Screening: Prince of the Himalayas

A special one-time screening of Sherwood Hu's exhilarating high-altitude Hamlet, with a talk-back with the director, who will be in conversation with The Wooster Group's Elizabeth LeCompte.

After the Rubin's first theatrical screening in the US of Sherwood Hu's exhilarating high-altitude Hamlet last year, we revisit the film on the occasion of the director's rare visit to New York. Set in ancient Tibet under the shadow of the Himalayas, the film is a visually ravishing historical epic with stunning scenery, richly saturated color, and lush costuming. As the proto-typical tale of oedipal anxiety, or of the terrifying possibilities of taking action in the social world, this film re-invents a story we thought we knew. The film is not available on DVD.

Buy tickets now.
10% off for members.
 
Reviews

"Here, at last, a Hamlet that makes emotional sense of the plot and the back story. - Bob Ellis, The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Hu's strong emphasis on spirituality breathes life anew into a magnificent old war horse." - Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

"With Prince of the Himalayas, Sherwood Hu confirms his status as one of China's most interesting directors with a glorious visual style married to a fascinating dramatic tale." - Hollywood Reporter

"The uniqueness of this film is that it blends so much eastern culture, religion and philosophy; therefore it gives a different life to the drama. The revenge carries different meanings now. The Prince has to make a different choice, which is the ultimate tragedy." - Sina.com

Read more on the official website.
 
About the Speakers

Sherwood Hu
Prince of the Himalayas is directed and co-written by Sherwood Hu, one of the most exciting and dynamic directors to emerge from China. Born and raised in Shanghai, Sherwood relocated to the US to receive his Masters of Arts degree from New York State University and earned a Ph.D. in directing from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

He created The Legend of Prince Lanling, a lavish stage production which received an Honorable Mention from the Kennedy Arts Center, and which he later adapted into his first feature film, Warrior Lanling, an epic ritual film about ancient China. His second feature, Lani Loa: The Passage had Francis Ford Coppola and Wayne Wang as its executive producers, and was one of the first U.S.-China co-productions.

Hu went back to China to direct a 40-episode television series, Purple Jade for China Central Television. He returned to epic costume period film work with Prince of the Himalayas, his own adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, set in ancient Tibet, and performed entirely in the Tibetan language.

Mr. Hu is President of the Shanghai Film and TV Institute at Shanghai Theatre Academy where he supervises and mentors graduate students.

Elizabeth LeCompte
As a founding member of the legendary downtown theater troupe, The Wooster Group, Elizabeth LeCompte has spent the past thirty-five years staging works that question theatrical conventions, yet are sometimes sourced from classical works such as Hamlet and Phèdre. The Wooster Group is currently touring  their rechanneled version of Richard Burton’s Hamlet performance in a “ teasingly funny and oddly wistful evening” which, according to The Guardian,  “reminds us that even when we alter the past, it is still hard to escape. Like Hamlet, we all walk and talk with ghosts.”

*Please note that this film includes some nudity and violence.

**This event is a rescheduled program from November 2, which was postponed due to Hurricane Sandy. If you are a ticket holder to that event, your ticket is valid for January 30. You will be sent a notice from our Box Office to confirm whether you wish to retain your ticket or receive a full refund.