In the Mood for Non-Violent Hong Kong Cinema?
"Lan Yu"
Strand Releasing
Directed by Stanley Kwan
Written by Jimmy Ngai, based on the novel Beijing Story by Beijing
Comrades
Produced by Yongning Zhang
Starring Jun Hu, Ye Liu, Li Huatong, Shuang Li, Fang Lu, Jin
Su and Yongning Zhang
Not Rated
In Mandarin with English subtitles
Opens Friday at the Tower Theatre
(out of four)
With the controversy surrounding the making of "Lan Yu," one
might expect a racy, explicit piece. But actually viewing the film reveals
that it’s a reserved work—rich in its carefully realized
style—that happens to be about a homosexual relationship.
Director Stanley Kwan’s film isn’t of the Hong Kong cinema
that favors a stylistic depiction of violence, but of the smaller cinema
that reflects on film’s history and its various possibilities
in light and movement. Kwan’s colleague, Wong Kar-Wai, is the
best-known directors working in this style, with films like "Chungking
Express" and "In the Mood for Love."
From the opening shot, an expressionistic angle showing the film’s
anti-hero through a mirror, to the two closing shots—one examining
the movement of light through a train and the second using pixelation
to freeze moments of time—the film investigates different forms
of the moving image.
This isn’t meant to present the film as flashy, as it actually
shows considerable reserve. Kwan even leaves out what most directors
and screenwriters would perceive as key moments of excitement and merely
has the characters mention what happened in conversation. The passage
of time is also ignored, leaving only clues in costume and production
design to suggest how many years have passed.
 |
|
If
this was a John Woo film, Jun Hu as Wandong would have his head
blown off by now. Seriously. |
In one scene, the character goes to the airport. In the next, he’s
at the airport—several years later, we gradually realize. This
sounds pretty ridiculous, but it gives more power to the emotional and
erotic zones that the director really wants to deal with.
The film’s homosexual story isn’t the sole reason the film
is controversial, as Wong’s "Happy Together" dealt with
the topic in 1997. But Kwan shot the film in Beijing without permission
from the Chinese government and the story, which starts in the late
’80s, uses the corruption of Chinese businessmen and the events
of the Tiananmen Square massacre as plot points.
Hadong (Jun Hu) is a wealthy trader and the son of a government bureaucrat
in China. He first encounters the title character when he decides to
have a one-night stand with the poor architecture student (Ye Liu) and
use his money as persuasion. Then he begins to see more in the young
man and turns him into a kept man.
He buys Lan Yu fancy clothes to make him look Japanese instead of like
a country boy. He also assures the innocent student that they will eventually
tire of each other and move on.
The two split up multiple times, teaching Lan Yu the hard truths of
life and making Hadong realize that love is a possibility when he begins
to miss Lan Yu.
While the film is banned in China, there really aren’t any sex
scenes, although some scenes unfold while the characters are naked.
It’s pretty tame by today’s standards in the United States,
but the film still creates erotic energy through the forbidden excitement
and the surprising discovery of love. It’s impressive to find
so much intrigue in a conventional story.
This is a common story in all cultures and sexual orientations, and
the anonymously written Beijing Story, the Internet-released novel on
which the film is based, probably isn’t incredibly intriguing.
But Kwan’s film is just as much about how it is made as what it
is about.
Kwan’s direction uses long, moody, carefully lit takes that are
abruptly interrupted when the editing jumps to an awkward angle. Hadong’s
mirrored reflection appears constantly, signaling reversals in his character.
The awkward cuts aren’t mistakes by the experienced Kwan, but
intentional indicators of the characters’ psyches.
The film’s abrupt turn at the end comes out of nowhere, but serves
as a comment on the importance of enjoying love.
Casual film viewers will probably find the simple story hard to sit
through, even at the 86 minute running length, and might not enjoy the
obstacle of catching story events through oblique dialogue. But film
buffs will enjoy Kwan’s poetic style—and will hopefully
be able to explain what happened to their friends after it’s over.
jeremy@red-mag.com
