I approached my first viewing of 'Cute Girl' at a recent Hou Hsiao-hsien retrospective with a hint of trepidation. Not only does the great Taiwanese director himself effectively disown his early works (he's long stated his artistic career truly started with 'The Boys From Fengkuei') but reading about the film's narrative (a sugary romantic musical with a dash of comedy thrown in) and contextual background (a commercial vehicle for pop star Kenny Bee, made for and by the mainstream studios)I really couldn't think of a work less suited to Hou.
The first film of many a great director has often been one to forget, bearing no resemblance in quality or style to the works in their oeuvre that would come to cement their legacy in the pantheon of the greats. This is perhaps why Hou insists that 'The Boys From Fengkuei' (a masterpiece, no less, and very much a 'Hou' film) was his true 'first film'. Yet, while 'Cute Girl' is by no means on the same level as that particular film, it is perfectly fine. I left the screening even more convinced of Hou's mastery, in fact. He was able to make a perfectly competent and never irritating or clunky film out of a fairly flimsy premise. I'm not quite confident enough to read into aspects of the film's style which appeared to reflect Hou's infamous aesthetic approach to cinema (one particular static shot that lasts over a minute in a restaurant was striking, as were the long, wandering shots over groups of farmers and schoolchildren alike in rural Taiwan) but nevertheless, I highly doubt all mainstream Taiwanese cinema pre-New Taiwan Cinema were so competently executed visually.
So, in sum, I enjoyed this film more than I expected, but I don't know how much credit can be attributed to Hou at this stage of his career and in such a tightly regulated commercial environment. The acting isn't terrible, the songs aren't particularly annoying and while the plot becomes far too ridiculous towards its end, and indeed meanders pointlessly to a unsatisfactory and obvious conclusion far too late in the story, there are some good scenes and the mood/tone of the piece is perfectly judged throughout. Don't take this film seriously, don't expect great things, and you will enjoy this film immensely!
![One of world cinema's most dynamic and highly regarded auteurs, Hou Hsiao-hsien has influenced entire generations of filmmakers and was once dubbed "one of the three directors most crucial to the future of cinema". The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present three films from early in his career, Cute Girl, The Green, Green Grass of Home and The Boys from Fengkuei, all making their worldwide debut on Blu-ray.
Cute Girl (1980) - A young bride-to-be falls for a laid-back land surveyor whilst visiting her family in the countryside. Conceived as a commercial vehicle for popular Hong Kong singer Kenny Bee, this romantic comedy was Hou Hsiao-hsien's debut feature.
The Green, Green Grass of Home (1982) - A substitute teacher (again played by Kenny Bee) moves to a remote village, where he falls in love with another teacher at the local school.
The Boys from Fengkuei (1983) - Three young men leave their fishing village for the city to look for work, where they face some harsh realities about growing up. The film which established Hou Hsiao-hsien as a leading figure of the Taiwanese New Wave, The Boys from Fengkuei was rapturously received in Europe and is often considered the director's first mature masterwork.
EARLY HOU HSIAO-HSIEN: THREE FILMS 1980-1983, a two disc set of formative films by one of world cinema's greatest directors, will be available on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere in the world from 16 April 2018, as part of The Masters of Cinema Series featuring a Limited Edition O-card [First 2000 copies only].](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZTY2YTZkMTUtNzIxYi00ZDM2LTkyOWUtODYzZDY0YWM3ZjgzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTg2NTc4MzA@._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg)
