BEST Facebook & Instagram Videos March 2017 (Part 1) - Funny Vines Compilation 2017 - Top Vines
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hi everyone I'm Thomas
today I would like to talk about the transnationalism of Hong Kong cinema,
using John Woo's The Killer as an example
I will discuss global concepts
like cultural hybridization, cult film phenomenon
and masculinity
and also how different film langauges like slow-motion,
close up, mise-en scene, led to these features
The story talks about how the assassin Jeffrey(starred by Chow Yun Fat)
and the resolute police officer Li Ying(starred by Danny Lee)
becomes companion to fight against their enemies
, not only because of the beautiful singer Jenny(starred by Sally Yeh), who they both love
but also because of their common beliefs in Confucian brotherhood.
As for hybridization, Jeffrey can be seen
as traditional Wuxia under the influence of Christianity
Props in mise-en scene
such as Mary statue, cross, doves show the connection
to western Christian ideology.
Film narrative is in fact a journey of Jeffrey's redemption.
Christians believe that humans are born with original sin.
Making his lover - Jennie blind, Jeffrey feels guilt-ridden,
he tries to save Jennie to
to make himself feel less guilty
Pathetically, the only way to achieve this redemption is
through death, which is determined by his fate.
As for Chinese influence, Jeffrey believes in loyalty
and human relationship, which are concepts
from Chinese confucianism.
Jeff: You and I are no longer suited to the triad lifestyle.
Jeff: We're too nostalgic.
Also, Jeffrey is not detached, he shows kindness and benevolence
he saves Jennie he made blind
and the little girl who get hurt during a gunshot
Li: He's a bit different from your average murderer.
Li: He's very calm, quite intelligent.
Li: His eyes are very alert.
Li: Full of compassion.
Li: Full of sentiment.
Jeffrey is like the modernised version of Wuxia
that in the past only appeared in Wuxiapian
and Wuxia novel that set in ancient China,
Although these hybridized feature makes
Hong Kong cinema appealing to both local
and global market
In fact, as the androgynous elements are often not compatible
these incompatible elements
violate boundary of cultural conventions
it leads to a cult reading in the foreign market
and is thought to be deviant
from mainstream Hollywood production.
What are the incompatible elements?
How does it transgress cultural convention?
It in fact originated from
two different understandings of masculinity
while Western heroes more often exhibit individualism
the ultimate goal for Wuxia is to restore
humanity and loyalty in the society
John Woo particularly interests in the selflessness of the Wuxia
thus he add sentimental
and melodramatic elements in action scene
to make the sacrifice of heroes to be even more pathetic.
In this film, he even accentuates them using different film techniques.
Using the scene of statue Mary as an example
after the destruction of Mary
we see the shock, despair facial expression of the main characters,
which are further emphasized
with extreme close-up and
accompanied with sensationalized string music
Then, with the use of slow motion,
we see Li Ying takes out his gun
with intense facial expression
and abrupt psychological change from sad to angry
This hyperbolic use of film language aims at
emphasising wuxia's respectable self-sacrifice
but it also makes the foreign audience
feel that the scene is too overacting.
Action movies, which supposed to be
darker and create a individualistic
or even detached heroic figure,
are seen as different genres from melodrama.
Supposedly, these two genres cannot be hybridised.
Because these over-the-top melodramatic elements
seem to digress from the norm of action films,
The Killer is recognised as a cult film.
But cult reading of The Killer
does not equal to a despised reading of the movie.
In fact, through this cultural androgyny
John Woo also successfully
conveyed a moral message with Asian colour to global market
and aroused their reflection.
John Woo's The Killer shows us another possibility
of modernized hero figure
which is not alienated and hegemonic
but can build an emotional bond with others.
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