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History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林林林 and Ka te Liu

History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

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Page 1: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

History and National Identity in A City of

Sadness (1989)

林文淇 and Kate Liu

Page 2: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

OutlineBackground: Hou Hsiao-Hsien 侯孝賢 , T

aiwanese Films and History

Issues for Discussion

Its historical methods and presentation of 228

Its views of Taiwanese history and national identity

History and contemporary Taiwan

Page 3: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

Hou Hsiao-Hsien 侯孝賢

1. In Taiwanese Films –New Taiwanese Cinema

光陰的故事 Edward Yang 1982 Hou’s 兒子的大玩偶、風櫃來的人、

尼羅河的女兒--新電影 Localism and realism (vs. 瓊瑤 film

s) Hou: stationed camera with long take;

careful aesthetic composition.

Page 4: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

侯孝賢 In Taiwanese Films (2)

A City of Sadness-- 30 million NT dollar budget (over 1

million US dollars), twice its original budget and larger than that of any other films at the time.

-- the first Taiwanese film, and the first Asian film in 40 years, to have won The Gold Lion at Venice Film Fest.

-- both promoted and denied to be a film about 228.

-- shown without cuts ‘after’ winning the prize. (Ref. Chi 71-72)

Page 5: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

侯孝賢 In Taiwanese Films (3)

新電影之死 ?

The making a film for the Ministry of National Defense— 《一切為明天》 by Hou, 吳念真、陳國富、小野 .

an advertisement for the armed forces; The use of the form of music video; Debates over its complicity with the govern

ment, implicit subversiveness or its just being an odd event.

Page 6: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

Hou Hsiao-Hsien 侯孝賢 (2)

2. Taiwanese History – (1) early films Taiwanese society in the 80’s (2) 台灣三部曲 - 10th-- 悲情城市 1989 ︰ 1945-1949 ( 實際涵蓋

時間更廣 ) 戲夢人生 1993 ︰台灣割讓給日本人﹔ 1910 李天

祿出生- 1939 - 台灣光復 1945 . 好男好女︰ 1937 蔣碧玉認識鍾浩東﹐ 1940 赴

大陸.- 1949 被捕﹐- 1950 年十月十四日鍾浩東被殺﹐臨刑前〈幌馬車之歌〉響起.

(3) Recent Films – 千禧曼波、海上花、咖啡時光

Page 7: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

Hou Hsiao-Hsien 侯孝賢 (3)

3. The Taiwanese in History –

(1) A City of Sadness – like Lotus Blossom Land, it is part of the liberated/liberating discourses around the time of 解嚴。

(The film’s preparation since 1987 –1988, the lifting of martial law released in 1989)

(2) 台灣三部曲 - 三部影片符號的重疊︰李天祿、〈幌馬車

之歌〉、弟子戲、流氓(世家)、吃飯

Page 8: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

(I) The Film’s Historical Methods

Questions: Is the film about 228? If not, what is it about? If so, why is

228 so important in Taiwanese History?

Page 9: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

228 in Taiwan’s History A turning point – “Birth” of a nation and i

ts brutalities Its controversies –multiple interpretation

of the following issues ︰ Interpretation of 陳儀﹐ and the army’s killin

g the innocent civilians; Official documents – completely publicized

or not; The correctness of official history vs. witnes

s accounts;

Page 10: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

228 and The Film’s Presentation The film’s apparent focuses:

Lin family ( 林家兄弟生活 )﹐ 文雄、文良、文森、文清 (and 阿嘉 , the brother of 文雄’ s concubine; vs. 金泉﹚

Hinomi (Kuan-mei) and Wen-ching ( 寬美與文清的愛情故事 )

Hino (Kuan-liang) and the other intellectuals’ revolt ( 知識份子的反動 )

How are the gang fights related to 228?

Page 11: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

228 and the Gang Fights forged money 紅猴

阿嘉、文良 involved; 文雄 is able to solve th

e problem with the help of the elderly woman;

But 文良 is caught as a traitor. Why? The Shanghaiese merchants.

* clip of negotiation

Page 12: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

228 and The Film’s Presentation

Worries and complaints beforehand. The central event – not presented; but

told by the radio broadcast and written about by 寬美 and 文清 .

clips: 228 mentioned; then suggested through the showing of subsequent riots and violence.

Page 13: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

Historical Notes in The Opening and Closing Shots

Page 14: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

Historical Methods and Narrative Perspectives

The use of dates, historical accounts and long take to present history; e.g. 片頭、片尾提供歷史感

To contextualize 228 – multiple storyline and dis

courses (those of diary, 酒家﹐ merchants) Narrative Perspectives of the Marginalized:

文清:聾啞 , taking photo. 寬美:女/護士 , keeping her diary

Page 15: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

The Intellectuals: De-Politicized Scenes and Images

點到即止的鏡頭與剪接 The Intellectuals’ Discussion 1 Shifted to

the personal 小川校長病發 * clip The Intellectuals’ Discussion 2 --文清、寬美幼時回憶 * clip

Ironies – Wen-ching’s involvement * the prison scene

Page 16: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

The Intellectuals: De-Politicized Scenes & Images (2)

In the script, a letter about where the weapons are turned into a poem in the film

nobility of the intellectuals

Page 17: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

(II) The Film as a National Allegory

What does the film say about KMT and the conflicts between the Taiwanese and the mainland Chinese? Is it just a story of exploitation and sadness? 1) The history of Exploitation and Survival;

2) Confusing National Signs and Identities

3) National Myth and Cultural Gaps.

Page 18: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

II-1. Taiwanese Identities—the Sad

大陸商人的勢力 vs. 林文雄之死與林家的衰敗

Language hierarchy in the negotiation scene 有階級之分的方言︰上海話、日本話、台灣話、廣東話、國語﹔

文雄 --林文雄的感嘆: 法律是他們在設的﹐咱們本島人最可憐﹐

一下什麼日本人、一下什麼中國人.眾人吃﹐眾人騎﹐就沒人疼.」

Page 19: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

What survives?

The old, the weak and mentally deranged?The diary, letters and photos:

“ 「阿謙已經長牙了﹐笑的神情很好﹐眼睛很像四叔.…九份開始轉冷了﹐芒花開了﹐滿山白濛

濛﹐像雪.」 ”

Page 20: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

In Transition: 小上海、朝鮮樓 祖國 ︰「生離祖國,死歸祖國,死生天命,

無想無念」、「當我已死﹐我的人已屬於祖國美麗的將來.」

Colonial/National Education: The Japanese Culture The mainland Chinese: 平劇、醫院、學國

語、陳儀的廣播. 國旗 Signs of The Taiwanese -- Japanese langua

ge –e.g. 文清︰「我是台灣人」

II-2. “Taiwanese” & “Chinese”: Confusing National Signs and Identities

Page 21: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

The Japanese: 日本書法、花道、友誼

Longing for the Chinese: The birth of 林光明and the opening of 小上海酒家

National Education: the teaching of mandarin(不純)「國」語

II-2. Confusing “Taiwanese” Identities: between Japan and China

Page 22: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

代表文明的日本人和由日本傳來的西方文化︰

少女自殺引起明治維新、

羅蕾萊、

〈幌馬車之歌〉

II-2. Confusing “Taiwanese” Identities: between Japan and the West

Page 23: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

II-2. Confusing Identities: Taiwan’s ‘Return’ to China

Exploited and mistrusted -- 文良 -- why is he mad?

tortured in the Chinese army? the conflicts between China and Japan.

Note: The Taiwanese

are mistrusted and seen

as traitors in 《好男好女》

Page 24: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

II-2. National Myth and Allegory: Deconstructed and Re-Built An Allegory of Taiwan’s colonial History –

Different sets of hierarchy: cultural assimilation by the Japanese faulty education and discrimination by KMT (台灣人被日本奴化)

Confusing national signs ( 國旗、國語 ) from jokes to violence

The down fall and survival of the Lins.

Page 25: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

Misplaced Signs, Cultural Gaps and Historical Fragments

「祖國美麗的將來」 as myth as nostalgia misplaced or made impos

sible? 流亡三部曲 – Do they understand the exp

erience of migration of the mainland Chinese?

Disconnectedness between the opening and closing shots.

Page 26: History and National Identity in A City of Sadness (1989) 林文淇 and Kate Liu

History and contemporary Taiwan

The film: an uncertain and indirect revision on Taiwan’s

long-repressed trauma (of many intellectuals who died and disappeared). not a totally pessimistic view, though.

multiple stories, dialects and writings multiple economic and political factors in

racial conflicts in the context of multiple colonization.

some diversified roots for contemporary racial conflicts.