TRAGEDY OF THE FAMOUS FILM DIRECTORS

Today we ponder the tragedy of being a famous Chinese movie director. First off, Tsui Hark's much-anticipated SEVEN SWORDS opened in Hong Kong and came in second with a take of HK$2.75 million over the weekend. In a globally anomalous event, it was beaten by Michael Bay's action stinker THE ISLAND, which raked in HK$4.04 million. Viewers are saying the movie is poorly dubbed and too scattershot. This won't be the first time Hong Kong audiences have rejected one of Tsui Hark's movies that later came to be regarded as a masterpiece (THE BLADE, anyone?) but given Tsui's recent track record...

Now, nothing would make Zhang Yimou happier than to laugh up his sleeve at Tsui Hark's troubles, but unfortunately he's got troubles of his own. Why wasn't his new flick with Japanese actor Ken Takakura QIAN LI ZOU DAN QI ("Riding Alone for a Thousand Li) in the Venice film festival competition? Has Zhang been snubbed by the Venetians? Does the world only want pretty action movies from him for the rest of his life?

Truly a day when Tsui Hark and Zhang Yimou should meet up in a bar somewhere and get drunk together.