“I’m pretty sure it really wants to convey ideas and feelings through the images—and that’s where the action is (in the mise-en-scene). "
Right:
“[Exiled] has a kind of romanticism about it, and it’s all about the rhythm and music of the action scenes. "
– Johnnie To
And I completely agree that there’s more than a little Leone in the film (and it gets very Peckinpah-y later on) with going to Macau used in a way much like going to Mexico in many revisionist Westerns.
Also, Jazz, you missed a layer of meaning insofar as you haven’t seen To’s earlier film The Mission ( 1999 . . . Exiled uses the same group of lead actors—Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Simon Yam, Roy Cheung and Lam Suet . . . so it’s a sort of variation on a theme).
@Matt
“[Exiled] has a kind of romanticism about it, and it’s all about the rhythm and music of the action scenes. "
So the film expresses a Romantic mood or feeling. I certainly got a little of that, but I’m a little disappointed, if that’s the major feeling the film tries to express. Is there any idea pr feeling the rhythm and music express…oh, the Romance, right? Yeah, there is that there. The movement and rhythm in the fight scenes have a more Romantic feeling—certainly, it wasn’t very satisfying in a conventional (at least conventional as I understand it). But what about any thoughts on what the film is really about—a central theme?
Also, Jazz, you missed a layer of meaning insofar as you haven’t seen To’s earlier film The Mission ( 1999 . . . Exiled uses the same group of lead actors—Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Simon Yam, Roy Cheung and Lam Suet . . . so it’s a sort of variation on a theme).
Oh shoot! I wish I saw that first. (Exiled isn’t a sequel, is it?) Hopefully, the library has the dvd.
Nope. It’s not an actual sequel and the actors play different characters (and The Mission is a quite different film). In a way it’s just as good to have seen it soon after the Election films too, as it was made immediately after these films, and it’s kind of a counterpoint to those stylistically (the respective ways violent scenes are handled, for instance).
“what about any thoughts on what the film is really about—a central theme?”
Well, without going into a ton of detail (since it’s late and it’s Saturday night), if you’ll recall, the film is set in Macao during the period of time when sovereignty was in the process of being handed over from Portugal to the PRC. Like the Election films (except in this case Macao rather than HK), I think Exiled is partly a statement about the relationship of PRC and its special administrative regions.
What I find remarkable about the film is how thoroughly it can establish the emotional connection between these men, with very limited cinematic shorthand. Many films use photographs, but To is able to actually filter quite a bit of resonance here.
There’s one shot, a vertical pan down a staircase, during a gunfight that I’ve come to think of as one of the most virtuoso action shots of the last decade (all time really).
Matt. interesting point about the PRC.
Jack . . . didn’t you say something somewhere about the dynamic between the men in the film being Hawksian (or am I thinking of someone else)? Though this was an interesting angle.
I think the film is Hawksian, but I don’t remember saying it myself. I think it was in that Fred Camper article I linked on the To thread.
I do think it is a legitimate comparison. To is more formally rigorous across the board, but he has several similarities with Hawks.
Yeah, to me the Hawks in the film would come in the handling of the professional/personal realtionship between the main characters rather than the form of the film per se.
@Matt
Like the Election films (except in this case Macao rather than HK), I think Exiled is partly a statement about the relationship of PRC and its special administrative regions.
If you can and don’t mind, how about going into this more? I’m assuming that timid cop didn’t represent the PRC, right?
@Jack
What I find remarkable about the film is how thoroughly it can establish the emotional connection between these men, with very limited cinematic shorthand. Many films use photographs, but To is able to actually filter quite a bit of resonance here.
You mean, To does a good job of using images to establish the emotional connection between characters? Hmm, I don’t know if I got that so much, but I definitely sensed that he was trying to do something with the characters involving in the mise-en-scene.
I didn’t find the emotional connection to be very strong compared to something like The Wild Bunch or even El Dorado or Rio Bravo (since you mentioned Hawks).
There’s one shot, a vertical pan down a staircase, during a gunfight that I’ve come to think of as one of the most virtuoso action shots of the last decade (all time really).
Was that at the big shootout at that end? Or earlier?
Jazzaloha
In the thread dedicated to Johnnie To’s films and filmmaking, Jack asked me about this film. I wrote a response, but since I wanted to start a specific thread for this movie, I’m going to write my response to Jack here. I began by saying that I didn’t really have a good grasp on the film (still don’t), and then I say,
I’m pretty sure it really wants to convey ideas and feelings through the images—and that’s where the action is (in the mise-en-scene). I’m not often perceptive about these things, but even I noticed when the film tried to do this. There were moments that reminded me of both Antonioni and, yes, Spaghetti Western filmmakers—in terms of both the content and mise-en-scene. HOWEVER, I have no idea what’s being expressed and what themes or ideas tie the whole film together. (I can see why Matt likes this film and I imagine people like him could have a field day with screenshots.)
FWIW, it didn’t appeal to me as an action film, but, again, I feel like it’s going for something else—I just don’t have a clear idea of what that is (i.e., the ideas or feelings the film wants to express). I’d appreciate any help.
Does the title provide a clue as to what the film is about? (Anyone know the Chinese title?)