December 8th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)
Taiwanese director Ting Shan-Hsi returned home after making his name in Hong Kong to direct an unusual tale of the Japanese era. In 1934 a man falls afoul of a crackdown by the Japanese authorities. Forced to flee he eventually find his way to the aboriginal people who life in the mountainous interior.
This Hong Kong financed Taiwanese film is unusual in sever ways. Firstly it is a rarity for Taiwanese films of this period to showcase, or even acknowledge the aboriginal inhabitants. Secondly it deals with politically sensitive material with respect to the Japanese, again a rarity. Although these elements are handled with a caviler sensibility it is still interesting to watch how viewpoints are portrayed in 1973's look back into the recent past.
Flight man is perhaps most notable for casting Ivy Ling Po as the central aboriginal character. Throughout the 1960's she became wildly popular in a particular kind of opera film literally translated as Yellow Plume opera, mostly for playing male roles. But by this time the genre was on the decline and she was attempting to carve out a career in swordplay and drama films. But this film also sees her return to a musical role, and where better to do it in then Taiwan, arguably the place in which she was best loved in her Opera days.
Taiwan, Director Ting Shan-Hsi, Cast Ivy Ling Po, Wong Yung, Shan Mao and Yee Yuen, 90 minutes, in Mandarin with English subtitles
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