Monkey - Journey to the West
May 25th 2008 22:31
The novel is one of the four great novels in Chinese history, considered mandatory reading for students, but most people are probably familiar with the TV show, Monkey King from the 70s.
It's a ribald tale, filled with fantastic fights, sly, dirty humour and incredible cinematography. The closest comparison I could make for Westerners is that it's similar to The Canterbury Tales. Filmed in Technicolor, the movie has fantastically saturated colours, bringing out the reds and the greens, making the film look almost comic-like.
The Shaw Brothers used impressive scenery and locations, though, giving us a glimpse of unyielding green mountains and river valleys cut through the dense jungle. These are places that might not exist anymore, and it's a thrill to see it behind the Monkey King, fighting the Dragon King.
To me, these films are absolutely entertaining. The sheer other-worldliness of the story feels so unique and alien, and, at its heart, the movies are genuinely funny. The musical interludes may sound jarring to the Western ear, but I've developed a taste for Chinese classical singing, which is used to cleverly push the story forward.
The Siren Visual collection packages four films together: The Monkey Goes West, Princess Iron Fan, The Cave of Silken Web, The Land of Many Perfumes, and, as usual, the Siren DVD is excellent quality, with clear, bright subtitles underneath the image box.
"Monkey - Journey to the West" is a must-see for fans of Chinese cinema and culture. These stories are ingrained in the Chinese collective - so much so that if you ask a Chinese child to imitate a monkey, they'll immediately post like the Monkey King.
Moreover, the stories are an incredible depiction of human nature, and the dark shadows that we all carry. The Pig spirit is a glutton and lustful, the Monkey is prone to Anger - as they deal with their inner demons, we're meant to face our own weaknesses, and, hopefully, the original author must have imagined, find our salvation with Buddha.
Well, those of us that are not Buddhists can still take value from pacifism depicted in the films. While Monkey and Pigsy squabble and fight, the monk Guan Ying does nothing but sit and pray.
I say: An incredible story, brought to Technicolor delight by the Shaw Brothers. A must see for Asian cinema fans.
See it for: My only complaint about the films is that there aren't enough sexy women, and it's not lusty enough!
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Comment by Wayne F
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Comment by Damo
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I started reading the book but lost it somewhere and never got it back. It is a great masterpiece of classic literature.
I look forward to seeing this version.
Comment by Cibbuano
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These movies came before the series, though, so it might not be like you remembered! Perhaps, even a little rowdier!
Comment by AmyHuang
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It's a great story, but sometimes those who have not been brought up in the culture miss the underlying messages of humanity.
Comment by Damo
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Then what about the new series that is being made?
Is it completed?
Comment by Cibbuano
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Damo, yes, these films predate the series, I believe. I don't know if the new series will be any good - it'd be like the Star Wars prequels for us...
Comment by Jarrah
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cool.
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Comment by lachlan
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