Liu Qiang loves movies
When it comes to Nagisa Oshima, many people don't know it, but when it comes to "Sensual World" directed by him, most young people who like movies or not have heard of it. Indeed, the shocking World of Senses is so dazzling that it obscures its so-called "sister", this equally outstanding film-historical masterpiece, "Undead of Love", and people who know it are even better than those who know Nagisa Oshima less people. It has been more than ten years since I first saw this movie, and its status in my heart is getting higher and higher.
The theme of "Undead of Love" is not as obscure as "The World of Senses". It talks about the difference between desire and love. It sounds very "academic", but Nagisa Oshima said it very profoundly and interestingly. This is the ability and charm of the film master. .
Ashi is the mother of two children and the wife of the coachman Isaburo. Unfortunately, she is still a woman. Like many married women, her life with her husband is to live together and do their respective duties. As for love, love, etc., they have long since disappeared. The second time he was ambiguous with himself, the husband only mentioned it verbally, hoping that she would be "more self-conscious", but he never thought of caring and appeasing her, let alone to please her. Obviously, in Isaburo's mind, his wife is just his wife, the "colleague" who came back after a busy day, should cook his meals, boil the water for a bath, and give him a massage. He was not the one who would care, be jealous, A jealous sweetheart.
But who doesn't need love? So, when Fengji officially launched a physical attack on Ashi, despite struggling and struggling, Ashi disarmed and surrendered. The two fell deeper and deeper, to the point where they had to take the risk and kill Isaburo.
At this point, let me ask, what did they get into? Is it really love? The answer will gradually emerge after Isaburo's death.
Isaburo is really a selfish husband, dead and a selfish ghost too. He seemed to be claiming his life, but in fact he wasn't. He went out to pull the car as he was alive, and when he came back, he sat by the stove and waited for Ashi to give him food and drink. Guilt. In fact, as a person, he has already died. When he loses the ability to love someone, he is already dead, and he has become a walking corpse who does not know the direction of life. The meaning of his wife to him is only a pointer to rest. The road sign at the place, alive or dead, he didn't want A Shi to die at all. When A Shi asked him to take her away, he left. When A Shi was caught in a sea of flames and wanted to set himself on fire, he did it for the first time. Appeared in front of Fengci and asked Fengci to rescue Ashi. It expresses Isaburo's selfish psychology of relying on Ashi but not loving him. There is a scene in the film that is a masterpiece: Isaburo's ghost drags Ashi down a foggy path. He says to Ashi, I forgot to return. Way home.
Ash was also lost. The gossip from the villagers, the ghost of Isaburo, and the pressure of the police investigating the case all kept her on the verge of collapse. What made her even more painful was that Fengji had not come to live with her for three years, for fear of attracting attention from others. Ah Shi asked directly, are you tired of me? Fengji will only make her endure, endure, endure.
It's now clear that Fengji doesn't really love Ashi. The passion he has for Ashi is just desire, whether it's sexual desire, desire to conquer, or the desire to steal a woman from a good family. After Isaburo's death, Fengji's desires were all satisfied, and either slowly faded or disappeared immediately. His slack and perfunctory towards Ashi could not be concealed. In this sense, Fengji is also selfish. In order to satisfy his desires, he ignores the completely foreseeable dangers caused by murder, and removes obstacles first. As for Ashi's future troubles and worries, he doesn't care at all. There is only desire for a person, it is so cold, and it is a matter of time to hurt that person.
Well, let's look at Ashi's feelings for Fengji again based on this standard. In fact, it is also a desire, whether it is sexual desire, excitement, or the desire to live a new life. Ashi agreed to kill Isaburo with Fengji, first of all to protect himself and prevent himself from being ruined after the incident, and secondly to live a comfortable life, stay with Fengji, ranking third at most. In this relationship, she is as selfish as Fengji, and she considers herself first in everything and regards the other party as a tool to satisfy her own desires. The fact that Ashi encouraged the murders brought Fengci the pain, which was more hidden and had nowhere to escape. It was a psychological crime that could overwhelm people. Fengci could only throw the corpse into the dry well. Leaves to loosen and hide.
Desire itself is not good or bad, it depends on whether it will cover people's eyes and devour people. For love, desire is very important, otherwise, in the vast sea of people, how could it be possible to fall in love with the person at a glance? Desire is the red thread of love, the beacon of love, and the torch of love, but it cannot be overwhelming, suffocating people, blinding people, and burning them to ashes. Using the similar visual imagery of Isaburo's raised arms as he dies and Ashi's raised legs during orgasm, Oshima succinctly reveals the causal relationship between uncontrolled desire and destruction. , quite exciting, this is called cinematic narrative.
If this story just stops here, then it is an ordinary karma fable, which is not bad, but it is far from greatness. Oshima Nagisa did not stop his pace, let the story suddenly turn around, and began to explain to us what love is.
Ashi, who was overwhelmed by the ghosts and the police, still collapsed, and after begging Isaburo to atone for his crime with death, he chose to set himself on fire. She asked Fengji, who came to save her, to escape alone to pursue happiness, and to bear it all alone. For the first time, Ashi let go of his desires and was willing to sacrifice for Fengji, which moved Fengji very much and really opened his heart. After trying to save Ashi unsuccessfully, Fengji saw Isaburo's ghost and suddenly realized that after Isaburo's death, he was Ashi's only support. What about women?
Ashi's sacrifice finally earned Fengji's love, which he had been asking for before, and Fengji's love was also in the form of sacrifice-after rescuing Ashi from the fire, he also let go of his desires and was willing to be alone Plead guilty and let A Shi pretend not to know. After being arrested, the two vie to admit that they killed Isaburo. At this moment, who can say that the relationship between them is not love?
Looking back, after the self-immolation incident, Ashi and Fengji both felt true love and wanted to hold on tight, but it was too late. Killing the little boss who found the dry well and trying to transfer Isaburo's body failed to change their fate. Knowing that true love is so simple and sweet, why would it be necessary to kill Isaburo? Fengci regretted it, he called Ashi "Mrs." again, and he reminisced about the beauty when the two had no ambiguous and open contact; Ashi also regretted, she no longer even hoped to be with Fengci, only hoped that Fengci could Remember her beauty.
If they can distinguish between desire and love when they meet, are willing to sacrifice the pleasure of satisfying their desires, sacrifice their own time, do not crave the instant satisfaction of desires, and choose to forbearance and wait for the blessing of fate in silence, then the two of them will not end up without it. Together, at least they can watch each other from a distance and warm each other in this cold life.
Love is sacrifice.
I have always had a small wish, that if I have the opportunity to go to Japan, I must present a bouquet of flowers in front of Nagisa Oshima's grave - it is very important to see the right movie at the right age.
Thanks Oshima Nagisa.
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