The Hole (1998)
A hole where love almost begins.
Presentation:
If you are having trouble falling asleep, this film might cure your insomnia in the best way possible. As a fan of Goodbye, Dragon Inn, this film similarly accomplishes setting a soporific tone through minimal dialogue, long takes, and ambient rain. I’m not sure if it’s what Tsai intended, but I enjoy consistently falling asleep to his films along with my partner. I’d argue this is the charm of his movies, to be experienced as an audio visual experience, welcoming you to to fall asleep in the theatre. And right when you’re asleep, bam! The film jolts you awake with surreal musical numbers of nostalgic Chinese tunes. I’m don’t like musicals, but this was something else.
Conclusion:
There’s a certain coziness and nostalgic viewing culture assumed unlike any other director’s cinematic language. What’s prophetic is the premise: two apartment tenants longing for connection amidst an epidemic resembling the Covid lockdown in 2019. It’s a fantastic idea but the director doesn’t capitalize on the quirky premise. This film is about loneliness and searching for existential connection, just like most of Tsai’s films, but I wish he explored more with this poetic metaphor rather than turn it into a humorous caricature. It’s difficult to categorize. Is it an art film? Is it a surreal dystopia? Post modern poetry, comedy, romance? I guess you’ll have to crawl through this hole to decide for yourself.
Recommendations
A hole where love almost begins.