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When Comedy Is Not a Comedy (Zhang Yimou's 'Comedies')

100%

Helman A.

Kwartalnik Filmowy

2006

issue 56

143-153

The authoress examines three Zhang Yimou's films, 'The Story of Qiu Ju', 'Keep Cool' and 'Happy Times', from the point of view of genre affiliation. They are the only productions of the Chinese director, called comedies. As we can only view the issue from a European perspective, it is difficult to find out why the films aspire to be called comedies although it is also difficult to refuse them the right. Given all the differences between the three, the movies share the same controlling theme - the absurdity of today's life, which becomes peculiarly striking when we speak about life in the city, which in turn forces the heroes to take absurd attitudes and measures that are futile and lead to nowhere. In this situation the category of comedy may be one of possible interpretation keys. While the comic character of 'Keep Cool' is unquestionable and although the viewer from other cultures may miss its humour, the case of 'The Story of Qiu Ju' and 'Happy Times' is different. Genre affiliation acts like a kaleidoscope as very rotation produces a different image. We may watch the films either as black comedies, melodramas or dramas. The least is shown to the European from the angle of comedy. It probably happens not because the films contain least elements of comedy but rather because the culture gap is the hardest barrier to overcome.

The Decade of Fear

51%

Helman A.

Kwartalnik Filmowy

2008

issue 61

123-136

The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) - one of the greatest tragedies experienced by the Chinese people, caused great losses and permanent changes in the political, social, cultural and the moral sphere of life. It devastated the great material and spiritual legacy of the traditional Chinese culture. The authoress of the article presents the echoes of this period in the films of the most important representatives of the fifth generation: Chen Kaige (Farewell my Concubine, 1993), Tian Zhuangzhuang (The Blue Kite, 1993) and Zhang Yimou (To live, 1994). Through the analysis of particular scenes, Helman points to the fact that these films do not speak directly about what happened during the Cultural Revolution, as of course this topic was strongly disapproved of by the Chinese state. That is why Cultural Revolution is barely a back drop for the lives of the main characters of the films. According to the authoress, the strength of these films lies in their many verbal allusions, subtexts, and a complex network of icons and meanings, that are also readable for the Western viewer, who is neither Chinese nor aware of the history of the Chinese nation.

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When Comedy Is Not a Comedy (Zhang Yimou's 'Comedies')

The Decade of Fear