Zhang Yimou begins Coen brothers remake

One of China’s finest directors has begun shooting a remake of a classic by two of America’s finest.

Zhang Yimou has started shooting a remake of the Coen brothers’ debut “Blood Simple,” the Chinese director’s first film since designing the opening and closing ceremonies of last year’s Beijing Olympics, a publicist said Tuesday.

Filming on the Chinese-language film “San Qiang Pai An Jing Qi” — which roughly translates as “The Stunning Case of the Three Gun Shots” — kicked off on June 9, Ping Xue, a publicist at Zhang’s Beijing New Picture Film Co., told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Beijing. The thriller-comedy, which will be released this year, stars Chinese actor Sun Honglei, comedian Xiao Shenyang and actress Yan Ni, Ping said.

…The “Blood Simple” remake also marks Zhang’s first movie since the 2006 imperial court drama “Curse of the Golden Flower,” starring Chow Yun-fat and Gong Li. After that film, Zhang took a break to focus on the Beijing Olympics ceremonies.

The Chinese team is not saying how closely the remake will follow the plot of the Coens’ original. Blood Simple involves a sleazy Texas bar owner (Dan Hedaya) who hires a private detective (M. Emmett Walsh) to knock off his unfaithful wife (Frances McDormand) and her bartender boyfriend (John Getz). Things do not go exactly according to plan.

Blood Simple (1984) was the Coens’ first film, and McDormand’s first too (age 27). It was Carter Burwell’s first feature film score.