House of Flying Daggers—Director information
We look at director details to ponder possible values of that individual and whether these have a strong presence in the film we view. We consider his ("his" because all of our directors are men—something that shouldn't go unnoticed) to traditional arts and current film arts; that is, we wonder if the director is more a student of film and is connecting with the world of film in how he makes movies, or see himself as a critic of current society and makes films to "say something" about the society his makes films. These are fairly different positions. We wonder about his childhood and film training and wonder if these are important factors. We don't try to make definitive conclusions, but do keep these things in mind as we try to puzzle out the values of a film.
So, since this preliminary material is tested, read the below to generate some basic opinions along the lines of "Would you consider this director close to the traditional values of his country?" "Would you consider this director to tend to support of challenge the traditional values of his society?" "Do you think this type of thing (the assertion or challening of traditional values, or exploring their meaning) is very important or somewhat important or not very important to this director?" (Remember the "all about love" rule!) I will ask you to answer something along those lines, and you will need to give your reasoning based on the details of this page.
Think on your own; don't just "load" this info into your brain. Ponder it in terms of the themes and goals of this course.
(Francois Guillot/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)
Go to the New York Times page, source of this photo, which provides a collection of articles and interviews about this director: here
Zhang Yimou (born 1950 or 1951, so about 53-54 when Flying Daggers is made) is an exceptionally well established Chinese director.
He is considered one of two most famous "5th generation" filmmakers of mainland China.
- 1st generation—the earliest Chinese directors
- 2d generation—brought Chinese cinema into its maturity in the 1930s and 1940s
- 3d generation—active after the 1949 revolution
- 4th generation—before the Cultural Revolution (but completing films after it)
- 5th generation—the first to have relaxed censorship
This, in my opinion, is relevant when trying to assertain the core values of the director.
Zhang's early days (things to consider when thinking about what might contribute to his views on romance, how tradition or not, etc.)
Zhang's father was KMT (GMD, Chinese Nationalist Party, who fought against the Communists and is now the leading partin in Taiwan) which made the whole family suspect during the Cultural Revolution in 1950. As a teenager Yimou was pulled from school and forced to work in a textile factory (like his 1990 film Ju Dou). Rumor has it that Yimou sold his blood to buy his first camera.
Early work
Zhang started as a cinematographer in the 1980s.
Zhang's first film as director was Red Sorghum (1987)—the first Chinese film to have commercial release in the U.S. Li Gong played the main role. (Below is a screen shot of her in the film, included because we will encounter this actress numerous times in this class, and because of her personal involvement with Zhang.)
Some career comments
Won best director at Cannes in 1990 for Ju Dou, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film over the objections by the Chinese government (for inappropriate sexual content) which banned it.
Raise the Red Lantern, 1991, was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and also banned by Chinese government.
The more strick government censorship postures after Tienanmen Square (1989) as well as his angry wife (for his affair with Li Gong) put pressure on him and he made some compromise movies.
The mid-1990s was a very tough stretch—he had to write a self-criticism for the government and so on. Funding for his movies was cut until he promised a percentage to the government. He also ended his relationship with Li Gong.
He remained "scaled down" in his movie-making until Hero (2002). He had to edit out portions of that film both for the Chinese government on the one hand and Miramax studies on the other. The director's cut is only available in China.
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) and The Flowers of War (2011) are two recent films of his that students might know. Coming Home (2014) was released in May 2014 at the Cannes Festival to strong reviews.