There are many people who can’t be bothered to read books, but those who never watch films are a rare endangered species. I had the chance to meet one of them, none other than the non-owner of Apple Daily.

Mr. Jimmy Lai has said more than once that he does not watch movies, and the reason? He cannot stand the sadness in films. We are not talking about “A City of Sadness,” but “Raise the Red Lantern” directed by Zhang Yimou. Which scene? The eve of the fourth mistress being bullied. And then what? He ran away and told his wife that he could not bear to watch anymore, so just go ahead without him!

Pity I had not asked, what about pure comedy? I can answer that on his behalf though, no time. He spent all his spare capacity reading, but not novels, that is to say, not anything fictional.

Judging from an analysis of Lai’s encounters in his early and late-life, he has never evaded reality. He was able to turn sadness into what the stanza described as “impervious to rain or shire.” Perhaps he did not want to endure it again in movies. Mr. Lai is an exceptional case, but it is enough to analyze what it is that we really want to see when we watch films.

If the box office can talk, then the loudest answer would be, “Of course, it is for the thrill of the laughter, relaxation, and imagination.” This is why pure comedies and comic book heroes save the day account for the bulk of the market. Otherwise, love stories that are not only sweet and romantic but also filled with heartfelt tragedies that ideally can resonate with the audience will hold a top spot at the box office.

If the general audience were to collectively stand for election, the campaign manifesto would be, “Promote labor welfare, avoid death from overwork, and provide entertainment at the cinema.” The slogan would be, “With pleasure in, people will be floating out, then cheers to a thousand drinks and more.” Indeed, it is best to watch movies as though drinking alcohol, seeing the world with drunken eyes and waking up sober to just another day.

If psychologists were to speak in layman’s terms about the human nature of the audience, the first thing they would say is, “Pleasure also comes from observing the pain of others, and through empathy, relieving one’s own depression through stories that have nothing to do with oneself. But, however, one will not become pessimistic after watching a tragedy because people have a self-defense mechanism that when it reaches a point of unbearability, the brain will shut down some of its memory and weaken the right brain thinking.”

Ah, understood, Professor. If it is so simple, this student here would like to supplement with the choice of comedy or tragedy, which is the same as a fake election that Hong Kong does not even want to stage. To put it bluntly, all the same, the mentality is to go after the pleasure of venting, whether it be through laughter or tears. This can then explain the successful phenomenon of sweet love stories with tragic endings such as “Titanic.”

If movies are simply a matter of venting, only directors like Wang Jing will be happy, leaving the melancholy to directors who regard films as art. The food culture is no different, in that some people seek only the pleasure of the senses, while others draw social science research from the tip of their tongue. “What do you want to see in this movie?” Some people want to see extravagant scenes that are visually stimulating. And there are people who are too weary of living, want to find right and wrong in the world, and embrace the power of sorrow. I am that person.

Jimmy Lai was intolerant of male dominance in ancient times, and at the same time, he seldom read novels. “Raise the Red Lantern” happens to be a novel adaptation, so is the realistic novel and the movie both fake? Yes, it is a work of fiction and any resemblance to actual persons or actual events is purely coincidental. The story is fictional but the sentiment is real. The film is precisely reality polished with art. Instead of analyzing the mentality of not watching tragedies, why not use myself as an example as to why I like to view the real world through the lights and sounds of tragic movies.

Stephen Chow’s comedies can bring laughter through tears of sadness for the world and humanity. “Nonsensical” is just another word for “absurd.” A tragedy that manages to deliver funny moments to make it more bearable for people to watch will still poke fun at reality in the midst of the sorrow. What is meant by artistically polished is nothing more than exaggerated dialogues with bloodshed extracted from our wounds. Without dramatization, you might as well watch a pure documentary newsreel.

School bullying is a very serious problem and it can be very taxing to follow the details of a case. In that sense, will it be taxing to watch “mon mon mon MONSTERS,” a film classified as a comedy thriller? It will not but it also serves as a trigger to take an interest in understanding social issues. All right, then let us go heavy on the medicine for the age of martial law.

White terror is too overwhelming to recall. Therefore, the film “Detention,” adapted from a video game, uses horror to take the audience to the setting of Taiwan’s White Terror period through fantastical scares which makes the traumatic history much more palatable, like adding a little sugar to a cup of bitter tea.

Most realistic movies need to add MSG, not only to make the experience better but also to induce topics that people normally would not notice in their daily lives. Drama is not called drama for no reason, it is to be dramatized. Data on domestic violence, school bullying and wealth disparity allows for rational analysis but it will not move you. Without the addition of genuine real-life stories to fill people with sorrow, it rarely gives you the thrill of sadness. It is easier for the audience to engage in the situation by telling the story through the camera, thus allowing them to feel the virtual sensation through the characters. When one enters the world of cinema psychologically through the senses, one can discover levels that cannot be captured by dry and dull discourses.

Who else would avoid movies because of the genre of tragedy? Absolutely no one because the film and television industry has become smarter. The first half of the so-called black comedy thriller “Parasite” is so absurd that it is out of touch with reality. Then suddenly, in a drastic turn, the protagonist kills someone for the “taste of the poor,” turning it into a terrifying tragedy. Is there a more exaggerated yet realistic story than this? Knowing and feeling are two different things. Discourses of class concepts will not let you know that “poor people have the taste of poor people.” Only in movies or novels will you be able to really sink your teeth into the damage done to the characters while watching them with fascination, proving the old adage that “comedy can save the world,” especially black humor. A black world requires black eyes to see that light and darkness coexist in the world.

(Albert Leung is an award-winning lyricist and writer.)

Click here for Chinese version

We invite you to join the conversation by submitting columns to our opinion section: [email protected]

Apple Daily reserves the right to refuse, abridge, alter or edit guest opinion columns for accuracy, length, clarity, and style, and the right to withdraw and withhold columns based on the discretion of our editorial page editors.

The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial board.

---------------------------------

Apple Daily’s all-new English Edition is now available on the mobile app: bit.ly/2yMMfQE

To download the latest version,

iOS: bit.ly/AD_iOS

Android: bit.ly/AD_android

Or search Appledaily in App Store or Google Play