yang ban xi movie

[Sebastian]

This comes on Link TV this month -

 

 

http://www.filmforum.org/films/yang.html

 

For DISH Network folks, its channel 9410.

 

I had seen it before, but was good to see again, I'm always happy when music is allowed to shift.

 

I especially like the 'shift to hip hop dancing' bits thrown throughout this movie..

 

Here's the schedule - http://www.linktv.org/programs/yangbanxi

 

 

The LA Weekly Review

GO PICK YANG BAN XI: THE EIGHT MODEL WORKS This enthralling documentary, a Dutch production by Hong Kong–born female director Yan Ting Yuen, not only reclaims the Chinese propaganda opera but niftily positions it in the rush of Chinese cultural history, from Mao’s great leap backward to the frantically modernizing cities of today, where the Yang Ban Xi enjoy a renaissance among hip young artists as well as middle-aged audiences who were kids when the operas were first staged. A fictionalized voice-over from the grave by the appalling Madame Mao, China’s unreliable narrator-in-chief, extols the virtues of these revolutionary propaganda vehicles, with their cheesily declamatory scripts and gorgeous Technicolor production values. Extremely popular with the people, in part because they were offered nothing else, in part because of their riotous color and exuberant good cheer, these government-sponsored entertainments brought brief glory to their participants, and deep wells of sorrow as many were arbitrarily purged along with their families, or suffered disgrace when Madame Mao herself was purged along with the Gang of Four. We meet the former stars and the casualties, some of whom remember the heyday of Yang Ban Xi as the high point of their lives, while others fume at having had to make politically correct art. The jury may be out on whether this lively product of a wickedly totalitarian age has come back as nostalgia, kitsch or the simple desire to preserve a slice of history. But there’s something irresistible about seeing a troupe of punked-out young Chinese performers hitching The Red Detachment of Women to their own frisky wagon and dancing their way to a new art form. (Music Hall) (Ella Taylor)

 

(Note to Randy - laconic, yes !)

Edited December 17, 2008 by Darnell (see edit history)

[Randy W]

That would be over in 35 minutes

 

but on again next Tues @ 1AM

Edited December 17, 2008 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Sebastian]

It's strange, I read several 'reviews' of this work, and so far, imo, the reviews really don't do justice to this film.

 

I guess maybe the reviewers dinna fully understand about 'how it was' to be an artist under Mao ? I dunno... seems rather strange.

 

If you get a chance, set it up to record on your gear..

[Randy W]

We just watched the recording from last night - looks real good. I'll have to watch it again when I can watch the sub-titles more closely.

 

Jiaying showed a little interest in it, but she's not real impressed with the Red Guard or propaganda-type people from the Cultural revolution. She never had a Little Red Book (I'll have to see if I can dig mine up), but she's been known to sing along with little propaganda songs from her childhood.

[Sebastian]

Randy - iirc, if you wanted to be 'an artist' - you had to do it the Party's way, or not at all, for quite a long period.

 

The teaching of Western Music Method was banned for many years, and if you were caught with a western music instrument, you could be killed. Ditto for blues albums, broadway musical dance choreography books, liturgical oratorio scores, heck even a Kodaiy solfege book (even when Kodaiy was an approved Hungarian communist party music teacher) would be grounds for punishment.

 

It must be Chinese, and it must reflect the Goodwill of the Party.

Or We Kill You.

 

I'm not complaining about it , I find it fascinating from a music history and background standpoint.

 

I studied classical music in a previous life, and did many performances in my youth and 'after military service' time. I don't do it it anymore - as I got shell shocked one year after 11 performances of Handel's Messiah during that Christmas Season. But I digress...

 

I watched this movie with a performer's background - not one of 'the audience' - and still find it amazing they were able to to be creative within the confines of The Party..

 

I remember one year in particular, when Dominik Argento came in to conduct one of his pieces with the boy choir I sang in. I was a kid, learned technique by rote and practice, and now after 30+ years - I have to wonder if his work could even be performed with a totally different set of 'rules'. I dunno, Man...

 

I like this movie a lot. nuff said, for now - and I beg of any of you musicians to give it a serious watch...

 

Warmest Regards...

[Randy W]

Randy - iirc, if you wanted to be 'an artist' - you had to do it the Party's way, or not at all, for quite a long period.

 

The teaching of Western Music Method was banned for many years, and if you were caught with a western music instrument, you could be killed. Ditto for blues albums, broadway musical dance choreography books, liturgical oratorio scores, heck even a Kodaiy solfege book (even when Kodaiy was an approved Hungarian communist party music teacher) would be grounds for punishment.

 

It must be Chinese, and it must reflect the Goodwill of the Party.

Or We Kill You.

 

I'm not complaining about it , I find it fascinating from a music history and background standpoint.

 

I studied classical music in a previous life, and did many performances in my youth and 'after military service' time. I don't do it it anymore - as I got shell shocked one year after 11 performances of Handel's Messiah during that Christmas Season. But I digress...

 

I watched this movie with a performer's background - not one of 'the audience' - and still find it amazing they were able to to be creative within the confines of The Party..

 

I remember one year in particular, when Dominik Argento came in to conduct one of his pieces with the boy choir I sang in. I was a kid, learned technique by rote and practice, and now after 30+ years - I have to wonder if his work could even be performed with a totally different set of 'rules'. I dunno, Man...

 

I like this movie a lot. nuff said, for now - and I beg of any of you musicians to give it a serious watch...

 

Warmest Regards...

 

 

Yes - that's the choice that had to be made - 'Art' was basically propaganda. Those who chose to be performers found themselves falling out of favor in all directions when the Cultural Revolution ended. Jaiying was 18 at the time - just barely missing out on all that.

[Sebastian]

Randy - was possible for an 18 year old, as a performer at the time, same age as yer lass, to have performed already for 6 years (or more), and not 'missing the edge' at all.

 

Hopefully, she was one of the audience members?

 

Off To Sleep Already....

[Randy W]

Randy - was possible for an 18 year old, as a performer at the time, same age as yer lass, to have performed already for 6 years (or more), and not 'missing the edge' at all.

 

Hopefully, she was one of the audience members?

 

Off To Sleep Already....

 

She seems to have come very healthily out of that period. The arts were a good area to avoid, although she did play basketball.

 

I think her area was relatively unaffected, and had plenty to eat.