山楂树之恋 Shan zha shu zhi lian, (Under the Hawthorn Tree, 2010)
One of my favorite Chinese directors, Zhang Yimou, makes an unbelievably beautiful film about a theme I’ve never seen before in his films: classic pure love. Not only is the theme new (to me), but the film is very different from his previous films as it lacks his great cinematic style or outstanding cinematography.
But this is a film about performances, and you have no idea how extraordinary Dongyu Zhou, the city girl Jing Qi’s first performance in the show, is the slow, very slow, handsome young Lao San (Shan Dou). As it is such a beautiful love story, I am afraid that this film has to be labeled as a western-perspective girls film, which some men will not like, but women will love, I am sure.
Zhang Yimou seems to be exploring new areas like his previous film, San Qiang Pi An Jing Qi (A Woman, A Gun and a Noodle Shop aka A Simple Noodle Story); Haven’t seen the movie yet (yes, want to) but at least from the photos and trailer I can tell, his master filmmaker’s trademarks include brilliant use of colors, epic scenes and exceptional use of cinematography. The hawthorn tree has none at all. But because of the story, the storytelling technique used by Yimou in this film definitely succeeds in creating an intense story from a very simple and often told story.
The still story briefly tells us what some Chinese lived through during China’s Cultural Revolution and how certain policies affected their daily lives. Set in a small village in Yichang City, Hubei Province in 1975, the story tells the pure, moving and tear-jerking (yes, I cried) love story between Jing Qiu and Lao San during their “jiqing” days at the end of the Cultural Revolution.
Jinqing refers to young urban dwellers sent to the countryside during the turbulent decade from 1966 to 1976. Jing Qiu’s family has a difficult life after her father is branded a right-winger and sentenced to prison; But when she meets Lao San, who has a bright future thanks to his high-ranking military officer father, her life gets really complicated as the girl with her background begins to risk what’s left of the future. A lovely story adapted from Ai Mi’s novel.
If you’re expecting a ‘typical’ Zhang Yimou movie, please be advised that this is not it; The consequence may disappoint many or you may positively surprise you as a charming and beautiful film that I like, honestly, what master filmmaker Zhang Yimou has created is not easy to digest, but it is.
I would strongly recommend the movie but I think it’s a movie you should watch when you’re in a ‘special’ mood; A mood that allows you to enjoy a story that yes, has a very sad ending and will definitely tear you apart more than a few tears.