Cinematic City Analysis of Shanghai City in Two Different Movies

Cinematic City Analysis of Shanghai City in Two Different Movies
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Comparison of Cinematic Presentation of a City in the Films
The two films that are analyzed in this case are the “Her film (2013, Spike Jones)” and “Suzhou River (2000, Ye Lou)”. In these two movies, Shanghai is a common city that has been featured but in a different cinematic perspective. Shanghai is a city in China and a province-level municipality located in east-central China. The city has one of the largest seaports and is a major industrial and commercial center with a significant role in the economy of the country (Boxer, 2018). Shanghai is therefore considered as a financial hub of China just like it is presented in the two movies.
The two movies present different cinematic features of the Shanghai city from the perspective of both coastal and inland part of the city. The film “Her, (2013) by Spike Jones presents the modernized part of the Shanghai city with modern buildings and a high level of technological advancement. The city is characterized by skyscrapers and modern structures which depicts a high level of structural, social, economic, and technological developments. The characters are using modern technologies in with computer applications in communication, modern lightings, and well-structured and planned part of the city. On the other side, the film “Suzhou River 2000” by Ye Lou presents the ancient part of the Shanghai city characterized by developed traditional structures and feature. The city is featured at the coastal part of Shanghai with traditional technologies in transportation, painting, and communication among other sectors.
Influence of how the City Symphony Tradition of the 1920s and 1930s in the Film
The experienced modernization in Shanghai city greatly influences the symphony tradition of the 1920s and 1930s generation in a greater way. In the film “Her” 2013, the modernization of the city introduced Shanghai to different forms and styles of modern symphony. The Chines studied and incorporated the modern and westernized music genres into their music thus forming well-presented lyrics, tunes, and instrumentations that are clearly featured in the movie. In the part of the city depicted by the film “Her, 2013”, there was a rapid rise in the form of westernized popular music with minimal regulations thus dominating the entire city.
However, the film of “Suzhou River, 2000” depicts the city as a traditional city with minimal modernization and urbanizations. There is, therefore, the minimal adaptation of western music and the community adheres to their traditional symphonies for entertainment. The city transitional symphony inspired conservation of the Chinese tradition in the music sector and cultural adaptation. The tunes as used in the movie presents a tradition set up of the city with minimal development and upgrades of the modern music and application of modern and up to date musical instruments. The clubs and other entertainment sites played traditional music that indicating a delaying picture of the development of the region in the Shanghai city.
As part of the musical advancement presented in the “Suzhou River, 2000) film, Shanghai city music scene presented a fusion of traditional Chinese folk with jazz rhythms and arrangements. From the two movies, it is clear that Shanghai city has flourished in the entertainment industry. The progressive financial environment of the city has provided a firm ground on the development of shidaiqu music (song of the era), which has become among the most entertaining and pleasing music movement of the 1920s and 1930s. As for the “She, 213” film, the modern music of the era connected Shanghai city to the rest of the world in the 20th century (Niinimaa, 2016).
The Tension between “Centripetal” and “Centrifugal” Space in the Films
The “centripetal” and “centrifugal “ space as featured in the movie characterizes the major fears and challenges and the opportunities and chances of the Shanghai city toward development and other raised concerns. The fear of technological domination in the city as presented in the “She, 2013” film is mainly on the erosion that is likely to be affiliated with the adaptation of modern technologies. For instance, the fear of the loss of cars in this film is covered or dealt with by encouraging the development and modernization of trains and the improvised elevated cars. This would help to solve the problem of city congestion as people compete to buy modern cars which may delay the functionality of the city.
The centripetal space in Shanghai as presented in “Her, 2013” film is mainly in fear of loss with the advancing technology. For example, the identity of Samantha as an operating system that is being sold to Theodore is mainly customized to meet his needs. However, the operating system technology is viewed to doom her character to a possession status. As presented in the film, the possession of the Samantha technology enables men to create interest in possession of digital pixie woman fantasy thus they may lose the actual interest of women (Han, 2014). On the other side, the centripetal space of the city as presented in the movie is the ability of the community to appreciate and applaud modern technology in the city like in computer use and transportation sectors. The appreciation and resistance of the technology advancement in the city by different groups and the gender difference concerns among the community members create the centripetal and centrifugal space in the “Her, 2013” film.
Exploration of the Walking and the Driving Troops in the City
The two movies, “Her, 2013” and “Suzhou River, 2000” have presented different perspective in the transport sector in the two features sides of the Shanghai city. The films have featured both driving and walking troops in different parts of the city both for the developmental and social understanding of the Shanghai communities. For instance, “Her, 2013” film presents the most developed side of Shanghai city with modern transportation means. It is characterized by digitalized trains and elevated cars which aim at minimizing congestions and encouraging public means of transport. The argument is on encouraging socialization among the members of the public through reduction of the driving troop and enhancement of the walking troop.
On the contrary, the Shanghai city presented in the “Suzhou River, 2000” film depicts a city dominated by the walking rather than driving troops. For instance, most of the people in this movie are using public means of transport and a significant percentage of pedestrians. Transport means include motorbikes, bicycles, and ship which mainly categorized in the walking troop of the city society. Roads are in poor condition which depicts a transportation challenge in the Shanghai depicted in this film. The movie, therefore, presents a significant diversity in development and technology advancement in the transport sector with the Shanghai presented in the “Her” film. Transport crises are the best term to describe the walking troop situation in Shanghai city presented herein (Suzhou River, 2018).
The City as a Revolutionary Space
With the modern technologies observed from the “She, 2013” movie, Shanghai is featured as a revolutionary city with major concentration is in the development of advanced structures and transport system. The revolutionary space of the city is observed in the ability of the city to apply modern technology in planning and developing different sectors including production sector (Andersson & Webb, 2016). Shanghai is featured as one of the most modernized city across the world in the use and application of modern technologies. This contradicts the Shanghai presented in the “Suzhou River, 2000” film which depicts the city as among the most traditional place with minimal technological development.
The most influenced sectors of city development by modern technology include transport system, communication sector, building and construction, and security which defines the city as a technology hub city. In the “Her, 2013” film, Shanghai city is described as the first class operating system city indicating a high rate of technological development as compared to the rest of the world (Her TRAILER 1 (2013) - Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson Movie HD, 2013). One of the characteristics of technological developed countries or cities is the issue of anti-socialism among citizens or community members. This is clearly observed in the movie as a definition of Shanghai city with people being convinced to use public means of transport which are highly improvised like elevated cars and electric trains to enhance socialism.
Aesthetic of the Cognitive Mapping of the City with Reference to the Films
Cognitive mapping of Shanghai city in the two films presents a clear understanding of the region and proper use of regional codes in defining technologies and economic and social developments. The film “Her, 2013” presents a clear understanding of the modern Shanghai city with all the necessary facilities despite the challenges experienced in technology adaptation. The emaciated computer technologies as presented in the operating system in this movie are a presentation of technological challenges experienced in the city. The age of GPS, satellites, and drone images as applied in this film has made the city more visible and imaginable thus projecting the future of the city.
The same technology has been used to map Shanghai city as an ancient city with less modernization and technological adaptation as depicted in the “Suzhou River, 2000” film. The purpose of the movie is not to present the geography of the city and its city or otherwise comparing the ancient and modern Shanghai or even bringing about the two different perspectives of the city. For instance, “She” film is used to depict love, emotion, and depression. However, cognitive mapping in the films goes beyond and depicts the geographical presentation of the city and how Shanghai is viewed under different perspectives. Understanding of the aesthetic, cognitive mapping of the city from the movies is viewed by how people will interpret the appearance of the city through what they see in the movie (Mackenzie, 2015).
Cinematic Geography: Race, Ethnicity, and Class
Although the movies are p[resented in the Chinese setup, there is a high rate of discrimination with reference to race, ethnic groups, and classes. “Her, 2013” film is featured as a film of race and ethnicity which is used to depict the presence of race, class, and ethnic discrimination in Shanghai city as it is experienced in the rest part of China. The film is set in the state of disunity which is characterized by the pending divorce between Theodore and the wife which is a form of conflict within the city. The illusions of the relationship lead to the failure if the promising technologies which were expected to provide connection and communication in the city.
“Her, 2013” is a film acted in the English language in Shanghai city in China. The city is an international class which appreciates global diversity and therefore recognizes efforts from everyone despite his/her origin. As seen in the movie, bright brains try to outdo each other in technological knowledge which targets to improve the city technologically. This movie presents a less issue on race and ethnic discrimination as the case in most places in China. On the other side, “Suzhou River is acted in the Chinese language with minimal involvement of foreign races. This movie depicts a high level of race, gender, and class discrimination as always expected in China. The waterless in the pub is mishandles by the man due to difference is social class. The two movies, therefore, present different cases on race, ethnic, and class concern in Shanghai city.
Gender, Space and the “City Woman” in the Film
In both films (“Her, 2013” and “Suzhou River, 2000”), women have been depicted to have a special role in society. The films have different feelings and attitude toward women as their significance in the movie development. Gender violence and gender discrimination with women being considered inferior and minority in the society are among the major themes expressed in these movies. Devolving and violence against women, beating, killing, discriminating among other negative aspects have been presented throughout the movies. Feminism is, therefore, a major theme in the movies which generally presents the basis in which Shanghai city is built with reference to gender concern and the space of women in the society.
As presented in the Suzhou River film, Shanghai city is presented as not a Chinese economic modernization showcase but as a dark and decrepit city, the opposite of how it is presented in the She, 2013 film. In this case, the citizens are struggling to meet their daily needs regardless of gender and age. This is a case where women are exploited, disrespected, and misused as they strive to work to cope with the difficult life situations as the movie present. Meimei (Zhou Xun) performs mermaid a traditional Chinese folk dance at the Happy Tavern nightclub to entertain people, one of the roles of women in the Shanghai society presented n this film. The film has fueled the feeling of love, emotion, romance, and betrayal as a part played by women in the city, a ca...