Princess Chang Ping (film)

Princess Chang Ping
Princess Chang Ping
Traditional Chinese	帝女花
Literal meaning	The Flower Princess
Hanyu Pinyin	Dì Nǚ Huā
Jyutping	Dai3 Neoi5 Faa1
Directed by	John Woo
Written by	Tang Disheng; John Woo
Produced by	Raymond Chow (executive producer); Xue Zhixiong
Starring	Lung Kim-sung; Mui Shuet-shi
Cinematography	Cheung Yiu-jo
Edited by	Peter Cheung
Music by	Joseph Koo; Chu Chi-Hsiang
Distributed by	Golden Harvest Productions; Golden Phoenix
Release date	30 January 1976 (Hong Kong);
Running time	102 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese

Princess Chang Ping (Chinese: 帝女花; pinyin: Dì nǚ huā; lit. 'The Flower Princess') is a 1976 Hong Kong Cantonese opera film^[1] directed John Woo. It is a remake of director Wong Tin-lam's 1959 film Tragedy of the Emperor's Daughter, itself based on the Cantonese opera Di Nü Hua (The Flower Princess). Tang Disheng, one of the co-writers of the 1959 film, retains a story credit for the 1976 remake.

Plot

Just as Chow Shih Hsien has wooed Princess Chang Ping with his witty wordplay, the Manchu forces descend upon the palace. The Emperor orders his wives and children to kill themselves before the enemies arrive. When Chang Ping refuses to do so, her father stabs at her and kills her sister instead. He then slashes Chang Ping's arm with a sword, believing her to be dead as he flees. Princess Chang Ping is taken away to recover in a secret location. Chow Shih Hsien, having been knocked unconscious, awakes believing his love to be dead but later discovers her at a monastery, and the two become targets of machinations by the remaining Ming elites.

Cast

Lung Kim-Sang as Chow Shih Hsien (a.k.a. Chow Sai Hin)
Mui Shuet-Sze as Princess Chang Ping (a.k.a. Princess Cheung Ping)
Liang Tsi-Pak as Empertor/Manchurian King (2 roles)
Leung Sing-Bo as Chou Chung (a.k.a. Chow Chung)
Kong Suet-Liu as Chou Siu-Lan (a.k.a. Chow Shui Laan)
Jue Kim-Daan as Chou Bo-Lun (a.k.a. Chow Bo Lun)
Chu Siu-Boh as Chien
Li Fung as Princess Yuen
Yin Suet-Fan as Princess Chou
Leung Kar-Bo as Princess Chiu Yan

Production

The film was shot in Hong Kong.^[2]

Reception

The review on serp.media reads, "This classic film is a testament to the richness of Chinese culture and the timeless beauty of opera."^[3]

Reviewer Sean Gilman of Seattle Screen Scene wrote, "The film isn't as glossy or elaborate as the huangmei films the Shaw brothers specialized in before they shifted into martial arts movies (Li Han-hsiang films like The Love Eterne or The Enchanting Shadow) but as mid-70s Golden Harvest productions go, it’s pretty ornate (helped no doubt by the fact that it only has three or four sets). Woo's camera moves fluidly, emphasizing the theatricality of the world and performances rather than reinforcing it to an alienating degree."^[4]

The website onderhond.com gave the film a rating of 1.5 out of 5. The review reads, "John Woo doing Chinese opera sounds intriguing, but the result is mostly just grating and tiresome. The film looks nice enough and the romantic plot is sufficient, but the music is ever-present and did get on my nerves after a while. Unless you're a big fan of Chinese opera, or a Woo completist, you might think twice about watching this one."^[5]

Jeremy Carr of Senses of Cinema called the film "a lavish, operatic melodrama that is certainly staid by comparison to his action films and is somewhat burdened by its histrionic effects, but evinces an impressive, mannered vision of war and romance; it is a tragic, emotionally potent, and decorative love story."^[6]

In an interview in the book John Woo: The Interviews, John Woo recalled, "I must say, my movie called Princess Chang Ping, which I made in 1975. That movie made me feel like I was a real filmmaker. I love that movie so much. Before that, I wasn't sure of myself. I knew I had made a movie, but my movie wasn't that great. It was like practicing the skill, the technique, you know, a working experience. But Princess Chang Ping, the movie gave me a very strong feeling. It was the first time in a few ways that I really controlled everything and made a movie as my own personality."^[7]

Notes

References

^ Hall, Kenneth E. (26 August 1999). "John Woo : the films". Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland – via Internet Archive.
^ "Princess Chang Ping (1976)". hkmdb.com.
^ "All 85 John Woo Movies (in Order)". SERP Media. 25 March 2024.
^ "Princess Chang Ping (John Woo, 1976)". 20 August 2015.
^ "Princess Chang Ping [Dinu Hua]". www.onderhond.com.
^ Carr, Jeremy (23 November 2017). "Woo, John – Senses of Cinema".
^ Woo, John; Elder, Robert K. (26 August 2005). "John Woo : interviews". Jackson : University Press of Mississippi – via Internet Archive.

External links

[1] Hall, Kenneth E. (26 August 1999). "John Woo : the films". Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland – via Internet Archive.

[2] "Princess Chang Ping (1976)". hkmdb.com.

[3] "All 85 John Woo Movies (in Order)". SERP Media. 25 March 2024.

[4] "Princess Chang Ping (John Woo, 1976)". 20 August 2015.

[5] "Princess Chang Ping [Dinu Hua]". www.onderhond.com.

[6] Carr, Jeremy (23 November 2017). "Woo, John – Senses of Cinema".

[7] Woo, John; Elder, Robert K. (26 August 2005). "John Woo : interviews". Jackson : University Press of Mississippi – via Internet Archive.

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v t e Films by John Woo
Directed	The Young Dragons (1974, also wrote) The Dragon Tamers (1975, also wrote) Princess Chang Ping (1976, also wrote) Hand of Death (1976, also wrote) Money Crazy (1977, also wrote) Hello, Late Homecomers (1978, also wrote) Follow the Star (1978) Last Hurrah for Chivalry (1979, also wrote and produced) From Riches to Rags (1980, also wrote) Laughing Times (1980, also wrote) To Hell with the Devil (1982, also wrote) Plain Jane to the Rescue (1982) The Time You Need a Friend (1984, also wrote and produced) Run, Tiger, Run (1984, also produced) Heroes Shed No Tears (1984, also wrote) A Better Tomorrow (1986, also wrote and produced) A Better Tomorrow II (1987, also wrote) The Killer (1989, also wrote) Just Heroes (1989) Bullet in the Head (1990, also wrote and produced) Once a Thief (1991, also wrote) Hard Boiled (1992, also wrote) Hard Target (1993) Broken Arrow (1996) Once a Thief (1996) Face/Off (1997) Blackjack (1998) Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) Windtalkers (2002, also produced) Paycheck (2003, also produced) All the Invisible Children (2005, segment "Song Song and Little Cat") Red Cliff (2008, also wrote and produced) Reign of Assassins (2010, also produced) The Crossing (2014, also produced) Manhunt (2017) Silent Night (2023, also produced) The Killer (2024, also produced)
Written only	A Better Tomorrow (2010)
Produced only	A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon (1989) Peace Hotel (1995) Somebody Up There Likes Me (1996) The Big Hit (1998) Bulletproof Monk (2003) Blood Brothers (2007) Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina (2007) Seediq Bale (2011)