Sony Classics Releasing Zhang Yimou's 'Blood Simple'

Tuesday

28Jul2009

Sony Classics Releasing Zhang Yimou's 'Blood Simple'

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 7:17PM

I was at first very skeptical of the news that there would be a new version of Blood Simple. It's the first movie by the Coen Brothers, a significant film in the history of not only independent film but also the Sundance Film Festival, and it's a great modern film noir movie.

Then I heard it was going to be a Chinese remake, and I warmed up to it a little more, because looking at anything from the perspective of another culture is part of the beauty of all literature. Then it was announced that Zhang Yimou would be directing it and he's one of the best filmmakers who has ever lived, so he gets a big benefit of the doubt.

In addition to last year's unforgettable opening ceremonies spectacle at the Beijing Olympics, Zhang Yimou has directed Hero, Raise the Red Lantern, House of Flying Daggers, and a couple movies you'd have to look for called Happy Times and The Road Home, which stars a young Zhang Ziyi. He's versatile, he understands story, he pushes the limits visually, and never makes his direction bigger than the movie. So I have no problem at all with him remaking any thing he damn well pleases.

Variety says Sony Pictures Classics will pick up not just for U.S. distribution but also in several foreign markets. This isn't terribly surprising, because Sony has brought over ten of Yimou's films to American audiences before.

There's no release date yet, but it's certainly encouraging that the film already has international distribution deals in place, because it can be a very tricky business exporting films around the world, even for Hollywood movies. Markets slip through the cracks or simply never see lots of films because they don't do well at home or in the all-too-critical U.S. market. This way, it sounds like Sony is trying to build a global audience for a boutique film with a can't miss story and one of the true artists of the form.

Colin Boyd |

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Coen Brothers,

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Zhang Yimou |

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