Still Life & Dong (Jia Zhangke, 2006)

[Michael Kerpan]

Dave Kehr offers a very positive review of Jia's latest feature film:

http://davekehr.com/?p=119

Also -- a short review of Jia's inter-related documentary -- Dong:

http://davekehr.com/?p=115

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

Apparently one of the producers told the Chinese media he was expecting Still Life to get a domestic release by the end of the year, which means we should have a (probably mediocre-at-best) DVD within a few months. Of course it could be cut to ribbons like the mainland version of The World was. That said, I'm still praying someone will pick this up for a U.S. theatrical release -- I've been spoiled by seeing Unknown Pleasures AND The World on the big screen here in St. Louis.

[kieslowski_67]

Jia is pushing to have his film released nationally on Oct 1st in China. If that's the case, expect the official DVD release from China late next month.

Not as good as his masterpiece "platform". However in a year terrible for films (so far), "Still life" shines.

[Michael Kerpan]

A double DVD set is now available from YesAsia. It's a mainland DVD, so its quality level is unknown.

I've ordered it -- but it will be a while before I see it...

[John Cope]

Well, whatever the quality is it has to be worth 11 bucks.

[Michael Kerpan]

Well, whatever the quality is it has to be worth 11 bucks.

Not always.

Perhaps you haven't seen any of the mainland China releases with logos that appear in the bottom right corner -- and advertising that runs across the top of the screen.

;~{

[franco]

Oh I finally understand now why the movies are in 4:3 - to leave margins for the advertisement!

[Doug Cummings]

I'm anxious to hear of the quality, Michael. It seems like a good sign that they had the foresight to bundle the two films together.

[Grimfarrow]

It's always been Jia's insistence that the two be shown together. And it makes sense after you watch it too.

[Doug Cummings]

I agree--which is why I'm glad the DVD is honoring Jia's wishes! I like to think of the two films as offering a "stereoscopic" view of Fengjie through the double lenses of fiction and non-fiction.

[Grimfarrow]

DONG doesn't have that much to do with Fengjie though - especially the much weaker latter part.

[franco]

I started to guess that the second half of Dong would inspire Jia's next movie, but instead it seems to concern street kids and the cultural revolution (according to IMDB).

I do like the second half of Dong though - mainly because of the Thai girls.

[Grimfarrow]

Let's just say that I'm far from a fan of DONG. In fact, I don't like it much at all. But then, I'm half Thai and Chinese, and the film really had very little insight for someone who comes from both cultures. And the painter guy was, frankly, just plain shallow and full of himself.

[franco]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts Grimfarrow! I also had a rather lukewarm response to Dong. Nevertheless, when David Bordwell asked me for my opinion, I felt reluctant to admit my lack of enthusiasm - as though not liking the film were wrong! I guess all I need is a spine.

Grimfarrow how did you feel about Still Life?

[Grimfarrow]

STILL LIFE is well-shot and well directed, but not his best work. I asked Jia about the credits at the end, and it confirmed what I thought - Li Yifan, the co-director of BEFORE THE FLOOD, was involved.

Interesting - the biggest topic in China right now is the feud between Jia Zhangke/Zhang Weiping, Zhang Yimou's producer. Weiping/Yimou accused Jia of winning Venice only because Marco Muller is the producer (TOTALLY not true), and Jia is very upset over it. So in the latest volley of public words, after another round in which Yimou's camp has been slagging Jia off publicly, Jia had a long interview article with the Beijing Youth Daily in which he "reviewed" all of Zhang Yimou's entire filmography. Would love to read that! Hahaha.

[SalParadise]

Bought this last night for 30 RMB.
The quality is excellent. It's a real Warner Bros. release.

The subtitles for Sanxia haoren(aka 'The Good Man of Three Gorges' aka 'Still Life') are in fact very good. Not perfect, only because a few times in the film they give subtitles for signs which are already subtitled on the print - so, double subtitling.

Sadly, Dong (which means 'East') doesn't have any subtitles whatsoever, so that's a big bummer!

According to my computer, the discs are Region 6.

[John Cope]

Sadly, Dong (which means 'East') doesn't have any subtitles whatsoever, so that's a big bummer!

Arrrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Grimfarrow]

The subtitles for Sanxia haoren(aka 'The Good Man of Three Gorges' aka 'Still Life') are in fact very good. Not perfect, only because a few times in the film they give subtitles for signs which are already subtitled on the print - so, double subtitling.

Haha - will tell my friend this since she subtitled it.

[foggy eyes]

YesAsia says 4:3. Imdb says 2:35:1. Is this DVD in the correct AR?

[Andre Jurieu]

And the painter guy was, frankly, just plain shallow and full of himself.

Phew! It's a relief knowing I'm not the only one who had this reaction. Frankly, I wasn't all that engaged by Dong, but Still Life was wonderful.

[Grimfarrow]

YesAsia says 4:3. Imdb says 2:35:1. Is this DVD in the correct AR?

The original is certainly not 4:3.

[foggy eyes]

Ok. YesAsia indicate that the DVD is 4:3, but Still Life is 2:35:1. Just wanted to check that the DVD is in the correct AR before I plump for it.

[franco]

DVDtimes reviews the DVD. I seriously can't remember whether the movie was 1.85:1 or 2.35:1 when I saw it in cinema.

[foggy eyes]

Can anyone lucky enough to have caught this on a big screen remember what aspect ratio it was shot in? 2:35:1 has been indicated by IMDb, 1:85:1 by another source, so I'm a little miffed that the DVD is 1:78:1. I've ordered this, but may cancel and stick around for another release (R1 by Zeitgeist, perhaps?) if the aspect ratio is incorrect...

[Doug Cummings]

Oh, I don't think it was 2.35 at all. Maybe 1.85 or 1.66.