Chinese stories, Hollywood thrills

Chinese film director Zhang Yimou and British director Gareth Edwards at a recent discussion on cinema at the Beijing Film Academy. Photo provided to China Daily

Director Zhang Yimou's new film is being produced jointly by Chinese and American studios. The legendary filmmaker is excited at prospects the collaboration offers.

Zhang Yimou says his next film will be "an action blockbuster with a fantastic touch".

The director of Raise the Red Lantern, Hero and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, told Britain's Gareth Edwards, director of the new Godzilla film, that his new English-language film will revolve around the Great Wall.

The two filmmakers were taking part in a talk at the Beijing Film Academy, where Zhang studied cinematography. He spoke about his enthusiasm for new technology in film production.

"I watched Edwards' film, which impressed me with its imaginative visual effects," Zhang says. "My new film will also be visually spectacular with intense computer-generated images."

The 64-year-old is familiar with the story of Godzilla, the monster that originated in a 1954 Japanese film and has since been featured in many film and television works. When a student asked Edwards why the Godzilla in his film poster looks fatter than previous incarnations of the legend, Zhang joked about it.

"In the film it feeds off radiation, so maybe it's getting fat to remind us human beings that we have abused nuclear power," he says.