Echoes of The Rainbow (歲月神偷) is a 2009 Hong Kong film directed by Alex Law, Law Kai Yui and his wife and starring Simon Yam and Sandra Ng. This film won the Crystal Bear for the Best Film at the 2010 Berlin Film Festival. The background of the film is 60s Hong Kong and the story is about incident in one Hong Kong local family. Content of the story is based on some of Alex Law’s childhood and his experience. This film is full of Hong Kong 60s feelings and colors, also it contains and represents many collective memories and local experiences among Hong Kong people, so Hong Kong people have sympathetic responses when they are watching the film. It is not difficult to find that there are many scenes in the film, which show those difficult days in the 60s Hong Kong and are very familiar with the living in last generation. For instance, one police who receives blatantly bribes, nurses got extra fee from patients’ family before working. Almost all the Hong Kong people had lived in that period of time, had experienced these kinds of scenes, such as our parents and grandparents, and they will have strong feelings after watching this film. Moreover, we can also see a lot of characters with British elements in the film as it was a period that Hong Kong was colonized by British, for example, there are some dialogues contain Cantonese and English together, such as Sandra Ng always says “Good fit” with Cantonese dialogues in the film.
At that period of 60s, Hong Kong was standing on an anarchy condition. Hong Kong was still governed by British and had to face and endure the suppression of government, moreover, they had to face the impact about movement in mainland China at the same time. The film can show that kind of anarchy condition clearly. On the other hand, we can see the Hong Kong core values through the film. It emphasizes family value in the film and the story line is set around one family and their experiences. Family value is one very important thing and has been concerned a lot by Hong Kong people, so there are many scenes about dinner time and the family having dinner with neighbors outside the house. We can see that they live in good neighborhood with one another and it fits the spirit of “neighborhood watch” in Hong Kong 60s period, neighbors would love to help each other.
Alex law and his wife have been directing movie together and the theme of their films are mainly about family or love and background generally set in Hong Kong. This film is totally matching the style of what he likes, we can see the different types of love in the film, such as love between neighborhood, brotherhood, first love, sons and parents and husband and wife. The loves in the film are very exquisite and we seem to be able to travel back to 60s Hong Kong through this film. I think this is one reason of why this film could touch Hong Kong people’s heart and got a great success.
At that period of 60s, Hong Kong was standing on an anarchy condition. Hong Kong was still governed by British and had to face and endure the suppression of government, moreover, they had to face the impact about movement in mainland China at the same time. The film can show that kind of anarchy condition clearly. On the other hand, we can see the Hong Kong core values through the film. It emphasizes family value in the film and the story line is set around one family and their experiences. Family value is one very important thing and has been concerned a lot by Hong Kong people, so there are many scenes about dinner time and the family having dinner with neighbors outside the house. We can see that they live in good neighborhood with one another and it fits the spirit of “neighborhood watch” in Hong Kong 60s period, neighbors would love to help each other.
Alex law and his wife have been directing movie together and the theme of their films are mainly about family or love and background generally set in Hong Kong. This film is totally matching the style of what he likes, we can see the different types of love in the film, such as love between neighborhood, brotherhood, first love, sons and parents and husband and wife. The loves in the film are very exquisite and we seem to be able to travel back to 60s Hong Kong through this film. I think this is one reason of why this film could touch Hong Kong people’s heart and got a great success.
Asian Studies
Hong Yi Kwan, Cheyenne (10423651)
You have done a good job in approaching the film with a different angle from that of Alex. While he related the film to the socio-economic development of Hong Kong and the economy of film industry, you chose to emphasize more on the cultural aspects (e.g., family relationship and different types of love). It’s good that you have included many examples in your review, which has made your argument more convincing. In particular, I love your point on “different types of love” depicted in the story.
ReplyDeleteOne side question, are you touched by the film? If so, how come you could identify with the story/characters even you didn’t experience the hardship in 1960s?