The Puppetmaster

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Alec B An interesting meld of a biopic and a documentary (of sorts). I've seen some people critical of the movie's stillness but as it does make you feel like you are sitting in a room with the characters which heightens the emotion in several scenes. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Audience Member An interesting meld of a biopic and a documentary (of sorts). I've seen some people critical of the movie's stillness but as it does make you feel like you are sitting in a room with the characters which heightens the emotion in several scenes. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review William L Is it just me, or were there a lot of these long-form, highly regarded Taiwanese dramas made in the last 20-odd years of the 20th century that reflected on the turbulent history of the island? It seems that quite a few directors felt the need to convey their personal experiences from uncertain times in film, not that I'm complaining. The constant exchange of government oversight and its status as a major point of contention in modern geopolitics has led to some interesting film, particularly over questions of national identity and recurring personal tragedy. Now, The Puppetmaster specifically. Widely acclaimed at release and still retaining some considerable support in the last Sight & Sound poll, this Hou Hsiao-hsien biopic/drama seems to have fallen through the cracks a bit in recent years; it doesn't carry nearly the same level of international name recognition as films such as A Brighter Summer Day or Yi Yi, perhaps in some part due to its unusual subject matter (documenting the early life of Taiwanese puppeteer Li Tian-lu as a vehicle for the Japanese occupation of Taiwan) as well as an unusual structure - the film is a languid drama that is routinely intercut with modern, documentary-like footage of its subject providing recollections of his life, as well as several detailed scenes of puppet shows themselves. It's a distinctive approach to telling the story of social upheaval in Taiwan, with an emphasis on slow pacing. Is it the most overtly powerful drama? Probably not, but it is certainly a well-made and pointed one that makes a single character a focal point for the struggles of an entire nation under foreign rule. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/20/21 Full Review S R 1001 movies to see before you die. A different look at Taiwanese history and having been to the country it showed me a different perspective about the rural cities. Learning about Puppeteers in Taiwan was also informative and they did an amazing job. Overall, the story was a bit slow, but it taught me more about the Japanese occupation. It was on youtube. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/12/23 Full Review Audience Member æ¯?èµ·æ?²æ??å??å¸?æ?´å??欢è¿?é?¨ä¼ è®°ç??ï¼?å¹³å®?å??å?¶ä¸­æ¸²æ??äº?ä¸?å¹?äº?æ??æ?¶ä»£å?¾ï¼?æ??å??æ??é£?æ?ºç??é??头é??å??å??ä»?ç??é?³ä¹?讲ä¹?ä¹?å??æ??ç??æ??绪ç¨?ä½?é??æ?¾ï¼?ä¹?å°±æ??äº?æ??äº?ç??ç»?æ??ï¼?å??å¹³ç??å?°æ?¥ï¼? Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member This was such a uniquely satisfying film. It starts off a bit slow, but as the story progresses and Li Tienlu narrates his own life story the film becomes more and more endearing as a portrait of a man set to use his passion in ways he never expected (or even wanted). The film is a mixture of dramatized narrative with actual on screen storytelling and narration from Li himself. It's a great film for those looking for something different. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Puppetmaster

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