1988 Oscar for several awards. This is the first tag I put on before watching a movie. But clearly the clarity exceeded my expectations. This label can be understood from many angles, at least it shows that this movie has been on the table, it is grand enough and fine enough. But if you think about it carefully, it really doesn't feel right in your heart. The praise for this film is an affirmation of the understanding of foreigners, and it also shows that the international audience is very receptive: what if China came to film it? Do you understand, dear foreigners?
The first impression is the bluntness and exaggeration that foreigners are used to. I'm really sensitive about this! I am a mature and introverted person who accepts traditional education, okay? Of course, the one I admire the most is the one who wants to talk but still wants to cover it up. This is like the difference between "The Black Swan" and "Farewell My Concubine". One kind of pain is heart-wrenching, all kinds of toenails are torn to pieces, glass pieces are torn into the stomach, and the other kind of pain is excruciatingly painful. Unspeakable. But maybe it's for foreigners to understand. . . I am a Chinese who can accept it. I can accept it. Don't expect too much from them, not to mention it wasn't filmed for me = =
The second impression is a bit demonized. But after all, we have also changed our own days, and we may be exhausted when we describe the end of the Qing Dynasty. Those old ladies and women in the harem, the makeup on their faces, although they are exactly the same as the photos in the late Qing Dynasty, but it seems that those black and white photos have been converted into color high-definition videos, except for their faces, those actors' Every move should be quite in line with the foreigner's aesthetic (ugly) and their impression and understanding of the Qing Dynasty. It is very similar to the bad woman in the ink cartoon we watched when we were young, sharp and mean. There are also old eunuchs and various officials, all kinds.
The third impression is that the director really understands China very carefully, and the details can be seen. The student actors who played the Red Guards were well trained. The expressions of officials in the late Qing Dynasty, the early days of New China, and the Cultural Revolution, even the lines on their faces, were very representative. Very visual. It's just that based on the tone of the whole film, some places may be deliberately diluted, and some places may be too concerned about the overall feeling and ignore the authenticity. I think it boils down to the fact that foreigners are working hard but not doing what they want.
After watching the entire film, I am delighted that the foreigner's position is quite objective, and some of the performances are regarded as cultural differences between China and the West. The director did not intend to do so. I watched the two-hour and forty-minute clip, and I thought it was pretty good, with a complete structure and a little procrastination, so I didn't want to watch the full and extended version of Shenma. Some commented that the three-hour version explained more clearly, but I still stick to my implicit attitude towards watching the movie.
About Puyi, this person can be pressed. The actors are great, the shots are great, the colors are great, and the soundtrack is great. Retaining the mystery of China, while treating history fairly, let's praise the attitude of foreigners who put themselves in their shoes, the spirit is commendable.
But the mind is not always the taste, is it? The emperor's teacher was English, just as the director was Italian. We opened the doors of the Forbidden City to watch them direct us and relive our own history.
Because of my inner entanglement, it felt like a century had passed after watching this scene.
View more about The Last Emperor reviews
