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Thread: Flowers of War (金陵十三钗)

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    Senior Member xiaolong's Avatar
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    Default Flowers of War (金陵十三钗)

    The Flowers of War (金陵十三钗), previously called Nanjing Heroes and 13 Flowers of Nanjing,is an upcoming historical drama war film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Christian Bale, Tong Dawei and Shigeo Kobayashi. The film, which is based on the novel The 13 Women of Nanjing by Geling Yan, has been selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Oscar Awards 2012.



    Inspired by true life events, THE FLOWERS OF WAR tells a genuine story of hope, love and sacrifice. Set in 1937, Nanking stands at the forefront of a war between China and Japan. As the invading Japanese Imperial Army overruns Chinas capital city, desperate civilians seek refuge behind the nominally protective walls of a western cathedral. Here, John Haufman (Bale), an American trapped amidst the chaos of battle and the ensuing occupation takes shelter, joined by a group of innocent schoolgirls and thirteen courtesans, equally determined to escape the horrors taking place outside the church walls.

    Struggling to survive the violence and persecution wrought by the Japanese army, it is an act of heroism which eventually leads the seemingly disparate group to fight back, risking their lives for the sake of everyone. With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, fate always has a way of bringing the most unlikely heroes together.

    Based on a screenplay by Heng Liu (Assembly, The Story of Qiu Ju) and adapted by Geling Yans historical novel, THE FLOWERS OF WAR is approximately 40% in English and 60% in Mandarin. The film will have its world premiere in Beijing, China on December 16, 2011.
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    Senior Member xiaolong's Avatar
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    War film chills Chinese audiences
    http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/...t_4700933.html

    BEIJING, December 16 (Xinhua) -- Huang rushed out of the screening room the moment a new Nanking Massacre-themed film directed by Zhang Yimou ended.

    "I shivered at scenes of atrocious violence and maltreatment in the massacre," the 50-plus year old woman said. "I will not watch any film of its kind again."

    The Flowers of War hit screens in Beijing Thursday evening. Set in Nanjing, known as Nanking at the time of the city's occupation by Japanese troops in 1937, it tells the story of a group of 13 prostitutes risking their lives to save schoolgirls forced into prostitution by the Japanese army.

    "I feel devastated watching the film," a woman surnamed Wu choked, with tears all over her face. "I hope there will never be wars."

    As of 6 p.m. Friday, about 1,600 viewers had flooded into the Capital Cinema in Beijing for the film, according to Yu Chao, deputy general manager of the cinema. But some wished they had not come.

    "It brought me back to a history that I am most reluctant to reconnect with. The Nanjing Massacre is the wound of the Chinese nation," Huang said, adding she turned away from many of the film's scenes of violence.

    A viewer named Shen Yang believed the Massacre "should not be forgotten, and neither should it be reviewed much. Sometimes, it is too heavy to look back."

    Chen Shan, a professor with the Beijing Film Academy, said that viewers' distress after watching The Flowers of War is the best proof that history has been faithfully recaptured.

    Meanwhile, viewers acknowledged that the film successfully displays human nature in time of turbulence.

    "The film has truly illustrated the complexity of human nature by unveiling both selfish and selfless sides," said a viewer named Gao Xiayang.

    There are moments when prostitutes risk their lives to save schoolgirls, and other moments when they stand back in fear, Gao said.

    Speaking at the film's premiere, Liu Heng, who wrote the screenplay, said, "The moral of the film is that humanity's goodness can defeat evil. Goodness is the only way out for mankind."

    Director Zhang said that it is a character-driven project, and what distinguishes it from previous films depicting the Nanjing Massacre is that it glorifies the most beautiful side of humanity by showing characters' decisions in the face of life and death.

    "The beauty of humanity is love and redemption," Zhang said.

    The starring presence of Hollywood's Christian Bale, who won a best supporting Oscar for his role in The Fighter, has won praise from the audience.

    "Different from Zhang's other projects characterized by Chinese elements, this movie is very international, with a lot of Western symbols like churches," said Gao Xiayang, adding all this will help the film win over international audiences.

    The Flowers of War is not the first Chinese film to address the Nanking Massacre. The City of Life and Death, a 2009 film directed by Lu Chuan also depicted the battle of Nanking. The movie became a box-office success and was released abroad.
    Last edited by xiaolong; 12-18-11 at 11:56 AM.
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    'Flowers of War': A dark fairy tale
    http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/2011...t_24181161.htm

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    When Zhang Yimou's new war epic "The Flowers of War" finally hit Chinese cinemas Thursday, Zhang soon heard the good news – that the 69th Golden Globes has nominated his latest effort for best foreign language film. The next stop may well be the Academy Awards, as its producers have expected.

    Billed as the "most expensive Chinese film ever" and starring Oscar-winning actor Christian Bale and a newbie Chinese actress Ni Ni, "The Flowers of War" takes audiences back to the anguish of the notorious Nanjing Massacre, which took place starting on Dec. 13, 1937.

    Adapted from writer Yan Geling's novel, Zhang's film has something unique to offer, something other directors have not explored yet. Yan herself and Liu Heng reportedly amended their script 56 times.

    The Nanjing Massacre and martial arts have always been inevitable subjects for Chinese directors.

    Zhang's decision on the former as a feature film subject was made years ago. However, other projects, such as directing Beijing's Olympic Games opening in 2008, delayed his plans for the film.

    The story focus on how 13 prostitutes, along with surviving Chinese schoolgirls, hid behind the nominally protective walls of a western cathedral during the Japanese occupation of Nanjing. They are taken care of along by a soldier, one church boy and voluptuary-turned-saint John Miller (Christian Bale), an American mortician who initially comes to Nanjing to bury a priest. To protect the innocent young girls from being raped and killed, the prostitutes sacrifice themselves to satisfy the Japanese soldiers, potentially finding salvation in death.

    There is a traditional Chinese saying that "the prostitute is heartless." But Zhang is trying to prove that a universal value exists: During hard times, even a humblest person can do noble deeds. Humanity can shine through the darkness.

    Zhang and his team spent 600 million yuan (US$94.5 million) on making this film powerful and emotional. "The Flowers of War" is a Hollywood-class production, complete with battle scenes, tragedy, sex and raw emotion, themes Zhang has always been good at portraying.

    This time around, you may not see the bold flourishes of contrasting colors that were so prominent in Zhang's previous movies such as "Hero" and "Curse of the Golden Flower" and in his Olympic opening ceremony. However, Zhang still uses bright colors to depict certain characters in the film, such as the Nanjing courtesans. Their colorful spirit very much echoes how they are envisioned by Yan in her novel.

    Although Bale, Ni Ni and other actors deliver powerful performances, some plots are still unconvincing and sluggish. For example, the love affair between the leading actor and actress is portrayed weakly; as is the-much hyped sex scene, which was repeatedly requested by producer Zhang Weiping. The viewers cannot help but wonder what Ang Lee, who directed "Lust, Caution", would do with the story.

    The Nanjing Massacre will forever be a painful memory for Chinese as well as source of inspiration for filmmakers. Lu Chuan's "City of Life and Death," released in 2009, also explored the humanity and terrifying reality of the atrocities which claimed 300,000 lives. Lu also used some fragments from Yan's novel to sustain his own script, such as a Chinese traitor who betrays his country to protect his daughter and struggle to survive the holocaust, but is eventually shot dead.

    Lu's somewhat sympathetic stance toward the invading Japanese soldiers sparked controversy and anger upon his film's release. However, Zhang chooses not to elaborate on this subplot on the same level as Lu's film. There is a seemingly educated high-level Japanese officer in "The Flowers of War", but Zhang fails to fully develop the role.

    Delicately crafted and artistically produced, "The Flowers of War" ends up being an entertaining but somewhat unconvincing story. The film's look into the unspeakable acts at Nanjing will surely arouse deep emotions among viewers. But the true history of the massacre is even thicker, darker and more desperate that what will appear on the silver screen. Nonetheless, this film, with its depth, beauty and agony, could probably be Zhang's most successful blockbuster film in the past decade.
    Last edited by xiaolong; 12-18-11 at 11:55 AM.
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    Zhang Yimou talks about upcoming film "The Flowers of War"
    http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/vi..._131310379.htm


    BEIJING,Dec. 16 (Xinhuanet) – Zhang Yimou says he always feels apprehensive when his movie is about to be screened and get its first audience responses. Ahead of his historic epic "The Flowers of War" hitting the big screen the weekend, Zhang talked about the film with CCTV on Wednesday.

    In 1937, the city of Nanjing fell into the hands of the Japanese invaders, who began to execute a large scale massacre. Against this backdrop, "The Flowers of War" follows the story of a group of escapees who take sanctuary in a Church compound. To save some young female students from the clutches of the Japanese soldiers, thirteen prostitutes rise up to meet the enemy, fully prepared to sacrifice themselves.

    Based on Yan Geling’s novel, the film script was polished by both Yan Geling and Liu Heng. The script was read by Zhang Yimou in 2006, who was deeply touched by the story. He says the script, with kindness, redemption and love as the main theme, is the best he has ever read in 20 years of being a director.

    Zhang said, "I think the film has mainly achieved what I hoped. Crew members from different countries come together to tell a story with flesh and blood, and let it move the audience. It’s a difficult task. It’s not simply that you use a Hollywood actor and you get that. The beautiful side of humanity, the theme of redemption is what will eventually touch the audience."

    The 600-million yuan budget effort has turned out to be the most expensive movie ever made in China. Zhang spared no effort in honing the details. Because the lead actor Christian Bale had only two months available for the film, after his shots were done, the shots of the ones who play opposite him were re-shot to perfect the acting.

    He said, "It was necessary to re-shoot some scenes. Because the ones playing opposite him are all greenhands. I have to hone their scenes to reach the standard. Especially, some scenes speaking English."

    The "New Generation of Mou’s Lady" Nini, who plays the female lead in the film, has garnered the most attention. Zhang says the acclaim Nini is receiving for her screen debut can be attributed to her hard work.

    He said, "It was three or four years ago that she was selected. After we decided to use her, we trained her for two years. But we didn’t tell her she was the final choice. And later she had to keep everything about the movie secret. So she held onto the last minute until we signed contract with her."

    The film has summoned up an international production crew, that are A-list professionals in stunts, set design, sound effects and double acting. And only 1 out of 100 inches of film shot were used in the final cut. We can see from all this that Zhang Yimou planned on creating a classic. Whether it is or not, will be up to audience.

    (Source: CNTV)
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    Official posters...
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    Banner of the movie...
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    Stills from the movie...
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    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://ww4.sinaimg.cn/bmiddle/92a74d20gw1dnyyndv2u1j.jpg')
    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://ww2.sinaimg.cn/bmiddle/48470701jw1dnyx163uk0j.jpg')
    Last edited by xiaolong; 12-19-11 at 01:03 AM.
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    Looks great. It's amazing that they were able to get a guy like Christian Bale to be in this film. I'll have to check this out.

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    i never watch this movie before

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