Having first seen 'Double Vision' by Chen Kuo-fu, I've been trying to track down other films by the same director. Both 'The Personals' and 'Peony Pavilion' I found interesting, and original enough to confirm that the director is a talent worth investigating. "Treasure Island" is an earlier film of his, and certainly worth tracking down.
The structure of the plot reminded me most of David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet', though another reviewers suggestion of parallels with Polanski's 'Frantic' is also appropriate. It begins with a group of young friends in Taipei who spend a lot of time together drinking and who communicate by walkie-talkie. The main character, Fong, works at a karaoke bar, and his girlfriend Ping works at a Kodak shop. They have problems typical of people their age living in a metropolis like Taipei.
*** Plot discussion begins here***
One day, Fong spots an attractive woman sitting in a coffee shop. When her two male companions leave, she invites him down and they talk for a while. When she leaves, however, she leaves behind her diary, a piece of absent-mindedness that will have implications for Fong and his friends. The mysterious woman, Miss Tan (played by the photogenic Veronica Yip), it turns out, is attached to a gangster / businessman played by Jack Gao (who seems to have been born to play such roles - as in Goodbye South, Goodbye, and Millennium Mambo). Further, she has recorded details in her diary that are rather 'sensitive'. Needless to say that things become complicated, especially after she is 'kidnapped' by other gangsters, and extortion threats are made against him. As Fong, and his girlfriend Ping, are drawn into the action, the movie builds steadily towards its violent, but appropriate, climax.
***Plot discussion ended***
There is plenty of atmosphere in this film, especially in its expositions of the dark underbelly lurking in Taipei. There are also several memorable images - a truck lit up by neon, advertising the 'Ark' karaoke bar, as it is maniacally driven in a car chase, for example. There are also some very funny moments. The acting is convincing, and Jack Gao stands out especially as the menacing crime head. The photography is colourful and complements varied aspects of the story, agreeing well with the city's neon façade, while heightening tension when required. Stylistically, I would say that it follows film noir conventions though in a modern environment. True to the Taipei setting, both Taiwanese and Mandarin are spoken, another interesting feature for Formosa-philes out there.
I really enjoyed this film, yet another distinctive tale by Chen Kuo-fu, an intelligent, well-paced thriller with fine performances and moody photography. Recommended.
The structure of the plot reminded me most of David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet', though another reviewers suggestion of parallels with Polanski's 'Frantic' is also appropriate. It begins with a group of young friends in Taipei who spend a lot of time together drinking and who communicate by walkie-talkie. The main character, Fong, works at a karaoke bar, and his girlfriend Ping works at a Kodak shop. They have problems typical of people their age living in a metropolis like Taipei.
*** Plot discussion begins here***
One day, Fong spots an attractive woman sitting in a coffee shop. When her two male companions leave, she invites him down and they talk for a while. When she leaves, however, she leaves behind her diary, a piece of absent-mindedness that will have implications for Fong and his friends. The mysterious woman, Miss Tan (played by the photogenic Veronica Yip), it turns out, is attached to a gangster / businessman played by Jack Gao (who seems to have been born to play such roles - as in Goodbye South, Goodbye, and Millennium Mambo). Further, she has recorded details in her diary that are rather 'sensitive'. Needless to say that things become complicated, especially after she is 'kidnapped' by other gangsters, and extortion threats are made against him. As Fong, and his girlfriend Ping, are drawn into the action, the movie builds steadily towards its violent, but appropriate, climax.
***Plot discussion ended***
There is plenty of atmosphere in this film, especially in its expositions of the dark underbelly lurking in Taipei. There are also several memorable images - a truck lit up by neon, advertising the 'Ark' karaoke bar, as it is maniacally driven in a car chase, for example. There are also some very funny moments. The acting is convincing, and Jack Gao stands out especially as the menacing crime head. The photography is colourful and complements varied aspects of the story, agreeing well with the city's neon façade, while heightening tension when required. Stylistically, I would say that it follows film noir conventions though in a modern environment. True to the Taipei setting, both Taiwanese and Mandarin are spoken, another interesting feature for Formosa-philes out there.
I really enjoyed this film, yet another distinctive tale by Chen Kuo-fu, an intelligent, well-paced thriller with fine performances and moody photography. Recommended.