First, this is no easy-watching popcorn movie, in 2008. It's silent (and really silent, no background music at least), but intertitled in Chinese and English. However.. the intertitles are cut off at left and bottom, so you need some detective work just to read the English. Several scenes, mostly outdoors, are just fading into white, making it hard to see anything.
And as if that wasn't enough, a big center part was mounted the wrong way. I was surprised when in a crucial scene, people wrote with their left hands, and the intertitles came all mirrored for some 20 minutes (two reels) or so... (I watched the version in the 120 Classics box, not sure whether there's better ones about).
And still, this weird movie had many interesting moments. At times feeling like a Peking opera (but without the soundtrack), at others it displayed modernity of those days (people traveling by train/car/biplane).. but most often on horseback.
The tragic-famous Ruan Lingyu stars as "Proteus"' fiancée, and "Valentine"'s sister. You get the classic story of a dishonored officer joining the bandits (showing up briefly as a caped crusader, throwing darts with moral messages attached..) What a ride. I was surprised by the female ordnance soldiers, and even more by Julia commanding her army.. though she then travelled to Canton in traditional attire, to find out about her brother.
If these rather random observations still haven't deterred you, just watch it yourself. I'm not saying it's good, but very fascinating. A museum piece, of course, but with so thrilling moments (one more example, Valentine in the bandits' cellar). A weird (but good) experience... :^)
And as if that wasn't enough, a big center part was mounted the wrong way. I was surprised when in a crucial scene, people wrote with their left hands, and the intertitles came all mirrored for some 20 minutes (two reels) or so... (I watched the version in the 120 Classics box, not sure whether there's better ones about).
And still, this weird movie had many interesting moments. At times feeling like a Peking opera (but without the soundtrack), at others it displayed modernity of those days (people traveling by train/car/biplane).. but most often on horseback.
The tragic-famous Ruan Lingyu stars as "Proteus"' fiancée, and "Valentine"'s sister. You get the classic story of a dishonored officer joining the bandits (showing up briefly as a caped crusader, throwing darts with moral messages attached..) What a ride. I was surprised by the female ordnance soldiers, and even more by Julia commanding her army.. though she then travelled to Canton in traditional attire, to find out about her brother.
If these rather random observations still haven't deterred you, just watch it yourself. I'm not saying it's good, but very fascinating. A museum piece, of course, but with so thrilling moments (one more example, Valentine in the bandits' cellar). A weird (but good) experience... :^)
