Okay, let's go for a take
Get ready to carry her forward
Okay? Is sound ready?
Ready
Camera ready?
All set, director
Then let's go for it
Scene 3, Shot 1, Take 2
Action!
Excuse me...
Sorry!
I'm so sorry to be late, director
Cut!
I'll be ready in a moment, sorry
Producer, deal with this
Hey, untangle the wires for me! Sorry...
Xiao Tang...
Sorry I'm late, Miss Lieh
I'm really sorry, I'll be ready in a moment
Sorry!
What's wrong with you?
You're not our sound recordist any more
Didn't I tell you last time?
Kun's doing the job now
Did you forget?
Sorry... I forgot
Excuse me...
Excuse me
Director, I'm really sorry
Excuse me
Miss Lieh, I'm sorry
You really have to pull yourself together
Wait...
Don't worry, I'm not a cop
The money we agreed on...
And here's another 3,000
Let's have some fun
Let's be clear, I don't do kinky
Relax, it's just a little game
Don't be scared
What's your name?
Meng-Meng
Meng-Meng
You seem to be afraid of cops
I'm not afraid, they just annoy me
Annoy you?
That's good
That's very good
Ever heard of role-playing therapy?
What kind of play is that?
Never mind
Now you're a cop... and I'm you
What?
Now we're going to try some role-playing
You play a cop and I play you
What the hell? Are you a masochist?
Has any cop treated you badly?
No, no, but you must have been!
Then what are you afraid of?
I'm not afraid, I just...
...I just don't do that stuff
It's simple
Just play the part of some bad cop
you've met
I don't know how
It's very easy, actually
Watch me...
Now...
...I'm you
Fuck off... I'm not that stupid
Don't do that, Mr Cop
Oh! What's that hard thing?
What hard thing?
What?
This one!
You fucking cunt!
I'll arrest you if you keep talking shit
I'm so scared, Mr Cop
Don't scare me like that
I'm just a delicate girl
Not tough like you men
One look at us and you get a hard-on...
And then you want it
And when you finish, we have to pay you!
You're sick!
Well, blowhard, you got that right
Fucking smartass, are you?
Get down on your belly!
On your belly!
Don't you know...
...a cop is a gangster with a badge!
Get the idea now?
Now give Mr Cop a good fuck!
Oh, Mr Cop!
Lift up your ass!
You're so bad, Mr Gangster Cop
Sluts are there to be fucked, aren't they?
Mr Cop!
You want to fuck me?
Then I want to rape you!
That hurts!
Hello?
Sorry, I can't come today
It's okay, your work comes first
Have you finished moving in?
Need any help?
It's done
That was quick! Then...
...how about a kiss?
No
I have to get something
Your work comes first
Then... bye-bye
Didn't you say you were busy?
I'm here, ain't I?
The first three years with my husband...
...we made love almost every day
In different places
At different times
As soon as met...
...we couldn't tear ourselves apart
Wherever we found ourselves...
...we had to do it right away
Just like animals in heat
But I was never ashamed
I just thought...
...no other couple in the world...
...could match what we had
Just as no-one
could match us
Each time we saw each other...
...every cell in our bodies tingled...
...longing for each other's cells
As if they were crying out...
...mouths wide open...
"I want, I want, I want"
That's very good
So what's the problem?
Now it's different, isn't it?
You can't imagine your husband...
...making love to another woman
Learning that he's having an affair...
...has totally destroyed you
How did you know?
The love that thrilled you fell apart
Your trust in the man you trusted most
fell apart
It started a chain reaction
Your belief system fell apart
Your philosophy fell apart
The meaning of life fell apart
Your very self fell apart...
...into pieces
You panic
But no matter how hard you try...
...you can't put the pieces back together
Every day you ask yourself...
"What's going on? What's going on?"
"How can this be happening?
How can this be happening?"
Every day you recall every last detail
of your lovemaking
Every position
Every one of his caresses
Every angle he twisted your body
Every one of your cries of ecstasy
All your orgasmic pleas to stop
And then the painful thoughts kick in
How can he do the same things
with another woman?
You imagine your husband going to her
And right after she opens the door...
...how he pulls up her skirt
pulls down her panties...
...tells her to lift up her ass
All the things he liked to do to you
You imagine them fucking in the open,
in tall grass
On the staircase of some building
In your husband's car...
...randomly parked
somewhere in Taipei
Or maybe your husband's driving...
...and she's going up and down
on his crotch
You imagine her groaning, panting, begging
You imagine him saying to her...
"I love fucking you"
"I want to fuck you to death"
All of those words which you thought...
...he could only say to you
It's just as if the two of them...
...are giving their selves to each other
Falling asleep in each other's arms
All of this
keeps playing in your mind
It's freaking you out
You're almost going insane
Day after day
after day
after day
Every day you cry so hard you can't sleep
And in the morning you wake up
in complete shock
You sit up from a sleeping position...
Your mouth is dry...
You're desperately searching...
But you don't know what you're looking for
Still, you understand very clearly...
...that you're gone
You no longer exist
You don't have the slightest sense
of being alive
You panic... panic...
Panic
Without knowing it, you're in tears
You can't stop crying
You just
can't stop
What should I do?
"Gensheng Road, Taidong City"
Is this for the previous tenant?
Miss Tseng?
She lives in 402
No, I've just moved in there
She was there before me
Number 538, Apartment 402
Let me check
Oh, you're Miss Wu... Wu Ruoyun
She's already moved out
But she keeps getting letters
Can I leave them here with you?
Then she can pick them up when she
comes back
I can't do anything about that
Well then...
Sorry
Never mind
Sorry, sorry...
"Miss Tseng Yazhu"
This is the fourth one already
There's no sender's address
The stamps caught my eye
They're all mailed from the East coast
All from different places
Hello?
In a meeting
It wasn't planned...
A foreign client just flew in
I'm can't do dinner
How about a drink?
How about a drink and a movie?
There are people here
I love you
I love you
I love you
I don't know yet
I'll be through here soon, okay?
It's a foreign client
I'll finish here soon, okay?
Fine, let's talk when I'm back
Here's another brand
See if this is what you want
This ones
It plays cassette tapes?
Yes, yes, if it's a tape, it will play it
But I don't recommend it
Seriously
Everyone uses MP3 now
This kind of thing is obsolete
Ruoyun...
Aren't you an Aquarius?
I found this site on the web
It says if I'm a Cancer...
...and you're an Aquarius...
...then the two of us...
...are a perfect match!
It couldn't be better!
Yazhu...
Do you remember this place?
We once sat here together...
...recording the sound of the sea
I remember you said that...
...you liked that I looked so serious
while I was working
You liked to stand beside me,
holding your breath...
...imagining all the awesome sounds...
...I was capturing with my boom mike
You liked my sensitivity to sound
and my dedication
It was right here...
...that we made the wish together
To travel around the country...
...recording sounds from every corner
of Taiwan
And it was you who came up with the title
for all these sounds
It was...
"The Sounds of Formosa"
What's inside it?
An audio tape
Thank you
Where're you from?
I'm from Taipei
What's your name?
Do you have a girlfriend?
Will you introduce me to one?
No!
What's your name?
Me? My name's Xiao Tang
Any pretty teachers in your school?
Yes!
What's your name?
Me? My name's Xiao Tang
Any pretty teachers in your school?
Yes!
Miss Lily Chen!
How many characters in her name?
Three!
"BETELNUTS"
Hi, what would you like?
A beer
Beer?
NT$50
Thanks
"This is a love connection"
"Between you and me"
"When the phone rings..."
"...it's time for love to whisper"
"Nobody but us can have it"
"Not even for a fleeting moment"
"Because for us..."
"...there's never enough time"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"Hotline you and me"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
Hey!
Who are you?
Are you a 'betelnut beauty'?
Yes, I am
If you're the beauty...
...then I'll be...
...the betelnut
"This is a love connection"
"Between you and me"
"When the phone rings..."
"...it's time for love to whisper"
"Nobody but us can have it"
"Not even for a fleeting moment"
"Because for us..."
"...there's never enough time"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
Who the hell are you?
I'm a betelnut
Morning!
Going out?
That long, furry thing you're carrying...
What is it?
It's for recording sound
Do you know...
...any special sounds around here?
Special sounds?
Anything striking
I want to record them
Special sounds...
I know...
Take the road behind the hotel
After a kilometer or so...
...you come to a wood
There's some interesting sounds there
What kind of sounds?
You might not find them interesting
It depends
I think they are
That's okay, go on
There's lots of squirrels there
In the afternoon...
...you can hear them courting
"Gagaga!"
Very noisy, but funny to hear!
Really
Go take a look
Okay
Should I go to the Karaoke with him tonight?
With who?
The guy I was just talking about!
The funny guy who sang with me yesterday
Will you come too?
Sure
We can all go together
Good
We can scam him for some cash
Are you sure? He's a tourist
Why not?
Tourists are asking to be scammed!
Anyhow...
Forget about going to Karaoke
Go straight to his room
We'll need a signal
Something to tell us when to burst in
...a signal
Go straight to his room
Forget about going to Karaoke
Go straight to his room
Just meet up with him in his room?
Ma'am...
Young man
Excuse me...
Did you get that sound?
Which sound?
The sound of the squirrels courting
Oh...
Yes, I did
Great!
Thanks
Ma'am, I'm looking for the guest in Room 252
One moment, let me see...
He's still out
Really?
Thank you
You're welcome
Hello...
He's not here
I'll play you that "Gagaga" sound
right away
Good
Wait a minute...
Hey...
Have you heard the sound of squirrels courting?
What's it like?
Listen carefully...
"Gagaga"
"Gagaga"
That's right! You learn fast...
No...
Now you're a squirrel
To get me undressed, you have to
woo me loudly!
Wow!
Of all the people I've met...
...you're the most talented
Make it loud!
"Gagaga"
Louder
"Gagaga!"
Still louder
"Gagaga!"
What the fuck are you two doing?
You are so screwed!
You cheat on me?
I should use you like a whore!
Having fun with my wife?
You're in big fucking trouble!
Who are you?
I'm your fucking father!
Ladies and gentlemen...
I know what you're up to
But don't go on with this
How much should we take him for?
Half a million
Too little... a million
I think one and a half million
Half a million each
Ah Bin...
When we burst in...
...you take the pictures
Okay?
Yeah
Got a camera?
My cellphone will do
How is this possible?
What's going on?
Hurry, grab the stuff, run!
Quick!
Hey!
Are you alright?
Hey!
What are you doing?
I saved your ass!
What do you do for a living?
You don't have to get back to work?
If I tell you, you won't believe me
I...
...deal drugs
Never...
The drugs I deal, you can't see
They anesthetize people's minds
Sounds complicated
What the hell does that mean?
You are seriously weird
Whatever sound you want...
...I can make it for you
"La la la"
"Hotline you and me"
"Of all the people I've met..."
"...you're the most talented"
"Hey!"
"I came to save your ass!"
Xiao Tang!
We'll launch
a big media campaign
In magazines...
...newspapers, on buses, on the internet...
All at the same time!
I must also thank you...
...for the successful press conference
The clients are very satisfied
You're our man for the next press release
I'll treat you to dinner sometime
French, Indian... whatever you like
Anything you want
Of course, there's plenty of time...
Don't think that sending her those tapes...
...will make her come back to you
Just regard this trip...
...as a ceremony of self-redemption
Don't expect too much
Don't think you know everything
just because you're a shrink
You have a cellphone?
Can I borrow it?
Hello?
Hello
It's me
Ah Tsai?
Where are you?
I'm in...
...Taidong
What the hell are you doing there?
That's typical,
you're so irresponsible
You take off without a word
Many people are worrying about you!
You know that?
You just think about yourself
So self-centered!
Who is it?
It's me
Can I come in?
It's very late
I'd like to sleep here tonight
Is that okay?
No, not really
I saw him
Your boyfriend?
We're not even divorced yet
Ah Tsai...
Do you think the Milky Way has a sound?
I've never heard that idea before
That's because you've never listened
Really?
No, it doesn't
There's no sound there
You have to be in tune with it
You know?
Silly...
October 14th, 2006
Changbing... The sound of a windbreak forest
October 24th, 2006
Changbing... The sound of a windbreak forest
I've found it
October 16th, 2006
Chenggong... The sound of a fish auction
October 26th, 2006
Chenggong... Site of the fish auction
I've found it
Madam
Hey
Sorry to bother you
Please listen to this sound
Listen to what?
It's a tape
Have a listen to see
if you know where it is
They're aboriginal people
They sound like old folk and children
There are so many windbreak forests
They sound all the same
But I have been to Changbing
I think it's the same sound
Miss
Why are you listening to that?
For no reason really
I just want to go to...
...the place where that sound comes from
To feel it
Miss, why do you want to feel it?
Just to feel it
What's the point of that?
It's too vague
It's impossible to find a place just its sound
Madam
This envelope...
Is it yours?
Yes, it's ours
Then do you remember...
...a sound recordist staying here before?
A sound recordist?
Was he holding something very big...
...like a big microphone.
Very furry at the front
I guess so
He said he came to record the...
...the sounds of Taiwan
What kind of person was he?
He was very nice.
Pleasant talking, nice attitude
What did he look like?
Look like...
He was gentle looking, thin...
...very handsome, easy going
Are you his ...
Why are you asking so many questions?
We are friends
Really?
If you are his friend...
...how come you don't know what he looks like?
Well...
Excuse me
I'd been with Yazhu for five years
From the time I graduated...
...right through my military service...
...until I became a sound recordist
I thought we were meant for each other
When I was with her...
...I felt peaceful and happy
I thought she felt the same way
Maybe she did, once
I really loved her very much
And I really needed her too
There were many things that I understood...
...only after we broke up
Actually she broke up with me
That night,
as usual...
...I called her before going to sleep
We both had jobs by then
So we didn't meet so often
We were chatting away...
...when she suddenly said...
"Don't you think
we both need a change?"
I thought she was kidding
So I tried to laugh it off
But she went on...
"I want to break up with you"
"I'm serious"
Yazhu really wanted to stop seeing me
She wasn't joking
I'd always thought our world was stable
With her...
...I could take
all the pressures
Difficulties...
Setbacks...
Depressions
Even pains
Because I knew...
...with her understanding...
...just her being there...
...she'd support me
She'd believe in me
She'd give me strength
And that would be enough
Since the break-up,
my life has been a mess
Why can't I remember
all the details?
I'm thinking of the months before...
...I couldn't accept...
...that we'd seen
our last movie together
That we'd slept in each other's arms...
...for the last time
That we'd had a meal together...
...for the last time
There were so many things we hadn't
yet done together
We hadn't been abroad together
We hadn't seen snow together
We hadn't made
"Sounds of Formosa" together
Now you are Yazhu
I am you
I expected...
...to feel sad...
...after the break-up
I'd be heart-broken
But I thought...
...after the pain...
...life would go on
My life would still move forward
I've realized only slowly...
...that since you left me...
...I don't know how to go on living...
...without you
You have to be strong
You know?
Silly...
I'm also on my own
I have to take care of myself too
If you truly love me...
...you have to remember what I told you
Be good
Don't make me worry
Don't make me sad
You got that?
I will
I'll be good
I'll be good
"Girl, your boyfriends..."
"...are all leading lights"
"Ugly guys like us..."
"...don't deserve your love"
"There's no place for me in your dreams"
"It drives me to drink every day!"
"My dearest girl..."
"...goodbye from the bottom of my heart"
"How can I forget you?"
"Grandpa, Grandma..."
"What am I to do?"
"How will I ever forget her?"
Miss!
Sing with us!
I can't sing
It doesn't matter
Just let it out
"If you don't believe..."
"...God knows"
"Believe it or not..."
What's your name?
Ruoyun
"Ruoyun, Ruoyun..."
"There's no true love"
Open your mind!
Okay
Just sing along, alright?
Then, when I sing...
...you follow
Okay
Go for it
Ruoyun!
Ruoyun!
Now you can sing!
Take care!
Goodbye!
Goodbye!
Take care!
Goodbye!
Hey...
What about you?
What happened between you and your wife?
And what's that wedding invitation in
your hand all about?
The girl I liked in college got married here
So you came for a wedding in Taidong
Hey...
This was three years ago
I didn't go to her wedding three years ago
So you're three years late
The wedding's probably over by now
It was only after she got married...
...that I started to miss her
I've been wondering whether or not...
...she's been happy since then
I haven't seen her in ten years
Surely it hasn't taken you ten years...
...to find out she's your real soulmate?
Very possibly
But she's already married
So even you shrinks
have shitty storylines!
Shitty storylines indeed
Gensheng Road... 577
What number is it?
We're there
How can that be?
Where's 591?
Sir...
Excuse me
Where's 591, Gensheng Road?
You're in 589 here...
...but that's 595 over there
Why is there no 591?
Well...
Some houses were demolished a while back
It's an alley now
So you might not find it
Oh, I see
So there's no longer a 591
That's right
Do you know of a woman
who got married there three years ago?
Was there?
In her thirties
Good-looking
Light-skinned and thin
I really don't know
No-one comes to mind
You're sure it was in Taidong?
You go ahead
Then take care of yourself
Bye bye
I want to talk to you so much
So why couldn't I do it?
Why can't you care more about me?
Why don't you ever know
what I need?
I'm so tired
Do you know...
However much physical contact we have...
...it doesn't fill the emptiness in my heart
We never really get to where
I want to go
Now I'm sitting by the sea
Recording the words I want to say to you
But you won't hear them
November 2nd, 2006
Do you know where I am?
Do you know where I am?
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"Southern Most Point"
Yazhu...
Listen...
This is the sound of the southernmost point
There's still a lot I'd like to say to you
But...
I think...
I will end...
...the recording of "Sounds of Formosa" here
It takes the most distant course
To come nearest to yourself
And the training is at its most intricate
When it leads to the utter simplicity of a tune.
We have to knock at every alien door
To finally come to our own
To find ourselves
It takes the most distant course
To come nearest to yourself,
Come, come, come...
It takes the most distant course
To arrive at the place where one started
It is the final climb
To arrive at absolute pastoral beauty
We have to go through each illusory dream
To finally come to our own door,
To our own field
It takes the most distant course
To come nearest to yourself.
It takes the most distant course
To arrive at the place one misses most.