I haven't seen too much commentary on Zhang Yimou's SHANGHAI TRIAD, so thought I'd forward these remarks from a colleague of mine, who saw it with some people from China. I hope they're of interest! ************************************************************************ >First of all, the reason the government objected, my Chinese friend >postulates, is the depiction of the relationship among the Boss and >the two right hand men (Lao Yi and Lao Er, Old one and old two inChinese). >As he's about to be killed, Lao Er tells the boss that an old man >shouldn't be running things, and if he himself were in charge, things >would be much better and more profitable. A Chinese audience would take >this to mean that younger men should be controlling the Party, not old >guys like Zhang Zemin (President of China) and the current Prime Minister, >both of whom are from Shanghai no less. > >The >"burying alive" of Lao Er is symbolic of the deposing of Zhao Ziyang >after Tiananment Square. Once stripped of his power as Party Secretary >by Deng, he too was "buried alive"--alive, but as good as dead politically. > >The Boss says that after he has Lao Er killed, he will go back to Shanghai >and blame Lao Er's death on Fat Yu and take revenge. This is also standard >Party maneuvering. > >I found these readings extremely interesting and convincing. So in addition >to being a great gangster film, there is this distinctly Chinese layer. >Did you see, for instance, the parallel between the end of the film (relationship between the Boss and the little girl) and the end of CHINATOWN (relationship >between Noah Cross and his grandaughter)? Surely Zhang Yimou has seen >this film and also THE GODFATHER. > >My friend also told me that the lyrics to the song that Gong Li sings that >the Boss and Fat Yu so much like are much more vulgar and explicit in >Chinese than the English translation in the subtitles has it. Hmmm. **************************************************************************** For my own part, I'll add that I think the film deserved Best Cinematography far more than BRAVEHEART at the Oscars. It should also have at least had a Sound nomination. This film has more sonic *presence* (from the sudden ring of a phone to the crackle of a lit match to rose petals being crumpled!) than any film I've seen in recent years! Don Larsson, Mankato State U (MN) ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]