Screening with A Morning in Taipei
^Pre-screening introduction
Dir & Scr: Hou Hsiao-hsien
DP: Chen Kun-hou
Cast: Feng Fei-fei, Kenny Bee, Chan Yau, San Shu-kong (Chou Wan-sheng), Shih Ying, Wu Ling
Like his debut feature Lovable You (1981), Hou Hsiao-hsien’s second film is also a Lunar New Year box office hit starring ‘Queen of Hats’ Feng Fei-fei and Kenny Bee. It is a departure from the literary romances of the 1970s and forges a new style of urban romantic comedy. The film features youthful and creative characters who are unpretentious and depiction of one’s pursuit of romance and career. The nonchalant humour and pleasant folk songs enliven the film with an easy-going style. Audience can get a glimpse of Hou’s aesthetics in the long shots, wide compositions, use of the Taiwanese language, and naturalistic performance. One can argue his direction here is even livelier and more astute than his later films. The portrayal of romance is contemplative and open-minded while it respects the persistence and exploratory nature of the youth’s personal choices. Romance cannot stop life from moving on and its ‘non-ending’ lure viewers to look forward to the future. This film is a gem in the romance genre that witnesses the development of a world-class filmmaker.