When it comes to Chinese cinema, none of us are unaware of the great director Zhang Yimou. He has won many prestigious awards both nationally and internationally. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he wowed the world with his outstanding and grandiose performances in the opening ceremony. Zhang Yimou is considered a master in the art of arranging to create impressive and captivating scenes. The films he directed always captivated people. If you are a fan of Chinese films, you cannot ignore his works. Let's find out with topshare about the most impressive films in his career.
1 House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
House of Flying Daggers - Trailer
Genre: Swordsman Historical
Duration: 119 minutes
Actors: Kaneshiro Takeshi, Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau
Release year: 2002
Ten Faces Ambush is a 2004 Chinese and Hong Kong martial arts romance film co-produced. The film is directed by Zhang Yimou and stars Kaneshiro Takeshi, Zhang Ziyi and Andy Lau. Unlike many other martial arts movies, this is more of a love story than a martial arts movie.
The film was selected to be submitted to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004 but was not successful, although it still received a nomination for best cinematography.
Movie Ten Faces ambush is set in ancient China, this time there is a rebel force named Phi Dao Mon rebelling against the imperial court. The first two martial arts officials Kim Bo and Luu Bo, who were close friends, received orders to kill the leader of Phi Dao Mon within 10 days. This is considered a difficult task when no one knows the face of the leader.
Liu arrests Tieu Muoi, a blind girl suspected of being the daughter of the former leader. Kim pretends to be a knight who supports the Phi Dao Mon faction, attacks the prison to rescue Tieu Muoi, in order to gain her trust. While Kim and Tieu Muoi were on their way to the Phi Dao Mon stronghold, Liu led reinforcements to follow them. Unfortunately, Kim and Tieu Muoi fell in love.
To make things more real, Liu had soldiers pretend to ambush the two. Then they were actually ambushed by another group of soldiers. During the secret meeting, Liu explained that the imperial military wanted both Kim and Tieu Muoi to die. A few days later, Kim and Tieu Muoi were ambushed again, but were saved by the Flying Dao Mon faction and brought back to their lair.
In fact, Tieu Muoi is not blind and she is betrothed to Liu, who is revealed to be a member of the Flying Dao Gate. Phi Dao Mon is not afraid of the imperial army, they are just waiting for the time to attack. The heartbroken Liu told Tieu Muoi that he had been waiting for her for 3 years since he became a spy in the court, and asked why she could love Kim in just 3 days, only to hear her reply that she had given her the fruit. heart for Kim.
Liu intended to rape Tieu Muoi, but an older woman threw a knife at Liu's back. Tieu Muoi was ordered to kill Kim because he was a court official, but she released him and refused to run away with him. After a while, Tieu Muoi changed her mind and rode after Kim, she was stabbed by Liu in the chest. Kim discovered Liu and the two men started fighting. A blizzard fell, while the imperial army prepared to attack the Phi Dao Mon stronghold.
A tense situation took place, as a result, Kim and Liu did not die, only Tieu Mieu died, because she pulled the knife from her chest. Luu ran off into the forest while Kim cried over Tieu Muoi's body.
2 The 13 Flowers Of War (2011)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
The 13 Flowers Of War (2011) - Trailer
Genre: film adaptation, nationalist, resistance war
Duration: 146 minutes
Actors: Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi, Dong Dawei
Release year: 2011
The 13 Flowers Of War (2011) is a 2011 historical war film directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Zhang Xinyi, Tong Dawei, Shigeo Kobayashi, and Cao Cao. Khac Pham. The film is based on the novel Kim Lang and Tam Dau by Nghiem Ca Linh, inspired by the diary of Minnie Vautrin. Jinling Thirteen is set in Nanjing, China, in the midst of the Nanjing Massacre of 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The film follows a group of fugitives hiding in a Catholic church, trying to survive the brutality of the Japanese military.
The Golden Dragon was selected by China to compete in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 84th Academy Awards, but did not make it to the final shortlist. The film received a nomination at the Globe Awards. gold medal for the 69th time. Kim Lang Tam Do was nominated for a number of categories at the 6th Asian Film Awards, including Best Picture. The film's North American distribution rights were acquired by Wrekin Hill Entertainment affiliated with Row 1 Productions. Kim Lang Thirteen had a limited premiere for the Oscars in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco in late December 2011, theatrical release in January 2012.
3 Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
Trailer
Genre: historical folklore
Duration: 114 minutes
Actors: Chow Yun Fat, Gong Loi, Zhou Jie Lun
Release year: 2006
Curse of the Golden Flower is a martial arts and drama film written and directed by Zhang Yimou. The film's Mandarin title is the last line of a poem by Huang Chao, the leader of the peasant uprising. against the Tang Dynasty from 875 to 884.
With a budget of US$45 million, at the time of its release, Hoang Kim Giap surpassed Infinity by director Chen Kaige, becoming the most expensive Chinese film of all time. The work was selected to compete for the Foreign Film Award. The film was nominated for the best costume design category at the 79th Academy Awards but did not receive a nomination. However, the film was still nominated for the category of Best Costume Design. In 2007, at the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards, the film received 14 nominations and 4 awards including Best Actress Award (Gong Loi), Best Action Direction Award (Cheng Xiaodong), Best Makeup and Costume Design Award (He Zhongwen) and Best Soundtrack Award (the song "Chrysanthemum Radio" by Jay Chou).
The story of the film is based on the content of Cao Yu's play "Lei Vu", but the context is pushed back from modern Tianjin to the Later Tang period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
The film takes the plot and details based on the play Lei Vu by Cao Yu, but is pushed back to the context of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, China was in a feudal period of constant war. Emperor Hau Duong before ascending the throne had a romantic relationship with a village girl and had two children, including a son (great prince) and a daughter. However, he concealed the truth to get married and get public the lord of the neighboring country as queen. The village girl swallowed her hatred, hugged her daughter and left her son, then left, married Chiang Thai y. During the chrysanthemum festival, the Queen and Prince Nguyen Kiet (same father) in the royal family started. The army overthrew the Great King but failed. Because he felt sorry for his mother, Nguyen Kiet drew his sword and took it from a soldier of Dai Vuong and committed suicide. Too sad about his son's death, So Nguyen Kiet's mother threw the medicine cup (poisonous) and hit the symbol representing the reign of Dai Vuong, causing the object to be completely tarnished and deformed by the (poisonous) cup of medicine.
4 Hero (2002)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
Trailer
Genre: Historical, Romance
Duration: 99 minutes
Actors: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Truong Man Ngoc, Donnie Yen, Zhang Ziyi
Release year: 2002
Hero is a Chinese martial arts film released in 2002, directed by Zhang Yimou, co-produced and scripted with the martial arts direction by Cheng Xiaodong. actors include Jet Li, Tony Leung Trieu Vy, Truong Man Ngoc, Donnie Yen, Zhang Ziyi and Tran Dao Minh. The film is inspired by the story of Kinh Kha's murder of Qin Shi Huang in 227 BC.
Hero opened in his home country on October 24, 2002. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive film and also one of the highest-grossing films in China. Miramax Films purchased the rights to distribute the work in the United States, but delayed its release for nearly two years. Finally, after the convincing efforts of American director Quentin Tarantino, Miramax officially opened in theaters in the United States on August 27, 2004. Hero received positive reviews from critics, becoming became the first Chinese-language film to top the US box office and held the position for two consecutive weeks. The work has grossed US$53.7 million in the US market and US$177 million worldwide.
The content of the film Hero is set in China during the Warring States period. When this country was being divided into 7 countries: Qin, Zhao, Wei, Yen, Qi and Chu. Cruel wars broke out consecutively between these 7 countries for the purpose of gaining hegemony. It caused the people of 7 countries to fall into misery. Qin is the most dominant country, Qin Wang is plotting to reunify the country. That is to defeat the remaining 6 countries to become the first Emperor of China. The Royal Palace always has good bodyguards and is arranged with many traps everywhere to finish off the assassins. But there are 3 assassins who always make Qin Vuong afraid: Tan Kiem, Phi Tuyet and Truong Khong. To eliminate these three people, Qin Wang offered a reward to the person who killed one of them, but for 10 years, no one could do it. Then a man named Nameless came to the palace with the assassin's weapon. Nameless defeated Truong Khong in a heroic battle and then successively defeated the other 2. Is that true or is it just a story made up by Nameless to get close to the King of Qin so that he can execute him?
5 Shadow (2018)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
Shadow - Trailer
Genre: Swordsman Historical
Duration: 115 minutes
Actors: Dang Sieu, Ton Le, Trinh Khai, Vuong Thien Nguyen, Ho Quan
Release year: 2018
Shadow is a 2018 Chinese historical epic film, directed by Zhang Yimou. The film has the participation of many movie stars such as Dang Sieu, Ton Le, Ho Quan, Trinh Khai... The plot of Shadow is inspired by the movie Kagemusha by director Kurosawa Akira. At the 55th Golden Horse Awards, the work brought Zhang Yimou the best director award.
Shadow revolves around the war for the land of Canh Chau of two fictional countries Bai Quoc and Viem Quoc. Canh Chau was originally the territory of Bai Quoc, which was occupied for 20 years by General Duong Thuong (Ho Quan) of the Yan state. However, Bai Vuong (Trinh Khai) prayed for peace and did not dare to reclaim Canh Chau. He even intended to marry his sister, Princess Thanh Binh (Quan Hieu Dong) to Duong Thuong's son in order to establish an alliance.
Witnessing the weakness of Bai Vuong, the great admiral of Bai Quoc, Tu Ngu (Dang Sieu) came alone to fight Duong Thuong and was seriously injured. He had to live in seclusion in a dark cave, using a death image (substitute) named Canh Chau to continue practicing his moves, defeating Duong Thuong on his behalf.
6 Coming Home (2014)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
Coming Home - Trailer
Genre: Adaptation, Cultural Revolution
Duration: 111 minutes
Actors: Chen Daoming, Gong Li, Zhang Huiwen
Release year: 2014
Coming Home is a 2014 Chinese romance film, directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Gong Li and Chen Daoming.
The film story is adapted from the novel, Criminal Luc Yen Thuc written by female writer Nghiem Ca Linh. The story deals with the topic of "Cultural Revolution", once considered a taboo of Chinese cinema.
Luc Yen Thuc was a professor before being sent to a labor camp during the Cultural Revolution. He escaped from a labor camp in Tay Ninh to meet his wife Phung Uyen Du, whom he had not seen for 12 years, and his daughter Dan Dan (played by Truong Tue Van), whom he last met when he was 3 years old. When he got home, his wife did not dare to open the door, and his son did not want to look at him, because he considered his father a counterrevolutionary. However, he managed to write an appointment letter through the door for his wife, as well as send a message to his daughter. Dan Dan, then a young ballerina, was not allowed to play the lead role in a rehearsal dance because his father was outlawed. Under the temptation to reassign the lead role in the play, Dan Dan revealed the location of his parents' secret meeting to the police. As a result, her father was re-arrested, although Dan Dan still did not get the expected role.
Three years after the end of the Cultural Revolution, Luc Yen Thuc was allowed to return home, only his daughter came to greet him. Dan Dan has now given up ballet to work as a worker. When he returned home, his wife no longer recognized him, the new party representative said that he had been restored to dignity and position. Although she admits that she believes the party representative, Phung Uyen Du still refuses to believe that Thuc is her husband because she has lost her mind due to mental illness since a year. Wake up must temporarily stay in an old warehouse.
While the next day, Du went to the train station to pick up her husband. On the way home, Thuc was given the letter he had sent to his wife, he asked her to bring it back to her mother. Through the news in the letter, she went out to meet him again. Afraid that her husband would not recognize her, she wrote his name on a large board, but still did not recognize him.
Seeking to help his wife regain her memory, Thuc asked his son to bring back old albums, but in all the photos, his picture was cut by his son. He had to go to an old friend's house to ask for a picture of the two of them. But then his wife still didn't recognize him. Then when he heard that his wife was looking for a piano tuner for her husband to play, he disguised himself as a mechanic to tune in, the next day he went home to play music, when his wife heard it, she recognized him, but when he touched wife's face, she panicked, chased him out. He then sent his wife a box containing the letters he had written to her while in prison. Then he was asked to read poetry for her, so he had the opportunity to read to his wife the letter he wrote later advising her to forgive her old mistakes for her daughter to return to live together. Once in a private room when his wife was sleeping, he put an extra blanket on him, but his wife woke up, panicked and panicked and chased him out. At this point, he realized that the main cause of his wife's mental illness was an old official. Phuong has come to sexually harass his wife.
The last picture is also on the 5th of a month in winter a few years later, Thuc took his wife in a tricycle at that time, which was old and weak, and it was snowing again, to the station to pick up her husband.
7 Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010) - Trailer
Genre: Psychological Romance
Duration: 106 minutes
Actors: Zhou Dongyu and Dou Kieu
Release year: 2010
Under the Hawthorn Tree (2010) won 3 awards: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Asian Film, Asian Film Award for Best New Actor & Asian Film Award for Best Editing . Zhang Yimou's purest love story in cinematic history earned 100 million yuan after 16 days of release.
Throughout the film is a beautiful, pure love story of Tinh Thu and Kien Tan. Tinh Thu, Kien Tan - two opposing factions "good - bad" in Chinese society at that time. Tinh Thu grew up in a family of leftists: her father was exiled to labor re-education, her mother, who is a teacher, was also pushed down to work as a janitor, subject to the scorn of the world. However, Tinh Thu is always optimistic, loves life, and has an enthusiastic revolutionary spirit. A 16-year-old girl in the process of completing her final year of high school, like many friends her age, eagerly set off to the countryside to practice and consolidate the revolution. Here, she met the person she loved the most, Ton Kien Tan. He was affectionately known by the villagers as Lao Tam, uncle. Contrary to Tinh Thu, he came from a family of tycoons, respected by the world. His father is a high-ranking government official, himself an active member of the geological exploration team. Never mind the difference in family background, status, Tinh Thu - Kien Tan had a beautiful and romantic love. The poetic land and the red-flowered medlar tree have witnessed a beautiful, unfinished predestined relationship tinged with grief.
8 Cliff Walkers (2021)
Top 8 best movies of talented director Zhang Yimou (pinterest)
Genre: Nationalist, Revolutionary
Duration: 116 minutes
Actors: Truong Nghi, Vu Hoa Vy, Tan Hai Lo, Chu Ya Van
Release year: 2021
Cliff Walkers is the latest movie project of director Zhang Yimou. The film will be released in China at the end of April 2021.
The film starring Truong Dich, Vu Hoa Vy, Qin Hai Lo... is set in the 1930s when communist spies who had been specially trained in the Soviet Union returned to China on a special operation. nicknamed "Utro". However, a traitor in the organization ruined the plan and put the rest of them in danger from the very first second they set foot in the country where they were born.
Cliff Walkers is impressed not only by director Zhang Yimou's experienced directing talent but also by the harsh reality of the project. According to the disclosure, the film crew had to perform scenes in the rain and snow of minus 40 degrees Celsius in Snow Village in Heilongjiang province. Zhang Yimou is demanding in the acting of young actors along with the scenes that require as much realism as possible to complete the film.
Cliff Walkers is also said to be the last film project that Zhang Yimou directs before retiring. Released from April 30, 2021, the work recorded a box office revenue of 1.19 billion yuan (more than 186 million USD). This is considered a high level of revenue for a picky art film project.
