Zhang Yimou is, in my opinion, China's greatest film director, living or dead. His films vary in tone, pacing, and story, but they are always powerful searches into the human condition. While most of his films are not involving the martial arts, probably his most famous (and most accessible) film to date is his 2002 film Hero starring Jet Li. The film is shot in the style of the 1950s Japanese film Rashomon, in which the story keeps changing depending on who is telling the story (a great lesson in POV my AP World students!). Aside from being an absorbing story and beautiful to look at, Hero takes place during the Era of Warring States and ends with the unification of China under (my boy!) Qin Shihuangdi. Although the history is not altogether accurate, nor does it attempt to be a historical drama, it's still enjoyable to see the connection to a big moment in our class, the birth of my son China. In any case, I will be highlighting many of Zhang Yimou's films over the next several weeks, but this is as good a film as any to start with. Below you can watch the trailer.Sunday, October 5, 2008
Film Pick of the Week: Hero
Zhang Yimou is, in my opinion, China's greatest film director, living or dead. His films vary in tone, pacing, and story, but they are always powerful searches into the human condition. While most of his films are not involving the martial arts, probably his most famous (and most accessible) film to date is his 2002 film Hero starring Jet Li. The film is shot in the style of the 1950s Japanese film Rashomon, in which the story keeps changing depending on who is telling the story (a great lesson in POV my AP World students!). Aside from being an absorbing story and beautiful to look at, Hero takes place during the Era of Warring States and ends with the unification of China under (my boy!) Qin Shihuangdi. Although the history is not altogether accurate, nor does it attempt to be a historical drama, it's still enjoyable to see the connection to a big moment in our class, the birth of my son China. In any case, I will be highlighting many of Zhang Yimou's films over the next several weeks, but this is as good a film as any to start with. Below you can watch the trailer.
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7 comments:
cool. I've gotta get Netflix.
I will have to watch that movie! So far, you've only steered me wrong on one movie Prill, with john malkovich... but I guess I can forgive.
Oh yeah and I know this has nothing to do with movies, but have you ever read the book "Red Scarf Girl" by Ji-Li Jiang? Its an amazing true story (a memoir of the author) about her growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution and what happened to her family... its really an amazing book.
i'll definitely have to take a look at that. thanks!
i'm pretty sure I have a copy of it if you want to read it... i'll see if i can bring it in tomorrow.
Spoilers Below
I watched this last night and I must say, I was very impressed. While watchingthe first scene of the fight with Sky I wasn't so sure. I thought the effects were cheesy, but they grew on me. The scene whee Nameless "fights" Broken Sword on the water was stunning.
The different stories were very entertaining. The first story weas very stretched; it was amusing when Nameless and Snow were blocking the arrows. The part where the old man told his students to return to their art was very cool.
But, Qin Shihuangdi doesn't buy it.
I loved the part where Qin says, "Broken Sword, a man I never knew, knows me better than anyone." or something like that. Broken comes to the realization that the suffering of one group of people at a single moment is less important than the suffering of all of the people if the states continue to war. He writes in the sand, "Our Land"; he understands that Qin Shihuangdi is trying to end the suffering by making a united empire. While he understands that many will die, many more will die if China is not unified. In the end Nameless does not kill Qin, but he reveals that his purpose was to bring Broken Sword's message.
And then for the goal of uniting China, Qin kills him.
It was a very moving movie, and deepened my understanding of how the Chinese people view their country and what they think of Qin Shihuangdi.
i'm glad you enjoyed it mr. livaditis. hopefully you'll have the opportunity to check out a few more of my picks. i'll be posting another this weekend.
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