Historical Analysis of the Film “Farewell My Concubine”
Historical Analysis of the film “Farewell My Concubine” (1992)
(ASIA 355, Section 921, Dr. Wang, Rui)
Yohan Kim #37635125
23 July, 2013 Most compelling film “Farewell My Concubine” by Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige depicts clamorous historical events broken out in China in twentieth century as well as human desire of love and ambition. Chen’s brilliant direct and cast of the love triangle within the film stimulate the viewers and smoothen the connections between rapid developments of the story. Six major periods include: the Warlord Era (1927-1937), War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945), China’s War of Liberation (1945-1949), After Liberation and before the launching of Culture Revolution (1949-1966), Launching of Culture Revolution (1966-1976) and After Culture Revolution and adaptation of Reform and Open Policy (1976-1979). “Farewell My Concubine,” consisting fifty-two years in total, have great significances in expressing the moments of changes that China faced. The wide span of experience made Chen Kaige to “[convey] a very critical political message through the story plot” about Culture Revolution. Not only this film has influence over politic views of the viewers, but it also has complete influence on fifth generation films, the modern Chinese Cinema. “Farewell My Concubine” is a massive scale of historic epic in a form of Peking Opera that shows China’s reality of early twentieth century. Peking Opera, in many ways, portrays insightful symbols. Each songs, dances and makeups in performances deliver symbolical meanings as expressions of socialism as well as realism. Douzi, the main character (later becomes Die Yi), is rejected to get into famous Peking Opera School in Beijing since he has six fingers. Later, Douzi’s prostitute mother cuts his sixth finger and put him into the Peking Opera School. Likely, every performer in the opera is harshly and cruelly trained to eliminate any imperfections as China’s Peking Opera has absolutely high
(ASIA 355, Section 921, Dr. Wang, Rui)
Yohan Kim #37635125
23 July, 2013 Most compelling film “Farewell My Concubine” by Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige depicts clamorous historical events broken out in China in twentieth century as well as human desire of love and ambition. Chen’s brilliant direct and cast of the love triangle within the film stimulate the viewers and smoothen the connections between rapid developments of the story. Six major periods include: the Warlord Era (1927-1937), War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945), China’s War of Liberation (1945-1949), After Liberation and before the launching of Culture Revolution (1949-1966), Launching of Culture Revolution (1966-1976) and After Culture Revolution and adaptation of Reform and Open Policy (1976-1979). “Farewell My Concubine,” consisting fifty-two years in total, have great significances in expressing the moments of changes that China faced. The wide span of experience made Chen Kaige to “[convey] a very critical political message through the story plot” about Culture Revolution. Not only this film has influence over politic views of the viewers, but it also has complete influence on fifth generation films, the modern Chinese Cinema. “Farewell My Concubine” is a massive scale of historic epic in a form of Peking Opera that shows China’s reality of early twentieth century. Peking Opera, in many ways, portrays insightful symbols. Each songs, dances and makeups in performances deliver symbolical meanings as expressions of socialism as well as realism. Douzi, the main character (later becomes Die Yi), is rejected to get into famous Peking Opera School in Beijing since he has six fingers. Later, Douzi’s prostitute mother cuts his sixth finger and put him into the Peking Opera School. Likely, every performer in the opera is harshly and cruelly trained to eliminate any imperfections as China’s Peking Opera has absolutely high
Bibliography: Hua, Shiping. Chinese political culture, 1989-2000. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2001. Print. Lau, Jenny Kwok Wah. ""Farewell My Concubine": History, Melodrama, And Ideology In Contemporary Pan-Chinese Cinema." Film Quarterly 49.1 (1995): 16-27. Print. "Movies; `Concubine ': Great Expectations." The Washington Post 27 Oct. 1993: -. Print.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/farewellmyconcubinerhinson_a0a889.htm Xu, Ben [ 7 ]. Xu, Ben (1997) Farewell my concubine and its Nativist critics, Quarterly Review of Film and Video, 16:2, 155-170, DOI: 10.1080/10509209709361459 [ 8 ]