Sunday, May 13, 2007
Ode to McDull
Towards the end of "My Life as McDull," an inevitable message emerges: "the more expectations in life, the more disappointments." In a nutshell, life is about how to cope with disappointments in a masterful way. It all depends on your mindset. McDull's philosophy is entirely educational and positive for kids. Adults will find it easy to follow, too. This is a cartoon by and for Hong Kong people, and we're proud of McDull.
McDull is ingenious in many ways. First, he is an everyday character, not so bright, but full of hope. McDull is in a way the Hong Kong's version of Peanuts by Charles Schulz (see my previous entry on Schulz.) It also enshrines the principle that Mister Rogers teaches us about how everyone is unique in her own way.
Second, the movie fuses Hong Kong's landmark spots with familiar Classical music by Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, etc. The "East meets West" theme is evident. Also, Brian Tse's witty and appropriate Cantonese lyrics for these classic pieces are nothing short of brilliant. Case in point, <<麥兜與雞>> is an autobiographical introduction of McDull and his fascination with chicken and Chinese-styled BBQ duck. Check this out:
My return to Hong Kong has a similar spirit to McDull's noble intentions. I hope to bring back what I've learned from the western culture and fuse it with the traditional street-smart Hong Kong culture. I owe a special sentimental knot to Hong Kong, a place where I grew up and had countless fond memories. This is a place to which I truly belong. At the same time, there are many things that can be greatly improved here, if a different perspective is being introduced.
Therefore, it's my life's mission to blend the western and eastern culture to Hong Kong via music, art, culture, politics, law, and humanity. The one common thing that unites Hong Kong people together is the reminder that we single-handed built the society we lived in. Our ancestors worked hard, and we will continue to work hard. That is the spirit of Hong Kong, the spirit of McDull. Not matter how many disappointments we face, there's always hope ahead of us.
In closing, check out the following unique views on the McDull trilogy:
Footnote 1: 燒臘口味的香港情懷
Footnote 2: McDull: A Christian Perspective
Footnote 3: The University of McDull
Footnote 4: All lyrics to the McDull soundtrack
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McDull is ingenious in many ways. First, he is an everyday character, not so bright, but full of hope. McDull is in a way the Hong Kong's version of Peanuts by Charles Schulz (see my previous entry on Schulz.) It also enshrines the principle that Mister Rogers teaches us about how everyone is unique in her own way.
Second, the movie fuses Hong Kong's landmark spots with familiar Classical music by Mozart, Schubert, Chopin, etc. The "East meets West" theme is evident. Also, Brian Tse's witty and appropriate Cantonese lyrics for these classic pieces are nothing short of brilliant. Case in point, <<麥兜與雞>> is an autobiographical introduction of McDull and his fascination with chicken and Chinese-styled BBQ duck. Check this out:
My return to Hong Kong has a similar spirit to McDull's noble intentions. I hope to bring back what I've learned from the western culture and fuse it with the traditional street-smart Hong Kong culture. I owe a special sentimental knot to Hong Kong, a place where I grew up and had countless fond memories. This is a place to which I truly belong. At the same time, there are many things that can be greatly improved here, if a different perspective is being introduced.
Therefore, it's my life's mission to blend the western and eastern culture to Hong Kong via music, art, culture, politics, law, and humanity. The one common thing that unites Hong Kong people together is the reminder that we single-handed built the society we lived in. Our ancestors worked hard, and we will continue to work hard. That is the spirit of Hong Kong, the spirit of McDull. Not matter how many disappointments we face, there's always hope ahead of us.
In closing, check out the following unique views on the McDull trilogy:
Footnote 1: 燒臘口味的香港情懷
Footnote 2: McDull: A Christian Perspective
Footnote 3: The University of McDull
Footnote 4: All lyrics to the McDull soundtrack
Labels: Hong Kong, McDull, 麥兜與雞
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