Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Ashes of Time Redux

Released in 2008, Ashes of Time Redux is Wong Kar-wai's revisiting of his 1994 film, Ashes of Time. There is some re-editing, restoration, re-recording of the dialogue, and additional soundtrack by Yo-Yo Ma. Like all of Wong's films, Ashes of Time explores the emotional interactions, the impact of lost love, and longing.
I am pretty sure Wong Kar-wai is one of my all time favorite directors. The film is set in ancient China, and is very loosely based on the Condor Trilogy; essentially a few shared characteristics and character names are as far as the similarities run. Wong has likened The Condor Trilogy to "a Chinese Lord of the Rings."
For me, it is impossible to imagine films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, and/or House of Flying Daggers without Ashes of Time having been made.

Anyway, the point of this post isn't a review or analysis of the movie, or anything of the sort, but of course the monologues and dialogue (quotes).

"It is written in the Buddhist cannon: 'The flag is still. The wind is calm. It is the heart of man that is in turmoil."
"...the root of man's problem is memory. Without a past, everyday would be a new beginning."
"I long to be loved, yet only manage to hurt others."
"If love is a contest, I am not sure she is the winner. But I know for certain I've been a loser from the start."
"It's said memory is the root of man's troubles."
"I was born under the influence of a total eclipse. Love was destined to be out of reach."
"The more you try to forget, the better you'll remember. People say when you can't have what you want, the best you can do is not to forget."

The following are from an interview included on the DVD but fit in so well with the above expressed.
"The blossom will always be there, but the faces will change."
"Things change a lot and to revisit, is a very emotional thing."

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