Zhang Qing Movies
Chen Kaige's first Chinese film since the poorly received, Hollywood-produced Killing Me Softly is based on a true story of an adolescent violin prodigy coming of age in Beijing. Raised in a small town, Xiao Chun (Tang Yun) is brought to Beijng by his devoted single father, Lui Cheng (Liu Peiqi), who recognizes his talent and is determined to make him a success. After losing a rigged competition for admission into a prestigious music school, Xaio Chun is taken as a student by a brilliant but distracted teacher, Jiang (Wang Zhiwen), and begins to become distracted himself by his twenty-something party-girl neighbor Lili (Chen Hong). He eventually leaves Jiang for more rigorous study under a more famous teacher, Professor Yu (played by director Chen himself), which leaves him torn between his burgeoning career and the loving father who has sacrificed so much for his benefit. Woven throughout the narrative are trenchant comments about the changing face of modern Beijing. ~ Tom Vick, Rovi
A 19-hour 16th-century Chinese opera written by Tang Xianzu is curtailed to this two-hour video showcase of the poetic dance and performance artistry of the critically acclaimed piece as it was performed on stage. Narrator Robert Powell summarizes the ellipses left by the drastic cut in length, and an hour-long making-of documentary follows the narrative performance. The tale of a young apparition recrudescing to the earthly world for her true love, this expressive love story offers incredible visual interpretation of real-world barriers like parental disapproval and warring on the homefront. ~ Sarah Sloboda, Rovi
