Product: Shadow Magic [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 3.0
Cinema Paradiso Chinese Style
The material for this movie is good: a Westerner trying to strike it big in the Middle Kingdom a.k.a China by introducing Chinese to motion picture. The movie was set in the early 20th century as China was on the verge of Industrial Revolution and prior to destruction of Ching Dynasty. It was difficult for him to set up the business at first but through the help of a pro-Western and curious Chinese, motion picture gradually made its headway into the local scene. Personally, I feel that the motion picture is a metaphor of modern time. Naturally, there were Chinese who were reluctant to embrace motion picture because they felt that Chinese Opera Theatre had been going on since the beginning of time and thus, that should continue. Anyway, the movie touched upon the cultural difference between East and West. The Chinese character was coerced by his father to marry a wealthy widow who was significantly older than him. In the olden times, the son had no option but conformed out of obligation. However, the Western fellow (played by Jarred Harris) convinced the Chinese who had since become his best of friend that he should follow his heart, to pursue his dream lady the daughter of a revered Opera Singer of the time. Jarred's character explained further that it's perfectly okay to display his affection for the opposite sex. Then, there was mentioning about hierarchy difference. Whereas the Opera singer's daughter was rich, the Chinese was poor. Again, in the olden times, it was an impossibility to bridge the gap somewhat. As a movie would have it, it would build to a climax where circumstances tried the friendship between the Chinese and the Western guy, the new against the old, complacency against courage. Being a feel good movie, you can guess the rest. I really feel that this movie is much aligned with "Cinema Paradiso" as the scenes of Chinese watching motion picture for the first time was exactly how it set up in the Italian movie. Furthermore, the soundtrack utilised here is very much an Ernio Morricone rip-off. It is expected for such kind of movie to be slow-moving. It's unjust to compare this movie against Cinema Paradiso. Yet, it's also unfair that the story is put to us in a condescending way suggesting that that's exactly what's going on in China during that time. Naturally, there were touching moments but it's as if we have been down the same track before. I question the accuracy of the depiction. Is it the right kind of gramaphone used for the time? There's never any display of chaos when the country was supposed to be filled with soldiers of both East and West trying to curb the civil war and the colonisation of various Western powers. In this instance, Jarred Harris is THE only Westerner in the movie. Overall, a well-made movie but in a shallow kind of way. Recommended watching but not for everyone.