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A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

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A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Old 07-29-09, 02:00 AM
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A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=13&cs=1


Sony Pictures Classics is continuing its relationship with filmmaker Zhang Yimou, agreeing to distribute his planned remake of the Coen brothers' comedic thriller "Blood Simple" domestically and in several major foreign territories.
The untitled redo will be set in a Chinese noodle shop in a dune-specked desert, rather than a bar in an unnamed Texas town, and revolve around the restaurant owner's plan to murder his adulterous wife and her lover.

Pic will be the first Zhang has helmed since shepherding the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

SPC will unspool the "Blood Simple" remake in North America, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.

"Blood Simple," released in 1984, was the first film the Coen brothers helmed together.

New version will be produced by Bill Kong, who has a long relationship with Sony Classics. SPC, co-founded and run by co-prexies Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, has distribbed five Kong-produced films, starting with Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" in 2000.

New pic will be the 11th from Zhang that SPC will have released, dating back to 1991's "Raise the Red Lantern." Others include "Shanghai Triad," "House of Flying Daggers" and "Curse of the Golden Flower." Sony Classics also owns the rights to Zhang's first film, 1987's "Red Sorghum."
I'll probably watch this whenever it's released. I'm a fan of Zhang's work. Is this a 1st, re-making an American film for a foreign audience? Has this ever been done before?
Old 07-29-09, 02:11 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Originally Posted by DJariya
I'll probably watch this whenever it's released. I'm a fan of Zhang's work. Is this a 1st, re-making an American film for a foreign audience? Has this ever been done before?
There have been tons of Bollywood remakes of American films, and lesser ripoffs that will just blatantly steal footage and intercut it with their actors.
Old 07-29-09, 02:20 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Remaking American films for foreign audiences isn't anything new.
Old 07-29-09, 02:21 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Oh okay thanks
Old 07-29-09, 05:08 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

No, it's nothing new (e.g. BLACK CAT, 1991, the Hong Kong remake of LA FEMME NIKITA/POINT OF NO RETURN), but it's poetic justice that Zhang Yimou's remake of BLOOD SIMPLE comes on the heels of a steady wave of recent Hollywood remakes of Asian films (THE RING, THE GRUDGE, ONE MISSED CALL, THE DEPARTED, etc.).
Old 07-29-09, 09:55 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Connected came out last year as well. That was a Hong Kong (Benny Chan) remake of the US flick Cellular.

Last edited by RichC2; 07-29-09 at 10:00 AM.
Old 07-29-09, 12:54 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

What trade deficit?
Old 08-17-10, 09:28 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Trailer's up:

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Old 08-17-10, 09:55 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

I think it looks like a whole lot of fun. But then I'm not a hater of remakes for the sole reason of their being remakes.
Old 08-17-10, 04:28 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Will the chinese version have the same opening monolgue about communism?
Old 08-30-10, 11:59 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Just got back. I am embargoed from getting into much detail, but I definitely did not dislike it.
Old 08-31-10, 12:35 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Does this fix the major problem with Blood Simple, namely that the whole misunderstanding that the film hinges on could have been avoided if just one character had said, "Wait, what are you talking about?"
Old 08-31-10, 06:14 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Does this fix the major problem with Blood Simple, namely that the whole misunderstanding that the film hinges on could have been avoided if just one character had said, "Wait, what are you talking about?"
That was far from a problem. The characters themselves couldn't come to grips with the "fact" that their significant other had murdered someone in cold blood, and the Coens had a lot of fun with these typically taciturn and uncommunicative rural folk from Texas. It's refreshing to see a movie where logical assumptions by the strong, silent types lead to massive amounts of bloodshed.

As much as I like Zhang (before the disaster that was House of Flying Daggers, anyway), this strikes me as a bizarre misstep, and the trailer does nothing to make me think otherwise. I'll still see it, but I'm about as excited about this as I would be for a Guy Ritchie remake of Le Samourai.
Old 08-31-10, 12:55 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

What was wrong with House of Flying Daggers? Do you view it as a sell out to action film esthics or something?
Old 08-31-10, 12:57 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

House of Flying Daggers was generally looked down upon, I thought it was an enjoyable throwback to 70s chinese epics I just wish a certain somebody didn't stand back up during a certain battle.
Old 08-31-10, 12:58 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Originally Posted by Suprmallet
Does this fix the major problem with Blood Simple, namely that the whole misunderstanding that the film hinges on could have been avoided if just one character had said, "Wait, what are you talking about?"
You should explain this a little further, because the only misunderstanding isn't one that I would call particularly pivotal.
Old 08-31-10, 12:58 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

The trailer looks great. I like how they are (apparently) tightly coupling with Blood Simple, rather than creating a loose remake that only adapts certain elements. Also, it made me want to watch Blood Simple yet again.
Old 09-01-10, 03:37 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

What was wrong with House of Flying Daggers? Do you view it as a sell out to action film esthics or something?
Zhang spent most of his career making dramas of the highest caliber, then made an action-adventure movie with little more than pretty sets and featureless characters. Hero was at least an effort in myth-making; HoFD was pretty and bland.

To be fair, I only saw House once in the theater and was so disappointed that I've never been tempted to revisit it on DVD. Curse of the Golden Flower wasn't that much better, though, and at this point I don't expect much more than lush scenery, colorful costumes, and dramatic slow-mo shots. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.
Old 09-01-10, 05:58 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Really? I'd call neither House of Flying Daggers or Curse of the Golden Flower action-adventure movies. They're both dramas with a few action sequences to either move the plot along or heighten tension. And the latter has the least action of all.
Old 09-01-10, 11:37 AM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Originally Posted by grrr
Zhang spent most of his career making dramas of the highest caliber, then made an action-adventure movie with little more than pretty sets and featureless characters. Hero was at least an effort in myth-making; HoFD was pretty and bland.

To be fair, I only saw House once in the theater and was so disappointed that I've never been tempted to revisit it on DVD. Curse of the Golden Flower wasn't that much better, though, and at this point I don't expect much more than lush scenery, colorful costumes, and dramatic slow-mo shots. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.
You do realize there are political reasons he doesn't make films like Raise the Red Lantern anymore, right? China isn't Hollywood. Besides, there's nothing wrong with a great director doing work within an established genre. Kubrick made genre films.
Old 09-01-10, 01:03 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Originally Posted by grrr
Hero was at least an effort in myth-making; HoFD was pretty and bland.
Hero was just a brainless rip-off of Rashomon, at least House of Flying Daggers was more original or at least more subtle in its unoriginality.
Old 09-01-10, 03:00 PM
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re: A Woman, A Gun And A Noodle Shop - Zhang Yimou's remake of "Blood Simple"

Originally Posted by Mabuse
You do realize there are political reasons he doesn't make films like Raise the Red Lantern anymore, right? China isn't Hollywood. Besides, there's nothing wrong with a great director doing work within an established genre. Kubrick made genre films.
After kissing Communist China's ass with Hero and then participating in their Olympic Games hoopla, I'd imagine that Zhang has more latitude than any other director in the nation. I won't psychoanalyze his motivations for moving away from poignant dramas, but he's not been the same director since The Road Home, which conveniently coincides with his transition from director to national treasure of China.

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