Plot: What’s it about?
This film takes place in Shanghai in the 1930s, where ganglords rule the streets and crime isn’t just a business, it is a way of life. In all crime syndicates there has to be a boss and in this case, Tang (Li Baotian) is the man in the position of highest power. His main interests fall within the racket of drugs, but he also dabbles in various other elements. He also has a beautiful young mistress, Xiao Jingbao (Gong Li), who seems to have somewhat of a wandering eye when it comes to romance. A new member of the gang, Shuisheng (Wang Xiaoxiao) has come from the countryside and been assigned to watch over Xiao Jingbao. Since he is used to the rather simple lifestyle of the countryside, Shuisheng is quickly in awe of all the money, power, and influence of his new surroundings. This causes him to make some small mistakes now and again, as his attentions lie in other places and things. He doesn’t really comprehend it all, but he is in the midst of a massive chain of events, which will change many lives forever in the process.
As DVD has expanded into the mainstream, we’ve seen more and more foreign films given a nice treatment. Columbia/Tristar has issued a lot of foreign movies under its Sony Picture Classics label, which is the case with Shanghai Triad. I am pleased with the audio/visual treatment present on this disc, but I do wish more supplements were included. Nevertheless, it is good to own this excellent movie on DVD in such fine form. This film isn’t really lacking in any respect, but I think the intense visuals steal the show. I am not alone in that feeling either, as the movie won awards for Best Cinematography from the L.A. Film Critics Circle, N.Y. Film Critics Circle, Cannes Film Festival, and it was nominated for an Oscar as well. From the color schemes to the production design to the scene composition, this film sports some of the most stunning visuals I’ve seen. But the visuals are just one piece of the whole puzzle, as the movie also sports some terrific performances, above average writing, and superb direction. In other words, this is a great film that shows no real weak spots, which is rare. At times the movie’s lower budget shows through, but not as much as you might expect. I give this film a strong recommendation and don’t let the subtitles scare you off, this movie is well worth the effort.
The director here is Zhang Yimou, who once again delivers an impressive overall movie with outstanding visual presence. Yimou hasn’t helmed a lot of pictures thus far, but his works have been consistent and most have been acclaimed, by both audiences and critics. This film proved to be no exception, as Yimou combines the talent of his actors with his crew’s skills to perfection, which creates an overall strong motion picture. I don’t think this is his finest picture, but it is one of his better ones and fans of his work should be very pleased. Other films helmed by Yimou include Not One Less, Raise The Red Lantern, The Road Home, The Story Of Qui Ju, and Keep Cool. At the lead of this cast is Gong Li (The Emperor & The Assassin, Farewell My Concubine), who once again proves she is among the finest performers in the business. You might not know her name by heart, but Li can keep pace with the business’ best, if you ask me. The rest of the cast includes Li Xuejian (The Emperor & The Assassin), Li Baotian (Woman-Demon-Human), Sun Chun (The Big Parade, Sun and Rain), and Wang Xiaoxiao.
Video: How does it look?
Shanghai Triad is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is an excellent overall transfer, much cleaner and sharper than I expected. I saw very little grain and debris on the source print, while compression flaws were never seen in the least. The film’s unique visual style shines in this transfer, the intended glow is present and suffers from no problems, which is a testament to this presentation. The colors seem as they should be, which means sometimes the tints can focus on one color or glow, but that is the intended response. No contrast issues either, as black levels seem well layered and detail is always well revealed. I knew it would be hard for this transfer to do the visuals justice, but I am very pleased with this visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc contains the film’s original Mandarin language track, which sounds very good in this mix. You won’t notice much in terms of surround use, but the experience is worthwhile and memorable. A few sequences sound much more active than others, but all have an adequate level of audio range. The musical portions have the most dynamic sound and even though they don’t overload the surrounds, those scenes still come off very well. I was never let down in the least, although I do wish there was a little more surround use present. The disc also includes subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc houses some talent files and the film’s theatrical trailer.
