Customer Reviews

Postmen in the Mountains

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL AND SENSITIVE FILM. THERE IS NO VIOLENCE, NO GRATUITOUS SEX, NO PREDICTABLE PLOT TWISTS; IN FACT IT IS TOTALLY LACKING IN WHAT CRASS COMMERCIAL FILMMAKERS CONSIDER TO BE THE NECESSARY (AND EXTREMELY MEDIOCRE) FORMULAS.

AN AGING MAN, HIS SON, AND THEIR WONDERFUL DOG TRAVEL BY FOOT, UPON A MOUNTAINOUS, THREE-DAY POSTAL ROUTE IN RURAL CHINA. THE COUNTRYSIDE IS SPECTACULAR AND BREATHTAKING.

ALONG THE WAY, THEY LEARN MUCH MORE ABOUT THEIR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, THE CULTURAL WAYS OF MOUNTAIN DWELLERS, AND VERY IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN GENERAL. THERE IS GREAT BEAUTY WITHIN THE SIMPLEST THINGS.

SLOW DOWN AND WATCH THIS FILM. IN A WORLD WHERE THE GREEDY DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF HUMANS IS RAPIDLY ACCELERATING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANET, THIS IS AN AMAZING LURE TO PAUSE AND REFLECT. THE CHARACTERS ARE NOT ALONE, YET THEY ARE QUITE INTROSPECTIVE.

ARE WE?

Anyone who has seen 'Postmen in the Mountains' in the theatre knows what a beautiful film this is. Unfortunately, one could never tell that from this video transfer. There have been two previous editions of this film on DVD, both abysmal in quality. Razor Digital has a well-earned reputation for poor transfers, but I figured if the quality were merely bad, it would be a significant improvement over the previous editions. Unfortunately, the Razor Digital edition ranks with the two previous editions as unwatchable. In this case, the colors are extremely over-saturated and unrepresentative of those in the film, distorting its look. The resolution is also quite fuzzy, like a poor third-generation VHS copy. And needless to say, it is non-anamorphic, although it hardly matters with a transfer this poor. I hope that someday this film will get the transfer it deserves. It is not only visually beautiful, but also very touching,

An exquisitely beautiful movie! Deeply moving! An only once in a lifetime journey for father and son. So much revealed. This movie cannot be watched with the mind. Only the heart.

The aims and the pleasures of this lovely little Chinese film are simple enough - through the long journey of a postman and his son, regularly making the trip of 75 miles in three days to deliver the mail on foot to the outlying communities in the mountainous region of Hunan in the south of China, the film attempts to show the beauty of the region and the qualities of its people, living hard lives in remote and hardly accessible places, but enduring it all with goodwill and a sense of purpose.

These sensibilities are enhanced by the relationship that is developed between the father and his son as the old man being forced to retire after long service. His son has been resentful of his father's long absences, and consequently a true father-son relationship has never occurred, but as the son accompanies his father on the long arduous trip as he prepares to take over his role as the new postman (accompanied by their beautiful dog who genuinely seems to be familiar with route and eager to undertake it), he comes to understand the old man better, seeing qualities to aspire to in his dealings with the people of the region.

It's a simple and a sentimental film then, one that like Shen Wensheng's Endless Way, also shot in the region, aims to show the landscape in all its beauty and be respectful of the people who live there in evident poverty and deprivation - and it's hard to be critical of a film that attempts to inspire some positive feelings. It's a little bit misleading of the reality of the situation I'm sure by not dwelling on the negative aspects of living in a remote mountainous region and consequently, there's little conflict or dramatic tension involved. Still, this is a lovely little film, simple, charming with fine sentiments and it looks utterly beautiful.

It would appear that the DVD listed here is sourced from the Hong Kong edition from Mei Ah that I viewed. The Chinese release is watchable but not particularly great - letterboxed without widescreen enhancement, the image rather blotchy and discoloured. The cinematography of the Hunan region however is terrific and still looks fabulous, but there's a sense that it could be so much better in terms of detail and coloration.

I saw this at the movie theatre a few years ago. It is a very touching story about a father and son in southern China. The son plans to take over his dad's postal route and they travel the route together, which appears to be a long way. The son learns a lot about his dad on this trip and this is very touching. The scenery in the movie is great too. This is definitely one of the best Chinese movies I've seen in a while