I still like the earliest films made by Jia Zhangke, "Platform" and "Xiao Wu", they are quite interesting. It feels like a transition from a writer's film to a writer's film. Today I saw Tao and Liang Zi arguing on the street in "The Old Man of Mountains and Rivers". The aperture is wide open, the street scene behind is blurred, and the distance between the two people is also very short. The whole image is clean, delicate and flat. Then I think of "Platform" Inside, Xiao Wu and Hu Meimei walked one after the other on the street. The chaotic streets and long shots gave the feeling of "an old friend in the mountains and rivers". However, it is good for people to break through themselves, no matter what the result is. Jia Zhangke chose a relatively conservative line, combining artistry and commerciality, which is considered a low head under the economic marketization. In this respect, Lou Ye is a bit like him. In the past two years, there have been quite a few attempts in my country, such as the 120 frames of Ang Lee's "Gemini Man", Zhang Yimou's "The Great Wall", and Chen Kaige's "The Legend of the Cat Demon", although I really want to ask them what they think about the latter two.
The movie wants to talk about time and homeland, about life and death, about love and hatred, but there are too many things to talk about, and in the end, it's just a touch of water. The frame comparison of 3:4 to 16:9 to 2.35:1 is indeed an innovation, which can show the changes in the visual habits of films over the years, but as a film that wants to immerse people and generate recognition, it will inevitably be There were some "distancing effects" that Brecht called it, and the words "Director Jia Zhangke" suddenly appeared in black and white in the middle. I almost thought I had accidentally retreated to the beginning of the movie. Deliberately letting the audience escape from a well-made illusion is a taboo in realist films.
I have been raising an aging dog at home, an old sweater worn when I was young, and a child walking on the street with a large knife. These items connected to the timeline are used a little frequently. Jia Zhangke also used details such as recurring songs and sitting in the co-pilot as a child to reflect the theme of time passing but some things remain the same. In my opinion, these things are used too much, and they are too deliberate and externalized. I don’t think so. I know if Jia Zhangke is thinking too much about the taste of the public, that's why he tells stories like this.
Alas, I suddenly don't want to write anymore, anyway, people eat well, live well, and if you have nothing to do, you can dance by yourself.
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