寻找台湾的身份:台湾新电影的本土意识和侯孝贤的《悲情城市》

IN SEARCH OF TAIWAN IDENTITY: The Regional Consciousness of New Taiwan Cinema and Hou Hsiao- hsien’s "A City of Sadness"

台湾濒临中国大陆，短短的三百年间，大量的中国人自海峡彼岸移入，造成汉人主导的社会型态，其历史虽然不久，政权却呈现更趋，频繁的现象，历经荷兰（西班牙）、明朝、清朝、日本、及中国国民党五个截然不同的种族及政权，造成其特殊的政治文化背景：

Over the last 300 years, the island of Taiwan has been ruled by five different political powers. This has contributed to the historical and internationality of the Taiwan Residents character. Following the repatriation of Taiwan from the Japanese after the Seco nd World War, the Guomindang, or Nationalist government has administered the island's politics and created the distorted political environment Taiwan experiences today. The rapid economic development of Taiwan has brought tremendous changes in Taiwan economics and politics during the 1980s. Likewise, the Taiwan Residents people have found it difficult to adapt to the intense social pressures created by these changes. Both the Regional ('Native Soil') Literature movement of the 1970s and the New Taiwan Cinema of the 1980s reflect these events. As an outgrowth of the Native Soil Literature movement, the New Taiwan Cinema embodies the regional consciousness and quest for realistic spirit in coming to terms with change. The 1984 release of 'Son's Big Doll' (adapted from 'The Sandwich Man') is an early representa- tive work of this 'New Cinema's' autobiographical style. These 'Films of Maturation' present the collective reflections of the New Cinema's creative minds. Foremost among these filmmakers is Hou Hsiao-hsien whose work centers on the 'quest' for Taiwan identity. His 1989 film 'A City of Sad- ness' marks a peak both in this quest, as well as in the maturity of the New Taiwan Cinema. In 'A City of Sadness', Hou concentrates on the shift of political power from Japan to the Chinese Guomindang (Nationalist) party. Beginning with the Nationalist victory, the rise of new political forces and the destruction of previous village-level authority are examined. Further, the disintegra- tion of the impressions that Taiwan Residents intellectuals had of the Chinese motherland is explored in the film. By presenting 'history' in narrative form with an underlying tone of sadness. Hou creates a dialectical ensemble. Through text, sound, and imagery, the narrative is linked to the audience's ability to interpret complex statements on history, creating a new dialogue between author and reader. The aesthetics and narrative style of 'A City of Sadness' expand the potential of filmic metaphor. Likewise, Hou successfully took on the challenge of asking an audience used to having its information interpreted for it, to enlist itself in to the narrative process. The techniques Hou employed to this end are as follows: The aesthetice of long takes (with new accomodation for paritcular expressions of space), narrative omissions created by leap-forward editing, a unique arrangement of space in depth, the use of music in relation to visual composition, and controlled camera positions. All of these serve to accentuate the total quality of the piece. Indivedual shots have a classical poetic quality. The cooperation of sound and editing, the use of songs and dia- logue with strong political content, further enhance the film's effect Structurally, the film diverges desisively from the Hollywood tradition and at a cursory glance, seems to be de- void of plot. Still, 'A City of Sadness' shapes itself with omi- ssions and repetions, inserts and images both with and without obvious audio references, and harmoniously blends with the narrative. The resulting film reverberates with a progressive, modern tone, but also stands firmly on ground it has inherited from its Chinese roots.