I’ve had Mao’s Last Dancer on my “to watch” list for a while now, and finally sat down and gave it a look the other night.
I’ve no doubts that the reason it sat for so long unwatched was because my academic desire to watch it couldn’t beat out the fact that I’d be spending two hours watching a dude dance. Fortunately for me, my less-evolved side succumbed to ever-eroding powers of having nothing else to watch.
I’ve had Mao’s Last Dancer on my “to watch” list for a while now, and finally sat down and gave it a look the other night.
I’ve no doubts that the reason it sat for so long unwatched was because my academic desire to watch it couldn’t beat out the fact that I’d be spending two hours watching a dude dance. Fortunately for me, my less-evolved side succumbed to ever-eroding powers of having nothing else to watch.
The movie is quite good. Based on the 2003 autobiography
of the same name, the Australian-produced film depicts Li Cunxin‘s journey from the sixth son of Mao-worshiping Shandong peasants to an internationally acclaimed ballet dancer. It follows Li as he is selected to try out for a coveted spot at the Beijing Dance Academy at the hight of Cultural Revolution China. Though nervous that he might not be mentally strong enough (to resist capitalist temptations), the cadres approve a request from ballet directory Ben Stevenson that allows Li to visit America and train at the Houston Ballet.
Mao’s Last Dancer Trailer
Note: I tried to find a version of this on Youku, but it looks like it’s been harmonized, as has Li’s Web site. The trailer’s available on YouTube as well.
What I really enjoyed about the film, aside from the (pun intended) uplifting tale, was the way in which it was shot. The scenes from 1970s China feel like they’ve been taken right out of an overly-saturated propaganda film from the period, and the shots in Houston could have been filmed on the same washed out contrast camera that CHiPS or Dallas was done with. I’m not entirely sure either of these things were intended, but the film’s 25mil budget (that’s like a dollar from every person in Australia) certainly seems to indicate that they were.
I think I’ve made clear that I’m not a huge ballet aficionado, something no doubt brought on by having been dragged (somewhat literally) to a showing of the Nutcracker when I was young, and so I was somewhat relieved that the film is more about the conflict Li faces between career, love and country. Still, there’s plenty of skill on display in the form of Cao Chi (曹驰), a principle of the Birmingham Royal Ballet who plays Li in the film.
The one criticism of the film, and it’s not a small one, is that the plot itself is somewhat lifeless. Aside from the central idea of Li being caught between two ideologies, and the heart-tugging moments involving his family, I never felt overly connected to Li’s character or his relationships in the film.
All in though, the film presents an interesting and uplifting story that was well worth the two hours for anyone with a passing interest in modern Chinese history and how it compares to the situation in the Middle Kingdom today.
Now, I guess I’ll have to see about that copy of Black Swan that’s got a layer of dust on it.
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I too have been meaning to watch this for a while – since last December. I don’t remember how I stumbled upon it, but I downloaded it when I thought it looked interesting. At the time I was living in Shandong. I suppose that is part of the reason why I decided to download it because I’m not that into ballet. Between getting married and moving to Shanghai, it has just been collecting dust on a hard drive. I think I will watch it tonight! Thanks for reminding me.
What spoiled it for me was knowing that he went on to become a stockbroker. That and the now standard plot based on “I had it tough growing up in China then I struggled to be free in the west” (Copyright Jung Chang and just about every other Chinese writer who has settled overseas).
That stockbroker bit was news to me post-watching, pre-writing the review. Not sure why that would spoil it really, as I imagine like any athelete, ballet dancers typically have a somewhat short career-cycle.
I also didn’t find they dwelt on the toughness of his life in Shandong in the movie, but perhaps more in the book? Other than maybe three scenes in the whole film, his childhood in poverty was left to the imagination.
Do see what you’re saying about the plethora of Wild Swans-esque stories there are out there. Where is the Wild Swans movie anyway?
He’s a minor celeb here in Australia and he is always described as “now a successful stockbroker/trader/adviser”. I think that just took all the sense of anticipation out of the film for me. I liked the scenes in his home village, they caught the feeling of the time very well (not that I was there). It’s just that I always knew in the back of my mind that he was struggling through the whole ballet school thing and the strict Party discipline and yet he would eventually become a stockbroker. I don’t know what retired ballet dancers are meant to do (become a producer? appear with Miss Piggy on the Muppet Show?), but it just struck me as a bit tawdry and a bit of a turn off.
As usual I’ve heard the book is much better a read than the film is a watch. So, I’l have to look into reading it.
I agree with your comments regarding his emotional and ideological dilemmas, this aspect of the film could of been improved.
I would also say, that the portrayal of poor Li as a victim was layed on a little think, afterall, although he worked hard and probably had no real childhood, you could argue he did alright out of his profession and the party- and the book!
This however, didn’t bother me nearly as much as it did the near fist waving, room pacing Chinese friend I watched the film with. ‘Traitor, made China look bad, betrayed China in a difficult time, was helped out by the party and then turned his back on China, wasn’t in love just wanted a visa’ were some of her comments.
Reminds me Ryan of trying to impress a girlfriend back in the day. I got tickets to see what was at the time a much acclaimed production of Swan Lake, and I must say I was quite looking forward to seeing a whole host of great legs jumping about. In my ignorance and as reward for my shallowness I discovered on arrival that it was an all male production. Hey ho, my girlfriend did at least love it, and I took more credit than I deserved.
Ling and I watched Black Swan the other day and both enjoyed it – well worth a watch with its dark, drug fuelled surrealism.
This film demonstrates a dancer’s dance experience during his hard time~
its a real story, impressive !