Seen at the 21st International Film Festival in Portland, Oregon
FILM TITLE: THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW DIRECTOR: ZHAO XIAOWEN COUNTRY: CHINA 1996 CINEMATOGRAPHY: LU GENGXIN MUSIC: ZHAO JIPING CAST: You Ge, Oing Xu, Zheng Ying SUPER FEATURES: Excellent production, and story.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chinese films are not known for their sumptuousness in production, and their extravagant design in film. In most cases, the films are produced by the film organization, and the director has a film he wants to make. This film, is a break from tradition. This is a major undertaking, and film, and it shows it. It has all the magnificent things that make an Akira Kurosawa's RAN, or a David Lean's LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, the two films that one might say, it closely resembles in production style. It has the cinematography and music to match, which makes this an absolute must see film, and experience.
THE EMPEROR'S SHADOW, is the story of one of the first attempts to unite China, 200 years BC. But unlike another story that deals with merciless rulers, this one has an edge. This leader thinks that the one thing that might unite his kingdom, is "hearts and minds", rather than politics. And the trigger for him, is a young man he had befriended in his earlier days, when he himself was almost killed. He had been playing music at the site where people were being punished with their lives. This friendship did not continue easily. As the new leader slowly defeats the other kingdoms, and makes a serious attempt at uniting China, he finaly comes to the last three he has to face. Two of them are easily enough done. The third is tougher. Gaio Jianli is now a well known musician and instrument maker, and the new emperor wants him to be a part of the new Empire, as a composer. However, there are serious oppositions to his choice of ambassadors for the public campiagns. Most of the aristocratic party of his, is opposed to his naming the musician to the court.
As Gaio gets brought to the court, he undertakes a fast, and is finaly taken out of it by the emperor's first daughter, who had been disabled and could not walk. Their union, is dangerous, as the daughter has been offered to one of the more important generals, who has been with the emperor from the start. But Ying's desire is the musician, and their courtship is outlawed. Which creates serious problems for every one around. In one scene, the emperor has to undo the honor of his subjects by revealing that they are not as clean and honorable as they make it sound. That their concern is for all the things that they themselves are doing, instead of the larger picture. This may have been right, but the political forces, are trying like crazy to undermine the new emperor, and they are getting stronger. Towards the end, the new Emperor is ready to be crowned, but he has lost his important general, who was to be married off to Ying. The general, it seems, decided that his new wife was a whore and killed her, and the two servants of the crown killed him at that moment. All signs point to the political adversaries as having gotten the victory here. And that this victory is likely to be short lived since they do not really support the new emperor in his quest to unite China in a meaningful way. Many of them think that Gaio was the problem in the first place and should have been done away with.
A rather complicated story, and one that states that the kingdom lasted only 15 years, but set the tone for the ones to come in the future. China has had since then a rather complicated aristocracy, who has ruled the masses, and is likely to fall into other hands, should this control dissipate, or fall into competing interests, which at this time are not exactly clear, or visible.
What makes this film important, is its sumptuous nature, and beautiful design, and care in so many details, as to make this a very important film, and unlike any others that have come out of China in the past several years. Up until now, many of the film makers have displayed a personal story. This film is much less personal as a complete entity, although its story is not. It deals with what might become of the future.
The most outstanding thing in this film, and all of it is magnificent, is undoubtedly the music of Zhao Jiping, who is demontrating his immense ability, and shows that he is a major composer, not only for film, but all of music as well. The soundtrack here is magnificent, and stands out through out the whole film. Add careful visuals, and beautifully photographed stuff, and you have the makings of a superb film.
By all standards, the film is extremely modern. One always got the feel that many other films from China were of lesser design, whereas this film has a major studio like production and design, which China has not been known for in film.
With excellent perfomrances, this is a must see for true film lovers. There are not many films that come off with such aplomb as this one does, and it s directed with extreme care, and attention to detail.
4.5 of 5 GIBLOONS Reviewed by Pedro Sena. Copyright (c) Pedro Sena 1998. All Rights Reserved.
-- Pedro Sena www.accces.com/~art/piffnow.htm
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