Product Details

• Actors: Jared Harris, Yu Xia, Yufei Xing, Peiqi Liu, Liping Lü
• Directors: Ann Hu
• Writers: Ann Hu, Bob McAndrew, Dan Huang, Huaizhuo Liu, Kate Raisz
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Subtitles: English
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• VHS Release Date: February 26, 2002
• Run Time: 116 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005N5UH
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,275 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Magical!!!!!!!!!, September 16, 2001

By 

Debra Chong "ECommerceMaven" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shadow Magic (DVD)

If you are interested in a truly great movie, representative of a historical period of time, early 1900s in China --- this is it!!! The sets, costumes and plot make this a MUST and HAVE TO purchase DVD for anyone who is interested in Chinese culture. Fascinating!!!! Don't be bothered that there are subtitles, they are written well. However, the acting is superb and communicates beyond the Mandarin. This surpasses Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ten fold for anyone who is interested in a Chinese-made movie that is not merely martial arts. One of the best movies that I have ever seen, equivalent to The Last Emperor. For all ages!!!

For technophiles like myself, this is fascinating to watch --- the introduction of photography and moving pictures in China.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Passion For Film, August 26, 2002

By 

Thomas M. Seay (Palo Alto, California USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shadow Magic (DVD)

Usually I use the term "feel good" movie as a pejorative but not in this case. This is a slightly fictionalized version of the difficulties of the first Chinese film maker Liu. Having suffered humiliation at the hands of foreign colonialism, the Chinese are understably a bit xenophobic around the turn of the 20th Century. Liu has to struggle against this tendancy and the rigid confucianism of his day to follow his passion...film making.

In addition to the interesting historical and biographical material of this film, we also get a glimpse at our own fascination with film...there is nothing new in film that doesn't
exist all around us...but film viewing allows us time to just sit still and take notice. Everyone will love this film!

Thomas

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Universal themes wrapped in a unique package, April 26, 2005

By 

bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Shadow Magic (DVD)

Only at the beginning of this movie do you strain with captions. As you progress they become almost second nature and you are transported into the story.

I was surprised as the basic story on the surface seems to tell of how people deal with new technology. This is the introduction of moving pictures or "Shadow Magic."

The reality of the story is the friendship of two people Raymond Wallace (Jared Harris), Liu Jinglun (Xia Yu), and their relation ship to others. Raymond is dumped by his wife for someone with money; yet finds his self and future in the making of film. Liu is in a rigid culture, including family and friends, which is trying to force him into marring a rich widow instead of the young aristocrat girl Liu Jinglun (Yufei Xing) he loves.
Can Liu over come the culture and individual prejudices or will he re-assimilate?
And what is to become of Raymond?

Though, short of a tear jerker, you will still get involved with their lives and marvel at the cinematography.