BIG SHOT'S FUNERAL
China, 2002, 100 minutes, Colour.
Ge You, Rosamund Kwan, Donald Sutherland, Paul Mazursky, Ying Da.
Directed by Feng Xiaogang.
In recent years, Columbia Pictures and Sony have been financing films in China. Some of the best of these have been by celebrated director, Zhang Yimou like Not One Less and The Road Home. However, they have also financed some more popular thrillers and comedies, Double Vision and The Missing Gun and now, with humour, Big Shot's Funeral.
Beijing 2001 seems a far different place from Beijing of even 20 years ago. While the government is still Communist, appearances are frequently very much Capitalist. In fact, Big Shot's Funeral is a satire on the Chinese love of commerce and how it can go to extremes via advertising.
Donald Sutherland is the big shot director from Hollywood who is in China to do a remake of The Last Emperor. However, he is suffering from depression and director's block. He is to be fired from the film by producer Paul Mazursky. In the meantime, assistant director, Rosamund Kwan, has hired a cinematographer, Ge You, to make a documentary, 'The Making of...' The American director collapses into coma but, misunderstanding the Chinese for a joyful funeral, wills that he have a comedy funeral, produced by his new friend. The cinematographer and his entrepreneur associate have the bright idea to raise money by auctioning advertising space at the funeral site in the Forbidden City, then on the hearse and anywhere else where there is space. There are a few quite unexpected developments which lead to more comedy and a happy ending.
Not as sharp for a Western audience as it might have been, but it is a chance to see a Chinese comedy and the modern face of Beijing.
1. A Chinese entertainment? For the home audience, for Americans, for world audiences? The impact of seeing a comedy from contemporary China?
2. China 2000, the changes in the '90s, the contemporary cities, modern style, capitalism, the focus on money, consumerism, commerce and commercials? The quality of observation of contemporary Chinese life? Satire?
3. The title and the tone?
4. The background of The Last Emperor, Bertolucci's film, its being remade? Don Tyler as celebrated director, Donald Sutherland's presence and style, his work on the film, depressed, wasting time? Lucy and her role as assistant director, the production needs? The young assistant and his irritation, being sacked? Yo Yo and his role as photographer, making the documentary? His discussions with Tyler about death, reincarnation and Buddhism? Tyler's collapse, Tony arriving from America and putting Tyler off the film? The discussions and the misunderstanding of a joyful funeral and the understanding of a comedy funeral? Tyler leaving his will on video? His recovering, not telling Yo Yo, exhilarated by the secret, Lucy knowing? The ultimate revelation of the truth - and the scenario for a new film?
5. Yo Yo and the initial interview, no work for five years, his feelings about his divorce, sense of tragedy? Skill with the camera, making the documentary, his observations, friendship with Tyler, their discussions? The bequest to make the comedy funeral?
6. The preparations for the funeral, his friendship with Louis, Louis as an entrepreneur, their going into action, the realisation that they could commercialise the funeral and pay for it, the auction of the commercial space, the nature of the advertisements, their place on the hearse, in the background, in the Forbidden City? The Mafia chiefs and their requests for advertising, the fake mineral water - where the fake becomes the truth? The irony of the commercialisation of Beijing and the Forbidden City?
7. Lucy, working with Tyler, Tony as her uncle, her attraction towards Yo Yo, caught in the secrecy, her eventually telling Yo Yo? Her performance in the film, relationship with Yo Yo?
8. Tony, the tough US producer, friendship with Tyler, putting him off the film, bringing in the young director? His reaction to Tyler's illness and seeming death? The future film?
9. Yo Yo, the development of his character, caught up in the enterprise, the contrast with Louis? Love for Lucy?
10. The final film, the comedy, Yo Yo telling the joke, the happy ending of the film, the kiss? The particularly Chinese humorous tone of the film, the universal humour? The film as a bridge between China and the audiences in the rest of the world?
