Shi mian mai fu (2004)

Director:

Yimou Zhang

Writers:

Feng Li (writer)
Bin Wang (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

14 January 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

A romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Dancer | China | Police Officer | Tragedy

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins & 36 nominations

Cast

Takeshi Kaneshiro	...	Jin
Andy Lau	...	Leo
Ziyi Zhang	...	Xiao Mei (as Zhang Ziyi)
Dandan Song	...	Yee
Hongfei Zhao	...	Performer
Jun Guo	...	Performer
Shu Zhang	...	Performer
Jiusheng Wang	...	Performer
Zhengyong Zhang	...	Performer
Yongxin Wang	...	Performer
Dong Liu	...	Performer
Qi Zi	...	Performer
Xuedong Qu	...	Performer
Liping Tian	...	Performer
Hongwei Zhao	...	Performer
Weina Huang	...	Performer
Dan Ge	...	Performer
Xiadong Yang	...	Performer
Yisha Shang	...	Performer
Ying Liu	...	Performer
Jingwen Huang	...	Performer
Keija Zhang	...	Performer
Tianyou Luo	...	Performer
Lin Zhu	...	Performer
Jiwei Hu	...	Performer
Yu Hong	...	Performer
Bojie Hao	...	Performer
Jiajun Zhu	...	Performer
Ge Xu	...	Performer
Jingxiu Chou	...	Performer
Cuifang Guo	...	Performer
Chengyuan Li	...	Performer
Shuo Zhang	...	Performer
Jidong Zhang	...	Performer
Qiang Li	...	Performer
Yang Fu	...	Performer
Yang Guang	...	Performer
Yang Wen	...	Performer
Liang Chen	...	Performer
Xiuqiang Lin	...	Performer
Kun Wang	...	Performer
Meng Li	...	Performer
Ming Dong	...	Performer
Xiaodong Zheng	...	Performer
Chacha Song	...	Performer
Xuanyi Wang	...	Performer
Xueying Huang	...	Performer

Directed by
Yimou Zhang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Feng Li		writer
Bin Wang		writer
Yimou Zhang		writer

Produced by
William Kong	....	producer
Weiping Zhang	....	executive producer
Yimou Zhang	....	producer
Zhenyan Zhang	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Shigeru Umebayashi

Cinematography by
Xiaoding Zhao

Film Editing by
Long Cheng

Production Design by
Tingxiao Huo

Art Direction by
Zhong Han		(supervising art director)
Bin Zhao

Costume Design by
Emi Wada

Makeup Department
Siu-Mui Chau	....	chief hair stylist (as Chau Siu Mui)
Lee-na Kwan	....	chief makeup artist (as Lee Na Kwan)
Shui Niu	....	assistant hair stylist
Yang Ruo	....	assistant makeup artist
Ge Xiufang	....	assistant makeup artist
Xiaohai Yang	....	chief makeup artist
Diu Zhijuan	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Tianhui Ge	....	unit manager
Larissa Khaliapina	....	unit manager: Ukraine (as Larysa Khalyapina)
Jane Maguire	....	post-production supervisor
Wenhua Ma	....	assistant production supervisor
Lu Sen	....	unit manager
Huang Xinmin	....	assistant production supervisor (as Huang Xinming)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Xiaoyang Chang	....	assistant director

Art Department
Huo Depeng	....	assistant property master
Yi Ho	....	property master (as Yi Hou)
Zhongquan Hu	....	set dresser
Mu Ke	....	assistant property master
Bao-Tai Li	....	assistant property master (as Li Baotai)
Miao Li	....	assistant art director
Shaochun Liu	....	special props
Marco Nero	....	matte painter
Guo Hong Sheng	....	assistant property master
Ming Wu	....	assistant art director
Xiaolong Xu	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Steve Burgess	....	sound effects editor
Chris Goodes	....	sound editing assistant
Alex Gordon	....	adr recordist
Cao Huijun	....	location sound assistant
Vic Kaspar	....	sound editor
Jo Mion	....	sound editor
Damon Mouris	....	sound mixer assistant
Andrew Neil	....	re-recording mix assistant
Andrew Neil	....	sound effects editor
Glenn Newnham	....	sound editor
Zeliang Niu	....	location sound assistant
Paul Pirola	....	sound effects editor
Roger Savage	....	sound mixer
Roger Savage	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roger Savage	....	sound supervisor
Blair Slater	....	foley recordist
Jing Tao	....	sound
Mario Vaccaro	....	foley artist
Zhigang Zhang	....	first sound assistant
Gina Nuccio	....	additional adr editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Lindsay Adams	....	digital compositor
Charlie Armstrong	....	digital compositor
Vaughn Arnup	....	digital compositor
Mark Barber	....	digital compositor
Jason Billington	....	digital compositor
Roger Bolton	....	digital compositor
David Booth	....	visual effects
Kent Boswell	....	visual effects production manager: Fuel
Dan Breckwoldt	....	digital compositor
Andy Brown	....	visual effects supervisor
Paul Buckley	....	animator: Digital Pictures Iloura
Sam Cole	....	compositing supervisor: Fuel
Fiona Crawford	....	visual effects producer
Chris Davies	....	digital compositor
Jonathan Dixon	....	digital liaison
Clinton Downs	....	digital artist
Bryn Farrelly	....	digital compositor
Siggy Ferstl	....	digital intermediate colorist: Digital Pictures
Morgane Furio	....	Inferno compositor
Darrin Hanley	....	digital compositor
David Hansen	....	CG artist
Mick Harkin	....	digital compositor
Mark Harmon	....	digital grading
Jason Hawkins	....	video operations technician
Jamie Hediger	....	digital compositor
Alwyn Hunt	....	texture artist: Animal Logic
Michelle Hunt	....	digital compositor
Bhakar James	....	senior animator: Animal Logic
Krista Jordan	....	senior compositor
Angie Lam	....	visual effects supervisor
Stefan Litterini	....	digital artist: Animal Logic
Ineke Majoor	....	visual effects producer
Keith Meure	....	rotoscope artist
Kirsty Millar	....	visual effects supervisor: Animal Logic
Naomi Mitchell	....	visual effects producer
Nick Monton	....	digital compositor
Nick Monton	....	digital intermediate supervisor: Digital Pictures
David Mosqueda	....	digital compositor
Nick Murphy	....	video operations technician
Mark Nettleton	....	senior compositor
Matthew North	....	digital compositor
Jongsu Oh	....	digital artist: Animal Logic
Murray Pope	....	visual effects executive producer
Glen Pratt	....	digital compositor
Paul Raeburn	....	digital compositor
Danielle Rubin	....	visual effects production manager
Evan Shipard	....	digital matte painter/compositor
Nathan Stone	....	animator
Robert Sullivan	....	video operations supervisor: Animal Logic
Paul Taylor	....	video operations technician
Ian Watson	....	visual effects artist
Peter Webb	....	digital compositor
Eddy Wong	....	visual effects supervisor: Mendfond
Victor Wong	....	visual effects supervisor: Mendfond
Bryce Brecheisen	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Xia Bin	....	stunts
Zhan Bo	....	stunts
Chuanyong Cheng	....	stunts
Ou Chengwei	....	stunts
Shi Feng	....	stunts
Zhong Feng	....	stunts
Xiang Gao	....	stunts (as Gao Xiang)
Fei Goa	....	stunts
Cao Hua	....	stunts
Li Lei	....	stunts
Zhu Shaojie	....	stunts
Li Wei	....	stunts
Zheng Xin Xin	....	stunts
Hu Yan	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Xiaoyan Bai	....	still photographer
Guan Fei	....	camera grip
Xu Tie Gong	....	electrician
Huangpu Honghao	....	generator operator
Jianmin Ji	....	lighting designer
Raymond Lam	....	Steadicam operator
Raymond Lam	....	camera operator
Raymond Lam	....	director of photography: "b" unit
Wang Liam	....	camera grip
Sun Xin Shang	....	electrician
Cao Shuiqiang	....	electrician
Cao Tongan	....	electrician
Lihong Wang	....	gaffer
Li Xuebo	....	electrician
Jiandong Yu	....	electrician
Huilong Zhu	....	camera grip
Jin-Di Zhu	....	assistant camera (as Zhu Jindi)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bao-Rong Huang	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Huang Baorong)

Editorial Department
Leo Bahas	....	negative matcher
Olivier Fontenay	....	film and digital color grader
Alan Hansen	....	digital colorist
Bin Li	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Mark Franken	....	music editor

Other crew
Xu Aidong	....	production assistant
Xu Bin	....	second production assistant
Amealy Go Chan	....	massage therapist
Cynthia Chang	....	assistant: Mr. Kaneshiro
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Siu-Tung Ching	....	action choreographer
Julian Chiu	....	second production assistant
Zhao Danian	....	production assistant
Yexin Fan	....	catering assistant
Ni Guanche	....	second production assistant
Li Haoxue	....	catering assistant
Zhang Hui	....	interpreter
Du Jian	....	second production assistant
Wenrui Jia	....	caterer
Zheng Jie	....	dancer
Du Jin	....	interpreter
Gao Ke	....	production assistant
Xiaowei Lang	....	accountant
Cai Li	....	martial arts coordinator
Qiang Li	....	choreographer
Mingna Liu	....	accountant
Maria Lo Orzel	....	creative consultant
Zheng Lu	....	dancer
Stanley J. Orzel	....	creative consultant
Zhang Rui	....	cashier
Zhao Shufen	....	accountant
Jianguo Wang	....	second production assistant
Yabin Wang	....	dancer
Wu Weifeng	....	dancer
Yinqian Xiao	....	production assistant
Xiaoshun Xu	....	location production assistant
Hong Yan	....	cashier
Li Yan	....	assistant: Ms. Zhang
Li Yanlong	....	catering assistant
Yan Yan	....	dancer
Alice Yeung	....	production coordinator
Mao Yun	....	catering assistant
Shi Zeyi	....	production assistant
Jianmin Zhang	....	choreographer

Thanks
Philip Lee	....	special thanks
Anita Mui	....	dedicatee
Yatming Tang	....	special thanks (as Tang Yat Ming)

Production Companies

• Beijing New Picture Film Co.
• China Film Co-Production Corporation
• EDKO Film
• Elite Group Enterprises
• Zhang Yimou Studio

Distributors

• Focus Features (2004) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2005) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Constantin-Filmverleih (2005) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Pathé Distribution (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• BIM Distribuzione (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• Canvas (2008) (Belgium) (TV) (first national airing)
• Highlight Film (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2006) (Thailand) (all media)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (all media)
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (TV)
• Nederlandse Programma Stichting (NPS) (2008) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Odeon (2005) (Greece) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Tayrona Entertainment Group (2005) (Colombia) (all media) (as Cinemac Films)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Animal Logic (visual effects)
• Digital Pictures Iloura (visual effects)
• Iloura (visual effects)
• Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Arigat-Orchestra  orchestra
• Atlab  digital intermediate (as Atlab Australia)
• Atlab  digital opticals (as Atlab Australia)
• Bunkamura Studio  music recorded at
• Cinerent  camera and lighting equipment (as Cinerent Ltd.)
• Digital Pictures  digital intermediate
• Ex Ltd.  music production
• Frame, Set & Match  hi-definition mastering services
• KSS Recording Studio  music mixed at
• Negative Cutting Services  negative cutting (as Negative Cutting Services Aust. Pty. Ltd.)
• Negative Cutting Services Aust. Pty. Ltd.  negative cutting
• Optical & Graphics  graphics and subtitles
• R!ot  title design: main titles (as R!ot Pictures)
• Sony Classical  soundtrack published by
• Soundfirm Beijing Co. Ltd.  sound post-production
• Soundfirm  sound post-production
• Spectrum Films International  picture post-production facility: Australia
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities
• Studio Shanglira  music recorded at
• Victor Studio  music recorded at
• Video-8 Broadcast  rushes (as Video 8 Broadcast)
• Video-8 Broadcast  telecine transfers (as Video 8 Broadcast)

Also Known As:

House of Flying Daggers (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Attack from Ten Directions (International: English title) (literal title)
House of Flying Daggers (Austria) (Germany) [de]
La casa de las dagas voladoras (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Casa sabiilor zburatoare (Romania) [ro]
Dom latajacych sztyletów (Poland) [pl]
Flying Daggers (Sweden) [sv]
Flyvende dolker (Norway) [no]
Hero 2 (Austria) [de]
Klan létajících dýk (Czech Republic) [cs]
La foresta dei pugnali volanti (Italy) [it]
Le secret des poignards volants (France) [fr]
Lendavate pistodade maja (Estonia) [et]
Lentävien tikarien talo (Finland) [fi]
Lovers (Japan: English title) [en]
O Clã das Adagas Voadoras (Brazil) [pt]
Oi erastes me ta iptamena stileta (Greece) (festival title) [el]
Parlayan hançerler (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ta iptamena stileta (Greece) [el]
Yeonin (South Korea) [ko]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sequences of stylized martial arts violence, and some sexuality.

Runtime:

119 min | Australia:118 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Iceland:14 | France:U | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) (cut) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15A (original rating) | Ireland:15 (video rating) (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 (cut) | USA:PG-13 | Mexico:B

Filming Locations:

Beijing, China

Company:

Beijing New Picture Film Co.

Trivia:

To prepare for her role, Ziyi Zhang lived with a blind girl for two months. The blind girl became blind at the age of 12 because of a brain tumor.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of blood coming from Mei's mouth in the final scene changes between shots.

Quotes:

Mei: A rare beauty in the North. She's the finest lady on earth. A glance from her, the whole city goes down. A second glance leaves the nation in ruins. There exists no city or nation that has been more cherished than a beauty like this. A rare beauty in the North. She's the finest lady on earth. A glance from her, the whole city goes down. A second glance leaves the nation in ruins. There exists no city or nation that has been more cherished than a beauty like this.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Arundhati (2009)

Soundtrack:

Beauty Song (Jia Ren Qu)

Almost a great film

Zhang Yimou set a new benchmark for martial arts movies with Hero. Visually both inventive and dazzling, whilst having a strong thematic thread, it still managed to kick ass, with energetic fight sequences. He continues in the same vein with House of Flying Daggers, with love and romance replacing Hero's chivalry and honour. It is at times as blisteringly exciting and exquisite to view, but there are a few problems.

Set in a similar time to Hero, the plot revolves around the mysterious House of Flying Daggers, a group of assassins leading a rebellion of sorts, against the rulers of their land. News has reached the local military captain Leo (Andy Lau) that the leader of the House can be found plying their trade in the local brothel. Sensing that this could be the key to ending their resistance he sends one of his men, Jin (Takeshi Kaneshiro), to infiltrate the establishment posing as a customer. This soon leads him to the beautiful blind dancer Mei (Zhang Ziyi), who may just be the daughter of the assassinated former leader of the House. What follows is his journey with edit her, through forests and meadows, as he vies to gain her trust, all the while intent on leading the army to their destination in an attempt to discover the leader of the House.

The plot is actually far more complicated than my short synopsis could come close to. We are treated to a twisty turny adventure, punctuated with set pieces of (excuse the tired terminology) balletic grace. Yimou sets a number of scenes within symmetrically perfect backgrounds, the picture set up like a work of art. We find ourselves in a dance hall encircled with drums, where the camera moves with a sense of fluidity, as though part of the dance, as we see Mei play a game of "echoes" with the Captain. Each time he hits a drum with a flicked nut, she follows, striking it with her flowing robes. The scene has a steady tempo, finally hitting a crescendo as the whole bowl is flung, nuts flying everywhere like missiles striking every drum. The sound of each strike reverberates like thunder.

For me the other set pieces never quite match the "echo" dance for majesty, rhythm or look. We get to see numerous showdowns between, with Mei and Jin taking on the soldiers that chase them, all the while with Jin trying to maintain his cover. The fights very much feel like a dance, and are filled with POV shots of arrows, sharpened bits of wood and of course flying daggers. I thought this camera trick felt overused, it looks good, but eventually started to feel tired as yet another dagger is seen boomeranging into action.

As events reach a climax, the plot gets pretty messy, as revelation after revelation is thrown about. In contrast to Hero's coda, where the action became about what's doing right for the good of the whole country, House of Flying Daggers has one of a more personal nature. It never quite rings true, there just isn't the emotion on display for this to work. The final act is somewhat botched, with a "it's over, no it isn't" feel to it, which caused a few "no ways" to be uttered in my vicinity. It is yet another gloriously shot scene, but we'd already seen some extraordinary moments. I felt it seemed to be reaching a more natural conclusion, and with a bit of editing a tighter last half hour would've made this a classic.

As it stands House of Flying Daggers is a fine movie, never quite as good as Hero, and probably behind Crouching Tiger too, and maybe it goes on a bit too long, but it's far superior to most of the formulaic actioners Hollywood produces. Out of ten, I'd give it an eight.