Sunday, 27 March 2011
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Jeonju Film Festival and Jeonju Digital Project
The Korean blogathon concludes today, so I thought I would contribute one final post for the week. Thanks to Martin at New Korean Cinema and to cineAWESOME! for hosting this week. You can find the blogathon's link page here.
In less than two months, the 12th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will open (April 28-May 6). This will be my fourth year attending, and it is my favorite of Korea's festivals, even more so than the Pusan (now Busan) festival. It does not attract the same prestigious new films as Busan, but it makes up for this with its retrospectives and JIFF master classes. In 2008, I was able to attend a screening of Bela Tarr's 8 hour SATANTANGO, followed by a Q & A with Tarr. In 2009, there were master classes with film critics Raymond Bellour, Richard Porton, and Adrian Martin. Last year, film directors Bong Joon-ho and Pedro Costa gave extended lectures as part of the master class program. These are experiences other festivals rarely offer, and why Jeonju is such a popular destination for true film lovers. Another unique aspect is the annual Jeonju Digital Project, in which three filmmakers are given 50 million won (approximately 50,000 dollars) to make a roughly 30 minute short film (the actual running times vary from 12 to 43 minutes, although most are close to the 30 minute mark). The festival has attracted a great range of directors, including many of the last decade's most prominent international auteurs. The full line-up is:
2000: Park Kwang-su, Kim Yun-tae, Zhung Yuan
2001: Jia Zhang-ke, John Akomfrah, Tsai Ming-Liang
2002: Suwa Nobuhiro, Moon Seung-wook, Wang Xiaoshuai
2003: Bahman Ghobadi, Aoyama Shinji, Park Ki-yong
2004: Bong Joon-ho, Yu Lik Wai, Ishii Sogo
2005: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Tsukamoto Shinya, Song Il-Gon
2006: Darezhan Omirbayev, Eric Khoo, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
2007: Harun Farocki, Pedro Costa, Eugene Green
2008: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Idrissa Ouedraogo, Nacer Khemir
2009: Hong Sang-soo, Kawase Naomi, Lav Diaz
2010: James Benning, Denis Cote, Matias Pineiro
2011 (upcoming): Jean-Marie Straub, Claire Denis, Jose Luis Guerin
I have seen the 2009 and 2010 projects, and have purchased the box set issued by the festival that includes the 2000-2008 films. I've been (slowly) making my way through these films, and thought I'd offer a couple of reviews for two of the Korean films in the collection: Park Kwang-su's http://www.whitelover.com (2000) and Bong Joon-ho's Influenza (2004). Park and Bong are representative of two different movements and generations of Korean cinema. Born in 1955, Park made his feature debut in 1988 with Chilsu and Mansu and became one of the major figures of the Korean New Wave with such socio-political dramas as Black Republic (1990) and A Single Spark (1995). Over the past decade he has become less prominent within Korean cinema, as the shift has been made to the less politicized and more mainstream New Korean Cinema. Bong represents this newer movement. Born in 1969, he made his feature debut in 2000 with Barking Dogs Never Bite. He has gone to huge success over the past decade with Memories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006), and most recently Mother (2009). While certainly not without social interest, Bong's work is less directly political and certainly more exportable than the films Park and other New Wave filmmakers were making.
Despite this, the two films, perhaps because of their short, digital form, have certain similarities. Most notably, both are about the technological changes within the culture and the effect of this on individual characters. http://www.whitelover.com is a contemporary, Korean take on a familiar art-house genre, the film about filmmaking. The plot revolves around Hayan, a former internet porn star (hence the title) working in an art house film who is nevertheless subtly pressured into a nude scene.
The film opens with digital images of her porn site, and then with news that she will be starring in a "Chungmuro art film". The first dialogue is of Hayan on her cell phone, talking about the scene she is about to shoot and claiming it is not a sex scene, but a love scene, very different from the porn she used to make.
However, during the "love" scene, the director decides he needs to film her without any underwear, for "technical" reasons. Hayan eventually agrees, but the film ends by stating that she did not return after the first day of shooting, and that her website remains down. At first, the familiarity of the plot and theme makes the film somewhat off-putting, and there is a certain obviousness and didacticism here, things that are not uncommon in Park's work. However, by the conclusion, it ended up working for me.
While the exploitation of female actresses and their bodies is well-known and established, the actual emotion on Hayan's face as she fakes an orgasm has a visceral power. Park's cutting from this to the images on her porn site make for an effective conclusion, partly because it leaves open some interpretation to the audience. Why is this experience worse for Hayan than the porn films? Is it simply her shattered expectations? Is it the fact that she is not in control of the means of production? Has she realized her porn background has forever marked her as simply a porn actress and nothing more? http://www.whitelover.com is not as full and original a treatment of these themes as many of its art cinema predecessors, most notably Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt (1963), but given its form it really can't be. What it does (at least partially) successfully is update this theme to the contemporary digital age.
Influenza is a film even more concerned with digital technology, as it is filmed entirely with CCTV footage, tracing a single man's descent into crime. There are ten different scenes, beginning with the man, Cho Hyuk-rae, contemplating suicide (November 12, 2000) and ending with him trapped and about to be captured following a robbery and assault.
Given the limitations of the running time and budget, Bong created a rather ingenious narrative and stylistic form, limiting himself to this kind of primitive, early cinema, moving from black and white to color, and even including one camera that pans, although mechanically and without concern for capturing the action. It also contains a great deal of social commentary, although without any explicit agenda. We can see the forces at work that cause this man's fall, reducing him to a homeless man who has to turn to crime. And the constant surveillance itself feels like part of the oppression, the idea that one man's life can be tracked and turned into a cinematic entertainment without his knowledge. Watching the film, especially the conclusion, I was reminded of Jafar Panahi's Crimson Gold (2003). I do not know it was a direct influence, although Bong's Memories of Murder and Crimson Gold both played at many of the same festivals that year (Cannes, Toronto, Hawaii, Rotterdam). Like Panahi's great film, the crime here is seen within its context. It is not as rich a film in its social observation as Crimson Gold, but given the short form, Bong is able to create something special here, in my opinion his best work besides Memories of Murder.
Of all the Jeonju Digital Project films I have seen so far, my favorite, not surprisingly, is Hong Sang-soo's Lost in the Mountains. You can read my review from 2009 here.
In less than two months, the 12th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will open (April 28-May 6). This will be my fourth year attending, and it is my favorite of Korea's festivals, even more so than the Pusan (now Busan) festival. It does not attract the same prestigious new films as Busan, but it makes up for this with its retrospectives and JIFF master classes. In 2008, I was able to attend a screening of Bela Tarr's 8 hour SATANTANGO, followed by a Q & A with Tarr. In 2009, there were master classes with film critics Raymond Bellour, Richard Porton, and Adrian Martin. Last year, film directors Bong Joon-ho and Pedro Costa gave extended lectures as part of the master class program. These are experiences other festivals rarely offer, and why Jeonju is such a popular destination for true film lovers. Another unique aspect is the annual Jeonju Digital Project, in which three filmmakers are given 50 million won (approximately 50,000 dollars) to make a roughly 30 minute short film (the actual running times vary from 12 to 43 minutes, although most are close to the 30 minute mark). The festival has attracted a great range of directors, including many of the last decade's most prominent international auteurs. The full line-up is:
2000: Park Kwang-su, Kim Yun-tae, Zhung Yuan
2001: Jia Zhang-ke, John Akomfrah, Tsai Ming-Liang
2002: Suwa Nobuhiro, Moon Seung-wook, Wang Xiaoshuai
2003: Bahman Ghobadi, Aoyama Shinji, Park Ki-yong
2004: Bong Joon-ho, Yu Lik Wai, Ishii Sogo
2005: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Tsukamoto Shinya, Song Il-Gon
2006: Darezhan Omirbayev, Eric Khoo, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
2007: Harun Farocki, Pedro Costa, Eugene Green
2008: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Idrissa Ouedraogo, Nacer Khemir
2009: Hong Sang-soo, Kawase Naomi, Lav Diaz
2010: James Benning, Denis Cote, Matias Pineiro
2011 (upcoming): Jean-Marie Straub, Claire Denis, Jose Luis Guerin
I have seen the 2009 and 2010 projects, and have purchased the box set issued by the festival that includes the 2000-2008 films. I've been (slowly) making my way through these films, and thought I'd offer a couple of reviews for two of the Korean films in the collection: Park Kwang-su's http://www.whitelover.com (2000) and Bong Joon-ho's Influenza (2004). Park and Bong are representative of two different movements and generations of Korean cinema. Born in 1955, Park made his feature debut in 1988 with Chilsu and Mansu and became one of the major figures of the Korean New Wave with such socio-political dramas as Black Republic (1990) and A Single Spark (1995). Over the past decade he has become less prominent within Korean cinema, as the shift has been made to the less politicized and more mainstream New Korean Cinema. Bong represents this newer movement. Born in 1969, he made his feature debut in 2000 with Barking Dogs Never Bite. He has gone to huge success over the past decade with Memories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006), and most recently Mother (2009). While certainly not without social interest, Bong's work is less directly political and certainly more exportable than the films Park and other New Wave filmmakers were making.
Despite this, the two films, perhaps because of their short, digital form, have certain similarities. Most notably, both are about the technological changes within the culture and the effect of this on individual characters. http://www.whitelover.com is a contemporary, Korean take on a familiar art-house genre, the film about filmmaking. The plot revolves around Hayan, a former internet porn star (hence the title) working in an art house film who is nevertheless subtly pressured into a nude scene.
The film opens with digital images of her porn site, and then with news that she will be starring in a "Chungmuro art film". The first dialogue is of Hayan on her cell phone, talking about the scene she is about to shoot and claiming it is not a sex scene, but a love scene, very different from the porn she used to make.
However, during the "love" scene, the director decides he needs to film her without any underwear, for "technical" reasons. Hayan eventually agrees, but the film ends by stating that she did not return after the first day of shooting, and that her website remains down. At first, the familiarity of the plot and theme makes the film somewhat off-putting, and there is a certain obviousness and didacticism here, things that are not uncommon in Park's work. However, by the conclusion, it ended up working for me.
While the exploitation of female actresses and their bodies is well-known and established, the actual emotion on Hayan's face as she fakes an orgasm has a visceral power. Park's cutting from this to the images on her porn site make for an effective conclusion, partly because it leaves open some interpretation to the audience. Why is this experience worse for Hayan than the porn films? Is it simply her shattered expectations? Is it the fact that she is not in control of the means of production? Has she realized her porn background has forever marked her as simply a porn actress and nothing more? http://www.whitelover.com is not as full and original a treatment of these themes as many of its art cinema predecessors, most notably Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt (1963), but given its form it really can't be. What it does (at least partially) successfully is update this theme to the contemporary digital age.Influenza is a film even more concerned with digital technology, as it is filmed entirely with CCTV footage, tracing a single man's descent into crime. There are ten different scenes, beginning with the man, Cho Hyuk-rae, contemplating suicide (November 12, 2000) and ending with him trapped and about to be captured following a robbery and assault.
Given the limitations of the running time and budget, Bong created a rather ingenious narrative and stylistic form, limiting himself to this kind of primitive, early cinema, moving from black and white to color, and even including one camera that pans, although mechanically and without concern for capturing the action. It also contains a great deal of social commentary, although without any explicit agenda. We can see the forces at work that cause this man's fall, reducing him to a homeless man who has to turn to crime. And the constant surveillance itself feels like part of the oppression, the idea that one man's life can be tracked and turned into a cinematic entertainment without his knowledge. Watching the film, especially the conclusion, I was reminded of Jafar Panahi's Crimson Gold (2003). I do not know it was a direct influence, although Bong's Memories of Murder and Crimson Gold both played at many of the same festivals that year (Cannes, Toronto, Hawaii, Rotterdam). Like Panahi's great film, the crime here is seen within its context. It is not as rich a film in its social observation as Crimson Gold, but given the short form, Bong is able to create something special here, in my opinion his best work besides Memories of Murder.Of all the Jeonju Digital Project films I have seen so far, my favorite, not surprisingly, is Hong Sang-soo's Lost in the Mountains. You can read my review from 2009 here.
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Top Ten Korean Films
As part of this week's Korean Blogathon, I thought I would contribute my Best Ten Korean films. Although my consumption of Korean cinema is far from comprehensive and heavily weighted towards certain auteurs, I have now seen enough films to provide a decent list. I decided to include only one film per director in order to vary the selection. My hope is that it provides a good introductory guide to the best Korean film has to offer. Also, the list is biased towards films of the past two decades. Part of this is because I have not seen a wide variety of classic Korean films, but mostly it is because I think contemporary Korean cinema surpasses its classic period, unlike the cinemas of America or Japan. This is mostly due to contextual factors. I have no doubt that under different conditions, directors like Kim Ki-young and Yoo Hyeon-mok could have made films that were the equivalent of John Ford, Akira Kurosawa, et al. But however interesting classic Korean cinema is (and it's one that is increasingly fascinating to me), I do not feel it compares aesthetically to contemporary Korean films. That said, here is my list:
1. SECRET SUNSHINE (Lee Chang-dong, 2007)
Finally receiving a release recently in North America, this is the Korean film that has stayed with me the longest. I'm a huge fan of Lee's 2002 OASIS, and while the social relevance of that film and his recent POETRY is greater, something about the style, performances and existential themes of SECRET SUNSHINE make it resonant in a way few movies have. The film so obsessed me that I wrote a long article trying to analyze and understand it (it's available here). I still don't believe I have. Not that I'm complaining. Other great films by Lee: PEPPERMINT CANDY (1999), OASIS (2002), and POETRY (2010).
2. LIES (Jang Sun-woo, 1999)
Director Jang Sun-woo spent the 1990s creating a number of provocative movies, such as ROAD TO THE RACETRACK (1991), FROM ME, TO YOU (1994), A PETAL (1996), and BAD MOVIE (1997). In 1999, he finally went all the way with his adaptation of the censored Korean novel LIES. It was censored and cut here in Korea (as was BAD MOVIE), only appearing uncut at festival screenings and eventually on foreign DVD releases. I first saw the film at the 2008 Chungmuro film festival here in Seoul, and thought it was one of the great films about not only sexuality and eroticism, but also Korean society as a whole. My original review is here. Also by Jang, A PETAL is essential and important viewing.
3. VIRGIN STRIPPED BARE BY HER BACHELORS (Hong Sang-soo, 2000)
My favorite current director, Hong Sang-soo has made 11 features and one short film in the last 15 years. All are very good and worth seeing, thus selecting one of his films as a stand-out is difficult. I chose VIRGIN STRIPPED BARE because of its beautiful black and white look and its narrative complexity, a structure so challenging that critics continue to debate its significance. You can see my original review here. Other Hong films demanding serious consideration here are WOMAN IS THE FUTURE OF MAN, NIGHT AND DAY, LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS and OKI'S MOVIE.
4. AN AIMLESS BULLET (Yoo Hyeon-mok, 1961)
For a brief period of time in 1961, the Korean film censorship laws lessened, and Yoo Hyeon-mok took the opportunity to sneak in this great post-Korean war drama, reminiscent of the great Hollywood noirs. The bleakness of the film and its view of Korean society is rather stunning, unmatched by anything in Korean cinema until the birth of the Korean New Wave in the late 80s.
5. CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST (Hur Jin-ho, 1998)
Hur Jin-ho is the master of understated melodrama, and CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST is a near perfect example of the form. The plot outline of a young photographer who is slowly dying and the relationship he forms with a young girl sounds hopelessly maudlin, but is transformed by Hur's patient style. That a film that departs from the stylistic norm of intensified continuity so greatly could be such a box office attraction shows how adventurous Korean audiences of the late 90s were.
6. SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE (Park Chan-wook, 2002)
The first in Park's Vengeance trilogy, followed by the Cannes winner (and box office smash) OLD BOY and completed by LADY VENGEANCE. OLD BOY is probably the most accessible and crowd-pleasing of the three, while LADY VENGEANCE the most thorough in its deconstruction of revenge. SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE has a nice balancing of the two, avoiding the contradictory virtuosity of the violent set-pieces of OLD BOY while not sacrificing storytelling momentum in the manner of LADY VENGEANCE's final half. All three films work best together as a whole and represent Park's height as a director thus far.
7. TAKE CARE OF MY CAT (Jeong Jae-eun, 2001)
The only film on my list by a female director, who are still under-represented in Korean cinema. I saw this film at the 2008 Women's International Film Festival in Seoul, and was struck by how different it was from other female-centered films made in the west, in particular, the lack of focus on the character's relationships with men. Jeong's concern was to center the action around the young women, all recently graduated, and how their friendships change as they enter the adult world. In an interview after the screening, Jeong revealed that she constructed the story out of fragments of her own experience, and the result shows, with hardly a false note in the entire film. Original review here.
8. MEMORIES OF MURDER (Bong Joon-ho, 2003)
Within a serial killer genre that has really worn out its welcome since David Fincher's SEVEN in 1995, MEMORIES OF MURDER was able to bring something new to the table, managing to make a great entry into the genre while also critiquing it from within. Everything that critics said about the overly praised ZODIAC applies much more to Bong's masterpiece. Despite the success he achieved with THE HOST and MOTHER, this remains his best work. Original review here.
9. A GOOD LAWYER'S WIFE (Im Sang-soo, 2003)
I was first introduced to Im Sang-soo's cinema through his 2005 political satire THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG, a work I admired (especially for its politics) but didn't really love as cinema. The film he made previously, A GOOD LAWYER'S WIFE, is both socially astute while also being a superbly shot drama. It also features another amazing performance from the greatest of Korea's seemingly endless roster of incredible actresses, Moon So-ri. My original review is here. Also see Im's great reworking of THE HOUSEMAID.
10. THE HOUSEMAID (Kim Ki-Young, 1960)
While I personally may prefer Im Sang-soo's remake, Kim Ki-young's 1960 original is the more complex and disturbing work, a deft mixture of melodrama and horror that makes great use of Kim's interest in Freudian themes. The sympathies here are rather divided, with both the family and the housemaid shown to be monstrous in their own ways. The framing device also shows a modern self-awareness within this classical Korean text. My original review is here.
Honorable mention:
HAPPY END (Chung Ji-woo, 1999)
CHILSU AND MANSU (Park Kwang-su, 1988)
GILSODDEUM (Im Kwon-taek, 1986) and CHUNHYANG (Im Kwon-taek, 2000)
MADAME FREEDOM (Han Hyung-mo, 1956)
MY DEAR ENEMY (Lee Yoon-ki, 2008)
1. SECRET SUNSHINE (Lee Chang-dong, 2007)
Finally receiving a release recently in North America, this is the Korean film that has stayed with me the longest. I'm a huge fan of Lee's 2002 OASIS, and while the social relevance of that film and his recent POETRY is greater, something about the style, performances and existential themes of SECRET SUNSHINE make it resonant in a way few movies have. The film so obsessed me that I wrote a long article trying to analyze and understand it (it's available here). I still don't believe I have. Not that I'm complaining. Other great films by Lee: PEPPERMINT CANDY (1999), OASIS (2002), and POETRY (2010).
2. LIES (Jang Sun-woo, 1999)
Director Jang Sun-woo spent the 1990s creating a number of provocative movies, such as ROAD TO THE RACETRACK (1991), FROM ME, TO YOU (1994), A PETAL (1996), and BAD MOVIE (1997). In 1999, he finally went all the way with his adaptation of the censored Korean novel LIES. It was censored and cut here in Korea (as was BAD MOVIE), only appearing uncut at festival screenings and eventually on foreign DVD releases. I first saw the film at the 2008 Chungmuro film festival here in Seoul, and thought it was one of the great films about not only sexuality and eroticism, but also Korean society as a whole. My original review is here. Also by Jang, A PETAL is essential and important viewing.
3. VIRGIN STRIPPED BARE BY HER BACHELORS (Hong Sang-soo, 2000)
My favorite current director, Hong Sang-soo has made 11 features and one short film in the last 15 years. All are very good and worth seeing, thus selecting one of his films as a stand-out is difficult. I chose VIRGIN STRIPPED BARE because of its beautiful black and white look and its narrative complexity, a structure so challenging that critics continue to debate its significance. You can see my original review here. Other Hong films demanding serious consideration here are WOMAN IS THE FUTURE OF MAN, NIGHT AND DAY, LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS and OKI'S MOVIE.
4. AN AIMLESS BULLET (Yoo Hyeon-mok, 1961)
For a brief period of time in 1961, the Korean film censorship laws lessened, and Yoo Hyeon-mok took the opportunity to sneak in this great post-Korean war drama, reminiscent of the great Hollywood noirs. The bleakness of the film and its view of Korean society is rather stunning, unmatched by anything in Korean cinema until the birth of the Korean New Wave in the late 80s.
5. CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST (Hur Jin-ho, 1998)
Hur Jin-ho is the master of understated melodrama, and CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST is a near perfect example of the form. The plot outline of a young photographer who is slowly dying and the relationship he forms with a young girl sounds hopelessly maudlin, but is transformed by Hur's patient style. That a film that departs from the stylistic norm of intensified continuity so greatly could be such a box office attraction shows how adventurous Korean audiences of the late 90s were.
6. SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE (Park Chan-wook, 2002)
The first in Park's Vengeance trilogy, followed by the Cannes winner (and box office smash) OLD BOY and completed by LADY VENGEANCE. OLD BOY is probably the most accessible and crowd-pleasing of the three, while LADY VENGEANCE the most thorough in its deconstruction of revenge. SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE has a nice balancing of the two, avoiding the contradictory virtuosity of the violent set-pieces of OLD BOY while not sacrificing storytelling momentum in the manner of LADY VENGEANCE's final half. All three films work best together as a whole and represent Park's height as a director thus far.
7. TAKE CARE OF MY CAT (Jeong Jae-eun, 2001)
The only film on my list by a female director, who are still under-represented in Korean cinema. I saw this film at the 2008 Women's International Film Festival in Seoul, and was struck by how different it was from other female-centered films made in the west, in particular, the lack of focus on the character's relationships with men. Jeong's concern was to center the action around the young women, all recently graduated, and how their friendships change as they enter the adult world. In an interview after the screening, Jeong revealed that she constructed the story out of fragments of her own experience, and the result shows, with hardly a false note in the entire film. Original review here.
8. MEMORIES OF MURDER (Bong Joon-ho, 2003)
Within a serial killer genre that has really worn out its welcome since David Fincher's SEVEN in 1995, MEMORIES OF MURDER was able to bring something new to the table, managing to make a great entry into the genre while also critiquing it from within. Everything that critics said about the overly praised ZODIAC applies much more to Bong's masterpiece. Despite the success he achieved with THE HOST and MOTHER, this remains his best work. Original review here.
9. A GOOD LAWYER'S WIFE (Im Sang-soo, 2003)I was first introduced to Im Sang-soo's cinema through his 2005 political satire THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG, a work I admired (especially for its politics) but didn't really love as cinema. The film he made previously, A GOOD LAWYER'S WIFE, is both socially astute while also being a superbly shot drama. It also features another amazing performance from the greatest of Korea's seemingly endless roster of incredible actresses, Moon So-ri. My original review is here. Also see Im's great reworking of THE HOUSEMAID.
10. THE HOUSEMAID (Kim Ki-Young, 1960)
While I personally may prefer Im Sang-soo's remake, Kim Ki-young's 1960 original is the more complex and disturbing work, a deft mixture of melodrama and horror that makes great use of Kim's interest in Freudian themes. The sympathies here are rather divided, with both the family and the housemaid shown to be monstrous in their own ways. The framing device also shows a modern self-awareness within this classical Korean text. My original review is here.
Honorable mention:
HAPPY END (Chung Ji-woo, 1999)
CHILSU AND MANSU (Park Kwang-su, 1988)
GILSODDEUM (Im Kwon-taek, 1986) and CHUNHYANG (Im Kwon-taek, 2000)
MADAME FREEDOM (Han Hyung-mo, 1956)
MY DEAR ENEMY (Lee Yoon-ki, 2008)
Monday, 7 March 2011
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Friday, 28 January 2011
100 Greatest Chinese Films
Since I love lists, here is one of the greatest Chinese language films from the Taipei Golden Horse festival. I've only seen roughly a fifth of these, lots to catch up on.
100 GREATEST CHINESE-LANGUAGE FILMS
01. A City of Sadness (悲情城市); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1989
02. A Brighter Summer Day (牯嶺街少年殺人事件); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1991
03. A Time to Live and a Time to Die (童年往事); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1985
04. Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1990
05. Spring in a Small Town (小城之春); dir. Fei Mu (費穆), 1948
06. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龍); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 2000
07. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (一一); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 2000
07. Dust in the Wind (戀戀風塵); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1986
09. Dragon Inn (龍門客棧); dir. King Hu (胡金銓), 1967
09. In the Mood for Love (花樣年華); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 2000
11. The Love Eterne (梁山伯與祝英台); dir. Li Han-hsiang (李翰祥), 1963
11. The Terrorizer (恐怖份子); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1986
13. Vive L'amour (愛情萬歲); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1994
13. Yellow Earth (黃土地); dir. Chen Kaige (陳凱歌), 1984
15. A Touch of Zen (俠女); dir. King Hu (胡金銓), 1971
16. Comrades: Almost a Love Story (甜蜜蜜); dir. Peter Chan (陳可辛), 1996
17. A Better Tomorrow (英雄本色); dir. John Woo (吳宇森), 1986
18. Infernal Affairs (無間道); dir. Andrew Lau (劉偉強)、Alan Mak (麥兆輝), 2003
19. In the Heat of the Sun (陽光燦爛的日子); dir. Jiang Wen (姜文), 1994
19. Street Angel (馬路天使); dir. Yuan Muzhi (袁牧之), 1937
21. Chung King Express (重慶森林); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1994
21. Red Sorghum (紅高粱); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1987
23. The Wedding Banquet (喜宴); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 1992
23. The Goddess (神女); dir. Wu Yonggang (吳永剛), 1934
23. The Boys From Fengkuei (風櫃來的人); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1983
26. Happy Together (春光乍洩); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1997
27. The Sandwich Man (兒子的大玩偶); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), Wan Jen (萬仁) & Tseng Chuang-hsiang (曾壯祥), 1983
27. At Dawn (破曉時分); dir. Sung Tsun-shou (宋存壽), 1968
27. Rouge (胭脂扣); dir. Stanley Kwan (關錦鵬), 1988
30. Center Stage (阮玲玉); dir. Stanley Kwan (關錦鵬), 1992
30. Farewell My Concubine (霸王別姬); dir. Chen Kaige (陳凱歌), 1993
30. That Day, on the Beach (海灘的一天); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1983
30. Fist of Fury (精武門); dir. Lo Wei (羅維), 1972
30. Lust, Caution (色，戒); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 2007
35. Xiao Wu (小武); dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯), 1997
35. A Chinese Ghost Story (倩女幽魂); dir. Tony Ching (程小東), 1987
35. The Story of Qiu Ju (秋菊打官司); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1992
38. Execution in Autumn (秋決); dir. Lee Hsing (李行), 1972
38. Cape No. 7 (海角七號); dir. Wei Te-sheng (魏德聖), 2008
40. Spring River Flows East (一江春水向東流); dir. Cai Chusheng (蔡楚生) & Zheng Junli (鄭君里), 1947
41. The Blue Kite (藍風箏); dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang (田壯壯), 1992
41. The Puppetmaster (戲夢人生); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1993
41. Darkness and Light (黑暗之光); dir. Chang Tso-chi (張作驥), 1999
44. The Mission (鎗火); dir. Johnnie To (杜琪峰), 1999
44. Still Life (三峽好人); dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯), 2006
44. To Live (活著); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1994
44. The Arch (董夫人); dir. Cecile Tang (唐書璇), 1970
48. Goodbye Darling (再見阿郎); dir. Pai Ching-jui (白景瑞), 1971
48. Kung Fu Hustle (功夫); dir. Stephen Chow (周星馳), 2005
50. Let It Be (無米樂); dir. Yen Lan-Chuan (顏蘭權) & Chuang Yi-tseng (莊益增), 2005
50. Beautiful Duckling (養鴨人家); dir. Lee Hsing (李行), 1964
50. The Highway (大路); dir. Sun Yu (孫瑜), 1934
50. Taipei Story (青梅竹馬); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1985
50. Ashes of Time (東邪西毒); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1994
50. Raise the Red Lantern (大紅燈籠高高掛); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1991
56. An Autumn's Tale (秋天的童話); dir. Mabel Cheung (張婉婷), 1987
56. Growing Up (小畢的故事); dir. Chen Kun-hou (陳坤厚), 1983
58. The Way of the Dragon (猛龍過江); dir. Bruce Lee (李小龍), 1972
58. The Spooky Bunch (撞到正（小姐撞到鬼）); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 1980
58. Old Well (老井); dir. Wu Tianming (吳天明), 1987
58. Made in Hong Kong (香港製造); dir. Fruit Chan (陳果), 1997
58. Rebels of the Neon God (青少年哪吒); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1992
58. The Way We Are (天水圍的日與夜); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 2008
58. No puedo vivir sin ti (不能沒有你); dir. Leon Dai (戴立忍), 2008
58. Blind Shaft (盲井); dir. Li Yang (李楊), 2003
66. Shaolin Soccer (少林足球); dir. Stephen Chow (周星馳), 2001
66. Eat Drink Man Woman (飲食男女); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 1994
66. Strawman (稻草人); dir. Wang Tung (王童), 1987
66. The Private Eyes (半斤八兩); dir. Michael Hui (許冠文), 1976
66. Drunken Master (醉拳); dir. Yuen Woo-ping (袁和平), 1978
66. Story of a Mother (母親三十歲); dir. Sung Tsun-shou (宋存壽), 1973
66. Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (新蜀山劍俠); dir. Tsui Hark (徐克), 1983
73. In Our Time (光陰的故事); dir. Jim Tao (陶德辰), Edward Yang (楊德昌), Ko I-cheng (柯一正) & Chang Yi (張毅), 1982
73. Jade Love (玉卿嫂); dir. Chang Yi (張毅), 1984
73. Sun, Moon and Star (星星月亮太陽); dir. Yi Wen (易文), 1962
73. The One-Armed Swordsman (獨臂刀); dir. Chang Cheh (張徹), 1967
73. A Chinese Odyssey I-II (西遊記); dir. Jeff Lau (劉鎮偉), 1995
73. Summer Snow (女人・四十); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 1995
73. A Borrowed Life (多桑); dir. Wu Nien-chen (吳念真), 1994
73. Platform (站台); dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯), 2000
73. Summer Palace (頤和園); dir. Lou Ye (婁燁), 2006
73. Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (可可西里); dir. Lu Chuan (陸川), 2004
83. Blue Gate Crossing (藍色大門); dir. Yee Chih-yen (易智言), 2002
83. Not One Less (一個都不能少); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1999
83. Flowers of Shanghai (海上花); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1998
83. Crazy Stone (瘋狂的石頭); dir. Ning Hao (寧浩), 2006
83. Hill of No Return (無言的山丘); dir. Wang Tung (王童), 1992
83. The River (河流); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1997
83. He Never Gives Up (汪洋中的一條船); dir. Lee Hsing (李行), 1978
83. Boat People (投奔怒海); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 1982
91. The Last Message (天才與白癡); dir. Michael Hui (許冠文), 1975
91. The Blue and the Black (藍與黑); dir. Doe Ching (陶秦), 1967
91. Two Stage Sisters (舞台姊妹); dir. Xie Jin (謝晉), 1965
91. Little Toys (小玩意); dir. Sun Yu (孫瑜), 1933
91. The Lin Family Shop (林家舖子); dir. Shui Hua (水華), 1959
91. Crossroads (十字街頭); dir. Shen Xiling (沈西苓), 1937
91. Police Story (警察故事); dir. Jackie Chan (成龍), 1985
91. Once Upon a Time in China (黃飛鴻); dir. Tsui Hark (徐克), 1991
91. The Hole (洞); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1998
91. Devils on the Doorstep (鬼子來了); dir. Jiang Wen (姜文), 2000
100 GREATEST CHINESE-LANGUAGE FILMS
01. A City of Sadness (悲情城市); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1989
02. A Brighter Summer Day (牯嶺街少年殺人事件); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1991
03. A Time to Live and a Time to Die (童年往事); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1985
04. Days of Being Wild (阿飛正傳); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1990
05. Spring in a Small Town (小城之春); dir. Fei Mu (費穆), 1948
06. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龍); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 2000
07. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (一一); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 2000
07. Dust in the Wind (戀戀風塵); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1986
09. Dragon Inn (龍門客棧); dir. King Hu (胡金銓), 1967
09. In the Mood for Love (花樣年華); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 2000
11. The Love Eterne (梁山伯與祝英台); dir. Li Han-hsiang (李翰祥), 1963
11. The Terrorizer (恐怖份子); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1986
13. Vive L'amour (愛情萬歲); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1994
13. Yellow Earth (黃土地); dir. Chen Kaige (陳凱歌), 1984
15. A Touch of Zen (俠女); dir. King Hu (胡金銓), 1971
16. Comrades: Almost a Love Story (甜蜜蜜); dir. Peter Chan (陳可辛), 1996
17. A Better Tomorrow (英雄本色); dir. John Woo (吳宇森), 1986
18. Infernal Affairs (無間道); dir. Andrew Lau (劉偉強)、Alan Mak (麥兆輝), 2003
19. In the Heat of the Sun (陽光燦爛的日子); dir. Jiang Wen (姜文), 1994
19. Street Angel (馬路天使); dir. Yuan Muzhi (袁牧之), 1937
21. Chung King Express (重慶森林); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1994
21. Red Sorghum (紅高粱); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1987
23. The Wedding Banquet (喜宴); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 1992
23. The Goddess (神女); dir. Wu Yonggang (吳永剛), 1934
23. The Boys From Fengkuei (風櫃來的人); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1983
26. Happy Together (春光乍洩); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1997
27. The Sandwich Man (兒子的大玩偶); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), Wan Jen (萬仁) & Tseng Chuang-hsiang (曾壯祥), 1983
27. At Dawn (破曉時分); dir. Sung Tsun-shou (宋存壽), 1968
27. Rouge (胭脂扣); dir. Stanley Kwan (關錦鵬), 1988
30. Center Stage (阮玲玉); dir. Stanley Kwan (關錦鵬), 1992
30. Farewell My Concubine (霸王別姬); dir. Chen Kaige (陳凱歌), 1993
30. That Day, on the Beach (海灘的一天); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1983
30. Fist of Fury (精武門); dir. Lo Wei (羅維), 1972
30. Lust, Caution (色，戒); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 2007
35. Xiao Wu (小武); dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯), 1997
35. A Chinese Ghost Story (倩女幽魂); dir. Tony Ching (程小東), 1987
35. The Story of Qiu Ju (秋菊打官司); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1992
38. Execution in Autumn (秋決); dir. Lee Hsing (李行), 1972
38. Cape No. 7 (海角七號); dir. Wei Te-sheng (魏德聖), 2008
40. Spring River Flows East (一江春水向東流); dir. Cai Chusheng (蔡楚生) & Zheng Junli (鄭君里), 1947
41. The Blue Kite (藍風箏); dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang (田壯壯), 1992
41. The Puppetmaster (戲夢人生); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1993
41. Darkness and Light (黑暗之光); dir. Chang Tso-chi (張作驥), 1999
44. The Mission (鎗火); dir. Johnnie To (杜琪峰), 1999
44. Still Life (三峽好人); dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯), 2006
44. To Live (活著); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1994
44. The Arch (董夫人); dir. Cecile Tang (唐書璇), 1970
48. Goodbye Darling (再見阿郎); dir. Pai Ching-jui (白景瑞), 1971
48. Kung Fu Hustle (功夫); dir. Stephen Chow (周星馳), 2005
50. Let It Be (無米樂); dir. Yen Lan-Chuan (顏蘭權) & Chuang Yi-tseng (莊益增), 2005
50. Beautiful Duckling (養鴨人家); dir. Lee Hsing (李行), 1964
50. The Highway (大路); dir. Sun Yu (孫瑜), 1934
50. Taipei Story (青梅竹馬); dir. Edward Yang (楊德昌), 1985
50. Ashes of Time (東邪西毒); dir. Wong Kar-wai (王家衛), 1994
50. Raise the Red Lantern (大紅燈籠高高掛); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1991
56. An Autumn's Tale (秋天的童話); dir. Mabel Cheung (張婉婷), 1987
56. Growing Up (小畢的故事); dir. Chen Kun-hou (陳坤厚), 1983
58. The Way of the Dragon (猛龍過江); dir. Bruce Lee (李小龍), 1972
58. The Spooky Bunch (撞到正（小姐撞到鬼）); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 1980
58. Old Well (老井); dir. Wu Tianming (吳天明), 1987
58. Made in Hong Kong (香港製造); dir. Fruit Chan (陳果), 1997
58. Rebels of the Neon God (青少年哪吒); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1992
58. The Way We Are (天水圍的日與夜); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 2008
58. No puedo vivir sin ti (不能沒有你); dir. Leon Dai (戴立忍), 2008
58. Blind Shaft (盲井); dir. Li Yang (李楊), 2003
66. Shaolin Soccer (少林足球); dir. Stephen Chow (周星馳), 2001
66. Eat Drink Man Woman (飲食男女); dir. Ang Lee (李安), 1994
66. Strawman (稻草人); dir. Wang Tung (王童), 1987
66. The Private Eyes (半斤八兩); dir. Michael Hui (許冠文), 1976
66. Drunken Master (醉拳); dir. Yuen Woo-ping (袁和平), 1978
66. Story of a Mother (母親三十歲); dir. Sung Tsun-shou (宋存壽), 1973
66. Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (新蜀山劍俠); dir. Tsui Hark (徐克), 1983
73. In Our Time (光陰的故事); dir. Jim Tao (陶德辰), Edward Yang (楊德昌), Ko I-cheng (柯一正) & Chang Yi (張毅), 1982
73. Jade Love (玉卿嫂); dir. Chang Yi (張毅), 1984
73. Sun, Moon and Star (星星月亮太陽); dir. Yi Wen (易文), 1962
73. The One-Armed Swordsman (獨臂刀); dir. Chang Cheh (張徹), 1967
73. A Chinese Odyssey I-II (西遊記); dir. Jeff Lau (劉鎮偉), 1995
73. Summer Snow (女人・四十); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 1995
73. A Borrowed Life (多桑); dir. Wu Nien-chen (吳念真), 1994
73. Platform (站台); dir. Jia Zhangke (賈樟柯), 2000
73. Summer Palace (頤和園); dir. Lou Ye (婁燁), 2006
73. Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (可可西里); dir. Lu Chuan (陸川), 2004
83. Blue Gate Crossing (藍色大門); dir. Yee Chih-yen (易智言), 2002
83. Not One Less (一個都不能少); dir. Zhang Yimou (張藝謀), 1999
83. Flowers of Shanghai (海上花); dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), 1998
83. Crazy Stone (瘋狂的石頭); dir. Ning Hao (寧浩), 2006
83. Hill of No Return (無言的山丘); dir. Wang Tung (王童), 1992
83. The River (河流); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1997
83. He Never Gives Up (汪洋中的一條船); dir. Lee Hsing (李行), 1978
83. Boat People (投奔怒海); dir. Ann Hui (許鞍華), 1982
91. The Last Message (天才與白癡); dir. Michael Hui (許冠文), 1975
91. The Blue and the Black (藍與黑); dir. Doe Ching (陶秦), 1967
91. Two Stage Sisters (舞台姊妹); dir. Xie Jin (謝晉), 1965
91. Little Toys (小玩意); dir. Sun Yu (孫瑜), 1933
91. The Lin Family Shop (林家舖子); dir. Shui Hua (水華), 1959
91. Crossroads (十字街頭); dir. Shen Xiling (沈西苓), 1937
91. Police Story (警察故事); dir. Jackie Chan (成龍), 1985
91. Once Upon a Time in China (黃飛鴻); dir. Tsui Hark (徐克), 1991
91. The Hole (洞); dir. Tsai Ming-liang (蔡明亮), 1998
91. Devils on the Doorstep (鬼子來了); dir. Jiang Wen (姜文), 2000
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Friday, 19 November 2010
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Friday, 15 October 2010
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Article on STREET SCENES 1970
I have just published an article on the 1970 collective film STREET SCENES 1970, which was produced and edited by Martin Scorsese while he was a part-time professor at NYU. STREET SCENES has been a largely forgotten piece of Scorsese's career, and this is the first full-length piece on the film and its production and reception. The article is in the latest issue of FILM HISTORY. It is available for download but only if you have a subscription. The journal is also found in most libraries.
The link is available here.
The link is available here.
Thursday, 15 July 2010
SECRET SUNSHINE
My article on Lee Chang-dong's SECRET SUNSHINE is currently available in the new issue of the on-line journal JUMP CUT.
http://www.ejumpcut.org/currentissue/RaymondSecretSunsh/index.html
http://www.ejumpcut.org/currentissue/RaymondSecretSunsh/index.html
Monday, 14 June 2010
Monday, 7 June 2010
Friday, 4 June 2010
Korean Film History, Written and Filmed
A review of Darcy Paquet's book "New Korean Cinema: Breaking the Waves" and Jang Sun-woo's documentary The Cinema on the Road (1995):
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/06/04/in-review-korean-film-history-written-and-filmed/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/06/04/in-review-korean-film-history-written-and-filmed/
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Monday, 17 May 2010
Thursday, 13 May 2010
This Week in Cinema
Two posts about screenings this week in Seoul:
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/05/13/oscar-season-in-korea/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/05/11/this-week-at-the-cinematheque-jiff-in-seoul/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/05/13/oscar-season-in-korea/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/05/11/this-week-at-the-cinematheque-jiff-in-seoul/
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Article on THE KING OF COMEDY in FILM CRITICISM
In the current issue of FILM CRITICISM, I have an article on Martin Scorsese's THE KING OF COMEDY: "Too Smart, Too Soon: The King of Comedy and American Independent Cinema." The full article is only available in print version, but you can check out the abstracts of the current issue here.
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Monday, 15 March 2010
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Friday, 19 February 2010
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
HAPPY END (Chung Ji-woo, 1999)
Review of Happy End at the oneonefour.com:
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/01/20/in-review-happy-end-chung-ji-woo-1999/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/01/20/in-review-happy-end-chung-ji-woo-1999/
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Friends of Cinematheque Film Festival
Link to a preview of the upcoming Cinematheque Friends program:
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/01/13/the-5th-friends-of-the-cinematheque-film-festival/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/01/13/the-5th-friends-of-the-cinematheque-film-festival/
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
3 IRON (2004); THE CASE OF ITAEWON HOMICIDE (2009)
An article discussing two Korean films at theoneonefour.com:
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/01/06/in-review-korean-cinema-high-and-low/
http://www.theoneonefour.com/2010/01/06/in-review-korean-cinema-high-and-low/
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
THE HUSTLER (Robert Rossen, 1961)
When I first became interested in film, I would routinely watch my favorites many times. This was the mid-90s, and thus most of the films I've seen dozens of times come from this era: Miller's Crossing (1990), Reservoir Dogs (1992), Heat (1995), Casino (1995), etc. But there were also many classic films that obsessed me, usually noir, Hitchcock, or Bogart: The Third Man (1949), Rear Window (1954), The Maltese Falcon (1941), etc. Since coming to Seoul, I've had a few occasions to revisit these old VHS memories on the big screen, which can be like experiencing them for the first time. On Sunday at the Seoul Cinematheque, I was able to revisit another of my old beloved classics, Robert Rossen's The Hustler (1961). It was easily one of the best experiences I've had at the theatre, and vaulted the film to near the top of my best films list. I thought I would try to articulate both my passion for this film and try to defend my high esteem for it. (SPOILERS ahead)In terms of context, The Hustler was made in 1961, at a time when the old studio system was fading, and bares the marks of this period. Although essentially a gritty noir drama, it is shot in widescreen, making great use of this extended frame. In terms of its content, it is highly doubtful the movie gets made under the more strictly enforced Production Code of the 1940s. There is a greater frankness here, a feeling that this is an adult drama but still as subtle and restrained as classical filmmaking at its best. Furthermore, 1961 marks the year after Dalton Trumbo was the first blacklisted writer to officially return to Hollywood by receiving writing credit for Exodus (1960) and Spartacus (1960). This is significant in terms of the thematic harshness on display in The Hustler. It is not overtly political, but certainly would have cast suspicions on its director had it been released in the 1950s. In fact, director Rossen was called before HUAC before eventually "naming names" in 1953 in order to return to work. Viewed in this light, The Hustler is both a return to the social realm of Rossen's earlier work (particularly 1947's Body and Soul, another noir film using sports as metaphor) and even a self-critical comment by Rossen on his betrayal. This is why the blacklist context increases my appreciation of this film, as compared to Elia Kazan's self-justifying On the Waterfront (1954).
The story of The Hustler is structured into a very tight, very classical progression while feeling very loose and rambling, conveying an art cinema level of verisimilitude. After a seven-minute cold opening, itself a characteristic that marks it as slightly post-classical, we get the title sequence and then enter the Ames poolroom. The next 30 minutes, consisting of the first act, is made up of a pool match between Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) and Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason).
This is the most extended sports scene in the film, and, unusually, it takes place as the first act rather than the conclusion. Following this, the second act shows Eddie living in the transitory noir spaces of bus stations, bars, pool rooms, and seedy hotels (all filmed on location in New York City).
He meets the damaged and alcoholic Sarah (Piper Laurie) and develops a romance with her. For many, this romance is the major weakness of the movie, even amongst its admirers, but I enjoy this aspect as much as the rest. Laurie's performance here is right on the edge, at times heavily melodramatic and thus potentially off-putting but ultimately exactly the kind of high emotion needed. The theatrical gestures can seem overdone, especially in the close-up lens of the camera, but Sarah is herself a performative character acting a role while also trying to live it.
At the mid-point of the second act (and of the film as a whole), there is a turning point. Eddie rejects his old partner Charlie, fights with Sarah, rejects a business offer from the gambler Bert Gordon (George C. Scott), and gets his thumbs broken after hustling money in a back alley pool game. In this castrated state, Eddie starts to become more thoughtful and reflective, no more so than in a picnic scene in the country with Sarah. After explaining how he was bothered by being called a loser by Gordon, he goes on to explain his love of the game. However, he still hasn't achieved any self-knowledge at this point, continuing to allow others, especially Gordon, determine his value.
After recovering, he agrees to work with Gordon, beginning the final act as Eddie, Sarah and Gordon travel to Louisville during Kentucky Derby weekend so Eddie can play a billiards match with the aristocratic Findley. It is here where the climax occurs, as Eddie is losing to Findley and begging Gordon to keep playing.
Sarah tells Eddie not to beg him, but Eddie coldly rejects her. After this display of "character", Gordon tells Eddie he can keep playing, and he easily defeats Findley. Back at the hotel, Sarah degrades herself with Gordon and then commits suicide in his bathroom.
The denouement finds Eddie back at Ames to defeat Minnesota Fats and confront Gordon. In contrast to the opening, the pool game is almost perfunctory, with Eddie now easily winning. He rejects Gordon's offer to keep playing pool for him, and leaves he game completely.
But not before a memorable exchange with Minnesota Fats:Eddie: Fat man, you should a great game of pool.
Minnesota Fats: So do you, Fast Eddie.
The Hustler is very much a character study of Felson, and it is difficult to imagine anyone else playing the role more effectively than Newman,. In later years, in interviews, Newman admitted to disliking the performance, finding a lack of the kind of understatement that would more and more define with later career. And while that subtlety works with the characters in The Verdict (1982) and Nobody's Fool (1994), I disagree with Newman and think it would not work at all with this film and this character. I think Newman's reservations, like those critics who dislike the character of Sarah, revolves around the distrust of the large emotions of melodrama. This is a film of large gestures and large themes that seem to clash with the more realistic elements that most critics tend to valourize. For example, take the following shot of Eddie just before he collapses after his loss to Minnesota Fats.
Both the scene and Newman's performance can appear, as Newman put it, as someone playing the violin too hard and producing a shriek. But so few films try for this type of intensity that I admire the film all the more for it, especially since the moments are earned and take place within a believable if stylized world.If some criticize Laurie and Newman, no one I know has anything but positives for the third lead, George C. Scott, an actor often seen as "too big" for the movies and thus most effective when given scenery to chew (Dr. Strangelove, Patton). This is a magnificent performance, big and broad and yet utterly grounded. Maybe his best moment is his most atypical, as he tries to explain to Eddie about Sarah's suicide and then sobs in tears as Eddie attacks him.
The final confrontation between Gordon and Felson thus already feels like a more equal grounding, as if Eddie has learned something and Gordon has finally felt something. Equally good in this final scene, and throughout, is Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats. Although it is never explicitly stated, both Gleason's performance and Rossen's direction tell us an entire back story to this man.
Clearly, he has sold out to Gordon and recognizes everything Eddie says to Gordon to be accurate. By situating a sitting Minnesota Fats between the two men, Rossen is making the stakes involved for Eddie very clear. Thus the final great exchange between Fats and Eddie cited above is not only redemptive for Eddie, but for Fats as well, and Gleason's look and gesture convey this beautifully.I want to conclude by recalling the political context and also remembering that this is a sports movie. I would call it maybe the greatest movie about sports, even if pool is not usually considered a sport but rather a game. I think it is a great sports movie because it gets at something at the heart of competition and its relationship with masculinity and capitalism. The desire to win, the desire to prove one's manhood, and the desire to make money are all corrupting of human relationships and corrupting of whatever value sports can have (if there is any, which is debatable). Eddie's speech about pool is touching not because he talks about winning, but because it is about "playing the game right" and earning self-respect. Eddie's tragedy is not realizing this until he has lost everything. Perhaps Rossen identified with this himself, having sold his soul to the Bert Gordons of HUAC and the studios to keep making money. He spent the 50s making largely forgettable spectacles. Now that the blacklist had started to clear, making The Hustler proved a certain redemption for him as well.
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