Farewell, My Concubine is a Chinese film that presents the lives of two men who found great fame in Peking opera in 20th century China. While the film shows their skill within the art and the successful lives they gained with it, it also shows the hardships that they had to face as children, then later as adults when the government and society of China changes before them as they age. This film is not only a great introduction to the vibrant and beautiful art of Peking opera, but also provides a quick look at the changes that China faced as country throughout the 1900’s. This film takes place in China from the 1920’s to the 1970’s. During the 1920’s China was divided between two parties fighting over dominance, the Communist Party of China
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Douzi and Shitou are reconnecting and practicing their most famous play “Farewell, My Concubine”. They go through the final lines of the play and all is well until the part when Douzi’s character is supposed to kill herself. Instead of faking the act, Douzi takes the sword and slits his throat. This sense is very emotional and shows the devotion that Douzi truly had for Shitou, but also the betrayal he felt after Shitou’s wife came between them. The percussion instruments that played in the background while they performed showed the importance and emotion within the scene, but also the relationship between the two of them. At the end, the background music stops and the scene is devoid of all sound other than Shitou yelling for his friend. I feel that it shows the complete shock and despair that filled Shitou as Douzi died.
Farewell, my Concubine is a wonderful movie that shows the relationship between two Peking opera stage brothers who went through everything together, even the constant changes within China in the 20th century. They still had a passion for their art even after they faced many challenges between themselves, and public and government. The music and singing played within Peking opera had an important role for setting the tone of the performance, and even showed the strong relationship between the two main characters, Shitou and
Douzi and Shitou are reconnecting and practicing their most famous play “Farewell, My Concubine”. They go through the final lines of the play and all is well until the part when Douzi’s character is supposed to kill herself. Instead of faking the act, Douzi takes the sword and slits his throat. This sense is very emotional and shows the devotion that Douzi truly had for Shitou, but also the betrayal he felt after Shitou’s wife came between them. The percussion instruments that played in the background while they performed showed the importance and emotion within the scene, but also the relationship between the two of them. At the end, the background music stops and the scene is devoid of all sound other than Shitou yelling for his friend. I feel that it shows the complete shock and despair that filled Shitou as Douzi died.
Farewell, my Concubine is a wonderful movie that shows the relationship between two Peking opera stage brothers who went through everything together, even the constant changes within China in the 20th century. They still had a passion for their art even after they faced many challenges between themselves, and public and government. The music and singing played within Peking opera had an important role for setting the tone of the performance, and even showed the strong relationship between the two main characters, Shitou and