Three Times details
| Format: | 15 DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Qi Shu, Chang Chen, Gong Li |
| Director: | Hou Hsiao-Hsien |
| Genres: | Drama - General, World Cinema - French |
| Studio: | FUSION MEDIA |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Three Times |
15 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 56 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 13 Nov 2006 |
| Main languages: | Mandarin, Taiwanese |
| Subtitles: | English |
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Most helpful review
Excruciating
By a customer from South Wales , 06 Apr 2007[Highly rated reviewer]
Whilst I am generally a fan of World Cinema, this was so spectacularly dull it will be memorable for me. This is clearly one of the those love it or hate it films when you look at the reviews for this.
The film is split into 3 stories with the same 2 principal actors used in all. The first of the stories A Time for Love is at least bearable. Set in 1966 it focuses on the foundation of love between a young military officer and girl who works snooker halls.
Common throughout this film as a whole is a complete lack of character development and dialogue. I actually couldn't even endure the second story A Time For Freedom and fast forwarded it after the first 10 minutes or so. It was based in 1911 and concerns a courtesan and her client. Played as a silent movie with the most horrendous soundtrack, it was excruciating.
The final story A Time for Youth is based in 2005 and focuses on a love triangle between a photographer and epileptic singer/musician and her girlfriend. The story is disinteresting and goes nowhere .
In my opinion don't bother renting this. If you want to watch an Asian love story set across time you would be far better off renting Kar Wai Wong's In The Mood For Love.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (19) Yes |
- No (5)
All reviews
(20)Subtle and mesmerising
By LWong (36 reviews) , 03 Dec 2011You either love it or hate it this movie. Whilst most reviews here seem to find it dull, I found this movie nuanced and somewhat mesmerising.
The movie captures the concept of love and relationship within the Asian culture during 3 very different time periods: post war 60s, Qing dynasty in the 1910s, and present day. The first part of the story (60s) highlights the age of innocence where love during the day was a typical story of boy-meets-girl. During the Qing dynasty however, love was somewhat bounded by medieval societal values where women were traded like cattle. The last story presents the fact that the pursuit of love is easier and more accessible as gender equality progresses. However, the ready accessibility to pursue love has stripped off the entire concept of love into pure lust. This begs the question on whether our so called social progress actually made us happier and contented beings. From the movie, the answer seems to be no.
Shu Qi is a very talented actress I must say, if one can look beyond her beauty. Her ability to capture three very different characters across three different time periods is a challenging feat. However, it can be difficult to appreciate that considering her beauty can be a main distraction to her real talent.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Difficult
By StoneT (15 reviews) from Totnes, England , 21 Jul 2009I didn't enjoy this film.
I know a person who might but far more who wouldn't.
The basic premise of the film seems to be that the concepts of love and relationships are changing through time. While I disagree with some of the reviews here that there is no merit at all, I'm sure the message could have still come across with a little more happening.
For example: In the first story a man goes off to national service and leaves a girl he met at a pool room. I would think that maybe there would be some indication of what he did while away, the challenges he faced, his musings on life, anything that would let us know who he was or how he felt about her. Or an equivalent development of her character.
Instead we are treated to a full five minute static shot of the girl opening some doors with a little difficulty and then racking up the pool balls. This gives us nothing other than an observation of someone doing stuff.
For five minutes!
Bold? Maybe. Pretentious? For sure!
The silent movie format of the second segment is equally pretentious. There seems to be no point behind this other than to be 'Arty'.
The third segment has most character development but the characters all seem somewhat damaged and morose.
As others here I love Asian films. I love art house films. I even love slow films. Unfortunately this film seems to take the worst aspects of each and blend them into a disjointed exercise of camerawork and 'Acting'.
I guess I would have to sum up the film as - Looks nice. Lacks substance- Was this review helpful to you?
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Dull
By a customer from Worcester , 05 Feb 2009Now I like an arty film as well as the next man, but this was dull beyond belief. Nice mis en scene I suppose: the 1911 story was silent (although in colour) the 6o's film was sort of groovy, and the 2005 story was full of video technique.
Apart from that, there's a lot of standing about, lots of empty scenes when the actors go out of shot and you're left wondering what was so interesting where they'd escaped to...
Perhaps the storylines mean something to Taiwaneesers (?), but I was lost and numbed.- Was this review helpful to you?
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- No (1)
Three times
By a customer from Llandysul , 12 Nov 2008A slow, apparently plotless film, 'Three times' gives ones of the greatest insights into historical variation that I have seen. For my generation, born just after the war, the first section, set in 1966, was the most familiar, while the courtesan section set in 1911 was familiar by osmosis from my parents generation and reading. The modern-day section could have come from another planet. As someone else has observed, so much of what we do is conditioned by our times. This film will remain in the memory.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (1)
Worth seeing - if you're not impatient.
By a customer from Aberdeen, Scotland , 16 Sep 2008The stories too slow, the characters too dull, to keep my interest. But it is beautifully filmed and, knowing Taiwan a little, it was in some ways a good nostalgic trip.- Was this review helpful to you?
- (1) Yes |
- No (0)
