Movie Review: What 'The Founding of a Republic' says about China today.
If you thought historical propaganda films were a thing of the past, think again. Just out in theaters in China is "The Founding of a Republic," a historical documentary produced by the state to commemorate the country's 60th anniversary today. State media have billed it as the blockbuster of the year, a sleek new production featuring every star from Jackie Chan to Zhang Ziyi.
But behind the hype and the A-list cast is a plodding historical documentary that is most interesting for the gift-wrapped political messages it delivers to the modern-day Chinese viewer. The film covers the 1945-1949 period of civil war between Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist army and Mao Zedong's People's Liberation Army, which ends with Communist victory and Mao's iconic speech at Tiananmen Square.
"The Founding of a Republic," directed by veteran filmmaker Han Sanping, is well produced compared to earlier historical dramas that cover the same period. A screen palette of browns, grays and blues evokes an appropriately somber mood for the low-toned political meetings that form the set-pieces of the film. (Reds and pinks are reserved for victory celebrations, or scenes of Mao playing with children in a field of flowers.) The actors do their best with a fairly stiff script, and the special effects are tasteful. But it's far from lively. "Is this really going to be two hours long?" the man next to me grumbles during an overwrought scene where a young dissident is murdered by the Nationalists.
A more interesting story is the modern-day political tale of how the film was made. The hand of the state is visible even in the opening seconds of the movie: As the screen goes black, bells begin to ring and the audience is informed that the film is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The credits at the end of the movie show that the Beijing committee of the CPPCC played an advisory role, and special thanks are given to the Shanghai municipal government's propaganda department. Officials have even gone so far as to promote the film by handing out one million discount coupons for movie tickets if you see the film on or before today...
Read entire article at The Wall Street Journal
But behind the hype and the A-list cast is a plodding historical documentary that is most interesting for the gift-wrapped political messages it delivers to the modern-day Chinese viewer. The film covers the 1945-1949 period of civil war between Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist army and Mao Zedong's People's Liberation Army, which ends with Communist victory and Mao's iconic speech at Tiananmen Square.
"The Founding of a Republic," directed by veteran filmmaker Han Sanping, is well produced compared to earlier historical dramas that cover the same period. A screen palette of browns, grays and blues evokes an appropriately somber mood for the low-toned political meetings that form the set-pieces of the film. (Reds and pinks are reserved for victory celebrations, or scenes of Mao playing with children in a field of flowers.) The actors do their best with a fairly stiff script, and the special effects are tasteful. But it's far from lively. "Is this really going to be two hours long?" the man next to me grumbles during an overwrought scene where a young dissident is murdered by the Nationalists.
A more interesting story is the modern-day political tale of how the film was made. The hand of the state is visible even in the opening seconds of the movie: As the screen goes black, bells begin to ring and the audience is informed that the film is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The credits at the end of the movie show that the Beijing committee of the CPPCC played an advisory role, and special thanks are given to the Shanghai municipal government's propaganda department. Officials have even gone so far as to promote the film by handing out one million discount coupons for movie tickets if you see the film on or before today...