BEIJING ROCKS
China, 2001, 110 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Wu, Shu Qui, Geng Le.
Directed by Mabel Cheung.
Beijing Rocks is a surprise coming out of China at the beginning of the 21st century. While the film shows some of the buildings of the Forbidden City, with Mao Tse Tung's portrait still in place, it is a far cry from the China envisioned by Mao and certainly a long way from the cultural revolution which occurred some years before the main protagonists of this film were even born.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, eastern Europe embraced capitalism as well as the popular cultural styles, and excesses, of western and, especially, American culture. In the '90s it seems that the same thing is happening to China.
The film shows a group of young people in a rock band, the same ambitions as any young people with rock bands in the United States. Their dress, their music, their anger and their rebellion, their sexual relationships, their drug-taking are all part of the scene which seems to be more taken for granted in Beijing than previously.
Mabel Cheung, the director, studied in New York City and worked in Hong Kong. Her view of China is that of a Hong Kong director looking at the transformation in mainland China.
The main characters are a wealthy student from Hong Kong who gets into trouble and is sent by his father to study and to write music in Beijing. The other is the group leader, Road, the rebel without a cause. The third character is his girlfriend, Yang Ying, who has come from the country, is caught up in the rock culture as well as working at striptease joints. The other main characters are the members of the band.
1. A film from China in 2001, the portrait of young people in China, the music, openness, rebellion, relationships, sexuality, drugs? The bands in the clubs in Beijing?
2. The contrast with the opening and its collage of old musical and dancing traditions, Chinese history, the cultural revolution, the vision of Mao? The portrayal of the landscapes and cityscapes of China, Beijing, the Forbidden City? The countryside, the railways, the railway stations, the houses? The towns and the halls for performances?
3. The music, distinctively Chinese, influenced by the West, the hard rock tone, the negative and rebellious lyrics? Road's visit to the recording company and the cynical western style of the executives?
4. The title and its embodying of this transition from old China to a newer China via the young, via contemporary music, via an opening to the West?
5. Michael as the central character, his explanations of himself, growing up in America, coming back to Hong Kong, trying to write songs, to perform? His relationship with his father? Hearing of his father's shady deals? The clashes with his father, his father's visit to Hong Kong, his mistress, entertaining, the executives and politicians, their drunkenness? His observations, stand-offishness? His initial fight in Hong Kong to defend his father and the accusations, his having to go to court? The build-up to the end where he goes to court, his father with him? The hearing, the sentencing, the suspended sentence? Michael's arrival in Beijing, looking from the taxi? The club, hearing the group, joining them, discussions, offering them marijuana? The raid and the fight, taking the drumsticks and returning them to the drummer? Becoming friends with the group? Following them, attracted to Yang Ying, finding her in the striptease club? Her erratic behaviour, Road and his friendship, the other members of the group? Road's going off alone, his time with Yang Ying, the romanticism in the country? Road's return, Yang Ying's indecisiveness? Road's accident, Yang Ying ringing him in the court, telling him of Road's death? The funeral? A future?
6. Road, songs, his performances, western style? His morbid lyrics? His friendship with Michael, his relationship with Yang Ying? On the road, the performances, success, clashes? His going off on the bike, the interview with the executives, his angry tone with them, their rejection? His going to the railway station, meeting his father, telling him he had a contract, trying to buy the gift, too late as his father went off, his father urging him to see his mother? The return, wariness about Yang Ying, on the motorbike, the accident, getting the truckdriver to listen to his song, his collapse and death?
7. Yang Ying, her explanation of her background, the country, coming o the city, the band, singing, the high life, the strip joint and the clients? Her attraction to Road, seeing it as destiny? Attraction to Michael, the romantic time to themselves, her return to Road, her grief at his death?
8. The members of the band, their personalities, style, characters, friendships? Symbol of the new China?
9. Michael's father and Hong Kong, wheeler-dealing, his entertaining politicians, businessmen? His mistress? His attitude towards Michael, love for him, going to court with him?
10. Road's father, the sentiment of the scene at the railway station, the two talking together, Road getting the present, his having to leave?
11. The initial fight that Michael had, the types talking about his father? The younger generation, the ambitious types, the band and musical types, the audiences around the countryside?
12. An outsider's perspective on this transformation of the younger generation of China - their embracing of the West and its style, the losing of the important traditions?
