Two elements make this one of 2015’s best films— the wall-art photography exterior establishing shots (this is actually new for HHH after 3+ decades of making films) and the interior use of silk curtains to produce his trademark layered Ozu-like mise-en-scenes
one of the elements that make this one of 2015’s best films— the wall-art photography exterior establishing shots (this is actually new for HHH after 3+ decades of making films)
Won best director at Cannes here
Boxy aspect ratio, b/w prologue and then we’re off and running in the luminous 35mm color photography, frequent DP Mark Lee Ping Bing
HHH holds the transitions for an extra pause on the fade to black ellipsis editing—this and the unique (slow, pensive, poised, auteur-driven) take on genre cinema makes me think of Jarmusch- particularly genre films like Dead Man, Ghost Dog, and The Limits of Control
HHH’s trademark long takes, mostly static camera, medium shots (or at least lack of close-ups)
The billowing curtains in the wind—stunning set and production design—plus you them often obstructing the frame and creating another frame within the frame. There are a 5-10 stunning sets where he really sets the frame. This is less than like Café Lumiere but still more than almost any other film out there. Candles, Flowers, shots through fabric a reoccurring visual motif –
The billowing curtains in the wind—stunning set and production design—plus you them often obstructing the frame and creating another frame within the frame
HHH first genre (action or wuxia—period martial arts- Hong Kong genre) film like this—but it has his trademark narrative themes like the effects of a broken family and the effects of foreign occupation
Unlike Yimou Zhang or Crouching Tiger this isn’t an action film—I mean there is action but it’s clear that HHH doesn’t have a ton of interest there (similar to Jarmusch when he works in this genre)
The images on the page speak for themselves. But this isn’t a masterpiece because 1. There aren’t that many of them even in the 105 minute running time 2. Unlike Ozu (yes that’s a tough comparison for anyone) he doesn’t hold on his masterful mise-en-scene set ups (I’m not sure why) and 3. He doesn’t create a rhythm with the editing like Ozu. 4. Many of the longer scenes here in The Assassin hold on scenes that aren’t that interesting
That narrative is opaque but I like this- RogerEbert.com – Peter Sobczynski “Conventional and easy-to-follow narratives can be found anywhere, but very few of them occur in films that are as visually ravishing and formally graceful as what Hou has cooked up here.”
A great shot at 41 minutes—voyeur looking through multiple curtains eavesdropping on cousin
A great shot at 41 minutes—voyeur looking through multiple curtains eavesdropping on cousin
natural lighting often bouncing off the camera to become an important part of the artistic mise-en-scene makeup
natural lighting often bouncing off the camera to become an important part of the artistic mise-en-scene makeup
Third collaboration between HHH and Qi Shu (Three Times, Millennium Mambo)
First film for HHH since 2007’s Flight of the Red Balloon
A art on the wall stunner 44 minutes in—it’s Ozu— there are apples in the frame, fourth levels of depth with the curtains acting as the stand-in for the Ozu shoji doors
Another jaw-dropper 47 minutes in—which reminds you a little that this starts slow
Perhaps the film’s greatest image (and that’s saying something— captured here) is the gorgeous establishing shot of the fog floating in a lake with trees both in the background and reflecting off the water
Perhaps the film’s greatest image (and that’s saying something— captured here) is the gorgeous establishing shot of the fog floating in a lake with trees both in the background and reflecting off the water
The battle in the white trees is genius as well
The battle in the white trees is genius as well
Yet another breathtaking use of framing at 87 minutes through the curtains with the flower in the vase on the right
Strong work from Robbie Collin “Silk curtains flutter and fall, candles glow, fires crackle softly in the grate. Every scene, every shot, has been composed with total, Kubrickian precision, and calibrated for maximum, breath-quickening impact.” And my guy Justin Chang—continually one of the best – “A mesmerizing slow burn of a martial-arts movie that boldly merges stasis and kinesis, turns momentum into abstraction, and achieves breathtaking new heights of compositional elegance: Shot for shot, it’s perhaps the most ravishingly beautiful film Hou has ever made, and certainly one of his most deeply transporting.”
@Cinephile- I think that’s a reasonable claim. I think there are only a handful that could be argued (maybe Revenant, Fury Road, Sicario, Carol…. Crimson Peak is very pretty).
@Drake– I think I’d add Knight of Cups there. I now you don’t think much of it, but I think it’s a fact that from a visual beauty perspective, it is another superb achievement from Malick.
Also, what are the most emotionally devastating and sad films you’ve seen ?
@Cinephile– I’m not sure- haven’t thought of that before (or at least recently) so don’t have a list ready. Raging Bull bums me out. haha. Cold War wiped me out. Sorry, would have to think about that more.
@cinephile, there are many movies that have made me sad. I havent really thought about it.
As of recently,
central station truly devasted me to tears. Something very few(only a handful) films have done.
Recently, Cinema Paradiso had the same effect on me as central station, however, the ending isnt really ‘sad’. It just overwhelmed me with emotion completely.
Also recently I saw the Toy story tetralogy. It has some really poignant moments and when it all ended (toy story 4), I had a tear in my eye.
Come and see is emotionally devasting and brutal too.
What do you think of all my picks Cinephile? I know on this website we try to separate emotion because it doesnt represent the true value of a film.
What movies would you pick that you find devastating and sad?
What a gorgeous film, the fog over the water shot is something else. The long takes absorb you into the film a la Tarkovsky. Great restraint in having limited number of action scenes which of course make them that much for impacting. This is the first HHH film I’ve seen, definitely going to check out others.
So after immersing myself in a lot of wuxia films aka martial art films (only major film left is house of flying daggers) I have to make a statement. Crouching tiger has become a definitive wuxia film but I’ll always prefer waco use of color like Yimou’s work and emotional brilliance of HHH & WKW.
I think Zhang ziyi is the queen of the genre. She dominates the grandmaster. And I loved hero and Maggie cheung there. And the crouching tiger trio.
But I have to give my title for best wuxia film to HHH’s the assassin & the best performance in a wuxia to Shu Qi in the assassin. Do you agree with my high ranking of the film & the performance?
I’ll take word over anything else. 🙂
@MASH- I certainly think highly of the film. Great share here. Thank you. I’m watching a few Wuxia films myself right now. I took Graham up on his challenge on Hero and wow– blown away. I’m going to tackle 2018’s Shadow next- finally getting around to that.
Having seen hero recently I understand what you are going through. It’s a visual splendor like nothing else. Highly original and deeply infused in culture (like a lot of wuxia). It literally left my jaw touching the grounds. It’s sheer opulence and visual extravagance were too big for my mind to contain. It’s a major achievement in cinematography. It’s use of color is unparalleled (although it’s even more true about red lantern). I think it’s an ensemble film but Maggie Cheung does here, what she did in in the mood, she makes it her own, not only with her skills but with her magnetic screen presence. She stood out.
Do you think this film has reasonable claim being the most purely beautiful of 2015?
@Cinephile- I think that’s a reasonable claim. I think there are only a handful that could be argued (maybe Revenant, Fury Road, Sicario, Carol…. Crimson Peak is very pretty).
@Drake– I think I’d add Knight of Cups there. I now you don’t think much of it, but I think it’s a fact that from a visual beauty perspective, it is another superb achievement from Malick.
Also, what are the most emotionally devastating and sad films you’ve seen ?
Isnt sadness/emotion in movies subjective? What someone else finds devastating may not actually be devastating for you.
@Azman– Yep, that’s true. That’s why I asked. What about you ?
@Cinephile– I’m not sure- haven’t thought of that before (or at least recently) so don’t have a list ready. Raging Bull bums me out. haha. Cold War wiped me out. Sorry, would have to think about that more.
@cinephile, there are many movies that have made me sad. I havent really thought about it.
As of recently,
central station truly devasted me to tears. Something very few(only a handful) films have done.
Recently, Cinema Paradiso had the same effect on me as central station, however, the ending isnt really ‘sad’. It just overwhelmed me with emotion completely.
Also recently I saw the Toy story tetralogy. It has some really poignant moments and when it all ended (toy story 4), I had a tear in my eye.
Come and see is emotionally devasting and brutal too.
What do you think of all my picks Cinephile? I know on this website we try to separate emotion because it doesnt represent the true value of a film.
What movies would you pick that you find devastating and sad?
@Azman– Your picks are great, all of those are fantastic examples of devastating cinema.
The Green Mile is one of those for me but it isn’t artistically something more than really good.
The Shawshank Redemption and Forrest Gump without a doubt.
For more modern, Cold War, A Ghost Story are some but I officially consider The Irishman one of the most emotionally devastating films of all time.
What a gorgeous film, the fog over the water shot is something else. The long takes absorb you into the film a la Tarkovsky. Great restraint in having limited number of action scenes which of course make them that much for impacting. This is the first HHH film I’ve seen, definitely going to check out others.
So after immersing myself in a lot of wuxia films aka martial art films (only major film left is house of flying daggers) I have to make a statement. Crouching tiger has become a definitive wuxia film but I’ll always prefer waco use of color like Yimou’s work and emotional brilliance of HHH & WKW.
I think Zhang ziyi is the queen of the genre. She dominates the grandmaster. And I loved hero and Maggie cheung there. And the crouching tiger trio.
But I have to give my title for best wuxia film to HHH’s the assassin & the best performance in a wuxia to Shu Qi in the assassin. Do you agree with my high ranking of the film & the performance?
I’ll take word over anything else. 🙂
@MASH- I certainly think highly of the film. Great share here. Thank you. I’m watching a few Wuxia films myself right now. I took Graham up on his challenge on Hero and wow– blown away. I’m going to tackle 2018’s Shadow next- finally getting around to that.
Glad to here it about Hero! The upcoming page better be good (no pressure haha).
@Drake – You know Wong Kar-Wai made this little Wuxia film called Ashes of Time…
@Zane- haha I know- I’m not ignoring it. I will not get to it before the 1994 page update sadly but I look forward to seeing it again- hopefully soon.
Having seen hero recently I understand what you are going through. It’s a visual splendor like nothing else. Highly original and deeply infused in culture (like a lot of wuxia). It literally left my jaw touching the grounds. It’s sheer opulence and visual extravagance were too big for my mind to contain. It’s a major achievement in cinematography. It’s use of color is unparalleled (although it’s even more true about red lantern). I think it’s an ensemble film but Maggie Cheung does here, what she did in in the mood, she makes it her own, not only with her skills but with her magnetic screen presence. She stood out.