Film analysis is an expanding field of knowledge and increasing research interest in major institutions of learning. It is a very important area because it allows deep understanding of the knowledge and the brain behind the creation of the movie, the characters, plot, creation and the directorate of the film. The common fashion of film analysis is through shot-by-shot model where the clips, the scenes, chromatography among others. This paper is a film analysis for To Live directed by Zhang Yimou. It made a debut in 1994 produced by ERA international and Shanghai Film Studios. It is starring Gong Li, Ge You, Niu Ben, Jiang Wu and Guo Tao. The movie length and running time is 132 minutes. The movie falls in the genre of drama. It portrays the life social dynamics mutating from civil strife and political life.
The world over, arts is regarded as a reflection of the community and is used to display the content of the ancient history, among other things. To Live is a drama giving narration is important periods in the history of china and the transitions involved during the historical moments, and the family life intertwined therewith. It provides an overview of key events in twentieth-century China, moving from the 1940s to the 1970s. China is a history and heritage rich country and the main historical moments covered in the movie includes the Civil War (1946-1949), Maoism after 1949, the Great Leap Forward (1958), and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). The main gist of the movie is displaying the effect of these happening on the life of Ge You and Gong Li family who were living in China at the times and how they have to manage to fit in.
The main characters, You and Li are married but their marriage starts as turbulent. You is a son of a rich man but is shown as an arrogant gambler with bad characters that causes long suffering to his wife who then leaves him. You lost his property to Long’er who lives as gentry. After returning home to his wife, You establishes a shadow puppet troupe for job to get income and meanwhile, the civil war is underway. Later, together with his colleague, they are captured by revolutionary armies who force them to play the shadow puppets to them as the war is continuing. He however, returns home later and finds out that the man who took over his wealth burnt them down and no one could help extinguish the fire because he lived as agentry. Long’er, who put the property on fire, is arrested and tried for sedition and sentenced to execution. As he is led to the execution place, he identifies You in the crowd and tries to reach out and talk to him but to no vain.
Evaluation
The movie is interesting, depicting the contemporary life of the heritage rich China. The management of the character and the sounds are well done to pull through the theme of the movie. The only thing would be how the character metamorphose through. For example, one would ask the question of how Ge You lost the property which was his father’s. This did not come out clearly. It ought to have been shown that he had been bequeathed his inheritance and squandered through gambling.
Conclusion
The movie is interesting to watch, especially if one has some interest and or insight in the Chinese political and historical times. It however depicts what is common in war-ravaged societies where members of the family are involved in one way or another. The challenges put forth are easy to identify with. It is interestingly melodramatic.
