Tuesday, November 13, 2018
The Story of Qiu Ju
Think about the presentation of Qiu Ju and Meizi in the film. In one paragraph, discuss how both of these women are represented cinematically. In your next paragraph discuss how the countryside and the city are represented cinematically. In your last paragraph, tell me what you learned and what you liked best about the film.
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The quieter, reserved Meizi acts as a foil character for the outspoken Qiu Ju. Qiu Ju is more often centered in the frame and in the foreground, whereas Meizi is smaller and off to the side, focusing the audience's attention more on Qiu Ju. This framing reflects each girls personality, Qiu Ju as the one who demands to be seen - by both the authorities and the audience- and Meizi as the one who works silently in the background. From an auditory perspective, Mezi is much quieter than Qiu Ju, once again focusing the audience's attention to Qiu Ju.
ReplyDeleteThe city is often shot in a closed frame, with the crowds overtaking the rest of the background. The framing of the city also makes the sheer number of extras overpower the presence of the main characters. Despite being overshadowed by the crowd, when the main characters are seen, their wardrobe makes them appear out of place in the city, reflecting their own discomfort. The more western wardrobes of the city makes those seen in the country appear even more foreign to audiences. The countryside on the other hand is much more open, allowing nature to overpower man. The framing also allows for the country life to be truly seen, rather than just observed. The lives of those living in the country are actually portrayed, people cooking, cleaning, working, and spending time as a family can be seen on screen, whereas the lives of those in the city are not explored, all the audience can see is people commuting, buying, and selling.
I personally liked how the film ended, with Qiu Ju’s actions, albeit being just, caused misfortune in the end. By putting her own wants above the traditions of her community, she caused unnecessary harm onto others. The audience is left to wonder whether her actions were actually fair or if her pride drove her to take things too far. Originally I thought the film was going to have a vengence driven plot, so I was a little disappointed with the mundanity of the film; however I think the film was executed well.
In cinema, most narratives are male driven and male focused. The story of Qiu Ju challenges these conventions by have a female focused and female driven narrative. Qiu Ju and Meizi are consistently the center of the frame. Qiu Ju’s husband takes a very complacent role in the entire narrative, as he doesn’t seem to care about saving face after being kicked by the chief. Even though these women are the center of the narrative. Their issues are portrayed as not mattering as much as the men in the film’s issues. During the scene in which they are first reporting the issue to the district officer, the men talking about a bar fight are speaking louder than Qiu Ju desperately making her case.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the People’s Republic of China promised a Marxist-like equality, true equality was far from being achieved. The divide between the lower and upper classes was very distinct- and this divide is present cinematically through the differences between the countryside and the city. The shots of the countryside are consistently open-framed. Not only does this comment on the population density of the countryside, but it shows how insignificant the subjects in the frame are, as the scenery around the people takes over the frame. The shots in the city are consistently the opposite- closed frame. There are always people filling the frame, buildings blocking out sections of the frame, etc. This also shows the insignificance of the the subjects. This framing is also helpful describing Qiu Ju’s problems. Qiu Ju and her problems are present in the frame in the countryside, but in the city, Qiu Ju’s problems are swallowed by everyone else in frame and their respective problems.
Similar to the Italian neorealist films we have watched in class/ ones I have watched on my own, I enjoyed the seemingly endless, circuitus narrative. This kind of unpredictable, repetitive narrative structure makes the audience incredibly invested in all the events of the film, as it doesn’t follow the normal plot structures that we are used to. In addition, I enjoyed the choices made by the director in terms of what action is shown or chosen to be left out of the film. For instance, all of the “positive” actions- the great meeting with the had officer, the great court hearing, or the taking away of the chief- are all not shown on screen. This choice was not only interesting, but was cinematically effective as it dulled the victories of the main characters but highlighted the negatives. I also like the cinematic dichotomy discussed in the previous paragraph, as it emphasizes how, in a time where there was such a strong emphasis on social and economic equality, there truly was no equality present.
Qiu Ju and Miezi are women living in a country which has no true appreciation for women. In the age of faltering communism, the two girls become criticisms of the government’s inability to truly stick to its virtues. At the time, communism was said to rid the ways of old, destroying tradition and Confucianism. In traditional Chinese culture, women were confined to specific roles, often seen as inferior to men. Communism in theory was supposed to change that, but in fact, women still were seen as incapable and unable to handle the problems life presented to families. The women in “The Story of Qiu Ju” are represented as strong and capable however, breaking the mold which is so ingrained into society. Qiu Ju herself goes against her husband’s wishes, heavily pursuing justice despite the red tape she has to go through. This is shown cinematically through their placements within the frame. Qiu Ju is often centered and placed in the forefront of the frame, while her sister Meizi is often smaller and in turn less prominent. This aims to create a sense of importance in Qiu Ju, as she is always the focus of the eye. In fact, this even occurs when men are in the frame, showing that Qiu Ju is equal or even more capable than the men. Furthermore, Qiu Ju is characterized when she leaves the town to enter the urban environments. She is often leading the way, pulling the cart of chilis with Meizi following. This shows her initiative and leadership, qualities which were rare for women at the time. In the same way, Meizi is characterized as a woman shaped by her societal roles. She is not assertive or dominant, and she does not take initiative in situations. She is an afterthought within the frame, a person who represents a woman who is still oppressed by the flawed societal views expressed by communism. This changes near the end of the film however, as Qiu Ju has issues giving birth, leading to her being incapacitated. As she is carted off into the town, the women's’ roles reverse, and Meizi becomes the focus of the shot. She becomes centered, and is seen leading the way for the men who are helping her.
ReplyDeleteWhile the roles of women within a changing China are explored within this film, the dominating focus is that of the relationship between the countryside and the city. These two settings serve to explain the transformation of Chinese society following communism. This becomes clear through the utilization of contrasting framing and wardrobe design within the two locations. Within the countryside, open framing is used as to create a comfortable mood. The characters are at home there, there is nothing to wall them in or make them feel obstructed or unsafe. Open framing is also much more natural, allowing for simplistic shots that reflect the simplicity of the country lifestyle. This natural, easy lifestyle is immediately annihilated by the cutting and unruly atmosphere presented by the city. The most immediate difference between the two settings is the use of closed, cluttered framing when outside of the country. As Qiu Ju and Miezi walk around, they are closed in by crowds of people, creating an overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia. The frame is very much not simple, again reflective of the cluttered and busy lifestyles of those who live in the city. This difference is then compounded by the wardrobes of Qiu Ju and Miezi, who wear traditional eastern Chinese countryside clothing. The crowds which enclose the two are comprised of western clothing, being very modern and revealing. This shows the influences of western culture on an ever changing society, as well as further supports the difficulty by which country folk have to adapt to the changes being brought forth.
DeleteMy favorite part of this film was its commentary on gender roles, and how they were woven into the bureaucracy of China. The film establishes early on that men hold much of the power, and that women hold very traditional roles. However, at the time China was recovering from communism under Mao, which was an ideology which aimed to destroy traditional values from confucianism and in turn give women extra rights. This film criticizes that ideology, and suggest that communism had failed in creating that push for equality. This can be seen through all of Qiu Ju’s interactions with government officials, as she is never seen interacting with a woman in power. Instead, Qiu Ju is constantly demeaned by men, who see her as incapable of making or handling important decisions.
Zhang Yimou’s The Story of Qiu Ju depicts a China where the men have more power socially while the women are like second-class citizens. However, by focusing on Qiu Ju and Meizi, the film challenges this cultural aspect by showing women as powerful and taking charge in place of men. The opening of the film establishes the setting of China and sets the viewer’s expectations based on our knowledge of the male-dominated culture of the country at the time, but proceeds to subvert these expectations when Qiu Ju and Meizi appear on screen. In this first shot, which is our introduction to these women, we see them pushing Qinglai on a cart. By showing the man as unable to walk and relying on the women, Yimou goes against the traditional role of women in his film. Qiu Ju is given even more importance as she is pregnant. There are frequent reminders throughout the film of the concern in China with having sons and the role the woman plays in that as the mother. There are more long shots of Qiu Ju as opposed to close ups, in order to show her whole body to emphasize the fact that she is pregnant and reiterate the inherent importance she has as a pregnant woman in China.
ReplyDeleteYimou displays the city and countryside with far shots of them both. With this technique, the two very different worlds within China are presented in stark contrast with each other. The far shots give a clear view of the two environments. With the countryside, the cinematography shows all the green farmland and peaceful emptiness. While with the city, the cinematography shows how crowded and hectic it is. There are very few close ups or medium shots when showing the city and countryside—almost entirely far shots are used.
I didn’t know much about the Chinese emphasis on honor and reputation before watching this film and I especially wasn’t familiar with the city/countryside dynamic. My impression of China was more based on its economic power in the world today so I really only ever thought of it in an urban context, and seeing the countryside showcased in this film helped me see it in a different way. What I liked best was the fact that the main character was a woman. China is a male-dominated society and the director is a man so he could have easily made a man the main character, but I thought a story about a woman in this setting was much more interesting.
In The Story of Qiu Ju directed by Zhang Yimou, were shown two sisters Qiu Ju and Meizi. These two girls are shown to us to act as foils to one another. Qiu Ju throughout the film is shown as outspoken and a go getter as she wants to seek revenge on her husband, not even violent revenge purely just an apology, where as Meizi is much more quiet and collected as she is so compliant with what happened to her brother to the point where she believes Qiu Ju is doing too much.
ReplyDeleteThe city and the countryside are another one of the opposites in the film. The city is always shown with closed framing as shes usually shown being taken over almost by all of the people in the streets. The characters when seen very much stick out as they are seen showing more of the traditional looks of their people where in the city it is much more professional looking. In the country side we are always in an open shot letting it feel like we can breathe and a lot more of the frame being filled with land than people which is different than the city as it is mostly people.
The thing I liked most was the color scheme of the movie that was always very similar throughout but the colors being much more dull in the city. Something I learned was the difference between the city and the countryside in china.
In “The Story of Qui Ju”, the filmmaker sets out to, in part, make a film about contrasting ways of life. There is perhaps no better example of this than in the cinematic portrayal of the characters of Qui Ju and Meizi. They are both rural villagers who travel to the big city. Immediately we can see how they stand out from the rest of the population. They wear large, bulky outfits whose colors stand out in the mass of people. Not only do they visually stand out, we can see how they contrast with the city life through the narrative as well. They are shown to be ripped off by city folk who can easily identify them as foreigners.
ReplyDeleteIn similar ways, the countryside and city are portrayed in very different ways. The countryside is stark and barren, with very few people inhabiting the frame at most times. The set design is very distinct, being made up of small huts and animal pens. Compare this to the city, which is shown to have constant motion in nearly every frame, due to the great number of people. The buildings are very tall and constructed from concrete. The buildings in combination with the oppressive grounds create a very closed in and claustrophobic sense within the city.
From this film I learned how one can create an engaging story simply about everyday life. It was intriguing to me how the filmmakers created such realism within the film, as if they had simply pointed a camera at real, everyday life. While I cannot say that I loved this approach, as I personally tend to enjoy films that are more stylized, I very much appreciated the films ability to create a mise en scene that so accurately captured everyday occurrences.
Qiu Ju and Meizi are presented in a way to focus on them while still establishing them as outsiders. In the city, they stand out in the crowd due to their clothing, slow walking, and bags that they hold. So, viewers’ attention is drawn to them immediately in a shot. However, it is not necessarily a good thing. They do not fit in with the city folk. Because of this, they are at a disadvantage and often overpowered by the city officials. While Qiu Ju’s fiery attitude may seem to give her power, the structure of the legal system in the city hinders her quest for justice.
ReplyDeleteA contrast is established between the city and countryside through the use of color. The countryside features many warm colors while the city has cool colors. The people living in the city wear a lot of blue clothing. When Qiu Ju goes into the city, her red coat makes her stand out. The color red reminds the audience of her countryside home. For example, the chili peppers that the village farms are bright red. So, she does not seem to belong in the city. There is also a contrast established through sound. In the countryside it is fairly quiet and peaceful. In the city, however, there is the constant roar of cars and people. This is especially evident when Qiu Ju loses Meizi in the city. She is alone physically, but the overwhelming noise of the city surrounds her. There is a stark contrast between the two places to highlight their inherent differences. In the end, the divide between the by-the-letter legal practices of the city and the traditional social relationships of the countryside lead to disappointment and regret on Qiu Ju’s part, as her journey ends with her disrupting the community by sending the chief to jail.
What I liked most about the film was the travel sequences. I really liked whenever they were traveling to and from the city, and the film took a moment to show them traveling. Sometimes movies just cut from one location to the next, but The Story of Qiu Ju emphasizes the journey. I think this is effective because instead of an easy cut from scene to scene, having the travel sequences showcases the effort that Qiu Ju puts into her task.
The Story of Qiu Ju has a female lead, and thus comments on the treatment of women in society through cinematic means.Throughout the movie, although Qiu Ju and Meizi are the ones taking action and traveling from place to place to accomplish Qiu Ju’s goal of redeeming her husband’s honor, they are frequently ignored by those in power, or treated with a limited amount of respect. The frequent dismissal of Qiu Ju’s words by the police officers (a reoccuring barrage of “well, I guess we’ll send someone to check it out”) is emphasized by the fact that, throughout the film, Qiu Ju says essentially the same words so many times - retelling the story of what happened to her husband and what she wants to be done about it. If she was effectively listened to the first time, she would not have to repeat herself, but multiple times, while Qiu Ju tells the story, we hear dialogue from other people (occasionally which is irrelevant to the plot of the film itself) overpowering her own dialogue.
ReplyDeleteAnother major aspect of The Story of Qiu Ju showcasing ways of life in different areas of China, which is primarily accomplished with juxtaposition through cinematic elements such as cinematography and sound design. Throughout the film, shots of the city are much more chaotic than shots of the countryside - the city is often portrayed through a series of cuts of different activities, like citizens preparing for the new year or selling products. The frames are typically cluttered or filled with movement of people, emphasizing the busy nature community, or the frames are closed in by the numerous buildings in the area. Contrastingly, the countryside is much more open, with the sky extremely visible in establishing or normal shots, and a lack of quick movement from the people who live there. Additionally, there are rarely more than a handful of citizens in frame at the same time, again emphasizing the more open and casual nature of the city. The shots cut much more slowly, as well, further establishing this point. Ultimately, though Qiu Ju comments on some negative aspects of traditionalism, it emphasizes the importance of other aspects through the less chaotic nature of the countryside in comparison to the city.
Overall, my favorite aspect of this film was the importance of Chinese culture, both old and new, throughout it. I don’t know much about Chinese culture, but this film provided an interesting insight on the way that it is perceived by its citizens, and both the flaws and benefits of multiple aspects of it. The way that cultural aspects of China that are not necessarily vital to the plot are shown throughout the film (such as the preparation for new years) emphasizes the importance and presence of the culture. Additionally, it was interesting to see that some issues are universal - such as frustration with the legal system.
The Story of Qiu Ju shows the travels and way of life two women, Qiu Ju and Meizi, in an era of Chinese culture that had little respect and faith in the capabilities of women. They are portrayed differently, yet the film focuses on the two, specifically Qiu Ju almost exclusively. Qiu Ju is shown as a leader with productivity and initiative, exemplified when she is shown pulling the cart behind her when inhabiting the city. She is shown centered in the frame, sometimes calling attention to the fact she is pregnant. Qiu Ju doesn’t slow down with her increasing pregnancy, used as a symbol for women’s contribution to society in terms of reproducing, while at the same time they are treated as useless. Meizi takes on a much smaller presence in the film and reflects the more traditional roles of women than Qiu Ju does. She is quiet and sometimes smaller in frame, but she always stands by Qiu Ju’s side, showing how women must stick together in a climate where men don’t trust them.
ReplyDeleteZhang Yimou portrays the city and countryside with sharp contrast, using far shots as a tool to show the differences. The countryside is near a static image, the only movement coming from our main characters moving through the frame. The city, on the other hand, is shown with as hectic and chaotic, starting from the first scene in the movie. When watching this scene, audience members see large quantities of people milling through the frame and it takes a while before it is clear who Qiu Ju and company are. This is effective in showing that all the people bustling about the streets have the same issues in their own lives, perhaps commenting on what it was like living in China at this time.
As someone who has been to China I enjoyed watching a film that shows similar areas to I have been to, just within a slightly different historical context. I only spent time in big cities so I identified with those shots, rather than those of the countryside. But that being said, I got more out of the depiction of the country and those that live within it, as it is not normally a perspective that finds a place on the big screen. I also really enjoyed the visual depiction of gender roles during this time, especially with Qiu Ju being a women that defied them.