Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks

An impressive feat filmed at a very opportune time. I'm not sure it needed the run time, but Bing has clearly done a fantastic job of making his subjects comfortable with the presence of his camera to the point where it feels like they don't even realize it's there at times--it can get almost voyeuristic and his subjects are extremely open. I wish he'd had access to a Steadicam, as he makes heavy use of handheld tracking shots and the camera gets VERY shaky, but this is a small issue.

These are intimate and important stories about the resilience and humour of the residents of Tiexi district, who - with a constant supply of smokes and plenty of games of Mahjong - face off against the unstoppable force of 'progress' in the new millennium. I see a lot of Wiseman and Lanzmann in Bing's documentary, but unlike Wiseman's films which entrance and Lanzmann's films which demand absolute attention, Bing brings a unique sense of playfulness when dealing with such serious matters.

I think I first read about this in a Perry Anderson review in the NYRBs. He referred to it as "a landmark of world cinema," and I think that's a just assessment. For my taste, the first part is much stronger than the others. That said, the whole of it stays with me as few other films do.

All in all, an extremely impressive feat from Wang Bing.

With Rust director Wang Bing has shot a devastating expose on the price of progress and the effect it has on the little guys of the world, and he's done it in a supremely cinematic way. Once you're about twenty minutes or so into watching this film you'll feel like you're in the place, so unobtrusive and naturally does the camera glide around, seemingly unnoticed. An educational, emotional, and cinematic triumph.