The Bird People in China
Encyclopedia
The Bird People in China (中国の鳥人 Chûgoku no chôjin) is a 1998 Japan
ese movie directed by Takashi Miike
. The film is considerably more mellow in tone than some of the director's more famous works, but is not the only such film.
village and a yakuza
, who is accompanying him to make sure his organization gets its proper share. The scenery of China is something not usually explored in Japanese Film and this was a massive change of pace for Miike, and a far cry from his oft-called upon violence and sexuality. Chinese locations in the movie are in Yunnan Province, Dali City, Yunnan the city characters enter through a stone arched gate. The Nujiang River is where they see people riding pulleys on steel cables over the water.
and Third world
vs. First world
, it depicts the 'East' as a legendary place having a kind of mystical knowledge not shared by the West (including Japan
), but twists its message by inserting the figure of the Grandfather who is a former British pilot. Near the end, the yakuza decides to kill all foreigners in order to keep the village away from civilization, but is reminded that in order to get to the village he had to use train
s and airplanes.
All in all the movie's message is a mixed one, technology
is a good thing and a bad thing, tradition
is a good thing and a bad thing. Human suffering exists in both, but also human happiness. The film shares the same humanistic message and feel which can be found in most of Miike's output.
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese movie directed by Takashi Miike
Takashi Miike
is a highly prolific and controversial Japanese filmmaker. He has directed over seventy theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. In the years 2001 and 2002 alone, Miike is credited with directing fifteen productions...
. The film is considerably more mellow in tone than some of the director's more famous works, but is not the only such film.
Overview
The story tells of a Japanese businessman who is sent to assess some gems in a remote ChineseChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
village and a yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
, who is accompanying him to make sure his organization gets its proper share. The scenery of China is something not usually explored in Japanese Film and this was a massive change of pace for Miike, and a far cry from his oft-called upon violence and sexuality. Chinese locations in the movie are in Yunnan Province, Dali City, Yunnan the city characters enter through a stone arched gate. The Nujiang River is where they see people riding pulleys on steel cables over the water.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Masahiro Motoki Masahiro Motoki Masahiro Motoki is a Japanese actor. He portrayed protagonist Daigo Kobayashi in Departures, which won the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film... |
Wada (The Businessman) |
| Renji Ishibashi | Ujiie (The Yakuza) |
| Mako Mako (actor) , born , was an Oscar- and Tony-nominated Japanese actor. Many of his acting roles credited him simply as Mako, omitting his surname. -Early life:... |
Shen (Their Guide) |
| Li Li Wang | Yan, Si-chang |
| Michiko Kase | |
| Yuichi Minato | |
| Tomohiko Okuda | |
| Manzô Shinra |
Themes
The film explores themes of EcologyEcology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and Third world
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
vs. First world
First World
The concept of the First World first originated during the Cold War, where it was used to describe countries that were aligned with the United States. These countries were democratic and capitalistic. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the term "First World" took on a...
, it depicts the 'East' as a legendary place having a kind of mystical knowledge not shared by the West (including Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), but twists its message by inserting the figure of the Grandfather who is a former British pilot. Near the end, the yakuza decides to kill all foreigners in order to keep the village away from civilization, but is reminded that in order to get to the village he had to use train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s and airplanes.
All in all the movie's message is a mixed one, technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
is a good thing and a bad thing, tradition
Tradition
A tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
is a good thing and a bad thing. Human suffering exists in both, but also human happiness. The film shares the same humanistic message and feel which can be found in most of Miike's output.
Awards
The film was screened at a number of festivals before being released in theatrical distribution, and it won the Audience Award at the 1998 Hawaii International Film FestivalHawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
.