''Shadow Magic'' () is a 2000 historical fiction film about the introduction of motion pictures to China during the early 20th century. The film was directed and co-written by

Ann Hu Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

. It was a US-

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

co-production starring

Xia Yu Xia Yu may refer to: *Yu the Great, also known as Xia Yu, legendary founder of the Xia dynasty * Xia Yu (actor) (born 1978), Chinese actor *Ha Yu (actor) Wong Sing (born 14 June 1943), better known by his stage name Ha Yu, is a Hong Kong actor ...

Jared Harris Jared Francis Harris (born 24 August 1961) is a British actor. His roles include Lane Pryce in the AMC television drama series ''Mad Men'', for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Serie ...

and Xing Yufei. The film was Ann Hu's directorial debut. The film was shown at the 2000

Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...

. , 71% of the 49 reviews compiled by

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

are positive, with an average rating of 6.17/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Charmingly sweet, ''Shadow Magic'' captures the sense of wonder of audiences experiencing the world of motion pictures for the first time."

Plot

The film is set in

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 ...

, 1902, in the last years of the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

. A young portrait photographer, Liu Jinglun (Xia Yu), chances on a newly arrived Englishman, Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris) in the capital. Liu, a self-learner of rudimentary English, is keen on new technology and gadgets, while Raymond has brought along the latest

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

camera A camera is an Optics, optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), ...

and

projector A projector or image projector is an optical device that projects an image (or moving images) onto a surface, commonly a projection screen. Most projectors create an image by shining a light through a small transparent lens, but some newer types ...

with some

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

shorts from the West. Liu is fascinated by the "shadow magic" and offers to help Raymond bring in audiences for his theatre. Hence Liu and Raymond become partners. However, while the innovation thrills many, the more conservative Chinese in the capital frown upon the creation as a Western "pollutant". Liu falls in love with Ling (Xing Yufei), the daughter of a well-respected

Beijing Opera Peking opera, or Beijing opera (), is the most dominant form of Chinese opera, which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and became fully developed and recognize ...

star, Lord Tan (

Li Yusheng Li, li, or LI may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Landscape Institute, a British professional body for landscape architects * Leadership Institute, a non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia, US, that teaches "political tec ...

). However, as he is poor and only an apprentice at the photography shop, Liu has no chance of marrying Ling. Instead, Liu's father and his boss at the Fengtai photography shop, Master Ren (

Liu Peiqi Liu Peiqi (; born 30 November 1957) is a Chinese actor. He started his training in 1979 when he joined Military Art School. He joined Military Drama Group in Xinjiang Province in 1983. In 1985 he starred in his first movie, ''Father and Son'', di ...

), try to arrange a marriage for him with an older

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word ...

, Jiang (

Fang Qingzhuo A fang is a long, pointed tooth. In mammals, a fang is a modified maxillary tooth, used for biting and tearing flesh. In snakes, it is a specialized tooth that is associated with a venom gland (see snake venom). Spiders also have external fan ...

). When Master Ren finds out Liu has been working for a foreigner dabbling with "shadow magic", he becomes infuriated. Liu tries to reason with Master Ren, explaining to him that this "shadow magic" is an innovation in the world of photography, and once Liu learns more about it they should incorporate it into their own business. Master Ren is not swayed, however, and dismisses him. Because of this, Liu is also disowned by his father. Liu and Raymond's friendship becomes tested as he feels the strain of being branded a traitor in his own country. Liu, Raymond, Master Ren and Lord Tan are all invited to 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 ...

to entertain the

Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi ( ; mnc, Tsysi taiheo; formerly Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Empress Dowager T'zu-hsi; 29 November 1835 – 15 November 1908), of the Manchu people, Manchu Nara (clan)#Yehe Nara, Yehe Nara clan, was a Chinese nob ...

during her birthday celebrations. Master Ren and his apprentices take a photograph of the Empress Dowager, while Lord Tan performs his opera number. Liu and Raymond project some Western film shorts to the amusement of the Empress Dowager and her coterie. However, hand-cranking causes the projector to catch fire, the screening is ruined midway, and Liu is badly burnt. The Qing officials are incensed that Liu and Raymond nearly cause deaths during the birthday celebration of the esteemed Dowager, but the Dowager pardons Liu for his naivety. Raymond, however, is immediately

banish Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...

ed from China. Half a year passes, and Liu recovers from his burns. Raymond, fondly remembering their friendship and times in China, sends him the nitrate negatives of movies they shot together in Beijing, imploring that he should not let the work they started together die. Liu decides to try making a film projector himself and successfully screens these local movies to a group of Beijing natives. Liu's father decides to support him in this venture and Ling visits him on the sly at the projection room, where they kiss. The film ends with the Beijing natives gradually accepting the motion picture technology, once they see how beautifully it captures the majesty of the Chinese landscape. At the film's end,

caption Caption may refer to: * Caption (text), explanatory text about specific published photos and articles *An element of comics where words appear in a separate box, see Glossary of comics terminology#Caption *Caption (comics convention), a small pre ...

s reveal that Liu and Master Ren become the first Chinese to shoot a motion picture. The film, starring Lord Tan, is the now famous '' Dingjun Mountain''.

Cast

as Liu Jinglun (based on Liu Zhonglun, the cinematographer of ''Dingjun Mountain'') *

as Raymond Wallace * Xing Yufei as Tan Xiaoling, Tan Linmei's daughter *

as Master Ren (based on Ren Jingfeng, the director of ''Dingjun Mountain'') *Li Yusheng as Tan Linmei (based on

Tan Xinpei Tan Xinpei (23 April 1847 – 10 May 1917) was a Chinese Peking opera artist who specialized in ''sheng'' roles. A disciple of Cheng Changgeng, Tan Xinpei was undoubtedly the most important Peking opera performer of his generation. Some of his a ...

, the star of ''Dingjun Mountain'') *

Lü Liping Lǚ Lìpíng (; born 3 April 1960) is a Chinese actress. Her career accolades include one Golden Rooster Award, Flying Apsaras Award, Golden Horse Award and Golden Phoenix Award, two Hundred Flowers Awards, Golden Eagle Awards and Chinese Film ...

as Mr. Ren's wife *

as Widow Jiang *Li Bin as

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shadow Magic Chinese historical drama films 2000 films 2000s Mandarin-language films Films set in Beijing Films set in 1902 Films set in 20th-century Qing dynasty Films about filmmaking Sony Pictures Classics films 2000s Chinese films