I finally managed to find and watch all of Edward Yang’s films, and I agree with you, they are all masterpieces. Thank you Daisuke for all your videos on Edward Yang. Where to watch Edward Yang’s films: A Brighter Summer Day: Criterion Channel/Blu ray/UA-cam Yi Yi: Criterion Channel/Blu ray/UA-cam Taipei Story: Criterion Channel/Blu ray/UA-cam Terrorizers: Mubi Mahjong: UA-cam, but only on 360p A Confusian Confusion: UA-cam, but only on 360p That Day, On The Beach (The hardest to find): Blu ray (unfortunately out of print) If somebody reading this can’t find some of these films, please contact me and I will gladly help you find them. I hope somebody one day will create an Edward Yang Blu Ray Box Set, so all of his films can become easily available on 1080p for everyone.
I finished watching A Brighter Summer Day (like I said I would in my comment about Mishima) and I finally understand why you had such a tough time deciding between Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day. I think I got more emotionally attached to the individual characters in Yi Yi, but found A Brighter Summer Day to have a more compelling story. It's such a good "slice of life" movie and in my mind is most akin to City of God (top 5 all time favorites) in how it creates an entire world (large cast of characters, thorough character development, recurrent locations, etc). I still have a few Edward Yang movies left to watch, but his style has quickly become my favorite.
Hello Martin, and thank you so much for this. I am so thrilled that you had a chance, after MISHIMA, to watch A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY, and that you had the reaction to it that you did. Your comments on YI YI are so right as well! Yes! I totally agree with you my friend. This is so wonderful, and your comment has put a huge smile on my face. Thank you so much for this! Cheers and I hope you are well.
Hi Daisuke, greetings from london, my name is Jackie and I’m a teenager who’s recently gotten into film over the quarantine. I decided to watch a film a day for the past three months. Over that period, I’ve developed a love and passion for film, and have movies from enjoying films more casually to loving films as a truly artistic medium. I’ve recently gotten more into foreign film, watching french new wave, the visionary jean luc godard, the amazing luc besson and samurai films such as the Lone wolf and cub series. I came across your channel and your glowing adoration for Edward Yang pushed me to watch A Brighter Summer Day and Yi Yi. I’m writing this to jut say thank you. A brighter summer day requires more viewings for me to make up my mind fully, but I know I love it even if I don’t understand it fully. I’m still grateful to have found and discovered it and I can’t wait to dive deeper into it. Yi Yi however, on just one viewing, affected me so that it is my second favorite movie of all time, second only to The Royal Tenenbaums by Wes Anderson (which holds an incredibly special place in my heart). Yi yi touched me on a human level, broke my heart and put it back together again. Having gone through loss in friendships and relationships that meant everything to me constantly throughout my short life and also very recently, I was deeply affected by the quote from the final act: “I had chance to relive part of my youth. My first thought was then i could make things turnout differently but they turned out the same or not much different. I suddenly realised that even if i was given a second chance i wouldn't need it, I really wouldn't.”. That is one of those quotes that I feel will stay with me until the day I die and really helped me get through a tough time. So thank u, Daisuke, for recommending those absolute masterpieces.
Dear Jackie, hello and thank you so much for your lovely, lovely comment. I am very honored that you would share a little bit about your cinema journey and a little bit about your life with us. Also, I am so thrilled that you saw the works of Edward Yang, a filmmaker that is so near and dear to my heart. Also, you say you are in your teens, and so I am very happy that you are on a cinema journey and that you are already so well versed in cinema and have seen so many great examples. And as you say, "having gone through loss in friendships and relationships that meant everything to me constantly throughout my short life and also very recently", please note that I am not specifically aware of the situation in your life, and so I cannot say that "things will be better" or that "things will be fine". But, please let me say that, whatever it may be, I hope you are well, or as well as can be. And that if ever you want to stop by here and talk about cinema and about any films that you think are worth talking about, please feel free to do so my friend. We are always happy to hear about your cinema journey and any new discoveries you make along the way. Cheers my friend, and please note also that I am so happily jealous that you have a long long cinema journey ahead of you with many great stops along the way.
This is only the second video of yours I've seen (I came here after watching A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY for the first time today) and I must say that I love the way you talk, discuss and arrange your videos. Much love to you, my friend, from Chile
Hello PaoloReaper and wow... thank you so much for your lovely comment. You are so kind. I hope you are well and please have a nice weekend. And I am so happy that you were able to watch A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY.
First off, before I say anything, this was a fascinating, eloquent ranking that I just want to personally thank you for. My journey through New Taiwan cinema, and cinema from that region as a whole, is fairly recent and I find the lack of converage/discussion baffling. So again thank you. For me, (who's seen Taipei story, Terrorizors, A brighter Summer Day and Yi Yi) the top has to be Taipei Story. I think I can recognise that it may not be the best from that list, they are all masterpieces of course, but it was the first Yang film I watched and it completely resonated with me. The connection I have to Taipei Story is stronger than I can describe (so why am I writing a comment!) and I just thought I would share my inexperienced opinion. Great video :)
Picked up A Brighter Summer Day months ago as a blind buy and was stunned. Yang was a unique gift to cinema. I’ve only been able to see two of his other films, Yi Yi & Taipei Story, but look forward to seeing more.Thank you for making this series of videos on his work!
This is so cool. I started collecting films by Wong Kar-Wai, Yasujiro Ozu and came across Edward Yang's films but I didn't know where to start. This video is really helpful and much appreciated. I'm definitely starting with Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day. Thank you for the insight and great recommendations my friend! Looking forward to the next video. Cheers!
Thank you so much for this! This comment is so great to read!!! I hope you enjoy your Edward Yang journey and please let me know what you think of the films when you see them. I hope you enjoy the films my friend and I look forward to talking to again very soon. Cheers and I hope you are well.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you! And I'll definitely let you know! I'm going to buy the films tomorrow. I'm really excited to experience Edward Yang's work and dive into his worlds. I'll talk to you soon Daisuke. Sending good vibes from LA and looking forward to Sunday's "Paris, Texas" stream!
Your passion for Edward Yang's films is truly admirable. I stumbled upon A Brighter Summer Day while reading through the 2012 Sight and Sound Critics Poll, and it's now favorite film (I didn't think any film could top Sunset Boulevard, Woman in the Dunes, Tokyo Story). To quote Andrew Sarris in his review of the magnificent Au Hasard Balthazar (discovered in similar fashion): "No film I have ever seen has come so close to convulsing my entire being". Every single frame and bit of dialogue is so marvelously put together, subtly creating tension and contributing to the climax; not one second is wasted despite its near-4hr-runtime, and the shot of Si'r standing over Ming, knife in his hand, bloodied shirt, is an image I'll never forget, much like the last shot of Norma Desmond. Perhaps this hits me harder than any other film because I am Chinese (born in Shanghai, actually), and similarly left the mainland at a young age and grew up in Singapore. Nevertheless, you're truly doing the Lord's work by raising awareness of his works. His death was truly untimely.
Hello, Wanli Tan, and wow, thank you for commenting here. A Brighter Summer Day is one of my absolute favorite films and it is I think such a perfect expression of the possibilities of the form. And it is technically brilliant and carefully constructed, as well as being emotionally devastating and moving. You are so right. Thank you so much and I wish you well my friend. And if you are able to watch more films by Edward Yang, please let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts anytime my friend. Warmest regards and I hope you are well.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you so much for your reply. Indeed, I just recently watched Yi Yi, and I cannot lie, I was subconsciously comparing it to A Brighter Summer Day the whole time, which was why much of it felt a bit flat and unfocused; Yang makes us focus on NJ's troubles at work, Yang Yang at school, and the very unexpected romance with Ting Ting (Fatty murdering that teacher felt so much less impactful than Si'r murdering Ming, though the piece of foreshadowing when Fatt talked about learning how murder works from movies and the video game portrayal were brilliant), all while their mother is just gone (that part I felt quite implausible; what sort of loving mother would just leave their children, even if they were suffering from tremendous grief) and the grandmother's coma was looming in the background. In A Brighter Summer Day, we absorb the information by simply following Si'r, and then we get a separate episode regarding his father. I also felt that Sherry was really immature and that their stay in Tokyo wouldn't have changed anything in the first place; they were both middle-aged and with families, after all, though the interactions with Ota was awesome. In the end, NJ's devastating realization and Yang Yang's speech "redeemed" it, and it's now one of my very favorite films. I will definitely be checking out Yang's other films (such a short filmography!). You too Daisuke, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy.
@@DaisukeBeppu As someone who does not own anything from Criterion, I'm interested to know; do they have some very, very early films, like late-19th century early 20th century? I don't think you've reviewed it on your channel; perhaps they aren't available? I think it's also awesome to see how cinema began and has changed over the years that led to Ozu and Kurosawa and Mizoguchi and Fellini and Bergman and Yang and countless others.
The thought and care that you put into your considerations for each film is palpable. I could feel your trepidation in choosing A Brighter Summer's Day over Yi Yi. And as someone who also enjoys making lists of my own, I know what that's like. Great job. I really hope I can some day see all his work. I've only been able to see A Brighter Summer's Day, Yi Yi, The Terrorizers, and Taipai Story. Hopefully someday the rest make their way to US in some fashion. Lastly I'd like to put this out there for anyone in the US, if you have Amazon Prime Video they have The Terrorizers streaming for free. This was my introduction to Edward Yang and I have been forever grateful.
Hello Alex, and wow... this is great. I am very honored by your kind words. And yes, one day, if more Edward Yang films could become more readily available, that would be great. And yes!!! Thank you for the information about Terrorizers!!!! Yes, I hope that it is seen by as many people as possible. I hope you are well and cheers. By the way, what are your favorite Yang films among the ones you have seen?
@@DaisukeBeppu Hmm, having only seen each of them once so far I suspect this may be subject to change, but I think I'm partial to The Terrorizers. It may be that it was my first exposure to the lovely cinema of Edward Yang and I have a bias there but it was really powerful for me. I see The Terrorizers as more forceful and immediate where as Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer's Day are slow burns that really take their time enveloping you. It's so tough to choose. Those are my thoughts at this point anyway. I look forward to revisiting these and more throughout my life.
great and informing video, i’ve seen a brighter summer day, taipei story and yi yi and have considered all of them to be some of my favorite films of all time. i love hearing others recognize yang’s talent in drawing emotions from everyday things. if i could i would love to read more about him and his history of filmmaking. also trying to find ways to watch the rest of his filmography lol
At least it's very clear that Edward Yang is on criterions radar with a clear admiration. Everytime a closet video or featurette is made that mentions his work it is done with real love, so I think they'll definitely push to release more of his stuff.
Daisuke your passion for these films and particularly 'a brighter summer day' is so great to see. You have me even more excited for this by the way you have described it! Great video as always!
Hi, Daisuke San, I really like your explanation and presentation A lot about film and I truly bought my first Edward Yang movie after I viewed your channel, thanks altos! After I watched A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY of CRITERION COLLECTION, it totally blow me away and THIS IS a wonderful film and it is worth to spend more than 3 hours to watch this film, please please recommend more films that you like and it is really inspiring me, thanks again
Hello Henry. Thank you so much for your great comment! It is such a pleasure for me to read. I am so thrilled that you liked A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY! This makes me very happy! Cheers my friend and I hope you have a great weekend.
I recently watched Yi Yi as my introduction to Edward Yang. I loved Yi Yi so much it put it in my top 10 movies, and upon someone’s recommendation I watched a brighter summer day, and I liked that so much more, a brighter summer day ended up on my top 3 movies. Upon my personal discovery of Edward Yang I then decided to watch the rest of his filmography, I am currently 6 movies in, I haven’t seen in our time, a confucion confusion, or likely consequence. I also recently bought the criterion blu ray for a brighter summer day, and with that I will use that as motivation to finish the last couple. Also, the criterion commentary for a brighter summer day is brilliant, though I assume you have listened to it.
Hello and thank you so much for this!! And yes, I have heard the commentary track for A Brighter Summer Day a number of times. I have spoken a little bit about my thoughts about the commentary track, in a video discussion on my channel about A Brighter Summer Day. Thank you very much again for this lovely comment!!!
great video, haven’t seen two of these but I would put: 1.Yi Yi/A Brighter Summer Day 2.A Brighter Summer Day/Yi Yi - both absolute masterpieces and I can’t wait to watch A Brighter Summer Day again, it’s just so long so I want to wait for the right time. 3.Mahjong - WOW, I was not expecting this one to be THAT good, and I have to wonder why it’s so overlooked? I was so happy at the ending. 4.Tapei Story 5.Terrorizers - both still really really good just not quite at the same level as the top for me, but I’m very interested to see if my list changes at all over the years, A Brighter Summer Day and Yi Yi are just too damn good I don’t really see them changing, but who knows.
There have always been rumors that some of Yang's films could get or are getting restored, and so I always hold out hope that these films will get accessible releases in the future (such as A Confucian Confusion or Mahjong etc.).
Will definitely be checking out Taipei Story on the Criterion Channel soon. Maybe an online petition can help show Criterion’s the public’s interest in them releasing the rest of his filmography? Also are you planning on doing more director retrospectives in the future?
Thank you very much for your comment, and yes, I do plan on doing more director spotlights like this in the future. I did something similar in the past regarding the works of Dario Argento.
Just watched Terrorizers and Mahjong, great stuff. Can’t wait to see A brighter summer day, we will see if it trumps Yi Yi for me! Waiting for the right time due to its length.
Fantastic! I am also really happy to hear that you were able to see Mahjong because this is relatively difficult to see. And also I am happy to hear that you were able to see Terrorizers.
Daisuke have you heard the epic news: Upon the 15th anniversary of the death of the renowned Taiwanese director, Edward Yang (De-Chang), the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) is joining hand with the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) to sign an agreement with the director’s widow, Peng Kai-Li, for launching Edward Yang: A Retrospective (TBD) and the digital restoration of Yang’s two films, A Confucian Confusion (1994) and Mahjong (1996). Scheduled for mid-July 2023, along with the retrospective and an international forum co-curated by the TFAM Director Wang Jun-Jieh and film researcher Sing Song-Yong, the TFAI will screen Yang’s entire oeuvre. I am so happy that this 2 EPIC films will get a new restauration, I just hope so much to see more physical releases of all his films, a Criterion Box Set would be so epic, and now all his film's have a new and good looking restauration it would be the perfect time to bring out all of his movies.
OH MY GOSH!!! I didn’t know that so your comment is the first I heard about it my dear friend!!!! While i have heard rumors about this possibility I did not know the concrete news until your comment!!! My dear dear friend thank you so much!!
@@DaisukeBeppu At the Venice Film Festival 2022 they are showing: DULI SHIDAI [A CONFUCIAN CONFUSION] by EDWARD YANG (Taiwan, 1994, 128’, colour) restored by: Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute I'm so happy for all Yang fans like myself.
Hello! So, the version I have is Japanese DVD that is unfortunately OOP here. (I also have a Japanese VHS.) The VHS and DVD have only Japanese subtitles.
Thank you very much for your kind words, and your comment about THE TERRORIZER is fantastic. I admit that I had such a difficult time determining this list, and in particular the top 3. So I am very happy to hear about your particular list my friend. Cheers and I hope you have a nice weekend.
According to the FB post below a project for digital restoration of A Confucian Confusion is under construction by Taiwan Fim and Audiovisual Institute. The context of the above FB post is in Chinese though.
If you have time in the near future, I would love a video discussing the films by Kurosawa not in the Criterion Collection. There are 3, 4, or 5 depending on how you count.
Yang's top 3 is unimpeachable. I haven't caught your 5-7 selections, but I was recently a bit let down by Taipei Story. I was lucky enough to see it screened recently and wished I had seen it before The Terrorizers or Yi Yi as those films (in my opinion anyway) improve significantly on what Taipei Story was trying to accomplish. Clearly as the earliest of these films, Taipei Story was extremely original and thoughtful. But it very much felt like a rough sketch of ideas that were expertly returned to in his later works.
Thank you so much Adam. This is such a great comment. And I do see what you are saying in terms of a kind of "progression" in the exploration of themes and ideas in Edward Yang's filmography, and as such it might be worthwhile to watch Taipei Story in the filmography order. On the other hand, there is something with this film that I admit that I did not focus on enough in my initial video about it: namely, the underlying theme of modern Taiwan and the notion of the population that came from mainland China and the population that are native to Taiwan from prior to the Pacific War. It is hard for me to catch this element of the film because it also involves, among other things, the difference in language (Taiwanese Hokkien, and Mandarin), which I think is really exemplified very nicely in the relationship between Chin (as portrayed by Tsai Chin) and Lung (as portrayed by Hou Hsiao-hsien), and the sudden emergence of urban modernism and how that further complicates this portrait. This theme is carried over into Yang's other films I would suggest, in particular The Terrorizers. However, there is a directness with which the theme seems to be dealt with in Taipei Story, which for me makes it such an important work in the context of Yang's filmography. That being said, I totally love your comment and I respect your view on the film. I think your take is really great. Thank you so much for sharing this insight!
Daisuke Beppu thanks Daisuke! Those additional thoughts die give me more to chew on and hopefully one day I will revisit Taipei Story with better context and a fresher perspective
Thanks so much and also thank you for the constructive criticism. Yes I am working on keeping my comments more precise, but comments like yours really help. Please know I take it to heart and will strive to improve thanks to your wonderful suggestion. I hope you are well and stay safe and cheers. Let’s talk again soon I hope.
Definitely agree A Brighter Summer Day is the best. Such a rich, layered portrait of Taiwanese life, one of the finest masterpieces of the 90's & one of the most beautifully shot.
Oh yes, this is such a beautifully shot film as you indicate. And yes, I agree with you, in that this film paints such a complex and multi-layered portrait.
Hello and for example, I think it is available on Yes Asia: www.yesasia.com/global/that-day-on-the-beach-1983-blu-ray-digitally-remastered-limited-edition/1063849402-0-0-0-en/info.html However it is very expensive. So if you are able to find it elsewhere at a cheaper price, please let me know.
Hi Daisuke! Where would you recommend as a good place to start with Edward Yang? I tried checking out Terrorizers over the summer but I couldn’t get into it for some reason. I guess I might have not been in the mindset or not have been ready for Yang or only have a surface level knowledge of Taiwanese history and culture
Great question. I would have recommended Terrorizers as it was also a shorter film in terms of running time. However, as you have seen it already, I can recommend A Brighter Summer Day or Yi Yi.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you my friend. I think I will try again with Taipei Story, Yi Yi or A Brighter Summer Day. And maybe look back at Terrorizers a few years down the road when I’m older and hopefully wiser.
I’m writing a literary analyses for my English class about “A Brighter Summer Day,” do you have any suggestions on how I can approach this essay? Like what I can talk about, and what makes it so unique?
I have done a set of videos specifically on A Brighter Summer Day, and so if you a do a UA-cam search in my channel, you can find those videos there. I go into some detail about the film. Also, you can check out the great supplements on the Criterion disc for great ideas.
I am a huge fan of the works of Hou Hsiao-hsien. I hope to be able to speak more about his works on this channel very soon. Cheers and I hope you are well.
Daisuke Beppu I haven’t heard of Kore-eda or Kawase until now but a quick look at their filmographies has me very intrigued. I’d be interested in a video about modern foreign directors that you enjoy because it is generally the case that they aren’t well known worldwide until many years after their films have come out.
I finally managed to find and watch all of Edward Yang’s films, and I agree with you, they are all masterpieces. Thank you Daisuke for all your videos on Edward Yang.
Where to watch Edward Yang’s films:
A Brighter Summer Day: Criterion Channel/Blu ray/UA-cam
Yi Yi: Criterion Channel/Blu ray/UA-cam
Taipei Story: Criterion Channel/Blu ray/UA-cam
Terrorizers: Mubi
Mahjong: UA-cam, but only on 360p
A Confusian Confusion: UA-cam, but only on 360p
That Day, On The Beach (The hardest to find): Blu ray (unfortunately out of print)
If somebody reading this can’t find some of these films, please contact me and I will gladly help you find them.
I hope somebody one day will create an Edward Yang Blu Ray Box Set, so all of his films can become easily available on 1080p for everyone.
WOW!!! This is brilliant. Thank you for taking the time to do this. I am honored. Thank you for this.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you for spreading awareness of Edward Yang’s films as well. I probably wouldn’t know most of these films without you.
There's always ok . ru, of UA-cam and legal means fail
I finished watching A Brighter Summer Day (like I said I would in my comment about Mishima) and I finally understand why you had such a tough time deciding between Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day. I think I got more emotionally attached to the individual characters in Yi Yi, but found A Brighter Summer Day to have a more compelling story. It's such a good "slice of life" movie and in my mind is most akin to City of God (top 5 all time favorites) in how it creates an entire world (large cast of characters, thorough character development, recurrent locations, etc). I still have a few Edward Yang movies left to watch, but his style has quickly become my favorite.
Hello Martin, and thank you so much for this. I am so thrilled that you had a chance, after MISHIMA, to watch A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY, and that you had the reaction to it that you did. Your comments on YI YI are so right as well! Yes! I totally agree with you my friend.
This is so wonderful, and your comment has put a huge smile on my face. Thank you so much for this! Cheers and I hope you are well.
Hi Daisuke, greetings from london, my name is Jackie and I’m a teenager who’s recently gotten into film over the quarantine. I decided to watch a film a day for the past three months. Over that period, I’ve developed a love and passion for film, and have movies from enjoying films more casually to loving films as a truly artistic medium. I’ve recently gotten more into foreign film, watching french new wave, the visionary jean luc godard, the amazing luc besson and samurai films such as the Lone wolf and cub series. I came across your channel and your glowing adoration for Edward Yang pushed me to watch A Brighter Summer Day and Yi Yi. I’m writing this to jut say thank you. A brighter summer day requires more viewings for me to make up my mind fully, but I know I love it even if I don’t understand it fully. I’m still grateful to have found and discovered it and I can’t wait to dive deeper into it. Yi Yi however, on just one viewing, affected me so that it is my second favorite movie of all time, second only to The Royal Tenenbaums by Wes Anderson (which holds an incredibly special place in my heart). Yi yi touched me on a human level, broke my heart and put it back together again. Having gone through loss in friendships and relationships that meant everything to me constantly throughout my short life and also very recently, I was deeply affected by the quote from the final act: “I had chance to relive part of my youth. My first thought was then i could make things turnout differently but they turned out the same or not much different. I suddenly realised that even if i was given a second chance i wouldn't need it, I really wouldn't.”. That is one of those quotes that I feel will stay with me until the day I die and really helped me get through a tough time. So thank u, Daisuke, for recommending those absolute masterpieces.
Dear Jackie, hello and thank you so much for your lovely, lovely comment. I am very honored that you would share a little bit about your cinema journey and a little bit about your life with us.
Also, I am so thrilled that you saw the works of Edward Yang, a filmmaker that is so near and dear to my heart.
Also, you say you are in your teens, and so I am very happy that you are on a cinema journey and that you are already so well versed in cinema and have seen so many great examples.
And as you say, "having gone through loss in friendships and relationships that meant everything to me constantly throughout my short life and also very recently", please note that I am not specifically aware of the situation in your life, and so I cannot say that "things will be better" or that "things will be fine". But, please let me say that, whatever it may be, I hope you are well, or as well as can be. And that if ever you want to stop by here and talk about cinema and about any films that you think are worth talking about, please feel free to do so my friend. We are always happy to hear about your cinema journey and any new discoveries you make along the way. Cheers my friend, and please note also that I am so happily jealous that you have a long long cinema journey ahead of you with many great stops along the way.
This is only the second video of yours I've seen (I came here after watching A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY for the first time today) and I must say that I love the way you talk, discuss and arrange your videos. Much love to you, my friend, from Chile
Hello PaoloReaper and wow... thank you so much for your lovely comment. You are so kind.
I hope you are well and please have a nice weekend.
And I am so happy that you were able to watch A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY.
First off, before I say anything, this was a fascinating, eloquent ranking that I just want to personally thank you for. My journey through New Taiwan cinema, and cinema from that region as a whole, is fairly recent and I find the lack of converage/discussion baffling. So again thank you. For me, (who's seen Taipei story, Terrorizors, A brighter Summer Day and Yi Yi) the top has to be Taipei Story. I think I can recognise that it may not be the best from that list, they are all masterpieces of course, but it was the first Yang film I watched and it completely resonated with me. The connection I have to Taipei Story is stronger than I can describe (so why am I writing a comment!) and I just thought I would share my inexperienced opinion. Great video :)
i will watch this entire dissection soon... cant wait!!!
I agree with both Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day, despite the runtimes, they’re both beautifully made
Thank you so much!!!! Yes!!!
Picked up A Brighter Summer Day months ago as a blind buy and was stunned. Yang was a unique gift to cinema. I’ve only been able to see two of his other films, Yi Yi & Taipei Story, but look forward to seeing more.Thank you for making this series of videos on his work!
Thank you for your great comment. Yes, I hope that his films become more widely available in the future. That certainly would be really great.
A brighter summer day is definitely my personal favourite too - nice list!
Big boy
Thank you so much! Yes, A Brighter Summer Day is a masterpiece. I hope as many people get to see this as possible.
i agree completely
Great video. The Terrorizers is my personal fav. A brilliant director!
Hello and thank you for this comment. Yes, I too really love this film and the works of Yang overall. Cheers and warmest regards.
This is so cool. I started collecting films by Wong Kar-Wai, Yasujiro Ozu and came across Edward Yang's films but I didn't know where to start. This video is really helpful and much appreciated. I'm definitely starting with Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer Day. Thank you for the insight and great recommendations my friend! Looking forward to the next video. Cheers!
Thank you so much for this! This comment is so great to read!!!
I hope you enjoy your Edward Yang journey and please let me know what you think of the films when you see them. I hope you enjoy the films my friend and I look forward to talking to again very soon. Cheers and I hope you are well.
What’s your thoughts on the other Taiwanese new cinema filmmakers? Particularly as you are an Ozu fan.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you! And I'll definitely let you know! I'm going to buy the films tomorrow. I'm really excited to experience Edward Yang's work and dive into his worlds. I'll talk to you soon Daisuke. Sending good vibes from LA and looking forward to Sunday's "Paris, Texas" stream!
Your passion for Edward Yang's films is truly admirable. I stumbled upon A Brighter Summer Day while reading through the 2012 Sight and Sound Critics Poll, and it's now favorite film (I didn't think any film could top Sunset Boulevard, Woman in the Dunes, Tokyo Story). To quote Andrew Sarris in his review of the magnificent Au Hasard Balthazar (discovered in similar fashion): "No film I have ever seen has come so close to convulsing my entire being". Every single frame and bit of dialogue is so marvelously put together, subtly creating tension and contributing to the climax; not one second is wasted despite its near-4hr-runtime, and the shot of Si'r standing over Ming, knife in his hand, bloodied shirt, is an image I'll never forget, much like the last shot of Norma Desmond. Perhaps this hits me harder than any other film because I am Chinese (born in Shanghai, actually), and similarly left the mainland at a young age and grew up in Singapore. Nevertheless, you're truly doing the Lord's work by raising awareness of his works. His death was truly untimely.
Hello, Wanli Tan, and wow, thank you for commenting here. A Brighter Summer Day is one of my absolute favorite films and it is I think such a perfect expression of the possibilities of the form. And it is technically brilliant and carefully constructed, as well as being emotionally devastating and moving. You are so right. Thank you so much and I wish you well my friend. And if you are able to watch more films by Edward Yang, please let me know! I would love to hear your thoughts anytime my friend. Warmest regards and I hope you are well.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you so much for your reply. Indeed, I just recently watched Yi Yi, and I cannot lie, I was subconsciously comparing it to A Brighter Summer Day the whole time, which was why much of it felt a bit flat and unfocused; Yang makes us focus on NJ's troubles at work, Yang Yang at school, and the very unexpected romance with Ting Ting (Fatty murdering that teacher felt so much less impactful than Si'r murdering Ming, though the piece of foreshadowing when Fatt talked about learning how murder works from movies and the video game portrayal were brilliant), all while their mother is just gone (that part I felt quite implausible; what sort of loving mother would just leave their children, even if they were suffering from tremendous grief) and the grandmother's coma was looming in the background. In A Brighter Summer Day, we absorb the information by simply following Si'r, and then we get a separate episode regarding his father. I also felt that Sherry was really immature and that their stay in Tokyo wouldn't have changed anything in the first place; they were both middle-aged and with families, after all, though the interactions with Ota was awesome. In the end, NJ's devastating realization and Yang Yang's speech "redeemed" it, and it's now one of my very favorite films. I will definitely be checking out Yang's other films (such a short filmography!). You too Daisuke, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy.
@@DaisukeBeppu As someone who does not own anything from Criterion, I'm interested to know; do they have some very, very early films, like late-19th century early 20th century? I don't think you've reviewed it on your channel; perhaps they aren't available? I think it's also awesome to see how cinema began and has changed over the years that led to Ozu and Kurosawa and Mizoguchi and Fellini and Bergman and Yang and countless others.
The thought and care that you put into your considerations for each film is palpable. I could feel your trepidation in choosing A Brighter Summer's Day over Yi Yi. And as someone who also enjoys making lists of my own, I know what that's like. Great job.
I really hope I can some day see all his work. I've only been able to see A Brighter Summer's Day, Yi Yi, The Terrorizers, and Taipai Story. Hopefully someday the rest make their way to US in some fashion.
Lastly I'd like to put this out there for anyone in the US, if you have Amazon Prime Video they have The Terrorizers streaming for free. This was my introduction to Edward Yang and I have been forever grateful.
Hello Alex, and wow... this is great. I am very honored by your kind words. And yes, one day, if more Edward Yang films could become more readily available, that would be great. And yes!!! Thank you for the information about Terrorizers!!!! Yes, I hope that it is seen by as many people as possible. I hope you are well and cheers.
By the way, what are your favorite Yang films among the ones you have seen?
@@DaisukeBeppu Hmm, having only seen each of them once so far I suspect this may be subject to change, but I think I'm partial to The Terrorizers. It may be that it was my first exposure to the lovely cinema of Edward Yang and I have a bias there but it was really powerful for me. I see The Terrorizers as more forceful and immediate where as Yi Yi and A Brighter Summer's Day are slow burns that really take their time enveloping you. It's so tough to choose. Those are my thoughts at this point anyway. I look forward to revisiting these and more throughout my life.
great and informing video, i’ve seen a brighter summer day, taipei story and yi yi and have considered all of them to be some of my favorite films of all time. i love hearing others recognize yang’s talent in drawing emotions from everyday things. if i could i would love to read more about him and his history of filmmaking. also trying to find ways to watch the rest of his filmography lol
And thank you very much for this comment here as well. Yes, I too am a big fan of the works of Yang.
At least it's very clear that Edward Yang is on criterions radar with a clear admiration. Everytime a closet video or featurette is made that mentions his work it is done with real love, so I think they'll definitely push to release more of his stuff.
I hope that Criterion does indeed release more of his films. That would certainly be a great day for the film fan community!
Daisuke your passion for these films and particularly 'a brighter summer day' is so great to see. You have me even more excited for this by the way you have described it! Great video as always!
Thank you very much my friend!
Hi, Daisuke San, I really like your explanation and presentation A lot about film and I truly bought my first Edward Yang movie after I viewed your channel, thanks altos! After I watched A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY of CRITERION COLLECTION, it totally blow me away and THIS IS a wonderful film and it is worth to spend more than 3 hours to watch this film, please please recommend more films that you like and it is really inspiring me, thanks again
Hello Henry. Thank you so much for your great comment! It is such a pleasure for me to read. I am so thrilled that you liked A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY! This makes me very happy! Cheers my friend and I hope you have a great weekend.
What a great video Daisuke!
Thank you very much, Bruce Wayne!
你好。我剛才發現好幾段影片的片段，是上個月有人發布在台灣1994年的金馬獎(Golden Horse Awards)的節錄，其中有A Confucian Confusion的演員和導演EDWARD YANG上台的得獎感言.
ua-cam.com/video/mqu51gmnnec/v-deo.html
Hello and thank you very much for your comment about Edward Yang and A Confucian Confusion! Warmest regards.
I recently watched Yi Yi as my introduction to Edward Yang. I loved Yi Yi so much it put it in my top 10 movies, and upon someone’s recommendation I watched a brighter summer day, and I liked that so much more, a brighter summer day ended up on my top 3 movies. Upon my personal discovery of Edward Yang I then decided to watch the rest of his filmography, I am currently 6 movies in, I haven’t seen in our time, a confucion confusion, or likely consequence. I also recently bought the criterion blu ray for a brighter summer day, and with that I will use that as motivation to finish the last couple. Also, the criterion commentary for a brighter summer day is brilliant, though I assume you have listened to it.
Hello and thank you so much for this!! And yes, I have heard the commentary track for A Brighter Summer Day a number of times. I have spoken a little bit about my thoughts about the commentary track, in a video discussion on my channel about A Brighter Summer Day.
Thank you very much again for this lovely comment!!!
The Terrorizers is probably my fav film from him
That is an excellent choice!
My favourite too.
great video, haven’t seen two of these but I would put:
1.Yi Yi/A Brighter Summer Day
2.A Brighter Summer Day/Yi Yi
- both absolute masterpieces and I can’t wait to watch A Brighter Summer Day again, it’s just so long so I want to wait for the right time.
3.Mahjong
- WOW, I was not expecting this one to be THAT good, and I have to wonder why it’s so overlooked? I was so happy at the ending.
4.Tapei Story
5.Terrorizers
- both still really really good just not quite at the same level as the top for me, but I’m very interested to see if my list changes at all over the years, A Brighter Summer Day and Yi Yi are just too damn good I don’t really see them changing, but who knows.
THANK YOU and such an excellent list!!
Im sooooooo jealous you've seen all these Yang films!! I missed a good chunk of them in a retrospective at my theater a decade ago.
There have always been rumors that some of Yang's films could get or are getting restored, and so I always hold out hope that these films will get accessible releases in the future (such as A Confucian Confusion or Mahjong etc.).
Will definitely be checking out Taipei Story on the Criterion Channel soon. Maybe an online petition can help show Criterion’s the public’s interest in them releasing the rest of his filmography? Also are you planning on doing more director retrospectives in the future?
Thank you very much for your comment, and yes, I do plan on doing more director spotlights like this in the future. I did something similar in the past regarding the works of Dario Argento.
I just discovered this channel. I really enjoyed this. The video was very calming and relaxed thank you very much for making it.
Hello and thank you so much for this comment! You are very very kind. I hope you are well and cheers.
Just watched Terrorizers and Mahjong, great stuff. Can’t wait to see A brighter summer day, we will see if it trumps Yi Yi for me! Waiting for the right time due to its length.
Fantastic! I am also really happy to hear that you were able to see Mahjong because this is relatively difficult to see. And also I am happy to hear that you were able to see Terrorizers.
Amazing vídeo, amazing director and amazing channel, regards from Chile :)
Thank you so much for your kind words, Rodrigo. I really appreciate it.
Daisuke have you heard the epic news:
Upon the 15th anniversary of the death of the renowned Taiwanese director, Edward Yang (De-Chang), the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) is joining hand with the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute (TFAI) to sign an agreement with the director’s widow, Peng Kai-Li, for launching Edward Yang: A Retrospective (TBD) and the digital restoration of Yang’s two films, A Confucian Confusion (1994) and Mahjong (1996). Scheduled for mid-July 2023, along with the retrospective and an international forum co-curated by the TFAM Director Wang Jun-Jieh and film researcher Sing Song-Yong, the TFAI will screen Yang’s entire oeuvre.
I am so happy that this 2 EPIC films will get a new restauration, I just hope so much to see more physical releases of all his films, a Criterion Box Set would be so epic, and now all his film's have a new and good looking restauration it would be the perfect time to bring out all of his movies.
OH MY GOSH!!! I didn’t know that so your comment is the first I heard about it my dear friend!!!!
While i have heard rumors about this possibility I did not know the concrete news until your comment!!! My dear dear friend thank you so much!!
@@DaisukeBeppu
At the Venice Film Festival 2022 they are showing:
DULI SHIDAI [A CONFUCIAN CONFUSION]
by EDWARD YANG (Taiwan, 1994, 128’, colour)
restored by: Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute
I'm so happy for all Yang fans like myself.
Love the video! Could I ask where you found A Confucian Confusion? I’ve been looking everywhere for it but I’m not having any luck.
Hello! So, the version I have is Japanese DVD that is unfortunately OOP here. (I also have a Japanese VHS.) The VHS and DVD have only Japanese subtitles.
You have yourself a difficult task there my friend. I agree with your order apart from ‘The Terrorisers’ being first. Phenomenal job.
Thank you very much for your kind words, and your comment about THE TERRORIZER is fantastic. I admit that I had such a difficult time determining this list, and in particular the top 3. So I am very happy to hear about your particular list my friend. Cheers and I hope you have a nice weekend.
No problem sir, keep up the great work.
I wish Criterion would pick up the other Edward Yang movies in the not too distant future
I hope so too!! That would be really great.
According to the FB post below
a project for digital restoration of A Confucian Confusion is under construction by Taiwan Fim and Audiovisual Institute.
The context of the above FB post is in Chinese though.
If you have time in the near future, I would love a video discussing the films by Kurosawa not in the Criterion Collection. There are 3, 4, or 5 depending on how you count.
Cheers... and that is a great idea!
Yang's top 3 is unimpeachable. I haven't caught your 5-7 selections, but I was recently a bit let down by Taipei Story. I was lucky enough to see it screened recently and wished I had seen it before The Terrorizers or Yi Yi as those films (in my opinion anyway) improve significantly on what Taipei Story was trying to accomplish. Clearly as the earliest of these films, Taipei Story was extremely original and thoughtful. But it very much felt like a rough sketch of ideas that were expertly returned to in his later works.
Thank you so much Adam. This is such a great comment.
And I do see what you are saying in terms of a kind of "progression" in the exploration of themes and ideas in Edward Yang's filmography, and as such it might be worthwhile to watch Taipei Story in the filmography order. On the other hand, there is something with this film that I admit that I did not focus on enough in my initial video about it: namely, the underlying theme of modern Taiwan and the notion of the population that came from mainland China and the population that are native to Taiwan from prior to the Pacific War. It is hard for me to catch this element of the film because it also involves, among other things, the difference in language (Taiwanese Hokkien, and Mandarin), which I think is really exemplified very nicely in the relationship between Chin (as portrayed by Tsai Chin) and Lung (as portrayed by Hou Hsiao-hsien), and the sudden emergence of urban modernism and how that further complicates this portrait.
This theme is carried over into Yang's other films I would suggest, in particular The Terrorizers. However, there is a directness with which the theme seems to be dealt with in Taipei Story, which for me makes it such an important work in the context of Yang's filmography.
That being said, I totally love your comment and I respect your view on the film. I think your take is really great. Thank you so much for sharing this insight!
Daisuke Beppu thanks Daisuke! Those additional thoughts die give me more to chew on and hopefully one day I will revisit Taipei Story with better context and a fresher perspective
Great video, it's always nice to see someone that appreciates yang. On a side note that intro was way too long. 12 min and you really didn't say much
Thanks so much and also thank you for the constructive criticism. Yes I am working on keeping my comments more precise, but comments like yours really help. Please know I take it to heart and will strive to improve thanks to your wonderful suggestion. I hope you are well and stay safe and cheers. Let’s talk again soon I hope.
@@DaisukeBeppu I assume youre a native English speaker right?
Definitely agree A Brighter Summer Day is the best. Such a rich, layered portrait of Taiwanese life, one of the finest masterpieces of the 90's & one of the most beautifully shot.
Oh yes, this is such a beautifully shot film as you indicate. And yes, I agree with you, in that this film paints such a complex and multi-layered portrait.
Hi, can I ask where you got the dvd for That Day on the Beach? I really want to see it and can't find it anywhere. Great video by the way:)
Hello and for example, I think it is available on Yes Asia: www.yesasia.com/global/that-day-on-the-beach-1983-blu-ray-digitally-remastered-limited-edition/1063849402-0-0-0-en/info.html
However it is very expensive. So if you are able to find it elsewhere at a cheaper price, please let me know.
A good portion of his works are free on UA-cam if not all his films.
And thank you for this as well!
Hi Daisuke! Where would you recommend as a good place to start with Edward Yang? I tried checking out Terrorizers over the summer but I couldn’t get into it for some reason. I guess I might have not been in the mindset or not have been ready for Yang or only have a surface level knowledge of Taiwanese history and culture
Great question. I would have recommended Terrorizers as it was also a shorter film in terms of running time. However, as you have seen it already, I can recommend A Brighter Summer Day or Yi Yi.
@@DaisukeBeppu Thank you my friend. I think I will try again with Taipei Story, Yi Yi or A Brighter Summer Day. And maybe look back at Terrorizers a few years down the road when I’m older and hopefully wiser.
Hi Daisuke, i noticed you put up the Japanese DVD of CC and Mahjong. how is the transfer of that? I've only ever been able to see it in crap quality.
The Japanese DVD is OK quality. Not the best, but it certainly is OK, especially considering how difficult it is to get one's hands on the DVD.
I’m writing a literary analyses for my English class about “A Brighter Summer Day,” do you have any suggestions on how I can approach this essay? Like what I can talk about, and what makes it so unique?
I have done a set of videos specifically on A Brighter Summer Day, and so if you a do a UA-cam search in my channel, you can find those videos there. I go into some detail about the film.
Also, you can check out the great supplements on the Criterion disc for great ideas.
@@DaisukeBeppu sounds good, I’ll definitely check those out, thank you so much my friend! Hope you’re well.
Since you admire Edward Yang's work, is that so for Hou Hsiao-Hsien's (even though i know that they are 2 different filmmakers with unique styles) ?
I am a huge fan of the works of Hou Hsiao-hsien. I hope to be able to speak more about his works on this channel very soon. Cheers and I hope you are well.
Are there any other Japanese directors you would say are on the level of Edward Yang? And another great video!
I would very easily recommend for starters, filmmakers like Yasujiro Ozu, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Naomi Kawase.
Thank you! The only Japanese director I've seen is Edward Yang so I've been trying to get into Japanese films.
Daisuke Beppu I haven’t heard of Kore-eda or Kawase until now but a quick look at their filmographies has me very intrigued. I’d be interested in a video about modern foreign directors that you enjoy because it is generally the case that they aren’t well known worldwide until many years after their films have come out.
Isn't Edward Yang Taiwanese?