Synopsis
In a remote area of China, in the 1930s, a street performer named Wang practices the change-mask opera art of bian lian. Seeking to pass his art, Wang buys what he believes to be an orphan boy, but quickly learns his new disciple's secret.
Scores
Overall Score
48.7
Popularity Percentile (Year)
34.5%
Box Office Percentile (Year)
45.3%
Review Aggregate
86.7
Critic Consensus
Critic reception is largely positive, with 100% of 7 logged reviews marked Fresh. Across reviews, critics repeatedly emphasize lighthearted, action-packed, emotional. Most critics frame the film as an effective delivery of its core style and intent.
lightheartedaction-packedemotionalmacabrecharacter-drivenvisually striking
Cast
| Cast | Year | Reported Salary | Inflation Adjusted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhu Xu | 1999 | $19,000 | $35,000 | (est) |
| Zhou Renying | 1999 | $12,000 | $22,000 | (est) |
| Zhao Zhigang | 1999 | $9,000 | $16,000 | (est) |
Aggregated Reviews
Rotten Tomatoes critic score89.0
RT critic review count19
Rotten Tomatoes audience score91.0
RT audience rating count2,500
IMDb rating7.7
IMDb votes3,575
Box Office ?
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 1999 | $1,113,103 | $2,095,921 |
| International | 1999 | N/A | N/A |
| Worldwide | 1999 | $1,113,103 | $2,095,921 |
Earnings / Profitability
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | |||
| Theatrical Net Revenue | 1999 | $556,552 | $1,047,960 |
| Digital Rentals ? | 1999 | N/A | N/A |
| Digital Purchases ? | 1999 | N/A | N/A |
| Physical Rentals ? | 1999 | $9,484,000 | $17,857,929 |
| Physical Purchases ? | 1999 | $12,257,000 | $23,079,358 |
| TV & Streaming Revenue | 1999 | $445,241 | $838,368 |
| Total Revenues | 1999 | $22,742,793 | $42,823,615 |
| Expenses | |||
| Budget ? | 1999 | $1,224,000 (est) | $2,304,735 (est) |
| Print & Advertising (P&A) ? | 1999 | $890,000 (est) | $1,675,828 (est) |
| Participations | 1999 | $910,000 | $1,713,487 |
| Residuals ? | 1999 | $1,621,000 | $3,052,267 |
| Interest & Overhead | 1999 | $244,800 | $460,947 |
| Total Expenses | 1999 | $4,889,800 | $9,207,265 |
| Movie Net Profit or Loss | 1999 | $17,852,993 | $33,616,350 |
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