Cape No. 7 Review - the Art of Making Art in Hostile Environments

Film Analysis: Cape No. 7

What challenges and obstacles do directors of Chinese-language cinema face in trying to create films in a certain genre with specific generic conventions? Focus on one director we have read about (Wei Te-sheng, Cape No. 7). How have the cultural background, upbringing, and cinematic training of these directors influenced their cinematic style and their engagement with this particular genre?

The Art of Making Art in Hostile Environments

Art is an expression of human emotion and passion, giving pleasure to the artist in the process of making it and presenting the end product to at least her or himself for critical review. From the three lines of prose created in a haiku poem to the towering sculptures of Mount Rushmore, art is the product of a person’s talent and available resources. Certain forms of art require significant financial resources to be completed, provided from government agencies or benefactors interested in art for its beauty and enjoyment, not expecting a monetary repayment for their gift of money. Artists who find wide public acceptance for their work may be able to sell it and make enough money to earn a living, allowing them to continue pursuing their passion as their full time career. The director of a film intended for commercial viewing is an artist who needs commercial success to pursue their passion, because investors are usually required to produce the art and a return on that investment is expected. The film director makes the art in an environment that is extremely hostile with political, social, religious, cultural, and governmental enemies ready to attack and criticize the art they disapprove of. In addition to being the creative force behind the production of the film, the director must also be skilled at creating and modifying elements of the film that will either defuse the enemies or overwhelm them under the weight of public support and commercial success. The Taiwanese film “Cape No. 7” written and directed by Wei Te-Sheng is an example art that was victorious over its enemies.

Film-making as an art form is unique because the scope of the art product is related to monetary financing and its success is measured by financial results against the cost of producing it. The revenues a film generates from being released to public theaters for viewing are easily recorded and their magnitude reflect the level of acceptance of the art product from the public viewers. Film-making is also unique in that it is assembled from pieces of art. It requires the art produced by acting, music, photography, writing, scenic backdrops, costuming and many other components. The director of a film is the master artist who is ultimately responsible for the end product presented to the audience. The making of a film intended for public viewing in theaters is also unique because the director,