|
|
Article: Director Zhang Yimou and The Great Pall of China;The Filmmaker Overcomes Political Scrutiny
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 19, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
|
Chinese movie director Zhang Yimou lives in a world far removed
from the glamour of Hollywood.
Though he is perhaps China's finest filmmaker, Zhang's $100-a-
month studio salary wouldn't cover the cost of a single night at the
Beverly Hills Hilton. The average budget for one of his films would
probably be closer to the cost of catering meals on some Hollywood
movie sets. "The money for one film in the United States would be
enough to make all the films in China for a year," Zhang says.
Far more constricting than money constraints, though, are the
government censors who apply some of the world's most stringent
standards of political acceptability. Before any of Zhang's films can
be released ...