This is the most objective and calm film on the subject of the Anti-Japanese War. Compared with most movies of the same theme, why is "The Devil Is Coming" so well-received? Because he did not simply "remember history and do not forget national humiliation", nor did he "uglify" and "stupidize" all the Japanese.
What is "ugly"? Old movies such as "Plain Guerrilla", "Tunnel Warfare", and "Mine Warfare" are more or less ugly. In the eyes of most audiences, the invaders should be like this. That's how the enemy should be, and this kind of hatred, it will be very pleasing to be knocked down by us. Appropriate ugliness is acceptable.
What is "stupid"? Ugly can be said to be exaggeration in order to enhance the dramatic color, so "stupidization" is a complete joke of the War of Resistance. When we insult the enemy, we also insult ourselves - we have been beaten alive by this kind of pig-like aggressor. Years, then what are we? For example, Pan Changjiang's "Raise Your Hands" series (the second part is entirely filmed for elementary school students, which will have a great impact on the teaching of history teachers in the future), "Old and Young Men Fighting Devils", "Failed to Survive" and so on. . Think about the fact that many European literary and art circles have vilified Hitler, but no one has fooled him. After all, who can accept that a stupid B almost conquered the whole of Europe?
This is not like an anti-Japanese movie made by a Chinese. There are not many creators who can pick up their emotional factors so cleanly. It is easy to make people think that this is a film that only Americans can make such an objective film with the mentality of watching fire from the other side. As for satire, I personally think it is secondary, but Jiang Wen always likes to slap so much in his works.
It's not just those eight years
Let's set up a Flag first. This film uses a story of the Anti-Japanese War to tell the history of modern China and the evolution of Chinese people's thinking during this historical process.
It seems that this high hat is a bit outrageous, but it is not an exaggeration.
Since ancient times, people who want to do big things have a bit of a rogue temperament.
In a remote seaside village, the story begins with a good night for a widow and a man. There is one detail in the film that was brought out to be very obvious - three breaths. For the first time, it happened on the night of the opening movie.
It symbolizes China in feudal society, that is, before the beginning of modern Chinese history. At that time, China was like this house. It was smeared, the lights were blown, and no one pierced this layer of window paper. Although it was backward, it closed the door and found its own fun. . Until one day, that "me" knocked open the door, put a gun to our heads, and forced us to see the outside world.
This first breath represents happiness, the happiness of being in ignorance before being invaded.
Getting knocked on the door, breaking into your home, negotiating with you with a gun to your head, and making some conditions that you have to accept. what is this? This is the Opium War. At this time, his eyes were darkened, and the one who was grinning was the Qing government.
Who is this "I"? It's like Eight Roads, but I didn't dare to say it explicitly. But if you look at it from a higher angle, it's not all. I am more inclined to understand "I" as a capitalist power that symbolizes advanced civilization. One is that they broke in with guns in their hands; the other is that we don't know who "I" is at the end of the whole film, just like in Britain, France, the United States and other countries at that time, no matter who they are, they are carrying guns. When you come in, you can always walk around and go; third, after knocking on the door, you throw the Japanese devil in, and the days of Chinese suffering begin.
"Black under the light" , this hand is beautifully black, no matter what age, there are some hidden tricks. In my opinion, this is not an extraordinary method in an extraordinary period, and it is the common people who will be harmed in the end (please let me eat something good before leaving).
The second gasp occurred after Ma Dasan didn't kill the Guizi, and when he heard the Guizi's march, he gasped in fright.
This is the real realization of ordinary Chinese people what kind of harm the invaders have brought to their lives. Ideologically, from the previous "hit me, I can't hit me anyway, I live my own life behind closed doors, who cares who this country loves", and then people came to their senses. The devil is here, and the good days are gone. When the destiny of the country is closely linked with personal interests, people only have this sense of crisis and know that the country cannot be preserved. Who else can this door stand in the way?
This second gasp represents panic. People find that wolves surround the yard and can rush in at any time to bite people, and they lose their sense of security.
The corresponding historical period is after July 7, 1937, when Japan's full-scale invasion of China began. The 9/18 Incident was the beginning, and the Lugouqiao Incident was the time when the Chinese people felt panic. The Nanjing Massacre that took place after that was the sense of crisis that has been terrifying all day long.
The third time, and the most tragic time, was no longer a gasp, but a hysterical howl.
After the fear, there is the anger of bereavement and the subjugation of the country, and finally someone has released the power of this anger to defend against foreign enemies, just like the madness of Ma Dasan holding an axe and rushing into the Japanese prisoner camp to kill, just like a panicked red. Rabbit that bites people even if you see it. The death of Ma Dasan represents the painful price we have to pay for our victory.
After this line is worn down, isn't it a true portrayal of modern Chinese history?
banned ending
When I saw the finale, I realized that foul language, sex, massacres, political metaphors, these were not the main reasons why the film was banned.
The reason is that under the influence of the Chinese people's long-term anti-Japanese values, we cannot accept such an outcome (although what he said is true).
This is why it is said that "The Devil Has Come" is not like a movie made by the Chinese, because the ending is too cold and too hard to swallow, let alone digest. It's like we who are used to eating fine grains such as rice and flour, and then pick up the wotou that was cold, cracked, and hard at the time, it's hard to swallow. But we can't deny that we came here to eat this at the time.
From beginning to end, we are all preaching the great achievements of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, watching the great victories, waving the flag again and again, and beheading the enemy. But no one thought about what it would be like to win.
"It is not China that defeated us, but the atomic bomb of the United States." This is the argument of many Japanese fascists. Is it a victory for the Japanese to sign their surrender and being driven out by the Chinese? After watching "Tokyo Trial", there will be different answers.
when the devil knocks
When I saw "devils on the doorstep" on the poster, my first reaction was "when the devil knocks on the door". This is richer than "Devils Are Coming", because the "Devils" faced by Ma Dasan in the film are not only Japanese soldiers.
Speaking of which, Jiang Wen really made a taste of Mr. Lu Xun when he satirized the Chinese people. Then we might as well take a look at these various "devils".
The fifth uncle and grandfather, the number one in the village.
Big things and small affairs have to be decided by the elders, the seniors are old, they know the text and hyphenation, and the younger generation have to be soft.
The most fearful thing about a character in such a position is that he has no opinion. It just so happens that almost all of these characters have no opinion. Think of the mayor played by Mr. Ma Jingwu in "Killing", they are exactly the same.
Every time he made up his mind, as long as Ma Dasan or someone else gave a set of rhetoric, he could always accept it and agree. There is a philosophical saying, "It's a blessing, not a disaster, it's a disaster that can't be avoided". A ruling class that procrastinates.
Two necks and his brothers.
Speaking of pressure, these people should have caused the greatest pressure on the third Ma.
Highlight the word "cowardly". It doesn't matter if you hang up high, try your best to shirk and dump the blame. There is always a set of reasons to justify yourself, fear of getting a lawsuit, fear of being implicated, and once it involves the distribution of benefits, they will flock to them.
They are the most unwilling to suffer losses. Although they have a certain view of right and wrong (at least they have a little concept of the role of the traitor), the first priority is always profit. Even if he helped Ma Dasan's family, it was because he was forcibly bound by Ma Dasan's interests.
Therefore, although they knew about the behavior of the Japanese when they invaded China, they also hated the Japanese, but when they saw six carts of grain later, they could sit down and become friends with wine and meat.
Aunt Eight is my favorite supporting role.
Why is she different from others? Because of her high-pitched voice.
The part of borrowing the face is a stalk, bargaining to borrow one for eight, this is just a foreshadowing. After the people in the village knew that Ma Dasan didn't "get rid of" the Japanese, the episode with Ma Dasan was the most dramatic.
The mental victory method behind closed doors: the logic of "I'm not dead, it proves that they dare not kill me", and promote yourself in front of everyone.
Those who play the strings and sing the drums in the city are known to be the most provocative ones.
You can sing praises to the Japanese, mentally brainwash, and let the common people accept slavery voluntarily. You can sing how you want, or whatever you want, with a gun or if you give money;
When the devils fall and the national army comes, then sing the great victory of the Anti-Japanese War, criticize the Japanese devils harshly, and show their patriotic stance;
In the end, when Ma Dasan was executed, he came out with the finishing touch, writing his story into a joke, and satirizing it, and then he found an opportunity to show his "political correctness".
Such a person will not be identified as a traitor, on the contrary, it will be worse for Dong Hanchen, a traitor.
A wise and tragic traitor.
The role of Dong Hanchen, a native of Northeast China, is interesting in itself. Why does he speak Japanese? Because the Northeast fell the earliest and was oppressed by the Japanese for the longest time. Therefore, it is very reasonable for people in the Northeast to learn Japanese a lot.
He mediates between many parties, and he resolves conflicts with his own flexibility. When it's time to get angry, insult the Japanese in a clever way. He has a conscience of being a human being, but he was helplessly pulled into the boat by the devils.
Dong Hanchen's own helplessness towards fate was all smiles before he was executed.
Jiuzuka Inoyoshi, the most standard aggressor image in history textbooks. In the ending scene of the sea and land gathering, the audience will feel uneasy from time to time. Lest he flip the table at any moment, pull out his saber, and start a killing spree.
Hanaya Kosotaro, a collection of all contradictions.
The contradiction between the aggressor and the victim, the contradiction between friendship and mission, the contradiction between good and evil, and the contradiction between life and death.
Kosantaro Hanamai was not the snake the farmer rescued.
At first, when the flower house was just tied into the ground, it was the collision between the aggressor and the victim. In his eyes, there was only killing and only racial discrimination. They are completely evil spirits produced under the Japanese right-wing ideological education.
After being influenced by Ma Dasan again, he has to face the choice between friendship and mission. Friendship makes him try his best to get food for the villagers, and his mission is to kill.
If you choose evil for life, you can't escape death if you want to be good.
During the party, he rushed out and chopped off the headless second neck. I think Hanaya Kosotaro wanted to save more people, or he just wanted to show his loyalty and save himself. Because it angered Shuzuka Inoyoshi, it was not the two necks that suffered.
During the period of hesitation when the head was beheaded, was it fear because of the injustice, or was it unbearable? There should be.
It was under the influence of the above-mentioned various devils that Ma Dasan finally died. He has always carefully calculated every step he took and made every decision that mattered to his life.
The spiritual awakening of the representative of Ma Dasan
The process of Ma Dasan picking up the axe is the process of the awakening of the Chinese people's struggle spirit. The soul is only touched when it happens to oneself.
If you can ask this sentence, it proves that the Japanese have been burning, killing and looting in China for a long time. But why did this group of people, including Ma Dasan, not feel the anger of the slaughter of their compatriots? Because it hasn't happened to the people in the village.
It's better to do less than one thing, try to avoid it, don't get involved, you can fight whatever you like outside, just don't hurt me. They have not yet understood a truth: under the nest, An has finished the eggs. (I don't worry about pimples growing on other people's faces, the same is true)
Is Ma Dasan's kindness at first considered cowardly? Forget it, he is good to the Japanese just because he can't afford to offend both ends, and he lives in the cracks. Therefore, Ma Dasan acted like walking on thin ice, trying to maintain this balance as much as possible, not to break the fragile ice surface, and to ensure that he would not fall into the abyss.
shameless bastard
Personally, I like the skin-like texture that Jiang Wen's works will have. And to say that the most skinny part of this film is the "mule on the horse" clip in the gendarmerie, the meaning is very simple, pointing to the Japanese nose "fxxk (grass) your (you) horse (horse)".
There is another place, that is, the role of Yu'er her father-in-law. This crazy old man would only say, "I will strangle them with one hand and kill them, and dig a hole and bury them." There is a very important scene at the end, that is, the lame old man hits the devil in the face with a gun.
In the minds of the people at that time, those anti-Japanese and fighting devil teams were like this crazy old man, full of crazy talk, shouting to beat this and that, but not many people believed it. Whenever he speaks crazy things (mobilizes the masses), everyone is reluctant to listen and tells him to shut up. But in the end, when everyone was frightened by the Japanese, only he dared to stand up and shoot at the devils.
The objective point of this film is that it is not limited to hatred itself, but analyzes the reasons for hatred in Chinese people and the process of emotional evolution to hatred. There is no lack of condemnation of the atrocities of the devils, and there is no lack of self-reflection on history. If it weren't for the lack of self-protection, we would not have suffered such a humiliating history.
The sense of justice and responsibility is not innate, only when you are really touched and know the pain can you react.
As for the ending, when Ma Dasan was dying, it turned into color, which is a kind of relief from a depressed life. This contrasting technique of black and white and color was used in "Big Buddha Plath" nearly 20 years later, and it was also highly praised.
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