Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by jamesgarvin (A) on August 18, 2006 at 07:43:01

In Reply to: Actually, what has struck me about Chinese, Hong Kong, Seoul films posted by tinear on August 17, 2006 at 15:12:13:

When I wrote those comments, I was specifically thinking of the film "Shower." A wonderful Chinese film about a man who operates a bath house with his mentally handicapped son, whose successful business son has come from the big city to visit. During the visit, the bath house is being demolished to make way for a mall, or some such modern construction.

On the surface, the film would appear to be about the relationship between the father and his sons. And it is. But to the careful observer, there is also a current of social commentary running through the film. To wit: Chinese society, in its zeal to modernize, is pushing out age old rituals, such as the antiquated bath house. In China, the bath house is much like the old fashioned barbershop use to be here - a place for gathering, meeting friends, etc.

I suspect that these commentaries in the Far East, such as China, must be more subtle because of the control which the state has on critical comments about it. European filmmakers presumably face no such State limitations. Rather, their own retisence is self-imposed.

There are undoubtedly more examples. But I do think it accurate that European films are surprisingly lacking in any social commentary, and seem to be rather aloof in that respect. The real question is why.