10 Beauties in Chinese Movie History

[Ian_Lee]

A Mainland-based website chose the 10 beauties in Chinese Film History (many of them were movie stars in 1930s and 1940s and if they haven't passed away they can be your grand-grandmom). How many of them do you know or have you seen their movies?

http://www.hi.chinanews.com.cn/hnnew/2005-02-17/20182.html

1. 胡蝶

2. 上官云珠

3. 张曼玉

4. 潘虹

5. 周璇

6. 阮玲玉

7. 白杨

8. 舒绣文

9. 巩俐

10. 钟楚红

Hmmm......Where is Zhang Ziyi?

[gato]

How about Joan Chen, 陳衝 ? She's the first femme fatale I knew, and so I have a soft spot for her. Remember that song from her masterpiece: "妹妹找哥…"?

http://www.5see.com/star/china/2/

[wushijiao]

I have seen very few of these women, unfortunately (except #9 ).

Speaking of that, does anyone know where you can find some of the classic pre-"Liberation" Shanghaiese movies (such as The Goddess with 阮玲玉)?

[Ian_Lee]

In the '70s and '80s, TVB always replayed these really old movies after midnight. I recalled I have watched 一江春水向东流 and 马路天使 back then.

But by that time, there were already so many scratches on the film that you didn't want to watch at all.

I don't know if they have been digitized into DVD or not.

[Ian_Lee]

The most famous of them should be 胡蝶 and 周璇

When the Kwantung Army staged the Mukden Incident on Sep 18, 1931, Marshall Chang Hsieh Liang was rumored to be on the dancing hall with 胡蝶 in Tiantsin.

There was even a poem portraying their encounter.

But actually it is just a rumor.

周璇 should be the harbinger of Chinese pop song.

Out of the 10 beauties, the Marilyn Monroe pose of 钟楚红 made my nose bleeding. Even she is in her early 40s now, she still makes my nose bleeding. Too bad she retires early.

[Gary Soup]

I have seen very few of these women, unfortunately (except #9 Wink ).

You have never seen #3?

[bhchao]

张曼玉 is #3? I think that is a little overrated. Even Zhang Ziyi is prettier than her.

What about 邬君梅? I'm surprised she did not make the list.

[skylee]

I think Michelle Reis is very pretty.

[Catdiseased]

Hm, I think Zhang Ziyi is totally overated ;) Haven't you seen Zhang Man Yu in her early movies? She's so lovely in the Wong Kar Wai movies..!

[Gary Soup]

Zhang Ziyi is definitely no babe, IMHO.

What about Liu Xiaoqing?

[Ian_Lee]

张曼玉 is immensely popular among females ranging from 20s to 50s in Mainland. I think the role she acted in some movies, i.e. Mme Sun Yat Sen, helped her portray a strong image that is against the stereotype of submissive Chinese female.

Depending on the director, Maggie can be very pretty or very ugly. In "Police Story" that was filmed in '85, she looked very terrible.

In the late '70s, she was posed in a big 10-storey high commercial billboard outside Tokyu Department Store, Ocean City. Gee! That was the most beautiful girl I ever saw.

The survey seemed to discriminate against beauty from Taiwan. At least widely recognized beauty like Brigitte Lin should occupy a seat.