RED SORGHUM

China, 1987, 91 minutes, Colour.
Gong Li.
Directed by Zhang Yimou.

Red Sorghum is one of the most acclaimed films from the People's Republic of China. Director Zhang Yimou was to go on to direct the even more celebrated and Oscar nominated Ju Dou. He used the same star in each of his films, Gong Li. The film goes back into the history of China in the 1920s in the countryside, the legends about grandparents, the days of the warlords, of the distilleries in the hills, of the violence, of the arranged marriages - and then of the Japanese invasion.

The film re-creates these aspects of history in the 20s and 30s. Director Zhang Yimou was a cinema photographer (responsible for the beauty of Yellow Earth). He brings strong visual style to this film - the landscapes, the mountains, the Sorghum fields, the village, the distillery - and the technical aspects of producing the wine. (He was to do the same with Ju Dou and the dye industry.) The film's narrative is clear, though not presented in a western style. There is a lot of focus on individuals, the use of songs, suggestions as to what was happening, the quick passing of time. However, the beauty of the film, the strong presence of the characters, the style of the film making all contribute to the audiences understanding this period of Chinese history, empathising with the characters, trapped in their times, trying to break through but not able to.

1. Impact of the film? Entertainment? Insight into another culture and time? awards for the film?

2. The director and his career as a cinema photographer? The visual beauty of the film? The Chinese countryside and village in the 20s and 30s? The mountains, the sorghum fields? The attention to technical detail in the distillery? Tableaux, close-ups? The musical score,

3. The title, the focus on the songs and their lyrics? countryside, the sorghum fields, the events that happened there - especially Nine and Yu and their encounter, the conception of their child? The red sorghum and the distilling of the wine?

4. The narrative, the grandchild talking about his grandparents? The episode, folk myth of the family, its "truth" and the doubts? The mythical aspect of the plot?

5. Nine and the pre-arranged marriage, the 15 year old girl, sitting solemnly in the sedan chair, being carried to meet her husband? Her husband being a leper? His wealth with the distillery? The chair carriers and their jokes, the rough ride, the silence in passing through the sorghum field? Their singing the songs? The masked man, the bandit and his notoriety, the taking of the money, forcing Nine into the sorghum field? Yu, the chair carrier, overcoming him and their killing of him?

6. Nine and the relationship with Yu, the attraction? The death of the bandit not the authentic bandit? Her arrival at the distillery, the confrontation with her husband, the pair of scissors? Local customs - her return home, the discussions with her father, her father's disdain of her, the troubles and
difficulties, the arranged marriage?

7. Nine and her journey back to her husband? Going through the sorghum fields? Yu and his attack on her, the sexual encounter in the sorghum field? The news of the death of her husband while she was away? The grandson telling the audience that he suspected his grandfather, Yu, of the murder?

8. Nine and her position in the distillery, the loyalty of the workers, the disinfection of the premises, the normal production? The affection and respect of the staff, especially the foreman Liu? The arrival of Yu, his drinking, claiming Nine as his wife? Tier attack on him - and the bandit arriving, the raid, her being abducted?

9. The foreman paying the ransom, her return, the creation of the vintage? The ritual consecration of the liquor to the God? Yu and his encounter with the bandit, his arrival, urinating in the vats?

10. Yu and his relationship Nine? The passing of the years after the successful vintage? Their son? The fame of the distillery? Nine and her encounter with Liu Han - but the arrival of the Japanese stopping their meeting?

11. The arrival of the Japanese, the invasion, the gangs, flattening, the sorghum fields, making the road, the machines and the highway? The fertility of the Japanese? The resistance fighters, the public executions? of the bandit? The execution of the foreman? The communist resistance leaders? The skinning alive the refusal of the man who could skin the animals to execute the resistance fighters? The brutality of the Japanese enforcing people to the torture?

12. Nine and her plan to avenge the deaths, the preparation of the ambush, the Japanese convoy, the explosive, the vats of their inflammable wine? The attack, the plan going wrong, Nine being killed, the workers killed? The Japanese killed in the explosion?

13. Yu and his son as survivors? Memories of their mother, of the history of the place, the Japanese invasion and the heroism? The final eclipse of the sun - and the young boy singing about his mother, her happiness in the next life, rich-but doing good for the poor? His heritage?

14. A portrait of the Chinese countryside, people, relationships, values?