Syllabus | Academic Integrity | Tips on Paper | Movie Notes

Judou (1990)

Directed by Zhang Yimou and Yang Fengliang

Zhang Yimou is China's most prominent director. He directed many well-known films that received international awards and prizes. His movies may be better known outside of China than inside China! Why are Zhang Yimou's movies acclaimed so much?



Discussion questions for class:

  • This film was banned in China! The film was nominated for an Academy Award in 1990, but the Chinese government wouldn't allow Zhang Yimou to attend the Academy Award ceremonies in Hollywood. What is controversy in this film? What is there to ban?

  • What is the setting for the film? Village life in China during the 1920s? What does this "world" represent? What are the "rules" in this world? Who makes these rules?

  • What set the movie in the past?

  • What does the film say about the role of woman in this traditional society?
      What was a woman's purpose?  Wives were acquired for purpose of reproduction!
      Why was reproduction so important?
      Why was carrying on the family line so important?
      Women purchased (mai) from dealers; purchased outright for life!
      What if they didn't produce male offspring?
      "When I buy an animal, I treat it as I wish"!

  • Judou and Tianqing: a relationship between a woman and her husband's nephew (adopted or not) is considered incestuous! Incidentally, why couldn't they just leave?

  • The characters: what do they represent?
      Jinshan (the old order?)
      Judou (the downtrodden and oppressed woman?)
      Tianqing (the adopted son/lover?)
      Tianbai (why doesn't he speak? why does he call Jinshan "daddy"?)

  • Where, specially, does the story take place? Why? Why use colored fabrics (especially red) and the dying process as a setting for the film? Does one color dominate? (How is color used to accent the story line?) First seduction scene; death of Tianqing. Red usually symbolizes what? In this film? Blood? Death?

  • Why did Zhang Yimou make this movie? Wht is the main point? How does the quote for think paper#1 relate to the main theme of the movie?

  • Making Love in a Dirty Hole

      • Symbolism?

      Were they intending to commit suicide?

  • The Final Scene

      • What happens here?

      Symbolic of what?

  • So what is the main point of the movie?

  • Does it challenge something? Question something? What?

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