Blind Massage

2014 1h 54m ZH

👍

7.0

SOLID

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★7.0TMDB · 50★7.2IMDB · 1,827

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The employees of a massage parlour share a close bond with each other as they all share a trait in common, they are all visually impaired.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Guo Xiaodong
Lao Wang
Qin Hao
Sha Fuming
Zhang Lei
Kong
Mei Ting
Du Hong
Huang Xuan
Xiao Ma
Huang Lu
Mann
Jiang Dan
Jin Yan
Han Zhiyou
Gao Wei

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Lou Ye
Writers: Ma Yingli, Bi Feiyu
Languages: Mandarin
Countries: China, France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 12 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: China, France.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Lou Ye, shot by Zeng Jian. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jóhann Jóhannsson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Kong Jinlei shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Guo Xiaodong and Qin Hao and Zhang Lei carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt3469964 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Lou Ye directs. Zeng Jian behind the camera. Jóhann Jóhannsson scores. Kong Jinlei cuts. Produced in China, France. Dialogue in Mandarin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 12 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: China, France.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Lou Ye, shot by Zeng Jian. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Jóhann Jóhannsson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Kong Jinlei shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Guo Xiaodong and Qin Hao and Zhang Lei carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt3469964 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 50 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Zeng Jian
Original score: Jóhann Jóhannsson
Editing: Kong Jinlei
Sound: Fu Kang
Runtime: 114 min · 1h 54m
Status: Released
Original language: ZH
IMDB: Blind Massage (2014)
IMDB rating: 7.2/10 · 1,827 votes

Awards

48 wins & 34 nominations total

Golden Horse Award for Best Feature Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Lou Ye

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

sitenoise2015-07-14
The film has a few "sighted" actors who do a decent job of acting blind, but they stand out because they're better looking than the blind non-actors. (The film gets meta on that point). It starts off like it's going to be about some kid who loses his sight in a car accident and is told it's only temporary. He eventually learns he was lied to and won't get his sight back. He tries, unsuccessfully, to kill himself. This part is narrated in voice-over by a (non-character) woman who also reads the opening credit roll and returns throughout. Usually films resort to voice-over as a last resort, but it works here. The guy takes a job at a massage establishment run by two blind men and staffed by all blind or partially blind people. The film then morphs into an ensemble piece about several of them: their loves and lusts, not so much their blindness. So it's a film about 'standard' things that go on in the lives of people who happen to be blind. A couple of the blind women steal the show. The amazing (and perhaps frustrating to some) thing about the film is how it does give you an idea of what it's like to be blind. You really get a sense that things are just swirling around rather than being observed. The film's notion of focus is genius. There are lots of truly emotional moments in the film (only slightly off-center from what we're used to because the characters are blind) but they aren't maudlin or melodramatic. They are more darkish, almost creepy. This is no after-school special. There are scenes where the central dialog takes place off camera, or, right when a scene screams for some resolve it's simply dropped. That happens a lot. Very weird. There's scenes where you feel the discomfort for the characters who, during a moment of drama, can't read body language or facial expressions. It punches. Whoever shot this film should win an award. The direction, editing, and cinematography are wildly inventive. I didn't get the ending of the film but the last shot is a truly beautiful smile.

Production companies