Three Seasons

02m
Originally uploaded by recyclingfan.

Absolutely beautiful movie, never released in US, obtained dvd from internet purchase. Vietnamese film, featuring Harvey Keitel. Its almost like a Vietnamese "Crash," although I dont want to turn anyone off because of that comparison. A movie full of love and squalor. And redemption. Beautifully filmed, great acting, the sets were incredible (location sets in Ho Chi Minh city - Saigon). Very low moving film but worth the patience. Unforgetable scenes - the ending is a like a beautiful dream. Here are the words to the folk song in the movie:

Can anyone on Earth ever know
how many stalks are in a rice field?
How many bends are in a river?
How many layers are in a cloud?

Can anyone sweep leaves of a forest?
Tell wind to shake trees no more?
How many leaves must a silk worm eat
to weave a dress of colors from our past?

How much rain must fall from clouds
before ocean overflows with tears?
How many years must silver moon
age before it grows older than time?

In middle of a still quiet night
moon appears and waits nearby.
He who can steal my heart for him
I will forever sing joyful songs.


What is the cyclo guy doing to her back?

...the prostitute is cured of a fever with a folk medicine practice in which the skin is scraped with the dull edge of a spoon, a traditional healing technique called 'cau dong,' which supposedly draws out toxins."

Why is it called three seasons? During the boy's scenes, it is ALWAYS raining. And during the scenes with the cyclo driver, the topic is sometimes about the unbearable heat. The prostitute is always cool. The lotus flower blooms during spring? just guessing. Or, young begger boy, mature characters (cyclo driver, prostitute, vietnam vet), and older dying of leprosy?