Customer Reviews

Zhang Yimou: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)

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This book is a precious collection of interviews with the great Chinese movie director, Zhang Yimou, whom we should be grateful for having been generous in donating some of his time in answering questions from a long queue of various film critics, journalists, and academics from all over the world who were fortunate enough to get a hold of him personally in candid, frank, and honest one-to-one conversations.

These interviews give a thorough first-hand insight into the genious of perhaps one of the greatest movie director in our times, whose world-acclaimed achievements include towering movies such as 'Red the Raise Lantern', 'To Live', 'Not One Less', 'Happy Times', and amongst a few others...

When speaking about his movies, Zhang Yimou speaks with a characteristically clear, concise voice and with a wide open heart. He has shown great ability to eloquently and articulately express his thoughts which come straight out from the words of his own mouth, giving us a direct insight to his ideas and personal philosophies. In these interviews, he speaks with a very personal and passionate voice, answering and making counter-arguments to his interviewers' questions and assumptions.

From the interviews, Zhang Yimou shares a wide-ranging views about what he intends to convey through his movies -- the various multifaceted aspects of modern and ancient China, namely Chinese culture and tradition, its people and their lives in different distinct periods of Chinese history...

Overall, this book a valuable source for studying and understanding the director himself and his works.

Good Read, I used it for my Chinese Film class. It was cheaper to buy it on amazon than at the campus book store!

I guess like many, my first approach to Zhang Yimou was through his epic masterpiece "Hero". Then, I started to watch his prior works. And then I started to read about him. I'd say this book is as good as the other books in the "Conversations With Filmmakers" series of the University Press of Mississippi. Also, it's the best book I've read so far, either in English or in Spanish, not only about the most important contemporary Chinese director, but actually, about his entire generation. The only problem: it's already missing six films, from "Happy Times" to his collaboration in "Chacun son cinéma". As good as it is, I'd say it's already waiting for an update.