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When the family goes to the cemetery at the beginning of the video, the whole picture of the video is dim, only a circle of candles swinging a weak warm light, people holding flashlights in their hands, the light reflects on their faces to symbolize that something unusual is going to happen because of their behavior breaks the original silence and darkness of the environment. SONG YIQUN 3036097293
After watching the moving,I have deeply more understood the culture on the ancestrial worship of Singapore.The housing problem of Singapore is severe and the land of cemetery of rural area has to be removed under government.I deeply understand the contradiction of the rural resident on preserving the cemetery or moving out in order to respect their ancestor.
“After development comes redevelopment” as a way of life where the dead people are also affected to be moved is sad. Tradition cannot be maintained because of the government planning of lands; the dead parents “moving” from a larger “house” to a smaller “house” which is the columbarium. The exhumation exercises that are shown in the video is is uncanny and creepy, and let us know how a dense city means the cityscape and way of living is ever changing and full of uncertainty. -3036237831
Cheung discusses “Made in Hong Kong”, specifically how the film references Hong Kong as a “spectral city”. Through light and darkness, warped space, shadows and abject images, the director manipulates what can and cannot be seen. Hong Kong’s transition to a global city illustrates an estrangement for the people living there as there exists a large wealth disparity and the sharing of dense spaces of living between the two is difficult. The defamiliarization of the city is reflected through Victoria Harbour, shadowing the unglorified parts of Hong Kong. To me, describing Hong Kong as a spectral city is a
Ghosts are used to personify the presence of the past, the unknown and the unseen. It gives insight to the audience on what the character feels towards housing in Hong Kong. Loneliness and isolation are heightened in the context of a horror film, which may explain why Hong Kong filmmakers often gravitate towards this genre when exploring the city’s urban environment. The anxieties and fears that arise from living in this densely populated and rapidly changing city are not only physically represented through being haunted by a ghost but also by the setting that the genre prompts: dark, ominous lighting;
How does an urban context contribute to a sense of “loneliness” and “isolation”? Why is that significant in a ghost story? An urban context contributes by being constructed without the “human” in mind. When you look at apartment complexes and especially public housing projects, it is clear that they are made to maximize efficiency, profit or some other goal rather than comfort or pleasure. Ancuta writes of the apartments oft portrayed in Asian horror films: “While not completely brutalist in architecture, the environment seems hostile, or at best indifferent and adds to the mildly apocalyptic mood of these films. The
Since I am timid, I seldom watch scary ghost films. However, Asian ghost movies usually involve comedy and romance elements which are easier to approach such as the classic Hong Kong movie Mr. Vampire. Ghosts are depicted physically different from humans, but psychologically alike as us. The complicated relationships between humans and ghosts derived from this precondition is always the most controversial topic which arouses audiences’ attention in most of these movies. Housing problems have long-existed in Hong Kong due to the high population density. Dissatisfaction and pressure accumulated under economic transformation and Hong Kong’s handover are largely reflected on
The article from pp. 86-93 discusses about the representation of ghosts in Fruit Chan’s film, Made in Hong Kong. Chan’s surrealist filmic language (or the ghostly figures) acts as a metaphor for the identity and history of Hong Kong. The use of ghosts highlights the issues of social inequality, marginalization, and economic hardship faced by the youth in Hong Kong. For example, one note that Chan highlights the darker side of Hong Kong local culture of prison homes (which also has bad sanitasion and dysfunctional families) Additionally, Chan’s representation of ghosts is about the historical and cultural contexts of Hong
The reading this week covers the supernatural and horror films in Asia set in residential housings. I want to mainly focus on the last of series of movies selected by Ancuta, namely The Promise by Sophon Sakdaphisit. Set in The Sathorn Unique Tower in Bangkok, Thailand, the movie follows a pair of girls. The quick synopsis is that the two girls became poor quickly from their lux lives and both made a pact to have a double suicide. One kept their promise and the other did not. The suicide victim later became a ghost who haunts the tower while the
In this chapter, the anthor has brought her view on the relationship between urbanization and supernatural beliefs in Asian cities, and that reminds me of so much common issues modern people are facing nowaday. The writer mentioned that ghostly figure is particularly relevant in asian cities due to their strong cultural connection with ancestors. This was initially not a bad things, but I agree with the author that this reveals a serious issue of urban people. In modern society, people are often filled with loads of pressure. Especially in some fast-growing asian country such as China, people needs to stay