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NOTE: Mei Ah Title - TOP and Sony Title - BOTTOM

(aka 'Qiu Ju Goes to Court ')

 

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/zhang.htm
China 1992

 

The title character, Qiu Ju (played by Gong Li), is a peasant who lives in a small farming enclave with her husband Qinglai, his sister and their father. She is in the final trimester of her first pregnancy. One day while her husband is conversing to Wang Shantang, the head of the community, a miscommunication ensues. Qinglai's comment that Shantang "only breeds hens", was misconstrued to reflect on a perceived inability of the chieftain to produce a son (he has two or three daughters). The minor municipality leader is insulted by this inference and beats Qinglai, kicking him so severely in the groin that he must see a doctor and remain absent from his work.

Because of this injustice, Qiu Ju sets forth to extract an explanation from Wang Shatang, one in which the village head is unwilling to supply. Qiu Ju becomes determined to 'right' the 'wrong' and establishes contact with officials from the nearest small town. As the case is mediated and re-mediated (at her insistence) by the government bureaucracy, it is never resolved to Qiu Ju's satisfaction. She is essentially seeking a simple apology and the dispute continues to a potentially devastating climax.

The film includes numerous comical moments. Humorous vignettes involving peasant naiveté when Qiu Ju and Miezi travel to Beijing abound throughout the film. Qiu Ju wonders aloud if the supposed Doctor examining her husband is not really just a veterinarian. Their choice of more modern clothes to disguise their bumpkin roots will also bring a chuckle. Social commentary on Chinese populace ordinances is constantly expressed, "If we can't fix your plumbing," the pregnant Qiu Ju tells Qinglai (played by Liu Pei Qi), "we're stuck with a single-child policy for good!" 

Continuing with his sub-themes of female perseverance, diligence and irrepressible patience (as seen in his other films, "The Road Home" and "Not One Less"), Zhang again uses long distance pedestrian travel as the vehicle of expression. In their efforts to seek justice, Qiu Ju, with her blotted belly, and dutiful sister-in-law Meizi make their way to the larger town numerous times as well as the province's bustling capital city. Here Zhang makes wonderful use of the crowds of people scurrying to their daily activities. This helps add to the realistic nature of the film.

As bold and determined as the embodiment of Mother Earth that she obviously represents, Qiu Ju remains unforgiving, until Wang Shantang is reprieved in her eyes for his part in the eventual birth of their son. Qiu Ju was hemorrhaging badly and required assistance into town that Shantang organized. The vendetta appeared to have subsided as she personally invites him to the child's "moon yeut" ceremony, one month after birth. 

Roger Ebert notes in his review, "...we absorb more information about the lives of ordinary people in everyday China than in any other film I've seen...". I certainly agree with this sentiment as I also found that this expose of the lives of common people of rural China quite illuminating. This film seems to have been ambitiously striving for quite a handful... and achieves all its goals with proud, unpretentious glory. Both having a neo-realism feel, both showing the more detailed levels of the cultural justice system at the grass-roots level and both are expressive in both subtle complexity and simplistic mannerisms.  I give it out of .

 

Posters

 

Theatrical Release: February 19th, 1993

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DVD Comparison: 

Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover

   

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Distribution

Mei Ah

Region 0 - NTSC

Sony Pictures

Region 1 - NTSC

Runtime 1:40:00 1:40:18

Video

1.75:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.11 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.83:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.68 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate : Mei Ah

Bitrate: Sony Pictures

Audio Mandarin (Dolby Digital 2.0) Mandarin (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Mei Ah

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.75:1

Edition Details:
• Synopsis (text screen)

• Cast and Crew (text screen)

DVD Release Date: April 10th, 2001
Keep case

Chapters 9

Release Information:
Studio: Sony Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.83:1

Edition Details:
• none

 

DVD Release Date: March 28th, 2006
Keep case

Chapters 16

 

 

 

Comments The Mei Ah disc is heavily contrast boosted and hence the colors (a very important part of Zhang Yimou's cinema!) are misrepresented. It is also quite hazy next to the new Sony transfer. The subtitle translation is also different with the (yellow) Sony translations being free of the grammar and spelling mistakes of the Mei Ah disc. The Mei Ah is not taken from an HD source and exhibits fine 'combing' (see example below) - it is also cropped on all 4 sides. The Sony image is not perfect - there are some small speckles damage marks that are not apparent in the Mei Ah. Sony disappoints having no extras offered. Even the Mei Ah disc does have some text screens! 

NOTE: The releases also have a different title screens (see above).

Overall, of course, we recommend the new Sony DVD, but feel slighted that it contains no supplements when the film definitely deserves some.   

 - Gary Tooze

 

 






DVD Menus

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

 

 
 

 


Screen Captures

 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
 

Subtitle Sample: Not exact frame

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

NOTE: 'Combing in Mei Ah edition

 


 

(Mei Ah - Region 0 - NTSC TOP vs. Sony Pictures - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)

 

 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Sony Pictures

Sound:

-

Extras: Mei Ah
Menu: Sony Pictures Anniversary

 
DVD Box Cover

Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...

Distribution

Mei Ah

Region 0 - NTSC

Sony Pictures

Region 1 - NTSC




 

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