And one and a two...
I actually got the sad news of the death of Taiwanese director, Yang De-Chang while browsing through Apple news daily web site (a rather tabolit newspaper in Hong Kong). After that, a few of my friends (some of them you can actually find it on the blog link on the right) had start writing/talking about his depearture. To me he is one of my more admired directors. Indeed, out of the "big three" directors (Yang, 侯孝賢, 蔡明亮), Yang is the only one whose was not being mentioned too much by the media over the last couple yrs, and I guess now I understand why. I like his film because it feels like a mirror..it gives a clear and powerful reflection of the contempary life...the problem, pain and suffering which everyone of us as a city dwellers are facing every day.
After reading much about what my friends had written, and what others critics have written. I suddenly feel his death not just symbolising an end of an era in Taiwan movie industry, but also give an harsh "reflection" of what the state of Taiwan movie industry was in, and probably is in at the moment. I realize it is not only losing him, that makes us all 惋惜不已, but it is really the Taiwan film industry itself, which doesn’t show any support to art-house/independence film over years, that make me think, why didn’t they get behind him while he was well and alive.
I was a bit amazed that films like YiYi or Mahjong get such a low publicity in Taiwan. I still remember about 8 yrs ago, watching Mahjong (the article was not right, it should be 1998) in the Cine-Art (an art house cinema in Wanchai, which was closed down last yr). I was almost excited by the fact that his film was showing in HK and it certainly last in the cinema more than just a few days (as opposed to what the Taiwanese distribution Co. decided to do otherwise)….
I was a bit amazed that films like YiYi or Mahjong get such a low publicity in Taiwan. I still remember about 8 yrs ago, watching Mahjong (the article was not right, it should be 1998) in the Cine-Art (an art house cinema in Wanchai, which was closed down last yr). I was almost excited by the fact that his film was showing in HK and it certainly last in the cinema more than just a few days (as opposed to what the Taiwanese distribution Co. decided to do otherwise)….
and yes, I still found 牯嶺街少年殺人事件 very "romantic" in a way. It could be just the fact that I was affected by the details coverage by "City Entertainment Bi-Weekly", during the early 90's.
Of course, that was when I start finding cinema interesting to me.
Comments
Hmm....I was really upset about Yang's death too. His depth of understanding of life and how he shared such understanding in film is incredible. I don't know what impact I would feel if I watch Yi Yi again. I don't dare to try and knowing that it will be such heaviness in heart that will take long to recover.
Anyway, it was a pretty bad day for me. you can read on my new post to find out..