A Chinese producer's perspective

[randy_byers]

A while back on my blog I posted a review of a Chinese film called My Lucky Star, which stars (and was produced by) Zhang Ziyi and which I described as "romantic comedy meets James Bond". One of the things that fascinated me about what turned out to be a fairly humdrum movie was that it was directed by an American television director named Dennie Gordon but was aimed primarily at a Chinese audience. There were a number of other things I found interesting about it as a production.

Well, lo and behold, one of the producers of the film (who I take from comparing the email address to the IMDB credits to be Ming Beaver Kwei, and who I now see is the son of the Shaw Brothers director Chih Hung Kwei) has shown up to give his perspective on the production. For anybody who is interested in film production and what's happening in the mainland Chinese film industry right now, I recommend taking a look. It's fascinating stuff, and he takes a relatively deep dive for a blog comment.

Comments

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

I'm in the middle of reading this and as you say, it's an interesting and deep response for a blog post. But this made me laugh:

nacho cheese munching/72 oz coke drinking/10 USD hot dog swallowing general American movie goers

BURRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that made me smile too. No stereotyping there!

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

Now that I've finished it, I agree with your assessment -- and your reply. It's an interesting response, and does help understand what's happening with the Chinese movie industry.

[richardthe23rd.livejournal.com]

Interesting to be sure. Haven't seen this but did mostly enjoy SOPHIE'S REVENGE, at least the early parts which had a Jeunetesque style of visual storytelling.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the occasionally playful/quirky visual style was the most interesting thing about My Lucky Star too. Sounds like that may have been coming from someone other than the director, if Sophie's Revenge had it too. Actually looks as though the two movies had a lot of the same production crew.

[dalmeny]

Great to read this insider perspective.