The Case (film)
Encyclopedia
The Case is a 2007 Chinese film
directed by the female first-time director, Wang Fen. It is the first film of the Yunnan New Film Project, a planned anthology of ten films directed by female Chinese directors, all taking place in the southern province of Yunnan
. It was followed by The Park
, also in 2007. The film was produced by Filmblog Media with the support of the Yunnan provincial government.
The Case follows an innkeeper, played by Wu Gang
, who one day comes across a black suitcase floating in the river, only to discover that it contains the body, finely dismembered and frozen.
) arrive at the inn.
Soon mishap follows upon mishap as He Dashang finds himself over his head.
for example, called it an "impressive first feature," with special attention being paid to Wu Gang's "marvelous" portrayal as He Dashang, the innkeeper. Other critics, meanwhile, have noted that while the film is an "accomplished and well executed piece of cinema," the ending nevertheless can be "divisive" or at least difficult to swallow. A more technical review from FIPRESCI
praised the film director's methods as "something special" in the way they reinforce "an evident theatrical treatment of the subject matter."
The Case won the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival's College Students' Favorite Asian 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 the female first-time director, Wang Fen. It is the first film of the Yunnan New Film Project, a planned anthology of ten films directed by female Chinese directors, all taking place in the southern province of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
. It was followed by The Park
The Park (2007 film)
The Park is the 2007 directorial debut of Chinese writer-director Yin Lichuan. Produced by Filmblog Media and Beijing Wide Angle Lens, the comedy-drama film is part of producer Lola Zhang's Yunnan New Film Project, ten proposed films by female Chinese directors...
, also in 2007. The film was produced by Filmblog Media with the support of the Yunnan provincial government.
The Case follows an innkeeper, played by Wu Gang
Wu Gang
Wu Gang, or Wu Kang, is a character in Chinese folklore and Taoism. He is known for endlessly cutting down a self-healing Bay Laurel on the Moon. The story has often been associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival...
, who one day comes across a black suitcase floating in the river, only to discover that it contains the body, finely dismembered and frozen.
Plot
He Dashang (Wu Gang) is a middle-aged childless innkeeper trapped in an unhappy marriage in a sleepy city in Yunnan, China. Sleepwalking through his days, everything changes when he spies a black suitcase floating down the river. Retrieving it, Dashang hopes to find his fortune in the mysterious case, only to discover its contents are dismembered human body parts. Thrown into panic, he attempts to hide the contents. Things become even more complicated when a young couple, the sultry Lily (Wang Sifei), and her mousy husband (Wang HongweiWang Hongwei
Wang Hongwei is a Chinese actor. Wang is perhaps best known for his work with director Jia Zhangke. The two men were classmates at the Beijing Film Academy when they began their professional relationship, with Wang starring in Jia's breakthrough short film Xiao Shan Going Home in 1995...
) arrive at the inn.
Soon mishap follows upon mishap as He Dashang finds himself over his head.
Cast
- Wu Gang as He Dashang, a middle-aged inn-keeper living in Lijiang.
- Wu Yujuan as He Dashang's wife.
- Wang Sifei as Lily, a beautiful woman who claims her car broke down and needs to use He Dashang's inn.
- Wang HongweiWang HongweiWang Hongwei is a Chinese actor. Wang is perhaps best known for his work with director Jia Zhangke. The two men were classmates at the Beijing Film Academy when they began their professional relationship, with Wang starring in Jia's breakthrough short film Xiao Shan Going Home in 1995...
as Lily's mousy husband. - Tang Wei as Lijiang's local police chief and Wu Gang's brother-in-law.
Production
The film began production on May 31, 2006 in the small city of Lijiang, in the Shuhe Old Town district. Heavy rainfall, however, threatened to delay the production until director Wang Fen made the decision to shoot some of the more dramatically intense scenes first, so as to utilize the moodier weather.Reception
Despite being actress Wang Fen's first feature film, The Case received fairly positive reviews upon its release, particularly among the Western press. VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
for example, called it an "impressive first feature," with special attention being paid to Wu Gang's "marvelous" portrayal as He Dashang, the innkeeper. Other critics, meanwhile, have noted that while the film is an "accomplished and well executed piece of cinema," the ending nevertheless can be "divisive" or at least difficult to swallow. A more technical review from FIPRESCI
FIPRESCI
The International Federation of Film Critics is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world for "the promotion and development of film culture and for the safeguarding of professional interests." It was founded in June 1930 in...
praised the film director's methods as "something special" in the way they reinforce "an evident theatrical treatment of the subject matter."
The Case won the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival's College Students' Favorite Asian Film.
External links
- The Case at the Chinese Move Database