A2 C2SA Global Film: HOFD & PL

Question 1

What year is PL set in?

Answer 1

1944

Question 2

In which real place is PL set?

Answer 2

In the hills of Northern Spain

Question 3

Which war is taking place at time PL is set?

Answer 3

WW2

Question 4

Name the conflict which took place in Spain before the films begins, between 1936 and 1939

Answer 4

The Spanish Civil War - the Nationalists, led by General Franco, won

Question 5

Name the two sides in the Spanish Civil War

Answer 5

The Republicans (Popular Front, defenders of the Second Republic) versus the Nationalists

Question 6

Name the leader of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War

Answer 6

General Franco

Question 7

What is the name of the specific grouping led by Franco (Vidal is also a member of this group)

Answer 7

The Falangists

Question 8

Francoism is a specific ideology based on three other ideologies/traditions. Name them.

Answer 8

Fascism; Monarchism; Catholicism

Question 9

Vidal’s father was killed fighting in Morocco - why is that significant?

Answer 9

Morocco (a Spanish colony at the time) is where General Franco made his name by defeating republican forces. Vidal idolises both his father and ‘El Caudillo’, Franco.

Question 10

The Nationalists and Republicans had very different ideologies - what were they, briefly?

Answer 10

Nationalists: Right-wing (conservative) traditionalist ideology encompassing Fascism, monarchism and very traditional Spanish Catholicism (similar in many ways to Mussolini in Italy). Generally conservative in terms of importance of traditional family especially the role of women as wives and mothers with male/father at the head; anti-divorce, and women’s rights as workers (effectively banned by Franco) the role of the powerful Catholic Church within the State; influence of the monarchy and notion of absolute power & control of one strong militaristic (male) leader; anti-trade unions/workers’ organisations.
Republicans: Left-wing/liberal internationalist rather than nationalist; left/liberal ideological mish-mash reflecting the different political organisations which made up the ant-fascist Popular Front inc. communists, socialists. trade unions, anarchists and the International Brigades. Generally more progressive in terms of attitudes to workers’/women’s rights, including de-criminalisation of prostitution, women’s rights at work, divorce etc, and the existence of one women-only brigade during the SCW.

Question 11

Name the three key female characters in PL.

Answer 11

Ofelia, Carmen & Mercedes

Question 12

Name three key male characters in PL.

Answer 12

Captain Vidal, Dr.Ferreiro & the Faun (arguably the Pale Man)

Question 13

What’s the significance of the way in which Vidal greets Carmen & Ofelia?

Answer 13

Both: Vidal checks his pocket watch - he runs by the clock and is also obsessed with the past and the future. Carmen: Vidal greets her by placing his hand on her belly ( the vessel for his son!), then insists that she sit in a wheelchair, effectively ‘disabling’ her. Carmen is primarily valued as a mother/incubator.
Ofelia: grips her left hand in his black leather glove (right hand). A small but significant act: republicans greeted with their left hand, whilst nationalists used the right. Ofelia is probably completely unaware of this, but Vidal picks up on anything which (in his eyes) is a challenge to him or his beliefs.

Question 14

Del Toro: ‘ …fascism…is the absolute absence of ________________, the absolute lack of __________ and the most ____________ expression of power’

Answer 14

imagination; choice; masculine

NOTE: this lack of imagination is the key (literally!) to Vidal’s downfall due to his inability to imagine anyone, especially a peasant woman like Mercedes, plotting against him.

Question 15

Identify six important props in the Pale Man scene

Answer 15

The key (from the last mission), the knife (for the final sacrifice), the grapes (the temptation ; the pile of shoes (the warning: holocaust reference); the chalk (the portal between the worlds); the hourglass (yet another measure of time);

Question 16

Identify three examples of how time is referenced, how and why

Answer 16

1. Vidal’s pocket watch in the opening and closing scene: he runs everything by the clock and is also obsessed with the past (his father) and the future (his fate and legacy embodied by his son). Represents a rigid, ‘man-made’ measurement of time.
2. The hourglass in the Pale Man scene: the time set by the Faun for Ofelia’ second mission.
3. Phases of the moon: Ofelia is shown bearing a mark on her shoulder with the image of a crescent moon. When Ofelia’s sacrifices herself to save her brother, the moon is full, symbolizing the completion of Ofelia’s journey as well as being a more natural, feminine measurement which also reflects the menstrual cycle.

Question 17

Where and when is HOFD set?

Answer 17

China in AD 859, during the decline of the Tang Dynasty (618 to 906)

Question 18

Identify three historical contexts related to the Tang

Answer 18

1. Corruption and chaos at the Imperial palace and more widely in the country,
2. A descent into lawlessness, with powerful gangs and warlords robbing merchants, attacking cities and slaughtering scores of peasant people.
3. Greater freedoms for some women, including those working in the arts.

Question 19

Three important cultural contexts related to the Tang?

Answer 19

1.’Golden Era’ of Chinese culture and arts
2. Development of a new style of poetry known as Yuanhe that was written to be understood by peasants and addressed political issues and social justice.
3. Wuxia poetry first emerges during the Tang

Question 20

What does wuxia mean?

Answer 20

( wu = martial xia = chivalry)

Question 21

Identify some key elements of wuxia films

Answer 21

1. Brave, honourable and often doomed heroes (male & female) fighting corruption & oppression.
2. The almost supernatural ability of these warriors to fight, leap, levitate, fly etc reflects their channelling of the Confucian life force (Qi).
3. The Qi can be channelled by anyone - it is not the preserve of the aristocracy but a sign of discipline and dedication to practice.
4. Themes of deception and double identity, especially with female protagonists who often occupy very traditional gender roles such as princesses, concubines, dutiful daughters etc., whilst having a secret identity as a warrior/avenger etc.
5. An underlying romance narrative, again involving themes of sacrifice and fate.

Question 22

What was the ‘5th generation’ of filmmakers?

Answer 22

The group of Chinese filmmakers such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Chaige, who survived Mao’s Cultural Revolution and then went to the Beijing Film Academy. They established careers both at home and internationally in the early 1980s.
Their films were known for their opulent aesthetic, historical (ancient and contemporary Chinese) setting and staggering fight scenes. Some of these were also wuxia films.

Question 23

Name three films other than HOFD, made by Zhang

Answer 23

Hero, Curse of the Golden Flower, Raise the Red Lantern, Red Sorghum etc.

Question 24

Name the three principal characters in HOFD

Answer 24

Mai (Zhang Ziyi), Captain Leo (Andy Lau) and captain Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro)

Question 25

Name the establishment that Mai works in.

Answer 25

The Peony Palace

Question 26

HOFD was criticised by Chinese reviewers on its release - why?

Answer 26

It was seen as less accessible to a Chinese audience because of the lack of humour and over-attention to aesthetics (at the expense of storytelling) as well as its potential to exaggerate the negative aspect of China (the element of corruption and the representation of the Flying Daggers as a liberating force) to appease a Western gaze and confirm anti-Chinese beliefs.

Question 27

What is ‘orientalism’?

Answer 27

According to Edward Said (1978) ‘Orientalism’ is a way in which westerners conceive of the geographical East (ie ‘Orient’ from the Middle East, India, China etc.) as exotic, dangerous, fascinating. By placing it in binary opposition to the West (the ‘Occident’), the East becomes ‘other’, which is defined in terms of what it is not. In terms of film appreciation and analysis, this perspective recognises the appeal of a film like HOFD to a western audience, as well as some of the criticisms of it from a Chinese perspective.

Question 28

Identify four elements of HOFD which make it a wuxia film

Answer 28

1. Brave, honourable and often doomed heroes (Mai and the Flying Daggers)
2. The almost supernatural ability of Mai, Jin & Leo to fight, leap, levitate, fly, reflecting their channelling of the Qi.
3. Themes of deception and double identity: Mai’s disguise within the Peony Palace, apparent blindness and collaboration with Leo; Jin’s attempted deception of Mai’s and her double-crossing of him; Leo and Jin’s betrayal of each other.
4. An underlying ‘love triangle’ romance narrative, again involving themes of sacrifice and fate for all three main characters.