The Band's Visit is a little gem from Eran Kolirin.
At the beginning, one gets a sense that the stern head of the police ceremonial band will be a dominating figure throughout the story and you cannot help but empathise with those following him around, lost and financially stretched in a foreign land. The contrast of characters, and indeed in appearances, between him and a charming young member highlighted a question - how those older members have suffered over the years! The fact that the most obedient, and also the closest to him never manages to complete composing his oboe concerto is a symptom that life and creativity has been sucked out from the bunch of bored and stranded.
The story however has a surprising twist once the camera follows them into their hosting families. The middle age but alluring restaurant owner takes two - the pair that should never stay under the same roof for their disparities in all ways possible. To our utter surprise, it was the stern old man rather than the sexy young trumpet player who 'escorts' her to 'a fun and interesting area'. It is there we come to realise why, apart from a heart of gold, she has been so keen to offer free accommodation to the touring band gone astray in a foreign land; life is bleak there with barely anything of interest going on in the desert city. She is desperate for a bit of adventure and romance. The scene when she seats him on a bench at her 'park' is particularly poignant: in that eerily bare corner, imagination is in high demand to convince oneself you are sitting in a park. Under her charm though, the old man has not only removed his hat, but his rigidity and taciturnity and we find ourselves gradually warm up to him; for he too is a human being with desires and interest. And he even looks younger that night.
Those who join a birthday party dinner feel awkward when crammed into a tiny living room with their hosts - who either don't speak to or disagree on even the most insignificant. They realise then and there that guests and hosts are united, most unexpectedly, by two things in common: their sense of isolation and desolation, and their love for an old tune 'Summertime'. The sequence when the unemployed host advises the oboe player how to end his concerto is telling: perhaps it should end just like the present: not too sad, not too happy, just glad for being alive.
Two other sequences confirm the taste of life in the desert: a man who is guarding a public phone booth every second just in case his girlfriend might call. Is he mental? Surely he has better ways to occupy himself at night?
At a 'night club' that looks as bare as a makeshift camp site, we are given a glimpse of how lives are like for those looking for romance and excitement. On one hand, there is a couple who dance so immaculately they might as well be lifted straight from Saturday Night Fever; on the other hand, this guy with heavy eyebrows needs, literarily, hand-in-hand guidance on seduction.
In the sequence where the band takes their departure from the desert city, the camera shows us what the restaurant owner and his two unemployed companions are facing day in day out: blankness, nothingness and boredom. When the camera pans over their faces, it become obvious that that the band's accidental visit is in no small way a relief for the desert dwellers from their mundane everyday routine.
The film finishes with the performance the band is invited for. For the first time the reason for the band's existence become apparent in their touching and harmonious performance. We are also reassured that the hot trumpet player will not be dismissed as threatened by his head at the opening sequence. Through the walks in the 'park', the human voice in the head has been awaken. The young one looks more like the son he has lost three years ago. Despite the dalliance with the restaurant owner, the head forgives trumpet player readily.
All packed within 87 minutes, the film is directed in great confidence. And the performance from the whole troupe is just understated and sublime.
August 23, 2011
August 15, 2011
East of Eden
A 56 episode epic from Korea, this is an ambitious project that in its minute dramatisation of the the fate of a lower class family in a deprived mining village, relates and comments on the drastic changes of the political and social landscape of a half century. With a rather charismatic Song Seung-hun as its leading man and a strong team of supporting crew, in particular Lee Mi-sook as the strong willed mother, it is both entertaining and revealing for those who are vaguely interested in Korea and its culture.
As my exposure to Korean drama and films increase steadily, I am also becoming more convinced in my initial finding: that the Korean spoken language seems a rich kaleidescope of various Chinese dialects, with Hakka being the one of the key components, a fact that appears largely unknown to even those intellectual friends who have regular dose of Korean drama since Korean wave hit China in the early 2000s. I wonder if somewhere out there, someone has been working at it, especially why that the key component seems to be Hakka, a dialect originated mainly from the remote mountainous areas of Southern China. I wish I didn't given up Hakka so radically when I was little.
As my exposure to Korean drama and films increase steadily, I am also becoming more convinced in my initial finding: that the Korean spoken language seems a rich kaleidescope of various Chinese dialects, with Hakka being the one of the key components, a fact that appears largely unknown to even those intellectual friends who have regular dose of Korean drama since Korean wave hit China in the early 2000s. I wonder if somewhere out there, someone has been working at it, especially why that the key component seems to be Hakka, a dialect originated mainly from the remote mountainous areas of Southern China. I wish I didn't given up Hakka so radically when I was little.
July 02, 2011
Brilliant legacy
During the first three episodes, I could not see why it was the top rating Korean dramas in 2009. However it grew on me and in the end, I stayed up till 5:30 in order to find out what happened next!
I love it and I can see why it was awarded in China as well, if nothing else, one of the subject matters - the second generation of the super rich - must be quite an intriguing issue back in China.
I love it and I can see why it was awarded in China as well, if nothing else, one of the subject matters - the second generation of the super rich - must be quite an intriguing issue back in China.
June 26, 2011
3-iron / Bunjee jumping of their own
After watching nearly a dozen of Korean dramas, I got the impression that they are highly polished, commercialised, and cater predominantly to family audience with conservative values. In comparison, the Korean films I have watched so far, such as Shiri, 200 Pounds Beauty, Memories of Murder, Sad Movies, A Brand New Life, My Sassy Girl, The Servant, Wedding Dress and Once in a Summer, do not only have a more 'realistic' look but also far more diverse in terms of subject matters and styles. Overall though, they are commercially driven. It therefore comes as a surprise when I came across films like 3-iron and Bunjee Jumping of Their Own that are experimental, ambiguous and unconventional.
Noted for the complete lack of any verbal (or written for that matter) communications between its two protagonists, 3-iron hinders our understanding on why they act in the way they do: for example, why the smart college graduate in his twenties chooses to while away his life in such an unconventional manner; why he takes the risk of being imprisoned while he can free himself by revealing the simple truth to the police; why he chooses being beaten while it is such an easier option just to play by the rule in prison; and who is he trying to impress by adhering to his noncooperative prociple? The film ends with him living 'happily' as a ghost with his lover in her house shared with her husband. From their silent smiles, it appears that they enjoy the game they are playing but as an audience, it remains a myth as to why they refuse to follow conventions and give up the apparent freedom that is open to them? Is it so important to act on one's will and impulse to the extend of marginalising oneself? Is there something we do not know as an outsider of Korean society and its value in order to understand them?
In a society that is still deep rooted in its traditional family values (that is, based on what the popular Korean dramas have informed us), Bunjee Jumping of Their Own is singing a rather disconcerted tone. Although the 'gay' teacher is ousted by the principal, he is seen to be reunited with the reincarnation of the love of his life in a seventeen year old boy. Despite little indication of the exact nature of their relationship, it is clear that the ambiguity itself is bad enough and will never be tolerated in the mainstream culture. It is not clear if they have ended their lives together following the act of bunjee jumping far away from their homeland.
These two films, together with A Brand New Life, suggest to a new audience that there is much to be expected from contemporary Korean cinema.
Noted for the complete lack of any verbal (or written for that matter) communications between its two protagonists, 3-iron hinders our understanding on why they act in the way they do: for example, why the smart college graduate in his twenties chooses to while away his life in such an unconventional manner; why he takes the risk of being imprisoned while he can free himself by revealing the simple truth to the police; why he chooses being beaten while it is such an easier option just to play by the rule in prison; and who is he trying to impress by adhering to his noncooperative prociple? The film ends with him living 'happily' as a ghost with his lover in her house shared with her husband. From their silent smiles, it appears that they enjoy the game they are playing but as an audience, it remains a myth as to why they refuse to follow conventions and give up the apparent freedom that is open to them? Is it so important to act on one's will and impulse to the extend of marginalising oneself? Is there something we do not know as an outsider of Korean society and its value in order to understand them?
In a society that is still deep rooted in its traditional family values (that is, based on what the popular Korean dramas have informed us), Bunjee Jumping of Their Own is singing a rather disconcerted tone. Although the 'gay' teacher is ousted by the principal, he is seen to be reunited with the reincarnation of the love of his life in a seventeen year old boy. Despite little indication of the exact nature of their relationship, it is clear that the ambiguity itself is bad enough and will never be tolerated in the mainstream culture. It is not clear if they have ended their lives together following the act of bunjee jumping far away from their homeland.
These two films, together with A Brand New Life, suggest to a new audience that there is much to be expected from contemporary Korean cinema.
June 20, 2011
Once in a summer
Students' movement, political trauma, the intellectual youth visiting the rural areas, two young people from entirely different backgrounds/camps meet in a circumstance of instability, fall in love and are caught up in a social upheaval in an historical moment. The further into the film, the more it feels like a Chinese one that depicts the confusion, joys, suffering and pain of the youth who were sent down to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. History can teach us nothing.
June 19, 2011
Signpost
Since I was introduced to Korean dramas a few months ago, I must have been lent more than a dozen of them by my neighbours. Some, like the highly popular You are Beautiful and Boys over Flowers, I dislike so much that I gave up after just one episode; some, like Pizza, I stopped watching after several episodes despite my best efforts to do otherwise. Some, like Coffee Shop, could keep me watching till the last episode but with the benefit of hindsight, does not register so well. The following is a list of Korean dramas that I would like to remember for various reasons:
1 My Lovely Sam Soon:
A 'fresh air' in Korean drama in many ways: a leading actress with less than perfect appearance, a 30 year old from the lower-middle class in pursuit of love and is never shy in fighting for what she wants. Great performance from all, especially that of Kim Sun-ah and the then, newcomer, Hyun Bin, with lots of memorable sequences and comic moments. A Cinderella story with lots of twists.
2 Wedding:
A surprisingly low profile one despite its excellent script and convincing performance, it is a focused and fine exploration on how we allow the past to haunt our relationships.
3 My Girl:
How two people fall in love despite their differences in background and temperaments and their determination to stay away from each other. The last two episodes are the most enjoyable one when the protagonist ignores the emotional blackmail of the patriarch and fights for himself. A typical Cinderella story. Lee Da-Hae is simply excellent.
4 Winter Sonata:
Doesn't the final scene look similar to that in Jane Eyre when the well-off hero becomes blind and the love of his life has risen to become, presumably, a successful architect?
5 Stairways to Heaven:
Again a typical Cinderella story albeit with a sad ending. An absolute tearjerker. I watched all the episodes when the heroine is tortured by her step mother and step sister in fast forward mode.
6 Full House:
Rain's performance is the highlight in a story that relies too much on impossible plots. It does grip you though despite the silly lines.
7 World within:
An unusual Korean drama in its exploration of the behind-the-scene stories of the making of Korean dramas. It is however not the sort of insightful story that one might expect. Could definitely have been much better if the director had better ideas of what he wanted and stayed focused on it.
8 Snow Queen:
The only reason I can come up with on why Hyun Bin picked this project is that the character he plays is almost the exact opposite of the one in his last project My Lovely Sam Soon. What kept me watching though was not just because of Hyun Bin, but also because I wanted to find out how long his character could keep on denying his own ambition and bury his talents.
9 Beautiful Days
In watching Korean dramas, I have been kept pleasantly surprised by just how closely related the Korean languages is to Chinese, or its dialects to be exact. The first time I realised this was when a character counted numbers from one to ten which sounds almost identical to Hakka. Due to the lack of fluency of Hakka, I cannot tell how close Korean is to it, but what I can tell is that while there are many words that share similar pronunciations with Hakka,there are times they sound like, say, Mandarin or Cantonese, such as the word for hubby. This keeps me wonder if there is a Chinese linguistics who knows all the dialect in China whether the myths would be solved in regard to the similarities between Korean and Chinese languages.
Another aspect of Korean drama that impresses me most is how talented those involved in the industry are: from screenwriter, director, music editor, to the actors and actresses. This high quality of the team has certainly contributed to the overall good quality of their production.
1 My Lovely Sam Soon:
A 'fresh air' in Korean drama in many ways: a leading actress with less than perfect appearance, a 30 year old from the lower-middle class in pursuit of love and is never shy in fighting for what she wants. Great performance from all, especially that of Kim Sun-ah and the then, newcomer, Hyun Bin, with lots of memorable sequences and comic moments. A Cinderella story with lots of twists.
2 Wedding:
A surprisingly low profile one despite its excellent script and convincing performance, it is a focused and fine exploration on how we allow the past to haunt our relationships.
3 My Girl:
How two people fall in love despite their differences in background and temperaments and their determination to stay away from each other. The last two episodes are the most enjoyable one when the protagonist ignores the emotional blackmail of the patriarch and fights for himself. A typical Cinderella story. Lee Da-Hae is simply excellent.
4 Winter Sonata:
Doesn't the final scene look similar to that in Jane Eyre when the well-off hero becomes blind and the love of his life has risen to become, presumably, a successful architect?
5 Stairways to Heaven:
Again a typical Cinderella story albeit with a sad ending. An absolute tearjerker. I watched all the episodes when the heroine is tortured by her step mother and step sister in fast forward mode.
6 Full House:
Rain's performance is the highlight in a story that relies too much on impossible plots. It does grip you though despite the silly lines.
7 World within:
An unusual Korean drama in its exploration of the behind-the-scene stories of the making of Korean dramas. It is however not the sort of insightful story that one might expect. Could definitely have been much better if the director had better ideas of what he wanted and stayed focused on it.
8 Snow Queen:
The only reason I can come up with on why Hyun Bin picked this project is that the character he plays is almost the exact opposite of the one in his last project My Lovely Sam Soon. What kept me watching though was not just because of Hyun Bin, but also because I wanted to find out how long his character could keep on denying his own ambition and bury his talents.
9 Beautiful Days
In watching Korean dramas, I have been kept pleasantly surprised by just how closely related the Korean languages is to Chinese, or its dialects to be exact. The first time I realised this was when a character counted numbers from one to ten which sounds almost identical to Hakka. Due to the lack of fluency of Hakka, I cannot tell how close Korean is to it, but what I can tell is that while there are many words that share similar pronunciations with Hakka,there are times they sound like, say, Mandarin or Cantonese, such as the word for hubby. This keeps me wonder if there is a Chinese linguistics who knows all the dialect in China whether the myths would be solved in regard to the similarities between Korean and Chinese languages.
Another aspect of Korean drama that impresses me most is how talented those involved in the industry are: from screenwriter, director, music editor, to the actors and actresses. This high quality of the team has certainly contributed to the overall good quality of their production.
Wedding
Exploring how far we can allow the past relationships to interfere with the new ones, Wedding, an 18 episode Korean drama, is well written and performed. Yet if the little on-line information or its non-existence on any of the top rating Koran drama lists are to go by, then it seems to have been overlooked.
The four protagonists are all honest,highly likable and well educated characters. However in their attempts to treat their loved ones in the kindest way possible, they end up distancing from and even hurting each other. Wedding follows their respective journeys to find truth happiness in fine and mundane details, and it is a rare example where the characters all behave in a measured way, and which does not rely too much on the immature bahaviours of its protagonist in the storyline.
The four protagonists are all honest,highly likable and well educated characters. However in their attempts to treat their loved ones in the kindest way possible, they end up distancing from and even hurting each other. Wedding follows their respective journeys to find truth happiness in fine and mundane details, and it is a rare example where the characters all behave in a measured way, and which does not rely too much on the immature bahaviours of its protagonist in the storyline.
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