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Title: Huozhe (To Live)Directed by Yimou ZhangReleased: 1994To Live is a powerful drama set in mainland China which highlights many of the ills associated with the various changes in Chinese society during the mid-20th Century. The story spans across four of the most dramatic decades of political, social, and economic reform in Chinese history. Each decade encapsulates a particular event of Chinese socio-political upheaval. The film begins during the Civil war, leading into the midst of the 'Great Leap Forward', followed by the Cultural Revolution. The film follows the lives of Fugui, his wife Jiazhen, and their children Fengxia and Youqing, and depicts the manner in which Chinese families had to cope and adapt to the drastic upheaval in order to avoid being labelled a "capitalist" or a "reactionary" and suffer retribution. The family have to constantly change and reaffirm their identities in a desperate attempt to avoid reprisal. Sadly, as the story demonstrates this is something that in such a stirring time simply cannot be avoided.The Director, Yimou Zhang, utilizes fade shots to suggest the passing of time, the contrast between rich and dull backdrops to imply certain moods, the grandiose landscapes to symbolize isolation, and puts great emphasis upon the symbolism of the shadow puppetry scenes which are heightened by fire illuminating the canvas screen from behind.Fugui is a gambling addict in denial. He is confronted by his wife Jiazhen, a strong, devoted, and selfless woman, with the choice of either giving up gambling and joining her in leading a simple life with their daughter Fengxia, who after a childhood illness becomes a partially deaf mute, or to continue his current lifestyle alone. Youqing, the youngest member of the family, is mischievous and likable and while his father is away, develops a very strong attachment to his mother and his sister.Throughout the film the couple are forced to adapt to the rapid social changes around them in order to protect their family. Their agency as human beings is rendered down to the point where their foremost priority is to follow the majority and keep a low profile, while the fear of reprisal and becoming a target of the community leads the two to blame one another or themselves for the ills bestowed upon them by the socio-political situation in which they find themselves living. In one such instance Youqing stands up against three children who are bullying Fengxia and wrestles the main perpetrator to the ground. Later at a communal meal, Youqing pours a large bowl of hot noodles laced with a healthy quantity of chilli sauce over the head of the instigator stinging his eyes. Fugui tries to restore calm to the situation but the other boys' father claims he is a "counterrevolutionary". Fearing retribution of his sons' actions, Fugui feels compelled to publicly administer a thorough flogging upon Youqing. Fugui was unaware of the events which led to his son acting in such a way, but it is safe to say that regardless of whether he did or not know he would have had to have done the same. Having seen first-hand the hysteria that had gripped the public and how quickly such a seemingly insignificant accusation could suddenly lead to the masses calling for ones' head (the execution of Long'er), there was little else he could do.The two major personal tragedies the couple suffer are the deaths of their two children. The responsibility & circumstances of both deaths can be attributed to the shortcomings of the misguided political regimes during which they each passed. Firstly, Youqing, who at the age of 6 is sent out to work as requested by the government so the township can meet their steel production quota. The boy, having been overworked, has not slept in 3 days and is allowed to have a nap behind a concrete wall. The wall is struck by the district chief's jeep, which then topples over on top of the boy crushing him to death. In a strange twist of fate the District Chief responsible for the premature death of Youqing is Chunsheng - a friend of Fugui's from the civil war and the days of his shadow puppet troupe. Guilt-stricken, Chunsheng frequently offers the couple money as compensation. Jiazhen, out of principle and anger towards Chunsheng, does not accept the money, whereas Fugui does not accept the money in order to maintain his working class appearance. The fear of being labelled a "capitalist" certainly plays on his mind which could lead to him being imprisoned or even executed.The second instance is decades later when their only remaining child is giving birth to their grandchild. Because of the 'great leap forward' where educated peoples were persecuted there were no doctors at hand to care for their daughter during childbirth. They raise this issue with her husband, a leader of the Red Guard, so he collects a specialist from the detention centre to overlook proceedings. The specialist is visibly weak from starvation and stuffs himself full of steamed buns which ultimately incapacitate him when he is needed most. Fengxia, shortly after the birth begins to haemorrhage, but because there are no doctors in the hospital, and only students, nobody knows what to do to save her, which results in Fengxia slowly bleeding to death, dying silently in her mother's arms.The film makes one question whether these dramatic social upheavals were ultimately worth the tragedies so many families must have suffered and endured over the course of those four decades. Fugui throughout most of the film appears unassured by the direction China is heading, but supports the majority out of fear and for the safety of himself and his family. Towards the end of the film however, despite the horrendous losses he and his wife have suffered, Fugui appears genuinely convinced that society is moving forward and for the better of the new generations.

While the story might not vibrate with some, this is the entry point in adulthood for this particular director. Starting with his big screen debut he has struggled to reach a voice, a certain signature every important director has in order to have his work recognizable. From a first movie presented as a collage of different famous works and styles he finally reaches the ability to control the composition of a scene or master the use of light to bring a certain depth to a flat screen, thus opening the way for his future works. Too bad that he shows a turn to the commercial side of the cinematography in his last works. But for this one: Well done!Contact me with Questions, Comments or Suggestions ryitfork @ bitmail.ch

My disbelief resisted suspension. For one thing, no wife, anywhere, would be dumb (or masochistic) enough to return to such an irredeemable reprobate. Also, since Everyman's misery was self-inflicted, he never seemed worthy of redemption. The scenes of the Civil War seemed gratuitous plot-padding. I could go on, but to my taste, Japanese movies of the 1950s were much more subtle than this episodic, overambitious oeurve manqué. De gustibus non est disputandum. Line added to meet silly 10-line requirement. Line added to meet silly 10-line requirement. Line added to meet silly 10-line requirement. Line added to meet silly 10-line requirement.