Given that no archaeological evidence corroborates Hua Mulan’s existence, her story may well be folklore. But “The Ballad of Mulan” has spawned no fewer than 14 film adaptations — not counting “Mulan II,” Disney’s 2004 direct-to-video animated feature. Of the Chinese Mulan films, only six are readily available on DVD, VCD or streaming sites. A case in point was “Hua Mulan,” the 1956 Chinese Yu opera musical co-directed by Liu Guoquan and Zhang Xinshi. Jingle Ma’s 2009 Chinese drama “Mulan: Rise of a Warrior,” starring Vicki Zhao, reclaimed the folklore with a corrective narrative.

Source: Washington Post September 04, 2020 11:03 UTC