Cartoon Gamble
More than a few
hopes are being pinned on Precious Lotus Lamp (Bao Lian Deng), China's first Disney-style
animated film, which debuts in Beijing cinemas this month.
The Chinese animation industry faces fierce competition from future Lion Kings as possible future WTO membership will mean more access for Hollywood blockbusters. This 12-million yuan movie for the first time uses Chinese stars, recording the music and the dialogue first, completing the final artwork second.
Jiang Wen, China's most famous film star, dubs the voice of the hero Chen Xiang. Pop singers Jeff Chang, Liu Huang and Li Wen sing the theme songs.
More than 60 graphic designers, animators and 20
background artists painted 4,000 early samples, 150 thousand action pictures and 2,000
background paintings.
First planning began in 1995, under Chang Guangxi-- one of China's leading animation designers --director Wu Yigong and composer Jin Guzai.
They traveled to remote areas gleaning rich domestic resource materials: Dunhuang Caves, Xi'an, Hua Mountain, Xishuangbanna and Ningxia Autonomous Region.
The film will be shown with English subtitles.