Product: Shadow Magic [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 5.0
Universal themes wrapped in a unique package
Only at the beginning of this movie do you strain with captions. As you progress they become almost second nature and you are transported into the story.I was surprised as the basic story on the surface seems to tell of how people deal with new technology. This is the introduction of moving pictures or "Shadow Magic."The reality of the story is the friendship of two people Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris), Liu Jinglun (Xia Yu), and their relation ship to others. Raymond is dumped by his wife for someone with money; yet finds his self and future in the making of film. Liu is in a rigid culture, including family and friends, which is trying to force him into marring a rich widow instead of the young aristocrat girl Liu Jinglun (Yufei Xing) he loves.Can Liu over come the culture and individual prejudices or will he re-assimilate?And what is to become of Raymond?Though, short of a tear jerker, you will still get involved with their lives and marvel at the cinematography.