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Cheerful Wind

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheerful Wind
Directed byHou Hsiao-hsien
Written byHou Hsiao-hsien
CountryTaiwan
LanguageMandarin

Cheerful Wind (風兒踢踏踩, Feng er ti ta cai) is a 1981 Taiwanese film directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. It is Hou's second film. The film is also known as Play While You Play.[1]

Plot

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The plot revolves around the romance between a blind man and a photographer.

Cast

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Release

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The film was released for the 1982 Lunar New Year.[2]

Reception

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The film was restored in 2018 and presented as follows: "Although largely crafted within the constraints of commercial genre sensibilities, the film employs a narrative approach that offers a reflection of the society of the time. Even in this early work, sketches of Hou’s signature themes can be gleaned, such as his explorations of Taiwan’s urban-rural divide and the complexities of modern love."[3] A similar assessment can be found in various other reviews:"Acclaimed Taiwanese director Hsiao-Hsien Hou’s second feature film Cheerful Wind is a touch more accessible and a good deal lighter-hearted than the latter fare which would win him accolades and adulation in equal measure. Nonetheless, this off-kilter romcom contains clear traces of his fingerprints, from the artfully framed shots, bright colours and bouncy soundtrack, to the quirky characters and unexpected plot curvature."[4] The first sequence, for example, is seen as a film within the film, that would characterise later Hou films.[5] The film is also noted as an example of new trends in the Taiwanese cinema of the 1980s, with a stronger presence of youth and pop culture.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Lee, Daw-Ming (2012-11-08). Historical Dictionary of Taiwan Cinema. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7922-5.
  2. ^ Virone, Oriana (2020-07-06). "Film Review: Cheerful Wind (1982) by Hou Hsiao-hsien". Asian Movie Pulse. Archived from the original on 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  3. ^ "Restored: Cheerful Wind (風兒踢踏踩) (1982)". Asian Film Archive. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  4. ^ "The Wee Review". theweereview.com. Archived from the original on 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  5. ^ Lupke, Christopher (2016-03-25). The Sinophone Cinema of Hou Hsiao-hsien: Culture, Style, Voice, and Motion. Cambria Press. ISBN 978-1-62196-706-4.
  6. ^ Tweedie, James (2013-08-01). The Age of New Waves: Art Cinema and the Staging of Globalization. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-934430-7.
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