Zhang Yimou's Blood Simple [DVD]

Movies with subtitles rarely make a splash in the US as Americans are simply too lazy to read subtitles. European audiences, however, have a better ability to appreciate different cultures. That said, A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (which is what this movie is titled for international audiences -- although it has reverted to Blood Simple in this instance) is a very dark and funny take-off on the Coen brothers original. Much slapstick in the first half and spiralling darkness in the second, this is a terrific alternative to the original. If any complaints were to be made it would be for the Ali-Baba costumes that are vivid in the extreme. Constantly entertaining, twisting and turning with non-stop action, this is a delight to watch and well worth the time.

The Coen Brothers can hardly complain when someone comes along to remake one of their films. It was bound too happen sooner or later! Sooner in this case! Remember what they did to that wonderful Ealing film "The Ladykillers". Yuuuuk!!! Although they have redeeemed themselves somewhat with their remake of the much cherished John Wayne film "True Grit". Their debut classic "Blood Simple" made back in 1984, was a typical Coen offering of double crosses and misunderstandings, and a prime target for a modern makeover. This remake is directed by China's finest Zhang Yimou, who as the DVD cover screams was the director of both "Hero" and "The House of the Flying Daggers", presumably in the forlorn hope of repeating their success. Instead it alas bombed at the box office in America and has gone rapidly and unnoticed onto DVD in whipped dog fashion, as punishment for failure. This is a pity because the film has much to recommend it, although it certainly does not come without its faults.

Set in a far flung desert province of China the action centres around a noodle shop. This is not your everyday sort of noodle shop, and there are a lot of very strange goings on, which is quite hard to follow at times if you are a numpty like me. Suffice to say that there is a ruthless shop owner whose wife has ambitious plans of her own, that do not include him. Throw in a ruthless Policeman who is happy to take anyones money for a bit of dirty work, and that noodle shop gets pretty frenetic. Agatha Christie eat your heart out!

Firstly a special mention should be made of how beautifully shot this film is. The strange desert locations have a haunting ethereal quality that gives the film a very spooky quality. Combine that landscape with dark clouds galloping across the sky and casting their giant shadows on proceedings, and things get even spookier. Look out for the very funny scene involving the noodle makers happy in their work. It gave me the one real laugh out loud moment, and is almost worth watching the film for alone. The galloping horses across the desert reminded me much of Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars", which also had some double crossing if I remember rightly? The entrance of the Police in the film is particularly memorable.

Unfortunately what tends to let the film down is the crude slapstick element which sits uneasily in what is otherwise a very streetwise film in the true traditions of the Coen Brothers. There is a cross eyed Policeman, who looks as if he was doing a bad Ben Turpin impersonation. Hands up who remembers him? Even stranger was the sight of a buck toothed overweight simpleton, whose double act was with a not very funny pig tailed girl. All of these are included for attempted comedy relief. Now that is something that may work in China's domestic market but not in the West, which may explain its downfall over here. For stylish and funny Chinese humour watch Lu Chuan's masterful "The Missing Gun". Over here we expect Chinese films to have lots of blokes flying through the air with the greatest of ease, or gert big armies fighting each other with banners fluttering in the wind Kurosawa fashion. None of that here I am afraid. What we are left with is a rather uneven film, but one that I liked a great deal mainly for the absorbing camera work. Some of the most atmospheric I have seen in a long time. It deserved a better fate than it got. Certainly worth a watch. Personally I prefer it to those flying bloke films! A generous four stars.

I saw the edge of the box in a shop, noticed the title, hoped it was the Coen Brothers' film and pulled it out to have a look. 'Ah, no, it's a remake by Zhang Yimou. Well, it will look pretty and the plot is good, so...'

I was spot on: it does look pretty, the plot is almost the same as the original, and the result is indeed so-so.

Taking those in order, the land- and skyscapes are beautifully shot, and the costumes look nice even if they're apparently anachronistic. Large chunks are filmed 'day for night', and even in the dark, it looks good.

Where the plot goes wrong is having it set in and around one set of buildings, a noodle bar, somewhere in the middle of a desert with no visible customers apart from the police and one passing trader. (And the police probably didn't pay.) The original was filmed on a low budget, but still filled its bar with customers as well as providing other places for the protagonists to go. Here, with everyone except the corrupt detective living so close, you start to wonder why some of them are so deaf. Setting it in the past means that one twist is unavailable, so a not nearly as good reason for someone's actions is needed at one point.

The other issue is that when lifting the plot, they forgot about the strengths of the dialogue and the characterisations. In the original, only one secondary character is in any way 'good', but here it's been sweetened and sugared with comedy.

I'd recommend seeing it after the original, because it is an interesting adaptation, but you don't want to spoil the surprises in store when you see the real thing.