2006/01/15
[movie] Empire of The Sun‧太陽帝國
Steven Spielberg在1987年的史詩片。
姑且不論片中對於各國的美化或醜化﹝敬崇日本執著的武士精神,可悲又可憐的中國百姓,積極卻也勢利的美國文化、冷淡安靜的英國族群),藉由James,一位小男孩的眼睛來看戰爭,無法概觀,卻很直觀。
James看不清第二次世界大戰中,強權的與弱勢的腐敗、軍火的摧殘與苦難的民眾。但是從失去父母的保護起,James隻身在烽火中求生存,就得被迫成長,看清許多殘忍的現實。
他看到身邊同伴的凋零,知道爭取每一顆馬鈴薯的可貴。
他看到嚴肅莊重的戰機升空,敬佩起與自己為敵的日本軍人。
他學著照顧大家,討好長輩,識時務對日本官求饒跪拜…
這場戰役中,透過James的遭遇,我認為想表達的真意與感動相當薄弱,似乎只是一齣冗長的小男孩苦難記敘事。不過既然都把片子看完,也為他留了淚,就把觸動心弦的橋段做個抒發吧。
當砲火轟炸英美囚營時,所有人忙著躲避、哭嚎,James卻爬上高處的瞭望台,手舞足蹈地看著他崇拜的空中戰機,俐落的落下砲彈,優雅堅定的執行任務。分不清楚他是興奮到笑,還是激動到哭,因為此時的他早一無所有,沒有可以依偎的父母,沒有完全可靠的朋友,甚至沒有能夠包容接受他的落腳處。James無視戰機的危險性,因為看到那份自由翱翔,可以忘卻他現所處的無依無助…。直到營所的醫生趕忙去抱他脫離險區時,他終於崩潰:「我媽媽有頭黑色的秀髮,她會在睡前唱歌給我聽,她…,她,嗚,我連她的長相都記不得了。」
在戰火中的孩子們,不,應該說在戰爭中的所有人,被奪走了國的尊嚴,更慟的是還失去了「家」的保護。我哭了,因為我跟著感受到了。
劇情簡介:
Based on J. G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, tells the story of a boy, James Graham, whose privileged life is upturned by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, December 8, 1941. Separated from his parents, he is eventually captured, and taken to Soo Chow(蘇州) confinement camp, next to a captured Chinese airfield. Amidst the sickness and food shortages in the camp, Jim attempts to reconstruct his former life, all the while bringing spirit and dignity to those around him.
不知道從何時起,我染上了一種習慣:「入戲太深」。除了對有感觸的電影看完後總"懸梁多日",無法忘懷,最嚴重的是只要有任何感傷橋段,我都會淚水潰堤,哭到哽咽,哭到眼腫,哭到在一旁的弟弟都說:「你也太誇張了吧,那只是戲,而且最後他還是找到媽媽了啊。」
2006/01/14
[movie] The Stepford Wives‧超完美嬌妻
Joanna事業一帆風順,是個站在頂尖的事業女強人。直到她面臨被公司開除、婚姻出現危機…,於是全家搬遷到康乃狄格洲一個小鎮重新出發,開始新生活。
Stepford鎮簡直是完美的天堂,豪宅華園,日夜笙歌,居民和善,尤其是所有的家庭主婦,個個皆金髮大胸尤物,在外處理家務雜務,扮演端莊優雅的貴婦,在內則是對老公言聽計從,體貼服伺的蕩婦。
原本Joanna也想嘗試融入Stepford式生活,當個世俗所謂的「相夫教子、三從四德」的完美妻子,但隨著好友Roger, Bobbie的性情大變,老公Walter甚至也想讓她變成真正的「超完美嬌妻」…她體悟真正的完美世界,並非建構在這種夫唱婦隨的男性理想上。
好吧,這部片結構鬆散,敘事起來不令人發省,無法觸發任何共鳴,只能給個一顆星,這還是看在大明星齊聚一堂的份上:Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, Glenn Close, Christopher Walken…
這個題材其實很有趣,劇中刻意強調一堆受到強勢老婆壓抑過久的老公們,他們建造出來的Stepford,就是人們心中的天堂。
這個天堂反應著當今社會的物質主義、消費主義,以及完美的外表,這些都是現代人追求、癡迷的事情。
我們對於人生的完美定義,大多離不開優化的物質條件、和樂融恰的居家生活,再加上身材火辣、面貌姣好、予取予求的好牽手,夫復何求啊!?別說這是男人的夢想,女人又何嘗不冀盼呢。
既然這是大多數人所謂的天堂,那麼Claire與Mike幫大家築夢圓夢,又有何錯?
回到戲劇來看,錯在「改造」的手段,這是偏激、諷刺的黑色幽默。
而回到現實,完美人生的真的如上述所言嗎?我想,真正的烏托邦應該如Joanna所說:『不完美,但我們都很盡力,也很開心。』
2006/01/08
2006/01/01
Bela Maria De Mi Alma
Si deseo sonreir
pienso solamente en ti
en la magia de tu amor
en tu piel, en tu sabor.
En la isla del dolor
recuerdo tu calor
desearia morir
cerca de ti.
Un ardiente corazon
colorea mi pasion
deseando compartir
el sentir de este vivir.
En las olas de este mar
sueno en la eternidad
con cada luna vendras
con la merea te iras
en un caracol
pienso oir tu voz
la bella maria de mi amor.
Aunque esternos separados
en un sueno angelicar
si llego de nuevo amar
no hay razon porque cambiar.
Temo yo permanecer
sin ti en la eternidad
lejos nos puedon separar
jamas pudiera olvidar
tu risa celestial
tus besos, tu calor
la bella Maria de mio amor.
Si no te vuelva a ver
no dejaras de ser
la bella Maria de mi amor
--
Beautiful Maria Of My Soul
In the sunlight of your smile
In the summer of our life
In the magic of love
Storms above scattered away
Lovers dreaming in the night
Reaching for paradise
But as the dark shadows fade
Love slips away
On an empty stretch of beach
In the pattern of the waves
Drawing pictures with my hand
In the sand, I see your face
Skipping pebbles on the sea
Wishing for paradise
Sand castles crumble below
The restless tides ebb and flow
Listening to a shell
Hoping for your voice
Beautiful Maria of my soul
Though we'll always be apart
Locked forever in a dream
If I ever love again
Even then, nothing will change
And the taste of you remains
Clinging to paradise
But as the distance from you grows
All that my heart ever knows
Hunger for your kiss
Longing for your touch
Beautiful Maria of my soul
Filling all my nights
Haunting all my days
Beautiful Maria of my soul
[movie] The Mambo Kings‧曼波狂潮
兄弟‧音樂‧愛情‧暴力
集合這些鏗鏘有力的元素,讓這部電影熱情揮灑,想跟著起舞,跟著激情,跟著落淚…
這部電影的音樂性相當強捍,值得享受那拉丁音樂的精神與動感。下篇會推薦貫穿全劇,令人心碎主題曲:Beautiful Maria Of My Soul。
有機會要去看原著,普立茲獎得獎小說『The Mambo Kings Play Songs Of Love』。
並奉上詳細劇情,日後可再完整回憶:
Two young Cuban musicians, brothers Cesar (Armand Assante) and Nestor Castillo (Antonio Banderas), flee Cuba after a love triangle takes a potentially deadly twist. The love sick Nestor leaves behind the love of his life, the beautiful Maria Rivera (Talisa Soto), now married to his romantic rival.
The brothers arrive in New York, where Cesar meets the lushly sensuous, blonde bombshell, Lana Lake (Cathy Moriarty). They eventually marry, while Nestor, still carrying a torch for Maria, meets the sedate and quietly pretty Delores Fuentes (Maruschka Detmers), whom he eventually marries. Given a helping hand by fellow Cuban, Desi Arnaz, Sr. (Desi Arnaz, Jr.), Cesar and Nestor shortly become stars of the dance halls and clubs they play, where they are christened the "Mambo Kings".
Unfortunately, Cesar's dreams are not necessarily Nestor's dreams and conflicts arise. The brothers also run into trouble when Cesar's arrogance pits him against a musical syndicate that rules the clubs and dance halls with an iron hand, derailing their careers for a time. Moreover, Nestor's marriage is seriously troubled, because of his obsession with his lost love. Still, no matter what, there is always the music.
Armand Assante gives an over-the-top, manic performance as Cesar, the older brother whose arrogance and single-minded ambition nearly alienates his brother. He over-acts the part, making his character almost cartoonish, at times. It is as if he were drowning in his own machismo. Still, he infuses the role with a certain energy that makes him strangely compelling. Moreover, the guy can really dance!
It is the bittersweet performance by Antonio Banderas, however, that takes one's breath away. Antonio Banderas infuses the role of the artistic, younger brother, Nestor, with a poignancy, sensitivity, and sensuousness that is remarkable. He handles the role with a delicacy that nearly brought tears to my eyes. Banderas makes the viewer feel Nestor's pain, so palpable is his anguish over his lost love, Maria. When he sings his ode to her, ""Beautiful Maria of My Soul", the viewer is transfixed, so beautifully does he sing it.
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