Hou Hsiao-hsien

[Michael Kerpan]

Keeping my fingers crossed.

[Michael Kerpan]

An essential new book for Hou fanatics:

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-3-901 ... hsiaohsien" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .

A traveling retrospective of everything (or virtually everything), starting in NYC:

http://www.movingimage.us/films/2014/09 ... o-hsien-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and then moving on to the Harvard Film Archive, the Pacific Film archive, Washington, D.C., Rochester, Toronto, Vancouver, Houston, Chicago, Cleveland, Londo, Sao Paolo, and Singapore:

http://www.bard.edu/cmia/publications/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

[StevenJ0001]

Dang, looks like no stop in Los Angeles. Thanks for the tip on the book, though--some interesting contributors!

[hearthesilence]

I thought I had posted this, but apparently forgot! Was kicking myself when I saw the schedule because i knew I was going to be out of town for both Flowers of Shanghai and Puppetmaster. I've seen them both, but only the crappy DVD's which I recall having interlaced, letterboxes (not 16x9) video that had VHS-like quality and colors that were very off. These are both new prints, and with the former, I already missed one rare chance to see a 35mm print at Lincoln Center - it was part of their year-long series celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NYFF, but for some reason they scheduled Flowers of Shanghai a bit earlier in the evening and there was no way I could make it in time.

[Michael Kerpan]

I think this got posted in some other thread, but I don't know which one. So, I thought I better put the info here also, where it might (possibly) be found more more easily.

I've made it about halfway through the book so far, definitely worth having.

[FerdinandGriffon]

The print of The Puppetmaster was very nice, but not new I don't think. In any case, it is apparently the only english subtitled print in the world, according to Suchenski (the only thing more gorgeous than this book is the films themselves, btw), was the most difficult print to obtain in the entire series, and will likely never play again after this tour.

[hearthesilence]

Man, now I feel really bad about missing that.

I wonder if non-subtitled prints are easier to come by? Couldn't they just "project" subtitles on those (something I've seen at BAM quite a few times)?

[Michael Kerpan]

It's looking like I won't be able to get to City of Sadness.

[Gropius]

The print of The Puppetmaster was very nice, but not new I don't think. In any case, it is apparently the only english subtitled print in the world, according to Suchenski (the only thing more gorgeous than this book is the films themselves, btw), was the most difficult print to obtain in the entire series, and will likely never play again after this tour.

It sounds as if this retro (at least for its New York leg) has been organised by celluloid purists. In Taiwan itself, the move is towards digital restorations of its 80s canon. Personally I'm agnostic - while the preservation of film prints is essential, a really good HD DCP (where one exists) is arguably preferable to a faded and battered 35mm print, which will increasingly be the only ones available (not that it was in this case).

[FerdinandGriffon]

In Taiwan itself, the move is towards digital restorations of its 80s canon.

But if this means blurry, bleary HDCams for all films, as it did a few years ago when Lincoln Center hosted a series organized by the Government Information Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan), then it'd be a tragedy.

Apparently the rights for a lot of Hou's films, especially the early nineties independent works, are extremely tangled, making redistribution/restoration very difficult.

[beamish13]

There's no way this is NOT headed to Los Angeles, right? Fingers crossed that UCLA hosts it, or
I'm gonna have to spend a lot on flights to San Francisco.

The print of CITY OF SADNESS is likely the one that the Taiwanese embassy paid for a few years ago.
It looks absolutely resplendent.

[Dansu Dansu Dansu]

I'm moving to Berkeley right as the Pacific Film Archive's retrospective ends. Fantastic!

Once I move out of LA, I'm sure they will announce the dates for UCLA, don't worry.

[whaleallright]

Yes, the new-ish prints of City of Sadness are outstanding. serendipitously, I've had three occasions to view them. (btw, this fall marks the 25th anniversary of that film's release.)

by contrast, Puppetmaster has always been Hou's most elusive major film; it's the only one I haven't seen in the theater. The Winstar/Fox Lorber DVDs of Hou's films were a pretty rotten bunch, but Puppetmaster's was the worst: fuzzy and cropped from widescreen. Even that is out of print now.

A recent mini-retro of Hou's films at Doc Films at the University of Chicago failed to include it. For what it's worth, the print of Flowers of Shanghai screened it that series was probably from the same batch as the ones I saw back in the late 1990s. It was a bit scratched up at the beginnings and ends of reels, but still a much better medium for the film's inky blacks than any digital format.

the travelling retro is coming to Chicago's Film Center in March and April 2015; that's closer to my neck of the woods. I wonder if they will show all the films, and if there's a new print of Flowers...

[hearthesilence]

It IS indeed new.

[pokute]

There are still copies of the Fox Lorber DVD of Goodbye South Goodbye available at reasonable prices. I suggest anybody wanting to see a HHH film decently presented get a copy before they disappear.

Film scholars seeking oop Asian films for research may pm me. I will only reply to .edu email addresses.

[whaleallright]

the Fox Lorber DVD looks terrible, though, as I recall

[Michael Kerpan]

The Fox Lorber DVD of Goodbye South, Goodbye looked stellar compared to its Puppetmaster. ;-{

My recollection is that Good Men, Good Women was the best of the batch.

BTW -- I would note, pokute, that there are persons studying film history, etc. who are not necessarily affiliated with educational institutions.

[hearthesilence]

If you're in Boston next weekend, you're in luck. The Harvard Film Archive is showing both The Puppetmaster (his greatest film, IMHO) and A City of Sadness (again, IMHO, one of his three best) for FREE!

This is part of the touring retrospective of Hou's work, and these should be rare 35mm prints. Both are at 7pm, with The Puppetmaster on Saturday and A City of Sadness on Sunday. I saw the latter from a new print at BAM, back around 2009 or 2010, and it looked great. The DVD's for the former are abysmal, you really need to see it from a good 35mm print.

(Note that they're showing the new 35mm print of Flowers of Shanghai on Sunday, November 2 at 4:30pm. Admission is just $10, cheaper or possibly free if you're a student/member, etc.)

[Calvin]

The new Dust in the Wind / A Time to Live, A Time to Die Blu-Ray double pack is available from JSDVD

[Michael Kerpan]

(Note that they're showing the new 35mm print of Flowers of Shanghai on Sunday, November 2 at 4:30pm. Admission is just $10, cheaper or possibly free if you're a student/member, etc.)

I think only $9 for general public.

Also the rare (but wonderful) Daughter of the Nile on Friday, Nov. 31.

Calendar for retro: http://hcl.harvard.edu/hfa/films/2014sepoct/hou.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[zeroism]

The new Dust in the Wind / A Time to Live, A Time to Die Blu-Ray double pack is available from JSDVD

It's up at yesasia as well.

[StevenJ0001]

The new Dust in the Wind / A Time to Live, A Time to Die Blu-Ray double pack is available from JSDVD

It's up at yesasia as well.

Wow, I had no idea this had been released! \:D/

EDIT: Yikes, I just saw the price! And I already have Dust in the Wind.

[abrightersummerday]

Not sure I've seen this posted before, but here is a family tree for City Of Sadness:
http://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~chlit130/ ... _chart.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Michael Kerpan]

Not sure I've seen this posted before, but here is a family tree for City Of Sadness:
http://sites.fas.harvard.edu/~chlit130/ ... _chart.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We need a similar sort of guide for Flowers of Shanghai... ;~}

[matrixschmatrix]

Ha! I just stumbled across the free showing of A City of Sadness while looking into things to do in Boston this coming Sunday, and came here to post it. I'm excited, I have no experience with Hao Hsaio-hsien whatsover- I keep having to check to keep his name straight.