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PRINCESS CHANG PING Story Credits Pictures Video DVD
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Written: 
   
John Woo
Tang Ti-chiang 
Directed:    
John Woo 
Executive producer: 

Cast:

Loong Kim-sang .
Mui Suet-si 
Lang Chih-pai  
Yen Suet-fun 
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PRINCESS CHANG PING (1975)
 

John Woo's favourite of his early works. Remake of : "Tragedy of the Emperor's Daughter" (Zuo Ji, 1959; Directed:Tso Kei, Starring:Yam Kim-fai, Pak Suet-sin), which is Cantonese operafilm classic. Woo says he enjoyed doing this film, although he didn't have free hands to do what he wants. After all he was making a traditional Chinese opera film and it gave him certain limits. It was such succee at the time when released.

When Princess Chang Ping was shown in a Cantonese opera film retrospective at the 11th Hong Kong Film Festival in 1987, the listing in the festival catalog betrayed mixed emotions:

"(Woo's) film may be seen as a valiant effort to force the genre to vome to terms with modern cinematic methods and the changing expectations of audiences. In a technical sense, it could well be the best-made film of the genre, as evidenced in the art direction, lighting, set-ups and editing."

 The film was financially succesful, but this central genre of Hong Kong cinema in the 1950s did not experience a general revival. The Hong Kong Festival catalog offers a clue to Princess Chueng Ping's reception:

"There was more censure than praise from the critics (in 1976). Seen today, the film does indeed seem to move too quickly for an opera film, but the mise en scene, the CinemaScope compositions and the utilization of camera angles to fit in with the libretti remain remarkable achievements."





Hong Kong release (1975)
Standard Mandarin Romanization Title: 
Dina Hua 
literal translation of Chinese title:
 
Princess Flower
Official English Title:
 
Princess Chang Ping  
Alternate Cantonese
Romanization Title: 
Princess Cheung Ping



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