Dumplings (DVD)

...connoisseur of the expensive rejuvenating dumplings of the title. Aunt Mei's youth inducing dumplings have made her famous, and Mrs Lee, desperate to regain the failing attractions of her older wealthy husband (Tony Leung Ka Fai), who embarks on an affair with a much younger woman, is willing to devour the dumplings to secure her desires.

Aunt Mei secures her secret ingredients by crossing the borders into mainland China. The secret ...
...of the contents of the dumplings only reflect the shallow all consuming fear of age and the unknown future.

Another major factor apparent in Chan's 'Dumplings' is the extreme class divide associated with China today. The wealthy have always fed (metaphorically speaking ie-hard labour) off the poor, and grown stronger on it. The collapsing block of urban flats where Mei resides is a stark contrast to Mrs Lee's luxurious hotel living ... more

Director: Fruit Chan
Produced: Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Starring: Miriam Yeung, Bai Ling and Tony Ka Fai Leung
Length: approx 87 mins
Subtitled, dialect Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese)
18 years and over

Reviewing DVD region 2 English subtitles

Originally part of the 'Three…Extremes' trilogy, made up of three short films from Asia's most accomplished 'horror' directors-Takashi Miike's 'Box', Chan-wook Park's 'Cut', and of course Fruit Chan's original short 'Dumplings', this extended film version is a disturbing tale of human excess.

'Dumplings' takes place in Hong Kong, where Mrs Lee (Miriam Yeung Chin Wah) a beautiful but aging ex-soap opera star, seeks the help of the eccentric Aunt Mei (Ling Bai), an ex-abortionist and the connoisseur of the expensive rejuvenating dumplings of the title. Aunt Mei's youth inducing dumplings have made her famous, and Mrs Lee, desperate to regain the failing attractions of her older wealthy husband (Tony Leung Ka Fai), who embarks on an affair with a much younger woman, is willing to devour the dumplings to secure her desires.

Aunt Mei secures her secret ingredients by crossing the borders into mainland China. The secret ingredient is human foetuses, which Aunt Mei has consumed for many years, producing in herself her own best advert. The ingredients aren't kept a secret from Mrs Lee, and though hesitant at first, she chews her way through the meticulously prepared food dreaming of the results. However, the results just aren't fast enough for her, as she watches her husband slip further from her grasp, and wishes for a more potent (stronger) ingredient. The most potent are foetuses in their second trimester, five months old-according to Mei 'cute and nutritious'. When a poor girl of only fifteen arrives at Mei's dilapidated apartment with her mother, seeking an illegal abortion for the girl who was impregnated by her own father, Mei see's her chance. Just how far will Mrs Lee go to securing youth and beauty, and who will she destroy to get it?

This film is beautifully shot by Christopher Doyle (2046), with some great establishing shots and intense close-ups, particularly towards the end, where one of the last sequences is possibly the most disturbing and captivating. Everything is shot with vivid colour, like a moving painting, gorgeously intense . Every scene is dealt with careful precision, beautifully delicate and bold at the same time. The costumes designed by Dora Ng are stunning. Mrs Lee's clothes are delicately crafted from rich materials and vibrant colours, perfectly fitted; a reflection of the beautiful ideal she wishes to fulfil. In contrast Mei's outfits are just as bright, more random and less co-ordinated, a reflection of her carefree nature and exuberance for life. The special effects consist mostly of foetus doubles, and seem disturbingly real in their jelly-like substance and just-recognisable human traits. The pace of the film is different to Hollywood films, as the story unravels with a steady pace rather than producing a beginning, middle and end, smack-bang-whollup kind of format. I know the pace has concerned some viewers, but I didn't find this a problem, and it gives you time to absorb.

This film is harrowing in it's reflection of today's society. The obsession of youth and beauty, especially amongst the Hollywood elite, is a multi-billion dollar business, and it does seem apparent people will stop at nothing to secure ever lasting beauty. Mrs Lee mourns for her loss of beauty and youth, fighting with the youthful portrayal of beauty seen in her soap, and the should-be look in her husband's eyes. Aunt Mei offers a solution, and with money no object, Mrs Lee is willing to try anything. Her knowledge of the secret ingredient makes the viewing more disturbing and sad, her knowledge of the contents of the dumplings only reflect the shallow all consuming fear of age and the unknown future.

Another major factor apparent in Chan's 'Dumplings' is the extreme class divide associated with China today. The wealthy have always fed (metaphorically speaking ie-hard labour) off the poor, and grown stronger on it. The collapsing block of urban flats where Mei resides is a stark contrast to Mrs Lee's luxurious hotel living whilst her lavish house is been constructed. However, in this upper-class capitalist infused society (China ironically been a currently communist country-2007) and social rules, which restrict Mrs Lee everyway possible, her doting need to be a good wife, the obsession of creating the perfect house-wife image, whereas as Mei lives poor, but free from social constraint and formality. This idea two women, from completely different lives and social background, come together in the common desire for youth and beauty is again the disturbing reflection of today's youth obsessed culture.

This film isn't really a horror film, although the general idea seems more suited to a cut and slash gore fest. Whilst the gore is obviously bloody and disturbing, especially a prominent abortion scene-however, it is never excessive, using the correct amount to convey the plot and atmosphere and clever camera angles to minimalise the visual impact on particularly disturbing areas. Absent are the writhing decaying monsters and black and white face painted youngsters with huge evil eyes from conventional horror films you'd expect of this genre, in it's place is a much more real fear. What makes this film so disturbing is it's tragic portrayal of unrealistic desire prominent in today's world. It's incredibly sad and harrowing to witness Mrs Lee's descent into obsession over superficial beauty and youth, and the extremes she will go to are almost tear-jerking.

The acting is superb, and although spoken entirely in a widespread Chinese dialect and obviously entirely in subtitles, it never affects the performance of the actors who do a superb job of maintaining the right emotions. Mrs Lee is obviously the most complex, whereas Aunt Mei serves the purpose of the supplier of dumplings, but it's really Mrs Lee who we a-line ourselves with as an audience. The music (Chan Kwong-Wing@Clickmjusic) is haunting, beautiful and hypnotic, which evokes tension, disgust, fear, sadness and remorse.

I have never watched a Chinese film before, and was really magnetised when I watched 'Dumplings'. I was bowled-over at how superb it was, and it has now become a firm favourite. I strongly recommend watching this film, however, some content is obviously disturbing, so if you don't a have a strong constitution I recommended you think about it before watching this film. The film isn't a pro-abortion or anti-abortion picture and indicates no morale message towards abortion at all. Obviously if you are offended by this you may not want to watch this film as some scenes are quite graphic. If you do decided to watch it I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

DVD Extras: Include an orginal trailer (no subtitles), Tartan trailer reel including Three...Extremes, Bai Ling Interview

 

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