Zhang Yimou to Re-Make Coen Brothers’ ‘Blood Simple’

As if directing the lavish opening ceremonies at the Beijing Summer Olympics wasn’t feat enough, Zhang Yimou has set his sights on perhaps an even more intimidating goal: re-making the Coen Brothers. Sony Pictures Classics has recently announced it will be distributing a Zhang-directed (and as yet untitled) version of Joel and Ethan’s feature debut, Blood Simple in the US. A first-rate neo-noir, the original tells the story of a Texas bar owner (Dan Hedaya) who believes his wife (Frances McDormand) is sleeping with the bar manager (John Getz). When he hires a private detective (M. Emmet Walsh) to confirm his suspicion, suffice to say that all hell breaks lose. The picture boasts great atmospherics, sharp performances, and the first major instance of the gee-whiz camerawork that director of photography Barry Sonnenfeld became famous for -- but don’t expect Zhang’s version to be a rote copy.

While the significant plot points will presumably remain intact, Zhang is transplanting the story from Texas to a dune-specked desert in China, and the jealous bar owner will here become a noodle-shop proprietor. Given Zhang’s recent CV (House of Flying Daggers, Hero), it’s hard to imagine what his noir-chops might look like, but I, for one, am encouraged. Re-makes are best when they obey the spirit of the original and ignore the letter. I’m betting this is just such a production.