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Filming the Margin of Society
When the story ends, the poet is still addicted to the sounds to
satisfy his sexual fantasy. The male prostitute renews his unhealthy
relationship with a rich married woman. Worst of all, despairing of men and true
love, the girl sets out on a path of degeneration, as a way of punishing the men
and herself.
"It is a very decadent, depressed and dejected story", Chen
admitted. When asked why his movie was so gloomy, he replied with a wry smile,
"It's just like the weather of Chengdu - dull and cloudy. That's why I love the
city." Then he added, sadly, "It's simply because I am a pessimist. Life is
harsh and it comes to nothing." Although he repeatedly claimed to be
pessimistic, he could also be described as open-minded, energetic, cheerful,
talkative and social. Perhaps he is good at disguising his true self with
sophisticated sentiment.
There are no professional actors in the film. In this regard, Chen benefited
from his years of work experience at a local TV station (Channel 33) before he
went to the U.S. No doubt knowing so many people from the media has made it
easier for him to produce his film. He explained: "Making a movie about sounds
was my initial intention because I am particularly in favor of sounds. Movies are not only
for seeing, but also for listening to. Actually the space of what you hear is
much more than what you see. That's why I made them a kind of spiritual symbol
from the very beginning of my movie. Furthermore, I am fond of literature,
especially poems, so I also try to reveal the beauty of literature." Chen was
president of the literary society at Tsinghua
University when he was a student there.
However, westerners seem to be inclined to choose Chinese art based on their
own view of our culture - that's why pop art is in vogue in the west. Hunting
for novelty, being extremely oriental, or reflecting the particular political
backgrounds are important to them. Is Chen also trying to cater to these tastes?
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