Vietnamese director Tan Anh Hoang's films focus on soft, gentle women, and in the fresh "Taste of Green Papaya", he compares beautiful women to green plants - green papayas.
Comparing women with plants has a precedent in ancient Chinese literature.
First of all, the Book of Verses, or the peach blossoms in full bloom than the bridesmaids (peach dreams, scorching its glory. Son of Yu Gui, it is advisable to his room). Or borrow the swaying water grass as a metaphor for the uncertain girl (jagged lettuce, left and right flowing.) Lady, dream of it) or hint at the maturity of women with plums, or bless many offspring with peppers (摽有梅, in fact, seven xi. Please, my fellow, my good fortune)...
Women are the soul of Chen Hero's films, they support the entire sky of the story, those introverted but always grasp the initiative of the women, they are either called Mei or peach or lotus, these women with the beautiful name of green plants, indeed as the green itself is as beautiful, quiet and powerful.
The Taste of Green Papaya
The Tricycle Driver
"Taste of Summer"
The next morning when Mei arrived at her master's house, she woke up with a large wooden window next to the bed, and the window was full of verdant eyes. Naturally abundant light, bright and refreshing. Mei's small face was completely sunny, without a trace of shadow, innocent and bright.
1. Moving green, you can imagine that the plum eyes are looking at the green in the garden
2. The camera hits back, which is a close-up view of the light spreading on her face. Clean and curious eyes remind people of Mr. Zhu Ziqing's "daughter green"
3. Close-up: Green papaya and various green unknown green leaves.
4. Close-up: Mei's flexible eyes suddenly froze.
5. Close-up: White sap on leaves, flowing.
6. Close-up: Mei's innocent face.
7. Close-up: The juice is dripping from the guati of the plucked papaya.
8. Close-up: Falling on green leaves
9. Small panorama: Mei's sweet smile
The picture is cross-edited between the innocent faces of green papaya and plum, giving us a strong "daughter green" imagination. If this first metaphor is not obvious, then there is a second time, just as well as plenty of light,
1. Close-up: The camera rises with Mei's rising hand, and the dark green papaya falls into the girl's hand
2. Small panorama of the window: Mei leaves, the camera waits quietly, and Mei returns, staring at the small animals on the windowsill
3. Close-up: Milky white papaya juice flows down
4. Wood essence, close-up: from plum clean face shake to plum peeled papaya, plated, cut
5. Close-up: May's eyes
6. Close-up: Hand, break open the papaya
7. Close-up: Mei's pure smile
8. Close-up: White, crystalline papaya seeds, the touch of a little finger
One of the few images of such purity, with close-ups alternating between plum and papaya (inner), is a re-emphasis on the 'metaphor'. The delicate description and unfolding of the pearl-like interior of the green papaya is a metaphor for Mei Qing's pure appearance and simple heart.
Papaya is a genus of plants in the family Rosaceae that ripens with a golden color and pleasant aroma. Chen Yingxiong used the lens to cut open the surface of its green body, which originally had such a rich, fleshy color and shape, juicy, soft plant core equivalent to the woman's blooming heart: hot and active
Mei meets Haoren for the first time
The women in the movie are, of course, proactive, though they seem so restrained and docile. In "Tricycle Driver", there is the boss lady who controls the overall situation of the underworld, in "The Taste of Green Papaya" there is a big sister who controls the initiative of extramarital affairs, there is the third sister Lian, who takes the initiative to attack although she knows that there is no hope, and even the woman who meets is also an active invitation: red lipstick writes No. 324
In "The Taste of Green Papaya", the young grandmother is the support of the family, and although the grandmother has not gone downstairs for seven years, she still maintains a clear and powerful refusal posture.
Mei after pregnancy
Speaking of Mei, a few hairs that often hang from her forehead, wet and obedient, look really weak and beautiful, so obedient, a little girl who accepts her fate can encourage the old man to bravely pursue the person he loves.
This is the two sides of the plant: soft on the outside and firm on the inside.
"The Taste of Green Papaya" also borrowed the photographer's mouth to talk about plants: the photos of plants are more satisfactory to me, the photos are static, can not find the connection, is the tranquility I am looking for in the photos. Green, calm, tough, is the character of the plant. Full, blooming, brilliant, is the result of plants. Bright and scorching green afternoon and velvety cyan night, small animal-like vivid boys and flower-like beautiful girls, silent long shots and countless beautiful details behind long shots..... In the camera's hurried and slow leisurely wandering back to the gaze that stays everywhere, the poetry of the image has already overflowed the picture like mature papaya juice, dripping and gushing out