Shadow Magic
Encyclopedia
Shadow Magic is a 2000
film directed and co-written by Ann Hu. The film was a US
-China
co-production starring Xia Yu
, Jared Harris
and Xing Yufei. The movie was Ann Hu's directorial debut.
, 1902, in the last years of the Qing Dynasty
. A young portrait photographer, Liu Jinglun (Xia Yu), chances on a newly-arrived Englishman, Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris) in the capital. Liu, a self-learner of rudimentary English, is keen on new technology and gadgets, while Raymond has brought along the latest motion picture camera
and projector
with some silent film
shorts from the West. Liu is fascinated by the "shadow magic" and offers to help Raymond bring in audiences for his theatre. Hence Liu and Raymond become partners. However, while the new innovation thrills many, the more conservative Chinese in the capital frown upon the creation as a Western "pollutant".
Liu falls in love with Ling (Xing Yufei), the daughter of a well-respected Beijing Opera
star, Lord Tan Xinpei (Li Yusheng). However, as he is poor and only an apprentice at the photography shop, Liu has no chance of marrying Ling. Instead, Liu's father and his boss at the Fengtai photography shop, Master Ren (Liu Peiqi
), try to arrange a marriage for him with an older widow
, Jiang (Fang Qingzhuo). When Master Ren finds out Liu has been working for a foreigner dabbling with "shadow magic", he becomes infuriated. Liu tries to reason with Master Ren, explaining to him that this "shadow magic" is an entirely new innovation in the world of photography, and once Liu learns more about it they should incorporate it into their own business. Master Ren is not swayed, however, and dismisses him. Because of this, Liu is also disowned by his father. Liu and Raymond's friendship becomes tested as he feels the strain of being branded a traitor in his own country.
Liu, Raymond, Master Ren and Lord Tan are all invited to the Forbidden City
to entertain the Empress Dowager Cixi
during her birthday celebrations. Master Ren and his apprentices take a photograph of the Empress Dowager, while Lord Tan performs his opera number. Liu and Raymond project some Western film shorts to the amusement of the Empress Dowager and her coterie. However, over-enthusiastic hand-cranking cause the projector to catch fire, the screening is ruined midway, and Liu is badly burnt. The Qing officials are incensed that Liu and Raymond nearly cause deaths during the birthday celebration of the esteemed Dowager, but the Dowager pardons Liu for his naivety. Raymond, however, is immediately banished from China.
Half a year passes, and Liu recovers from his burns. Raymond, fondly remembering their friendship and times in China, sends him the nitrate negatives of movies they shot together in Beijing, imploring that he should not let the work they started together die. Liu decides to try making a film projector himself and successfully screens these local movies to a group of Beijing natives. Liu's father decides to support him in this venture and Ling visits him on the sly at the projection room, where they kiss. The film ends with the Beijing natives gradually accepting the motion picture technology, once they see how beautifully it captures the majesty of the Chinese landscape.
At the film's end, caption
s reveal that Liu and Master Ren become the first Chinese to shoot a motion picture. The film, starring Lord Tan, is the now famous The Battle of Dingjunshan
.
2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
film directed and co-written by Ann Hu. The film was a US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
co-production starring Xia Yu
Xia 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...
, Jared Harris
Jared Harris
Jared Francis Harris is a British character actor, well known for playing the obnoxious Mac McGrath in the Adam Sandler film Mr. Deeds, and for his portrayal of Lane Pryce on the AMC series Mad Men.- Personal life :...
and Xing Yufei. The movie was Ann Hu's directorial debut.
Synopsis
The film is set in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, 1902, in the last years of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. A young portrait photographer, Liu Jinglun (Xia Yu), chances on a newly-arrived Englishman, Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris) in the capital. Liu, a self-learner of rudimentary English, is keen on new technology and gadgets, while Raymond has brought along the latest motion picture camera
Movie camera
The movie camera is a type of photographic camera which takes a rapid sequence of photographs on strips of film which was very popular for private use in the last century until its successor, the video camera, replaced it...
and projector
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...
with some silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
shorts from the West. Liu is fascinated by the "shadow magic" and offers to help Raymond bring in audiences for his theatre. Hence Liu and Raymond become partners. However, while the new innovation thrills many, the more conservative Chinese in the capital frown upon the creation as a Western "pollutant".
Liu falls in love with Ling (Xing Yufei), the daughter of a well-respected Beijing Opera
Beijing opera
Peking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court...
star, Lord Tan Xinpei (Li Yusheng). However, as he is poor and only an apprentice at the photography shop, Liu has no chance of marrying Ling. Instead, Liu's father and his boss at the Fengtai photography shop, Master Ren (Liu Peiqi
Liu Peiqi
Liu Peiqi is a Chinese actor. He started his training in 1979 when he joined Military Art School. He joined Military Drama Group in Xinjiang Province in 1983. In 1985 he starred in his first movie, Father and Son, directed by Wang Bingling...
), try to arrange a marriage for him with an older widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
, Jiang (Fang Qingzhuo). When Master Ren finds out Liu has been working for a foreigner dabbling with "shadow magic", he becomes infuriated. Liu tries to reason with Master Ren, explaining to him that this "shadow magic" is an entirely new innovation in the world of photography, and once Liu learns more about it they should incorporate it into their own business. Master Ren is not swayed, however, and dismisses him. Because of this, Liu is also disowned by his father. Liu and Raymond's friendship becomes tested as he feels the strain of being branded a traitor in his own country.
Liu, Raymond, Master Ren and Lord Tan are all invited to the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
to entertain the Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
during her birthday celebrations. Master Ren and his apprentices take a photograph of the Empress Dowager, while Lord Tan performs his opera number. Liu and Raymond project some Western film shorts to the amusement of the Empress Dowager and her coterie. However, over-enthusiastic hand-cranking cause the projector to catch fire, the screening is ruined midway, and Liu is badly burnt. The Qing officials are incensed that Liu and Raymond nearly cause deaths during the birthday celebration of the esteemed Dowager, but the Dowager pardons Liu for his naivety. Raymond, however, is immediately banished from China.
Half a year passes, and Liu recovers from his burns. Raymond, fondly remembering their friendship and times in China, sends him the nitrate negatives of movies they shot together in Beijing, imploring that he should not let the work they started together die. Liu decides to try making a film projector himself and successfully screens these local movies to a group of Beijing natives. Liu's father decides to support him in this venture and Ling visits him on the sly at the projection room, where they kiss. The film ends with the Beijing natives gradually accepting the motion picture technology, once they see how beautifully it captures the majesty of the Chinese landscape.
At the film's end, caption
Caption
Caption may refer to:*Caption , a small press and independent comic convention held annually in Oxford, England*Closed captioning, used to provide the text of a show's audio portion to those who may have trouble hearing it...
s reveal that Liu and Master Ren become the first Chinese to shoot a motion picture. The film, starring Lord Tan, is the now famous The Battle of Dingjunshan
The Battle of Dingjunshan
The Battle of Dingjunshan was a 1905 Chinese film directed by Ren Jingfeng . The film was made by Beijing's Fengtai Photography . It was based on an episode from Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms and starred Tan Xinpei...
.