The movie “Ju Dou” is a demonstration of the suffering in life, which contrasts with the moments of true innocence and love. The relationship between two people is shown as forbidden but at the same time, it demonstrates that love has no limits and can be found in the most unexpected places.
This shot is the continuation of the scene that shows Ju Dou straightening out the fabrics. The camera angle is making the scene a representation of the higher level. It makes it surreal and unearthly, as the sun rays shine down from the sky. The way the light goes through the hanging fabrics makes the sun rays heavenly. This captures the originality of the moment. It is the scene where the viewer is familiarized with the deeper feelings that each person has for another. Ju Dou is shown as a hard working woman who does not rise against the regime of the society. She quietly takes upon her duties and does not complain. The brightness and the colors of the scene demonstrate the inner light that Ju Dou has. When compared to the rest of the movie, this scene is very light. It seems to portray the soul and heart of Ju Dou and the quick change in respect to other shots, displays how momentous the good times in life are. The clear message of the scene is the delicate and beautiful nature of Ju Dou. The whole movie is mostly shot in a sad and suffering mood and the scenes that are happy are very limited. This creates a perspective for the viewer, so that the scenes that represent love come as a refreshing and hopeful moment. When Ju Dou lets the fabric unravel, it flows down with ease and grace. This is a connection between the gentle soul of Ju Dou and the way she carries herself through life. The change between the shots, is another way to show how there are two sides to life. First, Ju Dou is shown with the light shining down and it raises her and her feelings above the world. Then, the scene changes and shows Tianqing, as being down below. The lighting plays a major role in the scenes, as one is very bright and the other one is dark and hidden. The inner feelings of each person are made obvious through the shots. Ju Dou has no choice but to lead a life of obedience representative of slavery and the pain that she endures so often. Tianqing has a life at the bottom, as he has no status in life. His only possessions are his feelings, which are shown to be secret and innocent.
The contrast is made extremely obvious. The wheel of the mill surrounds the inner being of Tianqing. It shows how limited he is in his beginnings. Even though he wants to be with Ju Dou, he has to do best with what he has got. He looks up at her and it is as if he is unworthy of her and her love. Both shots represent the innocence of the love of two people who are forced to hide their feelings. The circumstances of Ju Dou’s and Tianqing life determine their actions. Even though Tianqing is a kind and caring person, he is displayed as unable to change the society and his own life. The way he looks through the wheel is representative of the world that he lives in. It is very strict, surrounding people with regulations, which are depressing and painful. There is not much change in the scenery of the shot. After showing Ju Dou, the darkness and frame borders of Figure 2, caption the moment of unattained happiness. The duration of the scene is short and it makes it obvious that the happy moments in life are sometimes short lived.
Figure 3 demonstrates the secret feelings that each person has. Ju Dou has unexpectedly “caught” Tianqing looking at her. She has noticed the way she looked at her before and here it is shown that she understands his feelings. She is not surprised but at the same time, she does not smile. It is sad because she understands that they are people from different world and their love will never be allowed. Ju Dou wants to feel wanted and appreciated and the way she looks down at Tianqing creates an obvious want to be loved. The absence of any emotion also demonstrates how the society does not let women show their true feelings. The two hanging fabrics are positioned on both sides of Ju Dou, as if drawing line between the borders that society places on people. The message of all three figures is the same—love is forbidden in a society where people do not matter and all who think differently must hide their true feelings.