Film Festival

[Anonymous]

I saw part of the movie, had to leave the theatre, but I thought the views and scenery in some of the shots were amazing.

[Anonymous]

I originally thought about reading this book and creating a unit to use with my ninth graders and fulfill the seminar requirements. So, like a students, I decided to watch the movie first. I pleasantly surprised to find out that one existed. "To Live," was written by Yu Hua and directed by Zhang Yimou. The film deals with the lives of Fugui and Jiazhen, a husband and wife with two children, as well as Fugui's mother. It takes place from the 1940s up to the 1980s. Fugui has a gambling problem, so the family loses everything which splits the family apart. It is a time when the Chinese Nationalist's and Communist's are battling for control of China. The also film deals with the social upheaval afffecting many Chinese.

I plan to teach the novel first and address many of the 9/10 English standards such as tone, characterization, imagery, and diction. After the students have read the book we will address a writing standards that requires students to compare a written piece to a play or movie. They will examine how lighting and action affects the message and overall theme of the movie. This will culminate in an essay.

[Anonymous]

Not One Less
Starring: Wei Minzhi , Zhang Huike , Tian Zhenda , Gao Enman
Director(s): Zhang Yimou
Rated: G
The movie Not One Less would be appropriate for a sixth grade classroom. This movie is about a 13 year old girl, (Wei Minzhi) who is hired to teach at an impoverished village's one-room schoolhouse when the teacher has to leave. She is the only choice since no one else wants to step up to the challenge. The girl has no experience as a teacher, she can barely read or write herself. The students sense this and as a result they become chaotic and unruly. After a few days the students begin to respect the young teacher. A bond begins to form between the students and the teacher. When she finds out that one of her students is sent to work in the city, the young inexperienced girl embarks on an adventure determined to find him.
The film illustrates the differences between rural and city life. This film would be suitable for an English class. Students can draw several comparisons from the film. They can compare schools in rural areas with their own school. They might also compare life in the city with rustic life. As they are watching the film, they might use a sequence chart or a cause and effect chart to detail certain events.

[Anonymous]

I recently watched Shansho the Bailiff from 1954, directed by Kenji Muzoguchi. It is considered a masterpiece and I only stumbled on it because of Netflix recommendations. I without hesitation recommend this film. If only because of the opening declaration, "Without mercy, man is not a human being." However, the film chronicles a family separated by a capricious lord and their attempts to reunite over several decades. Resisting or fighting against forces outside their control, the family members' stories illustrate "human condition" suffering at its most poignant. Very touching and very moving. While the movie has intrinsic value for its pathos, it also portrays life in early feudal Japan. Primitive looking houses and "material life" artifacts which might be helpful in helping students imagining what life in small villages, among slaves, or on farms would look like. The movie also touches on the subject of slavery in other cultures, i.e. Japan, in this case. Finally, the movie illustrates movie making from 50 years ago--black and white.

[Anonymous]

Mongol is an amazing movie! I was taught that Genghis Khan was an inhuman monster, the scourge of Europe or something like that. I just finished reading a book about him by Jack Weatherford. His information especially for Genghis Khan's youth he says is based on a "secret history". Anyway, the movie seems to based on the same document, since it seems to tell virtually the same story. So, I guess the movie is pretty accurate. In addition, something I especially enjoyed and wanted to see, there is much location footage of the area of the Mongols. Weatherford points out that the Mongols controlled the largest empire ever in the history of the world. It's about time we start to get a more balanced view. An interesting lesson on bias and point of view can be taken from the last part of Weatherford's book which deals with the European view of the Mongols after about the 17c, Marco Polo's writings, and this movie.

[Anonymous]

This post is about a film that hasn't even opened. John Woo is making "The Red Cliff" (an episode from the great Chinese novel the Three Kingdoms). The reason for this post is that the Los Angeles Times reported on an accident during the filming and a stunt man died. The implication seems to be that the Chinese are less careful about protecting life & limb. A bias we've all heard. Yet, as you continue to read, the majority of the article talks about safety issues on other movie sets, most notably the new James Bond movie. I don't know if I'm being too sensitive about this, I can't think why I should be, or if there really is a slant to the presentation of the Times. The title of the article is 'Red Cliff' and Bond: Safety first on set -- or last? if you want to check it out. In any event, nothing will spoil my anticipation for this movie. I read the book and I love John Woo. What could be better?

[Anonymous]

I would like to recommend to all of you a movie that is very special to me. Many years ago PBS broadcast a series of Japanese movies, one of which really stood out for me. I recalled the title as Harp of Burma but the dvd that is out has The Burmese Harp as the title. I rented it from Netflix and the movie's impact was just as devastating. The Amazon plot summary is as follows:

Based on the novel by Michio Takeyama, The Burmese Harp stars a Japanese platoon stationed in Burma whose choir skills are inspired by their star musician, Private Mizushima (Rentaro Mikuni), who strums his harp to cheer the homesick soldiers. As the troop surrenders to the British and is interred in Mudon prison camp, Mizushima escapes to be faced with not only his imminent death, but also the deaths of thousands of other soldiers and civilians. Relinquishing his life as a military man, Mizushima retreats into a life of Buddhist prayer, dedicating himself to healing a wounded country.Filmed in black and white, strong visual contrasts heighten the divide between peace, war, life, and death in this highly symbolic film. Scenes in which the Japanese soldiers urge opposing forces to sing with them portray military men regardless of alliance as emotionally sensitive. Showing the humanistic aspects of war, such as the male bonding that occurs between soldiers, doesn't justify war as much as deepens its tragedy. This release includes interviews with the director and with Mikuni, further contextualizing its place in Japanese cinema. The Burmese Harp, with its lessons in compassion and selflessness, is so transformative that viewing it feels somewhat akin to a religious experience.

The last sentence captures something of its impact. I don't know if you are willing to weep in front of your class but the movie certainly stirred me.

[Anonymous]

Nova broadcast a show a few year back that is still showing up from time to time entitled World in the Balance: The Population Paradox. The second half of the show is about China. The PBS website says that:

In the second hour, "China Revs Up," NOVA takes the pulse of China's hyperactive economy, which is the fastest growing in the history of the world. During the last two decades, China clamped down on its population growth through its controversial one-child policy, but in recent years it has relaxed those rules, moving in the direction of more reproductive freedom. As the sprawling country develops from a poor nation and aspires to a more middle-class lifestyle, China's air, land, and water are beginning to suffer. Already, a massive dust cloud of eroded soil from Mongolia has darkened the skies over North America, and air pollution from Beijing and Shanghai regularly wafts as far as California.

The program can be used in conjunction with Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth or by itself in lessons relating to economic growth and environmental degradation. I thought the program was pretty interesting, but the first half about Population Growth was more useful to me.

[Anonymous]

I recently saw Sergei Bodrov's "Mongol", which attempts to tell the "untold" life story of Genghis Khan. The movie truly is an epic as it covers the life of Temudgin and his rise to becoming the Khan. It is a story of revenge and love and is beautifully shot. Im curious as to how historically accurate the film is. Apparently it is based on scholarly books and an ancient poem called "The Secret History of the Mongols". I think parts of the movie could be used in world civilizations classes and in an AP World History class

[Anonymous]

I picked up a movie at Fry's called Legend of the Black Scorpion which I had never heard of but it had won awards and had Ziyi Zhang (Crouching Tiger, Hero), directed by Xiaogang Feng and action sequences by Yuen Woo-Ping (Matrix, Fearless) and because I like this sort of thing. I was totally unprepared for what I saw. Just like Akira Kurosawa adapted Shakespeare's Lear & Macbeth, this is a reworking of Hamlet. It's original title The Banquet refers to the bloodbath at the end of the story. It is a gorgeous period piece set in the early 10th century. I wouldn't want to comment on its historical accuracy but at least it is done by a Chinese. Costumes, sets, scenery it is an amazing feast for the eyes.

I think this could be used to illustrate Chinese values. The film follows Hamlet in many details, the poison in the ear, the play within the play, the poison blade, the mission abroad which doesn't work, the hero's academic background. Nevertheless, there are important differences. The differences, I believe, reveal Chinese attitudes or values. The Gertrude character is the Hamlet character's step-mother, allowing a more explicit sexual attraction between them. Perhaps the incestuous sheets referred to by Hamlet is a line the Chinese will not cross. It is also more sexually explicit than almost any Chinese movie I can think of, but it is not in any way explicit by our standards, there is a bare-back massage and a hint that there had been intercourse but nothing on the screen. The movie is not rated. Perhaps, more telling, at the end (spoiler alert) the Claudius character takes the poison intentionally saying that perhaps "it will set things right." To me this suggests restoring a cosmic order while Hamlet can't kill Claudius when he is in prayer because he (Claudius) would go to heaven. Hamlet's scheme to catch the conscience of the king in Black Scorpion doesn't yield any kind of dramatic outburst, but it's clear the king recognizes himself. In fact there is much about masks--masks put on as well as turning the face into a mask. All in all, I think there is a lot in the movie that in the adaptation to a Chinese audience reveals the differences between the two cultures and therefore helps students to appreciate the uniqueness of Chinese culture.

[Anonymous]

The trend in Hollywood these days is to remake Japanese and Korean horror films. "The Ring", or Ringu was originally a Japanese horror movie as was "the Eye". "The Host", which is a Korean film about a deadly virus was released here in the US last year. Im curious, and perhaps someone can answer this, why are so many horror movies being made in Korea and Japan? Is it simply that there is a demand? Or, can it be attested to something cultural? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

I watched the film The Joy Luck Club. The film has an R rating and I wouldn't show it without parental consent, but it is an extremely interesting and mind-opening film about four Chinese mothers and the impact their lives had on shaping each of their American-born daughters' lives. It is a story mostly told in flashback about the four mothers (who became life-long friends) and the different life paths that they traveled and the tragedies, triumphs, and defeats they endured. It starts out at the funeral of one of the four friends. I really liked this film and I think if the students saw it, they would not find a dull moment.

How will this be used in my classroom?

In the literature book that I use in my classroom is a story called "Rules of the Game." This story is an excerpt from the book The Joy Luck Club. Since I teach Special Education, I don't usually read whole books. We usually do short stories. This story can be used to help teach cultural understanding and to show that we are as alike as we are different.

We would do BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER reading activities. Making the connection, quickwrites, vocabulary, reading strategies, Elements of Literature, etc. will all be addressed in this lesson.

[Anonymous]

I was watching a documentary about Japanese Anime (the one that comes on the Animatrix DVD) and one of the talking heads stated that much of Japanese art deals with the post-apaclyptic future because Japan is a post-apocalyptic country. This statement intrigued me, and it seems to make sense. For example, Akira starts off with a huge explosion that looks like a mushroom cloud and then introduces a Japanese society that has completely become uncivil and anarchic. Godzilla is also interesting to put into this context. Now, Im not an expert on the films, and although I did catch several movies by watching Kevin and Bean's Sci-Fi theater on channel 9 back in the day, I don't know the background to the monster's creation. That being said, Godzilla is a the result of a sea lizard whose DNA has been meshed with radioactive materials (perhaps the same ones found in the A-Bomb). Perhaps Godzilla can also represent the United States. Godzilla sometimes plays the villain, destroys Tokyo and other cities, just like the United States did during World War II. In other movies, Godzilla saves the country from other monsters, some of which were created by mad Japanese scientists. In these scenarios perhaps Godzilla represents the brutal reality that a monster (the US in WWII) has to save Japan from itself (like it did in WWII). The first Godzilla movie came out in the early 50's, a few years after th Atomic Bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No doubt that catacysmic event impacted the artistic movements in Japan. What do you think?

[Anonymous]

I watched a documentary program, "Peoples Republic of Capitalism", hosted by Ted Koppel, aired through the Discovery Channel from July 9 through July 12. Chongqing and its surrounding area was the city where Mr. Koppel visited and interviewed a variety of people. It was selected because it is one of the fastest growing economies in the Peoples Republic of China.

In the first part of the program, it showed middle-class citizens, and how fast some of them became rich. Some middle aged men and women have nostalgia for the old Communist days: simple, hardworking life. They said, "Now, there is more competition, more pressure....". One of the young established artists said, "I don't love my government, but I trust my government." I think this is a complicated statement.

Mr. Koppel went to a red-light district in Chongqing and interviewed some teenage girls in one of the establishments. The girls work there because it is a job uneducated girls can get to earn money, and they entertain rich middle-class men. The program did not show the healthy side of the entertainment, like theater, Karaoke just for friends.

According to Mr. Koppel, Chinese people like black cars: GM-Buick because of its elegance and better reputation. China produces 9 million vehicles a year, and they are like America 50 years ago automobile mania was in full bloom. In China, the streets are congested with automobiles, and many cars are not checked for air pollution. Most recently they are trying to convert from gasoline to natural gas for taxies and busses.

The system of solving traffic accidents is totally different from USA. There is no court and no lawyers are involved most of the time. The police who came to the accident scene writes an official report, and often acts as an adjuster. There is no insurance company to collect money, either: simple cash payment on the spot. Chinese explained this as "avoiding unnecassary complication." Recently the Liberty Mutual Company appeared in China. They manage auto insurance pay outs in the Chinese way: no deductibles, and often pay off a claim on the spot.

China needs coal for their econimic growth, jobs, and electricity. But in the meantime it creates pollution, corruption, and saftey problems. Mr. Koppel said, "China has the worst safety record in the world for coal mininng". The coal workers get 3 times more salary than other blue color workers. A typical coal miner/worker gets $300/month. It is a good salary for Chinese.

A goverment official received bribes from the real estate developers. He was sentenced life in prison, but the developers were not prosecuted. China has gotten too rich, too quickly. "Is this the corruption of China?" Mr. Koppel said.

The last story about education was very interesting. There is a family of four (a middle aged husband, wife, a college age son, and a high school age daugher) in a village. The husband used to drink alcohol and only worked for 2-3 hours a day at home (farm/yard). But the wife threatened him with divorce if he could not earn enough money to send their children to college. So he found the job as a luggage carrier (he has to use a long pole on his shoulders to carry heavy luggage) for the tourists. They only ate meat once a week. They were able to send their son to college. The son said, "My parents have no education. They can not protect themselves from the bad people, especially from the cheaters." The husband did not want to send the daughter to school as she was "only a girl". But the wife insisted their daughter would get a good education or she would go to the city to earn the money to pay. The daughter went to the better school.
This woman reminds me of the mother of Mencius who encouraged Mencius to study hard in the right environment; the mother of Mencius relocated 3 times to achieve the goal while Mencius was in school. Also this is a good sign of the Chinese woman to stand up for her ideals life even she is poor and uneducated. I think she is a wise woman.

I would like to show this documantary to my high school students after I teach them some classical Chinese, so that my students will be able to compare old and new part of Chinese people and their lives. [Edit by="kirion on Jul 23, 2:39:06 AM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

"The Joy Luck Club"

With some films one can say, "If you liked the book, you'll like the film," but not this one. In fact, I'm afraid that many people will feel just the opposite; if you liked the book you're bound to be disappointed in the film. And I would suggest to those who feel that way that the reverse is also true -- people who like the film could be very bored by the book.

Not being Chinese, I don't know why I feel I can say this (and maybe I can't), but I found that the book had a "Chinese" feel to it that the film lacks. This isn't necessarily bad. I enjoyed both the book and the film. I liked the book because it took its time, and sometimes told stories with no endings, and always had an element of mystery, whereas I liked the film because it moved, was never boring, and the interweaving of stories was never confusing.

Being a former screenwriter, I know this wasn't easy, although the filmmakers made it look that way -- it was a heluva book to try to bring successfully to the screen, I'm sure. And since I'm using "The Joy Luck Club" in my Curriculum Project, I'm glad the film moves so I can show it to students.

rueben gordon

[Author]

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