Cheongsam(Pipao) in chinese love films 中国爱情电影中的旗袍
No body could resist a great love film especially women, here I want to share with you some of the chinese love films I like, most of them set around world war two era and of cause, I got to mainly talk about the gorgeous chinese traditional dress Cheongsam worn by those sexy female characters.
In my pervious post Cheongsam with a big C, I talked about this chinese traditional dress, its origin, history etc.
The world of Suzie Wong 1961
Robert Lomax tired of working in an office, wants to be an artist. So he moves to Hong Kong to try his hand at painting. Finding a cheap hotel he checks in, only to find it’s used by prostitutes and their ‘dates’ who meet in the bar downstairs. Since he never picks up any of ladies, they all want to know more about him. Eventually he does hire one to model for him, but soon falls in love. But, since he’s on a limited budget, he can’t afford her exclusively, but doesn’t want to ‘share’ her.
| Director: Richard QuineWriters: Paul Osborn (adaptation), Richard Mason (novel), and 1 more credit Stars: William Holden, Nancy Kwan and Sylvia Syms |
In the mood for love 2000
| A man and a woman move in to neighboring Hong Kong apartments and form a bond when they both suspect their spouses of extra-marital activities.Director: Kar Wai WongWriter: Kar Wai WongStars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung and Ping Lam Siu |
2046 2004
He was a writer. He thought he wrote about the future but it really was the past. In his novel, a mysterious train left for 2046 every once in a while. Everyone who went there had the same intention…..to recapture their lost memories. It was said that in 2046, nothing ever changed. Nobody knew for sure if it was true, because nobody who went there had ever come back- except for one. He was there. He chose to leave. He wanted to change.
| Director: Kar Wai WongWriter: Kar Wai Wong(screenplay)Stars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Ziyi Zhang and Faye Wong |
lust caution 2007
| An espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai, in which a young woman, Wang Jiazhi, gets swept up in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue with a powerful political figure, Mr. Yee.Director: Ang LeeWriters: Eileen Chang (story), James Schamus(scree)Stars: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Wei Tang and Joan Chen |
The flowers of the war 2011
| A Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan’s rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety.Director: Yimou ZhangWriters: Heng Liu (screenplay), Geling Yan(novel)Stars: Christian Bale, Ni Ni and Xinyi Zhang |
Because of my great love for the dress, it make me feel a little disappointed that all those films with their actress adorned in the gorgeous cheongsam needing to have a troubled personal life who are very provocative but helpless. I am not judging a particular career at all since people meant to live their lives in different ways and we can not fit ourself in others shoes to know exactly how it feel to be anybody, why it is wrong to be somebody. What I try to say is, that,
I would love to see the cheongsam which associated with the chinese identity to refer to a wider range of female characters in the future chinese film, since exotic is not the only attribute of the dress, it could represent a successful woman with its no-fuss clean cut style, an independent woman who chosen what she want to do and doing what she love with its high collar, confident bold pattern having a sense of pride and prejudice, she could be a writer, a great pianist, a single mum or,,, ( ok,,, I need to stop my daydreaming right here.)
Films, media and celebrity culture are playing such an important role to influence peoples perceptions. I wish that for people not from China, interested in its rich culture could have a comprehensive view over this great traditional dress also the chinese women.
Credit: http://www.imdb.com
great chinese fashion, thank you for sharing.
like the dress in the mood for love