Maybe I should become a Jia Zhangke groupie.
I'm awaiting post from Amazon with bated breath! I bought Tian Zhuangzhuang's remake of Spring in a Small Town, which was an impulse buy, as well as the one I really wanted, Jia Zhangke's Platform 站台. I'm going crazy about him again, and it seems his latest film The World 世界 isn't quite available on DVD yet.
Jia Zhangke is good because he doesn't like to bastardize time. His people are allowed to sit and think about things. Some people might hate this, and I suppose that's understandable, but right now I think he can do no wrong. The phenomenon of DVD special-feature director interviews works in his favour, too. He comes across as a thorough thinker whose films aren't good by accident. He's also pretty radical, wishing for "a new culture. Not to rebel against anything - just a new culture". Also, in the interview, he speaks in clear and really gorgeous putonghua that I can understand. So, I think I'll just keep listening to it until I know it off by heart. I'm getting new words, like 吸引 to attract, and 独立 independent.
Piece of Jia Zhangke trivia: he plays the crazy singing man in Unknown Pleasures himself.
Jia Zhangke is good because he doesn't like to bastardize time. His people are allowed to sit and think about things. Some people might hate this, and I suppose that's understandable, but right now I think he can do no wrong. The phenomenon of DVD special-feature director interviews works in his favour, too. He comes across as a thorough thinker whose films aren't good by accident. He's also pretty radical, wishing for "a new culture. Not to rebel against anything - just a new culture". Also, in the interview, he speaks in clear and really gorgeous putonghua that I can understand. So, I think I'll just keep listening to it until I know it off by heart. I'm getting new words, like 吸引 to attract, and 独立 independent.
Piece of Jia Zhangke trivia: he plays the crazy singing man in Unknown Pleasures himself.