The Bird People in China (1998)

Another Miike Prize

I have been systematically watching all of Miike's films for the past few months and this one was a surpriser. It's very toned-down from many other works of his, yet retains his flare for the macabre. Overall, the movie was just satisfying. It was very well balanced, had great pacing, and a very appropriate ending. It's a must-see for fans (what movie of his isn't?), but also has the potential to appeal to wide varieties of people. It goes way up on my list of Miike successes. January 14, 2008

Miike looks inward--a celebration of the human spirit

A departure from his shocking, repulsive films he is more aptly known for, Takashi Miike injects charm and grace into The Bird People in China. This film has very little violence or conflicts, no appalling moments or sick humor, no wild sex scenes--there really is nothing to push the envelope. You horror fanatics might be a little let down.
It's the story of two men on a journey to a remote village, searching for jade. They encounter a group of primitive mountain people, and slowly become fascinated by their simplistic way of life. This is very much a spiritual awakening, and their lives are forever changed. They try to soak in the mystery as the young children are taught some wondrous techniques to prepare them for flying.
The surroundings give an extra dimension to the beauty of this story. The landscapes are truly gorgeous. There is a heartfelt connection between nature and the people.
Miike does an amazing job in his venture away from horror. This story is subtle but advances with an emotional frenzy and a compelling significance. It really is quite an intriguing character study. I'll be honest, I feel pretty shallow for not enjoying this movie as much as his other works, but at least I tried. 3.5 Stars. December 29, 2007

Too special meaning

Beautiful landscape, poor surrounding, fictional people, realistic Mafia-Yakuza, handsome performers and overextended movie running time.

What is all this about? August 21, 2007

T.I.C.: This is China

T.I.C.: THIS IS CHINA

Cult director Takashi Miike has made a warm departure from his more traditional and visceral yakuza crime epics, and presented us with a journey into the wilds of China, and into the interior of the human heart. What begins as a pedestrian last minute assignment to for a young Japanese businessman (Masashiro Motoki as Wada), rapidly becomes a tempestuous tale worthy of a Joseph Conrad rendering. He is shadowed by a yakuza henchman (Renji Ishibashi as Ujiie), there to insure the financial success of the venture in order to recoup a corporate mob loan.

There is a remote Chinese village that sports a jade mine. These men are sent to investigate its validity and secure the jade's distribution. The trip to the village is long, arduous and humorous, loaded with the edgy comic violence and absurdity that Miike excels in. Their guide is Shen (Mako in one of his last performances). He wears his hair long, pulled back in a ponytail. It is fun to see him with hair, since most of his roles required him to wear his hair very short. Shen is a Japanese adventurer that had lived for a time in the village.

As the travelers transition from rickety VW van to a two-cylinder mountain taxi, to just hiking on foot, dragging their modern luggage up steep trails, we are treated with some of the most striking scenery and visual imagery ever recorded on film. Swollen spring rivers, terribly muddy roads filled with ruts, and oppressive downpours are all part of the adventure. At one point they must travel by raft on a mighty river. The bamboo raft is towed by five large turtles. The underwater imagery of those towing turtles sticks with you. There is a feel of Werner Herzog on the rivers, and in the mountains, of a wildness and untouched majesty.

At the village they are greeted like family with a sweet simplicity and joy. They happen on to a swarm of children one morning, all wearing paper wings and hopping along while singing. A young girl teaches the children mythical techniques of "flying". The crags and towering peaks beckon as the wind serenades them. Ujiie is fascinated by the children, and by the prospect of actually soaring in the thin air. Wada is fascinated by the young girl, talking of her grandfather who discovered ancient texts in the village outlining the tradition of flying; how to construct the wings, and how to exercise the body, and prepare their spirits. It seems the grandfather was Irish, and he "fell from the sky" one day, and spent the rest of his life in the village. The young girl sings phonetically an Irish ballad. Wada is obsessed with solving the mystery of her past and of the village.

The stunning mist-enshrouded wind-swept mountains bring to mind Frank Capra's FAR HORIZONS (1937) and Shangra-La. As weeks turn into months, this time in the village permanently change these men, gently putting them in touch with their spiritual core, their essence -and as viewers, we too are touched by the pristine natural rhythm of the place. We find ourselves yearning to go there to, or find a similar place to divest ourselves of the urban blight we wear habitually like mackinaws in summer.
March 13, 2007

A Truly Great Takashi Miike Film: Fantastic And Magical!

I have been wanting to view this film for some time, and finally purchased this Miike film along with "The Great Yokai War." It's really amazing how versatile Miike really is as a director. You never know what to expect from his films. I really liked this film. And to think it was initially released in 1998? "The Bird People In China," is not typical Miike. Or maybe it is? Afterall, you never know what he is going to give you in a film. The film centers on a businessman named Mr. Wada (Masahiro Motoki), [who is a very versatile and funny actor]. In this film, his character portrays a business executive who is sent to China by his firm to look into a remote section of China, and to survey its potential for investment in a jade mine.

Moreover, joining Mr. Wada on his journey is a yakuza named Ujiie (Renji Ishibashi), whose intentions are to take some of this jade due to the fact the Mr. Wada's boss owes debts to his people. However, this is not a film about the yakuza. When they arrive as far as the train can possibly take them, they are joined by a guide named Mr. Shen (Mako). As they journey to this remote section of China, they eventually arrive at a place which has remained free of modernization or industrialization. The scenery in the film is truly fantastic, and the cinematography is just magnificant. These two men, Mr. Wada and Ujiie find themselves in a place that neither wishes to leave. This is a film of exploration of the human soul. I really liked this film, and it is a shame that it took so long for this film to reach our shores.

There are some really strange; and yet beautiful shots in this film, such as the raft the the three travellers are floaating on trying to get to the village: which is pulled by turtles. Yes, turtles! Moreover, Mr. Shen, their guide, winds up losing his memory after a bad experience with a toadstool, which in turn causes him to bump his head on a tree. Not knowing where the village is now, these three men head off on an adventure that they will never forget. It is hard to believe that the same director who did "Ichi the Killer," did this magnificent masterpiece of a film. This film may be too slow, and without the violence others seek in Miike's films, so what? This is a definite masterpiece to me. And definitely one of Miike's greatest films. It is well worth the purchase, and I highly recommend the film. February 12, 2007

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