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Peking Opera Blues

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Peking Opera Blues
Directed byTsui Hark
Written byRaymond To
Produced byTsui Hark
StarringBrigitte Lin
Cherie Chung
Sally Yeh
Paul Chun
Wu Ma
Kenneth Tsang
CinematographyHang Sang Poon
Edited byDavid Wu
Music byJames Wong
Production
company
Distributed byGolden Princess Film Production
Release date
  • 6 September 1986 (1986-09-06)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese

Peking Opera Blues (traditional Chinese: 刀馬旦; simplified Chinese: 刀马旦; pinyin: Dāo Mǎ Dàn; Jyutping: dou1 maa5 daan2; Cantonese Yale: Dòu Máah Dáan) is a 1986 Hong Kong action comedy film directed and produced by Tsui Hark. It stars Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh, Paul Chun, Wu Ma, and Kenneth Tsang. The film combines action comedy with scenes involving Peking Opera.[1]

Peking Opera Blues was nominated for six awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Actress.

Plot

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During the early Republican era, China was in turmoil, with warlords dividing the nation and causing widespread suffering. It was rumored that a prince of the imperial family had hidden a vast treasure. However, after offending Empress Dowager Cixi, his entire family was executed, leaving only his young daughter, who fled with a traveling opera troupe's musician. Fifteen years later, various factions, including a warlord under Yuan Shikai, Japanese spies, and revolutionaries, begin a relentless pursuit of the hidden treasure, leading to a fierce battle between justice and evil.

Tsao Wan is the daughter of a general and a devoted patriot. She is torn between her love for the nation and her loyalty to her father, who aids Yuan Shikai in securing massive foreign loans that push the country further into financial despair. Meanwhile, Bai Niu, who grew up in an opera troupe, and Sheung Hung, a money-hungry courtesan, cross paths with Tsao Wan through fate. Together, their intertwined lives weave an epic tale of love, sacrifice, and patriotism, as they embark on a daring journey in the midst of political chaos.

Cast

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Title

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The Chinese title translates as Knife Horse Actresses, a term used in Peking Opera to refer to male actors playing female warriors (See Dan article for details). It is sometimes erroneously translated as Knife Horse Dawn, because both words are represented by the same Chinese character.[2]

Responses

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The film grossed HK$17,559,357 in Hong Kong.[3]

In his Wrap Up video to the Region 1 DVD of Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express, Quentin Tarantino refers to Peking Opera Blues as "one of the greatest films ever made" and "a blast––it's a lot of fun."

Awards

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Hong Kong Film Awards
Year Category Recipient Result
1987 Best Actress Sally Yeh Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Paul Chun Nominated
Best Action Choreography Ching Siu-tung Nominated
Best Cinematography Hang Sang Poon Nominated
Best Film Editing David Wu Nominated
Best Art Direction Vincent Wai
Kim-Sing Ho
Chi-Hing Leung 		Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Bleiler, David TLA Video & DVD Guide 2005 (St Martin's Griffin, 2004) p.478
  2. ^ Jenny Kwok Wah Lau, 'Peking Opera Blues: Exploding Genre, Gender and History', in Film Analysis (Norton, 2005), p. 739.
  3. ^ "Peking Opera Blues (1986)".
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