The University Film Committee kicks off its spring series with a taste of Hong Kong tonight in Pruis Hall. "Hero," the Academy Award-nominated martial arts drama directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Jet Li, shows at 7:30 p.m. The film, which is the highest-grossing and most expensive film in Chinese history, tells the story of a series of assassination attempts on a Chinese king by a group of warriors during the Warring States period of Chinese history.
"Hero is a sweeping epic with a compelling story," senior French major and film committee member Luke Mullen said. "The film is beautiful to watch with its vibrant cinematography and keeps the viewer interested through the final scenes. It is truly a feast for the eyes."
The film also earned acclaim for its episodic storytelling and use of flashbacks, as well as its intricate martial arts fight scenes. The storytelling techniques earned the movie the support of American director Quentin Tarantino, who is credited as the film's "presenter."
"It's cool, and it represents the future of cinema-the blending of classic Hollywood style and Hong Kong kick," Modern Languages and Classics Professor and series director Chris Shea said.
Though the film was released in China in 2002, it didn't make its American debut until August 2004. Upon its U.S. release, it topped the box office for two weeks and went on to become the highest-grossing foreign language film in America.
The University Film Committee has shown many foreign language films, such as "Osama," in the past and will continue to do so this semester, with films like "Hero," "Rififi" and "Y tu mama tambien."
"Every year we essentially try to use the same formula, that is, choosing first-rate films which appeal to a variety of tastes," Shea said. "Of course we tend to favor 'movies that didn't make Muncie' because they were too daring or too weird or too small or from too far away or too long ago. This year, we think we've selected a great slate of films that fit just those criteria," she added.
As always, the University Film Committee is free to all Ball State students.
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