[This image depicts a painting of court life in the Tang Dynasty years of Chinese rule. Women of this era looked more like Japanese Geisha's in the way they styled themselves in those days].
If I owe you interest on a loan, and make a film about one of your favorite concubines, will you write off some of my interest on the loan if I’m all cool with reducing women to a quarter of the value of equality and human rights norms as equals to men?–Antoine Fuqua shows dark humor, yet oddly cultural match in Hollywood towards China accepting a J.O.B.
Thought no.2 – When did men stop respecting their mothers, as a pseudo sense of masculinity?
HONG KONG (Hollywood Reporter via LA Times) – “Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua has signed on to direct a Chinese biopic about a legendary concubine.
The as-yet-untitled film will tell the tragic love story involving imperial consort Yang Gui Fei, one of the four famed beauties of ancient China, and 8th century Emperor Xuanzong, the longest reigning monarch of the Tang Dynasty. Their love affair has been widely celebrated by classical poets and is the subject of paintings, Chinese operas, books and television shows in the subsequent millennium.
The $30 million Chinese-language project has been in development for two years. The script is now being finalized and casting is underway. Production will begin in locations across China later this year for a targeted 2012 release.
Fuqua is also slated to direct Morgan Creek‘s Tupac Shakur biopic in late spring/early summer.
If I was to be self-righteous, I would write, whatever happened to Abraham Lincoln‘s famous words, ‘all [women] are created equal [to men]. Why is this gender inequality filmmaking rhetoric creeping in to global consciousness via Hollywood film texts production?
If I was to be a realist, I would say, King Solomon of Israel is said (it’s recorded in the bible) to have had 900 concubines in his court. He ran a Miss Universe reality TV series, with not a camera in sight. Concubines were entertainment as he courted world powers. A modern form of concubinism (without the literal concubinism occurring for reals… of course) is pop stars working for the King of their empire. When they appear, they make everyone happy (like what we see with pop stars here in the US). Yet… one must also ask…
Chinatownology notes, “Yang Gui Fei, 杨贵妃, Imperial Consort Yang or Lady Yang, was one of the four beauties of ancient China. She was born in 719 CE and her given name was Yang Yu Huan 杨玉环. Her court title was “Guifei” 贵妃, a high-ranking consort. She is often referred to as Yang Gui Fei or Lady Yang.” Basically she married a Prince. When the marriage dissolved she was given to her father-in-law, the reigning emperor Li Longji. Such was the Emporer’s affection for her, Gui fei’s family soon leapt through the political hoops of the system, she was given hot springs in winter that were hers and lychees (her favorite fruit) where at her disposal with horses assigned to bring her them. Fruity.
“Bai Juyi, 白居易, the Tang Poet wrote the poem “Song of Everlasting Sorrow”, 长恨歌 that romanticized her love affair. The poem became very popular and continues to be recited and appreciated today. Premium quality lychees are known as the concubine smile, 贵妃笑, inspired by Lady Yang’s love of lychees. The famous Beijing opera Drunken concubine 贵妃酗酒 is based on her story.”
Back to reality in this Marilyn Monroe town of Hollywood now, Why not just rescreen The King & I with Yule Brunner as hasn’t this film been done already? Is this idea a more authentic original The King & I story? than what Hollywood turned into a hit all those years ago. In Japan Gui Fei was famous and was known from afar as being Yōkihi.
And as this is a historic fact of history, what do we learn from it? Exactly?
~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 3.26.11~