Asian Movies

Asian movies, especially Chinese movies, are a big subject and deserve a separate thread, if only because many in the west haven’t a clue about them. Maybe Ang Lee’s Taiwanese movie “Eat Drink Man Woman” registers (lovely movie!), but only because of his subsequent fame with “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” and then his Hollywood movies.

Shanghai had a thriving movie industry in the 1920s and 30s. Following Madame Mao’s restrictions, it has revived and is again producing wonderful movies. Two of its most impressive directors are Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige. Everyone knows Zhang for his direction of the utterly amazing opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games. He is also a master film maker. The visually gorgeous “Shanghai Triad”, set in the criminal underworld of 1930s Shanghai, and “Raise the Red Lantern”, set in the warlord era of the 1920s, are two of my favourites. “Hero” with Jet Li, which had worldwide release, is also stunningly beautiful to watch.

Chen Kaige was already mentioned on another thread as the director of the gay-themed “Farewell My Concubine” with Leslie Cheung which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Anyone interested in knowing more of his work should definitely check “Killing Me Softly” and “The Emperor and the Assassin”.
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRyU2mK4Rls