"Red Sorghum", released in 1987, was the first film directed by Zhang Yimou. It was also the first film role of Gong Li, who is now recognised as one of China's greatest actresses. It was a bold move to give an inexperienced actress the leading role, but it was successful.
The film, based on a true story, is narrated by an unseen man who tells the story of his grandmother, Little Nine, in the 1930's. Against her wishes her poor father arranges for her to marry a rich old man who owns a distillery that makes sorghum wine. Three days after the wedding she has an affair with a poor sedan carrier. While she is with him her husband is murdered by an unknown assailant, so Little Nine inherits the distillery. Soon after this she marries the sedan carrier, and under her leadership the wine becomes better than ever. Things go well until nine years later, when the Japanese invade and force the sorghum fields to be cut down to build a highway.
The film was obviously made with a smaller budget than Zhang Yimou's later films, but it shows the sparks of genius that would characterise his later work.
I'll have to check this one out, thanks. :)
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this film, much older than his others, I'm convinced that Zhang Yimou just can't do wrong. He won the best director award for this film at the Berlin film festival in 1988. In Germany they don't much care about the nationality of films when giving awards; they don't have to be German, or English, or any language. A good film is a good film,wherever it comes from.
DeleteDamn. I haven't watched this film in 30 years or more. Why not?
ReplyDeleteThe late '80s and early '90s brought us a pack of films from Zhang Yimou which starred Gong Li. Red Sorghum, Raise The Red Lantern, Ju Dou, and The Story Of Qiu Ju turned me into a life-long fan of both. Sadly, after Shanghai Triad, the pair didn't work together again until Curse Of The Golden Flower.
I sense a mini-film fest coming up soon.
The first Zhang Yimou film that I saw was "House of Flying Daggers", in the cinema at a time in my life when I rarely went to the cinema. A year later "Hero" was released in the UK, out of order. Then "Curse of the Golden Flower". I've tried in vain to get hold of his older films, but they're all out of print. I had to buy a used copy of "Red Sorghum".
DeleteReally? I'm surprised. I always assumed that his films were available, especially those done with Gong Li, since they were so highly regarded. But, since i grabbed them when they were first available, i hadn't noticed their absence.
ReplyDeleteIt sure seems like Somebody should be streaming their old works. Why aren't they?