Lan Yu

[cameo]

Hey kidd, the photo i gave u is not made by me. I found it in internet, so glad that you like it.

i will continue advertising for Lan Yu This is the trailer (with the extremely good theme song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnMxbfrVAXo

Yeah, when i discuss with you, kidd, i muss compare novel LY and film LY, and naturally realise that novel LY is very exceptional and unusual. Can say that he's a character that we've meet nowhere. That's reason why i like him more than before. (previously don't realise that)

Have just reread the novel. Now i think i like the novel as much as the film. Previously I don't like the novel much. i read the novel before watching the movie, and at that time i couldn't feel the love which the author wants to recommend (couldn't imagine that love). Honestly, it hasn't got a good writing style, and the love described between 2 characters is a bit fleshly , most of all time together, they always end up in doing xxx. Fortunately, the movie decodes this love for me. Now i can understand the loving moments between them, and their love made me touched this reading time.

[cameo]

Clip Liu Ye won the Golden Horse award. Did fans shout: "Liu Ye... Lan Yu... "???? I guess that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9CUmarHg1c

Addition: If you like Liu Ye, watch all of his movies. He'll never make you disappointed. A very talent actor. Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress is another very excellent film of Liu Ye. Floating landscape, the foliage... are quite good, too. The more i watch his movies, the more i love him.

[cameo]

Team of Lan Yu movie

Alo...Handong, come picking me up.

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Too delicious...

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Stanley Quan, Hu Jun and Liu Ye

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[cameo]

Look, Hu Jun and Liu Ye are so happy together

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You're always telephoning, i'm bored with u...

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[kidd]

cameo. You r so funny, putting in those captions.

Wow, u really really really love Lan Yu.

[cameo]

Have just read the uncut novel --> hix... second shocked (first time have read only one page, now read the whole novel). Can't express my feeling now. The film is much softer and purer than the novel.

[kidd]

Have just read the uncut novel --> hix... second shocked (first time have read only one page, now read the whole novel). Can't express my feeling now. The film is much softer and purer than the novel.

Now, now. Sex is not a dirty or impure thing. It's a natural human function.

Yeah, the novel looks very porno. But the feelings still there. The love just as pure.

[cameo]

I know, but

... Can't answer, what bases the love between them? Sex or sympathy of soul? May be, in film, the answer is 2; in the novel, the answer is 1+2.

[kidd]

I know, but

... Can't answer, what bases the love between them? Sex or sympathy of soul? May be, in film, the answer is 2; in the novel, the answer is 1+2.

How so?

Lan Yu and Handong in the film also have a lot of sex. The film just didn't show it as explicitly as the novel and not as often (the director didn't want movie to become pornography). But I can also argue that the love between movie Lan Yu and movie Handong is based on 1+2 since they do it so many times. First encounter, they at least did it twice. 4 months later, when they met again, they again did it. First time meet again, straight go to bed. Wah, so earnest. And the next afternoon, they did it again. Couldn't even wait until night. Then there were another scene of them doing it after Handong was released from jail. After that they slept together in the same bed every night. Based on this, I can also argue that part of the reason movie Lan Yu and movie Handong love each other is because the sex is good.

Just because the novel shows the sex scenes explicitly (instead of implying it like the movie), u think their love is not pure. Do u really think when the movie Lan Yu and movie Handong kissed (with both of them either naked or partially naked), they just stopped at the kissing part and not leading to sex? When 2 people love each other, of course they will want to have sex with each other. It's a kind of expression of love.

Anyway, I do think the novel should have cut down on the sex scenes. The many sex scenes in the novel can give the impression of pornography to a lot of people and prevent the novel from getting a wider audience. Your reaction to the novel is a very good example of this. It's all because of the long held belief past down through the generations that sex is dirty.

[cameo]

Honestly, I appreciate the novel higher than the movie, 'cause it can do 3 things:
1. Give us a strong and long-lasting love.
2. Express the pressure which the homosexuals have to bear.
3. Open the details of gays' lives.
Fair comment, novel is deeper and more precise than movie. However, movie brings me the soft and bright feelings, while the novel brings less. But, yeah, the love is as pure. In novel the love may even be stronger, and more painful than in movie. Still love LY (both in 2). Uhm, the ending of novel is too sad, more than movie several folds. It scares me when I read until the end.

[kidd]

Yeah, I agree that the movie is softer and brighter because it focus only on the love and left out the social pressure and stuff. The movie is a love story. The novel is a love story+social commentary. The movie is like a picture book that gives viewers glimpses of the story between Lan Yu and Handong. The novel gives readers a more detailed account of their lives together.

[cameo]

Not as pure is not as pure, it doesn't mean dirty lah. Yeah, sex is a part of love, but not all. I think there're many ways to express and feel love: a hug, a kiss, confidence, share difficulties... Not necessary that they always prove love through sex.
About novel: What can I say when the novel always describes the top of love with satisfy feelings? Feel that just when they see each other, they emerge the desires. It's the major thing that make their love becomes so secular and fleshly.
About film: I think they set everything in the right place. Still have sex, but it doesn't make bad impressions to the audiences.
In short: A perfect love is the harmony of body and soul. I don't deny the role of sex, but I feel in novel, sex was described excessive and become a matter which is permanent and can't be lack in their lives, so I don't like that thing much.

[kidd]

In short: A perfect love is the harmony of body and soul. I don't deny the role of sex, but I feel in novel, sex was described excessive and become a matter which is permanent and can't be lack in their lives, so I don't like it much.

So, after reading the novel, do u feel that Lan Yu will leave Handong if Handong sudden has erectile dysfunction and cannot have sex with him anymore?

[cameo]

Surely I don't think so.

[cameo]

There is an illogical thing in my writings:
First, I say: The love in film is purer. -->I mean the feeling it brings to me after watching film and reading novel.
Second: The love is as pure. --> it's about the nature of the love in film and novel. Both have sacrifices which are admirable.
Third: Not as pure. --> just to say about the excessive describe of the author.
I think that you understand what i mean, although maybe we have different opinions, and the way I interpret is not coherent.
Honestly, a love which heavily inclines to sex is not the love i pursue. I really wish that the author describe the love in the novel more peacefully. (personal idea)

[cameo]

I found an article about Lan Yu in internet, and guess that it was made by kidd (almost sure). I will repost it here.

I think differently regarding the novel. I think it's better than the movie. Yes, the novel can do with less sex scenes or less graphic one, but the novel is also more detail and in-depth and at some parts more logical than the movie.Even the sex scenes reveal something about the characters' personality, relationships and feelings.

More logical:

Lan Yu's relationship with Liu Zheng and Liu Zheng's personality. In the movie, Liu Zheng seems to be a really nice guy and Lan Yu seems to trust him a lot. At the 4 months later scene, Lan Yu told Handong that Liu Zheng is a nice person. During their fight at the elevator, Lan Yu shouted at Handong that he will ask Liu Zheng to withdraw his (Lan Yu's) money from the bank to give back to Handong. Lan Yu even trusts Liu Zheng with his money. Lan Yu is also Liu Zheng's friend's brother in the movie. Why would such a good man as Liu Zheng and with his relationship with Lan Yu pimp Lan Yu to other guy for money? Isn't it more logical for Liu Zheng to lend his own money to Lan Yu until Lan Yu gets a part- time job? In the novel, Liu Zheng is not as nice. He often helped Handong look for 'fun'. Lan Yu is only a destitute young man he just met in front of a Business Centre. So, it is more logical that he would pimp Lan Yu to Handong, because Liu Zheng has often look for one-night-standers for Handong and he has no relation with Lan Yu, so, has no obligation to look after him like in the movie.

Lan Yu told Handong he didn't contact Handong because he has lost his number. When I was watching this scene I wonder 'why didn't he just call Liu Zheng to ask for Handong's number?'. Maybe the movie Lan Yu is too shy or don't know how to approach Handong. So, he just left it be when he lost the number.

But in the novel, it is very clear why Lan Yu didn't call Handong. He was busy at school and his part -time job and I think he also want to be able to earn his own money first before approaching Handong again so that he can develop a non-monetary relationship with Handong. He didn't want Handong to think he only wants Handong's money.

More indept and detailed plots and characterisations:

Lan Yu

Yes, Lan Yu in the movie is basically the Lan Yu in the novel. We see Lan Yu's pride in the movie and his refusal to use Handong's money. We also see Lan Yu's sincerity in the movie and his true love for Handong. But in the novel, this is even more apparent plus we see Lan Yu's stubbornness and bravery but also recklessness (during the Tiananmen incident). Lan Yu in the novel was also willing to endure more than Lan Yu in the movie. The movie Lan Yu left Handong twice. Once when Handong cheated on him with that muscle guy and another when Handong want to get married but still want to remain with Lan Yu.In the novel, Lan Yu loves Handong so much that he still remained with Handong when Handong want to marry and I remember he still stick with Handong when Handong cheated on him with the drummer.But he stood his ground when Handong wanted him to quit his part-time job because a non-monetary relationship with Handong is important to him (Lan Yu in the movie was more willing to accept Handong's gift than novel Lan Yu, who finally relent just to keep Handong happy). He also didn't beg Handong when Handong said dumped him. I do not know which Lan Yu I like more. I like that the movie Lan Yu keep his dignity and was able to leave Handong and Handong wronged him. But I also like the novel Lan Yu who was willing to endure more to be with Handong. Another thing I like about novel Lan Yu that is not apparent in the movie though is Lan Yu's honestly. The novel makes a point to emphasize this many times. Lan Yu never tell lies. When Lan Yu didn't want to tell a person something,he just keep quiet. This is one of the personality of Lan Yu that attracts Handong.
I like the part in the book where Lan Yu only took the amount he asked for after the first night eventhough pay him more and I like that he leave a note telling Handong that he will even pay back the 1000 yuan service payment. I also like the fact that Lan Yu searched out Handong himself after he was financially independant instead of leaving their meeting to chance like in the movie. The novel also give some possible reason why Lan Yu loves Handong so much. 1) Their 1st gentle love-making (Handong made sure that it's gentle so that he can manipulate Lan Yu easier next time). 2) No one has threated him as nice as Handong after his mother's death. Lan Yu's background story also tells a lot about why he has to prostitute himself in the first place.

Handong
Like Lan Yu, Handong in the movie is basically Handong in the novel. But Handong's background story (his sexual experience during his youth) add more to the personality of Handong. Handong psychological struggle with his sexuality was also dealt with more,like him seeing the therapist and trying to convince Lan Yu that homosexuality is a mental illness. In the movie, it seems like the only problem in the relationship was Handong's inability to fully come to terms with his sexuality, that Handong was the only problem and the surrounding people have no problem with his homosexual tendencies. But this was not the case in the movie. External pressure was also great, especially from Handong's own family. His mother practically went hysterical and called her son shameless and non-human when she get to know of Handong's relationship with Lan Yu and his own sister look at him with disgust. I hope the movie has included this aspect in the movie. This is the intention of the author. To tell how society's prejudice bring pain to these minority group. This external pressure plot also made Handong's choice (of marriage) look more sympathetic. The only people that accepted his homosexuality was good friend Liu Zheng and his 'decadent' friends who also don't mind him playing with young girls and having 1 night stands.The novel also shows how ruthless a businessman Handong is and how being with Lan Yu soften him a bit.

Overall Plot:

Like I said above, the story emphisize a lot more on the pain society's ignorant (like all gays have aids) and prejudice bring to the minority group.
I also wish the scriptwriter has added the part about the therepist in the movie. It again shows the ignorant society has towards homosexuality back at the 80's. But this is not the main reason. The main reason is I like the dialogue when Handong want to persuade Lan Yu to go see the therepist ("U actually think yourself is a girl" "I don't" "Then why do u only like men" "I only like u"). I also like the all the steadfast "I don't want.."s Lan Yu said to Handong. I don't know why, but reading himself saying this endears him to me very much.
The plot in the story also show the changes of ther perception of the public on homosexuality. In the beginning, Handong an Lan Yu can only show effection behind close doors. The Tiananmen incident is a big leap in their relationship because that is the first time they hug in the open (but still under the shadow of the night) and near the end, they are finally brave enough to hug in bright day light. This might show society has become more tolerant or Handong and Lan Yu has become braver.
The Jing Ping subplot in the novel allows us to know more about this woman and why her marriage with Handong failed (I actually felt sorry for her although I don't like what she did to Lan Yu).

You must see past the 'porn' to see the touching story in the novel. Like I said in the beginning, the sex could have been less graphic and the number reduced (so that it won't turn some readers away from the story the author mean to tell. Not everyone is comfortable with so graphic depiction of sex), But sex scenes are not mindless porn put in just for porn's sake. Honestly, I can get more from the sex scenes in this story (the state of mind of the characters and the condition their relationship in at that time and the personality of the characters and the dept of feelings the characters has for their bed partner) than from the sex scenes in the English romance novels I've read (Judith McNaught, Jo Beverley, Johanna Lindsey etc).

P.S. I may like the novel more, but Lan Yu is still one of my all time favourite movies, right up there with 'Grave of The Fireflies'.

[cameo]

To kidd: Did you write this article?

[kidd]

If u found it on imdb written by some called reiyi, that's me.

Edit: Yes, I've check it up in imdb. That's my 'article'
If u found it somewhere else, that means someone stole my 'article' and put it somewhere else. I only post it on imdb as a reply to another poster. Haha.

So, where did u find this article?

[cameo]

My English is bad again I used the wrong word 'article' :P
Yeah, I found it in imdb a few weeks ago, and of course i realised who wrote it. I asked you just to ask, 'cause i almost surely know the answer already.

[cameo]

Another clip of Lan Yu, don't know where it came from. In the clip Handong reminisces about Lan Yu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU2ODKiW4vU