Dust In The Wind by Hou Hsiao Hsien (1986) *Taiwan

This is my first Hou film, it was somewhat like what I imagined, with multiple stationery camera shots and long takes. My favourite scene is the starting of the film, where we see a white spot becoming larger and larger. There is much anticipation as we creep nearer to it, as the camera does. It is not long before we realise that it is the end of a railway tunnel and we understand that we are on the train, journeying through the darkness to see the dawn at the end of the day, just like the coming of age of Wan, Huen and their friends, some leaving for the big cities and the attractions that modernisation brings. The love for the railway side scenes remind me of Ozu, whose fascination with trains as a symbol of modernisation spurs him to include them in his films. It seems almost auto biographical Others remain in the village, uncertain of adaptation. There is a constant feeling of isolation in the film, particularly when Wan is alone, contemplating on his life.

My favourite character is Wan's grandfather, who not only provides comic relief but dishes out really meaningful truths, like his comment about Wan & Huen not being meant to be. He also playfully sets off some firecrackers when he is seeing Wan off to the train station. There is a lot of cheekiness inherent in the scene. A previous scene shows him mistaking the firecrackers for candles and he attempts to light them up dring a blackout. It's not only hilarious but it also comments on his willingness to accept the new and learning to adapt with them.

Cinematographically, the film was really beautiful and well composed. He definitely has an eye for visuals as there is much deliberation in how long he chooses to hold his shots. Even in edited sequences, he manages to keep the illusion of the long take with continuity editing and eyeline matches.

I agree with this review here "http://updateslive.blogspot.com/2010/12/hou-hsiao-hsien-dust-in-wind-1986.html" that mentions the amazing ability of Hou to find the perfect place, perfect time for the objects and his skill in processing them in hypnotic long takes. In particular the shot with the watch in the glass is amazingly ironic, with the previous dialogue revealing that this expensive watch is 100% waterproof.

The film can also be read as a comment on Taiwan and her industrialisation. The simple way of life the characters have in the village is shown through everyday life, at its slow rhythm and pace and how these characters react to the changes. Huen is scalded by an iron, Wan' friends are mistreated in their workplace and Wan's father is affected by a mining accident, incurring the wrath of the workers and a strike breaks out. It does not really condemn Taiwan's progress but there are some elements that cause the audience to reflect on the validity of the costs incurred with progress.

I find the ending most apt, with a time lapse shot of a beacon of light being cast on the mountain. It ties in with the title of the film, dust in the wind, as the light illuminates the dust that rises up amidst the scenic landscape, making a statement about the transience of life and the youths who learn this tough realities going through life.

Other references:

http://www.starpulse.com/Movies/Dust_in_the_Wind-V14987/

http://www.cinepassion.org/Reviews/d/DustWind.html