Once again, sorry for the bad camerawork. I did better last week, but this one is right on the edge. I’m thinking about trying something new next week (if I get the time)
Raymond Chow to be Honored at TIFF
Tony Jaa Gears Up for Sha Po Lang 2!?
Images for Ip Man: The Final Battle
The 25th annual Tokyo International Film Festival will be taking place on October 20th, and Raymond Chow is getting a special appreciation award. The award will be presented during the opening ceremony on the 20th, and I feel like it if very much well deserved.
Chow has been part of the industry since the beginning, founding the Golden Harvest group in 1970. He’s brought a number of today’s stars into the spotlight, including Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Tsui Hark, Bruce Lee, Chow Yun-Fat, Yuen Woo-Ping, and John Woo, just to name a few.
In regards to the reception of the award, Chow had this to say:
One of the most prestigious invitations in my life was to be a jury member at the First Tokyo International Film Festival. We were all passionate about film, and about how to nurture “the next generation”, so it was with great pleasure that we launched the Young Directors category of the TIFF. I am being very honest when I say the jury members had very wise insights that opened my eyes and inspired me to make more and better films. ‘I have always been very blessed to have friends in Japan who went through many ups and downs with me. They believed in me, shared my enthusiasm in Bruce Lee, the Hui brothers (Mr. Boo) and Jackie Chan, and brought my films to the Japanese audience. But at the same time, we also became very good friends for many years, and although I am retired now, we continue to get together – at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Congratulations, TIFF, on turning 25. Happy birthday!
They will be showing Police Story and Mr. Vampire at the festival in honor of Mr. Chow. Congrats to Mr. Chow and thank you for everything you’ve given to the industry so far!
Source: EasternKicks.com
It usually takes a while for Chinese films to come to the states, and it looks like 2 more films will be avaialable for purchase in the US soon.
The first is Fatal Move, a film by Dennis Law. The movie stars Sammo Hung, Simon Yam, and Wu Jing. Lionsgate will be bringing it to the states on October 16th.
The next film is more recent. Flying Swords of Dragon Gate will be available on October 2nd. This movie, starring Jet Li and directed by Tsui Hark, was one of the biggest releases for the Chinese box office last year. And yes, it will be available in 3D Blu-ray.
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Trailer
There isn’t really much to say about these movies, and I’ve even done a review for Flying Swords, but can’t remember if I’ve seen Fatal Move or not. I’m not sure if I’ll be waiting at the store for either of these, but it is nice that they are available for purchase in the US now.
Tsui Hark’s Flying Swords of Dragon Gate will be coming to US theaters. Not only that, but it will be presented in IMAX so that viewers get the full effect for the film.I’ve got to say that I’m pretty surprised and impressed that this is happening. However, it should be noted that Flying Swords of Dragon Gate was the 4th highest grossing Chinese-language film of all time, so it should have been expected.
Bona Film Group’s CEO, Yu Dong, had this to say about the topic:
The success of the film in China has proven once again the huge potential of the China market, and has also demonstrated the sophistication of Chinese filmmakers in mastering the latest filmmaking technologies and techniques. We’re absolutely excited that this unprecedented experience of Chinese cinema will soon be brought to North American audiences through The Indomina Group with their passion and marketing clout for Asian cinema, and the support of IMAX,”
Now, if you read my review, you’ll know that I wasn’t a very big fan of Flying Swords of Dragon Gate. However, this got me thinking about another IMAX movie that I am looking forward to, a lot. Chinese Zodiac is going to be Jackie’s first IMAX film, and I would love to see that in a theater in the states. While it’s not directly linked to this topic, I think it’s something worth thinking about.
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate will have a limited run this September.
Tsui Hark is a legend when it comes to making martial arts films. Sure, he’s had some hits and misses, but it’s hard to deny the fact that he’s had an influence on the industry. His next film will be an adaptation of a novel titled Tracks in the Snow Forest. The movie will carry the same title as the novel, and it will be filmed in 3D. Yes, in 3D.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s talk a little more about what has been revealed. The story will be based on a hero named Yang Zirong who outwits a group of gangsters in northeastern China in 1946. Wen Jiang is expected to play the lead role. Tsui Hark has stated that the movie will be a “wuxia drama with guns.”
Yu Dong, CEO of Bona Film Group (production company for the film)
Okay, now for my worries about the film. Flying Swords of Dragon Gate did well financially, but I wasn’t really a fan of the film. There were far too many gimmicks and effects going around for me to enjoy the movie, and I’m worried that’s going to happen once more. Bullets will fly out at the audience while glass and other debris litter the screen. While it sounds like a cool concept, I just don’t think it will be realized correctly with 3D.
I’m curious about how the film will turn out, and maybe Tsui has learned some tricks and lessons from filming Flying Swords of Dragon Gate. Either way, I’m going to have some cautious optimism when it comes to this new movie.
Source: ChineseFilms.cn
Background Info
As the trend in 3D films continues to rise in the states, a number of different directors are giving it a shot themselves. Tsui Hark decided to create Flying Swords of Dragon Gate and make it a 3D experience, but wanted to keep other aspects grounded. Fans delighted when they heard that Jet would be joining the cast, paring him up with the director for the first time in almost 10 years. Would the combination of Li and Hark benefit from the enhanced technology, or was it simply too ambitious of a project?
Story/Characters
The characters in Flying Swords of Dragon Gate cover a very wide spectrum. Most of the main characters have their own unique quirks and styles, making it very easy to tell them apart. Some of these characters stand out more than others, but there is enough banter between the characters to get a basic sense of their personalities. Sadly, other characters have almost no development and one simply takes an action at the end of the film that left me scratching my head. While you get to know the character’s personalities, don’t expect to know anything else about them. Their pasts are ignored and motivations are shrouded, which is a shame, to be honest.
The story, on the other hand, is an absolute mess. Part of this has to do with character development and understanding motives, while another has to do with the how complicated the plot becomes. First off, it’s difficult to tell if this is a sequel, remake, or re-imagining of Dragon Gate Inn. There are references to the film, making me think it’s a sequel, but then other parts seem to be re-used concepts from Hark’s remake. There were times I though certain characters were re-cast, only to figure out they were different people entirely. In truth, the plot gets so confusing that I found myself losing interest by the end of it all. I think a more streamlined story would have been better for this film; it was just too much information to take in at once.
Action/Choreography
Expect a lot of this….a lot of it
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate has everything you’d expect from a 3D film. Blades shatter, chains break, clothes tear, and daggers are thrown….a lot. There are 2 ways to take in this type of action: it’s either the director’s creative choice or it was simply done for 3D. Even if I give the film the benefit of the doubt (and that’s a big IF) the use of CG for the fights is just bad. There are so many flashy things going on that it really doesn’t feel like any of the fights are worthwhile. I’ve never seen so many swords break in my life, and the finale was just a waste of time for me. Much more could have been done with the talent at hand, and the most entertaining parts were when no special effects were involved.
Own it, Watch it, or Skip it?
Oh Jet, where did you go?
I have no problem with directors wanting to use 3D. However, if it becomes so prevalent that the audience can tell which sections were created for it, it’s not worth the time. More work should have gone into the story and giving emotion to the settings instead of just creating over-the-top sequences. Oh, and for all you Jet Li fans out there, he’s hardly in this movie. If you’re a Tsui Hark fan, you may get some enjoyment out of this, but everybody else should just stay away from this movie. It’s simply not worth it.
Skip it
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate 3D Blu-ray (HK Version)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Blu-ray (HK Version)
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Special Edition DVD (HK Version)
A few events took place over the weekend, so I figured I’d cover the winners in categories related to martial arts films. We’ll start with the Hong Kong Film Awards, as they were the bigger event of the two. While A Simple Life won most of the awards, Wu Xia and Flying Swords of Dragon Gate did win a few awards.
Flying Swords of Dragon Gate:
Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Action Choreography, Best Sound Design and Best Visual Effects.
Wu Xia:
Best Cinematography and Best Original Film Score
ActionFest also took place over the weekend, and they gave out their own fair share of awards as well:
Lifetime Achievement Award: Mickey Gilbert
Man of Action: Jack Gill
Chick Norris, Best Female Action Star: Gina Carano
Best Director(s): Alan Mak and Felix Chong, The Lost Bladesman
Best Action Scene: The Lost Bladesman
Fight Director of the Year: J. J. Perry
Best Fight: Dragon Eyes, Street Fight #1
Rising Star: Cung Le
Congrats to all the winners!
