Home / Renditions / Publications / Renditions Journal / No. 71
Renditions no. 71 (Spring 2009)
Special Issue: Chinese Film
Guest Editor: Paul Clark
Extracts from Chinese film scripts and other texts from the 1930s to this century are included in this issue. They range from The New Woman (1934), starring Ruan Lingyu, to Chunmiao (1975) from the Cultural Revolution, and include a storyboard from Zhang Yimou’s Hero (2001). Fei Mu’s Spring in a Small Town (1948) is a highlight. The issue will explore whether the literary film script (dianying wenxue juben) is a uniquely Chinese invention, written like fiction but reflecting what we see on the screen. The more usual shooting-scripts of several titles will also be included and pages from them will help illustrate the issue.
137 pages
Table of Contents
| Editor’s Page | 5 | |
| Paul Clark | Writing with Shadows: The Special Role of Chinese Film Scripts | 7 |
| Sun Shiyi | The New Woman: scenes 1–9
Translated by Chris Berry |
12 |
| Li Tianji and Fei Mu | Spring in a Small Town: excerpt
Translated by Andrew F. Jones |
21 |
| Lin Gu, Xu Jin and Xie Jin | Stage Sisters: excerpts from reels nine and ten
Translated by Cao Dongqing and Gina Marchetti |
30 |
| Zhao Zhiqiang, Yang Shiwen and Cao Lei | Chumiao: scenes 28–30
Translated by Paul Clark |
47 |
| Zhang Nuanxin and Li Tuo | Sha Ou: excerpt
Translated by Zhou Xuelin |
58 |
| Ma Lin, Da Jiangfu and Zhu Mei | Neighbours: excerpt
Translated by Yomi Braester |
65 |
| Li Shaohong and Xiao Mao | Blood-Red Morning: excerpt
Translated by Paola Voci |
76 |
| Jiang Wen | In the Heat of the Sun: excerpts
Translated by Cai Tonghong |
98 |
| Fruit Chan | Made in Hong Kong: excerpts
Translated by Esther M. K. Cheung |
111 |
| Wu Ming, based on a screenplay by Li Feng, Zhang Yimou and Wang Bin | Hero: a storyboard page
Translated by Paul Clark |
122 |
| Book Reviews | 127 | |
| Notes on Authors | 132 | |
| Notes on Contributors | 136 | |
Sample Reading
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Stage Sisters: excerpts from reels nine and ten
By Lin Gu, Xu Jin and Xie Jin
Translated by Cao Dongqing and Gina Marchetti
……
507 medium close-up
The judges whisper among themselves.
Judges: ‘Call the chief suspect—Xing Yuehong!’
508 distant shot
Silence in the courtroom. Everyone looks in the direction of the witness room.
509 wide shot
In the witness room. Yuehong (shot from behind) is sitting on a bench.
Bailiff (off-screen): ‘Call Xing Yuehong!’
Mr Tang takes her arm. There is blood on her face. He takes a clean, white handkerchief out of his pocket.
510 extreme close-up to medium shot, pull-back
Yuehong’s face is pale, and the corner of her mouth is bleeding. (pull-back) Mr Tang roughly wipes the blood away.
Bailiff (off-screen): ‘Call Xing Yuehong!’
Mr Tang pulls her up and pushes her towards the door.
511 wide shot
Yuehong doesn’t want to go. She turns back and stares at Mr Tang with an imploring look in her eyes.
512 medium close-up
Mr Tang looks darkly at her with murderous intent in his eyes.
513 medium shot
Yuehong does not move. Mr Tang (shot from behind) enters the frame.
He says: ‘Get out there or I’ll kill you.’
514 close-up to extreme close-up
Mr Tang steps closer to Yuehong, scowling viciously at her.
515 close-up to wide shot, pull-back
Yuehong, frightened, steps back. As the camera pulls back, Mr Tang (shot from behind) enters the frame and draws closer to Yuehong.
516 wide shot, tracking
In the courtroom. People stare at the doorway and are amazed to see Yuehong walking backwards into the courtroom. She looks down and turns around. The bailiff leads her to the seat reserved for the defendant. As she moves towards her seat, journalists take her picture.
……