The Boys from Fengkuei

In 2015 this film has been restored and transferred to 4K DCP, this is the version I saw. Of the early films I have seen of Hsiao-hsien, so far I like this one the least.

To get my criticism out of the way first, I found the pacing of the film not quite right. I like his slow style but it is very delicate; to get it right is an art in itself and in this movie it is just not quite there yet. The story also has some comedy aspects which I found didn't always work well.

Of course I am not Taiwanese and it is not 1983, that may be well be contributing factors in my being somewhat underwhelmed.

But don't get me wrong, I am in no way saying this is a bad film. It is just that some of the films he made a few years later, such as 'Dust in the wind' use many of the same techniques but do it much better. That film has some very similar scenes and plot lines.

We do see Hsiao-hsien's developing his style; there are some beautiful long shots of people doing mundane things. For instance, the female lead buys some flowers at a stall, and this simple moment is captured in a very humanistic and tender fashion.

I also love how the characters are internally conflicted but unable to express their feelings, and how this is conveyed in a minimalistic way. Scenes in which people say their goodbyes, life weighing heavy on their minds, but not acknowledging this to one another spring to mind.

I'd say that as an insight into the filmmaker's development it is definitely interesting to watch, but it is not yet masterful.