The copy I looked at was very rough. It seems to have been taken from a VHS recording done at very low resolution. As a result, it was blurry, the sound track full of buzzes, and the color of what is said to have been the first Chinese color movie is largely missing, and washed out when it appears; reds look brown and blues are almost non-existent. Also, the English subtitles exist for about a quarter of the dialogue. In addition, this is a Peking Opera version of a Ming era story set during the Song-Jin War. It was apparent to me that the intended audience would have been very familiar with the story,leaving me in a state of bewildered annoyance.
Why, then, look at it at all? Well, this was made just before the Communists took over the country, so the Peking Opera was still going strong; although it is still in existence today, there is little doubt that it was far more robust at the time.
The story is that Mei Lanfang (who also wrote the adaptation) is a lovely Song lady captured by the vile Jim. She is made marry Miao-Xiang Jiang, a fellow prisoner, for reasons I don't understand. He escapes. They are separated for a decade, during which he rises to become a governor of a province.
Will they meet again? Will they be reconciled? Will anyone act out the events, or must every action and event be explained in the narration, accompanied by large gestures? Why should you care enough to look at this? These are questions you will have to decide for yourself, alas. I did not find this recorded version of the opera very interesting.
Why, then, look at it at all? Well, this was made just before the Communists took over the country, so the Peking Opera was still going strong; although it is still in existence today, there is little doubt that it was far more robust at the time.
The story is that Mei Lanfang (who also wrote the adaptation) is a lovely Song lady captured by the vile Jim. She is made marry Miao-Xiang Jiang, a fellow prisoner, for reasons I don't understand. He escapes. They are separated for a decade, during which he rises to become a governor of a province.
Will they meet again? Will they be reconciled? Will anyone act out the events, or must every action and event be explained in the narration, accompanied by large gestures? Why should you care enough to look at this? These are questions you will have to decide for yourself, alas. I did not find this recorded version of the opera very interesting.
