16 planet of the arts / december 1997 CULTURAL DIALECTICS Film Review Worth 1,000 Words by Lucas Gustafson WP Ap), Us YY CML maaan ate 1! AON Hong Kong Stereotypes ..continued from page 15 image of Hong Kong as having a shiny veneer sur- face but underneath which is a soul that is nothing more than a black hole. But are Nicole’s statements accurate? And did Schaebler satisfactorily chal- lenge or explore her notions? I went seeking to understand the part of Hong Kong culture that the Western media rarely por- tray. It wasn’t difficult to find and it was obvious where to look. The city is making active attempts at bolstering a culture that speaks from the Hong Kong people’s souls rather than from their wallets. At this point, the arts community is rel- atively small but sup- port is building. With an arts council in place for jurying grants (equivalent to the Canada Council), along with the Hong Kong School for Performing Arts and the Hong Kong Art Centre — which hous- es a gallery, a theatre for live performance, and a theatre for independent and experimental film screenings, as a few examples, the city is moving towards creating a thriving art culture. At the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) screening, I asked Schaebler whether he held the same attitudes as Nicole. Schaebler avoid- ed answering, and replied that he didn’t want to express his own opinions, but simply allowed his interviewees to speak while he videotaped them. What Schaebler didn’t acknowledge is the part he played in directing the conversation by his ques- tions: he chose the topics to be discussed and steered the themes through his questions. Hong Kong is capitalism's wet dream. And perhaps this was his strategy, as a Swiss choosing to make a documentary on a predomi- nantly Chinese society, to ward off accusations of misrepresentation: hide behind the documentary style and innocently claim not to have an opinion. It didn’t appear that Schaebler cared to notice that the Asians at the Vancouver Film Festival screening did not join in praise with the rest of the audience by clapping at the end of his video. And when challenged by an Asian audience member on why he chose to not interview a non- English Hong Kong Chinese, speaking he answered in what seemed to be a slightly irritated tone that it was a budgetary deci- sion. He claimed he couldn't afford a translator. How acceptable is this answer? What with Hong Kong’s recent past as a British colony and its majority Chinese population, many of its citizens fluently speak both English and Cantonese. With a little work and a hundred Canadian dollars he could have easily engaged a non-professional translator for at least a day. Schaebler’s indifferent rationalization implies that it’s possible to make a proper documentary on Hong Kong without representing about half the population. His answer also reflects a lack of sen- sitivity towards Chinese ethnicity. Chinese ethnicity is not monolithic or homogeneous. The distinction between the many varieties of “Chineseness’, engendered by history, geography and language, is obvious to anyone who can look beyond the black hair, the golden/ a ae a ee brownish shade of skin, and a certain sort of eye structure. More careless research and lack of sensitivity to Hong Kong culture reveals itself again by Schaebler intercutting clips from the film, The World of Suzie Wong, within Peter’s interview. Historically recognized as a Western romantic translation of Hong Kong and an exotification of Asian society, The World of Suzie Wong is held in much disdain by the people of Hong Kong as well as within Asian communities in Canada. This film tells the story of a white man (played by William Holden) who travels to Hong Kong looking for adventure and falls in love with Suzie Wong, an Asian prostitute. Peter, in Schaebler’s documentary, is an ex- patriot who travelled to Hong Kong also looking for adventure, and finds himself working as a policeman coincidentally in Suzie’s neighbour- hood: Wan Chai, Hong Kong’s infamous red light district. Perhaps. Schaebler thought he was being clever in parallelling William Holden’s character with Peter’s experience. But what really comes across is Schaebler’s alarming lack of visual literacy and cultural analysis. Schaebler neglected to see the more significant parallel between The World of Suzie Wong and his documentary: they both view Hong Kong culture as the exotic “other”. His use of clips from a film that has no credi- bility with the people it depicts, and is considered by them to be insulting, implies his ignorance about Chinese culture. Peter’s honest affection for Hong Kong is obvi- ous, in that he feels, “accepted by the local people” despite his white skin. But what follows is a clip of Suzie Wong rewarding William Holden with a kiss for loving her. Peter’s generous words are diminished by Schaebler intercutting the scenes.. Through his editing choices, Schaebler re-establishes the imbalance of power within a colonial relationship between the West and the East, where William Holden — the economically stable, white male, foreigner from the West — accepts Suzie — the economically unstable, “exotic” Chinese female, prostitute from the East. continued on page 26, see “Beyond” v3 he a a> G 2 q 2 > & z < = 9 ° Ss ie) Ee & 16 planet of the orts / december 1997 CULTURAL DIALECTICS Film Review Worth 1,000 Words Hong Kong Stereotypes image of Hong Kong as having shiny vencer sue face but underneath which ia soul thats noting ‘more than a blackhole. But are Nicole's statements accurate? And did Schacber satisfactorily chal: lenge or explore her notion? went seeking to understand the part of Hong Kong culture thatthe Westen media rarely po. tray. It wasn't dificult to find and it was obvious where to look. The city is making active attempts at bolstering a culture that speaks from the Hong Kong people's souls rather than fom their wallets ‘A this point the arts community isl atively small but sup or is building. With an arts council in place for juying grants (equivalent the Canada Counc), along withthe Hong Kong Schoo for Reforming, Artsand the Hong Kong Art Centre ~ which hous a gallery, a theatre for lve performance, and a theatre for independent and experimental film screenings, a afew examples, the cty is moving towards creating a thriving art culture. [At the Vancouver International Film Festival (WIFE) sreening, I asked Schacbler whether he Iheld the same attitudes 8 Nicole Sehacbler avoid- cf answering, and replied that he didnt want to expres his own opinions, but simply allowed his interviewees to speak while he videotaped them, What Schacler did't acknowlede isthe part he Played in directing the conversation by his ques tions: he chose the opis to be discussed and steered the themes through his questions. Hong Kong is capitalism's wet dream. [And perhaps this was hs strategy as a Swiss choosing to make a documentary ona predomi: nantly Chinese society, to ward off accusations of rmisreprsenaton: hide behind the do styleand innocently claim not to ave an opinion Ie dia’ appar that Schaebler cared to notice © Asians at the Vancouver Film Festival ng didnot join in rate with theres of the audience by clapping atthe end of his video. And when challenged by an Asian audience _memberon why he chose to not interview anon: English speaking Hong. Kong Chinese, the answered in sehat seemed tobe ightly fesitated tone that it vasa budgetary deci son, He claimed he coulda afford a translator. How acceptable is this answer? What with Hoong Kong's recent pas as. British colony an its majority Chinese population, many ofits citizens AAyntly speak both English and Cantonese. With a line work and a hundred Canadian dollars he ‘could have easly engaged a non-professional translator frat leas day Schacbler’s indiferent rationalization implies that its posible tomakea proper documentary on Hoong Kong without representing about half the population. His answer also reflect a lack of Sen sitivity towards Chinese ethnic Chinese ethnicity is not monolithic or homogenous. 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Perhaps Schacbler thought he was Being clever {in paralleling, Wiliam Holdens character with More carees ca Peter's experience. But what reilly comes across is Schacblr’s alarming lack of visual literacy and cultural analysis Schacbler neglected to se the more sgafcant parallel between The World of Susie Wong and his documentary: they both view Hong Kong culture the exotic "other is use of clips from a ln that has no cred bility with the people it depicts, and is considered wy 2m 0 be insulting, implies his ignorance about Chines alr Peters honest affection for Hong Kong i obvi ‘usin tat he fees "accepted by the local people expt his white kin But what follows is clip of by Lucas Gustafson Susie Wong rewarding William Holden with a kiss for loving her. Peters generous words are diminished by Schacbler inercuttng the scenes. Through his editing. choices, Schacbler re-establishes the imbalance of power within a colonial rationship bbetween the West and the East, where Wiliam Holden ~ the economically stable, white ma the cconomically unstable, “exotic” Chinese female, foreigner from the West ~ accepts Suzie prostitute from the East