Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009
Today
Hi: 46
Lo: 35
Wed
Hi: 42
Lo: 32
Thu
Hi: 38
Lo: 21
Section Sponsor
Article Tools
Print this Article
Make text larger
Related Twitter Posts

  • blogtoblog:
    How Does China’s Natural Resources Result In A Absolute Or Comparative Advantage For The Country?: China&.. link

  • Zazochi:
    @TAFischer Healthcare is not going to turn us into NK, China. But why not cite prosperous countries with healthcare, like Norway, or Sweden?

  • nightsky19:
    @mind95 ohhhh....i heard abt it....so u live in china town or some thing???

  • TAFischer:
    @Zazochi It enslaves all it controls. Cuba, Ven, NK, China all have national health care, who has more liberties, them or us?

  • seanolive:
    brought home a cold from his 10-day trip in China. Chicken or Peking soup?


Follow us on Twitter ...
In Movies & TV
There's fire behind the calm of "Springtime in a Small Town"
 
By Bobby Tanzilo RSS Feed Twitter Feed
Managing Editor

E-mail author | Author bio
More articles by Bobby Tanzilo

Published Sept. 16, 2004 at 5:28 a.m.
Tags: tian zhuangzhuang, china

There's storm beneath the quiet of "Springtime in a Small Town," the first film in 10 years by acclaimed Chinese director Tian Zhuangzhuag. The 2002 film, which nabbed honors in Toronto, New York, Chicago and Venice -- including top prize at the latter -- makes its Milwaukee premiere this weekend.

Serene, slow-moving and quiet - with long sequences with virtually no dialogue whatsoever - the mellow feel of "Springtime in a Small Town" masks an underlying passion, disappointment and resentment.

Set in a small Chinese town in 1946 after the withdrawal of Japanese troops, 30-year-old Dai Liyan (Wu Jun) lives among the bomb ravaged compound left to him by his dead parents. With him live his wife Yuwen (Hu Jingfan), his 16-year-old sister Dai Xiu (Lu Sisi) and their "butler" Lao Huang (Ye Xiaokeng).

Liyan is ill, sapped of energy and ravaged by coughing fits, although whether the cause is physical, emotional or infectious, is unclear to us and to the characters. Meanwhile, his relationship with Yuwen, whom he married eight years earlier, has never been good and they've had separate rooms for a long time.

Enter an unexpected guest. Zhang Zhichen (Xin Baiqing), the childhood pal of Liyan is back from the big city after 10 years away. In the intervening years he's become a doctor, luckily for Liyan, who could use some help.

But when Zhichen sees Yuwen, we learn that they also were childhood neighbors and a little more than friends. With Yuwen's unhappy life, the situation is ripe for all kinds of betrayals.

But in an ordered society, can Yuwen look past her duties as a wife? Even when Liyan voices the opinion that she'd be better off which Zhichen, her moral dilemma is not easily solved. Sometimes it takes another unexpected event to open one's eyes to the right path.

The screenplay is based on a story by Li Tianji and a 1948 film adaptation by the controversial Fei Mu, so it is apparently a familiar one in China and fans of Tennessee Williams will also recognize the love-triangle-based storyline.

Subtly charged and artistically paced, "Springtime in a Small Town" has been called, "a fine expression of the Chinese new wave," and it's an enjoyable, passionate work.

"Springtime in a Small Town" screens at UWM Union Theatre, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., on the second floor of the student union, at 7 and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 17-18, and at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 19. Admission is $5.

The same director's 1986 film, "The Horse Thief," is also screened at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Meanwhile, his "The Blue Kite," from 1993, screens Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.


OnMilwaukee.com Rating:


Post a comment / write a review.



Reader Poll
Which summer 2010 "blockbuster" are you most looking forward to?
"Iron Man 2"
"Sex and the City 2"
"Shrek Goes Fourth"
"The Green Hornet"
"Toy Story 3"

Results after 111 votes.

OnMilwaukee.com is part of the In Click Network. Other In Click sites include: 30RockReport.com | Behind The Scenes at OnMilwaukee.com | BetterRecipes.org | Bimmer Digest | Brain Brawn & Body | BrewCityBeats.com | Brewcitybigscreen.com | britneysnation.com | BritPop Rocks | Brooklynbanter.com | CactusLeagueReport.com | Caffeinateddigest.com | Culinary Piedmont | Cycling Chainring | Daily Lost Update | Daily Milwaukee News | Daily Spa | DannyGokeyMilwaukee.com | Dogs Blogs | EarthFueled.com | Edible Wisconsin | FanaticPhotog.com | Gadget Deals and Steals | GolfLinksWisconsin.com | H1N1 Alerts | H1N1 Blog | H1N1 Prevention | H1N1 Reporter | H1N1 Tracker | HogEnthusiast.com | Informed Runner | iPhone Daily Report | Man United Nation | Milwaukee Brewers Nation | Milwaukee Bucks Blog | Milwaukee Dad | Minnesota Wild Nation | MomMilwaukee.com | My Super Stocks | MyGayMilwaukee.com | MyHangoverHelper | News on Draught | NY Mets Nation | OnAtlantaGA.com | OnAustinTX.com | OnBaltimoreMD.com | OnBirminghamAL.com | OnBostonMass.com | OnBuffaloNY.com | OnCharlotteNC.com | OnCincinnati.com | OnClevelandOH.com | OnColumbusOH.com | OnDallas.com | OnDCmetro.com | OnDenverCO.com | OnDetroitMI.com | OnDoorCounty.org | OnFortLauderdale.com | OnGreenBay.com | OnHartford.com | OnIndianapolisIN.com | OnKansasCityMO.com | OnLakeCountry.com | OnLosAngelesCA.com | OnLouisvilleKY.com | OnMadison.com | OnMemphisTN.com | OnMiamiFLA.com | OnMilwaukee.com Cars | OnMilwaukee.com Metro Headlines | OnNashvilleTN.com | OnNewOrleansLA.com | OnNYCny.com | OnOrlandoFL.com | OnPalmSprings.com | OnPhiladelphia.com | OnPhoenixAZ.com | OnPittsburgh.com | OnPortlandOR.com | OnProvidence.com | OnRichmondVA.com | OnSacramento.com | OnSaltLakeCity.com | OnSanAntonioTX.com | OnSanDiegoCA.com | OnSanFran.com | OnSanJose.com | OnSeattleWA.com | OnSinCity.com | OnStLouis.com | OnStPetersburg.com | OnTampaBay.com | OnTucsonAZ.com | OnTwinCities.com | OnWichita.com | OnWindyCity.com | Packers Posts | Porsche 911 Fans | PriusFans.com | Roller Derby Network | SnuggieFans.com | SummerfestRocks.com | Swine Flu China | Swine Flu Reporter | The 24 Reporter | The Barack Obama Fan Club | The Brilliant Manager | The Comic Book Reporter | The In Click | The Office Fan Blog | TheHDTVReporter.com | TheNetbookBlog.com | TheNewParentBlog.com | Trueguitarheroes.com | Vintage Mets | VW Busses | WaukeshaWeekly.com | Weekly Media News | Wisconsincustomhomenews.com | WisWomen.com | Woodworker Digest