Film Analysis of “The Red Detachment of Women”

Introduction:
The film I would like to analyze is one of the classic seventeen-year films “The Red
Detachment of Women”. Seventeen-year films refer to the films from mainland China
from the founding of the People’s republic of China in 1949 to the Cultural
Revolution. The primary characteristic of seventeen-year films are that they are
closely related to politics, so during that period, many directors made films about
revolutionary history. The story of “the Red Detachment of Women” took place during
the Second Chinese Civil War. As a slave from the bottom of society, the protagonist
Wu Qionghua is oppressed by the feudal landlord Nan Batian. In the early part of the
film, the whole tone is dark. The dark colours give the audience the feeling of being
overwhelmed by a mountain. Just like most proletarians at the beginning of the film
are not fight against fate and have no choice but to live an oppressed life. Qionghua
belongs to the minority, in order to escape from that hellish life, she was determined
to be a female soldier and fought the reactionaries. Until she met Hong Changqing, a
Red Army cadre disguised as an Overseas Chinese, and on his recommendation joined
the women army on the road to revolution. From here, the colour becomes brighter.
For Qionghua, Secretary Changqing is like the light in the night, pointing out the
direction for her. Qionghua from a no faith, want to revenge even violates the
discipline of female soldiers grew up to be a responsible Proletarian soldier. After the
sacrifice of Secretary Changqing, she led the detachment of women to liberate Yelin
Village and wiped out Nan Batian (Zhu and Wang 1960). In this paper, I will analyze
the photography used by the director through two film clips and the role of two clips
in the whole film.

Subtitle 1 (End of an Absolutism Era)

1:00:10-1:02:15

This two-minute clip comprises 23 shots. This clip tells the story of Nan Batian and
his lackey being arrested and paraded through the streets. The scene for Nan Batian is
shot from top to bottom, high Angle shooting with a derogatory colour. At this time,
Nan Batian was no longer the commander in chief of the militia but was shown in
front of the people like cattle by chains. Qionghua walked in front of him to tell the
people around them about Nan Batian's evil deeds. The director put the two in the
same frame for a sharp contrast. They used to be a slave and a master, but now they
are a soldier and a prisoner. In just a few months, things have changed. Here we can
see that something white coated on Nan Batian's face. In traditional Chinese Peking
Opera, when we represent a treacherous villain, we used white face. The detail of
painting a white face on Nan Batian also shows that he is a heinous bully. The camera
turned to the onlookers. At first, there was no particular reaction from everyone, but
when Qionghua mentioned communist ideology, the surrounding people became
excited. The idea of equality between men and women and the emancipation of slaves
as masters were unthinkable to the ordinary people during the liberation war.
However, seeing the examples of Nan Batian and Qionghua, everyone's desire to fight
was thoroughly aroused. People shouted "down with local tyrants and evil gentry"
while throwing vegetable leaves at evil forces such as Nan Batian. At this time, the
director gave a large number of shots to the ordinary people, who's attitude towards
Nan Batian could also reflect how powerful the Communist Party's appeal was. Mao
Tse-tung mentioned in the Report On An Investigation Of The Peasant Movement In
Hunan: "A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class
overthrows another" (Tse-tung 1927). The Ordinary people are the root, and only
mobilizing the masses is the first step to successful liberation.

Subtitle 2 (Revolutionary Melodrama)

1:38:32-1:41:13

The sequence began to move with Qionghua, and she fixed her eyes on the newborn
baby. In the path of revolution, there will always be sacrifices, but there will also be
new lives, and the revolutionary spirit will be passed on from generation to
generation. As the camera moves forward, the director used a backside Angle to shoot
Qionghua looking into the distance and announced the heroic sacrifice of comrades on
the battlefield. Then he gave several close-up shots to the female soldiers, sad,
painful, desperate, and each female soldier showed different feelings. At this time, a
female soldier picked up the gun and prepared to rush out to avenge Secretary
Changqing, but Qionghua stopped her. We could see that Qionghua's character had
changed. She was no longer the little girl who cared nothing for revenge. She now had
the consciousness, also must take up the responsibility of Secretary Changqing. The
front shot began to pull out, and as more and more female soldiers entered the shot,
the movement of the shot indicated that the group was still there and the party
organization was also there. When the background music sounded, a female soldier
picked up the flag and walked to the head of the line. The background music is
the Song of The Red Detachment of Women, which is a march style and rhythmic
song. It embodies the bravery and strong character of the female soldiers, who are not
afraid of sacrifice. The song also deepened the theme of the film as everyone was
ready to go again. The camera moved over each of the female soldiers' faces, each
with a determined expression. Their eyes were bright, staring at the front as if they
were staring at the opposite enemy.

Conclusion:
“Red Detachment of Women” is the film I choose to analyze. This story took place
during the second Chinese world war. It is politically very important for the Chinese
people. It emphasizes on the revolution in the China by which Liberals took control
aver the communists. Roles in the film are perfectly balanced. Shots are taken on the
right spot. I analyze the first two clips of the film. The director professionally shoots
the first scene in which Nan Batian is punished by the Qionghua due to his evil deeds.
In the later, Qionghua becomes a leader to support the female soldiers by starting a
revolution. Shots were also taken by involving a large group of ordinary people. A
realistic approach was taken by the director when Qionghua comes on to speak by
indulging a group of audience in the main frame. Change in her character appeals the
whole women in the China. Revolutionary spirit among the women aroused that was a
huge step towards successful liberation.