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Information
- A.k.a.
- Center Stage
- Year
- 1991
- Runtime
- 126 min.
- Director
- Stanley Kwan
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Biography
- Rating *
- 7.5
- Votes *
- 1,198
- Checks
- 730
- Favs
- 45
- Dislikes
- 7
- Favs/checks
- 6.2% (1:16)
- Favs/dislikes
- 6:1
Top comments
-
Siskoid
Stanley Kwan's love letter to tragic silent film legend Ruan Lingyu, Center Stage, is a gorgeous, if peculiar, piece of film making that intercuts the drama with the present day where he, his crew and actors prepare and reflect on Ruan's work and life, as well as rare footage from her surviving films. If Maggie Cheung wasn't so good (ironically, he co-star Carina Lau looks more like Ruan, physically, but if you're gonna get anyone to play a part with this much sensitivity, it would have to be Cheung), it would feel intrusive. Instead, it provides background (especially for a Western audience) and a ticking clock for what in normal melodrama would have been shocking twists. Here, they are discussed casually before they ever happen. The cinematography is strong, especially when recreating scenes from the films, most of which we are told are no longer available - my heart broke every time that card came up. But the film wears its sources, choices and inventions on its sleeve, creating an uncommon fair biopic of a star gone too soon. 8 months 1 week ago -
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Login to see which of your friends have seen this movie!In 10 official lists
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This movie ranks #5 in Tom Vick's Asian Cinema: A Field Guide
Tom Vick's Asian Cinema:…
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This movie ranks #6 in Time Out's 1000 Films to Change Your Life
Time Out's 1000 Films to…
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This movie ranks #32 in Golden Horse's 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films
Golden Horse's 100 Great…
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This movie ranks #45 in HKFA's The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures
HKFA's The Best 100 Chin…
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This movie ranks #69 in BIFF's Asian Cinema 100
BIFF's Asian Cinema 100
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This movie ranks #86 in LoveHKFilm.com's The Best Hong Kong Films Ever
LoveHKFilm.com's The Bes…
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This movie ranks #433 in Mark Cousins's The Story of Film: An Odyssey
Mark Cousins's The Story…
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This movie ranks #626 in TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest Films: 1001-2500
TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest F…
626 -
This movie ranks #833 in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
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This movie ranks #866 in Jonathan Rosenbaum's Essential Cinema
Jonathan Rosenbaum's Ess…
866