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Review: Nomad (烈火青春) (1982)
This movie confused me a bit. I guess I'd call it a movie that was light on the plot, more focused on its themes and characters.
Spoilers.
Story
When this movie began, I thought it was a comedy, with how Kathy and Pong met. But the story mellowed out a bit. I'd say that for the most part, the movie focused on the two couples, and then it converged into the story about Shinsuke being tracked down as a deserter.
Pong and Kathy's relationship was more flirtatious from the get-go. Kathy was always riling up Pong to get his attention. But they did like each other.
Louis met Tomato who was struggling with her relationships, being rejected cruelly by the man she was in love with, and exasperated with one who kept pestering her. Louis was one of the few people who cared for her when she was alone and hurt.
Kathy also had an ex-boyfriend called Shinsuke who'd deserted the Japanese Red Army. When the characters went to Lantau Island on holiday, Shinsuke was tracked down by one of Kathy's associates who was a member of the Red Army. She killed Pong, Shinsuke, and Kathy.
Most of the story was spent on the couple working through their problems and getting to know each other, sometimes in a comical way and sometimes in an emotional way.
So the ending took me by surprise because it was so sudden and so violent. While I wasn't surprised that the Red Army story line became a bigger thing, it did surprise me that we saw it happen, as opposed to the story focusing more on the aftermath of Shinsuke's death.
Production
The production value was fine. The movie was mostly shot from a bit of a distance, so I felt we didn't get a lot of close ups to focus on people's faces and expressions. Honestly I can't say I even remembered what Tomato looked like because she was often shot at a distance or she would be turned away. Or maybe it's just me being pissy about older movies having lower pixel counts.
The acting was also fine? Not anything that popped out to me either. I did find the audio a little bit rough though, there were times where it was a bit hard to hear the actors because they were speaking too fast or the audio felt a bit "blurred."
I also noticed some clumsy editing. There was one part when Kathy and Shinsuke were on the Nomad. Shinsuke was standing up in one shot, and the next time we saw him, he was lying down. Which isn't a huge deal, but it was so sudden that I felt like maybe I had missed something purposeful.
Characters
Louis
Louis was the son of a rich man. Well, I assumed that, since his father had a yacht called the Nomad. His mother had passed a few years ago, and she had been a radio DJ. Louis often listened back to her old tapes because he would be reminded of her.
He had a stepmom who was rather cultured and enjoyed playing piano. As well, his stepmom and his aunt would often sunbathe while practising Japanese and Louis would occasionally spy on them.
Louis had met Tomato at a bar. She looked like she was in a mess, and Louis was nice to her, giving her money for her drink, driving her home, and then giving her a place to stay. They became lovers.
Louis helped Tomato get rid of the guy she wasn't interested in, by dictating a letter and having her write it, so that the guy would receive a harsh letter written by her. Louis got beat by the guy's mom, but perhaps it was worth it.
I'd say that Louis was a relatively sentimental person, considering he was always thinking of his mom. And he saw that Tomato was in a messy situation and extended sympathy to her, though perhaps some might say he did it for ulterior motives. I don't think that's necessarily the case if they did eventually get together. Eventually, Tomato was pregnant by Louis.
Tomato
Tomato was in love with a man ("A" or Andy) who was cruel to her. She begged for him to keep her, but he did not. And when she went to the apartment to at least get her things, he dumped them out the window where she had to clean them up herself.
On the other hand, there was another guy ("B") in love with Tomato. But Tomato saw him as kind of pathetic and was constantly rejecting him.
Tomato was on the phone with both of them at the restaurant. On one hand, she was dramatic at A in order to try to get him to keep her. However, when B tried the same dramatic lines on her, she turned him down. I think that was meant to be a humourous moment where the audience understands that being in love makes you a bit blind to the silliness that is love.
Tomato tried to go back to A and was pushed out, so Louis took her to a motel and they spent the night together. From then on, they spent a lot of time together and Tomato learned about Louis including his mom.
Eventually, Tomato became pregnant by Louis so they were for sure an item. Tomato tried to help Kathy when they were attacked by the Red Army soldier but was unsuccessful. She survived the attack and was reunited with Louis.
Pong
Pong was a friend of Louis'. This was a little unclear at first, because the first we saw them meet, they were fighting about Kathy. I wasn't sure if they were meeting for the first time or if they knew each other. In any case, Pong mistook Louis for Kathy's boyfriend and was going to fight him over her. Then he ridiculed Louis for being gay and kissed him, which prompted Louis to fight him. But after that, they became friends.
A bit part of Pong and Kathy's story was about them finding time to be together and get freaky. They'd tried to have sex and Pong's house, but he had too many relatives and friends at his apartment that kept interrupting them. They left, and got frisky on a tram with another passenger sitting in front of them. I think they didn't end up having sex there.
When Pong and Kathy did have sex, Pong just told Louis that he'd "got it done," and that next time he'd try it on the subway. So it was implied that they'd had sex on another mode of public transportation I think.
Shinsuke and Kathy characterized Pong as both coarse and tender and I see where they're coming from. Pong is a rougher guy, not exactly an example of a refined gentleman. But he is pure about his thoughts, which might be refreshing for some.
In the end, Pong was killed suddenly by Red Army soldier, as he was swimming in the ocean.
Kathy
Kathy was Louis' cousin, which was why they were close. She was rather flirtatious. The first time she met Pong was at the pool, where she purposely riled him up with her friends. She continued to tease him, but it worked as she got his attention and his desire.
Kathy used to live in Japan and so she spoke Japanese and had a Japanese ex-boyfriend, Shinsuke. Shinsuke confided in her about him escaping the Red Army. He longed to go back as that was his homeland, while Kathy worried more for his safety.
Though Kathy did like Pong, I think it was somewhat implied that she was still a little intimate with Shinsuke. Maybe not sex, but they still cuddled and Shinsuke understood her in a way that Pong didn't.
Kathy died on the holiday trying to protect Shinsuke.
Shinsuke
Shinsuke was Kathy's ex-boyfriend, a deserter of the Red Army. He was worried about his situation, because if any soldier found him, they would execute him.
Pong and Shinsuke had a conversation about politics. Pong, like many Hong Kongers and Chinese folks at the time, had a negative view of Japanese politics. Shinsuke felt that Chinese people didn't appreciate true culture, while Pong felt that all of Japanese culture was just taken from Chinese culture. Shinsuke also said that China should thank Japan for being able to preserve the culture for them. When Shinsuke said that he'd learned Mandarin because his father was stationed in Nanjing, Pong asked him how many people his father had killed, referencing the Nanjing Massacre. Pong also fought some fake kungfu and was scared off by Shinsuke and his blade.
It appeared that an associate of Kathy's was a member of the Red Army, and tracked him down to kill him, when the characters were at Lantau Island. She killed Pong first, and then she forced Shinsuke to commit seppuku. Kathy also tried to come close but was killed. I'm not sure how accurate this depiction of the Red Army is, but I did wonder about the katanas.
Themes
Home
Considering the English name of this movie was Nomad (as was the name of Louis' father's yacht), I felt that the idea of home or belonging was a theme in this movie.
For Louis, while he didn't have any bad feelings towards his stepmom or even his dad, he felt the most comfort when listening to the recordings of his mother.
Kathy had lived in Japan, but home for her would always be Hong Kong. Just as home for Shinsuke would always be Japan. That was why she couldn't quite relate to Shinsuke's thought that he'd rather step foot in Japan and die because at least he'd be at home.
When the characters were on vacation, Kathy was saying how they were just frolicking and not contributing to society. Louis said that "We are society." My thoughts are half-baked on this, but it made me think that these characters, who were trying to find home, would make a home for themselves among one another.
Somewhat related is that when at home, a lot of these characters struggled to be themselves.
Louis was in his house, but he didn't feel comfortable unless listening to his mom's recordings. He was also quite excited about seeing the ship to Arabia. But otherwise in his apratment, he was kind of aimless, sniffing oil as a way to get high.
Tomato was basically homeless. The man she loved wouldn't take her, and she didn't want to be with the man that did love her. Louis asked her where her parents were and she just kind of laughed, implying that they weren't options. Maybe there was a charm to her that Louis fell in love with, but that charm only came out when she was alone, and not when she was interacting with either of these guys.
Pong and Kathy, when at Pong's house, could not get any alone time because they kept being bothered. Which was funny but definitely very annoying to them. And funnily enough they didn't get any alone time until they were in public.
Dramaticism
I just wanted to point out again how Tomato dealt with dramaticism with both A and B. With A, she was talking about how she wanted to die and she begged him to take her. When B said he'd gotten cancer, Tomato ridiculed him for talking like a soap opera character.
Sino-Japanese Relations
Sino-Japanese relations at this time were complicated.
The wars between China and Japan were not forgotten by the Chinse people at all, not even in Hong Kong. We see that Pong was very combative against Shinsuke, and I have seen other people that age (Hong Kongers who would have been 20-30 in the 1980s) that share those sentiments.
At the same time, there were business relations between Hong Kong and Japan. Many Hong Kongers at the time were interested in Japanese culture (again, I have seen this first hand for people of that age). Aside from the war, Hong Kongers appreciated Japanese products, including fashion and such. We see that Louis' aunt and stepmom were interested in learning Japanese and wanted to visit Japan eventually.
Building business relations was not uncommon too. My mom (Hong Konger) had a friend whose father was a businsesman, and the friend was learning Japanese. I imagine this friend would have been in a situation like Kathy, where perhaps it would open doors for her and her family for her to be knowledgeable about Japanese culture.
All of this, while also acknowledging the unresolved situation of the Sino-Japanese wars.
Overall
Kind of an odd movie, but I appreciate seeing lesser known films from Hong Kong, if only to appreciate what my parents might have lived like.
Spoilers.
Story
When this movie began, I thought it was a comedy, with how Kathy and Pong met. But the story mellowed out a bit. I'd say that for the most part, the movie focused on the two couples, and then it converged into the story about Shinsuke being tracked down as a deserter.
Pong and Kathy's relationship was more flirtatious from the get-go. Kathy was always riling up Pong to get his attention. But they did like each other.
Louis met Tomato who was struggling with her relationships, being rejected cruelly by the man she was in love with, and exasperated with one who kept pestering her. Louis was one of the few people who cared for her when she was alone and hurt.
Kathy also had an ex-boyfriend called Shinsuke who'd deserted the Japanese Red Army. When the characters went to Lantau Island on holiday, Shinsuke was tracked down by one of Kathy's associates who was a member of the Red Army. She killed Pong, Shinsuke, and Kathy.
Most of the story was spent on the couple working through their problems and getting to know each other, sometimes in a comical way and sometimes in an emotional way.
So the ending took me by surprise because it was so sudden and so violent. While I wasn't surprised that the Red Army story line became a bigger thing, it did surprise me that we saw it happen, as opposed to the story focusing more on the aftermath of Shinsuke's death.
Production
The production value was fine. The movie was mostly shot from a bit of a distance, so I felt we didn't get a lot of close ups to focus on people's faces and expressions. Honestly I can't say I even remembered what Tomato looked like because she was often shot at a distance or she would be turned away. Or maybe it's just me being pissy about older movies having lower pixel counts.
The acting was also fine? Not anything that popped out to me either. I did find the audio a little bit rough though, there were times where it was a bit hard to hear the actors because they were speaking too fast or the audio felt a bit "blurred."
I also noticed some clumsy editing. There was one part when Kathy and Shinsuke were on the Nomad. Shinsuke was standing up in one shot, and the next time we saw him, he was lying down. Which isn't a huge deal, but it was so sudden that I felt like maybe I had missed something purposeful.
Characters
Louis
Louis was the son of a rich man. Well, I assumed that, since his father had a yacht called the Nomad. His mother had passed a few years ago, and she had been a radio DJ. Louis often listened back to her old tapes because he would be reminded of her.
He had a stepmom who was rather cultured and enjoyed playing piano. As well, his stepmom and his aunt would often sunbathe while practising Japanese and Louis would occasionally spy on them.
Louis had met Tomato at a bar. She looked like she was in a mess, and Louis was nice to her, giving her money for her drink, driving her home, and then giving her a place to stay. They became lovers.
Louis helped Tomato get rid of the guy she wasn't interested in, by dictating a letter and having her write it, so that the guy would receive a harsh letter written by her. Louis got beat by the guy's mom, but perhaps it was worth it.
I'd say that Louis was a relatively sentimental person, considering he was always thinking of his mom. And he saw that Tomato was in a messy situation and extended sympathy to her, though perhaps some might say he did it for ulterior motives. I don't think that's necessarily the case if they did eventually get together. Eventually, Tomato was pregnant by Louis.
Tomato
Tomato was in love with a man ("A" or Andy) who was cruel to her. She begged for him to keep her, but he did not. And when she went to the apartment to at least get her things, he dumped them out the window where she had to clean them up herself.
On the other hand, there was another guy ("B") in love with Tomato. But Tomato saw him as kind of pathetic and was constantly rejecting him.
Tomato was on the phone with both of them at the restaurant. On one hand, she was dramatic at A in order to try to get him to keep her. However, when B tried the same dramatic lines on her, she turned him down. I think that was meant to be a humourous moment where the audience understands that being in love makes you a bit blind to the silliness that is love.
Tomato tried to go back to A and was pushed out, so Louis took her to a motel and they spent the night together. From then on, they spent a lot of time together and Tomato learned about Louis including his mom.
Eventually, Tomato became pregnant by Louis so they were for sure an item. Tomato tried to help Kathy when they were attacked by the Red Army soldier but was unsuccessful. She survived the attack and was reunited with Louis.
Pong
Pong was a friend of Louis'. This was a little unclear at first, because the first we saw them meet, they were fighting about Kathy. I wasn't sure if they were meeting for the first time or if they knew each other. In any case, Pong mistook Louis for Kathy's boyfriend and was going to fight him over her. Then he ridiculed Louis for being gay and kissed him, which prompted Louis to fight him. But after that, they became friends.
A bit part of Pong and Kathy's story was about them finding time to be together and get freaky. They'd tried to have sex and Pong's house, but he had too many relatives and friends at his apartment that kept interrupting them. They left, and got frisky on a tram with another passenger sitting in front of them. I think they didn't end up having sex there.
When Pong and Kathy did have sex, Pong just told Louis that he'd "got it done," and that next time he'd try it on the subway. So it was implied that they'd had sex on another mode of public transportation I think.
Shinsuke and Kathy characterized Pong as both coarse and tender and I see where they're coming from. Pong is a rougher guy, not exactly an example of a refined gentleman. But he is pure about his thoughts, which might be refreshing for some.
In the end, Pong was killed suddenly by Red Army soldier, as he was swimming in the ocean.
Kathy
Kathy was Louis' cousin, which was why they were close. She was rather flirtatious. The first time she met Pong was at the pool, where she purposely riled him up with her friends. She continued to tease him, but it worked as she got his attention and his desire.
Kathy used to live in Japan and so she spoke Japanese and had a Japanese ex-boyfriend, Shinsuke. Shinsuke confided in her about him escaping the Red Army. He longed to go back as that was his homeland, while Kathy worried more for his safety.
Though Kathy did like Pong, I think it was somewhat implied that she was still a little intimate with Shinsuke. Maybe not sex, but they still cuddled and Shinsuke understood her in a way that Pong didn't.
Kathy died on the holiday trying to protect Shinsuke.
Shinsuke
Shinsuke was Kathy's ex-boyfriend, a deserter of the Red Army. He was worried about his situation, because if any soldier found him, they would execute him.
Pong and Shinsuke had a conversation about politics. Pong, like many Hong Kongers and Chinese folks at the time, had a negative view of Japanese politics. Shinsuke felt that Chinese people didn't appreciate true culture, while Pong felt that all of Japanese culture was just taken from Chinese culture. Shinsuke also said that China should thank Japan for being able to preserve the culture for them. When Shinsuke said that he'd learned Mandarin because his father was stationed in Nanjing, Pong asked him how many people his father had killed, referencing the Nanjing Massacre. Pong also fought some fake kungfu and was scared off by Shinsuke and his blade.
It appeared that an associate of Kathy's was a member of the Red Army, and tracked him down to kill him, when the characters were at Lantau Island. She killed Pong first, and then she forced Shinsuke to commit seppuku. Kathy also tried to come close but was killed. I'm not sure how accurate this depiction of the Red Army is, but I did wonder about the katanas.
Themes
Home
Considering the English name of this movie was Nomad (as was the name of Louis' father's yacht), I felt that the idea of home or belonging was a theme in this movie.
For Louis, while he didn't have any bad feelings towards his stepmom or even his dad, he felt the most comfort when listening to the recordings of his mother.
Kathy had lived in Japan, but home for her would always be Hong Kong. Just as home for Shinsuke would always be Japan. That was why she couldn't quite relate to Shinsuke's thought that he'd rather step foot in Japan and die because at least he'd be at home.
When the characters were on vacation, Kathy was saying how they were just frolicking and not contributing to society. Louis said that "We are society." My thoughts are half-baked on this, but it made me think that these characters, who were trying to find home, would make a home for themselves among one another.
Somewhat related is that when at home, a lot of these characters struggled to be themselves.
Louis was in his house, but he didn't feel comfortable unless listening to his mom's recordings. He was also quite excited about seeing the ship to Arabia. But otherwise in his apratment, he was kind of aimless, sniffing oil as a way to get high.
Tomato was basically homeless. The man she loved wouldn't take her, and she didn't want to be with the man that did love her. Louis asked her where her parents were and she just kind of laughed, implying that they weren't options. Maybe there was a charm to her that Louis fell in love with, but that charm only came out when she was alone, and not when she was interacting with either of these guys.
Pong and Kathy, when at Pong's house, could not get any alone time because they kept being bothered. Which was funny but definitely very annoying to them. And funnily enough they didn't get any alone time until they were in public.
Dramaticism
I just wanted to point out again how Tomato dealt with dramaticism with both A and B. With A, she was talking about how she wanted to die and she begged him to take her. When B said he'd gotten cancer, Tomato ridiculed him for talking like a soap opera character.
Sino-Japanese Relations
Sino-Japanese relations at this time were complicated.
The wars between China and Japan were not forgotten by the Chinse people at all, not even in Hong Kong. We see that Pong was very combative against Shinsuke, and I have seen other people that age (Hong Kongers who would have been 20-30 in the 1980s) that share those sentiments.
At the same time, there were business relations between Hong Kong and Japan. Many Hong Kongers at the time were interested in Japanese culture (again, I have seen this first hand for people of that age). Aside from the war, Hong Kongers appreciated Japanese products, including fashion and such. We see that Louis' aunt and stepmom were interested in learning Japanese and wanted to visit Japan eventually.
Building business relations was not uncommon too. My mom (Hong Konger) had a friend whose father was a businsesman, and the friend was learning Japanese. I imagine this friend would have been in a situation like Kathy, where perhaps it would open doors for her and her family for her to be knowledgeable about Japanese culture.
All of this, while also acknowledging the unresolved situation of the Sino-Japanese wars.
Overall
Kind of an odd movie, but I appreciate seeing lesser known films from Hong Kong, if only to appreciate what my parents might have lived like.