tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841769349879696881.post5433727948894808265..comments2023-10-30T03:22:17.122-07:00Comments on Stocks and Politics: 'Formosa Betrayed' Leaves You Unsatisfied - In A Good WayRichardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13864496921909619980noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841769349879696881.post-16159286156662654392010-04-13T14:47:15.369-07:002010-04-13T14:47:15.369-07:00"Straightforward question: was it really that..."Straightforward question: was it really that bad?"<br /><br />Yes, it was bad. Was it really that bad though? It'll be different for everyone you ask. As you can see from the above comments, for some of our families it wasn't execution. But for others, and I've heard many personal accounts from Taiwanese of family members being taken away and never being seen again. The anecdote from the movie ***spoiler*** where several political dissidents were taken to a river and the first was shot and killed, bringing the rest down to drown in the river, is a story I've heard and read about before. If you have the time, take a look at the video with Will Tiao that I added to this post, he talks about how many of the events in the movie are composites of various events/stories.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13864496921909619980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841769349879696881.post-70894014237133265682010-04-12T20:02:41.287-07:002010-04-12T20:02:41.287-07:00Just saw the movie in Seattle April 9. Maybe I am...Just saw the movie in Seattle April 9. Maybe I am naive because I did not grow up in Taiwan (but lived there in late 80s), but the violence and open abuses of power were shocking. Straightforward question: was it really that bad?<br /><br />Overall, I liked it because it was eye-opening. Also, the main character did not over-act, and was not made out to be a superhuman. Tiao's character was well-played (language issues notwithstanding) and his family's fate dramatically drove home the point.<br /><br />Finally, an intriguing line was drawn between American acceptance of KMT violence and Taiwan supplying arms to the Nicaraguan contras. Whaaaaaa? Huh? Is that true? Wow, that is pretty explosive!P. S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11503894022260641010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841769349879696881.post-78340535708380747622010-04-12T16:32:42.722-07:002010-04-12T16:32:42.722-07:00Hey Rich,
yeah, thanks for the video, I just re...Hey Rich,<br /> yeah, thanks for the video, I just realized how well he acts in the movie. since i almost couldn't recognize him in this video :)timerahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011305167546799588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841769349879696881.post-42261122678318956402010-04-12T13:27:24.305-07:002010-04-12T13:27:24.305-07:00I hear you Tim. The movie will hit different peopl...I hear you Tim. The movie will hit different people in different ways, depending on their background. For non-Taiwanese, perhaps a very very good learning experience, for some Taiwanese, a reason to call into question what they have believed thus far, and for others like you just something to continually be thankful for in what we have today. <br /><br />While my parents haven't talked much about that time, the little that they've said is that my grandfather who was the principal for the local elementary school at the time, used to write letters to the government about democracy. In the end, he decided to emigrate to the U.S. for fears of repercussions. Similarly on the other side of my family, they emigrated to escape the martial law injustice occurring across the island (my grandfather on mom's side owned a shop, and would often have to deal with KMT soldiers stopping by for "kick-backs" in order for him to run his store without problem).<br /><br />BTW, I added video of the Q&A session with Will Tiao that was at the Seattle Taiwan Center a few days ago. So, check it out if you missed it.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13864496921909619980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-841769349879696881.post-47100450830902753142010-04-12T11:01:17.401-07:002010-04-12T11:01:17.401-07:00I have to agree on most of the points you have mad...I have to agree on most of the points you have made. Although I think the experience had been more powerful for me for some reason. I believe it had something to do with my family history. Though no one was executed in my family, my grandfather was locked up for a bit and shared a cell with one of the most well-known scholars in Taiwan at the time. And my grandfather was the last person he shared moments with right before his way to heaven. So (spoilers coming!) when the old guy got taken away at the restaurant in the beginning, it was as if I was watching my own grandfather taken away for doing nothing.<br /> I am glad that I went to the movie, for one, I got to see a movie that pretty much squeezes Taiwanese history into an 2 hour action/drama movie. For two, I brought an American, a Hong Kongnese?, a Dane, a Japanese, a Korean, another fellow Taiwanese to witness this historic moment. And I am pretty sure after the movie, they came to the realization that why some Taiwanese prefer not to be called Chinesetimerahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011305167546799588noreply@blogger.com