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Spirit
Far East Spirit
Joined: 30 Dec 2002
Posts: 950
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 Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:17 am Post subject: Xiu Xiu - The Sent-down girl (1998) |
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It is 1975, in the central Chinese city of Chengdu. Like millions of other urban teens, Xiu-xiu is enrolled in a Maoist Youth education programme which sends her to the country side for half a year, to work alongside the rural people and bridge the difference to them. After a time of troubeless work in a factory in a remote part of Central China which wont give her time to muse long about her home sickness or her missing the guy who loves her back home, she is "promoted" to help a reclusive Tibetan horse herder in the grasslands, being promised to lead a youth group after her return. Having lived alone in the vastness of the steppe for a long time, the herder named "Old Jin" secretly develops feelings for her, yet it is well-known that he is impaired in a way that doesnt allow him to have children or have physical contact with women. After the initial tensions arising from living alone with Old Jin in a yurt in the middle of nowhere, Xiu-xiu gets used to life out there, knowing and expecting to be sent back home very soon. However, when the day of her return comes and passes eventlessly, Xiu-xiu gets more and more desperate to finally get back, willing to do anything to return to her loved ones at home...
Same as the also recommendable "Kekexili", to date, "Xiu-xiu" unfortunately may have fallen below many people's radar because of its seemingly unspectacular story, yet it turns out to be a poignant, and uncompromising character drama that will stay in your mind for a long time. Short of being simple, the movie works and satisfies on many levels.
On a historical and sociopolitical level, it illustrates the gung-ho idealism, but ultimate failure of Chinese communism (Maoism) when it comes to its implementation. Being set in the mid seventies, at the end of a disastrous part of recent Chinese history called the Cultural Revolution, the movie slowly disguises the then still active Youth Education programme that, while having the commendable goal to nix the differences between rural and urban people, having the latter help the former and learn from each other, in reality also neglects people's wishes and desires as individuals, tearing families and lovers apart and, through the ultimate shortage that was so common in that period (i.e. things not working out as expected and planned), causes desparation and turmoil among the masses. In that regard, the movie clearly shows two distinct parts, which also feature a distinct mood as portrayed by the main actress: in the first half, while not ignoring the pain of getting away from home, the movie has a decidedly upbeat and, in looking back, nostalgic view of the era, basically showing the youth programme as a giant field day or holiday camp with lots of fun and new things to discover - including bright colours, march music, flags and propagandistic movies. The movie takes its sharp turn when the implementation of the programme fails and Xiu-xiu is not sent back, as promised, after six months. What when shows up in a surprisingly drastic way is the underlying, ugly and dark side of the system which was surely not in the mind of the people who designed it, but which inevitably shows up in reality when many people (desparately) need and few others are able to provide: abuse, corruption, pervertation. When things go totally overboard and the clean orderliness of the beginning turns into turmoil and chaos, we ultimately see how the individual is crushed in a system of regulations that do not work to the favor of people anymore.
On a universally human level, the movie parallels this historical depiction (which holds true to the Cultural Revolution on a whole), showing Xiu-xiu childlike idealism and optimism slowly turning into a pragmatic understanding of the reality and necessity and eventually a downright disastrous desparation in light of her own powerlessness and hopeless future. In ninety minutes, the difference between pretense and reality, between hopes, dreams and aspirations of childhood on the one hand, and the endless series of pragmatic compromises, if not abandonings that constitute adult life and may trouble a great many people not just in the past, and not just in that particular societal system on the other hand, becomes woefully clear.
Interestingly, "Xiu-xiu" does not shy away from pairing this abstract "loss of innocence" with one of a more direct, sexual meaning. Xiu-xiu's personal coming of age story in the movie always also is a story about her developing understanding of the many shades of love and sexuality - infatuation, lust, romantic love, admiration etc. The love of the boy at home is a love she cannot grasp at that time, but eventually holds dear as an additional connection to the life home, in contrast to the loneliness and lovelessness of life in the steppe. What she gets there - from the wrong people - is not love, but a lacking - as eventually useless - shimmer of hope to still get out of there, making her sell her soul to the devil(s). In that regard, the apple she gets in return is a fitting symbol for her personal expulsion from paradise, into a harsh and relentless world. However, through all the pain she eventually experiences during her time in the steppe, she ultimately seems to realize it is the unconditional, unpretentious love of Old Jin that comes truest to her ideal.
Keeping that development in mind, the ending of "Xiu-xiu" (not to be revealed here) is a surprising and not necessarily consequential one, however one which reinforces the poignant note of the movie and burns its aftermath deeply into the viewers memory. No doubt, "Xiu-xiu" is a highly recommended drama, stylizing much - but effectively - to provide said poignancy and dichotomy of the good and the bad, the intentions and the actual results, on many levels. As a character piece, the movie features excellent performances by Han-chinese actress Lu Lu (recently seen in the last segment of "About Love") and Tibetan actor Lopsang who develop just the chemistry required in the film. Visually, the movie brings back (good) reminiscenes of the earlier mentioned "Kekexili". What was the Tibetan highlands for the latter, is the grasslands for the former. Together with its memorable soundtrack (as deep and tragic as the one in Zhang Yimou's "The Road Home"), the cinematography develops a haunting beauty that reflects the controversialness of the movie's story in a nice way.
Ultimately, "Xiu-xiu The Sent down girl" is not a movie you should watch when you are looking for light-hearted entertainment and distraction. Instead, it is a memorable Chinese, as well as universal experience to enrich your heart, mind and soul.
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Last edited by Spirit on Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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The Coma-man
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Joined: 13 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:19 pm Post subject: Hm... |
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Since this movie, ergh, "inspired" the name of one of my favourite bands - XIU XIU -, I will have to see it. As for the band, they're also not for people who seek something light-hearted. 
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| Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 4:50 pm Post subject: Hot Sale - America's Next Top Model Complete Seasons 1-10 DV |
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject: Best Hot - The Apprentice COMPLETE SEASONS 1-7 DVD BOXSET EN |
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