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Frozen (1997 film)
Encyclopedia
Frozen is a 1997
Chinese film
directed by Wang Xiaoshuai
. The film was originally shot in 1994, but was banned by Chinese authorities and had to be smuggled out of the country. Moreover, Wang was operating under a blacklisting from the Chinese Film Bureau that was imposed after his previous film, The Days
, was screened internationally without government approval. As such, Wang was forced to use the pseudonym "Wu Ming" (literally "Anonymous") while making this film.
The film, supposedly based on a true story, follows a young performance art
ist, Qi Lei, who attempts to create a masterpiece based around 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 entitled The Great Game . 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.
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." But because Jia was Wang's friend, he did not demand payment, thus allowing the film to operate on a smaller budget.
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.
by Fox Lorber on February 22, 2000 in the United States. The Fox Lorber edition was basic, but included English subtitles and some extra features, including production notes and cast and crew filmographies.
Chinese films of the 1990s
This is a list of films produced in mainland China ordered by year of release in the 1990s. For an alphabetical listing of Chinese films see :Category:Chinese films- 1990 :- 1991 :- 1992 :- 1993 :- 1994 :- 1995 :- 1996 :- 1997 :...
Chinese film
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
directed by Wang Xiaoshuai
Wang Xiaoshuai
Wang Xiaoshuai is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and occasional actor. He is commonly grouped under the loose association of filmmakers known as the Sixth Generation of the Cinema of China....
. The film was originally shot in 1994, but was banned by Chinese authorities and had to be smuggled out of the country. Moreover, Wang was operating under a blacklisting from the Chinese Film Bureau that was imposed after his previous film, The Days
The Days (film)
The Days is filmmaker Wang Xiaoshuai's 1993 directorial debut. Filmed entirely in black-and-white, The Days follows the life of Dong , and Chun , married artists who have recently graduated from the Beijing Art Institute...
, was screened internationally without government approval. As such, Wang was forced to use the pseudonym "Wu Ming" (literally "Anonymous") while making this film.
The film, supposedly based on a true story, follows a young performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
ist, Qi Lei, who attempts to create a masterpiece based around 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 entitled The Great Game . 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.
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. Actor Jia HongshengJia Hongsheng
-Early life:Jia was born in Siping, Jilin, to Jia Fengsen and Chai Xiuling, both retired theater actors from northeast China. He had a younger sister, Wang Tong.-Life and career:...
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
Lou Ye
Lou Ye , born 1965, is a Chinese writer-director who is commonly grouped with the "Sixth Generation" directors of Chinese cinema.-Films:Born in Shanghai, Lou was educated at the Beijing Film Academy. In 1993, he made his first film Weekend Lover, but it was not released until two years later in 1995...
in Weekend Lover
Weekend Lover
Weekend Lover is the 1995 directorial debut by Chinese director Lou Ye. The film stars actors Jia Hongsheng and Ma Xiaoqing. Fellow director Wang Xiaoshuai also plays a minor role....
(1994) and Suzhou River
Suzhou River (film)
Suzhou River is a 2000 film by Lou Ye about a tragic love story set in contemporary Shanghai. The film, though stylistically distinct, is typical of "Sixth Generation" Chinese filmmakers in its subject matter of contemporary China's gritty urban experience...
(2000).
Wang selected Jia in part because he was unconventional looking and in Wang's words, Jia "does not look like an actor." But because Jia was Wang's friend, he did not demand payment, thus allowing the film to operate on a smaller budget.
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.
Production
The film proved to be a difficult shoot, 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 ultimate scene, self-freezing. Both scenes were difficult to capture although the scene which demanded that Jia lay in ice for several minutes was the most dangerous. Indeed Wang had to have Jia sent to the hospital immediately after shooting to check for permanent damage. As Wang later noted, the artist who Jia's character was based on had actually died performing the freezing piece.DVD release
Frozen was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
by Fox Lorber on February 22, 2000 in the United States. The Fox Lorber edition was basic, but included English subtitles and some extra features, including production notes and cast and crew filmographies.