Frozen (1997 film)
| Frozen | ||
|---|---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin | jídù hánlěng | |
| Directed by | Fox Lorber | |
Release dates | Netherlands: October 23, 1997 United States (DVD): February 22, 2000 | |
Running time | 95 minutes | |
| Country | China | |
| Language | Mandarin | |
Frozen (
The film, supposedly based on a true story, follows a young performance artist, Qi Lei, who attempts to create a masterpiece centred on the theme of death. After two "acts" where he simulates death, he decides that his final act will be a true suicide through hypothermia.
Frozen was originally titled The Great Game (simplified Chinese: 大游戏; traditional Chinese: 大游戲; pinyin: Dà yóuxi). This was meant to reflect the attitude of both the film and the artist portrayed within it to treat death and suicide as a game or a manipulation.[3]
Canadian scholar Erik Bordeleau has interpreted Frozen as an allegory of the aftermath of the
Casting
Like Wang's first film, The Days, Frozen was cast primarily with friends of Wang Xiaoshuai. Unlike in his earlier film, the two leads of Frozen were professional actors who would become major figures in the sixth generation movement.[5] Actor Jia Hongsheng was selected to play Qi Lei, a performance artist who decides to make his own death his final work. Jia would go on to star in other sixth generation films, notably with director Lou Ye in Weekend Lover (1994) and Suzhou River (2000). Wang selected Jia in part because he was unconventional looking and in Wang's words, Jia "does not look like an actor."[5] But because Jia was Wang's friend, he did not demand payment, thus allowing the film to operate on a smaller budget.[5]
The other lead, Shao Yun, Qi Lei's girlfriend, was played by actress Ma Xiaoqing. Her casting was done in part to create parity with Jia. Wang wanted both leads to be professional actors.[5]
Production
The film proved to be difficult to produce, much like its predecessor. However, the problems that plagued Frozen were far different from the obstacles of The Days. By far, the greatest issue during filming was the content of the film. Several key scenes required actor Jia Hongsheng to recreate performance art, such as soap-eating, and in the film's climax, self-freezing. Both scenes were difficult to capture; however, the scene in which Jia lays in ice for several minutes was the most dangerous to shoot. Indeed, Wang had to have Jia sent to the hospital immediately after shooting to check for permanent damage.[3]
DVD release
Frozen was released on
Awards and nominations
Frozen was nominated at the International Film Festival Rotterdam for the Tiger Award,[7] and won the FIPRESCI Award for Special Mention.[8]
Notes
- ^ Perhaps as a result of this long gestation time between production and release, various sources treat the film as anything from a 1994 to a 1997 film.
- ISBN 0-231-13330-8. Google Book Search. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
- ^ a b Berry, p. 170.
- ^ Erik Bordeleau, “Surviving to Oneself after Tiananmen: Wang Xiaoshuai’ s Frozen (1996)”, Concentric: Literary and Cultural Studies 40(2014): 105–124 (122).
- ^ a b c d Berry, p. 169.
- ^ a b "Frozen - About the DVD". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-10-06.[dead link]
- ^ "Jidu hanleng TG-1997 – Frozen". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
- ^ "FIPRESCI Award". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
