SEASON OF GOOD RAIN, DIR. Hur Jin-ho(2010)
DuFu Thatched Cottage, Chengdu, China
Season of good rain is a film about the timing of love, celebrating the romantic love that’s reborn on the tail of youth. On the first day of his business trip to Chengdu, Park Dong-he met MAY, who was his university friend in the DuFu Thatched Cottage. But MAY didn’t remember him. The two slowly pick up the broken memory fragments and quickly warms up their relationship by spending time together in DuFu Thatched Cottage, where MAY was working. Finally, Donghe decided not to leave Chengdu in consideration of MAY.
Most of the film was shot in DuFu Thatched Cottage, where DuFu(one of the most famous poets in the Tang dynasty) lived in the year 759. Many rich families in ancient China have been donating money for decades to keep this cottage in its best state. In 1961 the Chinese government made the cottage a National Heritage site.
Comparison–upper from the film: they first met in Dufu thatched cottage, lower from virtual visit: same spot with tourists
In the film, the DuFu Thatched Cottage is the best place to create a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere for a long-awaited reunion. An environment surrounded by green plants and fragrant flowers, with the spring breeze gently blowing. Under such a place, May and Donghe are more likely to love at first sight and cultivate loving feelings.
In reality, it’s a popular destination for Du enthusiasts worldwide to pay tribute to the poet, filled with tourists and staff. I visited the spot before and virtually visited again. What impressed me most was the noise and crowds everywhere. According to the director, Hur Jin-ho, he was pretty shocked by the chaos in a modern city: fast cars and pedestrians crossing the road without obeying traffic rules(A Zi,2010)1.
Comparision–upper from the film: MAY living room, lower form virtual visit: actual situation of the moist memorial
Additionally, another considerable contrast is between the historical and shabby cottage constructed centuries ago with a livable and quiet place where MAY works and lives in the film. As Lee(2021)2 stated, the memorial originated as a temple dedicated to Du Fu built about a thousand years ago during the Song Dynasty. It’s unlikely for modern people to adjust and live in reality. Also, through the virtual visit, the place is protected and not allowed to walk in nor tough. Notably, the walls were covered in mold and the cabinets were too old to use.
Contrast–upper from the film: rainy outsides with sadness mode, lower from the film: sunshine in the yard
The way to present DuFu Thatched Cottage is well-intentioned by using a contrasting background, including elements like the weather and light, and a view of the flaneur. First, raining and grey outsides indicate the sadness and melancholy of parting when Donghe was about to leave. The space turned brighter when he decided to stay, as the sun shines on the small yard. This comparison aims to demonstrate the changes in the character’s moods, from that of worry to that full of hope and happiness.
Flaneur–upper from the film: still scenes of the environment, lower left corner from the film: Donghe is leaving, lower right corner: they share dinner and have dialogue
Second, the scene is still for a few seconds of DuFu Thatched Cottage sometimes, using a view of flaneur to record the development of their stories. Given the feelings of telling the story from the third-person perspective of an observer, the audience is likely to guess what will happen next based on the circumstances without bias(McGregor, 2022)3. Also, focusing on both characters is convenient to show their dialogue, such as two different versions of their old times in university in the film.
With the outcomings of learning this course, I could develop a deeper understanding of space and film.
–Li Zhiqian 3035771787
References:
1.Zi, A. “迷失成都，或杜甫草堂里的《春逝》.” Douban. https://movie.douban.com/review/3006618/ (retrieved March 18, 2022).
2.Lee, G. “Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage.” Du Fu Thatched Cottage & the Famed Chengdu Poet’s Park. https://www.chinahighlights.com/chengdu/attraction/du-fu-thatched-cottage.htm (retrieved March 18, 2022).
3.McGregor, L. “Understanding point of view in film and video.” The Beat: A Blog by PremiumBeat. https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/understanding-pov-in-film-and-video/ (retrieved March 18, 2022).
I appreciate how you collected visual materials which match the scenes in the film for a more direct comparison. You also made some meaningful observations of the space and explored the use of visual techniques such as lighting and angles to support the film’s plot and to evoke particular emotions. You can further discuss the implications of the differences you have identified. For example, why do you think it was decided that May would reside in the compound, rather than simply work there? Your point about the film being filmed using a view of flaneur is intriguing but perhaps requires greater clarity and elaboration. It could also be better supported by references to other scholarly work which has explored this concept in the context of film.