The Skywalk Is Gone

Last updated

The Skywalk is Gone
Directed by Tsai Ming-liang
Written byTsai Ming-liang
Starring Chen Shiang-chyi
Lee Kang-sheng
Release date
  • 8 October 2002 (2002-10-08)(Canada)
Running time
25 minutes
CountryTaiwan
Language Mandarin

The Skywalk is Gone (Mandarin name: Tianqiao bu jian le) is a 2002 Taiwanese short film directed by Tsai Ming-liang and starring Chen Shiang-chyi and Lee Kang-sheng.

Contents

Plot

Shiang-chyi has returned to Taipei from her trip to Paris. She goes to the skywalk where she first met Hsiao-kang, the salesman who sold her a watch, but some construction has taken place and the skywalk is gone. She stares at a large video screen for a while and then wanders around aimlessly. After crossing a street illegally, she is stopped by a police officer, who checks her ID card. Shiang-chyi then stops at a coffee shop for a short while. She realizes that her card is missing, so she goes back to the officer to ask if he still has it. He replies that he does not.

Meanwhile, Hsiao-kang is smoking in a public toilet stall. After he finishes, he washes his hands and leaves the restroom. He then walks up some stairs on the underpass. Shiang-chyi is walking down the same flight of stairs, and they pass each other. Hsiao-kang pauses at the top of the staircase to look back down at her, but Shiang-chyi does not notice him.

Hsiao-kang then goes to audition for a new job as a pornographic actor. The director asks him a few questions and then tells him to take off his clothes. Hsiao-kang hesitates but eventually complies. He then puts on a doctor's uniform and steps out onto the balcony to start filming.

The short ends with music playing over a scene of clouds moving in real-time.

Cast

Background

Actors Chen Shiang-chyi and Lee Kang-sheng both reprised their roles from Tsai Ming-liang's previous film What Time Is It There? Their characters would also appear in Tsai's next film, The Wayward Cloud . [1] [2]

One of the principal locations of What Time Is It There? was the skywalk in front of the New Railway Station. The skywalk was torn down after shooting the film, and this short is based on that fact. [3] Director Tsai Ming-liang later joked that "It seems that many places that I shot for my films have vanished. This is kind of worrying!" [4]

A major theme of this film is the urbanization of Taipei. [2] The song playing at the end of it is called "Nanping Bell". [1]

Release and reception

The Skywalk Is Gone was the first short film to ever get a theatrical commercial run in Taiwan. [1] However, it was shown in only one theater. [1] It was included on the DVD for the film Goodbye, Dragon Inn . [5] [6]

The short was generally well received by critics. It won the Grand Prize at the 2003 Vila do Conde International Short Film Festival. According to the Taipei Times : "Its self-referential natures makes Skywalk somewhat difficult to understand, but Tsai maintains high production values and the short film is filled with precise shots, beautiful photography and good performances." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsai Ming-liang</span> Malaysian-Taiwanese filmmaker

Tsai Ming-liang is a Malaysian-Taiwanese filmmaker. Tsai has written and directed 11 feature films, many short films, and television films. He is one of the most celebrated "Second New Wave" film directors of Taiwanese cinema. His films have been acclaimed worldwide and have won numerous awards at festivals. In 1994, Tsai won the Golden Lion at the 51st Venice International Film Festival for the film Vive L'Amour.

<i>Goodbye, Dragon Inn</i> 2003 film

Goodbye, Dragon Inn is a 2003 Taiwanese comedy-drama slow cinema film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang about a movie theater about to close down and its final screening of the 1967 wuxia film Dragon Inn.

<i>Vive LAmour</i> 1994 Taiwanese film

Vive L'Amour is a 1994 Taiwanese New Wave film directed by Tsai Ming-liang. It is Tsai's second feature film and premiered at the 51st Venice International Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Golden Lion. The film is about three people who unknowingly share an apartment in Taipei.

<i>Dragon Inn</i> 1967 film

Dragon Inn is a 1967 Taiwanese wuxia film written and directed by King Hu. The film was remade in 1992, as New Dragon Gate Inn, and again in 2011 as The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate.

<i>The Wayward Cloud</i> 2005 film by Tsai Ming-liang

The Wayward Cloud is a 2005 Taiwanese film directed by Tsai Ming-liang and starring Lee Kang-sheng and Chen Shiang-chyi.

<i>The Hole</i> (1998 film) 1998 Taiwanese film

The Hole, also known as The Last Dance, is a 1998 Taiwanese drama-musical film directed by Tsai Ming-liang. It stars Yang Kuei-mei and Lee Kang-sheng.

<i>What Time Is It There?</i> 2001 film

What Time Is It There? is a 2001 Taiwanese film directed by Tsai Ming-liang. It stars Lee Kang-sheng, Chen Shiang-chyi, and Lu Yi-ching.

<i>Rebels of the Neon God</i> 1992 film by Tsai Ming-liang

Rebels of the Neon God is a 1992 Taiwanese drama film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang in his feature film directorial debut. It stars Lee Kang-sheng, Chen Chao-jung, and Jen Chang-bin.

Lee Kang-sheng is a Taiwanese actor, film director and screenwriter. He has appeared in all of Tsai Ming-liang's feature films. Lee's directorial efforts include The Missing in 2003 and Help Me Eros in 2007.

<i>I Dont Want to Sleep Alone</i> 2006 Malaysian film

I Don't Want to Sleep Alone is a 2006 Malaysian-Taiwanese romantic drama film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang. Lee Kang-sheng stars in a dual role as a brain-dead patient and as an injured homeless man. The film also stars Norman Atun and Chen Shiang-chyi.

Chen Shiang-chyi is a Taiwanese actress. She has appeared in most of Tsai Ming-liang's feature films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lu Yi-ching</span> Taiwanese actress

Lu Yi-ching is a Taiwanese actress. She has appeared in several films directed by Tsai Ming-liang, such as What Time Is It There? and The Wayward Cloud, and films by Cheng Wen-tang, including Blue Cha Cha. Lu lives in Taipei.

<i>Help Me Eros</i> 2007 Taiwanese film

Help Me, Eros is the second film from director Lee Kang-sheng, following his directorial debut in 2003, The Missing.

<i>The River</i> (1997 film) 1997 film by Tsai Ming-liang

The River is a 1997 Taiwanese film directed by Tsai Ming-liang and starring Lee Kang-sheng, Miao Tien, and Lu Yi-ching. The plot centers on a family who has to deal with the son's neck pain. In 2003, a critic called it Tsai's "bleakest film."

<i>Face</i> (2009 film) 2009 Taiwanese film

Face is a 2009 Taiwanese-French film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang.

Sweet Degeneration is a 1997 Taiwanese drama film written and directed by Lin Cheng-sheng. It was entered into the 48th Berlin International Film Festival.

<i>Stray Dogs</i> (2013 film) 2013 Taiwanese film

Stray Dogs is a 2013 drama film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang. The Chinese title of the film is Jiaoyou, which means "Excursion." An international co-production of Taiwan and France, the film stars Lee Kang-sheng.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chen Chao-ming</span> Taiwanese politician

Chen Chao-ming is a Taiwanese politician.

<i>No No Sleep</i> 2015 film directed by Tsai Ming-liang

No No Sleep is a 2015 mainland China—Taiwan—Hong Kong short film by Taiwanese film director Tsai Ming-liang, winning Best Director at the Taipei Film Awards in 2015. It features Taiwanese actor Lee Kang-sheng and Japanese actor Masanobu Andō, and includes non-sexual full-frontal male nudity.

<i>Days</i> (film) 2020 film

Days is a 2020 Taiwanese slow cinema drama film directed by Tsai Ming-liang. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. It won the jury Teddy Award at the 70th Berlinale.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hu, Brian. "Goodbye City, Goodbye Cinema: Nostalgia in Tsai Ming-liang's The Skywalk is Gone". sensesofcinema.com. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  2. 1 2 Braester, Yomi. Painting the City Red: Chinese Cinema and the Urban Contract (Duke University Press, 2010), pp. 187-189.
  3. ↑ Laughlin, Charles A. Contested Modernities in Chinese Literature (Macmillan, 2005), p. 157.
  4. 1 2 Yu Sen-lun. "Tsai Ming-liang continues his search for a vanishing Taipei". taipeitimes.com, April 25, 2003. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  5. ↑ Lee, Nathan. "Popcorn Flicks & Art-House Feasts". nysun.com, May 25, 2005. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  6. ↑ Willmott, Don. "Goodbye, Dragon Inn". filmcritic.com, September 21, 2004. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.