Custom «Zhang Yimou Martial Films » Essay Paper Sample

Introduction

Zhang Yimou is a recognized director of film in China. He is one of the outstanding and highly praised directors to appear in the fifth production of Chinese martial films. He started producing his martial films following the birth of Cultural Revolution. This paper will precisely analyze the extent to which Zhang Yimou's martial films the Hero, the House of Flying Daggers, and the Curse of the Golden Flower provide a new dimension to Chinese films. This is inclusive of an in depth description on how the films were made, how the  Chinese are as depicted in the martial films, the reasons behind Zhang Yimou's productions, and the kind of information he symbolizes to the spectators.

How Zhang Yimou's Martial Films Were Made

The three martial films of Zhang Yimou were made through his collaboration with the martial artists in order to attain the standards of Western civilization. All the films were made of good image work of art which was enriched with the use of saturated colors and Chinese music that redecorated the scenery of the fights. The martial artists therefore served as the main characters in all the films thus playing the role of bringing change in the way of acting the films, as compared to the drama actions which were made specifically for the Chinese consumption (Clark 2005, p.79). As a result of team working with other producers and actors, Yimou's films were in position of meeting the required standards of Western civilization consumption hence standing to provide a new dimension to the Chinese film.

The films contain plentiful fights involving the characters, this serves as the film's most important application and the value of entertainment to the audience. More so, they have been repeatedly featured in scenes of training to portray a technique of storytelling, personality, appearance, and progress of the films from the previous drama actions. In addition to this, they encompass other forms of actions such as chases, gunfights, and stunt work which is an improvement brought about by the cooperation (Holden 2006, p.93). As compared to the previous drama actions which Zhang Yimou produced before the Cultural Revolution and which were for home purposes mainly, martial films have attracted different audience globally since they are commercially and successfully produced to meet the standards and generate an extraordinary range of understanding that depicts cultural rebellion to the humanity.

Zhang Yimou's films were all made out of fiction in order to represent individual and emotional crash of the civilizing rebellion which is set as the background of their storyline The collaboration of Yimou with Australian film maker Chris Doyle and several Martial arts stars of Asia like Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, and Donnie Yen contributed highly to the success and development of the films (Metzger 2009, p.79). Yimou's involvement and team working with the other producers in the production of his Martial arts films is the reason behind his fame in the Fifth generation film directors. His films are subjugated by action to changeable extent, the reason as to why they have additional imaginative and multifaceted characters and plots which go hand in hand with the scenes.

Therefore, his films are creatively advanced and commercially flourishing and this has formed a benchmark from where they have been recognized, appreciated and liked by the Chinese and other countries globally. A good image of how they were made can be clearly reached through looking each of the film separately. First and foremost is the Hero film which was released in two thousand and two with unbelievable cast. It was made up of complex color coded figures of production and the art course and the cinematography were ahead of conviction (Tasker 2010, P.43). For example, be it sole water drop or hundreds of arrows, all the illustration features fallen beneath in close proximity to supernatural control.

For instance, Jet Li portrays great attendance as the central character while other characters such as Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung show much confidence in their responsibilities in all ways possible. The film involves a king who is endangered by three prevailing murderers namely: broken sword, sky, and flying snow (Hero 2002).  His life is saved by a soldier who visits his palace and relates how he has attacked the endangering rivals although he founds contradiction on the report.  Secondly, The House of Flying Daggers is the other film of Zhang Yimou which is much history. It was made with frightening actions among the martial artists and other characters. Zhang Yimou does not only highlight on the actions but there is the philosophical meaning in the film.

The film is based on story love which involves disagreement between regime powers and a group of revolutionary's featuring the martial artists like Zhang Ziyi and Andy Lau (House of Flying Daggers 2004). Finally, the Curse of the Golden Flower is portrayed with martial arts and beauty which has fascinated and captivated spectators globally. The film is based on the quest for payback and salvation which results to betrayal of trust and spilling of blood. (Curse of the Golden Flower 2006). The film is made in such a way that, it gives the audience an admission into a stunning humanity of unfaithfulness and fervor that changes the approach in which the audience believe of martial arts.

How the Chinese are?

The Chinese are imaginative and thoughtful. For instance, the Curse of The Golden Flowers which is much of the Chinese history contains proceedings of butt kicking that is convoyed by stylish and theoretical sense. This implies that, the Chinese have hidden meaning in their films which many viewers are not always able to understand. The Chinese characters are perceived with the capability of creating composite approach particularly towards other civilization (Clark 2005, p.93).

They have set cultures and traditions that they preserve and this is well represented in the films. They are characterized through the way they treasure their culture, their eating styles, and the respect they have for other civilization. Although hardworking and artistic, they are also enriched with criticism for their own directors. For instance, Zhang Yimou has greatly been criticized following the production of his films. In this sense, many Chinese believe that he has exposed their culture, history, religion, and styles of fighting to the outside world through collaborating with outside actors.

Zhang Yimou production and the reasons behind

As a director in the Fifth generation, Zhang Yimou does his films with the aim to keep hold of his visual narration artistry. This comes with an in depth reflection on the emerging dilemma which is currently facing the Chinese film. He further does the films to preserve and portray the mark use of ostentatious color as a decoration, profligate costumes, and stylish act succession to the Western civilization through his martial films. His films are commercially victorious both abroad and at home, this been the case, he has served to give hope to the Chinese film manufacturing (Holden 2006, p.123). This was particularly during period when the film industry appeared at odds with its production, despite his contemporaries who criticized and pointed fingers at him of marketing out to chaste entertainment over talent.

Explanation behind Zhang Yimou adoption to new styles of making films

He does the films in this way in order to draw appreciation for glamorizing the Civilization of Eastern for the consumption of the Western evolution. It is worth good to understand that, Zhang Yimou started producing Martial arts films in the beginning of two thousand. Up to that time, he mainly concentrated in producing dramas only set in China. This implies that, he is making his films this way to show theme of change in him towards commercialization. It is evident that martial arts films are ever interesting to Western audience thus calling for increased demand and profits (Metzger 2009, p.84). Further, he does his films to symbolize and pass specific hidden massage to the modern world concerning the Chinese people. In one instance, this has had him been accused of exposing the Chinese to the outside world. He mainly concentrates on making his films this way to pave way for young directors and producers on how they should commercialize successfully not only for China consumption but for the consumption of the whole world.

His depiction to the viewers

Zhang Yimou has a tendency to symbolize a countrified and bucolic flavor of China in his three films. This is so because, the films have logic of the traditional way of life of the Chinese, their religion, fighting techniques, and hidden secrets which he tries to represent to the audience. His films has had him been accused by the Chinese government for revealing their history abroad and exposing the youths at great risks since some end up practicing what they see in his films. As an artistic consultant, he has represented socialist control to the audience and thereby representing China abroad with his films (Rosen 2010, P.125).

Whether a winner or failure, his films reflect on positive predicaments presently challenging Chinese film. His martial films further present political, governmental, betrayal, and challenging issues associated with the Chinese people to the audience, a fact which had him been criticized negatively (Tasker 2010, P.57). Zhang Yimou's films represent audience with the communal commentary which is compound, thoughtful, and expressively painful as depicted by the characters.

Conclusion

Zhang Yimou films have truly served in providing a new dimension to Chinese film despite the few critics which has been related with the films. He has portrayed himself as an example to other directors who would be interested in producing commercially victorious films. His martial films, the Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and the Golden Flower represent Yimou's departure from his communal commentary after the Revolution of Culture. Further, the films give out his reputation since all posses flourishing and saleable ventures portraying the creativeness and the imminent of a commercially victorious director. On the other hand, the films made him accused by the government and his fellow directors following their hidden meaning which the films represent to the audience. For instance, the Hero is criticized by the audience following its political association to socialist China.