Reel Geezers-Lust, Caution

The dynamic octagenarian duo reviews Ang Lee's latest film Lust, Caution. These two movie veterans bring a fresh, funny and insightful perspective to movie reviews.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Lust
• Caution
• Ang
• Lee
• chinese
• movie
• critics
• film
• review
• Marica
• Lorenzo
• Reel
• Geezers
• NC-17
• indie
• se
• jie
• china

[FrakkinToasterLuvva]

"The scenes are not sexy or sensual", "Why are the Resistance people bad guys in today's movies". The comment so totally misses the point of the movie that it's funny. And how ironic is it that people here keep getting outraged at the rape in this movie, when Marcia named the scene in Gone with The Wind as an example of eroticism? In case you've forgotten, what Rhett did to Scarlett WAS rape, more obviously than in Lust (Scarlett was clearly protesting it) but it's all made to look 'romantic'!

[yonghe1]

We are sex saturated, but not in china. So far US box sales only below 3 millions over months, (it might not mean anything). And the movie receives almost negative reviews, which people blame of myopia on culture ignorance. (I am a Chinese, by the way). In china, Box sales 5.6 millions in US dollars in first 4 days with the cheap currency. People even fly to Hong Kong to pursue whole unedited version, just because this is the first Chinese sex movie.

[swc868]

@bindingnemo Go and watch the movie, and you'll see how far off the commentators have gone astray from what was portrayed. And omg! A date movie?! It just goes to show how far off the target they were. I was depressed after my first viewing when it was released, and couldn't bear to watch it a second time until recently. It is one of the masterpieces which I deem too emotionally overwhelming for second viewing, like Schindler's List, Lord of the Flies and Life is Beautiful.

[philsnk]

From the synopsis it sounds like the woman suffered from some sort of mental collapse and seeming being sort of being unfit for marriage, for standards at the time then commits to saying shes in love to the rapist. But of course I bet they never put that in the film.

[honey2944]

Both of them suffered from tortured by whom they report to (Japanese as well as anti-Japanese organizations). It was an age where humanity is raped by cruelty of war and ideology. I think that was what the author and director wanted to express. What do you think?

[honey2944]

I am not defending a rapist, take it easy. I am simply discussing the movie with you from the literature perspective. She was first seducing him in the scene; his surprisingly violent reaction, which ended raping her, was an outbreak of his long time physiological suppression (not just sexually). If you think one more step, this scene is a reflection of their sadistic relationship.

[honey2944]

Btw, the story was based on a true story. Only that the ending was not that romantic. She was arrested, brutally tortured and executed by Japanese. He remained alive till Japanese surrendered; then he was tried and was also executed by these he once tortured.

[honey2944]

Original novel was one of the best and most controversial short fictions in Chinese modern literature history. The author took more than 20 years to complete revision before she finally published it in 1960s. Its a twisted love story in a twisted period of history; even fleshly pleasure was full of pain; each character simply dwelled for momentarily comfort as there was no future or hope throughout the novel. Extremely powerful. It is not about morality, rather humanity.

[rborgeryd]

Is rape not usually a "power thing"? And how can you excuse it as such? It is rape when somebody is violently forced.

[rborgeryd]

I totally agree with you. The story's moral is terrible:

It seems to say that rape can be the beginning of a lovestory, and that women fall in love with a man not because he is good to her and has beautiful personal qualities, but because he gives her expensive blood diamonds. I felt to sick to sleep well .

[tadamori]

I like your reviews though. They are both funny, you have good points, and I like hearing both of your perspectives. I'll definitely be subscribing!

[tadamori]

While the movie is not a happy one, I don't think the story is a disappointment, but I can see how it might be if one were expecting a traditional love story with a happy ending. In the world of this movie, people's ideals are crushed. I think the film accurately reflects the experience of the generation in the sense that the chinese were an occupied people who's entire society was in chaos and who, depending on which political group, you belonged to never resolved this issue.