Peking Opera Blues (traditional Chinese: 刀馬旦; simplified Chinese: 刀马旦; pinyin: Dāo Mǎ Dàn; Jyutping: dou1 maa5 daan2; Cantonese Yale: Dòu Máah Dáan) is a 1986 Hong Kong action comedy film directed and produced by Tsui Hark. The film stars Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh, Paul Chun, Wu Ma, and Kenneth Tsang. The movie combines action comedy with scenes involving Peking Opera.[1] The film was nominated for six awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Actress.
Synopsis
The film is set in 1913 Peking, during Yuan Shikai's presidency of the country. It depicts the adventures of a team of unlikely heroines: Tsao Wan (Brigitte Lin), a patriotic rebel who cross-dresses as a man; Sheung Hung (Cherie Chung), a woman in search of a missing box of jewels; and Bai Niu (Sally Yeh), the daughter of a Peking Opera impresario.
Title
The Chinese title translates as Knife Horse Actresses, a term used in Peking Opera to refer to male actors playing female warriors (See Dan article for details). It is sometimes erroneously translated as Knife Horse Dawn, because both words are represented by the same Chinese character.[2]
Cast and roles
- Brigitte Lin - Tsao Wan (曹雲), General Tsao's daughter
- Cherie Chung - Sheung Hung (湘紅)
- Sally Yeh - Bai Niu (白妞)
- Kenneth Tsang - General Tsao
- Wu Ma - Mr. Wong
- Paul Chun - Fa Gum-Sao
- Mark Cheng - Ling Pak-Hoi
- Cheung Kwok Keung - Tung Man
- Ku Feng - Commander Liu
- Lee Hoi-sang - Soldier with moustache
- Leong Po-Chih
- Sandra Ng (cameo)
- Dean Shek
- Yin Szema
- Tien Ching
- David Wu
Responses
The film grossed HK$17,559,357 in Hong Kong.[3]
In his Wrap Up video to the Region 1 DVD of Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express, Quentin Tarantino refers to Peking Opera Blues as "one of the greatest films ever made" and "a blast––it's a lot of fun."
Awards
| Year | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Best Actress | Sally Yeh | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | Paul Chun | Nominated | |
| Best Action Choreography | Ching Siu-tung | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Hang Sang Poon | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | David Wu | Nominated | |
| Best Art Direction | Vincent Wai Kim-Sing Ho Chi-Hing Leung |
Nominated |
References
- ^ Bleiler, David TLA Video & DVD Guide 2005 (St Martin's Griffin, 2004) p.478
- ^ Jenny Kwok Wah Lau, 'Peking Opera Blues: Exploding Genre, Gender and History', in Film Analysis (Norton, 2005), p. 739.
- ^ "Peking Opera Blues (1986)".
External links
You must be logged in to post a comment.