Jia Zhang Ke Collection DVD Review

Directors: Jia Zhang Ke

Starring: Wang Hongwei, Hongjian Hao, Zhao Tao, Liang Jing Dong, Zhao Wei Wei, Wu Qiong,

 Running Time: 372 minutes

Certificate: 15

Extras: Interview with Jia Zhang Ke, Filmographies, Director’s Notes

Jia Zhang Ke is one of the leading talents in China’s Sixth Generation movement of directors. This boxset compiles his three ‘underground’ films, so called because they were made without state approval. His films are considered as being very influential, with the likes of Martin Scorsese stating he is a big fan of Jia’s work.

XIAO WU (1998)

Jia’s first film was made on a budget of no more than $50,000. It follows a pickpocket named Xiao Wu as he wanders around his hometown having been snubbed by a friend who failed to invite him to his wedding. The budget is an obvious hindrance for this debut feature as there are moments when the film suddenly cuts, or the poor sound merges dialogue with background. The cinematography is also grainy to the point of distraction. These are mostly artistic choices as well as budgetary constraints, with Jia being relatively new to film at this point, he’d only seen film as a viable form of expression in the early 1990s. The film is set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s handover to China and the whole film is centred on change. Xiao Wu finds that all his friends have left their pickpocketing ways behind them. In many scenes, the camera continues to role after the actors have left the frame. This gives the sense that places exist even once we have vacated them, reminding us that change is inevitable whether we are around to witness it or not. There’s a bit of romance, a bit of comedy, and Jia certainly has a clear voice. At the same time, it is definitely a work where the director is finding his feet, and because of this the pacing can be slow at times. Still, with strong performances from the unprofessional cast and some interesting shooting techniques incorporated into the narrative, this is certainly worth checking out.

PLATFORM (2000)

PLATFORM is a much more ambitious project than XIAO WU. It chronicles the lives of a small theatre troupe as they travel China from the end of the 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s. Whereas Jia’s previous film focused on identity due to the handover of Hong Kong to China, this film looks at identity due to western popular culture gradually making its mark on Chinese society. A self-proclaimed artist who avoids manual work is forced by his father to demonstrate a squat in his ‘fashionable’ bellbottom jeans. The theatre troupe also begins by spreading Maoist propaganda before moving on to rock music and more expressive dance. We also see the world change in front of our eyes, as a group speaks of the benefits of birth control as ‘one child is enough’ only for one of the characters to struggle with the idea of abortion. Freedom and oppression is clearly lined out, but the characters involved can often be just as oppressive as the government and their families. Jia feels a lot more confident behind the camera this time, with long, static takes allowing the action to play out. Each shot is composed like a painting, with the early shots of grey buildings and white snow giving a colourless and classical feel. Every shot is beautifully structured with the buildings, lines, and mise en scene filling each shot with something to appreciate. Despite the longer running time, this is a more enjoyable and better paced piece of work than its predecessor.

UNKNOWN PLEASURES (2002)

Jia’s last film made outside the studio system once again focuses on change and identity. Here we see a young trio of teenagers try to make sense out of the world around them. They are the first generation of the ‘One Child Law’ and so there is a definite feel of isolation and loneliness to those involved. With no jobs or apparent interests, our characters seem lost. Major events pass them by as they simply watch them on television, such as the bid for the 2008 Olympics and terrorist bombings. They also spend their time going to discos and even reference the likes of Tarantino’s PULP FICTION. The film certainly captures what it must be like to try and develop a life in a country struggling with change, but unfortunately Jia relaxes into a much slower pace than PLATFORM. This isn’t bad, but it is also far from engaging. It’s obviously a personal film, and one meant mostly for China itself. The digital photography makes this a clearer film, and one that feels like part of its time. Jia has certainly come a long way since XIAO WU in terms of technical capabilities.

This is a fascinating boxset for any fans of Jia’s later, more accessible, work. It also serves well as a look at China during a period of mass change. Each film has its merits and it’s always wonderful to see a director’s progress from film to film. However, this isn’t a trilogy for entertainment, and the slow pace of XIAO WU and UNKNOWN PLEASURES, give us two interesting films which seem to drag on in places.

Extras: Aside from some notes and filmographies, the only extra of note is an interview with Jia Zhang Ke on the disc for UNKNOWN PLEASURES. In this interview Jia explains his intentions and process with the kind of enthusiasm you wish had been up there on the screen. It would probably help newcomers to watch this first, as it gives the films some valuable context western audiences may not be familiar with.

JIA ZHANG KE COLLECTION is released on DVD 26th November 2012. You can buy a copy here.