Three Times by Hsiao-Hsien Hou (2005)

The movie present in three different period of Taiwan, in the period of 1911 1966 and 2005. Over the years in a developing country have enormous changes, due to the westernization and economic growth in Taiwan.

Director Hsian-Hsien Hou carefully manages for main characters to present these environment changes through their transportation, clothing and structure of buildings. Not only so, the director also uses the way of film that was present it in these three periods. In the part of 1911, there is only music alone with images of characters, while in between conversations there are plank pages with words for audience to read the conversation. In the period of 1966, Hsian-Hsien Hou often have characters move in and out of the set, and have them take public transportation to show the growth of building the cities. From taking public transportation, to have male character owning his own motorcycle in the year 2005, which is very common in Taiwan to have young males thinking to have their own motorcycle is necessary.

Female expectation also have a great changes from the society, in the older times rules are very strict towards female. They often are unable to have options for themselves, and need to have more consideration for others. Director Hsian-Hsien Hou uses the limitation of female characters to show the expectation for female in the society in 1911. In 1911, female are usually limit in a single household, which changes in 1966 to allow from their family to travel for work, and finally with the freedom in 2005 as having their opinion.

Because of the movie is a romantic love story in three different period, all of the screen are smoothly move from one to another. When characters are out walking, biking or riding on the motorcycle, Hsian-Hsien Hou follows the characters to deliver the moving images. One of the part in 2005 when both male and female character were riding on the motorcycle, the only way to film is to have cameramen riding backwards on the back seat of another motorcycle to film. Which personally felt a bit home sick while watching the film, because I do too often ride motorcycle back home, because is more convenience than public transportation and cheap on gas.