelcoming atmosphere.  Use of shadow often emphasizes the characters themselves, at once integrating them within their environment and also drawing attention to them within the frame. The music chosen in the film is often co notated with the cool or carnivalistic, both associated with urban living.

Wong, the killer, is constantly trying to achieve ‘cool’ in his life. In the first scene that he is shown, Wong appears to be the essence of cool. Portrayed not in old fashioned, but edgy, black and white, Wong’s face and chest pops out, perfectly framed against his partner. Stylish, but not too formal, Wong holds a cigarette, nonchalantly looking away, contrasting his shaking partner.  When his partner asks him for an explanation, he simply chooses to ignore her and speak to the viewer instead. In these respects Wong is ‘cool’, displaying his indifference while seeming edgy.

However, it is also in this scene where it is possible to see the first hints that perhaps Wong isn’t so cool, that he is simply crafting his image in attempts to fill the cool stereotype. Although his partner has clearly ‘lost her cool’ with her shaking hands, Wong also shows signs that he is uncomfortable with the situation. He is unable to look his partner in the eye, and instead looks downward. On closer inspection, rather than giving the feeling of brushing his partner off, Wong rather seems submissive and afraid. His inability to answer her question also shows his lack of confidence, rather than lack of caring. Wong clearly has ties to his partner, and is unable to fully deal with the situation, undermining his cool appearance. Fallen Angels plays with this front of cool, showing humanity underneath Wong’s crafted image, which feels as if it is simply a barrier set up in reaction to the urban world around him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCFFJbREVN0&feature=player_detailpage&list=PL9581FFA169E080E9#t=566s
                The clearest example of Wong’s ‘lack of cool’ is the bus scene. This scene begins as Wong is fleeing his last hit; a restaurant. During the restaurant scene, he again seems to be the cool, calm and collected killer, and even his theme song; Robison Randriaharimalala’s ‘coz I'm cool’ plays. Wong steps to the beat of ‘coz I’m cool’, tying together his perception of himself and his job as a hit man, which also fulfills his cool image. However, on entry of the bus, his theme song instantly dissolves and the audience is left with a relatively mundane looking scene of Wong on the bus. No longer feeling cool, but stressed, we see Wong’s cover fade.

On the bus, Wong’s eyes dart from side to side, obviously unsettled. The bus on which he sits is ordinary, if not a bit old. Through the windows the viewer is able to see city lights, acting as a reminder that the mundane bus is still located in the urban landscape. Suddenly caught off guard, Wong is confronted by an old classmate.  His cool atmosphere is now interrupted by a figure from his childhood. No longer is Wong able to act as if he is a nameless hit man with this very human figure present.  The two converse about mundane topics, Wong staying cool and collected with his responses, but not in his actions.  Again, Wong does not display the confidence to make eye contact, and rubs his face, showing his obvious agitation. Tellingly, as Wong admits that even killers have pasts, the view shifts to Wong’s reflection in this buses’ mirror. Looking at his reflection, Wong sees both his cool image, and also through introspection, the competing view of Wong’s uncool flaws and history. Wong’s reflection appears small against the night backdrop, making him seem very alone; unable to deal with the human contact that is his classmate. Wong wears a strained smile, for once making him feel relatable and human.

Ho, existing in the same universe presents a different story. Becoming a mute at a young age after eating a bad can of fruit, conveniently following his mother’s death, Ho enters the movie when he has escaped from prison. He then returns to his father and begins a life of shenanigans. Ho, unlike Wong, is not trying to be cool, rather he wants to escape the trauma of growing up. Reliant on his father, and continually returning to the ice cream that played a part in his mother’s death, Ho cannot seem to let go of his childhood.

 While conning people, Ho continuously runs into a girl named Charlie. Befriending Charlie, Ho helps her seek out her rival, Blondie, and ends up in a restaurant with her while she again plots against Blondie. Again, the camera is focused closely on Ho and Charlie, with both shadow and unnatural lighting present even in the restaurant. Ho is often surrounded by the bizarre and carnivalistic, and this is contingent with Charlie’s appearance of messy hair, wild attitude, complete with crazy pencil topper. Unstable, she is dependent upon Ho for support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL9581FFA169E080E9&v=aPqyPJm4_w8&feature=player_detailpage#t=189s

Charlie seems to be the first person whom Ho has taken responsibility for. When a fight suddenly and unexpectedly breaks out in the restaurant at the mention of Blondie, Ho is there to protect Charlie. This scene is so sudden that it almost feels as if it sprang from Ho’s imagination, and his newfound desire to protect Charlie. Contingent with Ho’s personality, we see the restaurant through his mind; a blurred swirl of events complete with action theme music.  The camera follows Ho through the restaurant, in slow motion to emphasize his fighting, while making a path for Charlie. Again, we see through the camera work the focus on self, as Ho imagines himself a hero. The scene only starts to break down when we see Ho accidentally hit Charlie, taking away from his childish hero status. However, he is redeemed when she comes back to drag him away.  In this instance, Ho’s childishness is still clear, with a wild imagination and a desire to cause trouble. However, he now edges towards some responsibility in his need to care for Charlie.

The restaurant scene finishes with the dream like shot of Ho and Charlie sitting in yet another restaurant. Ho states that women are like water, and appropriately the blurred, black and white view of Ho and Charlie almost makes it appear as if water is flowing over the camera lens. Time seems to be slowed down for Ho and Charlie as everyone in the background rushes by.  Because of this, everything is blurry and surreal looking. A relaxed old rock tune plays in the background, its constant beat seeming to match the movement in the background. Again, this deliberate slowness is shown because Ho sees the moment this way. Charlie is still and statue like, allowing Ho to fully take her in, and revel in his newfound love for her.  Yet, in this moment in time, Ho never actually completes any of the more intimate actions with Charlie, such as petting her hair. He merely settles for resting on his shoulder, showing the difference between his desires and true actions.

At the end of the film, Ho has lost both Charlie and his father. Forced to grow because of his tenderness for Charlie, Ho manages to deal with his father’s loss more appropriately and grow from the ordeal. In remembrance of his father, Ho views the videotape he made of his father over and over again. While watching the video, Ho eats ice cream, thus sharing the moment with both his father and his mother. The video mimics aspects of how we see Ho’s life; many close ups, shots made with a hand camera, and a clear presentation of he and his father’s urban life. However, as the film focuses on his father, this presents a key difference from the audience’s view of Ho’s life. Instead of self absorption, Ho has grown into a character that is concerned with the lives of others.

It is this character growth in Ho that differentiates him from Wong. Wong, wanting change but unable to deal with it, must be removed from the storyline, and is ended when his partner places a hit upon him. Ho, although ripped from his situation, has grown enough to start anew. This is especially clear at the end of the film where Ho picks up Wong’s loose ends and again takes responsibility, this time for Wong’s partner. Now with gentle, happy music, the two ride away, in effect, riding away from their past lives. The camera alternates from a long shot to a close up, creating both a sense of distance and closeness. At a promise of ‘warmth’ the camera pans up to the sky; still cloudy, but foretelling of new possibilities and hope.

Fallen Angels is reliant upon misc en scene to reveal the hidden attributes of its characters. With minimal amounts of plot and dialogue, Fallen Angels cannot present the story in any other fashion. Although its characters exist in the same world, misc en scene reveals the subtleties of a character’s struggles and development. While Wong attempts to uphold an image of cool, we see that this contradiction to his hidden self proves to be too much, and in the end, Wong is unable to exist in his environment. Ho struggles with adulthood, but possesses the ability to change, and is ultimately able to continue living.