College can be a time of great change in one's life: going it alone for the first time in training for the real world. The inclusion of the year in the title of Liu Jian's third feature “Art College 1994” is necessary in that it sets the scene for a changing time in China in terms of pop culture and, of course, art.
Back Home is screening at New York Asian Film Festival
Two roommates, Xiaojun (Dong Zijian) and Zhifei (Chizi) are art students who spend their days procrastinating, discussing the philosophy of art and the changing scene from classic to Western-influenced modern. Similarly, vocal student Hong (Papi) and piano student Lili (Zhou Dongyu) discuss their futures and possible marriages.
The two pairs mingle, with potential romantic liaisons hinted at, though their hypothetical, philosophical conversations play out in reality, as they come to terms with their relationship to art and each other.
No doubt, there is something autobiographical in lead Xiaojun, reflecting Liu's time at art college in the early Nineties, and he captures the typical anxieties of college students when contemplating their place in the world. Far from enjoying their time, they seem to spend their days in a state of ennui, and lengthy discussions that can provoke annoyance in one another.
For an animated feature, this is very unanimated. Characters remain largely still, with movements very stuttered, in a style seen recently in China and South Korea as in Liu's own work and the likes of “King of Pigs” (2011) and “Seoul Station” (2016), or perhaps appropriately, “Beavis and Butthead”. The backgrounds look good, providing some brilliant colours and detail throughout, so the still images are very nice to look at at least.
But this stillness reflects the dialogue-heavy script of little more than a collection of conversations. This would perhaps work better as a live action feature, or indeed a stage play. The conversations are the sort of pretentious depth likely to be heard from the young while at college, with elders sometimes stepping in to put them in their place.
Set in a time of cultural change, with posters of American bands and films adorning the walls of their student digs, there is debate as to whether to work to classic techniques or move into more modern, Western styles. The teachers believe the students should learn the basics of classical first, feeling students are too concerned with copying the West. A debate probably quite common in art, though one probably key at the time.
For a film about art college, this perhaps lacks a little bit of the edge that you would expect of young artists. References are fairly mainstream (Debussy, Picasso, Rambo, The Godfather, Michael Jackson, Nirvana); conversations are interesting, though perhaps reach standard conclusions (learn to walk before you can run; marrying for security over love). This is good, but as a fairly static animation this lacks a little dynamism to really move you beyond something nice to look at and contemplate.
