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Ashes of Time
May. 10th, 2005 06:11 pmI don't think I've written a whole lot about about the films I've been watching in the Martial Arts Film class. Mostly because they're either old favorites -- for heavens sake, if there's anyone on my friends list who hasn't seen Seven Samurai, go see it. (And of course Chinese Ghost Story is a long time favorite, if hardly of the same stature... and I really enjoyed the 2003 Zatoichi... though it was surprisingly upbeat, for Zatoichi.) Most of the others were more interesting for their historical impact...
But Ashes of Time completely blew me away.
Part of me wants to say "everyone, you have to go out and see this movie..." But it does have the reputation of being the kind of movie you either love or hate, and I suspect some of you will hate it.
It's a martial arts movie mostly about inaction, memory, regret, longing, and change, and people living in both a physical and emotional wasteland. It has a profoundly non linear plot line -- to the point where at least one review claims that it has no plot. (I disagree.) It's beautifully filmed. I was completely seduced. But I'm fairly certain there are people who would find it slow, tedious, incomprehensible and perhaps disturbing. (For instance, a few of them were sitting behind me.)
I think it's one of those movies you have to accept on its own terms. There's kind of a yielding up of the sense you might have of being in control of what you are seeing, and allowing yourself to be disoriented, and then letting its internal logic construct itself in your head.
But Ashes of Time completely blew me away.
Part of me wants to say "everyone, you have to go out and see this movie..." But it does have the reputation of being the kind of movie you either love or hate, and I suspect some of you will hate it.
It's a martial arts movie mostly about inaction, memory, regret, longing, and change, and people living in both a physical and emotional wasteland. It has a profoundly non linear plot line -- to the point where at least one review claims that it has no plot. (I disagree.) It's beautifully filmed. I was completely seduced. But I'm fairly certain there are people who would find it slow, tedious, incomprehensible and perhaps disturbing. (For instance, a few of them were sitting behind me.)
I think it's one of those movies you have to accept on its own terms. There's kind of a yielding up of the sense you might have of being in control of what you are seeing, and allowing yourself to be disoriented, and then letting its internal logic construct itself in your head.
