Rating: 
Summary: Smells delicious.
Review: Expatriate Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung, who was 29 years old in 1993 when he made *The Scent of Green Papaya*, joined a select pantheon that includes the likes of Orson Welles and Jean-Luc Godard (just to name a couple off the top of my head). Meaning, he was a "wunderkind" who changed cinema. ("Was"? He's still doing it.) Even though comparing *Green Papaya* to *Citizen Kane* is like comparing papayas to oranges, the fact remains that Hung's debut had a similarly galvanizing effect on cinema that *Kane* did. This movie, quite simply, put Vietnam on the cinematic map. Set during the pre-war 1950's, it chronicles the experiences of a young servant-girl named Mui who works and lives in a well-to-do, somewhat Westernized household. Halfway through, it jumps forward 10 years: having been forced out of her job by financial constraints, Mui is sent by her employers to a wealthy pianist who's a friend of the family. Naturally, she falls in love with the handsome pianist. And there's your story. Sorry for the spoilers, but the simplicity of the virtually nonexistent "plot" is the least thing you should concern yourself with. A review below mine groused about wanting a "story in the mix", and complained that the movie's nothing more than a series of beautiful pictures. . . . First of all, in today's all-too-ugly cinema, I think it's wrongheaded to dismiss a movie that's beautifully made -- as if beautifully-made movies are an everyday occurence. Secondly, there's story enough in this mix, although those viewers too unimaginative to see beyond the prison-walls of standard, formulaic, stupid "Hollywood" narrative conventions will doubtless not even find it, let alone appreciate it. The director's basic theme is the interconnectedness of things: with superb discrimination, Hung demonstrates how the infintesimal illuminates the infinite. His audacious ambition seems to be to tell a story of Life Itself. The interplay between the drama of the characters' lives and the drama of Nature which surrounds them enriches both stories. Most striking is the almost elliptical manner in which Hung focuses so intently on something like a drop of milk-sap falling on a leaf, while putting no more weight -- in fact, probably less -- on the major incidents of the characters lives. It's the appeal of a more quietist philosophy than ours to put things in their proper perspective. Doubtless this appeal will on deaf ears here in the West; the movie won't find many champions in a distracted USA, for instance. But that doesn't make it any less of a masterpiece. -- A quick rejoinder to the several reviewers who griped that this wasn't the "real" Vietnam. Well, that's correct in one sense: the movie was shot in France on sound-stages. Instead of marveling at the director's brilliance in evoking a deeply involving, realistic world from scratch, they choose to take issue with his "imagination", essentially saying that his cinematic vision is nothing more than wishful thinking. The obvious answer to this is to say that Donald Trump's America isn't my America, a homeless man's America isn't my America, etc. And Tran Anh Hung's impressionistic Vietnam isn't your Vietnam, and a cyclo-driver's Vietnam isn't yours, either. The movie is a work of imagination. It is not a documentary about the country. Does that clear things up for you? (Sheesh!)
Rating:
Summary: An Absolute Beauty of Art
Review: First of all do not mix this film with Hung's second work Cyclo. There is no violence killing or hopelessness in this movie. Rather it is about love in most innocent form it can ever be. Film is based on a very young vietnamese maid's life. There are no fighting GI joes or VC crawling under the wire. Rather story is based on 50's and 60's Saigon where war seems to be so far away.This film is about human relations and love. Yes There is not much talking and it is a semi silent film if you like to call it that way. But why you need words when camera takes the lead and portrays everything so colorful and soulful and hence comin up with one of the most remarkable visual screen feast ever. Colours the street scenes (which were all shot in a studio in France) and the natural way of acting leaves you so speechless. The innocent atmosphere that surrounds the film pull us in and never release us till the end. Tran Anh Hung is a real talent and he proves himself with this beauty as well as with colder and more violent but always brilliant cyclo. One of the very best films that was made in 90's. Watch it and enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Details
Review: Good movie. Deliberately small in scope (it's all about details), it's a cinderella story set in Saigon, right down to the gold shoe reference. The main character, Mui, grows up a servant in a fairly well-off household, and the story follows her from age seven to adulthood, when she becomes the mistress of her own house. But it's as much about ants, papaya, toads, crickets, window-grates, and cooking as it is about Mui.
Rating:
Summary: Magical, mystical memories of sounds and scenes of Vietnam.
Review: Having spent several years working in a small village of Vietnam, I still cannot believe that this beautifully crafted film was not shot in the heart of Vietnam. The scenes, sounds and the breathtaking authentic look of the film take me back to those early 60's years in the country side of South Vietnam. The story, the people and the ambiance of this film is true and honest and constitute a memorial adventure for the viewer. I have wanted to share this film with my family for so long. Thanks Amazon for finding me a copy.
Rating: 
Summary: Exquisite visual movie with poor DVD transfer
Review: I agree with all the positive things said about this movie. This is one of the most beautifully photographed movies you will ever see. Each shot is beautifully framed, an absolute poem for the eyes. The beauty of the film is almost beyond description and the poignant story, told almost without dialogue, is beautiful as well. Why then, why, oh why, was this movie put out with such a poor DVD transfer? The screen size is described as "FULL" but it is a compromise where if your TV is set to a 16 x 9 ratio you get a widened image with fat heads and elongated horizontal limbs; if your TV is set on regular 4 x 3 ratio you get a scrunched up image. The quality of the image is grainy and poor as well. This is such a disappointment because, almost more than any movie I can imagine, Scent of Green Papaya deserves a top quality DVD. Get this movie, but see it in your local art house theater if you ever get the chance. And we can only hope that this film will eventually be released in a new and improved DVD edition.
Rating:
Summary: ...Green Papaya ; a poignant movie
Review: I already had ... Green Papaya on VHS and was eagerly waiting for the DVD to come out. While the transfer is good, it is not widescreen as advertised (1.66:1)! The end credits are in a modified letterbox but the movie is 1.33:1. It
lessened,somewhat my enjoyment of this film.I wish that the DVD had been in widescreen as it was and still is advertised!
Edd Kerr
iegolden@shaw.ca .
Rating:
Summary: Cool stuff
Review: I am an American who is really into the Asaian cultures, mainly bedause it's a hobby and my grandmother is Japanese. I watched this movie after renting it from blockbuster video one night and new that I had to have a copy of it. I loved the story and how meaningful it all became. Without any loss there is no healing and all know that. I loved this movie and would definalty be interested in seeing more where Tran Nu Yen-Khe is concerned. Cam On
Rating:
Summary: THIS IS A MOVING WORK OF ART...EVERY SCENE A VISUAL POEM
Review: I am not going to do a plot review as that has been do so very well by many other viewers. My comments are about the beautiful emotional touches of the heart that makes this exraordinary. Beautiful, in every way. The sounds are exquisitly quiet...listen closely and you might here the sound of a peaceful heart for the first time in you life. You might realize how many of the simple pleasures in your life you miss watching beautiful Mui explore her world and seeing things her almost child-like fascination with what others might deem ordinary. Missing this film is like missing any work of art you have a chance to too view in your life. Please consider this one a must.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable foreign film!
Review: I remember the first time I had ever seen this movie. 4-5 years or so ago I was surfing through my parents' digital cable movie channels hoping to find something that interested me. When I read the info for 'The Scent of Green Papaya', I thought to myself, that sounds like a good movie, so I tuned in to watch. Honestly, the first time I watched it, I thought it was good, but after the second and third time, I thought it was fantastic. It's a charming story about a 10-year-old servant girl growing up in the 1950's in Saigon. As you're watching the movie, you feel sorry and perhaps a bit angry at the mother who's husband is cheating and leaving the house for days with all the family's hard earned money. You learn to spite, yet love the youngest son for his devilish and mischievious tricks he plays on the young servant girl. It's a wonderful movie, but not necessarily family oriented. Perhaps for those interested in forgein films with a bit of comedy and romance attached. Still, it is definitely a must see!
Rating:
Summary: Beauty, Passion, Forbidden fruit...
Review: I saw this film some years ago and the feelings it gave me never left. This movie won the cannes film festival coveted Camera d'Or award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film of 1993. Set in Vietnam in the 1950s and 60s, it is is visual masterpiece. A quiet movie with little spoken word (subtitles) But delivers immense volume with its astounding scenery. For those with a passion for Vietnamese cinema, I highly recommend this movie.
|
