08-28-2013, 07:33 PM
IMDB link The City of Life and Death
This is a grim, objective (almost voyeuristic) look at the 'Rape of Nanking' in 1937 - 38.
Basically the Japanese army of WWII occupy the Chinese capital of Nanking and torture, kill and rape the civilians left alive.
The film is in black and white which I felt muted the atrocities committed, but what do I know.
I don't feel this was a 'take revenge' film. I think it was an examination of why we 'civilized' humans perform such horrendous acts. Especially the Japanese, who call outsiders 'Gaijin' or 'Barbarians' (technically it means 'non-Japanese' but according to a book I read by a Japanese author - it's not a nice term).
I felt this was a look at the extreme results of Nationalism. Every culture reduces the existence of non-members as less-than-human. The Spaniards did it with the Aztecs, the English did it with the Indians (of the Native American and Asian variety). The American colonists did it with Africans and Native Americans. The Germans did it with Jews.
It is a terrible and gruesome film, but makes one wonder "am I hard-wired to do the same thing in the same situation?".
A great date film.
Check it out!
This is a grim, objective (almost voyeuristic) look at the 'Rape of Nanking' in 1937 - 38.
Basically the Japanese army of WWII occupy the Chinese capital of Nanking and torture, kill and rape the civilians left alive.
The film is in black and white which I felt muted the atrocities committed, but what do I know.
I don't feel this was a 'take revenge' film. I think it was an examination of why we 'civilized' humans perform such horrendous acts. Especially the Japanese, who call outsiders 'Gaijin' or 'Barbarians' (technically it means 'non-Japanese' but according to a book I read by a Japanese author - it's not a nice term).
I felt this was a look at the extreme results of Nationalism. Every culture reduces the existence of non-members as less-than-human. The Spaniards did it with the Aztecs, the English did it with the Indians (of the Native American and Asian variety). The American colonists did it with Africans and Native Americans. The Germans did it with Jews.
It is a terrible and gruesome film, but makes one wonder "am I hard-wired to do the same thing in the same situation?".
A great date film.
Check it out!
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