S.E.N.S. All rights reserved. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox. A City of Sadness is a 1989 Taiwanese historical drama film directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. Obviously, I cried. Director Hou Hsiao-hsien premiered “A City of Sadness” outside Taiwan in part to mitigate potential interference by KMT authorities, who would likely find it embarrassing. EMBED. Soon after Japan relinquishes control of Taiwan in 1945, the Lin brothers face hardships from the changing culture. 'A City of Sadness' is a 1989 Taiwanese drama film, by Hou Hsiao-hsien. The film depicts the Lin family's experiences during the White Terror. When A City Of Sadness came out, the KMT was actually still in power, and nobody had been allowed to talk publicly about 228 for 40 years — much less make a movie about it. If you ever take a class about Taiwanese literature/film/culture, stick around in some Taiwanese cultural organization long enough, or talk with other people interested in (or from) Taiwan, this movie will inevitably come up… I guarantee it. Want more? It’ll help you understand Taiwan through a new, richer lens…and give you brownie points for sounding really cultured. Heard of the 2005 “228 Hand-in-Hand Rally” in which 2 million people formed a 500km human chain from one end of Taiwan to another? A City of Sadness (Chinese: 悲情城市; pinyin: Bēiqíng chéngshì) is a 1989 Taiwanese historical drama film directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. Politics. 7 or Monga, you can partially thank A City of Sadness for making them possible. buy it off Amazon with our affiliate link, Review: In Taiwanese Horror Movie "Detention," Authoritarianism Is The Real Monster, Interview: Freddy Lim, Rockstar Turned Legislator, Talks "Metal Politics Taiwan", Review: "Ten Years Taiwan" Reminds Us How Taiwan Has Problems Besides China, Review: HBO's "The World Between Us" Showcases Taiwan's Democratic Norms, Review: "The Great Buddha+" Shows Taiwan’s Bleak Reality…via Dashcam. The film depicts the Lin family's experiences during the White Terror. Though “A City of Sadness” was the first film to ever depict 228, it does so in a rather indirect way. A City of Sadness Movie Rating NR, 2 hr 38 min Movie More Info. We thank you for your support! Our answer: Hou Hsiao-hsien’s 1989 historical drama A City of Sadness, which follows a family’s experiences during the infamous 228 Incident. “A City of Sadness” is a film that reveals Taiwan’s social divisions but also reminds us that those divisions aren’t black and white. Its successor two years later, City of Sadness , marks another watershed, as the first film explicitly concerned with Taiwanese history, from which viewpoint it can be seen as the first of a loose trilogy, followed by The Puppetmaster (1993), and completed with Good Men, Good Women (1995). The film won the Golden Lion at the 1989 Venice Film Festival. 1,280 likes. Hou Hsiao-hsien was one of these young directors… and A City of Sadness was the first of these New Wave films to gain significant foreign accolades from foreign critics and festivals. If you’ve enjoyed more recent Taiwanese movies like Cape No. Tells the story of a family embroiled in the tragic "White Terror" that was brought on the Taiwanese people by the Kuomintang government (KMT) after their arrival from mainland China in the late 1940s, during which thousands of Taiwanese were rounded up, shot, and/or sent to prison. A City of Sadness (1989) Movies Preview remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. Find the cheapest option or how to watch with a free trial. 34 min. In fact, one of the film’s most poignant scenes (video above) reveals the intimate linkages between language and Taiwanese identity. Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Why Chinese Movies Turn the American Dream Into a Nightmare. For example, in one scene, a character languishes in prison and his cellmates are taken out to be shot — but the actual execution takes place offscreen. He’s collaborated extensively with mainland Chinese filmmakers (impossible for a Taiwan independence supporter) including on his latest film The Assassin… which funnily enough touches upon reunifying a secessionist region of Tang-era China with the central government. The Film Center showings of ''A City of Sadness… Picked by: Kosta Jovanović and sciallacooper. No_Favorite. But wait, why should you watch this movie from 30 years ago about some random historical event? EMBED (for wordpress.com hosted blogs and archive.org item tags) Want more? The film constantly implies that violence is happening, but never shows it in the foreground. Two scenes stay in mind: Hsin Shu-fen and Tony Leung listening to the German music, and the concluding scene of them with their kid. Dragon Inn Part 1: The City of Sadness _ Google Docs Dragon Inn Part 1: The City of Sadness _ DOWNLOAD: https://bit.ly/37yaXS2 SYNOPSIS: An action noir film about a vigilante who rules justice on seemingly ordinary Chinese inns, but actually pass judgments on … "A City of Sadness" is not only one of Taiwan's most renowned films, but also a great way to learn about the island. Are the Huangs in "Fresh Off the Boat" Chinese or Taiwanese? Many of Taiwan’s post-2000 directors cut their teeth under New Wave directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien, an opportunity they might not have had if A City of Sadness bombed and the New Wave fizzled into obscurity. By the end of the film, even the photographer, Wen Ching, has been arrested by the authorities, leaving only his wife to tell the story of the family's destruction. (Source: Wikipedia) Edit Translation, Tells the story of a family embroiled in the tragic "White Terror" that was brought on the Taiwanese people by the Kuomintang government (KMT) after their arrival from mainland China in the late 1940s, during which thousands of Taiwanese were rounded up, shot, and/or sent to prison. Hou Hsiao-hsien's magnificent 1989 film, City of Sadness, brings to light the truth about the 1947 massacre known as the 2/28 incident. The 228 Incident — a 1947 uprising of native Taiwanese against Chinese Nationalist (KMT) authorities that came to the island after WWII — is one of Taiwan’s most important historical events. Though 228 commemorations and usage of the Taiwanese dialect are often associated with Taiwan independence advocates, Hou is anything but. Directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou. [HanCinema's Film Review] "Dragon Inn Part 1: The City of Sadness" 2020/11/27 I could tell that "Dragon Inn Part 1: The City of Sadness" was intended to be the first in a series of films because, well, the title makes it pretty obvious. Soon after Japan relinquishes control of Taiwan in 1945, the Lin brothers face hardships from the changing culture. With Tony Chiu-Wai Leung, Shu-Fen Hsin, Sung-Young Chen, Jack Kao. These critics felt that the film didn’t go far enough in confronting the KMT regime’s brutality by instead choosing to frame 228 in less politically inspiring terms of family dynamics and romance. However, in the 1980s, Taiwan became to democratize — and its film industry underwent a phase called the Taiwanese New Wave in which a new class of young directors started making films that gave a more realistic, localized portrayal of Taiwanese life. This shows that, while “A City of Sadness” highlights the different groups that make up contemporary Taiwanese society, it also teaches us that these groups aren’t absolutes. Trying to root out mainlanders to enact revenge on, they ask the deaf-mute character to speak either Taiwanese or Japanese — languages that mainlanders wouldn’t know. The most simplistic way to divide Taiwan’s society is into native Taiwanese (“benshengren”, whose families were on Taiwan pre-WWII) and mainlanders (“waishengren”, whose families came over to Taiwan with the KMT after WWII) — which happen to be the two “sides” of 228. Content Rating: 18+ Restricted (violence & profanity) I wish there was a better copy so I could fully appreciate the long takes. Ships from and sold by Asian Entertainment (DVD). Most of the film’s dialog is either in the Taiwanese dialect (distinct from Mandarin) or Japanese (Taiwan was a Japanese colony between 1895-1945), since that’s what native Taiwanese at the time generally spoke. Magnific movie, brings to light the truth about the 1947 massacre known as the 2/28 incident. Movie: Dragon Inn Part 1: The City of Sadness Country: South Korea Release Date: Dec 3, 2020 Duration: 1 hr. Unable to hear, he at first says nothing before haltingly blurting “I’m Taiwanese” when he realizes what’s happening. This item: a City of Sadness (Chinese movie, English Sub) by Leung Tony Interactive DVD $34.99 Only 2 left in stock - order soon. Review: Girlfriend, Boyfriend (Taiwan, 2012), Taiwanese Director Huang Hui-chen on Her Film "Small Talk". The Soundtrack is composed and played by Japanese instrumental unit: SENS (a.k.a. The story of a family embroiled in the "White Terror" that was wrought on the Taiwanese people by the Kuomintang government after their arrival from mainland China in the late 1940s. A City of Sadness (1989) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Regardless of where your own sympathies and opinions lie, watching “A City of Sadness” will give you a feel for all the different ways that people, even to this day, disagree about how to tell the story of Taiwan’s past. Explore and connect the world through a cinematic lens. Hou Hsiao-hsien's A City of Sadness just captures the passage of time, using it to outline an entire history. The eldest brother Wen Heung is murdered by a Shanghai mafia boss, the middle brother Wen Leung suffers a traumatic brain injury in a KMT jailhouse, and the youngest brother Wen Ching, who is both deaf and mute, hopes to flee to the mountains with his friend to fight in the anti-KMT resistance movement. During 228, KMT troops killed between 18,000 and 28,000 Taiwanese, ushering in a period of repression known as the White Terror that lasted until 1987 and defined Taiwan’s political landscape. Soon after Japan relinquishes control of Taiwan in 1945, the Lin brothers face hardships from the changing culture. Action flicks and romantic melodrama replaced socially conscious, artistic films during this era, and almost no films gained recognition outside the Chinese-speaking world. It's literally a City of Sadness. ). Here’s five reasons. In A City of Sadness, movie director Hou Hsiao-Hsien vividly captures the despair of the Taiwanese through the Lin family following the surrender of Japan in 1945 to when the Nationalist Party completely retreats to Taiwan after losing the Mainland to the Communist Party in 1949. Winner of the Golden Lion Award at the 1989 Venice Film Festival, the "City of Sorrow" addresses one of the key issues in Taiwan's history, but it is far from a political movie. Does Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, and 50+ streaming services have A City of Sadness (1989)? Join our 20K+ followers on Facebook and Twitter. During the White Terror from 1947-1987, Taiwanese cinema was subject to government censorship and restrictions on the usage of Taiwanese dialect in dialog. The theme music is very good. When A City Of Sadness came out, the KMT was actually still in power, and nobody had been allowed to talk publicly about 228 for 40 years — much less make a movie about it. Will We Ever See a Chinese Superhero Movie? What should it be? Find out where you can buy, rent, or subscribe to a streaming service to watch A City of Sadness (1989) on-demand. This recognition validated the efforts of New Wave directors, and established Taiwanese cinema as a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. If you’re interested in watching A City of Sadness, you can buy it off Amazon with our affiliate link. During this scene, a group of native Taiwanese accost a deaf-mute character (who’s also native Taiwanese) on a train. A City of Sadness is remarkable for being the first movie to ever address the 228 Incident. A City of Sadness is a great film, one that will be watched as long as there are people who care about the movies as an art. Fear and chaos. Within that framework, you could claim that A City of Sadness is a movie about native Taiwanese — after all, its protagonist family falls into that category. © 2014-2021 Cinema Escapist, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Soon after Japan relinquishes control of Taiwan in 1945, the Lin brothers face hardships from the changing culture. S.E.N.S. Let’s say you’re someone cares about Taiwan, and you had to pick only one movie from the island to watch. Trauma. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Join the crew. By the end of the film, even the photographer, Wen Ching, has been arrested by the authorities, leaving only his wife to tell the story of the family's destruction. As such, some native Taiwanese criticized “A City of Sadness” for being too muted. Disability. A City of Sadness. ''A City of Sadness'' is a great film, one that will be watched as long as there are people who care about the movies as an art. You can probably thank A City of Sadness for those things, because it got people talking again about a whole suppressed part of Taiwan’s past. This intimate epic chronicles the tragedies that befall the three Lin brothers, and those around them during a chaotic period in Taiwan’s national history, between the end of Japanese Imperial rule (1945) and the secession from Mainland China and creation of martial law (1949-1987). Bar owner Wen-heung, the eldest brother, falls foul of local gangsters, Wen-sun disappears, and Wen-leung, scarred by his experiences in the war, ends up in an insane asylum. Wen Ching's deafness began as an expedient to disguise Tony Leung's inability to speak Taiwanese (or Japanese—the language taught in Taiwan's schools during the 51-year occupation) but wound up being an effective means to demonstrate the brutal insensitivity of Chen Yi's ROC administration. Hou was actually born in Guangdong to a family of mainlanders who fled to Taiwan in 1948 along with the KMT. A City Of Sadness OST A City of Sadness The film won the Golden Lion at the 1989 Venice Film Festival. A City of Sadness is remarkable for being the first movie to ever address the 228 Incident. Ever been to 228 Peace Memorial Park in Taipei? ). (Source: Wikipedia), Ask MDL And Now For Something Different: Historical (September), Asian Films in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, ASIAN MOVIES that have won international film festivals awards. I began to appreciate this movie after two or three viewings. The film was the first to deal openly with the KMT's authoritaria… It tells the story of a family embroiled in the "White Terror" that was wrought on the Taiwanese people by the Kuomintang government (KMT) after their arrival from mainland Chinain the late 1940s, during which thousands of Taiwanese and recent emigres from the Mainland were rounded up, shot, and/or sent to prison. So rather than being clueless in those situations, why not watch the film first (or go back and re-read this article so you can at least have some basic talking points)? Not in a full-on sobbing through the movie way, but more of a tears-dripping-every-now-and-then kind of crying. 'A City of Sadness' is a 1989 Taiwanese drama film, by Hou Hsiao-hsien. From all this, you might think that Director Hou Hsiao-hsien is native Taiwanese… and you’d be wrong. However, still not everyone was satisfied. Stay up-to-date. Change. OK, so admittedly we here at Cinema Escapist probably aren’t the only people who’d recommend A City of Sadness as a must-see movie for anyone who really cares about Taiwan. Naturally, resurrecting memories about an incident in which different segments of a society killed each other is bound to ruffle some feathers. Winner of the Golden Lion Award at the 1989 Venice Film Festival, City of Sadness treats one of the key issues of Taiwanese history, yet is far from being a political film. Never miss an update. Be part of a community of people who share your interests. When it won the prestigious Golden Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival, A City of Sadness became too famous to silence — and went on to be a box office hit at home. You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Wen Ching's deafness began as an expedient to disguise Tony Leung's inability to speak Taiwanese (or Japanese—the language taught in Taiwan's schools during the 51-year occupation) but wound up being an effective means to demonstrate the brutal insensitivity of Chen Yi's ROC administration. Understanding modern Taiwan’s history requires understanding 228 — and “A City of Sadness” is a great place to start for that. 3000 Followers Celebration. I loved the poetic full-screen text transitions. A City of Sadness is a great film, one that will be watched as long as there are people who care about the movies as an art. The eldest brother Wen Heung is murdered by a Shanghai mafia boss, the middle, brother Wen Leung suffers a traumatic brain injury in a KMT jailhouse, and the youngest brother Wen Ching, who is both deaf and mute, hopes to flee to the mountains with his friend to fight in the anti-KMT resistance movement. Hou Hsiao-hsien closed out the ’80s with one of his most acclaimed works, toplined by future superstar Tony Leung Chiu-wai (CHUNGKING EXPRESS). Deaf-mute photographer Wen-ching, the youngest brother, decides to make a stand and fight the … The Soundtrack is composed and played by Japanese instrumental unit: SENS (a.k.a. … Just because someone’s a mainlander doesn’t mean they can’t be horrified about 228, and just because someone’s native Taiwanese doesn’t mean they automatically support Taiwan independence — whatever being “Taiwanese” is, it’s much more complex than that.