PUBLIC TOILET

PUBLIC TOILET
Ren min gong che

Director: Fruit Chan
Starring: Tsuyoshi Abe as Dong Dong or “God of Toilets”, Ma Zhe as his friend Tony, Hyuk Jang as Kim, In-seong Jo as Cho amongst others.

Screen date (Kor): 2002

Date seen: 31.07.08
Reviewed by: neko

Trailer:

Review: This film is incredible. It’s no masterpiece, it’s not a blockbuster. But it is certainly unforgettable. It’s original in both it’s narrative form and visual composition. I can’t recommend this movie to anyone the way I could recommend universal films like Kamikaze Girls or 200 Pounds Beauty.

Public Toilet has it’s own audience. The story revolves around young Dong Dong and his loose friends who is searching for the same thing trough the whole film, just in different places. And of course, public toilets. Chan has written and directed a story about friendship, family, culture and globalization with life and death as the unison.

I did read a few reviews of Public Toilet before I decided to spend time on it myself (yes, I know I shouldn’t). The one thing that intrigued me, was that the reviewer’s didn’t seem to get much out of this film. I did. I have already mentioned what Public Toilet is about. The only problem with this movie (for the general audience) is that it’s pace is very slow. Chan tells a very important story, but you really need to focus to understand it. And it isn’t something that seems important these days. It could very well have been a hot topic when he wrote it in the beginning of the 21st century, but I really couldn’t say. It’s not something new. And when the pace of the film is as slow as it is, I’m afraid the genius Chan could loose a few followers. For those of you who has seen Hollywood Hong Kong and don’t understand this movie, please don’t loose faith in Chan.

This film leaves me with so many mixed feelings. I enjoyed it, but I still expected something more. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Chan, anyone who needs to get some confirmation on the facts of life, and anyone who has a lot of time to spare and don’t easily get bored.

In words: globalization, sickness, fellowship, life, death, faith, toilet

Reminds me of: Nothing really. Chan is an original.

Trivia: At a train station in India, the name Bush is painted on a sign, which has nothing to do with the movie. Or at least you would think so. What happened in 2001/2002?

Buy: From YesAsia at $7.99 with free international shipping, this is a bargain!
Don’t buy it from Amazon, as it’s priced at $150 (!)

HOLLYWOOD HONG KONG

HOLLYWOOD HONG KONG
Heung gong yau gok hor lei wood

Director: Fruit Chan
Starring: Xun Zhuo as the beautiful Tung Tung, You-Nam Wong as the pimp-gone-wrong, Sze Ping Leung as the naive and good-hearted Tiny Chu and Glen Chin as Mr. Chu, amongst other great characters.
Screen date (HK): 2001

Date seen: 16.07.08
Reviewed by: neko

Trailer (Chinese):

Review: I saw this movie about four or five years ago, and I’ve been thinking of it ever since. I was finally lucky enough to get a hold of it, and to enjoy it once more. If this film doesn’t come out as one of the top ten dramas of the 21st century, then it’s just because not enough people know about it yet. But then again, to classify this as just a drama would be unfair. I’m also looking at an art movie, with serious black humor and social importance.

The story starts out with the family Chu, who runs a pig roasting shop in a Hong Kong shanty town. This isn’t your ordinary family, mind you – but it is obvious that these people are content with their life. We also get introduced to a young couple a few shacks away. It soon becomes obvious that this 18 year old boy is the local pimp, and his girlfriend/merchandise is one of his plans to be something big in this world. As he goes out to meet a new hooker, he sends his own girl to an overnight stay at Mr. Chu – a regular customer. The connection between our characters is established. The hooker he meets calls herself Tung Tung, played by the marvelous Xun Zhuo. She shares her dreams with this guy, and he can’t help but fall in love. This is no ordinary night.

From here, the story escalates. Tung Tung meets little Tiny Chu, who is deprived of friends as he has to work with the family business in his spare time. Tiny Chu welcomes Tung Tung with the happy-go-lucky naiveness of a child, and thus the web around our characters in this little shanty town is spun. This little quiet place on earth will never be the same again.

This is a story about family, friendship, dreams and love. But also about loss, social class and the development of a metropolis. This film is one of my all time favorites, and I would advice everyone to see it!

In words: Pigs, family, love, friendship, swing, flag, development, shanty town, big city, social class, new blood, affairs, dreams, barbecue, sex.

Reminds me of: No move I’ve ever seen.

Trivia: You-Nam Wong is a member of a popular Hong Kong boyband, and has starred in several movies. One of the newer ones is called Playboy Cops. Sounds interesting?

Buy: From YesAsia with free worldwide shipping.
Or from the well-known Amazon.