Farewell My Concubine

The film tells the story of two actors playing ancient Chinese Opera "farewell my concubine". They make the years and experience all the vicissitudes of Chinese history of the twentieth century. They have to survive the Japanese invasion and the cultural revolution, from they are equally affected. But the devotion to art has helped them to withstand the fight time, although the name is unlikely victory possible. The actors were humiliated Chinese society accept the values of the revolution, and each other, because in the face of danger thinks only of himself.

Despite the vivid pictures of the Chinese society, the film "farewell, my concubine" is, first and foremost about the art, and the question of entities the latter only sharpens the harsh historical decorations. The art of Beijing Opera was staged the historical realities in such conditions, when there was a question about his survival. On the actors went on the persecution, the content of the operas, too, was criticized and revised. Once famous, but now mocked the actors are not change the art and act genuine keepers. For them Opera — this is the meaning of life and the only thing they know how to do. This their gift and a curse, something endowed with the characteristics of divine revelation and diabolical cunning.

The film feels kind of the totality of the impact of art on life, is that the socialist realist idea that socialism offered the art. Playing Prince and his concubine, male performers translate these relations in real life, becoming, apparently, lovers. It is shown only hints, but with such sensuality, which does not cause rejection. Beijing Opera was an island of colorful life in poor pre-war China during the civil war. This beauty — in the costumes, makeup, gestures, music and words. No doubt Opera was an art for elected yesterday's teenagers, who lived in squalid conditions at acting school where they were drilled as the soldier, taking off on the top. This zigzag life, when poverty should glory, fame — a national shame, how could not be better indicates the paradoxical nature of art itself that has to be updated and keep themselves in a constantly changing environment. The fate of the tragic actor — about this film. Choosing the actor's fate, I choose not only possible glory, but and possible loss of face of total incomprehension. The actors of this film managed to survive and rise, and fall, but the variegated experience of life in the end and gave the dignity, turning in people, causing pity. True to the classic art was for them a burden. But who blame the Director not responsible. In any case, the horrors of the cultural revolution, as is often the case, is shown as not having a leader, just as a spontaneous expression of the people, which cannot be condemned. No such generalizations a film by Chen Kaige remains a story about privacy.

Of 9 10

"Farewell, my concubine" — this is an attempt of writer Lilian Lee and Director Chen Kaige to evaluate the recent past of China on the example of life of people of art. In the center of the story — two closely woven actor's fate, with childhood who knew a quiet life. For three hours of screen time before the viewer passes the half-century upheaval of the vast country, the maelstrom of change, in which unchanged would remain a theatre.

- In our society are equally despised prostitutes and actors. (C)

Dozy got into the Opera as a young introverted kid, in he lost his mother and his superfluous sixth finger, ruthlessly severed with a butcher knife. Mother — a prostitute, abandoned to their fate the only dear person, Dozy whole life had for the prostitutes open hostility. The severed finger was its first victim to the art and burned the blanket of the mother — first renunciation. Life in the Opera is full of pain and hardship, and every mistake way to perfection is fraught with beatings. Not all this through the brutal crucible theatre school to success and glory.

Dozy passed this way, but not alone. His talent revealed only in partnered with the other Sewn and traditional Opera "farewell, my concubine" became for them the cornerstone, which determined the further fate. Hush always played the role of heroes, while Dosing was "by nature a girl, but not a boy." With the years, the boundaries between masculine and feminine worn in his character, forming a unified whole, allowed to Shine on the stage. According to as the role of loyal concubine was merged with the character Dozy, Hush was him more expensive, and friendship gradually flowed in attachment the thirst is unconventional love. Then in their lives and a woman of house cherry color, with a thin thread of sharing their destiny. Navazelskis in the suitors are the Hush of the selfish purposes, Yuxiang loved it. A strong-willed woman for many years maintained a balance in the lives of two actors, supporting a Sewn in minutes of creative wandering, pulling a Dozy of the opium captivity. Payment for loyalty was a betrayal — the actors on stage become actors in life.

is it possible to save the people is possible only through execution? (C)

Just some 50 years China has been a maelstrom of events, from Japanese occupation and the cultural revolution. In these difficult years, few people cared about the true meaning of friendship, honor or justice. For the salvation of man from the execution was to spit in the face, escaped starvation foundling was ready to lay his rescuers before the new government. Changing the rules, attitudes and morals, but the theatre had to remain the same, with its sleek and traditions, canons and repertoire. But only the new policy of Mao broke the theatre of his nihilistic propaganda, broke and actors, which Opera was the vital core and Foundation of existence. Coming to the power of the red guards, having plunged the country in the chaos ten long years, it becomes the climax of the story.

The film received a Golden globe and Palme d'or, but was it, launched it in his native country. Perhaps the whole reason for the unwillingness of the Chinese to recognize and to reflect on his past. A film-confession of movement of the fifth generation, decided to an unbiased evaluation of the history of the country. In no positive and negative characters, there are only people who are apolitical and loyal to only one art. The struggle of tradition with new thinking for them there, they just playing honed to perfection of the Opera, devoting myself entirely to only one stage.

Thought to detail cinematography, genuine acting and foreign to the European ear the motives of the Beijing Opera make the film technically perfect that important for history, which things are moving around the theater. The actors fit perfectly in their roles, throwing himself along with characters in this brutal meat grinder of history. Some episodes are arranged as vividly that stay in memory for a long time, causing the depressing feelings, giving rise to painful thoughts. A blank stare women who know the pain of betrayal, the frightened boy, tossing with a bloody hand on the rooms, the fires of the revolution, with the burning them acting masks, every single frame, every scene breathes with tragic fates forever of a bygone era.

Conclusion: a Complex and incredibly deep film, a definite "cinema not for all". Repeated in actually the Opera "farewell, my concubine" emphasizes the traditionalism of Chinese culture, established even under the onslaught of uncompromising nihilism. The history of relations between two actors, the interweaving of their friendship of homosexuality, going out with scene in real life is a little tragedy on the backdrop of major changes. The lives of the characters like illustration of the dependence of the fate of people from external changes.

Every serious movie lover should definitely meet with this painting, devoid of joyful colors and keeping the viewer in constant tension.

Of 9 10

This painting, together with"Piano" divided in 1993 Cannes triumph, designed in the tradition of "Chinese Grand style". She has been amply demonstrated proficiency masters of the China to convert to art forms the most dramatic conflicts of national history. In this case — oversaturated sharp political events half of the twentieth century, starting with the twentieth ending the seventies.

The movie makes you remember the Last Emperor Bertolucci, and also sensational and filmed a year before the play of Juan "M. butterfly." The similarity can be found even with the already mentioned "the Piano": in both the Cannes films-the winners of the main characters lose fingers. Physical deformity of the little hero in the film Cage — the presence of a sixth finger — a priori deprives it of the chance to enroll in Opera school, and then the mother the most that neither is, a radical way decides to save his son from natural flaw.

As the story's Central love triangle turns into something more complex and sophisticated. Playing on stage for many years one role — sweetheart the Opera "farewell, my concubine", the aging hero unwittingly identificeret themselves with the female character and falls in love with your partner. Along with so it aims to stay true to the art, that ephemeral state of mind, out which partner remains a common man, passionate about simple woman.

The struggle for the man seemed battle the art in which there is no division of sex and there is only an exalted passion. Daily clothing in women's outfits transform the nature of the hero, blurring for the line between reality and fiction, masculine and feminine.

The story of transformation of consciousness, transforming the man in drag, got into the epicenter of the cinematic fashion that and identified an increased interest in painting selectors of the Cannes film festival and then the jury.