A still of Chinese director Chen Kaige's blockbuster, Mei Lanfang, featuring Hong Kong actor Leon Lai, in a photo released on Friday, September 26, 2008 (Photo: ent.sina.com.cn/Tungstar)

His extreme satisfaction with Chinese director Chen Kaige's new biopic of the late Peking opera master Mei Lanfang, means Mei Baojiu, the master's son, won't authorize a remake of the biopic for at least 50 years, website sina.com.cn reported on Friday.

Mei Baojiu praised the film as a "master's work" worth passing on to future generations.

Mei said Chen Kaige had depicted the vital stages of the master's life true to form and shown the audiences a true Mei Lanfang on and off the stage.

He also gave a positive review of the performance by Hong Kong actor Leon Lai, who plays Mei Lanfang in the film.

He said Lai had totally understood the essence of the master's character and expressed it very well in the film.

Board chairman Han Sanping of China Film Group, the film's producer, described the film as "better than expected." The film represents the height of Chinese culture and the spirit of the Chinese people, he said.

"The director gave us a surprise. The film is full of creations from pictures to performances. It will be a film the audiences have never seen," Han said.

Han expressed his regret that the film can't be nominated for an Oscar because it failed to meet the release time the award requires.

Chen Kaige will go to Japan soon to begin post-production work. The film is scheduled to hit theaters in December.

(CRIENGLISH.com September 26, 2008)