Film

Shadow Magic

2000 · 1h 56m · Drama · History

IMDb

7.1

Rotten Tomatoes

73%

Metacritic

66

Beijing, 1902: an enterprising young portrait photographer named Liu Jinglun, keen on new technology, befriends a newly-arrived Englishman who's brought projector, camera, and Lumière-brothers' shorts to open the Shadow Magic theater. Liu's work with Wallace brings him conflict with tradition and his father's authority, complicated by his falling in love with Ling, daughter of Lord Tan, star of Beijing's traditional opera. Liu sees movies as his chance to become wealthy and worthy of Ling. When the Shadow Magic pair are invited to show the films to the Empress Dowager, things look good. But, is disaster in the script? And, can movies preserve tradition even as they bring change?

Jared Harris

Raymond

Xia Yu

Liu Jing Lun

Liu Peiqi

Master Ren

Lü Liping

Madame Ren

Yufei Xing

Tan Xiaoling

Jingming Wang

Lao Liu

Li Yusheng

Lord Tan

Yukui Zhang

Lao Chang

Chen Chuang

Mi Hu

Qi Mu

Jewelry Tower

Fang Qingzhuo

Widow Jiang

Li Bin

Empress Ci Xi

Zhang Kang

Hai Kuan

Song Wen-Hua

San Boro

Chen Xueyin

Chief Eunich

Wang Lida

Head Employee

• Ann HuDirector · Writer
• Yixiong ChenWriter
• Dan HuangWriter
• Shiqiang ZuoWriter
• Huaizhuo LiuWriter
• Kate RaiszWriter
• Louyi TangWriter
• Bob McAndrewWriter
• Nancy SchreiberDirector of Photography
• Lida ZhangOriginal Music Composer

Release date

September 8, 2000

Status

Released

Original language

Chinese

Runtime

1h 56m

Rated

PG

Genres

Drama, History