This movie brings me back to some dark places in my life I don’t like to revisit. That said, it still remains the single most moving and relatable piece of media I’ve ever seen. Im a recovering heroin addict that deals with PTSD and suicidal ideation and I watched this movie at a rehab facility. Looking back at the place I was in, I was hopeless. Completely fucking hopeless putting a gun to my head everyday at the parking lot of work. Poverty and the streets and addiction is such an ugly oppressive dark place to live in. The inhumanity that lives in the heart of the streets just minutes outside of the safety of these locked doors. This movie perfectly captures what it’s like trying to survive at the bottom of the food chain and find meaning when their is none, in a post capitalistic waste land. Watching this movie for the first time, I felt I wasn’t alone, I wasn’t crazy. That the world around me was what was wrong. That I was just a byproduct of a sick society. The way the film maker crafted this movie, it spoke to me like nothing else has. Like I was seeing the world through his eyes, and it was so similar to the way I saw my world. I felt connected. But after hearing about the directors fate, it just makes me so god damn incredibly sad and the worse kind of irony. It’s funny, I had no idea of knowing about Bo Hu’s death the first time I viewed the movie as I was in rehab, but after learning about it, it has changed the way I view the movie. I just have to wonder being someone who has dealt with those thoughts and feelings, if viewing this movie would be beneficial or harmful to my mental health. I’m almost 2 years sober now but this movie has stayed with me.
Amazed this was shown in a rehab given the very ordinary viewing that is American spectatorship . I'm surprised the medical staff or the people in rehab knw about a Chinese film about oppression .
The style of camerawork in this film reminds me of the film Son of Saul about the Somderkommando in Auschwitz, where a lot of the action happens in the background out of focus, while keeping the main character in the foreground in focus. I believe both that director and Bo took inspiration from Bela Tarr, who is a master of long shots and deliberate uses of focus and panning to imply subjectivity.
Thanks for summing up the powerful approach of this movie. I'm only halfway through it (I took a break just as you did), but it's like no other movie I've seen.
I am happily immune to so-called "spoilers". Learning about this fascinating sounding production before seeing it makes me no less curious to experience it.
Only one thing I disagree with. You said the experience will be ruined if spoiled. That is absolutely not true at all. Spoilers will have absolutely no effect on the viewing experience and quality of the film. If anything is actually good spoilers won't ruin it.
You may disagree with calling it "ruined", but the experience will absolutely be *different* if spoiled. You as a viewer may have the most pure (cold turkey) experience where you don't know anything about the movie, knowing "something" which serves as a map and makes for easier experience with less surprises, to knowing spoilers to knowing full plot and cinematography in advance. You are free to choose how you interact with the movie, maybe for you spoilers are not a big deal, but you shouldn't decide for others as many people prefer the "cold turkey" experience or knowing just basic plot info, thus the experience is "ruined" if they are deprived of the opportunity to interact with the movie in the way they wanted. That is to say, be mindful that your definition of "ruined" is not absolute truth and other (most) people define it differently.
Good video. I think since you didn't talk much about the plot of this movie that if you would've not included the gunshot at the end it would've been essentially spoiler free
The director and writer is dead from suicide :we are not sure why he killid himself only that he would certainly not have survived in Holywood UNLESS He made some big and serious psyche changes !!! ? Bela Tarr presented the film in Paris ? Hubo committed suicide and the story is enough to make your tear !
This movie brings me back to some dark places in my life I don’t like to revisit. That said, it still remains the single most moving and relatable piece of media I’ve ever seen. Im a recovering heroin addict that deals with PTSD and suicidal ideation and I watched this movie at a rehab facility. Looking back at the place I was in, I was hopeless. Completely fucking hopeless putting a gun to my head everyday at the parking lot of work. Poverty and the streets and addiction is such an ugly oppressive dark place to live in. The inhumanity that lives in the heart of the streets just minutes outside of the safety of these locked doors. This movie perfectly captures what it’s like trying to survive at the bottom of the food chain and find meaning when their is none, in a post capitalistic waste land.
Watching this movie for the first time, I felt I wasn’t alone, I wasn’t crazy. That the world around me was what was wrong. That I was just a byproduct of a sick society. The way the film maker crafted this movie, it spoke to me like nothing else has. Like I was seeing the world through his eyes, and it was so similar to the way I saw my world. I felt connected.
But after hearing about the directors fate, it just makes me so god damn incredibly sad and the worse kind of irony. It’s funny, I had no idea of knowing about Bo Hu’s death the first time I viewed the movie as I was in rehab, but after learning about it, it has changed the way I view the movie. I just have to wonder being someone who has dealt with those thoughts and feelings, if viewing this movie would be beneficial or harmful to my mental health. I’m almost 2 years sober now but this movie has stayed with me.
Thanks for sharing man. Also in a battle w addiction myself
Amazed this was shown in a rehab given the very ordinary viewing that is American spectatorship . I'm surprised the medical staff or the people in rehab knw about a Chinese film about oppression .
Beautiful video essay on my favorite film of all time!
Bro u okay?
@@giniwelle Nothing wrong with having this as a favorite.
Thank you for making this. Absolutely love the movie.
The style of camerawork in this film reminds me of the film Son of Saul about the Somderkommando in Auschwitz, where a lot of the action happens in the background out of focus, while keeping the main character in the foreground in focus. I believe both that director and Bo took inspiration from Bela Tarr, who is a master of long shots and deliberate uses of focus and panning to imply subjectivity.
Thanks for summing up the powerful approach of this movie. I'm only halfway through it (I took a break just as you did), but it's like no other movie I've seen.
I just... want to thank you for making this video: THANK YOU.
I need a breath!!!
I am happily immune to so-called "spoilers". Learning about this fascinating sounding production before seeing it makes me no less curious to experience it.
Subscribed! This video essay is brief and fantastic!
Best film ever
Thank you for this video. It means a lot to me that you understand it the way I do.
Great analysis. An Elephant Sitting Still is a masterpiece of slow cinema
Great, great essay. Thanks!
Great analysis! Thank you for making this video.
Love your essay!
Such a beautiful analysis... Thank you for the video...
Thank you and love it.
such a beautiful film
Love your video. Great stuff
Only one thing I disagree with. You said the experience will be ruined if spoiled. That is absolutely not true at all. Spoilers will have absolutely no effect on the viewing experience and quality of the film. If anything is actually good spoilers won't ruin it.
You may disagree with calling it "ruined", but the experience will absolutely be *different* if spoiled. You as a viewer may have the most pure (cold turkey) experience where you don't know anything about the movie, knowing "something" which serves as a map and makes for easier experience with less surprises, to knowing spoilers to knowing full plot and cinematography in advance. You are free to choose how you interact with the movie, maybe for you spoilers are not a big deal, but you shouldn't decide for others as many people prefer the "cold turkey" experience or knowing just basic plot info, thus the experience is "ruined" if they are deprived of the opportunity to interact with the movie in the way they wanted. That is to say, be mindful that your definition of "ruined" is not absolute truth and other (most) people define it differently.
great video. Thank you.
Good video. I think since you didn't talk much about the plot of this movie that if you would've not included the gunshot at the end it would've been essentially spoiler free
The director and writer is dead from suicide :we are not sure why he killid himself only that he would certainly not have survived in Holywood UNLESS He made some big and serious psyche changes !!!
? Bela Tarr presented the film in Paris ? Hubo committed suicide and the story is enough to make your tear !
Nice