Pleas
read the Peter Chan interview from Speaking in Images before writing your response to the film. Use
specific evidence (with page numbers) from the interview to support your
specific film analysis.
Read Rey Chow’s “By Way of Mass Commodities: Love in Comrades, Almost a Love Story” from Sentimental Fabulations before coming to class on Thursday.
Screenings on Thursday at 5 pm
in CB336 (alternative location CB331) and Friday at 1 pm in CB 333: Millennium
Mambo (Qianxi manbo, 2001, dir. HOU Hsiao-hsien/Hou
Xiaoxian, 119 min.)
As usual, your film/reading response will
be due on Monday by 8 pm on our class blog. Your comments to two other responses will be
due on Monday by 10 pm. Your one "talking point" from each reading with your name and
date will be due at the beginning of each class.
The movie Comrades, almost a love story talks about the love story in Hongkong between a guy called Li xiaojun and a women called Li Qiao in the late 80s and early 90s. They are both from mainland China, Li Xiaojun comes to Hongkong trying to live a better life, and Li Qiao comes to Hongkong trying to make money, so she can clean the debt that she owns.
ReplyDeleteThey meet each other in the Mcdonalds where Qiao works, at that time, Xiaojun just arived Hongkong, he does not know any Cantonese or English, and Qiao decides to help him on that at first, they start to get to know each other since then. Xiaojun has a girlfriend in Tianjin, and his dream is to make money and then go back to Tianjin and marry her. However, the loneliness makes these two people falling in love. Things start to change when Qiao finds another jobworking as a massage therapist, and Xiaojun tries to buy two same jewelry, and one is for Xiaoting, who is his girlfriend in mainland China, and one for Qiao, it hurts Qiao. Then Xiaoting comes to Hongkong to marry XIaojun, meantime, Qiao is with the boss of a mafia called Bao, it seems that it is over between Xiaojun and Qiao, however, they still love each other, and they decide to let Bao and Xiaoting know,but Bao is in trouble, so he has to move, because the police is looking for him, and XIaojun went with Qiao to tell Bao, but when QIao sees Bao on the boat, she decides to leave with Bao, meantime, Xiaojun tells XIaoting, and Xiaoting is mad, XIaojun knows that it is unforgivable for Xiaoting, so he decides to leave. Coincidentally, they all move to New York, however, Bao is killed by a group of rogues, and Qiao is forced to move back to China because of the expiration of her passport. On the way to the airport, she gets away, because she sees Xiaojun, however, she lost him. couple of years later, Qiao becomes a tour guide in New York, and she also gets her greencard. On the day when the famous Chinese singer Deng Lijun dies, XIaojun and Qiao meet again.
In my opinion, this movie does not just tell us about the story of XIaojun and Qiao's love, and also how hard the life is for immigrates, even if that in a different city in the same country. I would like to talk about their love first, the first thing that comes to my mind after watching this movie is that long-distance relationship is not going to work out. Then, I think Bao really loves Qiao, even he makes fun of her after XIaojun's wedding, and the joke that he says on the boat about him having a lot of girls in Taiwan.
I would like to talk about the hard life of immigrates more, I am pretty sure that all the international students understand the life of Xiaojun and Qiao's better, because we are experiencing the same thing. At the beginning of the movie, when they first meet each other at McDonalds, Qiao tells XIaojun that she is from Hongkong, but not Mainland China, why? Because people from Hongkong look down on people from mainland, it is still like this now in Hongkong. And when they are in New York, When the officers are driving Qiao to the airpot, they are making fun of immigrates. Also, even Bao is not an very important character in the movie, when he gets killed, it makes me feel so sad, when he was in Hongkong, almost nobody can even touch him, and now, he gets robbers and killed by a group of rogues, and they are like 20 years old. For immigrates. It just makes think that the only place that will accept you is your hometown.
There is another scene in the movie that I want to talk about is that when Qiao has become a tour guide, two women were discussing the lives of people in China in front of her which makes her sad, I think we cannot judge other people's lives, because we dont know what they have been through, and even we do, it is still their choice, or they have to.
DeleteAs an international student and cannot be able to go back home for a long time, I can really touch the deep feeling of Xiao-jun and Chiao. You have to face all kinds of difficulties yourself and no one can help you. And for Pao, the most moving detail for me is that, when he met Chiao again, he add a Micky Mouse in his back tattoo, like the one on Chiao's sweater.
You deeply analyzed the issue of immigration, I like your point of view. I feel like as a student who study abroad has more experiences that could meet the situations happened in the film.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your take on the film and the experience of studying abroad. I've felt that apprehension as well, and it's never easy to step out of your comfort zone. Not everybody can be as easy-going as Xiao-Jun. I also find it amusing that you felt such sympathy for Bao. Though we just watched the same film, we connected with the story differently, which is a testament to Mr. Chan.
DeleteComrades, Almost a Love Story” is almost by definition typical of the romantic-comedy genre. From the dazed and confused Xiao Jun Li to his friendly seductress Qiao Li, the entire film plays out in a very predictable fashion. One element I would like to explore however is the element of time, more specifically the tracking of time, and as a byproduct change.
ReplyDeleteThis element, I feel, is best represented through the “Opportunity Furniture Store.” In the beginning, this small local shop is very slow, and nothing really happens there. This is similar to the beginning of Xiao Jun Li’s adventure in Hong Kong: nothing is really going on, and he is just getting his bearings. As time passes and the story line advances, things really heat up with his life, both in a professional sense as well as well as romantically. When Xiao Jun Li and Qiao Li walk by the store together, it is a very bustling and active place; similar to their new-found exciting relationship. When things between the two lovers start to slow down, however, so do things at the location of the store.
It is for these reasons that I believe the “Opportunity Furniture Store” is an allegory between Qiao Li and Xiao Jun Li’s relationship. In both of those things, there is not much opportunity, or anything really, going on in the beginning. When things start going somewhere, in the relationship, and there is more opportunity, then the store picks up. It can be easily seen that the store is a physical representation of the couple’s relationship; and of how it changes over time.
I agree with your opinion. That store is an allegory between Qiao Li and Xiaojun Li’s relationship. It reflects the changes in mood between Qiao Li and Xiaojun Li. This point is very interesting.
DeleteAs you mentioned, the story line really heats up as time goes on, and on several fronts. It's interesting that "Opportunity Furniture Store" so accurately mirrors the developments between the two main characters.
DeleteWhile there is definitely a bit of comedy, and clearly romance, I have a difficult time defining this movie as a typical romantic-comedy. I'm unashamed to say I've seen my fair share of romantic comedies, and this film doesn't necessarily feel like any of them. It's almost too authentic to label it a rom-com. I can't watch something like Comrades, and then watch a film like Love, Actually (what I consider your "typical" rom-com... whatever that may be...what the heck do I know), and draw many parallels.
DeleteAfter reading the interview with Peter Chan, there are a few things that strike me about this film and its director in comparison to others we've seen. There's a very obvious contrast, of course, between Chan and Ang Lee, for example. Their fathers came from very different backgrounds and formed very different influences over their sons' lives. However, it's not this difference that strikes me as the most noticeable thing about their filmmaking styles. Of course, you can easily make the argument that the thematic material is different because of the presence/absence of a patriarchal figure in the films of these two directors. Nonetheless, what seems most interesting to me is that Peter Chan seems to be the first director we've heard from who genuinely considers actors and actresses to be a tool of the filmmaker. On page 490 of the Speaking in Images interview, Chan talks about changing the public's perception of an actor/actress that might be typecast as comic or dramatic and he does so in such a way that one might think he assumes this to be a responsibility of the director and not the actor themselves.
ReplyDeleteI think this attitude toward actors/actresses is definitely showcased in Comrades: Almost a Love Story. From the very beginning, the director uses the voice of the actor to structure both the technical aspects of the film and its story. Leon Lai's character's voiceover at the beginning of the film is soothing, soft and almost melodic. It's a direct contrast to the loud, uneven-sounding Cantonese that he openly acknowledges being confused by. Both the words the character says and they way he says them, as well as the utilization of voiceover, set the scene for Chan's portrayal of Hong Kong and Hong Kongers. The montage that follows tells us about the character, but more than anything, I got the impression that the director prioritized his location first, then his characters, then his actors - in that order. Rather than a character-driven portrayal by a "character" actor (see: Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean or other such actor/role connections), you get the impression from all the various technical aspects of the film that this is a story-driven production that almost incidentally centers around a particular character. Really, the main character of the story is Hong Kong itself and the almost "love" story that's being told is the tumultuous affair that the rest of the world, notably the Chinese mainland (but also The United States, in the latter part of the film) has with this city.
I think you make a great point about the way that the director 'uses' the tools of his actors to achieve certain effects, it's very relevant with the focus on characters. But that doesn't match what you say about the focus being on the city and it's relation with the world. In addition, when the setting shifts to New York, there's not real connection back to Hong Kong other than the people on screen.
DeleteThe film called ‘Comrades, Almost a Love Story’ was directed by Peter Chen in 1996. It is a love story. Qiao Li and Xiaojun Li both went to Hong Kong from Mainland. They met at McDonald’s. And then they fell in love with each other. But they encountered a variety of changes. Xiaojun married with his fiancée. Qiao followed Bao. But Bao was killed by gangsters. So Qiao had to go to the USA for live. And Xiaojun divorced his wife because he can’t forget Qiao. After that, Xiaojun also went to the USA. Finally, they reunited in the New York’s street.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not a simple love story. This film has a big social background. You can see the time from 1986s to 1995s in the film. In 1986s, it’s waves of mass migrations from Mainland. Many people went to Hong Kong from mainland after Chinese economic reform. So Qiao Li and Xiaojun Li both went to Hong Kong for a well-paid job. At that time, salary in Hongkong is much higher than in mainland. Many people want to go to Hong Kong for a job. In 1990s, it’s waves of mass migrations from Hong Kong. Many people went abroad from Hong Kong. They thought Hong Kong’s future is uncertain because of Sino-British Joint Declaration. But many people began to return Hong Kong in 1995s. Why this love story has this big social background? I think director want to use love story to show something. Qiao and Xiaojun went to Hong Kong. They want to achieve the dream. They want to become rich. For example, before Xiaojun came to Hong Kong, his dream is to earn a lot of money and then marry with his fiancée. Qiao also want to earn a lot of money. And then they both went to the USA. I think director want to use them to represent people in Hong Kong. You can feel their changes in mood by film.
Yes, when the story was put in a huge history background, the story could be much more complex. And I felt that sometimes a single person cannot be able to change anything in the wave of history.
DeleteI agree with your opinion, "This film has a big social background" for all I know, the film's background is in twentieth Century 80, 90 many of the mainland people immigrant to HongKong! And this is a very touching story.
DeleteJust like the film title, "Comrades: Almost a Love Story," it is almost a love story. They story line and timeline is quite easy too catch. The mainlander, Xiaojun came to Hong Kong to make money and then marry Xiao-ting, his girl friend. But he met Li Chiao and fell in love with her. But at last, Xiao-jun married Xiao-ting while Li Chiao beacme Pao's girlfriend. After several years, Pao died. Xiao-jun devoiced with his wife. Finally, they met because of the news of Teresa Teng's death.
ReplyDeleteMost of the mainlanders in such a special place, Hong Kong, wish to make a large amount of money, to fulfill their "Hong Kong dreams." But in fact, most of them abject their mainlander identity. That is why Xiaojun and Li Chiao failed to sell Teresa Teng's tapes. That is the basic situation for most of the mainlanders.But Xiaojun seems different from other, he is innocent and kind, work hard for English. Everyday was a new experience. Hong Kong is a very interesting place, there is a mixture of western and Chinese culture. They prefer res truants like Macdonald. People in Hong Kong prefer speaking in English but 20% of them originally came from mainland. Mainlanders want to go to Hong Kong while people in Hong Hong want to go aboard. But now things changed a lot. However, the film mainly told a love story. Two lonely people get together but fell in love. Even one of them has a girl friend already. It is true that love do not have a sequence, but the molarity do es not allow this kind of things happed. So Li Chiao gave up Xiao-jun. I thought this could be the end of the story. To my surprise, they do not want to cheat themselves get together after years. By the way, the most touching love is between William and Xiao-jun's aunt. The half pf life's love really left me a deep impression.
Indeed, William and Xiao-jun's aunt's story is also left me deep impression,especially the Xiaojun's aunt still write letter to William,and show her love to him,until she was death.Cause she had eating a dinner with William when she was young.She was always difficult to forget about him. It is also touching in this movie.
DeleteThis movie brings me similar impression as the movie "Finding Mr. Right" (北京遇上西雅图). Both of the movies are love stories with conflicts and all happened in the metropolis.
DeleteIt's interesting how you bring up the idea of mainlanders going to Hong Kong, and people in Hong Kong trying to go somewhere else abroad. That really shows how countries, cities, and people change. And I agree, you can definitely tell that there is a huge mixture of chinese and western culture.
DeleteGood post. Also, I found it interesting in the film, too, where people seemed to object their mainlander identity. This made it obvious that people from Hong Kong didn't like foreign people coming over.
I never thought I would say this, but I actually thoroughly enjoyed this movie after watching it. Prior to the screening and just reading the title of the movie, I thought it was going to be another typical romance story in which two people fall in love, separate and get back together at the end of the movie…wait, that is exactly what happened in this movie. The difference is that the storyline involves interesting scenes that builds the relationship of Li Xiao-Jun and Li Qiao, and through those scenes you can also experience the lives of immigrants and their struggles in Hong Kong. Both have similar backgrounds (being foreigners), and went to Hong Kong to live a better live, not only for themselves but also for their families (Li Qiao will phone home to her mom and Li Xiao-Jun wrote letters for his girlfriend, Xiao-Ting). Although their approaches to success were quite different, as Li-Qiao worked several jobs and took advantage of her fellow mainlanders, whereas Xiao-Jun took a more laid back approach, they were inevitably brought together because they were both lonely and only had each other as friend. They first had a real connection when they found out that they both really enjoyed the music from a popular singer named Teresa Teng, and the same artist bought them together again after their years of separation. They both tried to move on after Xiao-Jun re-commits to his long-time girlfriend (Xiao-Ting), and Li Qiao started a relationship with a ganger leader named “Bao” (or Brother Cougar).
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by what Peter Chan said in the interview when he said that he does not enjoy directing action movies because he is intimidated by them (Page 489). I naturally assumed that big-time directors like are extremely ambitious and like challenges. On page 490, he said that he tries to make his film “more intimate and smaller”, as to how his movies are produce, which might’ve added to the success he had with this movie. He also comment on the fact that he like reusing the same actors (Page 490), which explains why Leon Lai and Eric Tsang did such a fantastic job in the movie, partly because he have previously worked with them. The way Peter Chan described Eric Tsang on page 491 was also very interesting. He described Eric Tsang as “almost like a gangster”, which is essentially the character he portrayed in this movie, and his later on works such as the “Infernal Affairs” series. You can tell the Peter Chan chooses his cast really carefully, and not only using famous celebrities to gain popularity for the movie.
I also want to add that I thought Maggie Cheung did a excellent job in this movie.
I really find it interesting how you talk about the two characters have two different views of success. But though they have two different views of success, they both want success -- that's what they have in common.
DeleteIt actually surprised me too that Peter Chan doesn't direct action movies because he's intimidated by them. I would also think that being a director, I'd want to try new things, especially things that make me uncomfortable. It's kind of like overcoming a fear. That would be a goal for me. But then again, everybody is different!
The emotions came out from deep down in my heart, and I couldn't control myself to stop crying. This is the film of love, reality and dream. It has nothing to do politically with Hong Kong before or after 1997. It shows the story of two young people who think they are young enough to not choose and avoid love as the dream of life, instead, they pretend to make their 'materialized dreams' come true. However, after their dreams do come true, they are not satisfied. When they turn over their faces, and realize that having each other is the dream. This is a soft and gentle film that in some way affect your heart deep down inside. The struggle the characters experienced are somehow showing the contradictions that all the immigrants would encounter. Those two 'immigrants' from mainland of China into Hong Kong have the reluctance of choosing between 'dream' or 'love', just like all the foreigners live in a country would have confused with and took the wrong decision. It is difficult to settle into one culture, when meet the people from your hometown, you feel like as if they are closer to you than your family.
ReplyDeleteFrom the fantastic performance from both two actors, the whole structure of the film is satisfying, and the pace of unwrapping the storyline is as exciting and surprising as the Christmas presents. The love in the film is somehow very 'pure' and 'simple' from the determination and patience that took them years to find each other.
Finally, there is only one thing to say: Among the sea of people, 'yuan'--the invisible and chosen force that connect you with the others in a particular way is unchangeable and if you believe it, you will never be able to miss 'the one' for you, no matter what happens, and where you will b.
Just ask yourself-- billions of people in the world, why do I meet you not someone else?
Interesting post! I agree with you for the most part! I think that this film did a great job of connecting with the audience emotionally and didn't come across cheesy. I also this that the story line is good, however I wouldn't use the word "pure" to describe it only because the main relationship isn't pure in the movie. The boy is cheating on the hometown girlfriend and still marries her even though he has cheated on her the whole time he has been in Hong Kong and still loves someone else. The overall story is good and gets the audience rooting for them to get back together the whole time.
DeleteThe film tells the story of Hong Kong in twentieth Century 80, 90 of the two mainland people immigrant story. Xiao Jun and Li Qiao because the same like Teresa Teng's song "honey sweet" and meet, also they hope to break a career in this new world, but the ideal and the reality gap so that they experience failure, but in the end because of the song " honey sweet" be linked them to together. In my opinion, the images of two individuals are very representative. Such as Li Xiaojun, like most northern guys in China he is honest, with he own word is “was not a brave man”, the reason of he came to Hong Kong also is not to make a career for himself, he came to Hong Kong just for his fiancée, and he hope one day, they can live in Hong Kong together. But the woman name of Li Qiao she has ambitious, her purpose for came to Hong Kong is making money, let her mother have good life. The two people can walk together the look like is coincidence, in fact every step of development has plenty of reasons, for example, the two people first meet in McDonald's. When Li Xiaojun is embarrassed for he can not understand the question, Li Qiao‘s Mandarin make he feel warm. In this case, Li Xiaojun can hared she speak Mandarin, he would be so happy, after that the Li Qiao introduce a English school for him study English and tell him how to apply ATM card, they soon became friend, So I think Li Xiaojun has good feeling for Li Qiao is justified.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I’m concerned in fact, both the Li Xiaojun and Li Qiao, they are the epitome of who has thousands on thousands of mainland people came to Hong Kong to struggle, they hard struggle, aim high, but most of them have failed, but sad to leave the sad place; even those few successful people, finally often has covered all over with cuts and bruises. The tone is dark, personal struggle in the tide of the times always seem so cannot withstand a single blow. Whatever the life how bumpy, it are attributable to the plain some people cross, some people leave, the so-called romantic, is engraved fragment in mind, touch the smile will be sad, will not return to the heavy traffic road, is like across the downtown still cheerful song, who will be with what emotional memories under what circumstances, will meet again. These are yet to be decided. Finally for all I know, this is the most successful love story in the past ten years it have grasp the cross-strait three Chinese common feelings, won the Golden Horse Award for best film awards. The An Xi ‘s script is written very thoughtful, she used Teresa Teng's songs as a symbol of age, make the emotion between the Li Xiaojun and Li Qiao a stretches over ten years feelings is combine together, feel very touching
This film's chinese name is Tian Mimi It's one of Teresa Teng's songs. You said her song is a symbol of age. I agree with your opinion. In the film, Qiao Li and Xiaojun Li reunited in the street because of her song. Her song throughout the whole film. It makes the film more touching.
DeleteI agree with what you said about Li Xiao-Jun and Li Qiao, and that the represent the other people who came to Hong Kong to try to start a new life. Not many people succeeded, as you can see from their story.
DeleteThis film tells two new immigrators that original from China mainland at 1980s in Hong Kong. Xiao-jun and Li Qiao, two strangers went to Hong Kong and dreamed a brand new life. They fell in love because of loneliness and both of them like a song from Teresa Teng. But after one day, they realized both of them are not the ideal of each other that why came to Hong Kong, they have different ambitions. Xiao-jun wants to gain and raise money to marry his girlfriend who is still live in Tianjin. Qiao’s dream is just want to get rich. They broke up finally, Xiao-jun married his fiancée in Hong Kong and Qiao has a relationship with a mob boss named Bao. Although they live separately, however, they still love each other. After almost 10 years, Xiao-jun and Qiao meet again as lonely immigrants in the United States. Xiao-jun leaves his wife in Hong Kong and becomes a cook in the US. Qiao escapes with Bao to the US due to the chasing of Hong Kong police. Bao is killed in a robbery in the US later. By then, both of them have already been freed from their previous partners. The film end with Xiao-jun and Qiao meet in front of a shop at Chinatown in NYC and from the display TV, they listen the news of Teresa’s death and the song both of them loved.
ReplyDeleteAfter going through this film, I think it not only reflect the two new immigrators but also reflects the hundred and thousand people who are leaving their hometown and struggling in a new city even a new country. It is typical than director use the citied, Hong Kong and New York City as the background to shoot the film. We all know both Hong Kong and NYC are metropolis with highly developed industries and technologies that make the population of this kind of cities have a huge portion of people are immigration. Fast-paced life, competition, as well as cultural diversity, racial or regional discrimination, polarization between rich and poor are the characteristics of these two cities, but it is also the motivation of the film.
There is one scene that really gives a deep impression. When Xiao-jun just arrived in Hong Kong, he dressed poor with a faltering mandarin. He even doesn’t know what is elevator, ATM, and MacDonald’s, he just like a newborn baby. The only thing he could do is starting over on everything and trying to let himself intergrade into the society.
I think the reason why they broke up, because they dont love each enough. also as you said, they have different dream.
DeleteI found it interesting how Hong Kong was viewed in this film. This is obviously a time when people start immigrating to other places in order to succeed at something. Both Li Qiau and Li Xiag left the mainland for try and make some money in Hong Kong. As Li Qiau says in the film, anything is possible in Hong Kong. The beginning of the film does a really good job showing how Hong Kong was changing. It was no longer just a Cantonese speaking city. People speaking Mandarin and other languages from the mainland were moving to Hong Kong, making Hong Kong a very diverse city. And not only is the city diverse, it seems to be more advanced in technology than other cities from the Mainland. Li Xiag is very surprised when he sees a McDonalds, a debit card, and a pager. This film seems to show how Hong Kong has become a technological advanced city with many possibilities for success.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting in the interview with Peter Ho-Sun Chan that this film started out only as a small film to do on the side while making a big sequel. I found this film very entertaining, especially only taking 6 weeks to film. And it had a lower budget than other films. So it’s just interesting to see how a film that had such low expectations become quite successful. (Page 498).
I agree with your opinion, because at that time, Hong Kong was changing, people speak who speak different languages come to Hong Kong, so the Society was changing a lot.
DeleteI like how you pointed out the changes in Hong Kong, and also Xiao-Jun's reaction when he saw something that he has never seen before. It also shows the adaptation period that he had to go through before really settling in Hong Kong
DeleteFrom this film, I know the big technology difference between Hong Kong and mainland, so that is the reason why so much people immigrated from mainland to Hong Kong. Peter Chan took this film about Hong Kong but described immigrants instead of local people.
DeleteIt's an interesting point you brought up here. In movies, usually a well-known event represents a certain time period in history, which also indicate the certain type of ways people think and behave. For example in this movie, the immigraion to HongKong and the technological shocks are al very typical indicators of that period of history.
DeleteIt's interesting to think that, in a very short time after the movie takes place, migration away from Hong Kong began to happen en masse due to the impending Handover. The movement of people to and from Hong Kong serves as an interesting focal point for the film and for this historical time period.
DeleteIn this movie, Almost a Love Story. it showing us two people went to Hong Kong with their own ideal. Xiao Jun went to Hong Kong, because he wanted to get a good job and better life. He wanted to marry his girl friend Xiao Ting. Li Qiao went to Hong Kong, because she wanted to get money and had a great life. one day, Xiao Jun met Li Qiu in a MCdonald, and then they know each other, then they become friends. They work and play together. one day, They found that more and more like each other, and then they decide to get together. but, at time, Hong Kong is turbulent, and they know that they had different reason to come to Hong Kong, and they can not get together foever. so they broke up, and Xiao Jun get marry with Xiao Ting, and Li Qiao work with a bad guy. finaly, they met at new york, and they know Teresa Teng died.
ReplyDeleteI think the name of this movie is interesting. " almost a love story." we know this is a movie talking about the love all the time, it also showing us about the Society. and at the end of this movie, it has a open ending, and we dont know if they are getting together or not. I like this kind of movie, to make people to think more.
I don't this film was talking about love all the time. It focused more on the society of Hong Kong and the immigrants environment in HK. From this "almost a love story", I can get more information about Hong Kong condition at that time.
DeleteI was surprised by the translate title too. I thought they should just separate with each other when I saw the title but they just get together at the end.
DeleteI agree with you on the title translation. Remember a movie called "The Killer"? In Chinese title, it is totally a different name. It can be translated as "Two Bloody Heroes". The Chinese title shows that there will be two protagonists, but the English title only focus on the killer.
DeleteI think this is less about a difference in language, and just about the advertising methods that people use. What a shame, really. Tian mi mi translates more as sweet honey than almost a love story. Of course, since the Director also speaks English, maybe he chose the title.
DeleteComrades: Almost a Love Story is a Hong Kong film made in 1996, the year made before 1997 of Hong Kong’s reunification with China, and after 1995 when famous Taiwan Singer Teresa Teng. Based on that big background, as the title “Tian Mimi” is a popular song sung by Teresa Teng and almost every Hong Kong people, mainlanders and Taiwanese was familiar with this song at that time. So when this music started in the film, people had a sudden impulse to love it and be attracted by this film. At that time, big changes happened in the country, but Peter Chen did not focus on the police changes, however, he told us an “almost a love story” and ignored the changed of the times. The leading roles were samples in the great waves of immigrants from mainland to Hong Kong and then to the U.S. In the end, the detail of the travelers from mainland to the New York City let us compare the mainlanders to the immigrants. The immigrants like the woman leading role still work hard in order to earn more money but the mainlander can buy the luxury goods they want.
ReplyDeleteWhen the music “Tian Mimi” were playing, I would be always imaging the picture that the man leading roles took was the woman leading role by riding the bike. The lovely picture is romantic and stay in my mind for a long time. They like each other, but reality hurt them. Everyone has goal in different ages. XiaoJun Li and Qiao Li were have their own goals separately. Their dreams were totally different without relationship between them. As Qiao Li said, their dreams were not include each other. In my mind, that was not the reason why they were not together. I would say they are not love each other enough, and if they really love each, they would have dream include each other no matter what the initial goal was.
In that time, people blindly believe immigrating to Hong Kong or the U.S could earn lots of money and become rich than regular mainlanders, but they did not think about whether they had the enough skills, like speaking English, to acclimatize the modern society. Hong Kong and the U.S are more developed, after all, than mainland in twentieth century.
They were just friends at the beginning and Li Qiao confirmed not only their dreams were not include each other but also because Xiao Jun had his wife in mainland, I agree with you said “they are not love each other enough, and if they really love each, they would have dream include each other no matter what the initial goal was” and it is true, they get together at the end.
DeleteComrades: Almost a Love Story (1994) is a film directed by Peter Chan. The story follows two Chinese mainlanders as they try to settle down in Hong Kong and follow their dreams, spanning almost a decade. The male lead, Li Xiao-Jun, is naive but honest and hardworking. His goal is to simply settle down and possibly build a life for himself and his sweetheart from backhome. The female lead, Li Qiao, on the other hand, is manipulative and ambitious, seeking to make a fortune for herself beyond all else. Over the course of their time together, the two become good friends. Their friendship eventually develop into romance, spawning an affair. For a while, things are going well for them; they're starting to make money in the big city. Once Li Qiao could no longer justify the relationship as "just friends", given Li Xiao-Jun's prior commitment to another, she breaks off with Li Xiao-Jun entirely. The two go their separate ways for a while. Fast forward, Li Qiao eventually marries a crime boss and starts her own successful business. Li Xiao-Jun is joined by his sweetheart, Yang, who moved to the city to be with him, and who he eventually marries. Li Qiao and Li Xiao-Jun are very obviously still in love, and they commit one last act of adultery before deciding to come clean. Li Xiao-Jun breaks the news with his newly wed wife, and they separate. Li Qiao, however, departs with her husband, who is now a wanted man, to Taiwan. Li Xiao-Jun is left waiting in the rain. Years later, the two meet again in New York City during a TV announcement of the death of Teresa Tang.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I would. It feels very genuine and grounded, with some very good lead actors. There are a few interesting scenes in this film that works well with the overall structure of the film. One example are the ATM scenes, which serve as a sort of milestone for the film. Each time, we get a POV short from the ATM screen, and we can see the difference in clothing as the film transitions from the 80s to the 90s. We know if they have been successful by their ATM balance; even the way they walk across the storefront tells us about their state of contentness. It is a very clever use of repetition to keep the audience on track. Teresa Tang as a subplot was also rather interesting; she is a recurring element from the beginning of the film, when they tried to sell her music tapes, until her death in 1996, which also marked the lead couple's reunion in New York. Eric Tsang, the actor who played the crime boss, is usually typecasted as a comic, according to Peter Chan. He performed surprisingly well in this role as a crime boss in this film, in my opinion, which may be the reason he continues to play crime bosses in other successful films such as Infernal Affairs.
The “Comrades, Almost A Love” is not only the name of a film but also the name of a song. This is not a typical romantic film and talks about like 5 different loves in different relationships. It is with the song “comrades, almost a love” as the main clue, tells us about two outlanders, Xiao Jun Li and Qiao Li, come to HongKong to make money and finish their dream and changes in 10 years.
ReplyDeleteLi Qiao works in McDonald’s, where she met Xiao Jun, she works really hard and gets many part-time jobs, the only thing she wants is to build her house for her mom. Xiao Jun comes from Guangdong and he can’t speak both Cantonese and English. It is really hard for him to live in Hong Kong. People here in Hong Kong seem dislike mainland Chinese and all Chinese hide their identity. This is why Li Qiao failed when she sell the Teresa Teng records, people in Hong Kong dislike it and if some like Teresa Teng’s songs, it represents he is Chinese from mainland.
I admire Peter Chan’s talent. He puts 6 different love and shows to us. The love between Li Qiao and Xiao Jun. The love between Xiao Jun and his ex-wife in mainland. The love between Li Qiao and gangland guy. The love between Xiao Jun his aunt and William H although it does exist. The love between Jamie and Thai prostitutes. I was thinking what the real love is when I watch this film and I believe these are all real love. I love the ending, Li Qiao and Xiao Jun meet each other while the radio broadcast Teresa's death.
I did not know that the title of the film was also the name of a song. Interesting tidbit.
DeleteI found "Comrades: Almost a Love Story" a great movie. I thought it to be a little odd at times, as in the very end, when I wasn't sure what exactly was happening. Regardless of that, the overall movie was a hit for me. However, I did think the movie was very Chinese, but after reading the interview and noticing that he tried to make movies American style all of his producing career, so I found that this movie didn't suit that standard in my opinion (489).
ReplyDeleteThis movie at two different instances reminded me of the ending of The Killer where the lovers have pass each other and have missed encounters. As in when the boy is riding his bike around America and the girl sees him, runs after him, then loses him while he passes her by without a clue. I also think that this scene plays a huge part in the naming of the movie ALMOST a love story.
I also think it is important to note how Hong Kong and a small amount of America were the only places shown in the film and how much the mainland was mentioned as this 3rd world country compared to Hong Kong but never shown on film. The image Hong Kong with the previous statement alone made this movie a classic Hong Kong film, not so much American as I also mentioned earlier.
that is an interesting observation between american and chinese style of filming. i would have to watch it again to catch those instances where he tries implement the american style
Delete"Comrades, Almost A Love Story" does a successful job in depicting the power dynamics that occur due to language. At first, Li Xiao-Jun is rather shy and lacks the confidence and ability to speak fluently, as depicted by the interactions with Li Qiao at McDonalds. Li-Xiao Jun remains soft spoken and hesitant to speak in Cantonese, thereby making Li Qiao have the upper hand. However, when Li Qiao speaks in Mandarin, Li Xiao-Jun immediately speaks quickly and with confidence. Language thus becomes a factor in peoples' power dynamics. Although simply working at McDonalds and barely able to speak English, Li Qiao impresses the naive Li Xiao Jun on his first arrival. Later, as Li Xiao Jun learns more Cantonese, he speaks with much more grace and becomes more confident.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, repetition of music is portrayed in the film. The sad, melancholy jazz music sets the mood and allows the audience to understand what emotions to feel during the film. For instance, when Li Qiao loses all her money in the stock market crash, the music initiates. Later, the music returns when Pao dies.
Very astute observation about the music. I myself need to pay better attention to the details like that. I'm all too quick to take for granted the effect things such as that can have on my feel for the film, especially when played in repetition.
Deletethat was a good observation on the music. I did not notice that there was the same music playing at different parts of the movie
Deleteit is interesting that I realize the Jazz music is a important part in mood and good communication with audience.
DeleteEach week I keep watching these romance films and my expectations (unjustifiably) low. This could be a good thing, because I have been greatly entertained by the last two films, and I even enjoyed Comrades more so than Eat Drink Man Woman. Peter Chan captures the gritty realism of the big city so vividly. I almost felt like I was back in smoggy northwestern Beijing for a fleeting moment. The whole movie was brilliant from beginning to end. No one character dominated the story line, and I thought the character Li Xiao-Jun was a perfect portrayal of a clueless mainlander, not quite wary of the way life works in a bustling metropolis like Hong Kong. The music was wonderful, the piano felt light, airy, and lent a certain innocence to the film. Much like Eat Drink Man Woman, the actors seem so genuine, and it's this authenticity that really establishes the connection I get with the actors.
ReplyDeleteThere is never too much happening on the screen at one time, which allowed me to really focus on the emotion of each scene. I believe Mr. Chan intended to have this effect. He states in his interview: "..I try to make my films smaller and more intimate so there are only a few people on the set (490)."
I thought this had a profound effect on the film, and I really enjoyed the narrative style, it was something I don't see often in films. The main characters were polar opposites. For Li Qiao, she was burdened by societal pressures to possess money and power. I don't think she knew exactly what she truly desired until the end of the movie. This attitude towards materialism is still very prevalent in Asia today (young SE Asians are the future of the luxury goods market). So much to say about this excellent film, that I'm definitely going to be brainstorming more paper topics.
I like that you brought up the piano and background music in the moive, I am also someone who will be touched by the music of a move. And I totally agree with you that genuine acting skills and simple easy set ups are very rare in nowadays movies which I personally think are very touching elements in films.
DeleteI agree with you on Li Qiao. For those girls, it is not their natural instincts to be materialistic, but the social morality of persuading materials and luxuries has affected young generation. In other word, even though one might not be materialistic, he/ she might be affected by people around them.
DeleteThis movie is really interesting. As someone who has studied abroad in China and found myself at times the guy who doesn't know what's going on due to language and also found myself the guy who serving as the only language outlet for others in a strange place, I felt a connection to the movie on some level. This movie tackled rather serious issues such as communication, moving away from home, and relationships in a cute laid-back way (of course the tags cute and laid-back can only go so far as the film forays into rather serious themes---notably as their love affair begins to catch up with their obligations and their lives lead them to the USA).
ReplyDeleteIn his interview, Peter Chan mentions of directing action films (something which he hasn't done according to the interview): "I don't like the power. Which is something I think is very different from most directors." Although he may be talking about action films here, I got a 'feeling' that he is that kind of person by watching "Comrades, Almost a Love Story." Obviously, he has experience moving around to different places, and for the people who are in that situation it IS a rather big deal. He manages to take such a serious theme as that, combines it with love affairs, power dynamics, heartbreak, and sometimes hard to swallow circumstances and present us with such a film that has a friendly humble feeling. I feel like Peter Chan's personality resonates in the film and through his characters.
That is an interesting observation. The film radiates personality for sure and I like his emphasis on human circumstances.
DeleteThis is my first time to watch this move, “Comrades: Almost a Love Story”, and there are twice moved from my mind. Firstly, the move is not to miss and encounter between Maggie Cheung and Li Ming .but in order to that Mickey Mouse’ tattoo of abrupt in Bao Ge, Eric Tsang.
ReplyDeleteHe is a man whose love Maggie Cheung also. In the start, he just a massage guest of her. on the camera, there is single tattoo, not so long ago, there is a Mickey Mouse of warmth too many in the tattoo of underworld, he show this tattoo for her, which is to make her laugh. There is full of kindness and tolerance in form of underworld eldest. Then he left Hong Kong, and stranded penniless in a strange city, but he still don’t want to be afraid of incriminating her, but she goes to found him for loyalty. Thus he said: the silly girl, don’t be afraid, a lot of man crowed the street, I have a lot of wife, there is one in Kaohsiung, there is another one in Taichung …So , she was moved, and live a vagabond life with him. In the street of the United States, he had to buy a food for him, and he has less domineering rather than young, I guess the reason is have come down in the world. But he also is careful. In addition, she is not camouflage in front of him, perhaps she still have some the family, or the loyalty, but when she go to identify a corps, and suddenly smiled grimly, and burst into tears, then she is down and backed by the tree, that tree is full of a sense of security, the reason is not he have a lot of money, he is good at kill people, also not he is the underworld, but he loves her with a man’s way.
The second scene, on the street, which is the rush of Modern Street, of the United States. Li Qiao who will have already been repatriated suddenly sees Li XiaoJun of riding a bike. Then he jumped out of the car , and ran to him, thus he walked up one street and across another. She has been lost vision for her repatriation. However, every time he just need a bit change then can say him, thus she brushed past him. The camera is dim with the back of Li Xiaojun. Of course, this is a inserted link by the director. Because it can becomes a kind of unpredictable, the fate of the tease, your cherish always lost in your pursuit, and it will be show in your walks of peace.
Next time, I don’t know what I will move for. Lastly, I want to say ,“Comrades: Almost a Love Story”, which is a good movie.
“Comrades: Almost a Love Story” is most famed love story movie from Hong Kong directed by Peter Chan. Xiaojun Li was an immigrant from mainland China, and he met Qiao Li who were also from mainland. Two of then soon fell in love with each other, but later on they figured out they were not the right person of each other. At the end of movie, they met with each other again in New York City due to the reunification of Hong Kong. This movie isn’t just about the love story between Xiaojun Li and QIao Li, it also represents the life of early immigrants from mainland China, and Hong Kong people who immigrated to foreign countries because they felt unoptimistic of Hong Kong’s future.
ReplyDeleteOne scene I would like to analyze is that when Xiaojun Li wrote a letter to Xiao Ting, who was his girlfriend back in mainland China, he wrote “Dear Xiao Ting, I have found a job; it is about transporting stuffs, not a hard labor at all. It offers me 2000 Hong Kong dollar, and there is also bonus money, not bad at all isn't it? Party cadres don’t even make as much money as I do”. Even though Xiaojun spoke Cantonese very poorly and didn't speak English at all, he didn't tell his girlfriend his hardship at all. It fits the culture norms of most Chinese immigrants and students in foreign countries which only tell friends and families back in China about their good news. I think Peter Chan presented the lives of immigrants very well. It can be linked to his early life experience. He immigrated to Thailand with his family when he was only 12 and came to United States for movie study. It is not surprise that he has a deep understanding of immigrants.
I tried to post this earlier, but apparently my Ipad won't post to blogger. Here's my response now that I'm home though.
ReplyDeleteComrades; Almost a love story is such a roiling mess of emotions that I couldn't help getting sucked in. Loneliness, hope, homesickness, passion, loyalty and all the questions they bring with them make for a strong love story about two people who prioritize other things over their personal desire.
I was very struck by the second reading this week, that dealt with the ATM scene, where the camera displays the view from the machine's perspective. It's an odd perspective, and really dislocates the viewer. The reading mentions an argument claiming that Li Qiao's relationship with the ATM is almost erotic (pg107), and I'm not sure I completely agree. Not everything you keep secret is sexual. But it also talks about the role of commodities in the relationships the film portrays. Items become important in every relationship, the Buddhas, the items from the restaurant, the McDonalds letters are all parts of the culture the film was shot in, but I wonder if that was a conscious decision to include as the author implies, or if that was simply part of the world the film was shot in. If you'll recall, in Rouge, the gift of new sneakers is a symbol that shows the care two characters have for each other and helps to convey that relationship to the viewer. Are not the items in this film performing the same function?
I agree that the ATM analyzed as erotic was somewhat strange. I also think that the film does a good job at combining various different themes into one poignant film.
DeleteI'm also curious about the connection of eroticism to the ATM, but I didn't read it as being derived from secrecy, but rather the possibilities that the ATM offers to those like Li Qiao who wish to take advantage of the ambitiousness of Hong Kong's economy (it mentions speculation and her comment about it being the native product of Hong Kong, etc). I thought that the different readings of her 'relationship' to the ATM were interesting.
DeleteNone of my things posted for some reason. I dont know why but here they are again.
ReplyDeleteAt first i didnt quite know what to expect but Comrads turned out to be a decent movie. A light hearted love story about two lovers Li Xiao Jun who is new to Hong Kong and Li Qiao. They first meet at a McDonalds when Li Xiao, who barely speaks any Cantonese finds out that Li Qiao speaks Mandarin and their relationship starts growing from there.
After reading the interview with Peter Chan, i feel like He was not a very confident director. In his interview he would say things like he was intimidated by action films.(489) and that he didn't think that He was very funny or had good judgement on what was funny when picking scenes out. i think he should have more confidence because i thought that Comrads; Almost a Love Story is a good film and had lots of humorous points to it. He says that he doesn't like having that much "power" handling all thous people in action movies but it is also alot more responsibility and it seems like hes a little afraid of that. I dont think he should always stick to what he's comfortable with.
i like his idea apporach the action film. he dont like power and people around him. he want to let his thought comes out and dont want other people influence him
Delete"When Chan was eleven, his family relocated to Thailand, where he was educated at the Adventist English School before going stateside to study film at Glendale College in Los Angeles" (485).
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost I greatly see the director's life influencing his films. The movie portrays two mainlanders who leave their homes behind. Chan himself had that experience, therefore he gives a very believable perspective. The film tells the story of a forbidden, missed love. At moments the movie was unbearably emotional which kept my attention throughout. The moment when Pao was murdered was particularly powerful
I have just finished watching it. The emotions came out from deep down in my heart, and I couldn't control myself to stop crying. This is the film of love, reality and dream. It has nothing to do politically with HongKong before or after 1997. It shows the story of two young people who think they are young enough to not choose and avoid love as the dream of life, instead, they pretend to make their 'materialised dreams' come true. However, after their dreams do come true, they are not satisfied. When they turn over their faces, and realise that having each other is the dream. This is a soft and gentle film that in some way affect your heart deep down inside. The struggle the characters experienced are somehow showing the contradictions that all the immigrants would encounter. Those two 'immigrants' from mainland of China into HongKong have the reluctance of choosing between 'dream' or 'love', just like all the foreigners live in a country would have confused with and took the wrong decision. It is difficult to settle into one culture, when meet the people from your hometown, you feel like as if they are closer to you than your family.
ReplyDeleteFrom the fantastic performance from both two actors, the whole structure of the film is satisfying, and the pace of unwrapping the storyline is as exciting and surprising as the Christmas presents. The love in the film is somehow very 'pure' and 'simple' from the determination and patience that took them years to find each other.
Finally, there is only one thing to say: Among the sea of people, 'yuan'--the invisible and chosen force that connect you with the others in a particular way is unchangeable and if you believe it, you will never be able to miss 'the one' for you, no matter what happens, and where you will be.
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