I Viewed a Short 50's Documentary

It is 1956's Sunday in Peking, as reviewed below: 

My first-ever Chris Marker experience. Some probably are APPALLED that this is the case. Both La Jetee (the inspiration for 12 Monkeys) and Sans Soleil are popular among the hardcore cinephiles, after all. This played during the afternoon earlier in December on the Criterion Channel’s Criterion 24/7 service. The review was saved for a day like now where there wasn’t the time-inclination to view then discuss something.

It’s a 19-minute video essay where French documentary/essayist/writer/photographer/etc. Marker presents footage in Peking-the old Western name for Beijing-framed as a random Sunday in 1955 when in reality it was filmed in two weeks. The visuals are accompanied by narration in English which isn’t thought-provoking yet that wasn’t the goal of the short. Rather, it served as a nice artifact, presenting a typical Sunday for many city residents. This ranges from Chinese boxing done as exercise and children in a park to workers creating “the Peking of 2000 A.D.” and performers in the Peking Opera House. A short recap of Chinese history after Genghis Khan conquered the land was provided.

In addition, a yearly parade celebrating the founding of the People’s Republic of China was shown, and yeah that is awkward now. Maoist China began in late 1949 and Communism is addressed briefly. Not to get political here but this was before the Great Leap Forward (which led to the Great Famine), the Cultural Revolution, and other ideas that harmed many native Chinese. Thus, it was hard for me not to look at this footage wistfully at what happened to those people, especially the children.

Be that as it may, that of course played no role in my rating. While I wouldn’t have minded seeing more footage, what was present: a fascinating look at a time and place I knew little about, and a positive portrayal of those individuals despite the government they were forced to be led by. To make a comment that will make more people APPALLED, Agnes Varda worked on the film… and I’ve never seen anything directed by Agnes Varda. I promise that will change in 2025.