I didn't like itHome Song Stories
March 6th 2008 12:05
It's been a while since I watched a DVD - since the birth of my baby. But finally he started sleeping at a decent hour and my husband and I sat down to watch Home Song Stories. An Australian film directed by Tony Ayres, who is famous for his previous work on Gay Chinese identities.
Home Song Stories is about Tony Ayres' childhood in Perth. He came to Perth from Hong Kong with his very glamorous and very troubled nightclub singer mother and his sister. His mother married an Australian sailor. The story is about how the mother struggled in suburban Australia. The film is set in Melbourne, but many of the events took place in Perth - Applecross to be exact. Tony Ayres went to Ardross Primary School.
I can't begin to imagine what it would have been like to be Chinese in Perth back then. It was difficult enough in the 1980s. Even in the Chinese world, which was based around restaurants, Ayres' mother was exotic and considered an outsider. She wore her glamorous cheong sams on the then very drab streets of Perth. It's difficult enough settling in Perth after experiencing bright lights and big cities.
I cried throughout the movie. As a new mum it was heart breaking.
The acting in the film was fantastic. It's incredible that an "Australian" film is mainly in Chinese - we do live in a new progressive age.
Joan Chen was excellent in this film. It was a great role for an older actress regardless of ethnicity. The last time I saw Joan Chen was in Season two of "Twin Peaks". The impression on her face stretched out, elasticized within the handle of a set of drawers - as David Lynch would have it.
The movie was harrowing, but so well made. A quality production. The DVD extras are worth looking at too, especially the deleted scenes section.
Home Song Stories is about Tony Ayres' childhood in Perth. He came to Perth from Hong Kong with his very glamorous and very troubled nightclub singer mother and his sister. His mother married an Australian sailor. The story is about how the mother struggled in suburban Australia. The film is set in Melbourne, but many of the events took place in Perth - Applecross to be exact. Tony Ayres went to Ardross Primary School.
I can't begin to imagine what it would have been like to be Chinese in Perth back then. It was difficult enough in the 1980s. Even in the Chinese world, which was based around restaurants, Ayres' mother was exotic and considered an outsider. She wore her glamorous cheong sams on the then very drab streets of Perth. It's difficult enough settling in Perth after experiencing bright lights and big cities.
I cried throughout the movie. As a new mum it was heart breaking.
The acting in the film was fantastic. It's incredible that an "Australian" film is mainly in Chinese - we do live in a new progressive age.
Joan Chen was excellent in this film. It was a great role for an older actress regardless of ethnicity. The last time I saw Joan Chen was in Season two of "Twin Peaks". The impression on her face stretched out, elasticized within the handle of a set of drawers - as David Lynch would have it.
The movie was harrowing, but so well made. A quality production. The DVD extras are worth looking at too, especially the deleted scenes section.
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Comment by Harry
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Brisbane Diarystar
Nice pick though, I'll be keeping an eye out for this one.