The Joy Luck Club [Blu-ray]

I've always enjoyed this movie and recently read an article where they reported on the backlash on the film: that the Asian community didn't like it--for various reasons, none of which I thought much of. I tried finding it streaming, but all the services were charging for it--if I'm going to pay for it, I want a permanent copy!There aren't much in terms of extras, but the film is so great: as I did with the previous viewings, I cried at the end. The transfer is nice and the quality is great--plus, it's a fantastic film.

When I first went to see this in 1993 , I didn't know what to expect. The author, Amy Tan, books were the talk of the media. I sat down & went on this wonderful, tender, hardship & joyful journey through the the lives of of 4 Chinese women and their daughters (movie relates to all people's life). It was stunning! I smiled, I cried, I was in awe and I felt a kinship with these women & their daughters. With one daughter, I felt she was telling my life story. Every actress & actor are marvelous artists along with the director Wayne Wang (his sensitivity, honesty, vision is mind-blowing). This is in my top 10 movies of all-time . . .highly recommend!!! It was delivered on time and was in Perfect shape.

Co-written by Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club brings what constitutes one of the finest Chinese novels to the big screen, delivering to audiences a finely crafted drama full of poignant and memorable moments in the vein of modern classics.The story comprises of a vignette of four Chinese women whose parents derive from their motherland, People's Republic of China, and is primarily told from the standpoint of the heroine, whose mother made the tireless journey from China to the United States because she wanted the feathers of the ugly duckling to transform into that of a swan before the eyes of appreciating people who will accept women from their true worth unlike the sexist men they faced in the People's Republic.Basically, for two of the vignettes, the story comprises of a competition beginning from childhood of two women, whose parents encouraged them - one into the pursuit of becoming the chess champion of the world, and the other into becoming the greatest piano player known to man despite the fact that she had no musical talent. One of them, remains single, while the other is married to a Caucasian who finds it difficult to find acceptance in her family, making a fool of himself through his ignorance of Chinese attitudes and practices, bumbling along in his first dinner with her family prior to their marriage. (The supporting actress who plays this character is the most gorgeous Japanese woman you will ever lay eyes on and the most exquisite woman on earth)The other two vignettes revolve around two women, one married to a Caucasian, who initially worshiped the ground upon which she tread despite the fact that she was discriminated against by his parents who considered her to be of too lowly a class to be wed to their son, and the other married to an overly materialistic Chinese man who would calculate to the last penny everything they spend together to be split equally among them as husband and wife - taking the idea of gender equality to the extreme.All of these are interspersed with flashbacks of their parent's history in the People's Republic, as they struggled against the sexism that existed throughout the world prior to the bra-burning era that spawned the feminist movement.This, then, constitutes the basic theme of the movie: women struggling against sexist attitudes, struggling for independence against overbearing husbands, against polygamous husbands who show preferential treatment for certain wives while treating other as sexual objects, struggling against ill treatment from their husbands and, in general, struggling to break free of their social constraints like an ugly duckling transforming into a beautiful swan the way women were meant to be.Without a doubt an Oliver Stone classic that will go down in history as one of the finest Chinese dramas ever made.

This is equivalent to Casablanca in how timeless and incredibly true the relationship aspects hold up over time.This is a story of the trials women at various points in their lives have dealt with from multiple vantage points. Anyone will find a grounded element that reflects a piece of themselves. I love this movie!

The movie gives a glimpse into the lives of three immigrant Asian women and their American born daughters. Certain information about the lives of the mothers before they came to America is given. The movie centers on the evolving relationships of the mothers and their American daughters and includes some glimpses into Asian, particularly mainland Chinese, culture. This is the point where the danger begins.It’s too easy to think that the movie’s events only occur in Asia, or because of Asian/Chinese beliefs and practices. (Viet Nam is mentioned once in the story)I’ve witnessed these same scenes being played in my growing-up West Virginia coal mining village inhabited by immigrants from Eastern Europe and most recently, in middle-class and inner city American communities. For example, I’ve seen unmarried daughters being forced from family homes when they become pregnant. I’ve observed children, especially daughters, being left as prey for human predators. I know American mothers who’ve sold their children to adult men knowing full well that these children would be sexually abused. I see little difference in the first, second, third, etc wife Chinese practice and the serial monogamy sanctified by divorce that is practiced by many Americans, nor do I see a difference between this Chinese practice and the Islam/Mormon practice of having more than one wife at a time.One of the strongest events of the movie takes place in China: a Chinese mother of one of the women who comes to America leaves that woman when she was a young child with the mother’s Chinese family. The Chinese mother becomes Third Wife to a wealthy Chinese man, and then returns and takes her daughter from the family home to the home where she is Third Wife. The First Wife welcomes the daughter by giving the daughter a string of pearls. When Third Wife and daughter are alone, Third Wife takes the pearls and smashes them proving them to be fakes. While doing this, Third Wife makes the statement that First Wife will not buy her daughter so cheaply. I couldn’t help but wonder: how many of us have sold ourselves for cheap, imitations of the prize we really seek and deserve.The movie is about abuse, betrayal and power. The immigrant Asian mothers give one solution to end hurt: one must know what they are worth and demand that worth; one must know who they are and demand respect; and one must know and demand the best quality. According to the immigrant Asian mothers, it is from this knowing that power comes and abuse ends.

Dad has been looking for this DVD for a long time. I’m glad I could find it here for such a good price too.

Ce film est fidèle au livre d'Amy Tan, on voit que l'auteur a bien veillé à faire passer les principaux points. On n'est pas déçu. Il retrace l'histoire de la diaspora chinoise aux USA, les difficultés de communication entre la génération des mères et celle des filles. Trois femmes chinoises ont fui la Chine à cause de la guerre de 1894 contre le Japon ou des drames familiaux. Plusieurs histoires juxtaposées, plusieurs voix s'expriment comme dans le livre. Parfois, c'est la fille qui aide la mère à se libérer, parfois c'est la mère qui libère la fille. Le lien entre mère et fille est très fort, Le poids familial et culturel est énorme... Ce sont des modèles de femmes fortes qui ont combattu pour avoir une vie et les mères ont dû faire des sacrifices parfois surhumains. Des moments d'émotion et de poésie.

Avevo visto questo film anni fa su Sky in italiano. Pare non esista che in inglese. L'ho regalato a mia cognata che è cinese. Ho comprato e letto anche il libro. Il film è molto fedele. Narra di otto donne cinesi, quattro madri e le rispettive quattro figlie. Le madri, fuggite dalla Cina nel dopoguerra e rifugiate in America, hanno fondato un club di majiong.La loro vita si svolge fra il rispetto puntuale delle tradizioni natali, e le contrapposizioni tra il loro mondo e la civiltà americana del dopoguerra, nella quale sono invece pienamente inserite le figlie. Le storie di queste donne, che si intrecciano e si svolgono parallele, sono intense e commoventi, straordinarie e normali. Lo consiglio a tutti e aspetto speranzosa la versione italiana!!

I have owned this movie from about 25 years ago and recently purchased it again for myself and as a gift. It gives a great insight into ancient and more modern Asian families and customs (albeit fictional in this movie). Switching between the past and present, it tells the intricate stories of several intertwined families, from youth to old age, both in China and America. Well worth adding to any movie collection. I will be enjoying this and recommending it for years more to come.

Très beau film plein d'émotions. Histoires de mères, de petites filles, de femmes entre deux cultures... émouvant.