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We Went to Wonderland (2008)

initiated by priya on September 15, 2008 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1155077/)

A documentary about a Chinese man who lost his voice when he developed throat cancer and had it surgically removed. Thirteen years after the operation that saved his life, he realizes a life dream: visit Europe. His wife and he come first to London. They stay at an apartment that I suppose belongs to their daughter(?). A good deal of the documentary is taken by their daily life there. Eventually t more

A documentary about a Chinese man who lost his voice when he developed throat cancer and had it surgically removed. Thirteen years after the operation that saved his life, he realizes a life dream: visit Europe. His wife and he come first to London. They stay at an apartment that I suppose belongs to their daughter(?). A good deal of the documentary is taken by their daily life there. Eventually they travel through France and Italy by train ending at Rome's Termini station. From Rome, it seems, they fly back to China.I'm curious why the director chose to shoot in black and white. Maybe it was to make the man's scarred thin neck less prominent. In any case the cloth filter covering the neck stoma through which the man breathes is a constant reminder of what he went through.The wife does all the talking while the man communicates through written notes. They seem to enjoy their travels but finally long to be back home. For them the grass is greener on their side of the fence.Peppered throughout are black screens with flashing text with smarty comments. Often they are amusing.We don't learn much about these people. Judged as an intellectual, he was in a labour camp during the Cultural Revolution. He drew political posters during the Maoist period. Today his hobby seems to be painting and we see one he is working on. The issue of the cancer is brought up a couple of times. Otherwise the rest is commentary about their travel experience and life in the West.Near the end the man lists four ways in which China is better than the West. One is about the speed of trash collection. I forget the other three.Don't let the issue of cancer discourage you from seeing this film. This is a resilient survivor that still has the gusto of life and is cheery. It's a sweet and amusing look at what first-time tourists think about a foreign culture. Yet, despite this being their first trip overseas, they certainly have developed the art of travelling light as the last scene in the film makes clear.

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