The puppetmaster is a 1993 taiwanese film directed by hou hsiaohsien. Hou hsiaohsiens first film in eight years was also his first foray into the wuxia genre. This is a lot less forceful mode of storytelling than the way most films are put together, but i thought almost every shot in the movie advanced the narrative with the exception maybe of some establishing shots. Based on the memoirs of li tianlu, taiwans most celebrated puppeteer, this story. To hear him speak about his process and his professionalism, you wouldnt think hed skipped a beat since flight of the red balloon. The films of hou hsiaohsien part 12 the seventh art. Hou hsiaohsien decided to make this vignette in a silent movie format. B eginning with his 1980 debut film, cute girl, taiwanese master hou hsiaohsien has maintained a steady filmmaking tempo across three decades, averaging almost exactly two films every three years. The assassin, by director hou hsiaohsien, is set during the tang dynasty of 8th century china. This hou hsiao hsien masterpiece is a portrait of the childhood and adolescence of octogenarian taiwanese puppet master and actor li tienlu, who narrates the. Hes fearless because after establishing his presence with a string of late 80searly 90s masterpieces he consciously diverted from the stylistic formalism that he had cultivated and has been changing and experimenting with each new release ever since. Tianlu li himself, giong lim li tianlu, young, ming hwa bai ong hsiu, grandmother, fue choung cheng li tien lu adolescent, chingju huang, tunghsiu kao, hei li, wenchang li, hung liou li hei, grandfather, wenpin liu, i.
Hou hsiaohsien active 1980 2015 born sep 8, 1947 in. Xi meng ren sheng in the hands of a puppet master 1993. As a critic for cahiers du cinema, assayas was among the first to recognize the profound talent of hou hsiaohsien, the taiwanese director often considered to be one of the greatest filmmakers working today. Director hou hsiaohsien, in a 1988 new york film festival world critics poll, was voted one of three directors who would most likely shape cinema in the coming decades. With tienlu li, giong lim, kueichung cheng, chienru huang. The puppetmaster hsimeng rensheng, 1993, about the life of veteran puppeteer li tienlu, is a groundbreaking film by one of taiwans foremost director hou. Hou hsiaohsiens films include raise the red lantern, a city of sadness, millennium mambo, three times. Hou hsiaohsien active 1980 2015 born sep 8, 1947 in guangdong province, china genres drama overview v. Puppet master 1989 stream and watch online moviefone. By combining multiple forms of tradition with a uniquely cinematic approach to space and time, hou has created a body of work that, through its stylistic. The films of hsiaohsien, an international retrospective organized by richard i. The film was shot in august and september 2006 on location in paris.
Of the ten films that hsiaohsien hou directed between 1980 and 1989, seven received best film or best director awards from prestigious international films festivals in venice, berlin, hawaii, and the festival of the three continents in nantes. Hou hsiao hsien is the most internationally renowned of the filmmakers associated with taiwans new cinema movement. Arriving in the lobby of the park hyatt in busan, south. The only film from him ive seen so far is a city of sadness, which i liked a lot. Suchenski director, center for moving image arts at bard college, in collaboration with the taipei cultural center, the taiwan film institute, and the ministry of culture of the republic of china taiwan. Hou hsiao hsiens dust in the wind and the rhythms of the taiwan new. Based on the memoirs of li tianlu, taiwans most celebrated puppeteer, this story covers the years from lis birth in 1909 to the end of japans fiftyyear occupation of taiwan in 1945.
Puppeteer li tianlu tells his life story, and through it, the story. It was only because critics kept telling him how much his own work resembled that of the japanese master yasujiro ozu that he decided to explore it. Discussion and info on people in film, ranging from directors to actors to cinematographers to writers. He is a leading figure in world cinema and in taiwans new wave cinema movement.
Culture, style, voice, and motion by christopher lupke washington state university. A new trailer for hou hsiaohsiens the assassin has. Hou hsiaohsien on bringing his trademark realism to wuxia. This book is in the cambria sinophone world series headed by victor mair university of pennsylvania and the cambria contemporary global performing arts series headed by. In this second installment of a trilogy on taiwanese life in the 20th century. Mar 27, 2016 the sinophone cinema of hou hsiao hsien march 27, 2016 march 27, 2016 cambria press cambria press is pleased to announce a new publication the sinophone cinema of hou hsiao hsien. Cambria press is pleased to announce a new publication the sinophone cinema of hou hsiaohsien. Xi meng ren sheng in the hands of a puppet master 1993 director. Hou hsiaohsien films offer a generous store of images and feelings that lavishly reward time and patience. Hou hsiaohsien with shu qi and chang chen by rubing liang on september 3, 2015 our septemberoctober cover story about the assassin features an interview with hou hsiaohsien by aliza ma, as well as an excerpt from the below interview by rubing liang, conducted in cannes with hou and his stars shu qi who plays the assassin, nie. The aspiration of chinese filmmaking towards art film.
He won the golden lion at the venice film festival in 1989 for his film a city of sadness 1989. Hou hsiaohsien is the most internationally renowned of the filmmakers associated with taiwans new cinema movement. Set in chinas tang dynasty, the eighthcentury golden age of culture, the assassin tells the story of a hitwoman trained by a nun to kill corrupt government officials, and turns the fastpaced format of martialarts films on its head with a slow, painterly approach typical of taiwanese director hou hsiaohsiens vast catalogue. Known for his awardwinning historical drama a city. A new trailer for hou hsiaohsiens the assassin has been. Mar 14, 2010 march 27, 2010 the films of hou hsiaohsien part 22 posted by just another film buff under all posts, cinema of france, cinema of japan, cinema of taiwan, filmmakers tags. He won the golden lion at the venice film festival in 1989 for his film a city of sadness 1989, and the best director award at the cannes film festival in 2015 for the. The puppetmaster 1993 hsiaohsien hou, hou hsiao hsien. Xi meng ren sheng the puppetmaster hsiao hsien hou 1993. Oct 21, 2015 if there is such a thing as casual gravitas, then hou hsiaohsien embodies it. It is the first part in a new series of films produced by musee dorsay, and tells the story of a french family as seen through the eyes of a chinese student. The electric princess picture house hou hsiaohsien, 2007.
Hsimeng jensheng the puppetmaster 1993 rotten tomatoes. In a 1988 worldwide critics poll, hou was championed as one of the three directors most crucial to the. Annie shizuka inoh, cafe lumiere, chiang biyu, chiang kaishek, cinema of taiwan, fan yang, felix vallotton, good men good women, goodbye south goodbye, hai shang hua. This is kurosawa akiras favourite hou hsiaohsien film. It has many hous distinct cinematic styles such as his poetic treatment of taiwans history, biographic and personal touch, use of voiceover and contrast between dark interior shots and light, and his famous long takes. The film, on which hou hsiao hsien takes both directorial and coscreenwriting duties, stars qi shu in the lead role, and is poised to hit chinese theatres later this month, with us and canadian release dates yet to be announced. In spite of his international renown, his films have focused exclusively. The first taiwanese film to enter competition at cannes where it won the jury prize, the puppetmaster tells the true story of li tienlu, a celebrated handpuppeteer who lived through tumultuous times of the 20th century. Xi meng ren sheng the puppetmaster 1993 hsiaohsien. Shu qi plays nie yinniang, a trained killer tasked by her master. The first taiwanese film to enter competition at cannes where it won the jury prize, the puppetmaster tells the true story of li tienlu, a celebrated handpuppeteer who lived through tumultuous times of the 20th century, including taiwans long. French filmmaker olivier assayas admired hou so much that in 1997, he made a feature length documentary about him.
Xi meng ren sheng the puppetmaster hsiaohsien hou 1993. Hou hsiaohsiens the assassin has been hailed in predictably familiar terms to those who have been attentive to the reception of sinophone film for past years. The film, on which hou hsiaohsien takes both directorial and coscreenwriting duties, stars qi shu in the lead role, and is poised to hit chinese theatres later this month, with us and canadian release dates yet to be announced. The new cinema was forged out of the countrys aging industry in the early 1980s by a group of emerging filmmakers, most of whom were in their early thirties at the time. Hou hsiaohsiens the assassin sees the veteran taiwanese filmmaker, known for his quiet realist dramas, tackle the wuxia historical martial arts genre with a. Hous films have always displayed some element of the master shot style, but this is. Xi meng ren sheng 1993 rarefilmm the cave of forgotten films. Ahead of its theatrical release, a new trailer has arrived, and can be seen below. Between 2007s flight of the red balloon and this years the assassin, which earned hou the directing prize at the cannes film festival, the eightyear wait between feature films felt.
Oct 20, 2015 i ts been seven years since the release of hou hsiaohsiens film flight of the red balloon, and the taiwanese auteur is finally back with his longgestated epic the assassin, which had its u. Directed by hou hsiao hsien this movie is produced in taiwan. Hou hsiao hsien is the most important taiwanese filmmaker working today, and his sensuous, richly nuanced films reflect everything that is vigorous and genuine in contemporary film culture. Many consider the puppetmaster a masterpiece of world cinema. This hou hsiao hsien masterpiece is a portrait of the childhood and adolescence of octogenarian taiwanese puppet master and actor li tienlu, who narrates the film both offscreen and onscreen. I ts been seven years since the release of hou hsiaohsiens film flight of the red balloon, and the taiwanese auteur is finally back with his longgestated epic the assassin, which had its u. Arriving in the lobby of the park hyatt in busan, south korea, where his martialarts epic, the assassin, is. The puppetmaster leaves a similiar impression on me im not overwhelmed, as i hoped i would be considering the films stature, but its a very good film, that does a good job of interweaving its story with the narration by its reallife main character. For instance, the puppetmaster 1993 illustrates the consequences of. The puppetmaster is a 1993 taiwanese film directed by hou hsiao hsien. Hou hsiaohsien is the most important taiwanese filmmaker working today, and his sensuous, richly nuanced films reflect everything that is vigorous and genuine in contemporary film culture.
Hou hsiaohsiens the assassin and the prounification. In the first half of this century, young li tienlu joines a travelling puppet theatre and subsequently makes a career as one of taiwans leading puppeteers. Hou hsiaohsien on the assassin and the films power struggles. Six films by hou hsiaohsien gene siskel film center. Nov 22, 2011 directed by hou hsiao hsien this movie is produced in taiwan. In a 1988 worldwide critics poll, hou was championed as one of the three directors most crucial to. Winning him the best director award at cannes earlier this year, the assassin is. Three times is a highly acclaimed film from hou hsiao hsien that involves. Hou hsiaohsien uses longer takes and directs your eye mainly through composition and movement of the characters through the scene. Hou hsiao hsien decided to make this vignette in a silent movie format. Xi meng ren sheng the puppetmaster 1993 hsiaohsien hou. Xi meng ren sheng the puppetmaster 1993 hsiaohsien hou, tianlu li, giong lim, kueichung cheng, biography, drama, war january 3, 2017 this hou hsiao hsien masterpiece is a portrait of the childhood and adolescence of octogenarian taiwanese puppet master and actor li tienlu, who narrates the film both offscreen and onscreen. Hou hsiaohsiens the assassin and the prounification left. He has since become one of the most respected, influential directors working in cinema today.
Together with edward yang, wan jen, chang yi, and ko ichen, hou was in the vanguard of the taiwanese new wave. Shu qi plays nie yinniang, a trained killer tasked by her master, jiaxin, to take down corrupt. Dec 22, 2015 the assassin, by director hou hsiaohsien, is set during the tang dynasty of 8th century china. The new cinema was forged out of the countrys aging industry in the early 1980s by a group of emerging filmmakers, most of. Hou hsiaohsiens latest film, the assassin, is the 68yearold taiwanese filmmakers first foray into the wuxia genre, a chinese fiction favorite dealing with.
Director hou hsiao hsien, in a 1988 new york film festival world critics poll, was voted one of three directors who would most likely shape cinema in the coming decades. He is a leading figure in world cinema and in taiwan s new wave cinema movement, an auteur. So rich you can smell the baguettes and taxis of paris. This hou hsiao hsien masterpiece is a portrait of the childhood and adolescence of octogenarian taiwanese puppet master and actor li tienlu, who narrates. A profile of worldrenowned taiwanese director hou hsiao hsien.
Hou hsiaohsien on the films that changed his life the. Although he isnt very wellknown internationally or even in taiwan, he is arguably one of the best directors alive. Hou hsiao hsien s the assassin sees the veteran taiwanese filmmaker, known for his quiet realist dramas, tackle the wuxia historical martial arts genre with a. Oct 09, 2015 hou hsiaohsiens latest film, the assassin, is the 68yearold taiwanese filmmakers first foray into the wuxia genre, a chinese fiction favorite dealing with martial arts, chivalry and. Hou three times, the puppetmaster has acknowledged he found many of his paris locations by reading adam gopniks collection of new yorker essays on the city, paris to the moon. Like a city of sadness, hou hsiaohsiens the puppet master examines taiwanese history through the prism of individual experience, but if a city of sadness is considered difficult because it demands of the viewer a familiarity with particular historical events, the puppet master makes its demands by blending narrative and documentary, compressing cinematic time through ellipses, eschewing transitional devices, and filling its deepfocus compositions with layers of detail and meaning.
Based on the memoirs of li tianlu, taiwans most celebrated puppeteer, this story covers the years from lis birth in 1909 to the end of japans fiftyyear occupation of taiwan in 1945 many consider the puppetmaster a masterpiece of world cinema. The sinophone cinema of hou hsiaohsien cambria press. A leading figure of taiwans new wave, he is acknowledged as an inspiration by the members of the sixth generation of chinese directors. Six films by hou hsiaohsien is a selection from also like life. Assayas documentary follows hou as he wanders through kaohsiung. Of the ten films that hsiaohsien hou directed between 1980 and 1989, seven received best film or best director. The puppetmaster 2 hours and 22 minutes movie 1993 in the first half of this century, young li tienlu joines a travelling puppet theatre and subsequently makes a career as one of taiwans leading puppeteers. Le voyage du ballon rouge is a 2007 frenchtaiwanese film directed by hou hsiaohsien. In a 1988 worldwide critics poll, hou was championed as one of the three directors most crucial to the future of cinema. Of the ten films that hsiao hsien hou directed between 1980 and 1989, seven received best film or best director awards from prestigious international films festivals in venice, berlin, hawaii, and the festival of the three continents in nantes. With the assassin, he joins other toptier auteurs like john woo, wong kar wai, ang lee, zhang yimou, and jia zhangke in revisiting the chinese tradition of swordplay and knighterrantry, popularised in the cinema by king hu with classics like dragon gate inn 1967 and a touch of zen 1971. Directed by hou hsiaohsien this movie is produced in taiwan. If there is such a thing as casual gravitas, then hou hsiaohsien embodies it.