'Shi Mian Mai Fu' is the kind of movie that proves my point that having a movie spoiled for you is better than watching it fresh.
Even more so than "Ying Xiong" (which is cinema of both art and ideas), "Shi Mian Mai Fu" (which is only cinema of art) depends on its visuals to attain success. In that sense, "Shi Mian Mai Fu" deserves to be seen; this really is one of the most beautiful movies ever shot. A brothel set looks so pretty that you want to peel pieces off of the screen and eat them as pastries. A climactic fight in a snowstorm looks as if the heavens are shedding frozen tears. However, how much you get out of it depends on your tolerance for enjoying eye candy alone as well as your love of the martial-arts genre.
It looks like I have more negative things to write about "Shi Mian Mai Fu" than I do positive things. In a sense, I do. The love story is not complex enough to sustain the movie´s current running time, and a couple of "twists" don´t do enough to jumpstart the pacing. On the other hand, the visuals are so amazing that the movie really is a painting that sprang to life. My colleague John J. Puccio likens "Ying Xiong" to "2001" in terms of having a visual experience, but "Shi Mian Mai Fu" is the real eyes-only feast.
Video:
The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen widescreen image is generally free of print damage and blemishes. However, the image compression was done poorly. Video noise, haloing, and shimmering abound. This is most noticeable during the first third of the movie (before Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhang Ziyi go on the run). The picture is also tad "hot" at times, with whites and actors´ faces so bright that my eyes hurt. I had to dial down the brightness on my TV to achieve a "natural" look. (This is a problem that also plagued the Region 1 "Hero" DVD.)
Audio:
The movie begins with several percussive cues that allow the Dolby Digital 5.1 Mandarin Chinese track to demonstrate surround sound´s majesty. Some audio elements may seem to be overcooked, but the sound design actually mimics what a blind person would sense since a blind person´s hearing is supposed to be more acute than that of a person who can see. There aren´t any explosions, so bass presence tapers off after the characters begin their extended chase throughout Chinese wildlands. However, the soundtrack spreads the music score across the entire sound field, so the viewer always feels immersed in the movie world. The actors´ voices sound crystal-clear.
There are DD 5.1 English and DD 5.1 French dub tracks. Optional English and French subtitles support the audio.
Extras:
This isn´t a loaded disc or a deluxe special edition, but the DVD offers several excellent bonuses that enhance the total experience more than promotional fluff can.
Longtime DVD-Town readers know that I usually hate audio commentaries. However, the audio commentary provided by director Zhang Yimou and star Zhang Ziyi is worth multiple listens. Zhang Yimou and Zhang Ziyi have dedicated their careers to interesting and artistic choices, so they have a lot to share with people about the dedication that is required to make a movie like "Shi Mian Mai Fu". This is especially true of Zhang Yimou, who had a very difficult life before becoming a cinematographer and an internationally-respected director.
The DVD´s forty-five-minute making-of featurette was originally produced for the Cantonese-speaking market (presumably Hong Kong). There are several great behind-the-scenes clips that are mixed together with on-set interviews with Zhang Yimou. Since Zhang isn´t trying to promote the movie but actually discusses production history and logistics, the making-of featurette never feels like a hard sell for something that you already bought.
The "Visual Effects Featurette" shows before-and-after clips of the movie´s sequences that required the use of CGI. Basically, you first see elements that the movie crew shot. Then, you see crude computer mock-ups of flying bowls, daggers, and bamboo shoots. Finally, you see the combined result.
The DVD also has Storyboard Comparisons, Photo Galleries, and a music video for the end credits song "Lovers".
--Miscellaneous--
An insert advertises other Sony DVDs. A cardboard slipcase that is identical to the keepcase cover art "protects" the DVD from theft, though I´m of the opinion that when someone really wants to steal something, he´ll really steal it no matter what safeguards are implemented.
Film Value:
When I first reviewed "Shi Mian Mai Fu" for DVD Town (a theatrical-release review), I rated it a "seven" because I felt that was a visually-breathtaking movie with a repetitive and drawn-out story. However, a second viewing has improved the movie for me. Now that I know all of the movie´s plot twists, I can savor the dialogue´s double meanings. "Shi Mian Mai Fu" is the kind of movie that proves my point that having a movie spoiled for you is better than watching it fresh. I´m upgrading this movie to an "eight".
It looks like I have more negative things to write about "Shi Mian Mai Fu" than I do positive things. In a sense, I do. The love story is not complex enough to sustain the movie´s current running time, and a couple of "twists" don´t do enough to jumpstart the pacing. On the other hand, the visuals are so amazing that the movie really is a painting that sprang to life. My colleague John J. Puccio likens "Ying Xiong" to "2001" in terms of having a visual experience, but "Shi Mian Mai Fu" is the real eyes-only feast.
Video:
The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen widescreen image is generally free of print damage and blemishes. However, the image compression was done poorly. Video noise, haloing, and shimmering abound. This is most noticeable during the first third of the movie (before Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhang Ziyi go on the run). The picture is also tad "hot" at times, with whites and actors´ faces so bright that my eyes hurt. I had to dial down the brightness on my TV to achieve a "natural" look. (This is a problem that also plagued the Region 1 "Hero" DVD.)
Audio:
The movie begins with several percussive cues that allow the Dolby Digital 5.1 Mandarin Chinese track to demonstrate surround sound´s majesty. Some audio elements may seem to be overcooked, but the sound design actually mimics what a blind person would sense since a blind person´s hearing is supposed to be more acute than that of a person who can see. There aren´t any explosions, so bass presence tapers off after the characters begin their extended chase throughout Chinese wildlands. However, the soundtrack spreads the music score across the entire sound field, so the viewer always feels immersed in the movie world. The actors´ voices sound crystal-clear.
There are DD 5.1 English and DD 5.1 French dub tracks. Optional English and French subtitles support the audio.
Extras:
This isn´t a loaded disc or a deluxe special edition, but the DVD offers several excellent bonuses that enhance the total experience more than promotional fluff can.
Longtime DVD-Town readers know that I usually hate audio commentaries. However, the audio commentary provided by director Zhang Yimou and star Zhang Ziyi is worth multiple listens. Zhang Yimou and Zhang Ziyi have dedicated their careers to interesting and artistic choices, so they have a lot to share with people about the dedication that is required to make a movie like "Shi Mian Mai Fu". This is especially true of Zhang Yimou, who had a very difficult life before becoming a cinematographer and an internationally-respected director.
The DVD´s forty-five-minute making-of featurette was originally produced for the Cantonese-speaking market (presumably Hong Kong). There are several great behind-the-scenes clips that are mixed together with on-set interviews with Zhang Yimou. Since Zhang isn´t trying to promote the movie but actually discusses production history and logistics, the making-of featurette never feels like a hard sell for something that you already bought.
The "Visual Effects Featurette" shows before-and-after clips of the movie´s sequences that required the use of CGI. Basically, you first see elements that the movie crew shot. Then, you see crude computer mock-ups of flying bowls, daggers, and bamboo shoots. Finally, you see the combined result.
The DVD also has Storyboard Comparisons, Photo Galleries, and a music video for the end credits song "Lovers".
--Miscellaneous--
An insert advertises other Sony DVDs. A cardboard slipcase that is identical to the keepcase cover art "protects" the DVD from theft, though I´m of the opinion that when someone really wants to steal something, he´ll really steal it no matter what safeguards are implemented.
Film Value:
When I first reviewed "Shi Mian Mai Fu" for DVD Town (a theatrical-release review), I rated it a "seven" because I felt that was a visually-breathtaking movie with a repetitive and drawn-out story. However, a second viewing has improved the movie for me. Now that I know all of the movie´s plot twists, I can savor the dialogue´s double meanings. "Shi Mian Mai Fu" is the kind of movie that proves my point that having a movie spoiled for you is better than watching it fresh. I´m upgrading this movie to an "eight".
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]15552[/release]