Crouching Film Fest, Hidden Pop Quiz
I just got back from closing night at AFI and while I don’t have time right now to write a review, I did come up with this pop quiz.
The Curse of the Golden Flower is Zhang Yimou
May 5, 2024
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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
Wow, really? I’m even more excited for Golden Flower now. I can see the Kurosawa, Almodovar, Bergman, Shakespear and Wai in your few words, but where does David O Russell come into it?
Sorry to be a pedant, KCamel, but when you say ‘Wai’ you mean ‘Wong’.
There’s gotta be a quicker way to off someone than making her drink funky fungus tea 8x a day. Am I right?
When I was thinking of whose work I was reminded of in the black humor of some of the family relationships, it was DOR.
Forget about Zhang Yimou
It’s definitely not his “first” Shakespeare or Kurosawa movie. Man, but that last half hour is just an amazing piece of cinema. It was almost like he was saying, “Dear Mssrs. Peter Jackson and Ridley Scott… THIS is how you do a war scene. Good luck trying to top it.”
I’m seeing Deja Vu on Thursday night. Can’t wait.
I’m seeing Deja Vu on Thursday night. Can’t wait. Sounds like it’s even worse than Domino.
Sorry for the double.
I just watched House of Flying Daggers on DVD. I really liked it. I am not the film critic that most of you are but the colors were just amazing. I liked all three lead actors and found the pacing very comfortable. Just the right balance between the action and the love story.
As long as I am being a critic, I saw Babel last night. I liked it but I am a succker for movies structured like this. I also am a sucker for movies that show me how other people live in a sort of historical context.
I didn’t walk out thinking this was a Best picture film but I guess I can see why others think so. I found the Brad Pitt story and the Japan story really good. While I liked the acting and filming in the Mexico story, I thought it seemd a bit over the top at the end as it related to the kids. Just too absurd that those events would occur while Pitt/Blanchett are enduring there own experiences.
The Japan stuff was really haunting. My father committed suicide when I was 28 and I have my own 16 year old daughter so it really hit home. And I hate heights, so I had to look away on those balcony scenes while my legs tingled, which just made the whole storyline that much more intense for me.
So there you go, persepctive friom just a regular moviegoer. BTW, as I was munching my bottled water and Raisinettes, I was wondering what all the folks on this blog buy at the concession stand?
“I’m seeing Deja Vu on Thursday night. Can’t wait. Sounds like it’s even worse than Domino.”
Wow, you should really become a critic with that kind of attitude. But I can’t imagine any movie being worse than Domino
I am a critic EDouglas. I have been for quite some time.
I watched Domino for the first time yesterday, and while I didn’t hate it completely, I have to wonder why anyone would give that movie praise. I loved Man on Fire, but everything that was right in that movie, from the visuals to the editing to the script went wrong in Domino. I have a friend who kept on recommending it to me, and I’m gonna have to tell him to give his head a shake.
I was afraid that Deja Vu was gonna be more nonsense. The entire premise of the trailers seems flawed. Someone take away the tricks and give Tony a decent script. But I digress…
As far as The Curse of the Golden Flower goes, all I can say is, “Excellent!” I loved the look of the trailers I’ve seen, and it goes without saying that both Hero and House of Flying Daggers were great. I’m interested to see if COTGF does indeed top those two, which in my mind would be quite a feat. December can’t come quickly enough.
While I didn’t hate it completely, I’m surprised that some people are such big fans of Man on Fire. Some of the directing and editing is migraine-inducing, and it is ridiculously stupid at times. After his last two efforts I have come to really despite Tony Scott. I’ll always love True Romance though.
I can’t wait for Curse of the Golden Flower. Words out there are that they’re gonna push him for Best Director and Gong Li for Best Actress in addition to Best Foreign Film. How successful do you think they’re going to be at that?
What about the techs? Are they going for the techs, because it seems to me like it would be an easier nomination for something like Art Direction and/or cinematography than Pan’s Labyrinth, which people are guessing could rise up.
“I can’t wait for Curse of the Golden Flower. Words out there are that they’re gonna push him for Best Director and Gong Li for Best Actress in addition to Best Foreign Film. How successful do you think they’re going to be at that?”
Will be interested to hear what David thinks. I think Best Director has a chance, and Gong Li really is pretty amazing in the role, but it may be hard for them to convince Oscar voters over all the other performances already clamoring for the lead actress nomination. I think SOny Classics would be much better getting behind Penelope Cruz, an actress that voters will know who is doing something good (for a change).. Volver just has this classic film feel that I think Oscar voters appreciate… I don’t think Curse is as good as Hero or the performances in that movie, but I can see Zhang Yimou getting attention.
Can you believe HR and Variety gave it crappy reviews david. I don’t know what film they were watching.
Mr. Poland, what is your take on Hero? For my money, it is beautiful, elegant, exquisite, and vastly overrated. I’m glad to hear Curse has some humor, as opposed to Hero which had none (the one “joke” I remember in it was nullified by the subtitle translation in English). Just would like some qualification having been burned by subpar movies like Seven Swords and The Promise.
Also, see The Banquet yet?
I love Hero, though it is very arch and much more in line with classic kick flicks.
Curse’s humor comes from its teen angst melodrama, not far from The O.C.
Curse should get nommed for Production Design and Cinematography. Love Gong Li, but this is a walk in the park for her and really all the other actors. Zhang Yimou and his production team really do all the heavy lifting.
Haven’t seen The Banquet yet.
Curse should easily grab a best “Foreign” nom as well.
I have seen Banquet, it is an imitation of the style of Hero/Flying Dagger and not a very good one at that. The story is borrowed from Hamlet without all the dramatic tension. It also has a very very very contrived ending. The movie is beautifully shot, but that’s about it. It’s reported that the leading role in Banquet was meant for Gong Li, but she opted to do The Curse of Golden Flower. I always thought Gong Li is a better actress than Ziyi, yet the later seems to be getting much more praises, I wonder why.
DEJA VU gets a 5 star review from AICN. Further proof that fanboys are too easily impressed with gimmickry and no discernment when it comes to poorly written scripts. Not their fault, they’re a generation whose diet solely consists of videogames and comics.
Both Variety and Hollywood Reporter hate “Curse of the Golden Flower”, so I think this movie is dead.
http://www.kaijushakedown.com/2006/11/rashomon_of_the.html
I don’t think Zhang Ziyi is getting more praise than Gong Li. She’s probably more popular than Gong Li here in the US but Gong Li still commands more respect from critics inside and outside of China.
I would have hoped that working with Bruckheimer would forced Tony Scott to focus on story and not flash but who am I kidding? Of course Deja Vu sucks.
I’m also amazed that people love Man on Fire, but then it is a movie that glamorizes torture so of course there would be an audience for it in this country.
I think that MAN ON FIRE is watchable. Not great, but entertaining. Of course, CRIMSON TIDE is still the best movie of Tony.
Disney actually paid about $5 million to acquire the original script of DEJA VU. Words is that the shooting script had been changed so much (thanks to Tony Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer).
I don’t want to live in a world where Variety and Hollywood Reporter don’t agree with each other, don’t rush to have their reviews published first, and don’t trash trash trash to set a buzzkill tone as soon as possible.
That world would just be… Evil.
Marychan, Variety and HR are morons, The movie was brilliant.
Is noone going to ask about Chow Yun-Fat in this film? Talk about underrated. Guy never gets enough credit. He was electric in his John Woo days, and he was tremendously moving in Crouching Tiger. I’m more anxious to see him in this than yet another Gong Li/Yimou collaboration, or another Zhang Ziyi/Yimou one.
Hero was great to look at, but totally shallow, and it still mystifies me how people rate this and/or House of Flying Daggers higher than Lee’s effort. At least CTHD seemed to have some substance and character work behind all the color, pageantry, and action.
Chow Yun-Fat is terrific here. It is a low key acting role and he is in a graying goatee and a nasty edge. He gets to act a little in the third act. But great.
I didn’t like House of Flying Daggers, but I did find it breath-takingly stunning. I prefer Hero, but I still have some reservations about it. Curse of the Golden Flower won’t be in theater in Thailand until next year, but I’ll the first in line at a theater on opening day. What does the name mean? Thanks in advance.
Gong Li is infinitely a better actress than Zhang Ziyi. She’s forty and she still looks, well, young. I don’t understand why western audiences find Zhang Ziyi beautiful. By Asian standards, and mine, she’s way too plain. I like her in her first movie, The Road Home. Has anyone here seen it? She doesn’t talk much in it, but she has a kind of innocence that perfectly suits the role.
What did you think of Gong Li Mr Poland? I was lucky enoughy to see it last night and was awe struck. She has got to be one of the most beautiful women on earth. The body language is incredible.
I’ll be the first to answer the concession question: usually just a drink, since the only times I can see movies are right after dinner (weeknights) or right after lunch (weekends).
Curse is not well shot. I wish it were. The interiors are lit with a hard gold light that’s a little too treacly and the two-shots are occasionally haphazard — not something you want to do with Gong Li and Chow Yun-Fat, although their limited schedules probably did nothing to help production and the DP.
Production must have hit some unfortunate weather during the day Crysanthemum palace exteriors because they’re flat and gray when they should pop.
The exterior production design and interior set decoration are pretty incredible but I would argue that the DP didn’t have time to capture all the detail. The lensing feels rushed.
Pan’s does a lot more with a helluva a lot less.
Not shot well. Are you kidding? It’s beautiful. A nom for cinematography is a given.
Ployp, The Road Home was good and Zhang was pleasant. On the matter of Gong and Ziyi, I would say that Ziyi’s work on 2046 was just as good as anything that Gong Li had done in her time, but it’s a bit unfair to compare them considering Li has had since the early 90s to build her resume. I thought the criticisms against Li in Miami Vice were way too harsh and some were even vaguely racist, quite frankly.
For Hero and Daggers, I prefered Daggers – it’s story was better than Hero, but they were botj equally brilliant in terms of visuals and sound.
I agree that House of Flying Daggers has a more interesting ‘story’ than Hero, but it was ultimately just melodramatics,which is the same reason why Zhang is generally a better director than Ang Lee – Crouching Tiger was fun and entertaining, but didn’t really say anything. Hero was the movie with the much more interesting subtext.
KamikazeCamelV2.0, I forgot to factor in the two actresses experience in acting. I was too little to remember Raise the Red Lantern. But I did recently saw Farewell My Concubine.
I didn’t hear about the criticisms against Gong Li in Miami. What was it? That she can’t speak good English? I hope that th language part isn’t the only thing Ms. Li was criticised for.
Chow Yun-Fat has always been a great actor. He’s very, very famous in Thailand. He’s practically a household name here. I would even venture to say that he’s more well-known than most A-list Hollywood actors in Asia. I grew up seeing him, dubbed Thai sadly, on TV.
I don’t remember why I thought House of Flying Daggers was disappointing. I better see it again.
“I would say that Ziyi’s work on 2046 was just as good as anything that Gong Li had done in her time,”
Thanks, that is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time. Gong Li should have gotten at least 3 noms by now
RTRL
Jou Du
Farewll, My Concubine.
Comparing ZZ and Gong Li i is like comparing diamonds and diamond solitares.
She was actually the only tolerable part of Miami Vice and she looked amazing(as usual)
HOFD and Hero as well as The Banquet are disliked in China in the fact they are all pretty but no storyline. COTGF had a great one and great acting to boot. That last battle scene……..was legend.
“Crouching Tiger was fun and entertaining, but didn’t really say anything. Hero was the movie with the much more interesting subtext.”
I agree with the exact reverse of this. Crouching Tiger was about how to reconcile a life of freedom within the confines of duty and honor, something which remains very difficult in Chinese society. Hero is about how the ultimate heroism is to lose your freedom and serve the state. Perhaps I am just annoyed by the propaganda of that sentiment, but I also think the drama of it is very one note.
^^^”Hero is about how the ultimate heroism is to lose your freedom and serve the state. ”
I actually think Hero is about the exact opposite of that. Check out Armond White’s review of it, if you can find it online.
Found it:
http://www.nypress.com/17/34/film/white.cfm
“Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon failed, ultimately, because its lack of moral dilemma condescended to the international market.”
I’m not sure what that means, but I’m pretty sure I disagree with it.
“Zhang makes history with Hero by bringing emotion to the martial arts film.”
Has Armond seen the films of King Hu?
“Zhang makes history with Hero by bringing emotion to the martial arts film.”
Emotion? There was basically no story, just pretty pictures.
Like I said: it’s all in the subtext. If you thought it was just pretty pictures, it suggests to me you weren’t really paying much attention.
CTHD failed because it was just a retread of all of King Hu’s movies with a little more wire work. They ate it up here in the States because it was new to most of them.
“”They ate it up here in the States because it was new to most of them.””
Same with Hero. It was panned in China.
When will we be getting a full review of COTGF David?
“Thanks, that is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time. Gong Li should have gotten at least 3 noms by now”
As I said, Gong is a great actress and yes she has many stellar performances, but she’s also been in the business longer than Ziyi Zhang. I was merely saying that Ziyi in 2046 was up there with the best of Gong Li’s stuff, not that Ziyi is better than her period.
Was a review ever posted?
nope. not yet.