''Big Shot's Funeral'' (, Mandarin colloquialism for "big shot") is a 2001
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
black comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the olde ...
directed by
Feng Xiaogang
Feng Xiaogang (; born 18 March 1958 in Beijing) is a Chinese film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and politician. He is well known in China as a highly successful commercial filmmaker whose comedy films do consistently well at the box of ...
. It was written by Feng, Li Xiaoming and Shi Kang. The black comedy starred
Ge You
Ge You (born April 19, 1957) is a Chinese actor. A native of Beijing, often with a bald shaven pate, he is considered by many to be one of the most recognizable acting personalities in China.
He became the first Asian actor to win the Cannes ...
,
Rosamund Kwan
Rosamund Kwan Chi Lam (born Kwan Kar Wai on 24 September 1962) is a Hong Kong former actress, best known for starring as the female lead "Thirteenth Aunt" in the 1990s ''Once Upon a Time in China'' film series. She had since retired from acti ...
and
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland (born 17 July 1935) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans over six decades. He has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning two for his performances in the television films ''Citizen X'' (1995) an ...
.
The film follows a temporary photographer (Ge You), who befriends a famed American film director (Sutherland) and goes to raise money for his friend's funeral after an accident during the shooting of a documentary.
Released on December 21, 2001 as a
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. In Sinophone, Chinese and other East Asian cultures, the festival is commonly r ...
film, the film is produced by
Huayi Brothers Advertising, Taihe Films, and
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
. It marked the fourth collaboration between director Feng Xiaogang and actor Ge You. The film received mixed reviews and modest box office performance, and won the Best Feature Film Award at China's 25th Hundred Flowers Awards in 2002, and actor Ge You won the Best Actor Award.
Plot
World-renowned American film director Don Tyler (played by Donald Sutherland) is shooting a remake of ''
The Last Emperor
''The Last Emperor'' ( it, L'ultimo imperatore) is a 1987 epic biographical drama film about the life of Puyi, the final Emperor of China. It is directed by Bernardo Bertolucci from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Peploe, which was adapted ...
'' in the
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City () is a Chinese palace, palace complex in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, at the center of the Imperial City, Beijing, Imperial City of Beijing. It is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples includ ...
,
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
. The director's assistant Lucy, a
Chinese American
Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...
(Rosamund Kwan), hires a Beijing cameraman named YoYo (Ge You) to shoot a "making of" documentary. The director discovers he has ailing health and is booted by the film's producer from the shoot. After witnessing a Chinese funeral for the elderly, Tyler tells YoYo he wants to have a similar "comedy funeral". Soon afterwards, the American director falls into a
coma
A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...
. YoYo is officially allowed to plan Tyler's funeral and he enlists the help of a businessman friend to attract as many sponsors as the funeral process would permit.
Everyone decides to organize a decent funeral to honour the big name director. As a result, Youyou, a laid-off photographer from the film studio, and Louis Wang, a dull and pedantic businessman, take up the job. For a time, the funeral becomes the focus of all media attention, and no one is willing to miss such a great business opportunity. Taylor is taken to the hospital by ambulance, and before leaving, he says to Youyou: "Don't forget, I need a comedy funeral."
The doctor says to Youyou and Lucy, who are standing outside the emergency room, "The patient's life is irreversible, and the family can prepare for the funeral." According to Taylor's wishes, Tony decides to give Youyou the sole discretion of Taylor's funeral. Youyou takes over the job with a chivalrous attitude. He finds help from Louis Wang, an old classmate who owns a performance company and claims to have organized many large-scale concerts. King Louis cannot believe his ears; he slaps Youyou on the shoulder and says, "I'll give you a commission!"
The news of Tyler's death is a rare business opportunity for Tony, the Japanese producer and King Louis. Only Youyou and Lucy face this matter with simple emotions. According to King Louis's plan, Taylor will hold a "rich and colorful program, similar to the Spring Festival Gala, Happy Camp, Happy General Mobilization, and at the same time a little like a disaster relief charity performance. The funeral will be broadcast live on TV to the world."
The more than 3 million funeral expenses for You You and Lucy are not available, but King Louis is very happy. He can find someone to pay, but the person who pays the money has his own request. Therefore, the performance company wants to make the newly signed actress "next to" Taylor famous, and many companies do not hesitate to spend a lot of money to advertise products at the funeral. "Dead Taylor" becomes a money-making machine in their eyes. Just when everyone was dreaming of making a fortune, on this day, Lucy visits Taylor in the ward and is pleasantly surprised to find that Taylor has come back from death. Tony and Taylor decide to block the news and let the "play" continue.
At the advertising auction, the price of funeral advertisements soars, and the solemn portrait of Taylor is also designed as an advertising carrier, rolling from top to bottom like a wave of water, turning into a brightly colored "ridiculous" fitness drink advertisement. Tony and Tyler are leisurely smoking cigars in the hospital, waiting for the outcome of the show. Almost every detail of the funeral is advertised, and every part of Taylor's "body" is fully utilized. Even the makers of counterfeit products are reluctant to lose this great business opportunity.
When everyone's dream of making a fortune reaches its climax, the news of Taylor's recovery pours on people's heads like a basin of cold water. King Louis could not stand this unexpected blow and becomes mentally ill. Youyou doesn't know how to face the many advertisers and pretends to be sick and is admitted to a mental hospital.
After this farce, You and Lu deepen their understanding of each other and find love. The film ends with the two hugging and kissing.
Cast
*
Ge You
Ge You (born April 19, 1957) is a Chinese actor. A native of Beijing, often with a bald shaven pate, he is considered by many to be one of the most recognizable acting personalities in China.
He became the first Asian actor to win the Cannes ...
as Yoyo
*
Rosamund Kwan
Rosamund Kwan Chi Lam (born Kwan Kar Wai on 24 September 1962) is a Hong Kong former actress, best known for starring as the female lead "Thirteenth Aunt" in the 1990s ''Once Upon a Time in China'' film series. She had since retired from acti ...
as Lucy
*
Paul Mazursky
Irwin Lawrence "Paul" Mazursky (April 25, 1930 – June 30, 2014) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor. Known for his dramatic comedies that often dealt with modern social issues, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three t ...
as Tony
* Christopher Barden as Peter
*
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland (born 17 July 1935) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans over six decades. He has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning two for his performances in the television films ''Citizen X'' (1995) an ...
as Don Tyler
Soundtrack
'Idiot' (白痴/bái chī) from
Faye Wong
Faye Wong ( zh, 王菲; born Xia Lin on 8 August 1969) is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter. Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong. Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and her debut album '' Shirley Wong'' ( ...
's 2001 album
Faye Wong
Faye Wong ( zh, 王菲; born Xia Lin on 8 August 1969) is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter. Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong. Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and her debut album '' Shirley Wong'' ( ...
is the theme song.
Accolades
Receptions
Box office
Since 7 January 2002, after only 10 days on-air, the film had already reached 10 million dollars which collected by the box office (only in Beijing). The entire county was 33 million and more.
Critical responses
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
2001 films
2001 comedy films
2000s Mandarin-language films
Films set in Beijing
Films directed by Feng Xiaogang
Chinese comedy films
Films with live action and animation
Films about film directors and producers
Chinese New Year films
2000s Chinese films
{{China-film-stub