As I didn’t watch any locally produced film during this semester, so I will talk a film produced in Taiwan which has screened in HK. “Monga”(艋舺) is a movie which tells the story of five boys from the historical district of Monga in Taipei, who joins a gang because they were tired of being bullied around. Under the guidance of an experienced gangster, the youngsters are taught the heritage created by the founders of Monga. Taipei City's oldest district such as Longshan Temple and the Wanhua district were used as a shooting venue to show the 90s divided by rule of the local gangs.In the first part of the film, it talk about the new transfer student 蚊子 at school into the “Prince Gang” (太子幫) after he is bullied by狗仔孩 over a chicken leg in his lunchbox. Led by 志龍, the “Prince Gang”, this is what they called themselves, is made up of three other members, including 和尚, 白猴 and 阿伯. In his new companions, 蚊子finds the friendship he has never had before. While in the second half, as the adolescence is replaced by the young adulthood, it shows the time flows, and there is the influx of the main landowner threatening the old order. This circumstance has caused some problem between the “Prince Gang”, as some of them will rise to the challenge, and the others will struggle to find their way.
It is clear to see that the story and theme of Monga is talking about brotherhood and betrayal. The joining or forming an own gang is a way of life for young men no matter which times, which can shows their friendship and power, and this is the most touching part for me in this movie. Similar to 古惑仔 in HK, the theme of this gangster action film also talk about the personal loyalty(義氣). I have a profound impression on several dialogues of this film which are all talking about their brotherhood. Like, “What is meaning? I only heard of brotherhood, never heard of meaning.” and “What I enter is not the gangster, but is the friendship, is the loyalty.” In addition, a message is shown in the movie that there is only one way to survive is being stronger than your enemies, and you have to fight them first, or they’ll fight you. Although I seldom watch this genre of film, I am pleased to watch this film as it tells us the importance and belief of friendships, and also the seeking of dreams. Not like the gangster film I watched before, it talks about the growth of the “Prince Gang”, but not only having the fierce fighting scenes.
Monga at once becomes popular and surprisingly affecting when it screened in Taiwan, the popularity is second only to Cape No.7, I think maybe it is the subject matter of the 90s local gangs and a very strong native flavor because of the use of Taiwan’s mother language which make the audiences have the consonance, and aided no less by the great performances and also the popularity from both Mark Chao(趙又廷)and Ethan Juan(阮經天).
Sze-To Ching Ting Viven (10321312)
Thanks Viven for introducing a film that I haven’t watched. I seldom watch such kind of “gangster” film too! It’s a good approach to discuss the text by quoting some dialogues between the characters, which helps analyze the central theme of the story. You described it as circulating and reinforcing a “the importance and belief of friendship”, did it offer you other types/forms of pleasure? It is generally believed that female audiences are less enthusiastic in consuming this kind of cultural text (with many fighting scenes), how would you decode this film from a “female reader’s position”? Are there any alternative readings possible?
ReplyDeleteYou may consider analyzing the film in the context of Hong Kong, which can make the review more “relevant” to us. For example, you have mentioned it as “similar to 古惑仔”,perhaps you can elaborate this point a bit and try to uncover its popularity among general Hong Kong people (or alternatively, a particular group Hong Kong people).