From Shanghai Daily:
Famed comedy filmmaker Feng Xiaogang doesn’t want to be typecast as a director of light fare. So he has made “The Banquet,” a tragedy blockbuster of martial arts, murder, revenge and romance. Reviews, however, are mixed….
The action-packed film, with a budget of 150 million yuan (US$18.75 million), depicts the royal power struggle ignited by the sudden death of an emperor in ancient China. The characters’ hidden emotions of revenge, ambition and love have parallels to “Hamlet.”
However, during the special showings for media and only a few audience in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Xi’an and Beijing, audience burst into laughter at this “serious” film, which will be released nationally on Thursday with both English and Chinese subtitles. [Full Text]
See also “The Banquet” premieres in Beijing by Xinhua News Agency and Bigger banquet via CDT.
