DVD REVIEWS

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop, directed by Academy Award nominee Zhang Yimou (1990 Best Foreign Film, Ju Dou; 1991 Best Foreign Film, Raise the Red Lantern; 2003 Best Foreign Film, Hero) will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on February 1, 2010 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The movie is based on Joel and Ethan Coen’s cult classic Blood Simple.

Special features on both versions will include 19 behind the scene featurettes, with a combined running time of over 100 minutes, detailing how Zhang Yimou created this amazing film.

Describing his attraction to this project, director Zhang Yimou said, “Some twenty years ago at a film festival, I saw their (the Coen brothers) directorial debut Blood Simple which left me with a great impression.  One day a curious idea stuck me:  what would it be like if Blood Simple was made as a Chinese story?  That was how A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop began to take shape.”

Wang (Ni Dahong) is a gloomy and cunning noodle shop owner in a desert town in China. Feeling neglected, Wang’s wife (Yan Ni) secretly goes out with Li (Xiao Shenyang), one of his employees.  A timid man, Li reluctantly keeps the gun the landlady bought for “killing her

husband later.”  Every single move they make, however, does not escape the boss’s notice.  Wang decides to bribe patrol officer Zhang (Sun Honglei) to kill the illicit couple.  It looks like a perfect plan:  the affair will come to a cruel but satisfying end … or so he thinks, but the equally wicked Zhang has an agenda of his own that will lead to even more violence.

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop is a remake of the 1985 directorial debut of Joel and Ethan Coen, Blood Simple.  Transposing the Coen Brother’s celebrated mix of dark humor and riveting suspense to China, the film is helmed by Zhang Yimou (director of The Red Sorghum, To Live, Hero, House of Flying Daggers and many other masterpieces), one of the most eminent directors of the “Fifth Generation.”  This black comedy thriller is an exposé of how intense desires can consume humanity, and the irony that life never submits to our calculation.

BD/DVD BONUS FEATURETTES INCLUDE:

* Styling the Actors

* Workaholic Director Zhang Yimou

* Casting the Film

* Director Zhang Yimou discusses the Look of the Film

* Director Zhang Yimou discusses the Script

* Actors Who Like to Sing

* The Filming Starts

* Actors Falling

* Actors Joking Around

* Behind the Scenes Antics

* In the Makeup Trailer

* The Actors Discuss their Roles

* The Actors Discuss Zhang Yimou

* Zhang Yimou Directs the Cast

* Actor’s Features

* First Day of Shooting

* Time to Dance!

* Actors Trying New Things

* Actors in their Roles

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop was directed by Zhang Yimou.  Screenplay by Xu Zhengchao and Shi Jianquan, based on the motion picture “Blood Simple.”  Produced by Zhang Weiping, Bill Kong and Gu Hao.  Starring Sun Honglei, Xiao Shenyang, Yan Ni, Ni Dahong, Chen Ye, Mao Mao and Zhao Benshan. 

A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop has a run time of 95 minutes and is rated R for some violence.  Artwork and digital clips are available for download at www.sphepublicity.com. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.

The Blu-ray Disc version of A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop is BD-Live™ enabled, allowing users to get connected and go beyond the disc via an Internet-connected Blu-ray player. Download exclusive content, register for rewards, give feedback through our survey and more!

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