Film Festival

Film:Journey to the West CCTV 1986
Dir: Yang Jie
Star: Liu Xiao Ling Tong as Sun Wukong/the Monkey King
Episode 3: Monkey King Wreaks Havoc in Heaven
Episode 4: Monkey King Imprisoned in Wuhang Mountain

I admit it; I go ape over the Monkey King and so do middle school students. These two episodes of twenty-five are particularly good. The Monkey King has caused havoc in the Heavenly Kingdom after being snubbed by the Immortals. He devours the empress' peaches of immortality and Lao Tzu's pills of longevity. Attempts to subdue him result in the defeat of the Army of Heaven and its heroes. He is, after all, a master of transformations who is armed with a magic cudgel, golden chain mail, a phoenix-feather cap, and cloud-walking boots. Finally Lao Tzu uses a diamond snare to trap him. Attempts to behead him fail as does Lao Tzu's immersion of the monkey in the eight-way trigram cauldron where he is to be distilled into an elixir. The cauldron explodes and Monkey leaps out stronger than ever and able to recognize evil in any form with his fiery eyes. As the continuing battle threatens to destroy the Heavenly Kingdom, the Jade Emperor appeals to the Buddha for help. The Buddha bets Monkey that he cannot leap out of his palm. I'm not going to reveal the secret, but when Monkey loses and tries to escape the Buddha entombs him under Wuhang Moutain. There he will remain until released by Xuan Zang to accompany the monk on his quest fro Buddhist scriptures.

Students are fascinated by the story, the costumes, and the characters inhabiting heaven.

At one point in the film as Monkey is being pursued by Erlang Shen, who has a third true-seeing eye in the middle of his forehead, the cable holding the actor is clearly visible. Inevitably some student blurts that it's really fakey, and I shut the video off saying it's obviously not up to his or her standards. You can guess the upshot.

Another obvious and convenient teaching point is the appearance of the Jade Emperor, Buddha, and Lao Tzu in the Daoist heaven. It's a great place for a discussion or clarification of Chinese philosophy and religion.

Unfortunately, I only have two episodes of this version. I am fascinated by the chapter introductions and end comments which are provided by Maxine Hong Kingston. Anyone know how to locate more?

This particular production, sans Kingston, was available with English subtitles, but recently I have only been able to find it without English. Again, anyone know how to find an English subtitle version?

Year after year the Monkey King gains new adherents in my classes no matter what the medium. I usually end up with lunch hour showings and a great way to keep the students interested in all things Chinese.

Kung Fu Panda would probably make the viewing rating at our school district without the need of parental signatures. It is an animated film that can engage any audience, especially those who are visual learners.
For the purpose of the classroom, the historical Chinese traditions of the monkey, mantis, crane, tiger, and snake allow students to compare and contrast these characters. A lesson on character development would enhance certain standards on character traits, as well as selecting main versus subordinate characters. The student would construct diagrams to illustrate the contrast or similarities. The students could also place themselves in the comparison. Analysis of these diagrams would follow a class discussion on how Chinese traditions set certain foundation on setting goals or dreams. In addition, the theme of hero or heroine would be included in the discussion. The culminating writing task would assign student to give their interpretations of what each character symbolized. This would target ideas from outside the Chinese tradition but from their own backgrounds.

The Twilight Samurai
Empire Pictures 2002
Dir.: Yogi Yamada
Cast: Hiroyuki Sanad as Iguchi Seibei
Rie Miyazama as Tomoe

The setting of The Twilight Samurai is the mid-1860's in northeastern Japan where Seibei is a member of the Unasaka Clan, a fictional clan created by Shuhei Fujisawa, one of Japan's most popular writers of historical fiction. Times are hard and starvation and disease are rampant; the bodies of starved peasant children are found frequently in the river, and Seibei's wife has died of tuberculosis, the companion killer where famine stalks. The clash between the supporters of the shogun and those of the emperor is about to erupt.

Seibei is an impoverished samurai of the lowest rank of paid retainers. Most of his small salary is used to pay the debts incurred by his wife's funeral; even the sale of his katana's blade could not defer all the costs. Since he must support two young daughters and an aging mother, he leaves work immediately at the end of the day rather than going out with his fellow samurai for entertainment. For this, they derisively call him behind his back, "Twilight Seibei." At home, he gardens, thinking he may like the life of a farmer, and constructs insect cages to make ends meet. This constant work affects his grooming and the state of his dress, and he is reprimanded and embarrassed when a visiting clan dignitary notices his slothful ways.

His compatriots think he needs a wife and this drives the marital and romantic plot path of the story. The widower is reintroduced to a divorcee, one of his childhood friends. Seibei is hesitant for his financial straits and lower status lead him to believe he would dishonor her if he sought marriage. When he finally declares himself on the eve of a fight he thinks he may not win, he finds she is already engaged.

The second major plot theme is a martial one. Seibei has fought an illegal duel to help a friend. He defeats, though does not kill, his opponent with a heavy cudgel for practicing his favored weapon, the short sword. He hopes to avoid censor or sanction through the embarrassment of his opponent which will insure his silence. Instead, his reputation is enhanced by the rumor of his victory and he comes to the notice of the local clan leaders. However the nature of being samurai has changed drastically. The seventh grade social studies text, Across the Centuries by Jaqueline Cordova et al. (Houghton-Mifflin, Boston: 1999) contains these lines: "The Shogun took away the warriors' lands and instead paid them salaries for their services. The once-illiterate samuarai learned to read and write and became educated administrators." Seibei is just such a bureaucrat; a trained samurai who spends his days literally counting beans and dried fish, the seige supplies for his lord's castle. When another retainer in the clan, a famous swordsman, refuses seppuku for the clan's honor and kills the samurai sent to force him to obey, the local leaders choose Seibei, because of his skill at infighting. Seibei declines and asks to be excused for he is no longer interested in fighting and killing. When he is ordered to proceed, he answers the call of duty and honor. Confronting the swordsman and hearing his tale of sacrifice for the clan and how he is unwilling to die for it any longer, Seibei is ready to let him escape. However, when the swordsman sees Seibei has brought a katana with a wooden blade, he is insulted and defends his personal honor by attacking Seibei.

The film indicates that this is truly the era of the twilight of the samurai. Unquestioning obedience is giving way; the honor of the clan is being ceded to the honor of the individual; martial ardour is being replaced by familial tranquility; and the dominance of the Shogun will yield to the Emperor as Japan moves into the modern age. A reluctant Seibei is one of the last supporters of a way of life that will soon pass as will he as he dies fulfilling his pledge of honor.

It is this aspect of the story that I most want to use in class. Time constraints preclude showing films in their entirety so I must be content with illustrative clips. I believe I can select a couple to extract that will illustrate the tenor of the times.

The Way Home
Paramount Pictures 2002
Dir: Jeong-Hyang Lee

The Way Home is a story of transformation and redemption that is both physical and spiritual. Sang-Woo is a seven year old boy living with his mom in the city; his father left them both several years before. Sang-Woo is in limbo, the equivalent of a latch-key kid, although, as we view the relationship between mother and son, it is apparent there is no adult in the family, only two squabbling "siblings." Mom is distant, preoccupied, and annoyed by his behavior. He is assertive, spoiled (anything to shut him up), and wants to be left alone in his electronic and toy fantasy world. They are on their way to grandma's house so that mom can drop off Sang-Woo and return to the city to search for work. In the bus on-route, Sang-Woo learns the key fact that grandma is mute; he is delighted for now she will not be able to bother and nag him.

When the bus drops them on a tiny dirt road in the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains, I was surprised that mom was wearing rather tall heels. Surely she knew where she was going. Keep this in mind as you view the last scenes of the film as grandma wends her way home from the "main" road. They trundle off with a shopping cart loaded with Sang-Woo's clothes, toys, and special foods-Spam, candy, and other junk food.

As I said this is a tale of transformation and redemption. The physical redemption is based on Sang-Woo's relationship with his own body and senses, while the spiritual redemption involves his relationship with the people around him.

I believe his physical transformation starts with toilet re-training. After a meal in which Sang-Woo rejects the food that grandma gives him and gobbles down his Spam, he is struck in the middle of the night with what is obviously an uncontrollable bowel movement. Grandma must accompany him as he sits on a chamber pot on the front porch. In the morning he will break the thundermug that grandma has just cleaned expressing his extreme displeasure. Here it seems he is literally sh*tting out the corruption of the modern processed world. When he seeks more processed food, Kentucky chicken, grandma goes to great lengths to get a live chicken and prepare boiled chicken for him which he rejects. After grandma is sleeping, he is ravenous and wolfs down the chicken only to be struck with the "I gotta go shuffle" but this time he has no chamber pot. He must venture further into the world to the outdoor latrine, but he still needs grandma to be there to watch over him. It seems that he now adapts to the household diet for grandma is renowned for the quality of her garden. I half expected another toilet scene to show that he was potty trained and could go on his own, but maybe enough was enough and the fact that he gave her one of his chocalate cakes as a surprise sufficed to show his change.

It was made clear from the beginning of the film that Sang-Woo was not a dutiful child. He had no filial piety and no sense of the Confucian order and appropriateness that was so prevalent in Korea. When mother leaves, Sang-Woo recoils from grandmother as she tries to take his hand to go home. He calls her a retard, a stupid mute, and a deaf retard while she signs, "I love you." and waves goodbye as she heads for home.

When grandma walks she looks like an inverted "L" with her legs vertical and her upper body horizontal as she slowly picks her way along. Her life is simple and traditional; she carries water in pails on a yoke from the spring, washes clothes by hand in the stream, gardens, prepares simple meals of rice and vegetables, and sews of an evening though this is getting harder as her eyesight fails. This is foreign territory for Sang-Woo, but his familiar world keeps failing him; there is no place to roller blade, the TV cannot be tuned to produce a picture, and the batteries for his toys expire and he cannot find replacements in this remote area. He must change his physical acts to cope with his surroundings. That grandma is mute is an important character trait. She cannot berate Sang-Woo, she cannot argue with him, all she can do is be patient, be timeless, and act in an appropriate manner.

The notion of right behavior also controls Sang-Woo's relationship with a neighbor boy, Cheol-Yee. At first Sang-Woo is jealous because he has met the neighbor girl, and he plays a trick
on Cheol-Yee that results in injury to the boy. Sang-Woo expects retaliation, but finds only help when he is hurt and Cheol-Yee saves him from a runaway cow. Sang-Woo has found a true older brother.

After a crying return to grandma for consolation, he finds that mom is returning to get him. He prepares cards for grandma to send so that he will know if she is sick or needs help and threads many needles so she can continue sewing. His avoidance behavior at the bus leads us to suspect that he has reverted, but as the bus leaves he rushes to the back window to sign, "I love you!" Though he is leaving Sang-Woo is home.

The film is a great soap opera that pushes all the right buttons. I will use it , in one form or another (I bought it in VHS format so I could edit it for fair use), to show the continuity of Confucian thought across a span of 2500 years. There is a novel called The Kite Fighters(Clarion Books: 2000) by Linda Sue Park that is set in Seoul, Korea in 1473 and whose main underpinning is Confucian teachings about right relationships. I am hoping to combine the two in some meaningful way.

Movie Review
I have to admit that I am soft hearted when movies portray real life and “Not One Less” made me cry. This is a movie about a 13 year old girl that is hired as a substitute teacher because the teacher’s mother is ill and he has to go help her for a month. I am always amazed about people who rise to a situation, that no matter how bad it gets rise to a higher level to help others. How this young lady of 13 had the power and strength to not only teach students almost as old as herself but also leave her comfort zone of a small dirt road village, to go to a large city and find “one” student who was not exactly the best student in her class. She had the strength to find her voice on the local TV station and get her student back. The best component of this film was that the actors where not actors and this was their very first time in front of the camera. It was absolutely wonderful. If you get a chance rent this movie. “Not One Less” I think you will be happy that you spent that time watching this true story. Neumann

China Blue
Bullfrog Films

China Blue is an expose of factories in China. The film touches on a few different themes: globalization, economics, human rights, and labor issues. The film is commenting on the hundreds of thousands of farmers and peasants, especially women, who are moving to the cities looking for jobs in factories. In addition, the film documents the unlawful work, pay and living standards that are a regular part of many factories in China. This film is specifically looking at a jean factory in Southern China. China Blue follows a young girl, Jasmine, and the friends that she makes in the factory. Jasmine leaves her home in the country and goes to work in a factory far from her family. The film documents Jasmine’s personal life and work life.

This is a fantastic film to show in Economics because it covers many of the California State Economics Standards and it is a subject that is very close to all students – clothes! All students wear jeans – after watching this film they will know where their clothes come from and who makes them. I also like this film because it follows a girl that is of high school age, so many students are able to personally connect with the main character. It is important for young people living in the United States to see what it is like for some young people in China.

This film is in Chinese with English subtitles. The issues discussed in the film are so interesting that even though the film has subtitles it is very engaging for students.

There will be a lot to discuss after watching this film with your students!

Film website - also includes a film study guide.

The movie TextNot One Less has 2 great aspects which might go unnoticed by the amateur film reviewer. The first aspect to note is that the film is directed by Zhang Yimouand the second point to remember is it is based on a true story. The message from the story line is memorable, but I think of equal importance is that the director( who can direct 2008 soldiers to drum) can also direct a smaller group of everyday people with no acting experience and get remarkable results. The film also leaves room for debate, as the phrase "not one less" refers to the student who left the group for work, but also allows for the one student who left the school with her parents. The story revolves around a small village teenager (13) who is hired to be a substitute teacher for one month in a neighboring town. She lives at the school site and has minimal supplies ( i.e. one piece of chalk per day and one book to use to write sentences on the board for the students to copy using the chalk). If she can control the students and not lose one she is to be paid 50 yuan plus 10 more at the end of the month. As with many substitute teachers, she has the initial growing pains of no control over students talking and fighting and a lack of respect for h er. SHe handles it differently than we would see....she goes outside the room, closes the door, and sits on the step. After befriending one student, the others slowly begin to treat her as their teacher. She shows amazing patience. Our heroine learns early that it is "harder to keep
kids in school than it is to teach them". When one (problem) boy leaves the school to look for work in the big city, she makes a decision to leave her position to go to the city to find him, as well as bring him back. We're left to wonder if she's going after the missing one so she can get paid, or is she genuinely concerned for his welfare. After days of endless searching and quick thinking in several situations, she is able to go onto a local talk-show and make a plea for the missing boy to meet her and return. The close up shot of her, and her dificulty to find the right words to say, is touching...to us in the audience, as well as the missing child. The film also gives some insight into the small, poor, rural China and its people. It is definately worth renting and one you will remember. It is most suitable for grades 9 and up. It lends itself easily to discussion and lessons about putting others ahead of oneself and never giving up. You could also discuss different film-making techniques from this movie.

Kikujiro was a wonderful film! It follows a young boy who befriends a yakuza and the summer adventure they take. While I would not recommend showing the entire film to a high school class because of some violence, I would encourage teachers to watch it and perhaps use clips. The relationship that develops and the friendships that can grow between strangers are depicted well. I laughed, I cried, I laughed again. This is a heartwarming film and I recommend it to all.

to clawson,

The movie was interesting and yes, it did require some editing especially when our heroine wants to see the television station's director. I was getting a bit upset when the receptionist kept going over the company's policy on gaining access. What ever happened to "the squeaky wheel gets the oil"?

Lesson learned: I will try not to miss too much school because who knows who is substituting out there. :P

to mceballos,

Thank you for sharing your teaching ideas for this movie. I had an opportunity to watch it over the weekend at the dollar theater ($2.75). The message is a positive one; follow your dreams and believe in yourself when others fail to do so. I often come across students with low self esteem and I know that if they view movies like Kung Fu Panda they will be able to learn from characters like Po who didn't fit the mold of the Dragon Warrior yet was found worthy by the wise turtle to open the Scroll.

Kung Fu Panda has endless possibilities for teaching lessons; hey! students can actually learn about Chinese culture, perserverance, faith, and having a positive outlook on life.

Thank you so much!

However, what do I need to do to play a VCD? Is there somewhere I can go to convert the movie into a DVD or do I need to purchase a VCD player?

ageisner,
If you put an e-mail address in your profile I could contact you directly.
A VCD will play on any computer; it is a CD with video on it. If you have an s-video connection to your TV, it will show there; if you have an LCD projector, you can project it on a screen. If you are bent on conversion simply Google: vcd to dvd conversion.
wyss

The Last Samurai takes place in about 1876 to 1887. I cannot show this movie in its entirety to my six grade students. However, there are short scenes that can be shown which show the customs and daily life of the village people and the samurai. The following is some of the scenes that I can use in various lessons:
Bowing out of respect,
The 1,000 miles of railroad track
Yoshimo Province.
Men waiting for battle with guns (new to Japan).
Samurai charging on horse back.
Samurai in armor
Buddhist in meditation.
Custom of eating of rice out of ceramic bowls.
Reading
Flashes of Buddha.
Beautiful mountain village which shows men working with iron
Men practicing swords fighting
A boy doing sword rituals with father.
Men hoeing in the fields and some carrying wood on their back.
Scene of Buddhist temple built 1,000 years ago.
Warriors in red armor
Chop sticks made of wood.
Samurais wearing hair tied on behind head (hair knots).
Shows Nathan reading and making what looks like a diary.
Shows the boy working with calligraphy with his paint brush.
Shows a glimpse of the tea ceremony.
Nathan learning to speak Japanese.
Shows the recessed cooking pit in the homes.
Shows planting the rice patties.
Shows trading of money.
Cherry blossoms.
Battling with sticks and Nathan finally ties.
Shows amateur theater puppets dressed. Katsu
Depicts writing a poem of the “troubled sea”
Shows the garden of peace of the ancestors.
Shows how Tokyo has many cultures.
Shows cannons and what appears to be a tent city.

A film that I recently caught on the Independent Film Channel was "Does Your Soul Have A Cold?" about the lives of five people in modern day Tokyo who are battling depression. Last year, as part of my first year teaching training course, I had to teach a health lesson in connection to my content area (Japanese). I chose to teach about stress management, and the effects of stress on high school students. This film, with characters like Mika, who drinks vinegar every day as a way to improve discipline and has broken off numerous therapy sessions with counselors, and Takehoshi, who has attended a mental health day care for a number of years and holds out on the prospects of hope and research on his illness, is an intriguing way to show how young people's issues in Japan. Depression, along with rising levels of teen suicide (an oft-discussed topic in the film) and the phenomenon of hikikomori (chronic shut-ins) are issues that students can use to compare to their own day-to-day trials as pressures mount from parents, peers, and teachers. My lesson concludes with an activity in which students construct their own stress management schedule that is then signed by both parents and students. It's an activity that left a few students talking, but I believe that the inclusion of "Does Your Soul Have A Cold" could potentially add a new level of immediacy to the lesson for all students.

jwyss,
You are absolutely wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to read the posts and respond to the individual questions of us who are in need of a little assistance!!! I included my email address in my profile and I am assuming that you have already done so. I will take the steps that you shared with me and go from there; I do have an LCD projector so this sounds much easier than I thought. If I run into any difficulty do you mind if I send you an email?!

Thank you again!

Film: The Way Home
By: Jeong-Hyang Lee

Many of us have written about this wonderful film that transcends culture, language, age, and time. The simplicity of the scenery, the universality of the moral, the intensity of the non-verbal communication all work to create a heart warming, thought provoking film. Sang-Woo, the little rascal, incites such angry disbelief in all of us because we know kids like him, we see them everyday. Grandmother, on the other hand, is so excruciatingly patient, she is only a figment of our imagination. Are there people out there with such a forgiving and resilient spirits? The movie works because it draws deeply on our emotions.
It is exactly that pull on our inner feelings that most attracts me to bring this film into the classroom. The art of non-verbal communication portrayed through such a powerful delivery lends itself to insightful discussions with students. Although, the few verbal lines that are spoken come in Korean, students would not loose a single iota of the meaning behind the words. Helping students understand the universal connections between people of all ages, cultures, and beliefs is a simple task with this film. Using it in a unit that focus on the idea that many factors influence our identity and our choices would be appropriate.
Asking students such questions as Who is he with his mother? Why? Who is he with his grandmother? Why? Will he retain those ideals he comes to know while leaving out in the wilderness? After viewing the film, what would you say shapes who we are?
I will be using this film in the next couple of weeks with my own English I (9th grade) students. I believe that it will work wonderfully towards answering those questions while at the same time exposing my students to a little East Asian Culture.

I showed my students "Where the Hell is Matt?" in order to introduce a geography assignment I had my students do at the beginning of the year. I gave them a blank world map and had them write down all that they know in terms of continents, countries, bodies of water, etc. Unfortunately, some students this year could not even label the U.S. for me!!!

However, before I gave them the blank map I showed them Matt dancing around the world to get the students thinking globally. It definitely ignited a passion for geography, as well as, humble the students because they realize how much they do not know. And about Matt dancing in front of the guard at the DMZ... those students who know what the DMZ is are amazed but in hysterics also!

JSA

I have been on a quest to try and find a video to incorporate into my lesson on the Korean War. After being exposed to some of the foreign films during the seminar, I think it would be a wonderful opportunity to incorporate a Korean Film instead of a traditional war documentary. Unfortunately I was unable to watch Joint Security Area when Professor Dube provided us with the opportunity, but I have since purchased it with the hopes of being able to work this one into the lesson. After viewing the film I realize that language and some pictures of topless women will keep me from showing the film in its entirety, but I do believe that some of the scenes could be used to demonstrate the tension that exists at the DMZ.

From the moment the movie begins, one can experience the tension between the two sides. As the movie rolls forward you can see subtle gestures from the main characters on both sides suggesting that they would like to see the tension alleviated. Through their undisclosed meetings you can see the regret for the past; they know that their “brother” is their enemy but because the war was fought by previous generations they can’t understand the emotion of hate that is supposed to exist. As the relationship of “brother” develops through the course of the movie, the viewer experiences anxiety, laughter, understanding, and sadness. The film would have ended on sadness and a feeling of great depression had the director not included the last cut of the still photo. How clever… As a viewer those few seconds of scanning caused the major moments of the movie to replay in my head.

You have to preview this, of course, (it is violent) but try "Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War" ( this is the American release). You can read a synopsis here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taegukgi_(film). A good documentary is "Korea: the Unknown War" which can be found at most public libraries.[Edit by="jwyss on Sep 14, 8:40:33 PM"][/Edit]

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing. 1955. 20th Century Fox.
Director: Henry King
Stars: Jennifer Jones and William Holden

Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is remembered today primarily for its title song, which won the Oscar, and was the opening theme for Travolta and Newton John's "Grease" (1978), which is also long in the tooth but definitely a cult film. The movie is based on the best-selling novel, A Many-Splendoured Thing by Han Suyin, the pen name of Elizabeth Comber.
Jones plays Han Suyin, the Eurasian widow of a Nationalist general, who returns to Hong Kong in 1949 after being educated as a physician abroad. She meets a British journalist, Mark Elliot (Holden), who is separated from his wife. Despite the opposition of her friends and his, their affair continues and they find their spot high in the hills over the city. She is encouraged by one of the doctors, a Communist, on the staff at her hospital to return to China which is her home; would the widow of a Nationalist general be welcome? She seeks where she belongs by going to visit family in Chungking , but Elliot convinces her to return to Hong Kong. When the Korean War breaks out, Elliot is assigned to cover the war and we know that this hitherto meandering tale is going to end tragically or happily. Who made this? Hollywood or Pinewood? He is killed by an errant bomb as he gazes at a striped swallowtail butterfly that has lighted on his typewriter. She seeks solace at their hill spot and there finds the same species of striped swallowtail, though we know it's larger than the one he saw. The man /butterfly dream tale?

In its day it was pretty hot stuff winning the Golden Globe for Best Film Promoting International Understanding. Aside from the theme song, this has to be the main reason for even giving the film a second look unless one is a Jones (an Oscar nomination for the film) or Holden fan. Inter-racial love/marriage was certainly controversial in Fifties America; the treatment of it in this film seems very tepid today, but struck a chord then.

The other reason to view the film are the scenes of Hong Kong itself. It looks as if it could be quite livable unlike the megalopolis it has become.

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War. Showbox 2004
Dir.: Kang Je-gyu
Star.: Jang Dong-gun
Won Bin

This ultra-violent war film begins with a phone call to an old man that goes something like this: Hello, is this Jin-seok Lee? We've just found your bodily remains on a battlefield memorial site, and we'd like you to come and identify them.
Upon his arrival at the forensic excavations, the story flashes back to the Seoul of June 1950 where the Lee family struggle to make a living after the death of their father. The oldest brother, Jin-tae, shines shoes to pay for Jin-seok's education since he is sickly but the hope of the family. Their mother runs a noodle shop and is helped by Jin-tae's fiance'e. There is a touching scene where the boys race home to tell father about what has happened that day and place food at the family shrine. With the invasion of the south by North Korea, Jin-seok is forcibly conscripted from the streets of Seoul as is Jin-tae when his attempt to remove him from the train fails. Jin-tae refuses to accept that his brother must serve and volunteers for any dangerous assignment to win the Taeguk Cordon of the Order of Military Merit, hence the film title, which will allow him to request the release of his brother from the army.
The action is extremely violent and bloody, in fact so ultra-real it is surreal, and follows the retreat to Pusan, the landings at Inchon of the Americans, and the linkup for the drive to the Chinese border. Jin-tae finally wins the coveted medal, but Jin-seok believes he has done it all for glory, has sacrificed friends along the way, and refuses to have anything to do with his brother. When the Chinese drive them back through Seoul the brothers are re-united briefly as they try to return home. Unfortuneately, Jin-tae's fiance'e has been picked up by Singman Rhee's Nationalist death squads and is going to be executed. She is killed during a fight when the brothers try to rescue her, and they are imprisoned, where Jin-seok blames his brother for the death. Jin-tae is questioned about such behavior by a hero, but insists that his brother be released. A Chinese attack causes the Nationalist commander to set fire to the prison; Jin-tae tries to rescue his brother but fails when artillery renders him unconcious. Due to his prison garb, the Chinese believe Jin-tae is a Communist giving him a chance to bludgeon the commander to death for the death of his brother. He proceeds to become a war-hero for the North rising to command the elite Flag Unit.
Jin-seok is not dead and seeks to rejoin the fighting around the 38th parallel and find his brother. The brothers are reunited on a mountain battlefield at the "end" of the hostilities. Fifty years later they are united again. The film ends in flashback with Jin-seok in Seoul returning to his mother and the younger children, carefully packing into the family shrine the shoes his brother had started, and walking out into a devastated Seoul.
The story is absolutely riveting but not for the faint of heart. The introductory and concluding scenes are certainly usable for classroom purposes to explain and illustrate the psychology of Confucian Korea and the destruction of Seoul, but the battle scenes are way too graphic for K-12 viewings.

Giacomo Puccini Turandot at the Forbidden City UFA International Film/BMG Classics
1999

Conductor: Zubin Mehta
Director: Zhang Yimou

If you watched the Opening Ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics you were probably impressed by the mass drumming that opened the ceremonies. The precursor appeared nine years earlier when Zhang Yimou used drummers to introduce Turandot. It was a Ming tradition to use drummers to announce all public appearances of the emperor.

In 1987 Puccini's Aida returned to the place of its setting, Luxor. Now Turandot comes to the Forbidden City and it just does not get any better, opera fan or not. The opera was staged next to the Palace of Heavenly Purity (People's Cultural Palace). The director, Zhang Yimou, pulled out all the stops. Huge pavilions, that could be moved by hand, were erected on stage to assist in the change of scenes. A 15th century Ming theme was imposed on everything-banners, flags, stage props, and costumes. Zhang Yimou went to Shanghai where 300 families were involved in the production of 700 costumes with hand embroidery. Dancers from the Peking Opera and other schools were recruited to perform in the instrumental and choral interludes; the military provided men for the soldiers on stage. The spectacle is absolutely mind-blowing; the carnival of color on stage is eye-popping.

Zubin Mehta's direction of the musical aspects of the production is top-notch. There are problems with the fact that it was recorded outside with less than superb acoustic conditions. This is especially evident on the DVD where there is also a PCM audio track to hear. All in all, however, it seemed that the musical and stage direction enticed maximum effort from all of the performers.

I introduce middleschoolers to all kinds of different musics. Two days ago it was Byzantine secular music. Soon it will be cuts from Turandot, maybe an entire aria or duet. I can't wait.

This is great! Don't miss it!

The title of the movie, Curse of the Golden Flower, is taken from a poem from the Tang dynasty and is attributed to the rebal leader Huang Chao's failure to pass the Imperial examination.
"When autumn comes on Double Ninth Festival, /my flower[the chrysanthemum] will bloom and all others perish./ When the sky-reachingfragrance[of the chrysanthemum] permeates Chang'an,/ the who city will be clothed in golden armour

This is a Chinese historical epic drama directed by Zhang Yimou in 2006.
This film had a budget of $45 million an a lot of publicity during its making which also coinsided with the sandstorms of 2006 in Beijing. The term golden armour has since become a metaphor for sandstorms amoung locals.

The plot of this movie is based on a 1934 play called Thunderstorm by Cao Yu.
The plot is complex but it is based in the imperial court of the Later Shu, which was during the trubulent five dynasies and ten kingdoms period. Emperor Ping takes a wife, Empress Phoenix and the action goes on and on.

I watched this in hi def T.V. and my eyes were bugging out of my head. The beauty of this film in incredable, I could not take my eyes off the screen. Half of the time I didn't know exactly what was going on but didn't care. The sets, color, action, special effects were wonderful. It is a real saga and if I watched it again the story might mean more to me. See this movie.

I in fact used "Eat Drink Man Woman" in my classroom recently and we did a KWL (what you knew, what you want to know, what you have learned aftermath" activity with the students exploring the idea of Chinese cuisine and its essence in the culture.

Recently I watched two movies that might be interesting to you. "Double Happiness" is about identity, growing into adulthood, family values, and Chinese immigration in USA. "Nobody knows", a Japanese movie, is about siblings abandoned by their mother and how they struggled to survive; it is an utterly touching movie. "Nobody knows" is a great children movie, with scenes of school, home, city views in Japan, and some hint of social problems. But still the movie transcended the shared values, such as brotherhood, sisterhood, family, friendship, and life-long struggle. The camera amazingly presented the body language and facial expressions of the main characters (who happened to be all children) . Anyway I love this move, "Nobody Knows"; here is the link from International Movie Database-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408664/

I too love the film and would have to edit it to show it in high school. But what I have found that in such films showing clips excits the students to seek it out on their own. I always tell me students, mine is not a film class but an English class that exposes them to different cultures.

Thank you for breaking down the scenes comncepts within the film. It is inspiring me to watch it again to earmark the scenes with the times for future plans.

Chunhyang is a Korean movie that is performed by a singer and drummer as well as by the actors. It starts with the singer and drummer on stage and then switches to the actors in the movie and back to the singer and drummer. In some parts, we see the actors, but we hear the singer. I watched the film directed by Im Kwon Taek, and although I was slightly confused at the beginning, I think this technique worked well. I would use this movie in conjunction with a fairytale/Renaissance unit in middle school or with The Odyssey in high school. It would be a good tool to show different story telling techniques. For me, the part of the movie I would show as a brief segment would be the part where Chunhyang is caned because she is faithful to her husband and will not have an affair with the new governor. It masterfully mixes the singer with the actors. In fact, I was more moved by the singer than I was by the actor. There is some nudity and a sex scene, but it is isolated in one section and would be easy to skip.

Chunhyang is set in the 18th century, and during this time period, Korea is under the Choson Dynasty. One of the historical elements that can be seen in the movie is the Confucian relationship of ruler and subject, superior and inferior. Mongryong is the son of a magistrate and Chunhyang is the daughter of a former courtesan; therefore, their love is forbidden. Another historical aspect is that Mongryong is studying to take the civil service examination so he can obtain a government position. Once he has passed his test, he will have enough power and influence so he can be with Chunhyang even though they are not of the same social class. The most obvious value the movie discusses is loyalty. Mongryong left Chunhyang for several years before he passed his test, but Chunhyang stays faithful to him. It’s a classic love story that still resonates with all audiences because it is still relevant. We can still relate to forbidden love and loyalty, and just like a fairy tale, Chunhyang has a happy ending. As far as using a singer or narrator during student morality plays, it is definitely doable. I haven’t tried it with my classes, but I think it would produce interesting results.

There's a website that lets you watch (and therefore download) classic Chinese movies from the late 20's to the 70's, for free of course. No English, but you can catch a glimpse of the past. http://classicchinesemovies.blogspot.com/

Anicolai's post reminded of a source for many of the films on the list that do have English subtitles. A number are double features on DVD and several are from the silent era. Titles include such films as "Princess Iron Fan" (an animated feature), "Spring River Flows East,"
"Empress Wu Zutian," "A Spray of Plum Blossoms," etc., but you can peruse them for yourself at Amazon by searching for "Chinese film classics collection."

One of the films that I highly recommend is the recently released Mongol. However, I want to preface this by saying that the movie is rated "R" (bloody battle scenes, minimal adult language) and will need parental permission in order to be shown.

The movie is based on the early years of Temujin (Genghis Khan), and his subsequent rise in becoming Genghis Khan. The movie is solid in illustrating the everyday lives of the Mongols, focusing on culture, traditions, dietary habits, alliances, general customs, and religion. It also does a good job at demonstrating the political prowess of Genghis Khan and how it led to the loyalty of so many Mongols. Also, it provides the viewer with a glimpses of why the Mongols were a powerful military force, based on their fighting tactics and strategy. Overall, the movie provides the viewer with a glimpse of the Mongol peoples and how one man was able to unify them under one name.

I did use the movie in my classroom, and was surprisingly well received. Although the movie is subtitled throughout, because all that is spoken is the Mongol tongue & Chinese (I believe), my students (10th graders) were highly interested and were following/understanding the movie from beginning to end.

I would also like to note that this movie is the first part of a trilogy that is being developed to focus on Genghis Khan & the Mongols.


Manuel :-D

The movie that I chose to review for this assignment was the 2002 action film Hero starring Jet Li and directed by Yimou Zhang. This action movie tells the tale of four assassins mixed in a plot to kill Qin Shi Huang at the end of the Warring States Period. The movie ends when a couple of the assassins come to realize that despite the king’s ruthlessness, he has unified “our land” and, despite their own desires of vengeance, should not be killed.
In order to finish this assignment on time and as sort of a test run I showed this movie to my 8th grade elective class whose social studies curriculum deals with the first half of US history. In preparation for the film they reviewed the warring states period and how the “first emperor” was able to unify the different regions of China; which is part of the 6th grade social studies standards. During the film students had to use their notes to create a list of both fictional and factual events that took place in the film. After the movie they used their lists to write a four-paragraph essay which concluded with their opinion on weather or not they thought that this was a good way to learn about Chinese history. The opinions were mixed. Many seemed to learn more about Chinese culture than history, which alone makes the assignment successful. A few of the higher-performing students however, made the connection between the main character’s new found sense of nationalism with his refusal to kill the emperor at the end.
Although this was a successful lesson, there were some problems that I would have to address before doing this again. The first is that there are a couple of scenes that might be inappropriate for middle school students. There was one scene of brief nudity and one sex scene. I also did not realize that you could change the settings on the DVD from subtitles to dub in English; or French or Spanish if you like. The first twenty minutes the kids had a hard time following along fast enough with the subtitles.

After obtaining the permission/authorization of Miranda Ko, I reviewed the 1937 movie version of Pearl S. Buck's novel, The Good Earth. Although dated, and based on a novel published in 1931, there are elements which might work well if used in comparison with novels and short stories in American literature.

The film(novel) is portrayed from the point of view of a missionary because Pearl S. Buck was married twice, both times to missionaries in China. This point of view may "color" her presentation and portray the Chinese as being in need of help, or as somewhat backward or infantile by Western outlook.

In the film, Wang Lung and his wife, O-lan - a former slave girl, live the lives of peasant farmers. Their lives are distinguished by good and bad fortune and their ways of dealing with each. Through farming prosperity and tragedy, through the birth of children, and through dogged perseverance, the family follows the rise and fall of events in China and nature.

Throughout the film, Confucian ethics are obvious. Filial piety is obvious between all male characters, and the subordinate role of a woman is more than obvious in O-lan, the wife.

The universal theme of man's connection to the earth and being pitted against the forces of nature(bringing prosperity and poverty) are as readily available here as they are in a variety of writings in American literature. One could easily build a series of correspondences between Steinbeck's story of "The Pearl" or his novel Grapes of Wrath. One might also be able to make a comparative case for Hemingway's idea of "Grace under pressure" in A Farewell to Arms or the existential idea of "Sisyphus and the rock" in the novella The Old Man and the Sea.

In summation, the movie was compelling and has promise as a comparative work of literature, which depicts Chinese culture and values;however, one may have to allow for the caucasian, Western, missonary point of view.

Respectfully submitted,
Walt Banta
[Edit by="wbanta on Dec 25, 11:26:05 AM"][/Edit]

Beijing Bicycle
Director: Wang Xiaoshuai
Starring: Xun Zhou, Lee Bin, Cui Lin
Screenwriter: Wang Xiaoshuai, Tang Danian, Peggy Chiao, Hsu Hsiao-ming
Producer: Fabienne Vonier, Peggy Chiao
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Released: 2002

This film was very different than I thought it would be. I thought from the title that it might be appropriate for younger students, but it is definitely something that should be shown only in high school or above. It is the story of a country boy, Guei, who moves to modern Beijing. He is awed by the big buildings and different lifestyle, but he finds a job as a delivery boy. As part of his job, he is given a bicycle to ride when delivering messages around the city. Part of his meager paycheck is put aside until the bike is paid for. He works hard and almost has the bike paid off when it is stolen. He is determined to find the bicycle and keep his job.

Guei made a mark on the bike to identify it. He searches throughout Beijing through thousands of bikes. He finally finds the bicycle which has been taken by a city boy. Jian. At first it is not clear whether Jian stole the bike, but he claims that he bought it secondhand. However, the money he used to buy the bike was money he stole from his father. Jian appears to be a very selfish, spoiled boy who feels that his father cheated him out of a bike since his father kept promising to buy him one but never did. Jian feels he needs the bike to fit in with his gang and to attract a girl he likes.

Guei takes the bike from Jian and is beaten by Jian's friends. Eventually, Guei and Jian agree to share the bike. Jian sees the girl he likes with another boy and hits him with a brick. His friends then chase him to where Guei is waiting to get his bike back. The gang beats up Jian and Guei and break the bike.

The themes this film explores are the desire to fit in, relationships between father and son, perserverance in pursuit of a goal, and how life has changed for the country people who move to the city. The film can be used with high school students to explore gang violence, peer relationships, parental expectations, and how life has changed in a country that has moved from agrarian to urban life.

The film can also be used to explore character development. Character sketches of each of the main characters would be a good way for students to explore development in the story. Point of view can also be examined by having students retell the story from each of the characters' points of view.

Susan Dubin

This was one of my favorite stagings of this beautiful opera! The Forbidden City made the somewhat silly plot seem plausible. The music was heavenly and the drumming was soul-stirring. Whether an opera fan or not, find a copy of this show and enjoy!
Susan Dubin

I watched the movie Letters from Imo Jima and was absolutely blown away (no pun intended). It was a beautiful film about a man, Saigo, trying to survive a losing battle in which he didn't truly believe.

This film did a great job in telling the other side of the battle over the small island of Imo Jima and the significance this island had to both the Japanese and the Americans. There is one scene in particular I would show my students to illustrate the heartbreak and sacrifice of war and to help them see that no matter what side you're on, people are more alike than they are different. In this scene, an American soldier is wounded and treated by Japanese soldiers. The commander speaks English with him and they form a bond. Later, after the American soldier dies, the commander translates a letter he found on his dead body to the other Japanese soldiers. The letter is written by the boy's mother and describes the daily routines at home and how the family is praying for his safety and speedy return. The protagonist, Saigo, is taken away by this. He received a very similar letter from his own mother earlier in the film and in this moment he realizes that his ideas about Americans are all wrong and he feels the guilt of his misconceptions.

I really loved this film--which is saying a lot considering I steer away from both war movies and sub-titled films. The art direction of the film was amazing. I don't know what the effect is called, but it was almost black and white to give a nostalgic feel, but there was enough color in it that you could make out all the different things going on. It was really beautiful.

As far as the classroom goes, I would recommend that my students rent it and watch it at home. There is a lot of violence in it (of course!) including a very disturbing mass suicide scene. I wouldn't feel comfortable showing it in my class, but I think it tells a very important story. I also think it is eye-opening for students to see the story from the former enemies' point of view so that they can understand that Japanese soldiers were worried about making home to their families just as American soldiers were. I would also want them to view the attitudes and ideologies of the Japanese soldiers. In this film, it was very evident what was considered honorable and decent and I think my student's would find that surprising.

This film will go on my list of possibilities for an outside research project. It is simply too violent to show inside the classroom.

As a fan of Foreign Film, I thought it was a crime that I hadn't yet seen Rashomon. So, as part of this seminar and out of necessity I watched it. The story is simple and the directing was marvelous. I think overall for me, from a teacher's perspective and as a woman, i found the entire themes of contradiction, truth and perspective to be my favorite parts of the movie. At the end of the movie, I was perplexed, undecided and intrigued. I thought to myself that this would be an exceptional film to use as a teaching tool for among many reasons- the discussion of truth.Surely, a debate would ensue about who was telling the truth-and that is an interesting discussion. I would love to use this film to engage my students in a discussion of perspective and truth. Furthermore, I appreciate that the film also introduces the topic of faith, humanity and redemption. I think that with a lesson covering briefly Japanese history at the time this film could really be useful in bridging history and cultures in the classroom.

Hello everyone! I am completing my requirements for the East Asia and Media in my Classroom Seminar and I am looking for a good film that might relate to the classes that I teach - 9th grade English (college prep) or AP European History. Any fabulous suggestions? Thanks! - Stephanie

Dolls (2002) directed by Takeshi Kitano

I had originally planned to talk about Eat, Drink, Man, Woman for the Asian film I watched for this class; however, an unexpected opportunity brought me to this film, so I thought I would discuss it here.

We have a wonderful colleague here at Carson, Josh, who teaches English, Philosophy, and Cinema, and he often will invite classes other than his own to watch an intriguing film. A few weeks ago, he offered this film to my regular 10th grade English class, so we went. I was worried that the students wouldn't stay with it as it is very slow moving, very quiet, and full of vivid images. However, I was pleasantly surprised at both my students and my own enjoyment. Here sat many of the most rambunctious kids in school, and they watched and tried to understand the symbolism, and were able to discuss advanced elements of archetypal imagery. Almost every kid stayed awake (hey, that's an accomplishment early in the morning!) and most at least had an appreciation for what they watched.

The film focuses on the characters' emotions, but the overall premise of the movie is this:

Throughout Dolls we feel as if we are observing the life of two Japanese Banraku dolls on an inner journey to escape the prison of their reality as they tell their story through three couples who seem to be struggling with similar themes and emotional issues. [The kids didn't get this part right away]

The centerpiece is the sad story of Matsumoto and Sawako. These two youngsters plan to get married, but then Matsumoto caves in to pressure from his parents to marry the daughter of his boss. On the day of the wedding, Matsumoto finds out that Sawako tried to kill herself. Matsumoto leaves the wedding to get Sawako out of the hospital, and he leaves everything (his parents, his job, his future) to take Sawako away.

But Sawako is greatly ill from her traumatic experience and is almost child-like, especially in the way she wanders off, so Matsumoto ties them together with a blood-red cord, and they become known as the 'bound beggars.' Their wordless, hypnotic wandering lets them encounter others who have their own pain in their lives.

Along the way we also pick up the story of an elderly Yakuza gangster, haunted by memories of the lover he deserted three decades earlier and generations of "brothers" for whose deaths he was, in the accepted order of things, responsible. Another strand is added to the imagistic weave via Haruna, a doll-like pop idol and Nukui, a fantatical groupie "blinded" by devotion to her. Literally!

We watch as they struggle with their lives, which have been made nearly unbearable by their mistakes and decisions. Some may have the capacity to end happily, but all will clearly struggle. This almost silent contemplative art is much more poetic than dramatically complex and yet intricately woven so as to mingle the dreams and imaginings of six souls longing for completion. [Josh's question to the students: Perhaps examine the IMAGES you see in this film. What do they represent?]

I think this film was beautifully photographed and choreographed (when you see the film, you'll know what i mean), and it is something I would not have thought to watch. However, I remembered the lecture that we had on Japanese theater, and the opening and closing pieces show the masterful puppetry. I think this film could be used in a history class, but most specifically in a drama class. Once you've seen the film, you can really see the connections between the motions of the puppets and the characters in the center of the film. I was lucky in that my students actually stuck with it because it is very quiet, but I think it can be useful both in the use of clips or the film as a whole. I highly recommend Dolls.


This is a copy of a posting I made to the East Asia Seminar site; I should have looked here first and known to post it here. color=blue>

In reply to Dr. Choi's comments on Asian films:

"Asian films has been popularized these days and I want to make couple of points of interest as we teach them.
Not only does it have content that is specific in what we teach but also it carries aesthetic beauty throughout the film but also drama that is not so 'American.'

1. That life doesn't always end happily. In life there are tragedies and suffering, that is what makes us so human.
2. Asian films is not only about the story line (plot, climax, etc...) it incorporates the beauty of nature and it dictates the mood of the characters and scenes. Many of the scenes are breath-taking and beautiful.
3. The cinemotography of the film. The differences between "American" perspective to "Asian" perspective.
4. The muscial score is unlike any instruments we heard.

I will show some film to my students that pertain to the content area I teach but will also point out the wonderful aesthetic beauty of the cinemotography of the film as it graceful and elegant.
Asian films are great ways to show artistic qualities of color, contrast and character's mood.
What do you think? color=blue>

I cannot agree more, and this is why I, and many of my colleagues at Carson, show so many Asian films...especially before they are co-opted by American filmmakers and ruined! My students have become used to reading subtitles and exploring film for the very reasons Dr. Choi cites above. I myself have become more educated on not only Asian sensibilities, but on new way to look at art and life through film. I wish more Americans would learn to not only appreciate the subtleties and aesthetics of Asian film, but begin to incorporate these more into their films instead of "Americanizing" such concepts. Students will learn and appreciate if they are exposed to a variety of worlds, not just the box they came in.

I agree- i am excited to use this i my high school classroom. It is such an interesting discussion to have and I think my students will be really engaged by the topic!

After hearing so much about the film, I decided to view Farewell my Concubine for my film review. The film follows the story of two young men who become close friends and stage brothers after meeting in the same acting company as boys. Their friendship is tested as their fame grows, one man decides to marry, and the changing political climate of China erupts in revolution.

The film is rated R and contains some violence and sexuality (and is quite long), so would probably not be suitable to show in its entirety in a high school classroom situation. However, the movie deals with so many issues and events in Chinese history, that it might prove very useful if shown in clips.

Clips of the flim could easily be used to illustrate the changing political climate of China, from tradition to Japanese occupation to cultural revolution. Some very poignant scenes also prominantly display propaganda and slogans that could then be discussed in the classroom.

Another aspect of the film that might prove useful in the classroom is the illustration of Chinese opera. The costumes, sounds, and staging is quite distinct from plays with which students might be familiar, but they could easily draw connections between Shakespearian plot lines and themes and those developed in this film. One prominant idea is that of the "play within a play" - a technique that lends itself to great discussion and analysis.

Overall, I enjoyed viewing the film because it took me out of my movie "comfort zone" and helped me to brainstorm even more ways to incorporate East Asia in my classroom.

There are a couple of Asian films I use in my classroom, so I thought I'd take a moment to discuss them.

First is Il Mare (2000), directed by Hyun-seung Lee (also under the Korean title Siworae) which has been turned into the American film The Lake House. This is a great film to use to introduce foreign film to young people. They may dislike the subtitles at first, but most are swept away by the romantic story, the beautiful photography, and trying to figure out the time mystery. I show this each year to my 10th grade students. I believe it is unrated, but it is merely PG material. The basic premise is that two people begin to contact each other through letters sent in a mystical mailbox at this house near the lake. The trick is, the people are two years apart, and eventually fall in love through their correspondence. There is humor and sadness, and again, the students get involved in trying to solve the mystery of whether these two characters will ever be together.

Secondly is After Life (1998), a Japanese film directed by Hirokazu Koreeda (also under the title, Wandâfuru raifu) in which we see characters entiering a "way station" just after they've died. After people die, they spend a week with counselors, also dead, who help them pick one memory, the only memory they can take to eternity. The movie is very quiet, and can be a bit slow for some students. However, the message of memory, and the impact of our memories, is what I take away from this movie. I use After Life in the closing weeks of my senior English class. Students are preparing to graduate and move into the real world, and we use this movie to stir reflection on where they've been and what has been important to them. I think, if your students find it too quiet and slow moving, you can successfully show specific clips from the beginning, middle and end, and still get the point across. What is the point? It's that hard-to-teach concept of really looking at our lives and what we will miss when we're gone. I also mention the play Our Town when discussing this movie, comparing the moment in the play when Emily has died and revisits one memory in her life. I discuss Thurber's claim that it's not the big things in our lives that are unique, such as weddings, funerals, birthdays, graduation, etc. Those things actually happen every day. It is the small things, the little day-to-day moments that will never happen again that are truly unique, and I think this movie brings that home to the students. I also have an assignment that goes with the movie: students make a list of 50 things they will miss after they die, and that goes in their final reflective portfolio. While many will initially dismiss this as an easy assignment, it becomes quite personal, and the students begin to realize how difficult it is to narrow their lives down to a simple list.

I know the just released Clint Eastwood movie Gran Torino seems like an odd choice for Asian film, but there are important elements that can be used in the classroom to educate students about many minority cultures. Here's the IMDB synopsis: "Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino." However, the film is much more than that simple description. Eastwood's character is bitter and terribly flawed; some may say racist, but it's actually misanthropy...he doesn't like anyone, or at least anyone who doesn't already have self-respect, or who doesn't "tell it like it is."

Okay, so why show this to teenagers? First of all, the movie illuminates the importance of the traditions and familial ties of the Hmong people. Many students, no matter their ethnicity, will identify with the combination of old world and new world that coexist and sometimes clash within their own homes. Each of the characters is authentic in action and emotion. Secondly, we also see the subtle influences of the good and the bad. We see how one moment can define a person's entire life, and how another moment can effect change.

I believe the movie is rated 'R' for gang violence and language, but Eastwood accurately depicts the lifestyle that many of our students experience on a daily basis (again, both good and bad), and I think it's worth notifying parents, or sending a letter home to authorize watching it in class. I've already heard from a Pilipino/Guamanian 11th grader who saw it with friends and loved it, and the Mexican/Irish parent of one of my seniors who saw it with her husband and enjoyed it as well.

As a note (I just thought of this): a history class might find connections between this movie and Eastwood's WWII movies, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. I think one could discuss the impact of war on people many years after the war is over. Students can relate to this as many of them have relatives who are serving in Iraq...and some are getting ready to enlist.

Okay, one more posting about film, and then I'll stop...for now! ;-)

I've looked through many of the postings in this thread and have gained many ideas of what films I can show in my classroom for a variety of reasons. I just want to touch on a couple of other films that other people have already mentioned.

Osama (2003) is a film my colleagues and I have used for our AP English Literature class as a connection to the novel Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. The students gain an understanding (we hope) of what real oppression, real desperation, real sacrifice do to a person, a country, even a gender. We used this film as part of the summer assignment that students had to complete before the start of school (along with reading the novel), and asked them to discuss aspects that connect with Offred and the other handmaids in Atwood's novel. We have also used The Piano in conjunction with this novel, and I mention that movie because the culture and traditions of the Maori of New Zealand play an important role.

Eat, Drink, Man, Woman I did use in my 12th grade World Lit class, tying it in to both the literature that we'd been reading, and also to our theme of the clash between the traditions of a culture and encroaching modernism. I will be showing the movie The Namesake when we return from vacation; this shows how a family from India adapts to life in America and what the young son, who becomes Americanized, retains from his parents' culture and traditions. I have seen Monsoon Wedding and considered showing that, but I'm afraid students will read too much of My Big Fat Greek Wedding into it...I'm probably wrong, but... While we're on India, one of my colleagues does show Bend it Like Beckham to her 9th graders when they are discussing cultural differences.

I'm probably preaching to the choir, but I do think it's so important to show good foreign films to our students. Not only Asian, but from all different cultures and ethnicities. Kids complain initially about reading subtitles, but the characters in these movies are very real to them simply because they are not the typical American character. I enjoy seeing kids of one ethnicity identify with characters of another because they recognize themselves in the similarities. Anyhoo, thanks to all who have posted with such wonderful suggestions. I am making my own list...maybe I'll even let my students view them with me! haha

The Wedding Banquet

Years ago, on TV, I accidentally saw a very interesting movie called "The Wedding Banquet." In fact, the first time I saw the movie, I missed the whole first twenty minutes of it. Yet I couldn’t take my eyes off it until it was over. Of course, since then I have managed to see the movie a few times more, and from the beginning. And every time I enjoyed it just the same. For a long time I thought I discovered this wonderful, little unknown movie, until I found out more about this movie and it’s director.

"The Wedding Banquet" is a film by Ang Lee. At that time I didn’t even know of Ang Lee and his work. He made this movie in 1993. Without a doubt, Ang Lee is the best at what he does. He is the master in showing human relationships and emotions. This movie, although it is a comedy, is an insightful study of the complex relationships of families and two cultures. Ang Lee masterfully makes it hard for his audience to take sides. While you laugh as every scene unfolds, you can’t help but to be sympathetic and have understanding for every one of those characters. In this movie Ang Lee touches on issues and conflicts, including cultural difference, language barriers, homosexuality, expectations, and problems in love affairs, generation gap, respect toward elders - values, customs, culture, parents in Eastern societies, vs. Western cultures, independency, and some level of freedom that living in isolation and without extended families can offer.

“The Wedding Banquet” is a story of a gay, Taiwanese-American man (Ting Gao) who goes to some lengths to fool his visiting family that he's actually straight. This couple, one American, one from Taiwan, have been together in NYC for years. The Taiwanese man's parents do not know he is gay so keep trying to sign him up for membership in all of these very expensive singles clubs. Mum and Dad in Taiwan want a grand wedding and a grandchild, and they will do anything to find him the perfect match.

Among every thing else, cultural differences prevent the homosexual lovers from admitting the truth. The deception is no problem until the folks announce their imminent arrival in New York. The boys come up with a plan. Ting will marry their friend Wei-Wei, who happens to need a green card anyway. The parents will arrive, Wei-Wei and Ting will marry in a civil ceremony, the family will leave, and life will return to normal. All goes according to plan until an old family acquaintance shows up and insists on giving the bride and groom a lavish, old-fashioned Chinese wedding banquet. The plan then hits some serious snags. The results are far more complicated and entertaining than anyone could have guessed.

I always thought the movie was a sweet masterpiece. But I have to admit now, since Lee is a major Hollywood director, and his fame even extends to audiences like me, the beauty of “The Wedding Banquet” does not seem to be so accidental after all! I will not be showing this film to my students as I teach sixth graders in Special Education. I think it would be a great teaching vehicle for college or maybe even AP classes. It has an adult theme, so be aware. Enjoy it, I certainly did!

Vafa Bakody

M. Herrera film review:

I have seen many films on the Shogun, samarai and martial arts. I have seen films on Buddha, Buddhism, Confucius, Shinto, the mandate of heaven and famous emperors, but I really wanted to see "Farewell My Concubine". I have heard nothing but gold stars for this eccletic masterpiece dealing with sexuality, opera and political undertones.

Farewell My Concubine
China-1993
Directed by Chen Kaige
Starring Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi and Gong Li

Farewell my concubine is a sweeping epic that encompassess much of China's political turmoil from the forming of the Republic to the tyranny of the cultural revolution. I thought Farewell My Concubine did a stunning achievement on many levels. First is the vast historical framework (which could be adapted for your students) and then about human relationships. The first part of the film depicts the training for the Peking Opera and introduces the two main protagonists as boys. The opening scene is magnificent as it portrays a crowd scene shot in sepia tones. Douzi's mother is accosted by a former client. From her point of view there seems a point desperation. She is attracted by a troupe of Peking Opera artists performing in the street and from this chance encounter is born her inspiration to leave her child in the care of some stern masters of Chinese traditional art form. The mother painfully abandons her son in an intense emotional group of scenes. The early years tell of a rich story. Aworld is created in the same short, economical brush strokes that are used to form the Chinese letters. The relationship between Cheng Deiyi (Douzi) and Duan Xialou (Shitou) is formed by bonds so strong they can be broken with finality in one way.
The film keeps moving forward historically. The boys grow to manhood and their talents capitizate the world of Peking Opera. Xiaolou, who plays tha male roles on stage becomes enamored of a beautiful prostitute and film takes a turn toward soap opera and romance. While nothing sexual between Deiyi and Xiaolou has been depicted, Xiaolou's liason with Juxian is like a hatchet wrought between the bond of these two men and their relationship is changed. Many levels of sexuality are examined in Farewell My Concubine as is the formation of sexual identity. The delicacy in which it is handled makes it accessible to a droad range of audiences but I believe still too strong for classroom adaptations.
Surviving through the years of Japanese occupation, the fortunes of the opera troupe are overturned in the vast rapids of the winding political river. First the Nationalists come to power
at the end of the war and the players are denounced as collaborators. These players become like pawns as political storms keep blowing them all around.
The film recaptures the amazing emotional power of its earliest sections during the draedful playing out of the cultural revolution. There is a dramatic scene where we see this take place when Xiaolou denounces Cheng during a red guard demonstration. Clinging to what dignity is left, he spews forth a vituperative outburst against his spitiual brother that finally prompts Deiyi to explode in response. Deiyi paces back and forth in front of the crowd, berating his fate and that of the world and finally turning on Juxian to denounce herself as aprostitute. Power scene of the movie, and the pathetic betrayal by Xiaolou of everything he has loved in itself is the strongest condemnation of a China that has fostered this inhumane behaviour. I can understand why the movie is so proclaimed and it truly is a feast for the eye, ear, and heart.

One of the worst horrors of WWII was the "Rape of Nanking" in December, 1937 when the Japanese extended their conquest of China. The Japanese raped, according to the war crimes tribunal after the war, 20,000 women and killed approximately 200,000 civilians. However through the efforts of foreigners and missionaries, perhaps 250,000 lives were saved. This horifying and yet uplifting account (uplifting because of the heroic work by those missionaries, people can make a difference) was recounted in a recent movie (2007) entitled Nanking. It's available from Netflix. The film has actors reading diaries and journals, on camera interviews with survivors and a lot of newsreal or personal film. Because the film conatins footage documenting the fact that Japanese baynoetted, shot, burned with gasoline and other unspeakable crimes against humanity, the movie is rated R. Perhaps clips of it could be shown, but it would be better if while discussing genocide or ethnic cleansing you get parental permission to show the film.