A Brighter Summer Day (1991)
Epic or really long soap opera?
Presentation:
Edward Yangโs greatest film is a whopping 4 hours long. Itโs essentially a coming of age tale and because of the ample run time Yang is able to convey complete character development. So much so and at leisurely pace that it almost feels real with all the tediousness and mundane moments. It somehow doesnโt feel boring as the plot is always advancing. It mainly follows the life of Siโer a Taiwanese student dealing with love and gangs. Think of the beginning of Once Upon a Time in America except that is the entire film. The script meanders, which makes for a naturalistic tone. This makes certain turns unpredictably shocking as youโre never certain of what the film really is until that final moment. There is no soundtrack, the composition follows classic Chinese style, mostly front facing and eye level. There are a many shots with great framing, but still donโt hold a candle to the greats. Acting is typical for Chinese cinema, no one is winning any Oscars with fake bullying and weak pushing and slapping.
Conclusion:
Thereโs this conception that the longer a film is the more epic it is. I donโt agree with that, and it means you probably arenโt decisiveness enough to narrow the focus, which is exactly what happens here. It really feels like a novel where no detail was omitted. I canโt remember how long Gone With the Wind was, but this is probably the longest film Iโve watched. Thereโs simply too much to unpack for a 4 hour film. If you have the stamina, this film delves deep into many social aspects of Asian culture. However, the story telling is nearly completely dialogue driven so you might be better served watching at 1.5x speed. I just canโt shake the comparison that this film is functionally like old Chinese TV dramas, though obviously much better produced. Itโs undeniably great, but Iโm not sure itโll be for everyone. I actually think it gets worse over time simply because the duration wears you down. It does feel like an epic, but after about 3 hours it begins to feel undying. Nevertheless, if you stick to the end, it will be one hell of a reward. I suppose itโs only powerful because we follow the character for 3 and a half hours, so why not just watch a tv series? I think Yi Yi is the film to watch.
Recommendations
Every frame a painting.