Hou Hsiao-hsien’s masterpiece about the childhood and early adulthood of octogenerian Taiwanese puppet master and actor Li Tien-lu. This is the second part of a trilogy about Taiwanese life in the 20th century, covering all but the first few years of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945). Hou’s preference for filming entire scenes in long takes from fixed camera angles and for eschewing close-ups has never been as masterfully employed and modulated as it is here–some of the landscape shots are breathtaking. The film alternates between re-created scenes from Li’s life, Li speaking directly to the camera about his past, and extracts from his puppet and stage performances, creating a layered density in the narrative that does full justice to the complexity and poetry of Hou’s investigation.
(From DVD Beaver, which in turn lifted it from a capsule review by Jonathan Rosenbaum)
http://www.nitroflare.com/view/B67D601B7673BC3/puppetmaster-cd1.avi
http://www.nitroflare.com/view/73163AFF03A78E5/puppetmaster-cd1.srt
http://www.nitroflare.com/view/BF5952CB476AFA0/puppetmaster-cd2.avi
http://www.nitroflare.com/view/CFBEC3A638DFAC6/puppetmaster-cd2.srt
Language(s):Taiwanese
Subtitles:English
