SHADOW MAGIC (2001)
Label: Sony Pictures Classics
Region Code: Region-Free
Duration: 115 Minutes 35 Seconds
Rating: PG-13
Audio: Mandarin and English DTS-HD MA 5.1 With Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Anna Hu
Cast: Jared Harris, Xia Yu, Liu Pei Qui, Lu Li Ping, Fang Qing Zhuo, Xing Yiu Fei
Shadow Magic (2001) tells the tale of how motion pictures came to China in 1902, with travelling Englishman Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris, TV's The Terror) arriving in Beijing in 1902 with a hand-cranked film projector, setting up the first 'Shadow Magic' movie theater in China. His western moving pictures curio does not immediately draw in crowds of paying customers, however, when an enterprising and technology obsessed young Chinese photographer named Liu (Xia Yu, The Painted Veil), who is already fascinated by the phonograph, another western invention, is drawn in by the fascinating experience, and he sets out to help the Englishmen introduce the moving pictures phenomenon to China, with hopes of rising above his modest station in life at the same time. Both men receive much derision as they attempt to draw in paying customers to view the early Lumière silent films of the era like "Arrival Of A Train At The Station,", there;s little interest, but soon enough the glow of projected, flickering images begins to build an audience.
Shadow Magic (2001) tells the tale of how motion pictures came to China in 1902, with travelling Englishman Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris, TV's The Terror) arriving in Beijing in 1902 with a hand-cranked film projector, setting up the first 'Shadow Magic' movie theater in China. His western moving pictures curio does not immediately draw in crowds of paying customers, however, when an enterprising and technology obsessed young Chinese photographer named Liu (Xia Yu, The Painted Veil), who is already fascinated by the phonograph, another western invention, is drawn in by the fascinating experience, and he sets out to help the Englishmen introduce the moving pictures phenomenon to China, with hopes of rising above his modest station in life at the same time. Both men receive much derision as they attempt to draw in paying customers to view the early Lumière silent films of the era like "Arrival Of A Train At The Station,", there;s little interest, but soon enough the glow of projected, flickering images begins to build an audience.
Much of the film's drama comes from Liu's longing for Ling (Xing Yufei), the beautiful daughter of a Beijing Opera star, Lord Tan (Li Yusheng, The Living and the Dead), but his father has already arranged for him to marry a wealthy widow Jiang (Fang Qingzhuo, Croczilla), who he steadfastly refuses to marry, even though it will bring a financially secure future for him. It doesn't help that the influential Lord Tan and Liu's employer Master Ren (Liu Peiqi, To Die with Honor) are traditionalist who don't think much of the new technology, fearing it will cut into their own art and livelihood. Liu's love for the new artform and his bonding over it with the Englishman pretty much upends his life, angering his father and getting him fired from the photoshop, but when they are offered the opportunity to enter the Forbidden City at the request of Empress Dowager Cixi (Bin Li, The Painted Veil) to showcase their moving pictures an opportunity presents itself for both men to be redeemed, and eventually the flicker of moving pictures does manage to capture the imagination of the Chinese people, but not before they nearly set the Forbidden City on fire with combustible nitrate film stock!
I love watching movies about the love of cinema, and I liked this one quite a bit, however, I felt the emotional core of it all was pretty shallow all things considered, there's was a lot of emotional meat left on the bone, but even so the tale of cinema arriving in China at the star of the 20th century is still rather enrapturing, even if does not reach the heights of something like Cinema Paradiso, which is a personal favorite.
The period set film has wonderful set design and costuming, the interiors of the Forbidden City, the royal guard, scenes from the opera with elaborate and vibrant costuming and makew-up all impress. The flick has a largely earth tone color palette but is punctuated by gorgeous swaths of red, orange and blues that impress. The handsome cinematography from Nancy Schreiber (Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2) is not showy or overly stylized, but sort of plaintive bin it;s simplicity, which perfectly captures the aesthetic without drawing attention to itself. There's also a lovely score by Lida Zhang that is nicely evocative of the era.
Audio/Video: Shadow Magic (2000) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Classics in 1080p HD framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. The newly scanned in 4K image looks terrific with filmic grain, warm colors and excellent contrast. The film is largely full of earthtones, but occasionally reds and other primaries shine when they show up. Audio comes by way of Chinese and English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with optional English subtitles. This is a largely dialogue driven flick, dialogue exchanges are rendered quite nicely, we do get occasionally get some atmospheric use of the surrounds.
Archival extras include an Audio Commentary by Director Ann Yu plus a 2-min Theatrical Trailer. The single-disc release arrives in a standard keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork.
Special Features:
- Director's Audio Commentary by Ann Yu
- Theatrical Trailer (2:02)
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