Aventurina King

Next on my list of Liu Ye films was Na Shan Na Ren Na Gou (that mountain, those men, that dog; or the official translation: “postmen on the mountain” which wisely loses the dog).  Like Lan Yu, another so-so production. The film opens on the rusty lamp-lit room of a house on the mountain.  An old man is collecting dusty papers and gently depositing them in what could be a lonely planet guide’s back sack.  He is the father postman, dutifully preparing the post bag for his successor and son (Liu Ye).  In the glimmering morning both of them set out to deliver accross the mountain.  The rest is scene after scene of mountain greenery stained by the figures of the two men and the faithful post dog.  The music comes straight from the waiting room of a psychiatric ward, inner-peace inducing flutes and bells.  The mountain people are smiling, even though their life is hard–this remains the main topic of conversation between father and son throughout the quasi uneventful journey.  Liu Ye also smiles eventhough his childhood has been fatherless (as we learn from the slow mo beauty lense flashbacks that easily make up half of the movie).  The role suites him well, or rather he suites the role well.  Although the son is 24, he is still a child at heart.  Liu Ye stares up towards the next mountain he has to climb as he does at his father, both reverentially and fearfully.  When interacting with the mountain people, his timid glance darts away, the sides of his mouth barely curl up.  Sometimes he laughs out loud with the abandon of a five year old or unabashedly sings off key and beat along to pop songs on his small radio.