| Tsui Hark's 1986 classic action comedy dizzies its audience just about as much as it thrills. Reminiscent of early American screwball comedies, Hark's film travels at a breakneck pace, barely resting to provide such cinematic delights as character development and storytelling (a criticism that I often pin on him). Such things, however, in this case, would only serve to slow down the proceedings. Plus, not to let it be said that Hark lacks ambition, POB also adds action movie elements with political intrigue and social commentary and some hard violence.
Starring the very attractive trio of actresses (Lin, Chung, Yeh), Peking Opera Blues never runs short on eye candy either. Each actress handles her end of the action and comedy with deft skill, but unfortunately, given the tempo and depth of the material, lack of heart. Lin portrays the educated daughter of the general who assumes the identity of a man because it opens more doors socially. Yeh, whose dream performing on stage, is the daughter of the Peking Opera House owner. Chung plays a common thief chasing a bag of stolen jewels. Thematically, all the women are oppressed in some manner by society because of their gender. Some attempt to rise above, some accept it.
Anyway, all three characters become embroiled in the recovery of a mysterious government document whose importance really isn't given great scope. We just know that it's important, which doesn't exactly lend to much of the suspense other than the fact that the trio's lives are often at stake in its pursuit.
Much of the films running time deals with the women's slapstick attempts at snatching the key to the wall safe from Lin's corrupt father. There are some very funny scenes here. Mistaken identities. People rushing from one room to another. In one scene, characters, to avoid being discovered by the general, scramble in plain sight around a bedroom while one of the women distracts and covers their movements in outrageous fashion, using blankets, acrobatics, and emotional outbursts. Classic screwball comedy stuff that I assume Hark was exposed to during his film training in the U.S.
While I still like the frantic pacing of the film, I believe I am unfortunately at a loss at times as far as truly understanding what is actually happening and why without repeat viewing anyway. See, Tsui Hark doesn't slow down to explain a lot of the traditions of the Opera Academies or customs toward women or anything else for that matter, which I don't exactly think he should. This is a Chinese film. We shouldn't dumb it down for the masses.
Peking Opera Blues is breathlessly ambitious entertainment. |
Viewer Comments:
