Shanghai Triad (1995) Zhang Yimou - Gong Li - Film Movement - August 4, 2020

[ShellBeacher]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgIH...ature=youtu.be

**GORGEOUS HD RESTORATION RELEASED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON BLU RAY IN NORTH AMERICA**

**ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AND GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEE FOR BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM**

Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee, Shanghai Triad is a thrilling and sumptuously stylized potboiler about the Chinese criminal underworld of the 1930's from legendary director Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, House of Flying Daggers). Hired to be a servant to pampered nightclub singer and mob moll Xiao Jinbao (Gong Li), naive teenager Shuisheng (Wang Xiaoxiao) is thrust into the glamorous and deadly demimonde of Shanghai s crime syndicates. Over the course of seven days, Shuisheng observes mounting tensions as triad boss Tang begins to suspect traitors amongst his ranks and rivals for Xiao Jinbao's affections. Zhang's inventive take on the gangster film is assured and attention-grabbing (Variety) and Gong's central performance, a portrait of a capricious and indulgent woman who gains depth as we watch her -- is one of her finest (Chicago Tribune).

Winner - Technical Grand Prize for Cinematography - Cannes Film Festival
Winner - Best Cinematography - Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. Awards
Winner - Top Foreign Films - National Board of Review
Winner - Best Foreign Language Film - National Board of Review
Winner - Best Cinematographer - New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Nominated - Best Cinematography - Academy Awards
Nominated - Best Foreign Language Film - Golden Globes
Nominated - Golden Frog - Camerimage ---

Bonus features include Trouble in Shanghai video essay by author Grady Hendrix and booklet with new essay by film critic and lecturer John Berra.

I know John Berra, so I wholeheartedly endorse this.

Nice to see this finally getting a US release! Not sure if this is a 4K restoration, or...

Let's hope this bodes well for the other Zhang Yimou/Gong Li 90s classics on Blu-ray or even... dare one dream... 4K?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

(I didn't see a thread for this yet. If I missed it, feel free to delete.)

[DukeTogo84]

Excellent film. The DVD from Sony was utter trash. Can't wait for this one.

[Justin Decloux]

For a second I was like "Film Movement is puting out SHANGHAI AFFAIR, the Andy Lau film? Weird choice."

Looking forward to this one! Will this trigger Yimou fever? I hope someone down the line decides to release the decidedly odd Ching Siu-tung film A TERRA-COTA WARRIOR which stars Yimou as a time-displaced swordsman who is in love with Gong Li.

[ShellBeacher]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Excellent film. The DVD from Sony was utter trash. Can't wait for this one.

Yep, I picked up that years back but then also the Hong Kong Blu-ray, which was a suitable upgrade for its time...but that was 2010!

Originally Posted by Justin Decloux

Looking forward to this one! Will this trigger Yimou fever? I hope someone down the line decides to release the decidedly odd Ching Siu-tung film A TERRA-COTA WARRIOR which stars Yimou as a time-displaced swordsman who is in love with Gong Li.

Yeah, I have a Hong Kong DVD of that one, too... but that's even more obscure! I think that's even more unlikely to see a release in the west...but you never know! But it would be nice if NOVA got a hold of it...

Mainly, I want the 'prestige' Zhang Yimou/Gong Li films in HD -

- I have the limited WCL Red Sorghum, but would be nice to see that get a Western upgrade.
- Raise the Red Lantern
- Ju Dou (though the NOVA release is great)
- To Live
- Story of Qiu Ju
- The Road Home (w/Zhang Ziyi) has disappeared, too...much needed!
- Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles even got a SPC DVD in the US... Can't imagine Under the Hawthorn Tree will, though!

Someone mentioned in the Asia section that there was word of an upcoming Korean (I think) Blu set with a few of these... but that was months ago... and no word since! And the word was that it apparently wouldn't have English subs... which is highly unusual for Korean releases...which makes me think the below:

I've suspected elsewhere that there is some renewed "cultural burying" going on here from people high-up the Chinese government/cultural chain... but of course that's hard to prove, exactly.

[DukeTogo84]

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles is a personal favorite. I really hope this gets a Blu-ray here at some point.

[nitin]

Yimou has made many incredible films, especially his earlier films with Gong Li, but unfortunately most of his filmography is missing from blu including less famous but still very good films like The Road Home and Not One Less

[DukeTogo84]

Has anyone pre-ordered this from Bullmoose and had it shipped yet? I saw they had some in stock a few days ago, but not it looks like they don't and my copy hasn't shipped yet.

[modernmalaise]

I pre-ordered from Amazon and got an email a few hours ago with updated delivery date to Thursday. Perhaps delay from supplier.

[Batman1084]

Mine just delivered from Best Buy. While not even in my top 5 Yimou films, this is still an excellent drama. I definitely bought this with the specific intention of supporting Yimou films getting the Blu-ray or UHD (one can dream) treatment.

Red Lantern, To Live, and Road Home are ones that I am dying with excitement for. The South Korean release of Ju Dou was excellent and has me hyped for all of these hopefully getting equal treatment at some point in time.

[Menteith]

Is there any difference picture-wise/audio-wise compared to the HK edition?