criterionforum.org

Chen Kaige (1952 - )



There are two things that I'm trying to do in my
films: I'm trying to be sensitive about human nature.
I'm curious to discover what it is to be human--it's
our job as artists that we know ourselves more and
so, through our art, we can make the world better.
The other thing I want to do with my films is to create
and develop new elements of cinema language. You
can see that change already taking place with new
mediums and influences. I'm not very comfortable
talking about my films, in reality, I believe in the act of
working and the eloquent power of the visual. It's your
job to make sense of it all.

~ Chen Kaige
(from interview with Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central, 2002)


Filmography

Qiang xing qi fei (TV series, 1984)

Huang tu di / Yellow Earth (1984)

Da yue bing / The Big Parade (1986)

Hai zi wang / King of the Children (1987)

Bian zou bian chang / Life on a String (1991) Kino (R1)

Ba wang bie ji / Farewell My Concubine (1993) Miramax (R1) / Aventi (R2 FR) / Geneon Entertainment (R2 JP) – as double feature with Temptress Moon / Infinity Entertainment (R3 KR)

Feng yue / Temptress Moon (1996) Miramax (R1) / Geneon Entertainment (R2 JP) – as double feature with Farewell My Concubine

Jing ke ci qin wang / The Emperor and the Assassin (1998) Columbia (R1) / Columbia (R2 UK) / Universum (R2 DE) / Mei Ah (R3 HK)

Killing Me Softly (2002) MGM (R1) / Pathe (R2 UK) / Toshiba (R2 JP)

Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet (segment, 2002) Panorama (R3 HK) / Young Sang Plaza (R3 KR)

He ni zai yi qi / Together (2002) MGM (R1) / Momentum (R2 UK) / Universum (R2 DE)

Wu ji / The Promise (2005) Warner (R1) / Zoke Culture (R3 CH) / Deltamac (R3 HK)

Chacun son cinema ou Ce petit coup au coeur quand la lumière s'éteint et que le film commence / To Each His Own Cinema (segment, 2007)


General Discussion

100 Best Chinese Films of All Time

A Centenary of Chinese Cinema – NY (2005)


Recommended Web Resources

The Age – “The Power of Chen” by Stephanie Bunbury (September 14, 2003)

Cineaste – Interview with Chen Kaige by Richard James Havis (Winter, 2003)

Digital Content Producer – “Fade to Black” by Darroch Greer (July, 2003)

Film Freak Central – “A Get-Together with Chen Kaige” by Walter Chaw (2002)

Film Reference

Gerald Peary –Interview with Chen Kaige by Gerald Peary (February, 2000)

Movie City News – Interview with Chen Kaige by Leonard Klady (May 31, 2003)

MovieMaker – “The Color of Forbidden Fruit” by K.J. Doughton (Issue 41, 2006)

Sight and Sound – “The Emperor and the Assassin” review by Richard Falcon (August, 2000)

I was surprised to find the only Chen film I haven't seen - King of the Children - has been available for a few months with english subs on a (probably horrible) Chinese region-free DVD for $7. Here's the yesasia link.

Tian's Horse Thief is available from the same company.

When in heaven's name is Yellow Earth going to appear on (a good-quality subbed) DVD?

I can now report that the King of the Children dvd linked above is indeed a horrible non-anamorphic transfer of an incredibly scratched print with unreadable subtitles. The movie, however, is PHENOMENAL. By far my favorite Chen film. Looks like I'm going to have to get the r2jp release.

King of the Children is my favorite Chen film too, although Yellow Earth is stiff competition. The R2 Japanese DVD doesn't have English subs, though, does it?

ptmd wrote:The R2 Japanese DVD doesn't have English subs, though, does it?

Sadly, no.

But once you've seen it with subs (even the horrible Chinese disc's) they probably aren't so necessary.

ptmd wrote:King of the Children is my favorite Chen film too, although Yellow Earth is stiff competition. The R2 Japanese DVD doesn't have English subs, though, does it?

I have a lot of time for Temptress Moon as it goes; certainly it seems to be his last interesting film. Yellow Earth is superb though.

thirtyframesasecond wrote:I have a lot of time for Temptress Moon as it goes; certainly it seems to be his last interesting film.

Er, what? The Emperor and the Assassin, anyone? Temptress Moon is an interesting work, but extremely uneven... even more than is usual for him.

Michael Kerpan wrote:When in heaven's name is Yellow Earth going to appear on (a good-quality subbed) DVD?

A user called KhonTeochew posted the whole movie with english subtitles on youtube. Well, better than nothing I guess. I'm going to watch it while it's still online...

"Yellow earth" is awesome and probably his masterpiece. I have it on a Japanese DVD. The VCD released by HK has English subtitles.

"Fareware my concubine" could be considered a masterpiece even if only for Leslie Cheung's performance. "King of children" and 'life on a string" are also quite interesting. After that, I cannot recommend anything else from him (maybe save "the big parade").

I want, I desire, I die for "Farewell my concubine" but the Spanish DVD is so poor and bad that makes me cry. The Miramax DVD isn't subtitled (in Spanish). Is it going to be re-released in BD or DVD soon ??? May be with Spanish subtitles ??? Is it avalaible in China, Mexico or anywhere ???

Yes a blu-ray version will be released in France and Germany in September. And China is preparing a blu-ray release in steelbook this October.

Thank you. All I need is that in any Spanish speaking country it will be released, because I don't think French or German company would put Sp subtitles into their DVD / BD. My only chance is MIRAMAX in the States. They are going to release Amelie, Cinema Paradiso among other, all subtitled for Mexicans and other Spanish speakers, what's happening with this film ?

where can i see / purchase the R2JP release? I had the rare privilege of seeing the archival print of the film at TIFF Toronto recently but I also have seen th horrible yesasia Hai Zi Wang copy in which many scenes are out of order!