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"Hero"

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Tue 11/11/03 at 11:19
Regular
"Infantalised Forums"
Posts: 23,089
Last night, courtesy of a mate, I obtained a copy of a film I've been trying to see for almost 2 years since I heard about it over the net.
It's been released in pretty much every country but here, mate bought me the DVD in Belgrade whilst visiting her family.

Directed by Yimou Zhang, Hero (aka Nameless/Ying xiong) tells the story of an man called "Nameless" (Jet Li), who arrives at the palace of the King of Qin to tell him how he has killed the King's three main enemies that have sought to slaughter him. The enemies, Broken Sword, Flying Snow & Silver Spear are the greatest assassins known in the land, and the king is intrigued as to how Nameless managed to defeat them.
So begins the film.

Nameless' stories are told in flashback form as to how he bested them.
And each flashback is colour co-ordinated, to seperate from each other.
Visually it is absolutely incredible, one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.
One of the stories concerning Broken Sword & Flying Snow is red. All characters wear red, the decor is red, the sky is red...stunning and absolutely, incredibly beautiful.
A showdown in a forest, a fight amongst falling leaves and petals and, at the finale, the entire forest turns blood red.

Imagine Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - but with a visual imagination I've never, ever seen before, even in Chinese cinema.
The first encounter is between Nameless and Sky in a chess-house.
The fight is conducted "in the mind", and it puts any supposed cutting-edge CGI effects to shame.
Nameless running through frozen-in-time droplets of water, Sky upside down fighting.
It has the traditional wire-work, but it's done with style and panache with a showdown on a lake, swords breaking the water's surface only slightly etc.

Don't dismiss wire-work simply because The Matrix has introduced it to Westerners. To see Chinese cinema using it to show traditional character's movements through air and water, to demonstrate their harmony with the environment is a work of art.
The closest comparison I can think of, and it is ugly and clumsy and does not do Hero justice, is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The end of the film, with them fighting in the tree-tops, rivers and clearings. Think that for 90 mins, a genius/amazing/beautiful/unbelievable work of cinema.
The assualt on Zhao Calligraphy school ranks as one of my personal favourite scenes of the last I-don't-know.
Thousands upon thousands (no CGI here, this is an epic) of archers (using their feet) launch hundreds of thousands of arrows towards the school.
A swarm, a black cloud of arrows flying, and Nameless and Flying Snow fighting them away.

Of course it's unbelievable, of course these people shouldn't be able to fight on a lake etc but that's the traditional Chinese folklore of these warriors. That's why the wire-work is amazing, because it's not just to make them flip really cool through the room, it's to enable them to run across mountains, skip over water and climb walls in mid-combat.

Hero/Nameless/Ying Xiong - if you are even slightly a fan of Chinese cinema or just incredible works of visual poetry, then try and find this film and get it.
If you think "Kung fu, wot like The Matrix? Wire work? Seen it", then stick with Kill Bill et al.
This isn't a kung-fu movie, I can't think of one instance of chop-socky.
This is swordsmanship, magic and beauty.

Here's some stills to try and show you what I mean by visual poetry:
http://outnow.ch/Media/Img/2002/Hero/
Fri 16/04/04 at 23:34
Regular
"Notable"
Posts: 4,558
Goatboy wrote:
> **edit**
> And how am I "belittling" by pointing out that you replied
> with 4 mins of me replying?
> Not feeling a tad defensive then....
> I'm off, feel free to add plenty of cutting remarks etc, I'll check
> back on Sunday evening-ish.
>
> Toodle Pip

The likes of you and Belldandy try and be too judgmental and critical in one sentence. I'm used to it though.

"cutting remarks"

Erm....
Fri 16/04/04 at 23:58
Regular
Posts: 23,216
Need some sort of virtual hose...
Sat 17/04/04 at 00:13
Regular
"Notable"
Posts: 4,558
As long as you use it on him too.
Sat 17/04/04 at 00:18
Regular
Posts: 23,216
Actually, when hosing cats down I tend to just choose one and stick to it. :)

My monetary situation is finally balancing out a bit now... but I think I'll wait till the August release for this anyway, but I'm desperate to see it... bah.
Sat 17/04/04 at 00:19
Regular
"Notable"
Posts: 4,558
You still rawking at the drums?
Sat 17/04/04 at 01:26
Regular
"Infantalised Forums"
Posts: 23,089
Ju§t TinkŠ wrote:
> Try not to judge then, that name on the screen. Especially if it's
> the first time you've even spoke to them.
--------

Fair enough, except you felt the need to wade into this discussion where I've been trying to get people to see this film by writing:

"it was me that seen this first, i'm better than you *"

A perfectly reasonable discussion on a film, yet you felt the need to cast aspersions on my motives.
And I'm sorry, but if somebody implies I need to strut at watching a film, then I'm going to respond.
I'd said nothing to you or about you, but you decided to have a pop at me.

So please stop acting martyric, I didn't start the comments/barbs/whatever, I simply told you you were wrong and to cram your attitude up your ass because you know nothing about me.

Now enjoy your weekend as I shall mine.
Sat 17/04/04 at 01:34
Regular
Posts: 23,216
Ju§t TinkŠ wrote:
> You still rawking at the drums?

Whenever there's a silence that needs to be disrupted, I'll be there... *bangbangbangbang*
Sat 17/04/04 at 02:44
Regular
"Notable"
Posts: 4,558
Goatboy wrote:
> Stuff

Agreed
Sat 17/04/04 at 02:45
Regular
"Which one's pink?"
Posts: 12,152
Hurrah for this being popped.
I'll get it as soon as I'm not strapped for cash. Sounds pretty damned good.

Grix - you mention an August release?
Explain - I'm too tired to wade through the posts.
Sat 17/04/04 at 02:45
Regular
"Notable"
Posts: 4,558
Grix Thraves wrote:
> Whenever there's a silence that needs to be disrupted, I'll be there... *bangbangbangbang*

:ŽD. I wish I had the money for such a demonic device.

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