Purple Butterfly
Encyclopedia
Purple Butterfly is a 2003 Chinese film, directed
by Lou Ye
. It is Lou's third film after Weekend Lover
and Suzhou River
. It stars Chinese mainland actors, Zhang Ziyi
, Liu Ye and Li Bingbing
, as well as Japanese actor Tôru Nakamura. The film premiered on May 23, 2003 at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
, and was given a limited release in New York City the following year on November 26, 2004.
The film was only released in one theater in the United States (in New York City) for three weeks where it grossed $17,790.
) and a Japanese student, Itami (Tôru Nakamura
), have fallen in love in Japanese controlled Manchukuo
prior to the war
when Itami is forced to return to Japan.
Years later, in Shanghai, Szeto (Liu Ye) and Tang Yiling (Li Bingbing
) have fallen in love. Cynthia has also returned to Shanghai now as a member of Purple Butterfly, a powerful resistance group against the Japanese occupation, led by Xie Ming (Feng Yuanzheng). After a case of mistaken identity and a shootout at a railroad station that leaves Yiling dead, Szeto finds himself an unexpected pawn in the battle between former lovers Cynthia and Itami who has also come to Shanghai, now as a member of the Japanese secret police unit tasked with dismantling Purple Butterfly.
records the film received a 68 score out of 100, meaning "generally favorable reviews."
G. Allen Johnson of The San Francisco Chronicle describes the film as "a gorgeously shot, ambitious epic." Kevin Thomas of The Los Angeles Times called the film: "a remarkable period piece, evoking the bustling, dense and increasingly dangerous Shanghai of the '30s." Thomas praised Zhang as an actress with "formidable resources" and "has that crucial gift of holding herself in check at just the right moments for maximum dramatic impact and psychological complexity." Thomas further state the film is "suspenseful, atmospheric and sometimes puzzling."
However, other critics saw the film as technically masterful but a case where style had trumped substance. In particular the film's labyrinthine and difficult to follow plot was pointed to as a major point of complaint. One such review by Sean Axmaker of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
called the film "lush but confusing", and states "Purple Butterfly is rich with emotional turmoil and searing beauty, but it could have used a little more time in the editing room to make sense of it all."
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by Lou Ye
Lou Ye
Lou Ye , born 1965, is a Chinese writer-director who is commonly grouped with the "Sixth Generation" directors of Chinese cinema.-Films:Born in Shanghai, Lou was educated at the Beijing Film Academy. In 1993, he made his first film Weekend Lover, but it was not released until two years later in 1995...
. It is Lou's third film after Weekend Lover
Weekend Lover
Weekend Lover is the 1995 directorial debut by Chinese director Lou Ye. The film stars actors Jia Hongsheng and Ma Xiaoqing. Fellow director Wang Xiaoshuai also plays a minor role....
and Suzhou River
Suzhou River (film)
Suzhou River is a 2000 film by Lou Ye about a tragic love story set in contemporary Shanghai. The film, though stylistically distinct, is typical of "Sixth Generation" Chinese filmmakers in its subject matter of contemporary China's gritty urban experience...
. It stars Chinese mainland actors, Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
, Liu Ye and Li Bingbing
Li Bingbing
Li Bingbing is a Chinese actress and singer.-Life and career:Li had no intention of becoming an actress initially and enrolled specifically in a high school for prospective school teachers...
, as well as Japanese actor Tôru Nakamura. The film premiered on May 23, 2003 at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
2003 Cannes Film Festival
The 2003 Cannes Film Festival started on May 14 and ran until May 25. The Palme d'Or went to the American film Elephant by Gus Van Sant.-Jury:* Patrice Chéreau, President * Aishwarya Rai * Meg Ryan * Karin Viard...
, and was given a limited release in New York City the following year on November 26, 2004.
The film was only released in one theater in the United States (in New York City) for three weeks where it grossed $17,790.
Plot
Cynthia (Zhang ZiyiZhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
) and a Japanese student, Itami (Tôru Nakamura
Toru Nakamura
is a Japanese golfer.Nakamura was born in Osaka. He won 20 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour and ranks eighth on the career victories list.-Japan Golf Tour wins :*1973 Hiroshima Open*1974 KBC Augusta, Sapporo Tokyu Open...
), have fallen in love in Japanese controlled Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
prior to the war
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
when Itami is forced to return to Japan.
Years later, in Shanghai, Szeto (Liu Ye) and Tang Yiling (Li Bingbing
Li Bingbing
Li Bingbing is a Chinese actress and singer.-Life and career:Li had no intention of becoming an actress initially and enrolled specifically in a high school for prospective school teachers...
) have fallen in love. Cynthia has also returned to Shanghai now as a member of Purple Butterfly, a powerful resistance group against the Japanese occupation, led by Xie Ming (Feng Yuanzheng). After a case of mistaken identity and a shootout at a railroad station that leaves Yiling dead, Szeto finds himself an unexpected pawn in the battle between former lovers Cynthia and Itami who has also come to Shanghai, now as a member of the Japanese secret police unit tasked with dismantling Purple Butterfly.
Cast
- Zhang ZiyiZhang ZiyiZhang Ziyi is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is coined by the media as one of the Four Young Dan actresses in the Film Industry in China, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei, and Zhou Xun...
as Cynthia - Tôru NakamuraToru Nakamurais a Japanese golfer.Nakamura was born in Osaka. He won 20 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour and ranks eighth on the career victories list.-Japan Golf Tour wins :*1973 Hiroshima Open*1974 KBC Augusta, Sapporo Tokyu Open...
as Hidehiko Itami - Liu Ye as Szeto
- Feng Yuanzheng as Xie Ming
- Li BingbingLi BingbingLi Bingbing is a Chinese actress and singer.-Life and career:Li had no intention of becoming an actress initially and enrolled specifically in a high school for prospective school teachers...
as Tang Yiling - Kin Ei as Yamamoto
Reception
With the success of Lou's previous film, Suzhou River (2000), Purple Butterfly was an anticipated follow up with a considerably larger budget. The film received polarizing receptions. Rotten Tomatoes records a 45% "rotten" rating with a slightly better "Cream of the Crop" rating of 50%. MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
records the film received a 68 score out of 100, meaning "generally favorable reviews."
G. Allen Johnson of The San Francisco Chronicle describes the film as "a gorgeously shot, ambitious epic." Kevin Thomas of The Los Angeles Times called the film: "a remarkable period piece, evoking the bustling, dense and increasingly dangerous Shanghai of the '30s." Thomas praised Zhang as an actress with "formidable resources" and "has that crucial gift of holding herself in check at just the right moments for maximum dramatic impact and psychological complexity." Thomas further state the film is "suspenseful, atmospheric and sometimes puzzling."
However, other critics saw the film as technically masterful but a case where style had trumped substance. In particular the film's labyrinthine and difficult to follow plot was pointed to as a major point of complaint. One such review by Sean Axmaker of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
called the film "lush but confusing", and states "Purple Butterfly is rich with emotional turmoil and searing beauty, but it could have used a little more time in the editing room to make sense of it all."
External links
- Purple Butterfly at the Chinese Movie Database
- Purple Butterly at MonkeyPeaches
- Purple Butterly at HelloZiyi.us