Chinese-made films performed well in the box office last week. (Photo : Getty Images)
Film Director Cao Baoping, who bagged the Best Director Award at last year's Shanghai International Film Festival and is known for seriously heavy crime thrillers, set a new mood in his newest film, "Cock and Bull" (Zhui Xiong Zhe Ye).
Hitting the cinemas last Sept. 15, "Cock and Bull" appears both similar and different to "The Dead End," the film that earned Cao the said award last year. Both films centered on the concept of crime, but while the latter was all heavy and dark, "Cock and Bull" had a touch of comedy and, therefore, a more relaxed feel.
Director Cao played along the narrative, with the story unfolding from the perspectives of the three main characters. Fans of Quentin Tarantino films may recognize a similarity of style.
The plot started when Song Laoer, the main suspect of a crime, which involved robbery and murder, had to begin an investigation of his own.
Not trusting the police and wanting to clear his reputation, Song was set to chase after and capture the real criminal.
The movie was set in in the province of Yunnan, and featured the local dialect. This rural-area feel plus the bluntness of the characters and their over-elaborated gestures helped in the humorous scenes of the film.
Viewers should not expect a typical Cao style of film, but nonetheless, Cao said in a recent press conference that they are certainly to be "happier and more accepting of the plot." He added that "Cock and Bull" features the black comedy he prefers in films.
The film, which stars Liu Ye, Zhang Yi, Duan Bowen, Wang Ziwen and Sun Lei, made Liu, who portrayed Song, win the Best Actor Award. The film also contends for the festival's Golden Goblet Award.
