The Monkey Goes West (1966)

The Monkey Goes West (1966)

February 24th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)


The Monkey Goes West is an adaptation of the classic 16th century novel A Journey To the West, which is generally regarded as one of the four great classics of Chinese literature. It is based upon the 7th century journey of Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who illegally traveled from China to India in order to bring back early Buddhist texts. This accomplishment was instrumental in reversing the anti Buddhist stance of the then ruling Tang Dynasty.
In this fictionalized account of the journey, human involvement is largely curtailed in favor of a wide range of magical beings. It seems that the flesh of the monk will grant great power to whatever creature eats it. To protect the monk, his phantasmal allies capture the Monkey King, a mischievous being possessing great power. Later others join the group and together they journey through one danger after the other.
This particular adaptation of the story was created by the Shaw Brothers studio, which dominated Hong Kong film production of the era. It recounts early events in the novel, including the capture of the Monkey King. It was latter follower by two sequels, Cave of the Silken Web (1967) The Land of Many Perfumes (1968) based around other major events in the novel. In tone they are primarily children’s films, although the outlandish sets and costumes make it appealing to those of any age.
Hong Kong, Director Hoh Mung Wa, Cast Diana Chang Chung-Wen, Ho Fan, Yueh Hua, Paang Paang and Fan Mei Sheng, 111 minutes, in Mandarin with English subtitles

The Discarnates (1988)

The Discarnates (1988)


February 17th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)






Japan, Director Nobuhiko Obayashi, Cast Morio Kazama, Kumiko Akiyoshi, Tsurutaro Kataoka and Toshiyuki Nagashima, 108 minutes, in Japanese with English subtitles.

Chaos At The Graveyard (2003)

Chaos At The Graveyard (2003)

February 10th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)

While critically acclaimed films from dynamic, growing national cinemas such as Thailand are now seen on a world stage, there is another type of film which remains nearly invisible. This second type is the average film, or even the flop. But it could be argued that such films can open up a window into a society in ways that an acclaimed film might be self consciously above. Chaos At The Graveyard is one such film.

The story revolves around developers who want to build a housing development in a rural area containing an old graveyard. Plans to relocate the graves run afoul of the ghosts who exist there. But the film really transcends any kind of plot with its inept acting, jumpy editing, unconvincing FX and uncertain sensibilities. On the face of it, the story is a horror comedy, but the content is so strange and uneven that it might just as well have been a failed melodrama. But just as Plan 9 From Outer Space (1958) maintains a resonance in American cinema, Chaos at the Graveyard is for better or worse, a kind of window into Thai culture.
Thailand, Director Jarun Wongsatja, Cast Kanchai Komnerdploy, Onhatal Suesrisawad and Chatchadaporn Thananta, 119 minutes, in Thai with English subtitles.

Windstruck (2004)

Windstruck (2004)


February 3rd, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)


For most of the 2000's, the Romantic Comedy has been king of the South Korean box office. Out of all such films, the two that are reasonably well known in the United States are 2001's My Sassy Girl and Windstruck (2004.) Like the majority of Korean romantic comedies, both apologetically feature heavy melodrama that in these instances seems to work wonders.
My Sassy Girl is also further connected to Windstruck in that it shares the same director and lead actress. There are also subtle references between some of the characters worked into the film, making Windstruck something of a loose prequel. The basic story revolves around the mismatched relationship between a diminutive teacher and colorful police woman as both carefree and tragic events guide their relationship.
South Korea, Director Kwak Jae-Young, Cast Jun Ji-Hyun, Jang Hyuk, Kim Su-Ro, Lee Ki-Woo and Kim Chang-Wan , 123 minutes, in Korean with English subtitles

Winter Break

After a successful semester of showcasing a range of Asian films, the series is going on its annual winter break. It will return in late January and then run until mid May. I am always taking requests for films to be screened, so if you have a particular film or type of film in mind, please comment here and let me know. Otherwise I will wish everyone happy holidays.

The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

December 16th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)


It is the tradition of a particular small Japanese village that if someone lives until their seventieth year, they are taken to a remote mountain and left to die. In this village, and old woman named Orin is one year away from her date with destiny. Instead of fighting against her future journey, she decides to set her affairs in order and prepare for her journey.
Based upon the 1956 novel of the same name, it was the forth Japanese film to win the Palme d'Or. Its director Shohei Imamura was famous for taking on topics relating to recent Japanese history and society and providing a somewhat subversively satirical interpretation. This was actually a remake of an earlier 1958 film of the same name, bur the director has clearly put his own personal stamp on the material, especially in the almost oppressive realism of rural conditions in the early Nineteenth Century.
Japan, Director Shohei Imamura, Cast Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto and Mitsuko Baisho, 130 minutes, in Japanese with English subtitles

Taiwan Cinema College Showcase at UWM

Taiwan Cinema College Showcase at UWM


The Asian Film Series will be suspending its normal activities for the next two Thursdays in support of the Taiwan Cinema College Showcase at UWM.

This is an open invitation to the Taiwan Cinema College Showcase at UWM. This showcase will present five contemporary Taiwanese films over the course of two weeks.

The first screening of the film festival Cape No. 7 will take place in Curtin 175 at 7:00pm on Thursday December 2nd.

-Cape No. 7 is a 2008 Taiwanese romance comedic music-drama film written and directed. The film is in Taiwanese and Mandarin Chinese and with significant lines in Japanese. Before its commercial release, the film was world premiered on June 20, 2008 at the 2008 Taipei Film Festival as the opening film. The film later won 3 awards in this festival.



Information regarding the other screenings all of which are screened in Curtin 175:

-Somewhere Over The Dreamland (2002) 7PM Friday December 3rd

The tale of an intense love that is both unrequited and irrepressible, involving
the lives of Watan, an aboriginal from Formosa island; Xiao Mo-a lonely young
sushi chef; and Xuen Xuen a young merry-go-round attendant.

Orz Boyz (2008) 7PM Saturday December 4th

More than just naughty, these boys play tricks on classmates, tease
girls at school, fight with other boys, and lie to everyone until their
teacher breaks down.

Parking (2008) 7PM Thursday December 9th

When a car unexpectedly double parks next to Chen Mo's car,
preventing his exit, he spends the evening searching the floors of a
nearby apartment building for the owner of the illegally parked car.

Yang Yang (2009) 7PM Friday December 10th

Depicting the life of Yang-Yang, a girl of French-Chinese decent,
this film deals with her life, her relationships with men, with her
mother and friends.


This showcase is sponsored by the following:

The Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in
Chicago, UWM's Department of Foreign
Languages and Literature, Chinese
Language Program, Asian Studies Certificate,
the Film Studies Program, and Center for
International Education