03-22-2015, 12:31 PM
"OH NO YOU DIDN'T!" roared DM in horror, rousing the bungalow alarming. T, S, Pom and Feral Cat leapt from their various tasks (homework, reading, snoozing and butt-licking), wondering what was amiss with DM.
WHW is a retelling of one of my fav contemporary wuxia novels which I have never read because I'm not sure it's even been translated (I should look that up). It was Brigitte Lin's The Bride with White Hair version that rocked me back in 1980, one of the most mind-bending fant-ASIA flix of the day, a visionary effort by director Ronny Yu. The bride was revisited by Li Binbing in Forbidden Kingdom. This new version is heavy CGI with what is surely eye-popping 3D, starring the luminous Fan Bingbing in the titular role. Don't confuse your Bingbings. Fan was in Lost in Thailand and Iron Man 3 (only the Chinese version, not the U.S. version). Fan has the ethereal look, highlighted with trippy azure contact lenses and purple highlights in her luxurious locks, at least until they turn white.
What I loved about TBwWH was Brigitte, a take-no-crap swordswoman who in an all-to-few reversal, saves the man. Brigitte had a great presence in those 80s films - she had the kind of gutsiness that reminded me of so many genuine women in the martial arts. Fan is a China-doll, but that works too. Her mediocre martial skills are covered by ample wire-work and CGI. The film looks great and there are lots of fun superhero-like swordfights. I was digging it until the last five minutes.
I should have seen where this was going to go. I know the story. I know how it ends. But that final scene - aw man - ruined the whole thing. Thus my scream of despair. So close, so close to greatness, and then to drop the ball on the last five minute.
Still, I might lend this to the CFs as we discussed this at Zhong Kui. The CFs need to get up to speed on today's Fant-ASIA genre, which is pretty fun overall in that comic book way.
WHW is a retelling of one of my fav contemporary wuxia novels which I have never read because I'm not sure it's even been translated (I should look that up). It was Brigitte Lin's The Bride with White Hair version that rocked me back in 1980, one of the most mind-bending fant-ASIA flix of the day, a visionary effort by director Ronny Yu. The bride was revisited by Li Binbing in Forbidden Kingdom. This new version is heavy CGI with what is surely eye-popping 3D, starring the luminous Fan Bingbing in the titular role. Don't confuse your Bingbings. Fan was in Lost in Thailand and Iron Man 3 (only the Chinese version, not the U.S. version). Fan has the ethereal look, highlighted with trippy azure contact lenses and purple highlights in her luxurious locks, at least until they turn white.
What I loved about TBwWH was Brigitte, a take-no-crap swordswoman who in an all-to-few reversal, saves the man. Brigitte had a great presence in those 80s films - she had the kind of gutsiness that reminded me of so many genuine women in the martial arts. Fan is a China-doll, but that works too. Her mediocre martial skills are covered by ample wire-work and CGI. The film looks great and there are lots of fun superhero-like swordfights. I was digging it until the last five minutes.
I should have seen where this was going to go. I know the story. I know how it ends. But that final scene - aw man - ruined the whole thing. Thus my scream of despair. So close, so close to greatness, and then to drop the ball on the last five minute.
Still, I might lend this to the CFs as we discussed this at Zhong Kui. The CFs need to get up to speed on today's Fant-ASIA genre, which is pretty fun overall in that comic book way.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse
