Kung Fu Hustle

I really liked looking at this film as a post-modern movie.  Something I’ve noticed about the post modern movies we have watched in class is that they all make it a point to point out their artifice.  They draw attention to their fictitious natures in an attempt to undermine mainstream conventions such as characterization and narrative structure.  This movie, along with the other postmodernist films we have watched, play with stereotypes.  They use familiar character stereotypes and plot stereotypes (for example, the misguided hero who learns a lesson, or the heroes journey), but play with the narrative structure.  They play with the typical narrative structure by creating a scrambled chronology of events, switching character identities, and providing no historical signifiers.  Another way this movie pointed out its artificiality is with its comedy.  I really liked the over the top humor and action.  The exaggeration and the sound effects really set up the tone of this entire movie.  The corniness reminded me of Kung Pow or Monty Python, and it forces the fact that this is a movie and not real life onto the audience.

The reading discussed the lack of “Chineseness” in the film, but I think this merge of eastern and western culture was purposeful.  It surely fits the bill for a post-modern film.  The Asian background was saturated with several western film, actor, and director references such as the Matrix, Ghostbusters, Quentin Tarantino, Acme cartoons, The Shining, Fred Astaire, and The Untouchables.  These references were taken out of context, but were noticeable to those who have watched a lost of American movies, providing both comedy and globalization.  There is an immersion of eastern and western elements that create both a wider audience and reflect the situation of Hong Kong.

Blade Runner

Let me just start off by saying Harrison Ford was my first actor crush I had as a child (other than David Bowie).  As soon as I saw he was playing the main role, I immediately was into this movie. I was expecting an Indiana Jones type of character, or possibly even another Han Solo, but I found him to be out-shown  by the other characters.  It wasn’t Deckard’s story, it was the replicant’s story.

It was a strange mix between Brave New World and Star Wars, which I enjoyed, but the pacing was too slow for me to really love the film.  I was expecting a lot of action or at least a fast paced plot, but I got neither.  The movie kind of dragged on (and on, and on).  Also, I was very frustrated with how little information the audience was given.  I felt like I was missing so much of the story.  I wondered how L.A. became what it was, why they chose Deckard out of all the blade runners, what the other what the previous generations of replicants were like, how the Nexus-6 replicants escaped and why they were so special, how Deckard tracked them all down (besides Zhora), why Roy saved Deckard after chasing him all through the house after he’d killed Pris, and why Deckard and Rachael were allowed to leave together.  I’m usually fine with not receiving the entire story in a film, but in this case I felt like too much information was missing.

I found it interesting how this movie both followed and went against conventional dystopian societies.  These types of societies are usually characterized as being a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being a utopia.  This movie followed a more Huxley-based, less obvious dystopia, with the citizens having freedom to go and do as they will, yet they are constantly under police surveillance.  It is the replicants who face the most danger and regulations.  I also liked the lighting.  I thought the shadows and blue tones it added to the suspense and futuristic element of the film.