Thirteen Princess Trees (Variety Review)

[dleedlee]

Thirteen Princess Trees
Shisanke paotong (China)

A Forbidden City Films release of a Beijing Golden Skyway Media, Changchun Film Studio production. (International sales: Golden Network Asia, Hong Kong.) Produced by Chris Liu, Wang Qingyong, Hao Jianguo. Executive producers, Zhao Guoguang, Zhou Xiaoning. Directed by Lu Yue. Screenplay, Liu Ying, Lu, based on the novel "Blade vs. Blade" (Daozi jia daozi) by He Dacao.

With: Liu Xin, Zhao Mengqiao, Duan Bowen, Zhong Ping, Gou Yulou, Wang Jing, Chen Keliang, Luo Yadan, Chen Jianyong, Shang Hui.


Unpredictable d.p.-turned-director Lu Yue, who lensed "Shanghai Triad" and "Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl," takes another left with his third feature, "Thirteen Princess Trees," a coming-of-ager set among a bunch of tearaways in a Sichuan high school. Far removed from the emotional claustrophobia of his debut "Mr. Zhao" and the rural landscapes of his Cultural Revolution-set "The Foliage," this DV-shot city drama has a semi-realistic feel, very similar to that of a Mainland TV series. It's OK fest material, with some potential for specialist cable channels.

Film nabbed a special jury prize at last fall's Tokyo Film Festival and has recently drawn attention by having its planned March 23 release in China canceled at the last moment. Official reason was that the DV-to-35mm transfer (necessary for a wide release) had to be recertified, but not enough time was left for the bureaucratic process. Since losing its slot in the schedules, pic will now open in China this summer.

Film is narrated by the lead character on New Year's Eve 1999, so by inference, the main story, when she was a 17-year-old high schooler, takes place some time around the late '80s/early '90s. Though not clearly spelt out for foreign auds, setting (and filming location) is Chengdu, capital of the southern province of Sichuan, at the fictional Princess Trees High.

Newcomer Liu Xin is well cast as Feng, a sullen teen who has a love affair with large knives and a rather less passionate relationship with class jock Taotao (Duan Bowen). Taotao protects weedy rich kid A-li (Chen Keliang) from schoolyard bullying, while Feng is followed around by class monitor Jojo (Wang Jing), a goody-two-shoes who has a crush on the spiky-haired tomboy. Observing all her classmates with philosophical detachment is bluestocking Eva (Luo Yadan), who has a false leg.

The social setup breaks down when a rough Beijinger, Bao (Zhao Mengqiao), joins the class and starts throwing his weight around. Gradually, Feng moves her affections away from Taotao and over to the dumpy northerner, though their happiness together is brief.

Opening with a flurry of handheld camerawork that does not, thankfully, become the norm, film is bookended by a sequence of Bao holding a fellow pupil hostage. But that, and two brief sequences in which Feng's cop father (Shang Hui) beats her for lying, are the most shocking scenes in the movie: Compared with other Asian or Western movies about high school delinquency, "Trees" is tame.

Pic is adapted from a hard-hitting novel by university prof (and Chengdu native) He Dacao, but was considerably toned down prior to being passed last fall by China's Film Bureau. Some violence was excised and almost all references to sexual shenanigans between students and teachers removed. (One brief sequence, of Taotao visiting a new female teacher in her apartment, survives.)

What is left is an interesting, often quite touching movie -- especially in its portrayal of Feng and Bao's affair -- that's actually very conventionally structured. Unfortunately, it jumps the rails in the third act, in search of a climax and modern-day resolution.

Perfs by all the leads are natural and engaging, with special kudos to Liu and Zhao as the unlikely daters. As the new English teacher who adopts a tough line, actress Zhong Ping is striking in a role that gets sidelined in the latter half.

Camera (color, DV), Xu Wei; editor, Yan Tao; music, Liu Sola; art director, Zhao Anqi; costume designer, Feng Yan; sound (Dolby), Wen Bo; assistant director, Ying Tong. Reviewed on DVD, London, March 27, 2007. (In Berlin Film Festival — market; also in Hong Kong, Tokyo film festivals.) Running time: 98 MIN.

(Mandarin, Sichuan dialect)
http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/1092/

[dleedlee]

This mainland PAL DVD (despite description) clocks in at 107 minutes, or ~112 minutes(?). Sexually related scenes between Feng and Bao, Teacher Ren and Feng that were reportedly 'adjusted' by the director remain in the DVD version. More research needed...