Story of movie Ju Dou :
Ju Dou (Chinese: ??; pinyin: Jú Dòu) is a 1990 film directed by Zhang Yimou and Yang Fengliang (though it is almost universally considered to be a product of Zhang's vision as director) and starring Gong Li as the title character. It is notable for being printed in vivid Technicolor long after the process had been abandoned in the United States. It was also the first Chinese film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, in 1990.
| Ju Dou | |
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by |
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| Based on | Fuxi Fuxi by Liu Heng |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Zhao Jiping |
| Edited by | Du Yuan |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Daiei (Japan) |
Running time | 95 minutes |
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The film is a tragedy, focusing on the character of Ju Dou, a beautiful young woman who has been sold as a wife to Jinshan, an old cloth dyer.
The film was banned for a few years in China, but the ban has since been lifted. The Chinese government gave permission for its viewing in July 1992.
The story originates from a novel.
Screenplay
Ju Dou takes place in the early 20th century in rural China. The story begins as Yang Tianqing (the regular Zhang collaborator Li Baotian) is returning from a trek to sell silk for his adoptive uncle, Yang Jinshan (Li Wei). Jinshan, whose trade is dyeing fabrics, is known for his cruelty. Tianqing learns that Jinshan has just recently purchased a new wife, having beaten two previous wives to death after they failed to produce a son, the cruel irony being that Jinshan is in fact impotent.
Upon meeting the wife, Ju Dou (Gong Li), Tianqing is immediately enamored with her. At night, Jinshan tortures Ju Dou. Eventually, Tianqing discovers Ju Dou's bathing area and spies on her. He does not know that Ju Dou knows he is there. Although Tianqing watches luridly, by exposing her bruises to him and sobbing, Ju Dou transforms the meaning of his gaze, forcing him to see her not only as a sexual object, but also as a human being.
Soon, the two are unable to control their passions any longer, and they engage in sexual intercourse. When Ju Dou discovers she is pregnant, she and Tianqing pretend that the child is Jinshan's. Jinshan suffers a stroke which leaves him paralyzed from the waist down. Confined to a wheel chair, he nevertheless discovers Ju Dou and Tianqing's affair and attempts to kill the child. Jinshan is tied up by Tianqing and hoisted in a large barrel, leaving him dangling helplessly. Knowing that society would never accept her infidelities, Ju Dou goes to a nunnery to get contraceptives.
Meanwhile, Tianbai has grown into a sullen child (Yi Zhang), but when he calls Jinshan "Father", Jinshan accepts the boy as his son. Jinshan falls into the dye vat and drowns one day while playing with his son and a funeral is carried out for him.
Ten years later. Ju Dou and Tianqing still run the dye operation, but Tianbai (now played by Zheng Ji'an) is now a rage-filled teenager. Rumors of his parents' infidelities drive him to nearly kill a local gossip. Ju Dou later reveals the truth to her son in a fit of rage. She and Tianqing decide to have one last affair and grow weak after falling asleep in a cellar with little air. Upon discovering his parents resting in the underground cellar after their tryst, Tianbai drags them out - still weak and unable to awaken - and drowns Tianqing. Ju Dou then burns the mill down as the film ends.
In the original novel Tianqing is the biological nephew of Jinshan and the story itself is about incest. The makers of the film version decided not to use the incest angle. In the film, Tianqing and Jinshan are not biologically related, and Ju Dou only begins her relationship with Tianqing after learning that he and Jinshan are not related.
- Gong Li, as Ju Dou (S: ??, T: ??, P: Jú Dòu);
- Li Baotian, as Yang Tianqing (S: ???, T: ???, P: Yáng Ti?nq?ng), Ju Dou's lover and Yang Jinshan's adopted nephew;
- Li Wei, as Yang Jinshan (S: ???, T: ???, P: Yáng J?nsh?n), the owner of the dye mill and Ju Dou's husband;
- Yi Zhang, as Yang Tianbai (S: ???, T: ???, P: Yáng Ti?nbái) as a child; Ju Dou and Tianqing's son;
- Zheng Ji'an, as Tianbai as a youth.
Ju Dou was released by Miramax Films in March 1991.
Awards
- Cannes Film Festival, 1990
- Luis Buñuel Special Award
- Palme d'Or (nominate)
- Valladolid International Film Festival, 1990
- Golden Spike
- Chicago International Film Festival, 1990
- Gold Hugo
- Norwegian International Film Festival, 1990
- Best Foreign Feature Film (Amanda)
- 63rd Academy Awards, 1991
- Best Foreign Language Film (nominated)
Accolades
- Time Out 100 Best Chinese Mainland Films – #21
- Included in The New York Times's list of The Best 1000 Movies Ever Made in 2004
Ju Dou was initially released on DVD in the United States as an all-region disc on the Pioneer label, Geneon Entertainment, on June 29, 1999. The disc included English subtitles.
The film was re-released by Razor Digital Entertainment on February 14, 2006 as part of the new Zhang Yimou collection to capitalize on Zhang's recent international successes of Hero and House of Flying Daggers. The new edition was Region 1 and included English, simplified Chinese, and traditional Chinese subtitles. Despite the DVD box stating that the film is presented in widescreen, it is actually presented in full frame.
- List of submissions to the 63rd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Chinese submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
