Electric Shadows
Encyclopedia
Electric Shadows is a 2004
Chinese film
directed by Xiao Jiang
. The English title of the film is the literal translation for the Chinese term for movies or "dian ying" (電影).
Electric Shadows is the debut film of director Xiao Jiang
, one of the few active female directors in China. Xiao and Cheng Qingsong wrote the screenplay. The film was produced by mainland China's Beijing Dadi Century and Hong Kong's Happy Pictures Culture Communication Company.
The film begins when a young woman mysteriously attacks a stranger and then asks him to care for her fish while she is being arrested. When he enters her apartment he discovers an apparent shrine to the 1930s actress Zhou Xuan
and that they share a love of the cinema and more. The film's reverent attitude towards the power of film and particularly classic film has brought it comparison to, or at least reference to Italy's Cinema Paradiso.
), a water bottle delivery boy in Beijing, is also in love with the movies. One day, however, while riding his bike, he is attacked by Ling-Ling (Qi Zhongyang), a disturbed young woman, that lands him in the hospital. Ling-Ling is promptly arrested, but refuses to say why she attacked Mao Xiaobing, asking him only to feed her fish. Upon entering her apartment, however, Mao Xiaobing finds that Ling-Ling has created a veritable shrine to the 1930s film star, Zhou Xuan
. When he stumbles upon her diary and begins reading, the film flashes back to Ling-Ling's mother as a young woman in Ningxia
.
Her mother had been working in radio when she became pregnant and subsequently abandoned by her lover. Branded a counter-revolutionary, she travels to the countryside where she befriends Pan, a movie-projectionist where the two eventually marry. Ling-Ling meanwhile, thinks that her real father is a movie star of Zhou Xuan's era. Mao Xiaobing had been hit by his father, and so Ling-Ling's mother took care of him for some days. When Ling-Ling's mother and Pan marry, Mao Xiaobing had been sent away to live with relatives by his father because Mao had been a troublemaker. Ling-Ling later recalls the time they were apart as miserable, saying also that the arrival of her younger brother was "disgusting." Despite that, it is later revealed that Ling-Ling learns to accept her younger brother, but the acceptance is short lived. Mao Xiaobing later realizes that she has been watching over her parents, and after tracking down the old couple, he asks why Ling-Ling is now deaf. Recalling the events, Pan explains that Bing-Bing (Ling-Ling's younger brother) had lied to their mother to get Ling-Ling out of the house. Both of them then went up to the rooftop where she and Mao Xiaobing would watch the movies through his binoculars. After saying she would leave, Bing-Bing begs her not to leave, but then falls to the ground. Pan then hits Ling-Ling for her brother's death, leaving her deaf in both ears.
The event severely traumatizes Ling-Ling, and she runs away not too long after. Living alone for so long in the city, she looks around and finds both her parents have moved to the same place, not too far from where she lives now. She finds a puppy and decides to name it after Bing Bing, but she leaves the puppy with her parents to help ease their loneliness. When Mao Xiaobing had accidentally knocked over a pile of bricks, consequently killing the puppy, it triggered Ling-Ling's memories of losing her brother; hence she attacked Mao Xiaobing.
Finding out where the mental institution is, Mao Xiaobing pays Ling-Ling a visit. He reveals his identity by giving back her film strip, and she is reunited with her parents watching an old movie on the same screen she grew up watching.
and a 70% "generally favorable reviews" rating from Metacritic
. Many of the critics who found the film praiseworthy pointed to the film's earnestness. One critic praises that the film "Refreshingly... doesn't adopt a patronizing tone toward either the period or the movies, nor become embroiled in the politics." The Hollywood Reporter
provides a similar analysis, and ends its review by stating that the film is "sweet and accomplished." On the other hand, the film's detractors often point to the same aspects that others found charming, and criticize the film's sentimentality and its melodrama. Stephen Holden
of The New York Times
while giving the film a generally favorable review, nevertheless also refers to the film as an "implausible Asian soap opera." In a less forgiving critic's words, however, the film was as "Ripe and mushy as an October peach."
The film was screened at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival
as well as at the Marrakech, Vancouver
and Pusan
festivals.
DVD
by First Run Features
. The film features the original Mandarin dialogue and English subtitles. The DVD's extras are sparse, with a photo gallery, director notes, and director Xiao Jiang's biography.
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Chinese film
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
directed by Xiao Jiang
Xiao Jiang
Xiao Jiang is the stage name of female Chinese film director Jia Yan,. Jia graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1995. Jia Yan worked primarily in television, directing three TV movies before joining the China Film Group as a screenwriter...
. The English title of the film is the literal translation for the Chinese term for movies or "dian ying" (電影).
Electric Shadows is the debut film of director Xiao Jiang
Xiao Jiang
Xiao Jiang is the stage name of female Chinese film director Jia Yan,. Jia graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1995. Jia Yan worked primarily in television, directing three TV movies before joining the China Film Group as a screenwriter...
, one of the few active female directors in China. Xiao and Cheng Qingsong wrote the screenplay. The film was produced by mainland China's Beijing Dadi Century and Hong Kong's Happy Pictures Culture Communication Company.
The film begins when a young woman mysteriously attacks a stranger and then asks him to care for her fish while she is being arrested. When he enters her apartment he discovers an apparent shrine to the 1930s actress Zhou Xuan
Zhou Xuan
Zhou Xuan was a popular Chinese singer and film actress. By the 1940s, she had become one of China's seven great singing stars. She is probably the most well-known of the seven, as she had a concurrent movie career until 1953.-Biography:...
and that they share a love of the cinema and more. The film's reverent attitude towards the power of film and particularly classic film has brought it comparison to, or at least reference to Italy's Cinema Paradiso.
Plot
Mao Xiaobing (Xia YuXia Yu
Xia Yu is a Chinese actor.-Biography:He was born in Qingdao, Shandong Province. He was initially discovered by Jiang Wen during his semi-autobiographical film In the Heat of the Sun . Xia was chosen partly because of facial resemblance to a young Jiang...
), a water bottle delivery boy in Beijing, is also in love with the movies. One day, however, while riding his bike, he is attacked by Ling-Ling (Qi Zhongyang), a disturbed young woman, that lands him in the hospital. Ling-Ling is promptly arrested, but refuses to say why she attacked Mao Xiaobing, asking him only to feed her fish. Upon entering her apartment, however, Mao Xiaobing finds that Ling-Ling has created a veritable shrine to the 1930s film star, Zhou Xuan
Zhou Xuan
Zhou Xuan was a popular Chinese singer and film actress. By the 1940s, she had become one of China's seven great singing stars. She is probably the most well-known of the seven, as she had a concurrent movie career until 1953.-Biography:...
. When he stumbles upon her diary and begins reading, the film flashes back to Ling-Ling's mother as a young woman in Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
.
Her mother had been working in radio when she became pregnant and subsequently abandoned by her lover. Branded a counter-revolutionary, she travels to the countryside where she befriends Pan, a movie-projectionist where the two eventually marry. Ling-Ling meanwhile, thinks that her real father is a movie star of Zhou Xuan's era. Mao Xiaobing had been hit by his father, and so Ling-Ling's mother took care of him for some days. When Ling-Ling's mother and Pan marry, Mao Xiaobing had been sent away to live with relatives by his father because Mao had been a troublemaker. Ling-Ling later recalls the time they were apart as miserable, saying also that the arrival of her younger brother was "disgusting." Despite that, it is later revealed that Ling-Ling learns to accept her younger brother, but the acceptance is short lived. Mao Xiaobing later realizes that she has been watching over her parents, and after tracking down the old couple, he asks why Ling-Ling is now deaf. Recalling the events, Pan explains that Bing-Bing (Ling-Ling's younger brother) had lied to their mother to get Ling-Ling out of the house. Both of them then went up to the rooftop where she and Mao Xiaobing would watch the movies through his binoculars. After saying she would leave, Bing-Bing begs her not to leave, but then falls to the ground. Pan then hits Ling-Ling for her brother's death, leaving her deaf in both ears.
The event severely traumatizes Ling-Ling, and she runs away not too long after. Living alone for so long in the city, she looks around and finds both her parents have moved to the same place, not too far from where she lives now. She finds a puppy and decides to name it after Bing Bing, but she leaves the puppy with her parents to help ease their loneliness. When Mao Xiaobing had accidentally knocked over a pile of bricks, consequently killing the puppy, it triggered Ling-Ling's memories of losing her brother; hence she attacked Mao Xiaobing.
Finding out where the mental institution is, Mao Xiaobing pays Ling-Ling a visit. He reveals his identity by giving back her film strip, and she is reunited with her parents watching an old movie on the same screen she grew up watching.
Cast
- Xia YuXia YuXia Yu is a Chinese actor.-Biography:He was born in Qingdao, Shandong Province. He was initially discovered by Jiang Wen during his semi-autobiographical film In the Heat of the Sun . Xia was chosen partly because of facial resemblance to a young Jiang...
as Mao Xiaobing; - Qi Zhongyang as Ling-Ling;
- Jiang Yihon as Jiang Xuehua, Ling-Ling's mother;
- Guan Xiaotong as Ling-Ling as a young girl;
- Li Haibin as Pan, a friendly movie projectionist;
- Wang Zhengjia as Mao Xiaobing as a young boy
- Zhang Yijing as Ling-Ling as a teenager.
Reception
The film was well received in the international press, garnering an 80% fresh rating from Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
and a 70% "generally favorable reviews" rating from Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Many of the critics who found the film praiseworthy pointed to the film's earnestness. One critic praises that the film "Refreshingly... doesn't adopt a patronizing tone toward either the period or the movies, nor become embroiled in the politics." The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
provides a similar analysis, and ends its review by stating that the film is "sweet and accomplished." On the other hand, the film's detractors often point to the same aspects that others found charming, and criticize the film's sentimentality and its melodrama. Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
while giving the film a generally favorable review, nevertheless also refers to the film as an "implausible Asian soap opera." In a less forgiving critic's words, however, the film was as "Ripe and mushy as an October peach."
The film was screened at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival
2004 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2004 Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 9 through September 18.- Canada First :* CQ2 * I, Claudia * Ill Fated The 2004 Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 9 through September 18.- Canada First :* CQ2 (Seek You Too) (Carole Laure)* I, Claudia (Chris...
as well as at the Marrakech, Vancouver
Vancouver International Film Festival
The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
and Pusan
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
festivals.
Awards and nominations
- International Film Festival of MarrakechInternational Film Festival of MarrakechThe International Film Festival of Marrakech is an international film festival held annually in Marrakech, Morocco.-Overview:Since its inaugural year in 2000, the FIFM has been one of the biggest events devoted to Moroccan cinema...
, 20042004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
- Special Jury Award
- Deauville Asian Film FestivalDeauville Asian Film FestivalThe Deauville Asian Film Festival takes place annually in Deauville, France since 1999 and focuses on Asian cinema...
, 20052005 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
- Lotus PremièreAward
- Film fra Sør Festivalen (Oslo), 2005
- The Silver Mirror for best feature film
DVD release
Electric Shadows was released in the United States and Canada on July 25, 2006 on Region 1DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by First Run Features
First Run Features
First Run Features is an independent film distribution company based in New York City. First Run was founded in 1979 by a group of filmmakers in order to advance the distribution of independent film...
. The film features the original Mandarin dialogue and English subtitles. The DVD's extras are sparse, with a photo gallery, director notes, and director Xiao Jiang's biography.
External links
- Official Site from US distributor, First Run FeaturesFirst Run FeaturesFirst Run Features is an independent film distribution company based in New York City. First Run was founded in 1979 by a group of filmmakers in order to advance the distribution of independent film...
- Electric Shadows at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
- Electric Shadows at the Chinese Movie Database