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The King of Masks ()

Bian Lian (original title)
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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.
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Photos and Videos

23 photos | 1 video

Cast

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...
Bianlian Wang
Renying Zhou ...
Gou Wa ('Doggie')
Zhigang Zhao ...
Liang Sao Lang
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Li Chen ...
Ms Wen
Zhaoji Jia ...
Slave trader
Zhigang Zhang ...
Sulan, Luo

Directed by

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Tian-Ming Wu

Written by

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Wengui Chen ... (story)
 
Minglun Wei ... (screenplay)

Produced by

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Mona Fong ... executive producer / producer
Titus Ho ... producer

Music by

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Jiping Zhao

Cinematography by

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Da-Yuan Mu

Art Direction by

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Xujing Wu

Art Department

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Wuyu Wang ... props

Sound Department

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Wen Zhang ... sound
Zhengdi Zhang ... sound editor

Special Effects by

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Tianyang Zeng ... pyrotechnic effects

Music Department

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Zhengdi Zhang ... music editor

Additional Crew

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Susan Jacobs ... publicist
François Vila ... press agent

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

Wang Bianlian is an aging street performer known as the King of Mask for his mastery of Sichuan Change Art in a true story. His wife left him with and infant son over 30 years ago. The son died from illness at age 10. This left Wang a melancholy loner aching for a male descendent to learn his rare and dying art. A famous master performer of the Sichuan Opera offers to bring him into his act, thus giving Wang fame and possible fortune, but Wang opts for staying the simple street performer. Then, one night after a performance he is sold a young boy by a slave trader posing as the boy's parent. "Grandpa" finds new joy in life as he plans to teach "Doggie" (an affectionate term often used for young children in China) his art. All is well until Doggie is found out to really be a girl. Written by Steve Uptegraft

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Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • 变脸 (China, Mandarin title)
  • The King of Masks (Hong Kong, English title)
  • The King of Masks (United States)
  • The King of Masks (World-wide, English title)
  • King of Masks (United States)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 91 min
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Did You Know?

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Goofs When Wang (The Mask King) is performing for the soldiers who insist on having his secret, his missing front tooth is there in one scene, then gone in the next. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Wild Wild West/Buena Vista Social Club/My Son the Fanatic/South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut/The King of Masks (1999). See more »
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