Chûgoku no chôjin

I've seen this Japanese movie on the 48th Melbourne International Film Festival. It is such one of the great films I have seen. I think the novel should be a good starting point of this film. It is the story about Japanese business, development, money and high technology to a far far away village in Yunnan, China. Certainly, some people argue that pure nature would be destroy and they can do anything to against the project of development. The researcher team difficultly get there. When they finally are in the village, people there are very nice. The villagers believe that their ancestor could fly. What is the truth that the team discover? Go to watch this movie. You are going to know then.

Anyway, I wouldn't love this film if the end wasn't like this. You need to see this perfect end by yourself. There is no word to explain. As well, you need to go to listen to the theme song. It makes me mad about the sadness of the character.

Takashi Miike is the living definition of the word "indefatigable". In a career that began in the early 1990s, he has directed a staggering number of films in a mind-boggling array of different genres, from horror to family films, even a musical (!); but Miike is probably best known for his Yakuza (Japanese gangster) films. The likes of FUDOH, ICHI, and DEAD OR ALIVE, with their over-the-top violence and surreal (often disgusting) setpieces, are Miike's chief claim to fame. In one respect that's a pity, because every once in a while, Miike will produce a wild card, and BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA is a film that fits into that latter category. The man character is a young Japanese executive named Mr. Wada (Masahiro Motoki), who is sent by his boss to a remote region in the wilds of China to survey a supposedly rich jade mine. He is joined on his trip by a Yakuza named Ujiie (Renji Ishibashi), who plans on taking the jade as payment for some outstanding debts on the part of Wada's boss. After they are taken as far as the train will go, Wada and Ujiie are met by their guide, the absent-minded Mr. Shen (scene-stealer Mako), who takes them through the rugged, unsettled terrain of rural China, first on foot, and then on a raft pulled by several huge sea turtles. When the three men finally reach their destination, a village left untouched by the ravages of industrialization, Wada and Ujiie have a few epiphanies that will prove to make leaving rather difficult. It sounds like a simple story, and it is, but there's something about this film that makes it great, but that I find hard to articulate. No doubt the startlingly beautiful cinematography by Hideo Yamamoto has a lot to do with the film's hypnotic quality. And then there's the genuinely touching story of two men who discover a whole other side to themselves that they were never previously aware existed. And finally, the film's deft blend of genres is seamless: it shifts gears from a screwball/buddy comedy to a jungle-bound adventure to an existential rumination on identity and civilization, finally ending on a dream-like note of perfect serenity. There is one scene of Yakuza violence that seems inserted to remind us that we're watching a Miike film, but it's fleeting and, compared to some of what can be found elsewhere in his films, it's utterly tame and inoffensive. There's also an ecological message packed into the mix. So, final verdict: for fans of Miike who wonder what else the man is capable of, I highly recommend BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA, surely the gentlest and most poignant of all the man's movies (at least that I've seen). For the truly open-minded aficionado, there is much to be enjoyed here.

Another gorgeous film from Miike (is it the filters, film stock, or the Chinese landscape that makes it all so visually engrossing?) that trades in incessant, sensationalistic violence for light-hearted (relatively speaking) fantasy. Which is not to say that Chûgoku no chôjin avoids heavy social topics while maintaining its calm demeanor: the inevitable encroachment of civilization, and the assimilation/annihilation of traditional rituals and beliefs in the sweep of modern culture are issues thoughtfully explored along with arresting images of unspoiled Chinese vistas by frequent Miike collaborator Hideo Yamamoto. An unusually pensive yet rewarding experiment from Miike, and one that continues to prove there is much to his oeuvre besides global destruction, excruciating torture scenes, and zombie dance numbers.

A businessman is sent to a remote village to investigate a jade mine. He's joined by a debt-collect Yakuza. But what they find is much more valuable. I can't really go into any more detail though. Partly because I don't wish to spoil one single moment of the magic or wander of this great film and partly because even if I were to go into detail my mere words wouldn't do it justice. The is a film you have to watch, nay, experience for yourself. Do NOT go into it expecting over-the-top violence, graphic deviant sexuality, or any of the other ingredients of more well known Takashi Miike films as this is more than that MUCH more. One of, if not THE best film in Miike's quite impressive extensive cannon.

My Grade: A

DVD Extras: Commentary by Miike expert, Tom Mes; Takashi Miike interview; Bio/Filmagraphies; Promotional material; Annie Laurie bio and poem; Theatrical Trailer; Trailers for "Shinjoku Triad Society", "Rainy Dog", and "Ley Lines"

This mans versatility is overwhelming. "Bird People of China" is nothing less than a humanistic drama filled with humor and warmth, from the man who brought us such violence-masterpieces as Ichi and Fudoh. I have no idea how he does it, but apparently this guy can make all types of movies equally well. Whats more is that the more of his films you see, the more recognisable they become, even though they're all totally different. In this film he really uses his (great) sense of humor, and allows for his characters to grow on you, and the result is a fantastic movie, and actually feels very chinese in style and theme. Greatly recommended for fans who think they know Miike...

9/10