"Shadow Magic" (2000 award-winning co-production of mainland China, Germany, Taiwan, and US) is an epic melodrama about the coming of cinema to Old Peking. The year is 1902; the era of pigtails, the Empress Dowager, and the Boxer Rebellion aftermath distrust of foreign influence and domination. One of the more benign influences was photography, already somewhat accepted by those who could afford to have their pictures taken by the few Chinese professionals setting up shop in Peking and other large cities. Not so with motion pictures. Foreign entrepreneurs, usually small scale individual efforts, brought in movie equipment with early French silents and ran what amounted to raucous side-show entertainment on the teeming streets. This juxtaposition of modern novelty to Asian cultural tradition resulted in misunderstandings, sometimes tragic, but often hilarious.

An enjoyable but shallow film based only in the loosest way on historical facts and Chinese culture at the turn of the century. A lost opportunity -- differing cultural perceptions as well as the early days of Chinese cinema could have been explored in a deeper and more meaningful way.

This might not have been as horribly bad as it was if not for the absolutely awful acting job done by Raymond Wallace! This guy is so bad it wasn't even funny! His character was needed in the film, but why they chose this guy is beyond me. If you're looking for some quality Chinese films.....might I suggest "Raise the Red Lantern"...."The Story of Qui Ju"...."Red Sorghum"......Anything but this! I was surprised at how many people actually rated this highly! Really...the acting by this Wallace loser is so bad it overshadows the other good parts of this film. This was agreed upon by all 6 of us watching this movie last night!Stay Clear of this piece of garbage........

This film is about so many things. Most obvious is the hold that film can have over an audience and how capturing life on film can be a kind of magic. There is also the tense relationship between China and the West as many Chinese saw (probably rightly so) the "Barbarians" as trying to take over and pollute their way of life. Liu even seeks to preserve their way of life on film because he sees that it will one day disappear. Their is also Liu's internal conflict between the loyalties and traditions of China versus the self-determination philosophy of the West. All these themes are woven quite skillfully into a coherent and enjoyable whole by Hu. A very enjoyable film.