The Taiwan Oyster
One of the best
independent films that I have seen in the past year is The Taiwan Oyster. It is the story of two American’s
teaching kindergarten in Taiwan, when they experience the untimely death of
another American acutance. After
finding their friends name written on the bathroom wall paired with his
favorite song, the two men decide it is their duty to take his body on one last
homage to find a final resting place.
As they steal their friend’s body from the morgue, they befriend the
girl working behind the counter, and soon all three are out on the adventure of
a lifetime. As the party heads for
the coast, emotions run high and friendships are tested, while their friend’s
body acts as a tangible source for all their discomfort. As the film progresses, it becomes
obvious that the anguish these three young people experience has less to do
with the dead body and more so of the lack of control they feel for their
changing lives.
The
film’s cinematography and score raise it to a level that rivals the major
Hollywood studios. The director
has such power of his camera that it seems to become an extension of the main
characters. Instead of just
feeling like an observer watching a dysfunctional road trip, the camera brings
the audience in and gives the impression that the audience is a part of the
crew. It brings the audience in
close, putting the observers right in the thick of things, becoming an active
participant. Combined with this,
the score brings an intense intimacy to the film. Lacking the big budget of Hollywood severally limited the
songs available for use, allowing for an original score to set the tone of the
film. The score becomes personal
and subconsciously draws the audience in closer than the cinematography could
have done so alone. These two aspects
of filmmaking make this film a huge success.
I
was a true fan of this film, and it had me on the edge of my seat until the
final credits rolled. I found the
camera direction and sound track for the film to be an incredibly powerful
reason for why I feel so strongly, even despite the fervent acting from the
no-name actors who are just as successful. I believe the director was incredibly successful in his
attempts to convey his message. He
makes it clearly obvious that this film is much more than a road trip, but more
so a life-changing journey during a difficult time in these young peoples
lives.
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