Feng gui Lai de Ren (1983)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 101 minuten
Alternative titles: The Boys from Fengkuei / All the Youthful Days / 風櫃來的人
Country:
Taiwan
Directed by: Hsiao-Hsien Hou
Starst: Doze Niu, Zhang Shi and Lin Hsiu-Ling
IMDb score:
7,3 (2.229)
Releasedate: 13 July 1983
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Feng gui Lai de Ren plot
Ah-Ching and his three childhood friends have just graduated from high school in the fishing village of Fengkuei in the Penghu Islands, just off the coast of Taiwan. They mainly spend their free time drinking and fighting, because there is hardly any work. Three of them decide to go to the port city of Kaohsiung on the mainland of Taiwan, to look for work there. They find an apartment with help from family, and Ah-Ching falls in love with Hsiao-Hsing, the girlfriend of one of their neighbours, petty criminal Ah-ho. There they endure the harsh realities of the big city, as Ah-ching becomes increasingly estranged from his friends and increasingly attracted to Hsiao-Hsing.
Actors and actresses
Ah Ching
Arong
Hsiao Hsing
Ah Ching's Mother
Huang Jinhe
Arong's Sister
Arong's Sister's Boyfriend
Reviews & comments
Ataloona
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- 734 messages
- 4272 votes
A kind of middle ground between two classic coming of age films. Where in I Vitelloni the intellectually indecisive adolescents play the leading roles and in Los Olvidados ordinary street urchins, here it is the children of the poorer middle class. No job and as lifeless as anything. It is also clear that almost all of them did not really try their best at school, others are easily outsmarted by them and you do not have to see any clever discussions here. Only discussions that quickly lead to anger and aggression. Gives an entertaining shine to the film, but is not really of a high level.
Furthermore, beautiful pictures of the cities and sometimes nature. Also beautiful are the small neighborhoods by the sea, clever how Hou captures the (unemployed) poor middle class strikingly. Always making a lot of effort, sometimes still very traditional, taking on every bit of work while the young people keep getting into trouble, to the displeasure (and especially ignorance of how to tackle this) of the parents.
Family ties are also nicely touched upon and especially the last half hour is of strong class. In which the main character tries to distance himself from his friends, completely devotes himself to his ''crush'', the girlfriend of a well-known petty thief, then takes a job, wins the girl over, but is ultimately ignored again. Yet in his own misery he becomes an example to his friends, who eventually also realize that they too have to start making choices. A fine early film by Hou, which rather dangles between a 3.5* and a 4.0*. Let me start with layers first, with a great chance of a raise.
3.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Onderhond
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- 87623 messages
- 12890 votes
By far the least Hou I saw.
About 10 years earlier, but reminded me of Tsai's Rebels of the Neon God. I'm afraid I don't like street gangs who just bumble along. Somewhat annoying characters whose slice of life doesn't interest me that much.
The first half hour is by far the most captivating, when the boys are still trudging around in Fengkuei. Also delivers by far the most beautiful shots. Once in the city, the film becomes a lot busier, both in terms of image and sound. Hou clearly has a way to go here before he would perfect his style, which is why the effect remains very limited and only a few scenes manage to reach any real level.
His older work is more of a must-see for me anyway, but so far his old films were still quite good. This is the first time that Hou really disappoints.
1.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
mjk87 (moderator films)
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- 14602 messages
- 4554 votes
I see the comparison with Café Lumière very often above and that was also, at times, the first thing that came to mind. Although the style was perfected in that other film. This Boys has more dramatic angles that are actually not necessary at all and are also by far the least of the film. That thing with that father with the hole in his head as the most striking of course. Too bad, because the best scenes are in the big city where people just hang around in the apartment and lead their normal lives. Where homework is done, work in the factory, eating and drinking. Café Lumière only consisted of these kinds of scenes, this film has some unnecessary ballast that makes it less interesting as a whole. But still 3.5*.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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