Wuxia heaven

[finella_c]

Last Friday, I went on a quest to find Wuxia films on DVD.

I've decided that this is quite possibly my favourite contemporary film genre. The best action, the most breathtaking cinematography, the most detailed set designs, the best-looking lead actors. Basically, all of what makes film "filmic".

There's a great rental place not far from campus

Comments

[reverancepavane]

I have a soft spot for Come Drink With Me. It's probably one of the better examples of courting in the wulin world. [Given that in most wuxia films, the woman shows her devotion and love for the hero by sacrificing herself for him.] But the inelegant and dirty peasant who actually is a really humble and serious master of the martial arts whose purity of heart and love for the woman is a standard trope since then. Ah, romance.* ["Wuv. Twu wuv. Iz wot..."]
Actually that was one thing I really liked about The Forbidden Kingdom. The homage it paid to many of the great wuxia films that came before it. Such as Come Drink With Me, The Bride With White Hair, and, of course, the Drunken Master series. [Although, yes, why of why did it have to have the American kid in it. Almost as bad as the Biggles movie in that regard (which I really liked for the portrayal of Biggles and Co which was spot on).]
Incidentally, I quite enjoyed the director's commentary on the Equilibrium DVD.** One part in particular, was he had most of the film in the

[reverancepavane]

And I agree with you with Ashes of Time, although I'm unsure if I've seen the re-edited version (I think I have, but after spending several years watching every Hong Kong movie they showed at The Mercury and The Academy, regardless of genre, it all tends to blur). I have seen the original. It's a beautiful treatment.
And yes, he appreciates framing, much more than many occidental directors do.
Unfortunately the Japanese part of my brain is asleep at the momentor I'd remember the actual name for it, but there is the concept of whitespace in sumi-e (calligraphy) and other oriental painting that is very important in graphics design (the Japanese just took it to it's logical extreme). That the blank page should not be filled, but rather left to speak to what it contains. Or in other words, "with clutter ubiquitous, emptiness gets attention."
[This also applies to flower arranging (ikebana).]

[finella_c]

That is really interesting.

I watched an episode of the the Anthony Bourdain tv show "No Reservations" very recently (last Friday night? I think) and the show included an introduction to ikebana which discussed exactly this theme.

I never would have guessed that someone like Bourdain would be a secret aficionado of ikebana... although maybe it figures.

[dalmeny]

2046 is one of my very favourite films (see icon) even though it may be one romance too long. I have it on DVD but have so far not found the right time to rewatch it. I am perhaps a bit scared that it won't be quite as great the second time around.

I haven't seen Ashes of Time or its re-edit. I really must buy that Criterion Wong Kar-Wai box set.

I find that Wong has influenced my fiction. I have a short section set in Singapore in one story and I always think of it as the Wong Kar-Wai scene.