If possible, please leave criticism in your comments so that I can improve!!
If possible, please leave criticism in your comments so that I can improve!!
Member since:28.05.2003
Reviews:63
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I saw a trailer for this on a previous visit to my local cinema (www.therexcinema.com, amazing place, definitely check it out if you're anywhere in the area!) and thought interesting.. should go and see that! And so I did.. and am certainly glad I went.
The first thing to know about this film is that it is a South Korean comedy, set in China and Hong Kong. It is the tale of a legendary Aunt Mei and her infamous dumplings that hold regenerative powers, allowing the consumer to gain prolonged (or possibly eternal) youth. She meets a new customer who remains the main character throughout the film, a Mrs Li, who tries to use the dumplings to regain her youth and hence the affections of her estranged husband. The next thing to know about this film is what the secret ingredient of the dumplings are. It's not really meant to be a secret from the viewer I don't think and it's introduced early on, so I might as well tell you.. The secret ingredient is aborted foetuses. Oh yes. This alone might be enough to turn the
less adventurous away from the film, it made most of the people I saw it with feel disturbed! However, this is by no means simply disturbing for the sake of being disturbing, watching it in context makes it seem almost normal and I do feel that this DVD being in the 'horror' section is slightly misleading.. Well that's the basic premise of the film, now to say a bit more about some of the concepts.
The film brings up some other sensitive issues too, such as incest and adultery, alongside the obvious debates of cannibalism, and abortion vs. pro-life. As they have or had, I'm not sure sure which, a one child policy in China parents obviously need to choose wisely when to have their child and so can't afford mistakes, and if they are going to abort that child, one could argue one might as well not waste the results.. However, what I found most interesting of all was Aunt Mei.
Aunt Mei is played by a young actress (25-30 years old or similar), but the character is 64 years old. She is the living proof that her dumplings work. What I found interesting about this was the way that she behaved. She carried herself like an older person might, free from the self-consciousness of youth and not caring about getting messy from flour etc. whilst making her dumplings, but was also young and full of energy and some youthlike habits. So that got me to wondering whether older people seem to have less energy than children do because their bodies wear out.. or because their minds grow weary... It was a topic that I found interesting anyway, your results may vary.
The central theme of people eating babies is certainly a tad unusual, but it does seem a logical progression from the normal Chinese custom of eating eggs that are nearly about to hatch, because it is meant to promote youthful looks.
The soundtrack to this film was very dramatic. There was some (presumably synthesised) noise that was played sparingly throughout that was very loud and horrible, if it had been played during a horror movie it would have been too much for me I think! But used in an otherwise normal situation was jarringly weird, perhaps it was used to remind the viewer that cannibalism of babies is a bit abnormal... There was another sound effect used occasionally that was kind of like a synthesised cross between a baby screaming and someone being sick.. that was unpleasant too. Aside from noises the film picked scores that were perhaps a bit unusual, such as at the very end where Mrs Li is butchering a foetus herself it plays very uplifting classical music.. The cinematography was very interesting too, some very good shots and definitely a refreshing step away from utilitarian Hollywood-rubbish cinematography.
I said that this a south korean Comedy, and it did have it's comedic moments. Not slapstick or obvious humour, but the occasional subtle thing, such as a businessman unwittingly sitting in massive puddle of blood on a bus and being offered only a tiny tissue by his companion. Ok that doesn't sound that funny but it was at the time!
It was good to see a film set outside of America, and interesting to take a view at another, if probably fictional, culture.. I'm definitely glad I saw it, and would recommend it for anyone wanting something different.
Pictures of Dumplings (DVD)
Aunt Mei
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Production Year: 2000 - Horror - Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Carmen Electra, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, James Van Der Beek, Keenen Ivory Wayans
I may check this out, I have watched some Korean films before, and they are certainly different!
jesi 27.09.2006 01:39
Yes ~ that is better ~ it is often a very fine line to draw, Rob ~ but often ~ thinking about reducing the length and thinking about events which came as a surprise ~ you need to wonder if knowing something will leave the potential watcher distracted from the story unfolding while looking for something you have shared too soon ~ I expect you could whittle it down further if you wanted to ~ but at least thi is much much better now ! ♥♥ ! ~ ........................................................... ~ jes ~ ! ♥♥ !
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![Dumplings (2004) [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78471073.jpg "Dumplings (2004) [DVD]")
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