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"The Grandmaster" have a scent of white flowers.

 
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nancix**



Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 295
Location: Kobe-City, Japan

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 12:21 am    Post subject: "The Grandmaster" have a scent of white flowers. Reply with quote

This movie review is only a part of my impression. I write it in English a little. Probably, you will be hard to read this.

Why I love to"The Grand master"?
1970-80's time,I don't like Jackie Chen's or other Kung-Fu action movie.
They are idlers and weaklings at the beginning. They don't try hard. They are inspired only after their family or Master die. And they stack pursuit of knowledge and challenge a mighty enemy soon.
Their battle wears many damages at first, demonstrates great power at the end, and always wins(or After wins to die).
I and my family thought that all of those movies were the same patterns. Then if I watch a Kung-Fu action movie, I need not watch other movies. And It was very violent, the woman,child, and animal were also knocked, and they were killed.
I didn't want to watch those scenes.

However, "The Grand master" differs from other old Kung-Fu action movies!!
There isn't the smell of men's sweat in it. There is a scent of the white plum flowers or other little flowers in it.
It isn't a sanguinary battle, We need not see the cruel & bloody sight, Only one is a despicable man.
Tony's"Ip Man" and an old Northern Kung-Fu Hero's Kung-Fu battle like Tango of two mens.("Happy Together"?)
Tony's"Ip Man" and Zhang Ziyi's first Kung-Fu battle like a modern dance.
Other north China people and south China people show them spirit of the citizens of Kung-Fu.
They are not a famous hero, but they discipline him(her)self many years. They adviced Tony's"Ip Man", Why? For their pride, they advised Tony's"Ip Man" about Northern Kung-Fu technic.

And sensible Tony's"Ip Man" protected the pride of an old Kung-Fu Hero.
Tony's"Ip Man" is a gentleman who respects every women(and his wife).His wife"Cheung Wing-sing" worried to he have an affair, but he praise the beautiful Kung-fu fantasy only. It isn't the general love affair.
Tony's"Ip Man" dreamed to climb the high mountain. South China's Foshan city have many river, but the land is flat, and there isn't the high mountain.
This"High mountain" isn't a simple geographical meaning, It is an impregnable opponent. Tony's"Ip Man" haven't himself's sect. Foshan Wing Chun haven't religious precepts. As a martial arts student(researcher), he had a free viewpoint.
But Freedom always comes together with loneliness.

Tony's "Ip Man" don't kill every rival,(Of course He don't kill soldiers of Empire of Japan!), Only to supress the rival's actions.
I love to read the novel about great swordsmen...Japanese or Chinese. Tony's "Ip Man" like some Japanese great but unknown swordsmen.
Some time, his smile like a curious and naughty boy. But don't despise him! Tony's"Ip Man" has confidence in his ability.

This time, Wong Kar-wai is possessed of a concept"the persona and the shadow" and symmetry.
An old northern Kung-Fu Hero(Father of Zhang Ziyi) have an elder sworn brother. He(Zhao Benshan) is a boss of Northern assassins. Father of Zhang Ziyi is The persona, his elder sworn brother is the shadow.
Ip man is a fair hero, But Chang Chen is one of Northern assassins. They meet to Zhang Ziyi other time, but she loves Ip man, she don't know Chang Chen's everything.1960's, Ip Man comes to Hongkong and open a small Wing Chun school and tearched young HongKong ordinary worker and people. Chang Chen don't open Kung-fu school, but he tearch some young barbers(Maybe they were downtown thug or Former Soldiers at war).
Yes, Ip man is The persona, Chang Chen is The shadow.

Zhang Ziyi have an elder sworn brother"Ma-san", but he He is proud to a degree. He killed to him master=Zhang Ziyi's father. Zhang Ziyi's father tearched Xingyiquan to elder sworn brother"Ma-san", But he tearched to his daughter Zhang Ziyi other Kung-fu technic...Baguazhang 64hand. Zhang Ziyi is the flont, "Ma-san"is the shadow.
Ip man's wife "Cheung Wing-sing" is his best life-partner, but she don't study Kung-Fu. Chinese Civil War broke up their relationship forever. Ip Man goes HongKong, And "Cheung Wing-sing" can't live HongKong. And Zhang Ziyi is a best Kung-Fu partner for Ip Man. They can understand to Kung-Fu. Under lost his wife, Ip Man meet again Zhang Ziyi. Ip Man listened to song of Cantonese opera at Chinese style cafe with Zhang Ziyi, this song "Elegant love dream" is young "Cheung Wing-sing" loves. But Zhang Ziyi don't interested this song. Because she is a Northern chinese, not Cantonese... "Cheung Wing-sing" is The persona, Zhang Ziyi is the shadow for Ip Man.

Ip Man can watch himself, watch the world(At the age of 16, Ip moved to Hong Kong and attended school at St. Stephen's College. Ip short stay to Japan's Kobe-city, because his older brother have a trading company at Kobe. Ip man knew Eastern and Eestern civilization & culture), and watch his ordinary students. But Zhang Ziyi because of she need to revenge his father, she can't tearch other peoples. she to make a vow. "don't married, haven't her baby,and don't tearch Kung-Fu.(To tell the truth, I can't understand her vow. If she can revenge, after revenge she can break loose from religious precepts Kung-Fu school? Why No?) Ip Man is The persona, Zhang Ziyi is the shadow.

All of person's history is a never ending story, but Wong Kar-wai loves use the Buddhist remains to forcibly end his movie's story.
At"The mood of Love" Tony need to go the Buddhist remains in Cambodia called "Angkor Watt". This time, Wong Kar-wai select an old Buddhist temple "Fengguo Temple"'s Daxiongbao Hall located in Northern chinese Liaoning, Yixian.
Inside of Daxiongbao Hall, The flont of Many Buddharupa to continue lighting a little fire lamp. This lamp's fire like The grand master give "the spirit Kung-Fu and technic" to his students, and Chinese tradition. And All the gestures of the Buddharupa's hand are different, like many Kung-Fu Fighters...
the persona and the shadow,(Samurai and Ninja?)
the interacting principles of Yin and Yang,
the positive and negative [male and female] principles,
All of Meeting someone is the beginning of parting,and the beginning ofreunion.
...The Japanese can understand such Eastern philosophy,too.

Have you come across Eastern philosophy?

And I hope to all Tony fans of world to know it. Yes,The Imperial Japanese Army commandeered Ip Man's big house. And Japanese Army hope to requisition Ip Man to their Martial arts leader. And During Japan-China War, one of his daughters was killed in starvation. However,it is not for Japan-China War that Ip Man left the hometown"Foshan".

Yes, Ip Man is one of the Chinese patriot, After Japan-China War, He working at The police organization of the Kuomintang(Chinese Nationalist Party)government, for "Foshan"'s maintenance of public peace about 3 years.
However, after around 1948, the Kuomintang army were defeated by the Chinese Communist Party forces. Many Chinese martial artists ran away to Taiwan or Hong Kong or Macao. The Chinese martial artists who didn't escape was executed by the Communist. For safe of his family and himself, at1949, Ip Man and his elder daughter escaped to Macao, and HongKong.
Ip Man kept in touch with his wife and children. He intended to let his family emigrate to Hong Kong. 1950,Ip Man's wife and sons came to HongKong, get HongKong identification papers, and come back to Foshan City. However 1951's 1st January, China and England blockaded the border and forbade peoples coming and going. Ip Man and wife was divided from that time.

Then,The Imperial Japanese Army couldn't divided Ip Man and his family, The Chinese Communist Party, Indeed, took Ip's family property and sent him out of "Foshan".
However, This time, Every Chinese filmmaker can't draw this part of Chinese history like that. Now, always Many Chinese movie's the villain's role is The Imperial Japanese Army. Yes, I understand it. I hate to The Imperial Japanese Army's immorality act too. After the World War II, many(I'm afraid it isn't all Japanese) Japanese contrited to the war of the past,and We made up their mind to keep peace.

Probably, "The Grand Master" Ip Man hope to keep peace of the world too.
_________________
From Kobe-City with Love


Last edited by nancix** on Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Safran



Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 2612
Location: Austria

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many thanks for sharing your personal impresssion/view with us, nancix** Very Happy
Seems you studied / concentrated on "The Grandmaster" very intensive scratch ...and knowledge of eastern philosophy/culture and history might be very helpful to comprehend d'oh!
I´m eagerly looking forward to watching this latest artistic synthesis of WKW...and Tony´s acting of course as well Very Happy
Helga
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AlmaRu



Joined: 13 Mar 2013
Posts: 1
Location: 3032 SE California Ave, Topeka, KS 66605

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The review looks good.I think I will watch this.Thanks a lot for sharing it.

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