teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU (Thomas E. Billings) (09/19/90)
LIFE IS CHEAP...
...but toilet paper is expensive
A film review by Thomas E. Billings
Copyright 1990 Thomas E. Billings
Synopsis:
A Japanese/Chinese/American "cowboy" (actually, a stable boy) is sent to
Hong Kong as a courier to deliver a briefcase to a gangster boss. There
he falls in love with the gangster's mistress, and experiences the
sleazy side of Hong Kong. A rather unsympathetic look at Chinese
culture, done with deadpan humor. However, the humor fails to rescue
the weak plot; a very forgettable film. Released with a self-issued "A"
rating.
Hong Kong (Cantonese and English; subtitled for US distribution), color,
1990, 89 minutes.
Director: Wayne Wang
Writer, Star, Co-Director: Spencer Nakasako
Before discussing specific details of the film, it is worth noting
that this film is making history by being the first film released with a
self-designated "A" ("adult") rating, after receiving an "X" rating
from the MPAA. The newspaper ads for the film contain the following
note: "A This film contains adult themes or images that may not be
appropriate for viewers under 18 years of age. [following, in small
print:] This film does not carry a rating issued by the MPAA. Many
leading filmmakers believe the MPAA's current rating system promotes
censorship and does not serve the best interests of the viewing public."
If you can't convince the MPAA to adopt an "A" rating, this case shows
that you can easily "go around" them with a self-rating system.
This is the latest film from Wayne Wang, whose previous films
include CHAN IS MISSING and EAT A BOWL OF TEA. Here Wang returns to his
native Hong Kong (he is a U.S. citizen/resident) to create a low-budget
film that appears to be a personal statement (and a critical, sarcastic
statement at that) about Hong Kong and Chinese culture.
The story concerns a Japanese/Chinese/American, a stable boy at a
racetrack in the San Francisco area, who is hired to be a courier and
deliver a briefcase (which is handcuffed to his wrist) to a Hong Kong
gangster boss. When he tries to deliver the briefcase, the boss is sick
or away (can't tell which), so he decides to see Hong Kong while he
waits.
Our hero goes sightseeing, where he meets some very strange
characters. Then he is invited to a party at the gangster's house,
where the gangster announces the planned wedding of his beautiful
daughter. There is a funny scene where the daughter talks about
astrology and the stars bringing them together, while her groom explains
that he is a Ph.D. anthropologist, studying the history of the Chinese
workers who built the railroads in America, by digging up the fishbones
they dropped along the way.
The courier (who is, it seems, a "man with no name" as in the
famous Italian westerns of years ago) goes sightseeing again. Two
thieves steal the briefcase from him, and the story continues from
there.
Although the film has some deadpan, black humor in it, there isn't
enough to make up for the very weak plot and other faults. It is
clearly a low budget film; there is a long chase scene filmed using a
shoulder-mounted camera that is so shaky you can't stand to watch it.
The style of the film is similar to a documentary; talking heads
speaking directly to the camera, with added narration from the hero.
The result is a disjointed, nearly incoherent way of developing the
plot.
The film is likely to offend many viewers. There are violent
scenes, including one where live ducks are hung up and their throats
slit. The camera lingers on them as they bleed and die; clearly this
film is not for the squeamish. As for the "A"/"X" rating, there is no
explicit sex in the movie. Rather the film is aimed lower -- at
excretory processes rather than sexual. Frankly, after seeing the
movie, I thought it should have a self-rating of "GR" for "gross-out" or
"D" for "disgusting." The grossness is apparently deliberate, as the
Director uses it to criticize the concept of saving face.
Having a taste for unusual, offbeat movies, I am willing to put up
with some "poor taste" elements in a film if the film is otherwise
entertaining. However, the poor taste overwhelms what little humor
there is in this film, and I don't recommend it.
Distribution. In its initial US release, the film is currently showing
at two theaters in the local (San Francisco) area.
Reviewer contact: teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU