THREE TIMES
A film by Hou Hsiao Hsien
Running Time: 2 hours 9
minutes
Year: 2005
Format: NTSC
Languages: English
Country: USA
Three different time periods,
1966, 1911, 2005, three stories, and the same
couple of actor and actress, Shu Qi and Chang
Chen, play out the two lead roles, evoking a
sentimental tale of a three-reincarnation of an
unfinished love…
1966, KAOHSIUNG:A TIME FOR LOVE
- Expecting to be called up for military service
any day now, Chen meets May, who works at his
favourite pool-hall. They play pool together,
just before he enlists for service… On a
day-release from the army, Chen comes to visit
May at the pool-hall. But he finds out that she
has quit her job and no one knows where she's
gone…
1911, DADAOCHENG:A TIME FOR
FREEDOM - Mr Chang has come to see his
favourite courtesan. He tells her that he means
to meet a Mr Liang. Couldn't it be the
revolutionary from China who has escaped from
persecutions in his own country ? - the courtesan
wonders… On the next day, the owner of a tea
plantation and his son come to discuss buying out
a young courtesan's contract. Mr Chang finds out
that the son has got her pregnant. He then steps
in to hasten negotiations - the courtesan is now
the tea plantation owner's concubine…
2005,TAIPEI: A TIME FOR YOUTH -
Zhen and Jing are passionately in love. Jing was
born prematurely and as a result has to take
drugs to control her epilepsy, while she is
losing sight in her right eye. She lives with her
mother and grandmother and also has a woman
lover: Micky. Zhen works in a digital photo shop
and lives with his girlfriend Blue. When Blue
finds out that Zhen has fallen for Jing, she hits
the roof… Where can the four of them go from
here? Maybe none of them will get any peace this
side of the grave…
