#Ju Dou

[ubourgeois]

Ju Dou (1990) dir. Zhang Yimou & Yang Fengliang

[cinematic-explorations]

(via Gong Li up close and personal – IN A LONELY PLACE)

[kubelicatthemovies]

Semilla de crisantemo (Zhang Yimou, Yang Fengliang. 1990)

Ju dou

[cinemajunkie70]

A very happy birthday to the eternally beautiful Gong Li!

[yumenosakiacademy]

venti n kazuha’s talk on the ship in the event having them lowkey say “pls shut the fuck up abt us being ‘minors’ jus bc we’re short and/or baby-faced” we luv 2 see it.

[ubourgeois]

Not One Less (1999) dir. Zhang Yimou

[romanceyourdemons]

in my opinion, if you’re going to be writing an epic or large-scale tragedy, the thing that causes the tragedy (be it a character trait or a circumstance of the environment) NEEDS to be perceived as a good thing at first. in hamlet, it initially feels good to see hamlet both dedicated to revenge and acting carefully about it. in ju dou (1990), it feels good to see ju dou and yang tianqing fighting against the constraints of the confucian family structure. in the godfather (1972), as tears go by (1987), and menace ii society (1993), it feels good to see the protagonists rise and earn respect within their community. it’s tempting to make the fatal flaw tragic from the beginning, but being asked to feel bad about the exact same thing over and over until the story ends is like ordering a meal and being served a bowl of salt. there NEEDS to be some really potent good to give the bad meaning. after all, the real pleasure of tragedy comes from not just knowing but feeling why the characters willingly walk into the arms of death

[possession1981-moving]

more selfies coming later but managed to get bestie to the cinema to see ju dou today 🩷

[hils79]

Hils Watches Love Me, Love My Voice - Ep 30

Oh god this is going to be a disaster

I love them so much

That seems quite personal stuff to ask a man you're not even dating yet

They keep subbing Ju Mei as Dune

Married

I don't know why they're snuggling like this but I love it. Dou Dou deserves all the girlfriends and boyfriends.

GASP! She's splitting up the cosplay husbands!

Ehehe! They sang a duet together and now Gu Sheng's cousin is planning their wedding.

This episode has mostly been singing and tourism but it's a very gentle watch

Archery is hot

[tecontos]

Uma trepada revigorante ontem entre minha amiga, sua crush e eu (lesb) (12-09-2023)

By; Juliana

Ola a todos, sou de São Paulo, me chamo Juliana, tenho 23 anos, sou solteira. O que contarei aconteceu nessa terçafeira passada.

Eu estava cansada, E-XAUS-TA. Essa vida de trabalhar, estagiar e ainda ir pra facul a noite estava acabando comigo. Sem contar o fardo que eu carrego nas costas em ser essa grande gostosa. Pensa que é fácil? Por isso, dei graças a nossa senhora da mulher gostosa quando descobri que o professor das duas últimas aulas tinha faltado. A galera queria ir para um barzinho, mas eu? Eu iria para minha casa fazer um cosplay do hino nacional: deitar eternamente em meu berço, esplêndida. 

Abri a porta e estava na cozinha pegando um copo de água quando ouvi gemidos e uma voz de mulher dizer:

— Isso, chupa mais… Se lambuza com o mel da minha xota sua safada.

Parei no meio da cozinha, eu dividia o apê com uma amiga. E pelo jeito ela estava acompanhada e trepando gostoso.

— Ah… Ah… Vou gozar… Quem é David Guetta perto de você, minha DJ preferida… Esfrega esse grelo vai, esfrega.

E agora? Saio? Vou para o meu quarto de mansinho?

— Isso sua cachorra safada… Goza… Goza que já já a Ju chega e a gente tem que ficar quietinha… Goza safada.

— Ah…hummm… Assim, assim.

Estavam falando de mim. Eu ia para o meu quarto de mansinho, não seria eu a empatar uma foda gostosa. Só de ouvir os gemidos eu já estava cheia de tesão.

—  Deixa ela chegar… Dou conta das duas.

Epa. Essa voz eu reconheci, era da minha amiga, a Susana. Hummmm então a safadinha tinha um tesão escondido em mim? Olha só… Parabéns pelo bom gosto, pensei comigo.

— Dá conta das duas? É? E vai chupar as duas bem gostoso? Ah… Ah… Ah…

— Chupo até me lambuzar toda. Chupo assim… tá gostoso? É assim que você gosta?

— Isso Susana, ah… ah… Tô gozando…

Senti um fogo na buceta que faz tempo que eu não sentia. Como elas trepavam gostoso. E que safadinhas elas eram. Meu grelo estava pulando como se fosse um grilo. Iria para meu quarto quietinha tocar uma siririca e dormir gozada. Até esqueci que estava cansada. E lá vou eu, indo para o meu quarto quando CARALHO elas estavam com a porta do quarto delas aberta. Eu fiquei ali parada como um bonecão de posto, sem saber se ia ou vinha. Os olhos atraídos para as duas na cama, Susana chupava a crush dela que estava com as pernas abertas e agarrando o lençol como uma pulga agarra numa gata. Tão lindas, tão gostosas. Elas gemiam e a crush estava gozando.

— Ah que delícia. Que tesão. Sua gostosa…

E eu ali de frente para partida e sem poder entrar em campo para jogar. Susana estava no meio das pernas da crush e eu podia ver como a bunda dela era linda. E enquanto eu finalizava esse pensamento, a crush abriu os olhos e me viu parada ali.

— Ju? - a desconhecida falou, fazendo com que Susana levantasse a cabeça e olhasse para a porta. E eu ao invés de sair correndo de vergonha, estava era olhando os peitos gostosos dela. Dois pêssegos maduros prontos para serem saboreados pela minha boca. Ao invés do cansaço eu só sentia fome. Fome daqueles peitos e sede. Sede do chá de buceta que eu queria tomar.

— Quanto tempo você está aí? — Susana perguntou, talvez imaginando se eu tinha ouvido elas falando de mim.

— Cheguei agora, estava indo para o meu quarto. Façam de conta que eu não estou aqui. - Falei para elas, mas permaneci parada, olhando as duas gostosas juntas.

—Difícil fazer de conta que você não está aqui com você olhando desse jeito para os meus peitos. - Susana falou. — Gosta do que vê? 

Ela perguntou segurando os seios de frente para mim, como se estivesse me mostrando uma blusinha ao invés dos peitões dela.

— Uhum. — Falei e dei um passo mais perto da porta e fazendo beicinho.

— Será que vai gostar também do sabor deles? 

Antes que eu respondesse a crush ficou de frente com Susana e colocou os peitos na boca, mamando na minha frente. Minha xota escorria, acho que nunca senti tanto tesão.

— O gosto é bom, amor? Diz para a Ju se meu gosto é bom?

— Mas e se ela não acreditar em mim? — A desconhecida falou. — O correto seria ela experimentar, você não acha?

A estranha se posicionou atrás da Susana, segurando os peitos dela, me oferecendo. Susana se encostou na crush e ficou me olhando com uma cara tão safada.

— Vem, Ju. Vem provar.

Eu entrei no quarto sem falar nada, sentei na cama do lado delas e mamei gostoso aqueles peitos. Susana gemia e a estranha passava a mão nos meus cabelos. Eu sentia o cheiro daquelas xotas gozadas, eu sentia a maciez daqueles corpos e sem que ninguém me dissesse nada, parei de chupar os peitos da minha amiga, tirei minha blusa e meu sutiã, mostrando os meus seios. Foi a estranha que primeiro os tocou, beliscando o mamilo.

— Gostosa. Vem aqui, vem. - Ela disse batendo na cama. — Vem fazer piuí no meu abacaxi e vamos fazer um trem da alegria.

— Não precisa dizer de novo.

Fiquei de pé e tirei meu shorts e minha sandália, e só de calcinha pulei no meio das duas. Fechei os olhos e nem sei te dizer quem eu beijei primeiro, só sei que passei a sentir duas línguas na minha boca e uma mão no meio das minhas pernas. Eu gemi gostoso e ouvi Ju dizer:

— Sua xota tem sabor de paraíso. - Eu abri os olhos e vi Susana lambendo os dedos da estranha, ela que tinha colocado a mão na minha bucetinha.

— E ela está tão melada, amor. — A crush falou.

Eu ajoelhei na cama, abri as pernas e segurei os lábios da minha bucetinha bem abertos.

— E quem vai beijar essa boca aqui? — Perguntei para elas.

— Fica em pé. - Susana falou e eu fiquei.

Elas se ajoelharam, uma na minha xota e a outra na minha bunda. As duas línguas me chupando de uma vez só. Uma gostosa mamando meu grelo pulsante e a outra enfiando a língua no meu cuzinho. Eu rebolava gostoso no meio delas, servindo um sanduíche de xoxota que já já iria receber molho gozé.

— Delícia. Suas safadas, que tesão. Porra.

Elas me chupavam tão gostoso e eu estava com tanto tesão que gozei mais rápido do que pular anúncio depois de cinco segundos. Gozei. Gemi. E queria mais.

Deitei na cama e elas vieram me beijar. Eu beijava a boca gozada delas e passava a mão na xota da Susana. Ela rebolava no meus dedos toda safadinha.

— Vou te dar uma surra de xota. Toma, toma, toma. — ela falou sentando na minha cara e rebolando.

Eu pus a língua para fora e lambi ela toda. Gostosa demais… Fiz aquele grelo de chupeta e Susana gemia e rebolava.

— Isso gostosa… Rebola na cara dessa safada. — A estranha falou se sentando sobre mim. Eu senti ela tocar minha bucetinha, massagear meu grelo, e se encaixar por cima de mim. Os dois grelos se roçando, a gostosa botando nossas aranhas para brigar.

Porra, que delícia. Era grelo na cara, era grelo no grelo. Era tesão demais. Senti aquela quentura gostosa nas coxas, senti meu grelo pulsando como se tivesse vida própria, senti a bucetinha da desconhecida esguichar como um vulcão em erupção, uma lava feita de tesão. Eram tantos gemidos, tantos arrepios. E ouvi Susana dizer agarrada na minha cara:

— Isso.. assim… vou gozar… Tô gozando… Delícia.

As três gozaram quase juntas, como nadadoras de nado sincronizado numa piscina de tesão.

— Porra, que gozada.  — Eu falei me deitando entre elas, que se beijavam e se acariciavam, todas de amorzinho depois de gozar. — Nossa, e eu nem sei seu nome. — Falei olhando para a crush gostosa da Ju.

— Me chamo Raquel, prazer. — Ela respondeu.

— É, muito prazer mesmo. — Respondi rindo.

E tenho que concordar, de prazer a gente entende.

Foi uma noite muito deliciosa e revigorante...

Enviado ao Te Contos por Juliana

[444namesplus]

Ba Baa Baas Bae Baes Bais Bam Ban Bao Baos Bau Baus Be Bees Bei Beis Bem Ben Beo Beos Beu Beus Bi Bias Bie Bies Bii Biis Bim Bin Bio Bios Biu Bius Bo Boes Bom Bon Boo Boos Bou Bous Bu Bua Bues Bui Buis Bum Bun Buo Buu Buus Chi Chia Chias Chie Chies Chii Chiis Chim Chin Chio Chios Chiu Chius Chu Chua Chuas Chue Chues Chui Chuis Chum Chun Chuo Chuos Chuu Chuus Da Daas Dae Daes Dais Dam Dan Dao Daos Daus De Dea Deas Dee Dei Deis Dem Den Deo Deu Deus Dha Dhaa Dhaas Dhaes Dhai Dhais Dham Dhan Dhaus Dhe Dhea Dheas Dhee Dhees Dheis Dhem Dhen Dheo Dheu Dhi Dhia Dhies Dhiis Dhim Dhin Dhio Dhios Dhiu Dhius Dho Dhoa Dhoas Dhoes Dhois Dhom Dhon Dhoo Dhoos Dhou Dhous Dhu Dhua Dhue Dhues Dhum Dhun Dhuo Dhuu Dhuus Di Die Dies Dii Diis Dim Din Dio Diu Dius Do Doa Doas Doi Dom Don Doo Doos Dous Du Duas Due Dues Dui Duis Dum Dun Duu Fa Faa Faas Fae Faes Fai Fais Fam Fan Fao Faos Fau Faus Fe Fea Feas Fee Fees Fei Feis Fem Fen Feo Feus Fi Fia Fias Fiis Fim Fin Fios Fius Fo Foa Foe Foi Fois Fom Fon Foos Fous Fu Fua Fuas Fue Fues Fui Fuis Fum Fun Fuos Fuus Ga Gaa Gaas Gae Gaes Gam Gan Gaos Gau Ge Gea Geas Gee Gei Geis Gem Gen Geo Geu Geus Gi Gia Gias Gie Gies Gii Giis Gim Gin Gios Giu Gius Go Goe Gom Gon Goo Goos Gous Gu Guas Gue Gui Guis Gum Gun Guo Guos Guu Guus Ha Haa Haas Hae Haes Hai Hais Ham Han Haos Hau He Hea Heas Hee Hees Hei Heis Hem Hen Heo Heu Heus Hi Hie Hies Hii Hiis Him Hin Hio Hios Hius Ho Hoe Hom Hon Hous Hu Huas Hui Huis Hum Hun Huo Huu Huus

Ja Jaa Jae Jaes Jai Jais Jam Jan Jaos Jau Jaus Je Jea Jeas Jee Jem Jen Jeo Jeos Jeu Jeus Ji Jia Jias Jie Jies Jii Jiis Jim Jin Jio Jios Jiu Jo Joa Joas Joe Joes Jois Jom Jon Joos Jou Jous Ju Jua Juas Jue Juis Jum Jun Juo Juos Juu Juus Ka Kaas Kae Kai Kais Kam Kan Kao Kaos Kau Kaus Ke Kea Keas Kee Kei Keis Kem Ken Keo Keos Keu Keus Ki Kia Kie Kies Kim Kin Kio Kios Kiu Kius Ko Koe Koes Koi Kois Kom Kon Koo Koos Kou Kous Ku Kua Kue Kues Kum Kun Kuos Kuu Kuus La Laa Laas Laes Lais Lam Lan Laos Lau Laus Le Lea Leas Lee Lees Lei Lem Len Leo Leos Leu Leus Li Lia Lie Liis Lim Lin Lio Lios Liu Lo Loa Loas Loe Loes Lom Lon Loo Loos Lou Lu Lua Lue Lui Luis Lum Lun Luo Luos Luus Ma Maa Mae Maes Mai Mam Man Mao Maos Mau Maus Me Mea Mee Mei Meis Mem Men Meo Meu Mi Mias Mie Mies Mii Miis Mim Min Mios Miu Mius Mo Moa Moas Moe Mois Mom Mon Moo Mous Mu Mua Muas Mues Mui Mum Mun Muo Muu Muus Na Naa Naas Nae Naes Nai Nais Nam Nan Nao Naos Naus Ne Nea Neas Nee Nees Neis Nem Nen Neo Neos Neu Neus Ni Nii Niis Nim Nin Nio Nios Niu No Noa Noas Noe Noes Noi Nom Non Noo Nou Nous Nu Nua Nuas Nues Nui Nuis Num Nun Nuo Nuos Nuu Pa Paa Pae Paes Pai Pam Pan Pao Pau Paus Pe Pea Peas Pee Pees Pei Peis Pem Pen Peo Peos Peu Pi Pias Pie Pii Piis Pim Pin Pio Pios Piu Po Poas Poe Poes Pois Pom Pon Poo Poos Pou Pous Pu Puas Pue Pues Pui Puis Pum Pun Puo Puu Puus Ra Raa Raas Rae Rai Rais Ram Ran Raos Rau Raus Re Reas Ree Rees Rei Reis Rem Ren Reo Reos Reu Reus Ri Ria Rii Rim Rin Rio Rios Riu Rius Ro Roa Roas Roe Roes Roi Rois Rom Ron Roo Roos Rou Rous Ru Rua Rues Rui Ruis Rum Run Ruo Ruos Ruu Ruus Sa Sae Saes Sais Sam San Sau Se Sea Seas Sees Sei Seis Sem Sen Seos Shi Shia Shias Shie Shies Shii Shiis Shim Shin Shio Shios Shiu Shius Shu Shua Shuas Shue Shues Shui Shuis Shum Shun Shuo Shuos Shuu Shuus Si Sia Sii Siis Sim Sin Sio Sios Sius So Soe Soes Sois Som Son Soos Sous Su Suas Sui Suis Sum Sun Suo Suu Suus Ta Taa Taas Taes Tai Tais Tam Tan Tao Taos Tau Taus Te Tea Teas Tees Tei Tem Ten Teo Teu Thi Thia Thias Thie Thies Thii Thiis Thim Thin Thio Thios Thiu Thius Thu Thua Thuas Thue Thues Thui Thuis Thum Thun Thuo Thuos Thuu Thuus Ti Tias Tie Tiis Tim Tin Tio Tios Tiu Tius To Toas Toe Toes Toi Tom Ton Toos Tou Tous Tu Tua Tuas Tue Tues Tui Tuis Tum Tun Tuo Tuu Tuus Va Vaa Vaas Vae Vaes Vai Vam Van Vaos Vau Vaus Ve Vea Veas Vee Vees Vei Vem Ven Veo Veos Veu Veus Vi Vie Vii Viis Vim Vin Vio Viu Vo Voa Voe Voes Voi Vois Vom Von Voo Voos Vou Vous Vu Vue Vues Vui Vuis Vum Vun Vuo Vuus Wa Waas Wae Wai Wam Wan Wao Waos Wau Waus We Wea Wees Wei Weis Wem Wen Weos Weus Wi Wia Wias Wie Wies Wii Wim Win Wio Wiu Wo Woa Woe Woes Woi Wois Wom Won Woos Wou Wu Wua Wuas Wue Wui Wum Wun Wuo Wuos Wuu Wuus Za Zaa Zaas Zae Zaes Zai Zais Zam Zan Zaos Zau Zaus Ze Zea Zeas Zee Zees Zei Zeis Zem Zen Zeo Zeos Zeu Zeus Zha Zhaa Zhae Zhaes Zhai Zhais Zham Zhan Zhao Zhaos Zhau Zhaus Zhe Zhea Zhee Zhees Zhei Zheis Zhem Zhen Zheo Zheos Zheu Zheus Zhi Zhia Zhie Zhies Zhii Zhim Zhin Zhio Zhios Zhiu Zhius Zho Zhoa Zhoas Zhoe Zhoes Zhoi Zhom Zhon Zhou Zhous Zhu Zhuas Zhuis Zhum Zhun Zhuos Zhuu Zhuus Zi Zia Zias Zim Zin Zio Ziu Zius Zo Zoe Zoes Zois Zom Zon Zoo Zoos Zou Zous Zu Zuas Zue Zues Zuis Zum Zun Zuos Zuu

[its-not-a-pen]

fifth generation film recs!! it’s a longer list than i usually compile (and i’ve still got more i wish i could include), but i hope this is a good resource as you look for films to watch

THE CONTEXT

the red detachment of women (1961) - third gen

two stage sisters (1964) - third gen

the last emperor (1987) - for a sense of the international film scene these directors were entering into (also director bertolucci apparently consulted a number of fifth gen directors about the cultural revolution while making the film)

the king of masks (1996) - fourth gen

EARLY FILMS

yellow earth (1984) - zhang yimou was the cinematographer for this one! (chen kaige directed)

the black cannon incident (1985)

dislocation (1986)

the big parade (1986) - i haven’t actually watched this one yet but it’s considered an important early work

red sorghum (1987)

ju dou (1990)

life on a string (1991)

raise the red lantern (1991)

farewell my concubine (1993)

to live (1994)

not one less (1999)

the road home (1999)

LATER FILMS

the emperor and the assassin (1998)

happy times (2000)

hero (2002)

together (2002)

house of flying daggers (2004)

curse of the golden flower (2006)

the founding of a republic (2009)

a woman, a gun, and a noodle shop (2009) - an adaptation of blood simple (1984), which i would recommend you watch first

sacrifice (2010) - a reimagining of the orphan of zhao, which i recommend you’re familiar with first

coming home (2014)

legend of the demon cat (2017)

shadow (2018)

the battle at lake changjin (2021) - also haven’t gotten around to watching this one, but like i know i ought to

BONUS FILMS

code name: cugar (1989) - it’s bad

the great wall (2016) - also bad. BUT it’s got pedro pascal

hope there are some films here you like!

WOW that was fast! Thank you so much this is such a great list!

[galerymod]

A very impressive Japanese samurai war armour Mogami Dou Gusoku from the Hosokawa clan around - fabric, iron, leather. - Mito ju Yoshinobu - Japan - around 1700

細川藩の鎧「最上道具足」（布、鉄、革）。- 水戸稚児義信 - 日本 - 1700年頃

[world-cinema-research]

Two-Film Essay: Similarities Between Ju Dou (1990) and Blue Velvet (1986)

By Rachel Powers

The film Ju Dou, directed by Zhang Yimou, was released in China in April 1990, followed by a U.S. release in September of the same year. The film is based on the short story “Fuxi Fuxi” written by Liu Heng.

Ju Dou stars Gong Li as the main character Ju Dou. Zhang Yimou had previously cast Gong Li in Red Sorghum (1987) and Codename Cougar (1989) and would continue to cast her in future films such as Raise the Red Lantern (1991), The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), Shanghai Triad (1995), Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) and Coming Home (2014). Gong  Li and Zhang Yimou’s relationship was not simply a professional one. Zhang Yimou was married and had an affair with Gong Li, ultimately leaving his wife for her. They were a couple during many of their film collaborations up to 1995.

The story of Ju Dou takes place in rural China in the early 20th century. Most of the film takes place inside the residence and fabric dye facility owned by Yang Jinsan. Jinsan lives there with his adopted 40-year-old nephew, Yang Tianqing. Jinsan previously had two wives whom he beat to death because they failed to bear him children. In a third attempt at marriage and an heir, Jinsan purchases a new wife, Ju Dou.

Upon Ju Dou’s arrival, Jinsan promptly resumes his history of abuse on his new wife. Tianqing watches from afar, clearly upset by what is going on. Ju Dou notices him watching, and the two begin to fall for each other. The two begin a secret affair, and Ju Dou gets pregnant. Their child Tianbai is passed off as Jinsan’s, although Tianqing is the biological father.

The affair doesn’t remain secret for long, at least not from Jinsan. Jinsan suffers an accident and becomes paralyzed from the waist down. Ju Dou and Tianqing take on the responsibility of caring for Jinsan, but as he is unable to abuse Ju Dou, they no longer need to hide their relationship from him. In fact, they flaunt it and let him know that he is not Tianbai’s real father. They treat Jinsan quite badly during this time in a sort of revenge for what he had put Ju Dou through. To the outside world, this remains a secret.

Jinsan becomes resentful of everyone and everything, including the child Tianbai who he tries to kill unsuccessfully. Jinsan also attempts to burn down the facility, but is caught and the fire is put out by Ju Dou and Tianqing.

A few years later, Tianbai speaks for the first time, calling Jinsan his father. Jinsan is thrilled at this new connection with Tianbai, and especially happy that he has gained sympathy and influence over the child and can use it to drive a wedge between Tianbai, Ju Dou and Tianqing. Unfortunately for him, one day while playing with Tianbai in the dye factory, Tianbai accidentally knocks Jinsan into a vat of red dye. Being paralyzed, Jinsan drowns while Tianbai laughs in the background.

Tianbai grows up to be an angry and resentful teenager, hostile towards his mother Ju Dou but especially towards Tianqing. Jinsan has died, and tradition states that Ju Dou must remain celibate after his death. Instead, she continues her secret relationship with Tianqing. The son, Tianbai, has observed all the events over the years and is aware that this relationship is not normal. Paired with the town gossip regarding the situation, Tianbai grows angrier and angrier. One day, Ju Dou and Tianqing sneak down into a cave to be together, but the lack of oxygen in the cave causes them to pass out. Tianbai discovers the unconscious couple and carries them out of the cave. He brings his mother upstairs to her bedroom but carries Tianqing towards the dye pools. Tianbai throws Tianqing into the very same pool of red dye that Jinsan drowned in years prior, and Tianqing suffers the same fate.

Source: https://www.simbasible.com/ju-dou-movie-review/

Devastated, Ju Dou burns down the dye factory in an act that strongly resembles Jinsan’s original attempt to do the same years earlier.

The film was well received by critics. Anand A. Yang writes “Brilliantly filmed in vivid splashes of color, the dye factory and its products, richly hued fabrics, make for some spectacular shots. The striking colors also reflect the passion of the lovers, a passion depicted by the sensuality of their lovemaking. Supposedly, it was this intensity of sensuality and eroticism that led the Chinese government in the conservative atmosphere after the 1989 massacre to seek the film's withdrawal as China's official entry in the Academy Awards.”

Anand A. Yang’s review also dives into the symbolism of the cloth in the film, as it takes place in a textile factory. The cloth is dipped in dye and hoisted high up to dry, with nowhere else to go but to fall back down again. “Nothing soars, nothing seemingly can in a China weighed down by its suffocating traditions.”

The social commentary apparent in Ju Dou came into the world less than a year after the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989.  Student protests for social and political reform in China resulted in the government declaring martial law. The Chinese army killed hundreds and wounded thousands of protestors in order to suppress their calls for democracy.

Ju Dou was banned in China for the first two years following its release, another example of censorship and control in China at the time. In the United States, Ju Dou was received well with critics.

“The film appealed to me for two reasons. First, because of its unabashed, lurid melodrama, in which the days are filled with scheming and the nights with passion and violence. Second, because of its visual beauty. When the Technicolor company abandoned its classic three-strip process for reproducing color on film, two of its factories were closed down but the third was packed up and sold to China, and that is why the bright colors in the vats of the textile mill will remind you of a brilliance not seen in Hollywood films since the golden age of the MGM musicals. Not that this story would have been very easily set to music.” – Roger Ebert, 1991

The use of Technicolor contributed to the cinematography of the film and influenced it’s style, look and feel.

Comparison to Blue Velvet (1986)

Both Zhang Yimou and David Lynch cast lead actors that they had worked with previously and would continue to cast in their future works. Zhang Yimou and Gong Li have a long history of collaboration. David Lynch and Kyle MacLachlan also worked together on many of Lynch’s works besides Blue Velvet, such as Dune and Twin Peaks.

Similarly, the women in each film take on some of the same characteristics as their abusers. Ju Dou, the abused, ends up abusing her abuser and ultimately burns down the dye factory as Jinsan had attempted to do previously. In Blue Velvet, Dorothy Valens repeats her abuser’s words “don’t look at me” and controls Jeffery at knifepoint.

Differently, Ju Dou is more of a product of its time and history than Blue Velvet. The social commentary and historical context are fundamental to the story of Ju Dou, whereas Blue Velvet is not deeply rooted or connected to any one historic event.

[dabisbratz]

WAIT OMGMGMGM DOU HAVE AN NAFW AUDIO LINK THINGY FOR LEONNNNHWHEEHHEHE

mso picky when it comes to voices this was so hard. n mstill on the lookout for voices pretty enough to match leons!!!):<<<<nywayyy for dbd leon! id say this one! be wary of the “msub vibes” tag, though really he’s jus sayin one word so… i like t’think of it as a whiny dom. but! this! for re4 remake leon!

[autumn-likes-her-stuff]

im conflicted on miyazaki-san's new film

i saw the boy and the heron recently and i had the privilege of seeing it in a proper real imax theater (only a handful in my country). i have thoughts. they are very conflicting.

this wasn't a bad film, i found the first half of the film to be pretty captivating. its the other part of the film where my feelings toward it are much more mixed.

before i get to that, i jus wanted to say that the score n the vocal performances were actually pretty good. the underground world where the film takes place later on is probably my favorite that ive seen in a ghibli film. seeing the sun rays burst through the clouds and beam onto the sea was such a sight to behold, especially in imax.

what the hell happened in the later half of the film. there are some really beautiful setpieces, but it wasnt really enough to distract me from the confusion that clouded my mind while watching. the world is beautiful but theres a lot that isnt explained and makes me wish that this film was longer so it could explain it. theres a thing about a door that lets u time travel, or so its implied (?) but they also say "oh if u let go ur stuck" like how do u know that, did u do that? what are these cute but weird lil guys n how do their purposes make sense, wha?? if this film had maybe 20, 30, maybe even 40 mins added to its runtime, i feel like it wouldve had time to explain the things that it couldnt in 2 hours (its length).

another thing is that this film in japan was called "kimi tachi wa dou ikiru ka? (how do you live?) the same name as the book that served as a main inspiration for miyazaki-san. the book is also mentioned as a major-ish plot device thing to push mahito to enter the other underground tower world. other than that, this film doesnt seem to ask that question in a meaningful way, like it has a meaning or reason to ask it. maybe i just dont get it, but it felt like this was trying to say something but i couldnt understand what it was trying to say. maybe if it was longer it wouldve been more clear?

i really wanna like this movie, n i do like a lot of parts of it, especially the artstyle n backdrops, but its hard to like it when i was thinking these kinda things even while i was watching the movie. it says something, doesnt really get enough time to explain it, moves on, and im left here thinking "wait come back im a little lost". it could have benefitted from being significantly longer so i could understand more.

otherwise, it was a gorgeous film to see, especially in the tru imax theater that i happened to see it in. if it was longer and could explain more of the underground world, i would have liked it a lot more.