''Spicy Love Soup'' () is a 1997

Chinese film The cinema of China is the filmmaking and film industry of mainland China, one of three distinct historical threads of Chinese languages, Chinese-language cinema together with the cinema of Hong Kong and the cinema of Taiwan. China is the hom ...

directed by Zhang Yang and written by Zhang, Liu Fendou,

Cai Shangjun Cai Shangjun () is a Chinese film director and screenwriter. Cai graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 1992. Since then, his major work has been that of a professional screenwriter. Cai was part of the team, along with Zhang Yang, D ...

, and Diao Yi'nan based on a story by Zhang and Peter Loehr. ''Spicy Love Soup'' was produced by Loehr's Imar Film Company,

Xi'an Film Studio Xi'an is the capital of the Chinese province of Shaanxi. A sub-provincial city on the Guanzhong plain, the city is the third-most populous city in Western China after Chongqing and Chengdu, as well as the most populous city in Northwestern Chin ...

, and Taiwanese financing. The film is Zhang's directorial debut and would prove to be a launching pad for those both in front and behind the cameras. Screenwriters

('' The Red Awn'') and Diao Yi'nan (''

Uniform A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...

'', '' Night Train'') have since gone on to direct their own films, while Liu Fendou has expanded into both directing ('' Green Hat'') and film production (

Zhang Yibai Zhang Xiaoling, better known by his stage name Zhang Yibai () (born 14 April 1963, in Chongqing, China) is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and producer. Directorial career Zhang began his career in television and music videos before dir ...

's '' Spring Subway''). The cast is also notable for the debuts of two of China's most popular actresses,

Gao Yuanyuan Gao Yuanyuan ( zh, s= 高圆圆, p=Gāo yuányuán, born 5 October 1979) is a Chinese actress and model. She gained attention in 2000 for appearing in a commercial for Qingzui (Clear Mouth) lozenges, earning her the nickname "Clear-Mouth Girl." She ...

and

Xu Jinglei Xu Jinglei ( zh, s=徐静蕾, born April 16, 1974) is a Chinese actress and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the Four Dan Actresses in China, Xu rose to fame with television series '' A Sentimental Story'' (1997) and ''Cherish Our Love Forever'' ( ...

. The film is an anthology of sorts, and tells its story of love and life in modern Beijing through a series of six vignettes. ''Spicy Love Soup'' was, in addition, the first film in mainland China to see a simultaneous release of a

soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...

, consisting largely of contemporary pop songs.

Cast

First vignette

* Wang Xuebing, a husband * Liu Jie, his wife

Second vignette

* Tang Sifu, an elderly widow * Li Mei, her daughter * Liu Zhao, a suitor * Li Tang, a suitor * Wen Xingyu, a suitor *

Wakin Chau Wakin Chau (; born 22 December 1960), better known by his stage name Emil Chau during the 1980s and 1990s, is a Hong Kong-born Taiwanese people, Taiwanese singer and actor, popular throughout Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and parts of Sou ...

, a neighbor

Third vignette

* Zhao Miao, a school boy, *

, his object of affection

Fourth vignette

* Guo Tao, a husband * Xu Fan, and his wife

Fifth vignette

* Sun Yisheng, a young boy *

Pu Cunxin Pu Cunxin (; born 31 July 1953), also known as Pu Quanxin, is a Chinese actor who has served as Chairman of China Theatre Association since July 2015. He is or was a member of the Beijing Experimental Theater Troupe. Biography Pu had a rough ch ...

, his father * Lü Liping, his mother

Sixth vignette

Shao Bing Shao Bing (邵兵) is a Chinese people, Chinese actor who has won a Huabiao Award. Filmography Films Television References External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shao, Bing 1968 births Living people Male actors from ...

, a young man *

, a young woman

Reception

Released internationally in London's East West Film Festival in June 1998, ''Spicy Love Soup'' was generally well received by western critics. Derek Elley of

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

cited the film as being a pioneering example of the "well directed" Chinese movie, that nevertheless doesn't fall into the camp of "artier" fare. The film was also well received in mainland China, where it had been released a year earlier, where it became one of the most successful independent films released domestically.

References

External links

*
''Spicy Love Soup''
at the Chinese Movie Database {{Zhang Yang 1990s romance films 1997 films Chinese anthology films Chinese romance films Films set in Beijing 1990s Mandarin-language films Films directed by Zhang Yang 1997 directorial debut films