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Sxottlan
02-02-2008, 03:41 AM
The international trailer is here (http://tw.movie.yahoo.com/videoplayer.html?id=2556&type=movie).

So this is just Red Cliff now instead of The Battle of Red Cliff?

Looking good so far. I couldn't tell who was playing who (although I think I spotted Zhuge Liang and perhaps Guan Yu). Looking through the cast over at IMDB, years of playing Dynasty Warriors have conditioned me so that I really don't see Tony Leung as Zhou Yu. I see him and Chow Yun-Fat as Liu Bei and Cao Cao, respectively. Alas..

Would have liked to have seen Yuen Wu Ping do the fight sequences, however Corey Yuen's slightly more down to earth style is probably more appropriate. As a long-time fan of the games, it's great that they're making a film and while I may slightly wish to have seen them use the stylistic approach from the games, this is probably the better way to go.

Hopefully Woo's dream project will do well enough in China to get him back in the swing of things. I'm just afraid the wuxia-craze here in the states has come and gone.

megladon8
02-02-2008, 06:08 AM
I'm confused...this is based on a game?

Sxottlan
02-02-2008, 07:55 AM
I'm confused...this is based on a game?

The Dynasty Warrior video game franchise (along with Kessen 2) is an exaggerated take on real Chinese history, specifically the post-Han Dynasty era. Most of the games start with the suppression of the Yellow Turban Revolt, the overthrowing of Dong Zhuo and then battling to unify the mainland. Cao Cao and Liu Bei were real people. The Battle of the Red Cliff was, I believe, a major turning point in the fight between the three different kingdoms, whose names escape me now. It's a level I've played numerous times.

It's kind of bizarre. These people were real, but many folks in the states nowadays seem to know them firstly as video game characters with upgraded weapons, specialized attacks and outlandish outfits. Imagine a video game where you hack and slash through Valley Forge as George Washington and then take out all the enemies around you by playing a lightning-powered flute.

It's going to be interesting see a more accurate take on the time period versus what I've played for the last many years. But it's cool that the movie is being done at all. I've always wanted to see a film about this conflict. Although I'd do one even bigger detailing the whole war. I think much of the games' inspiration comes from the novel, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which was written centuries after the war and gave character arcs to all the main players. I've tried to track down this book several times, but have never been able to get a copy.

Stay Puft
02-02-2008, 08:14 AM
Fengyi Zhang! Holy shit! HOLY SHIT!

/freaks out

number8
02-02-2008, 09:12 AM
It's kind of bizarre. These people were real, but most folks nowadays know them firstly as video game characters with upgraded weapons, specialized attacks and outlandish outfits.

Are you talking about people in the US? Because most people outside have known them from the Romance of Three Kingdom novels, not a video game.

number8
02-02-2008, 09:16 AM
Which, btw, the movie is not based on Romance like most believe. It's actually based on the more historically accurate Chronicles of the Three Kingdom.

lovejuice
02-02-2008, 05:36 PM
I'm confused...this is based on a game?

no offend to you meg, but as 8 mentioned, aren't you people not that well-versed in romance of the three kingdoms? :eek: even in a non-chinese speaking country like thailand, it's like homer. one of those things every kid is forced to devour in high school. along with ramayana, an indian homer.

megladon8
02-02-2008, 06:08 PM
no offend to you meg, but as 8 mentioned, aren't you people not that well-versed in romance of the three kingdoms? :eek: even in a non-chinese speaking country like thailand, it's like homer. one of those things every kid is forced to devour in high school. along with ramayana, an indian homer.


That's true - Chinese history is not a subject which is taught in the school system's here in Canada.

But at the same time, I'm sure the school's over there don't delve too deeply into Canadian history :P

lovejuice
02-02-2008, 06:12 PM
But at the same time, I'm sure the school's over there don't delve too deeply into Canadian history :P

indeed. indeed. in fact i doubt how many people over there actually know troy is an adaptation.

megladon8
02-02-2008, 06:14 PM
indeed. indeed. in fact i doubt how many people over there actually know troy is an adaptation.


:) Now, now - I don't think people here in Canada are that ignorant.

monolith94
02-02-2008, 06:35 PM
no offend to you meg, but as 8 mentioned, aren't you people not that well-versed in romance of the three kingdoms? :eek: even in a non-chinese speaking country like thailand, it's like homer. one of those things every kid is forced to devour in high school. along with ramayana, an indian homer.
Nope, nor is the ramayana read in high schools in north america. Is pride and prejudice mandatory reading in southeast asian high schools?

megladon8
02-02-2008, 06:38 PM
Nope, nor is the ramayana read in high schools in north america. Is pride and prejudice mandatory reading in southeast asian high schools?


It wasn't even mandatory reading in my high school.

We just read "Lord of the Flies" and "Hamlet" every damn year.

number8
02-02-2008, 07:22 PM
no offend to you meg, but as 8 mentioned, aren't you people not that well-versed in romance of the three kingdoms? :eek: even in a non-chinese speaking country like thailand, it's like homer. one of those things every kid is forced to devour in high school. along with ramayana, an indian homer.

Same in Indonesia. It's not necessarily studied in schools, but it's a highly popular story and the translations of the novel is best selling. The mini series adaptation is also as popular as Roots is in the US.

number8
02-02-2008, 07:25 PM
Ramayana, though, is definitely known by everybody. We had a theme park based on it, and traditional plays regularly perform it.

Sycophant
02-02-2008, 09:51 PM
I've been meaning to read Romance of the Three Kingdoms for a long time. I don't believe I was actually aware of the Chronicles, which I'll have to look into.

I can't begin to describe how badly I need this movie to be good. Pity it's going to be chopped up for non-Asian auds.

ledfloyd
02-02-2008, 10:33 PM
tony leung working with john woo again? woo's last good film had leung in it. despite woo not having made a good film in 15 years this news excites me.

Sxottlan
02-03-2008, 08:34 AM
Outside a Chinese literature course at a university, I unfortunately can't see many people in the U.S. being exposed to The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Like I said, even several trips to the massive big box stores have yielded nothing. Maybe it's time I just order it from online.


Are you talking about people in the US? Because most people outside have known them from the Romance of Three Kingdom novels, not a video game.

Yes, sorry for not clarifying. I edited the post.

Does anyone know if this film will even hit stateside this year? I can see this not getting here until '09.

lovejuice
02-03-2008, 04:17 PM
Ramayana, though, is definitely known by everybody. We had a theme park based on it, and traditional plays regularly perform it.

speaking of which, an idonesian film, opera jawa, which is a weird adaptation of ramayana now get a limited release. (i watched it during the la film fest last year.) it's actually my favorite movie of 2007, and perhaps upon repeated viewing, will be permanently there within my top ten musicals.


Nope, nor is the ramayana read in high schools in north america. Is pride and prejudice mandatory reading in southeast asian high schools?

nope, but we did read hunchback of notre dame. ;)

how's about journey to the west? have you guys learned or knew anything about it?

lovejuice
02-15-2008, 04:32 AM
wow, i just realize tony leung is zhou yu, very very fitting. kaneshiro as zhuge liang is not so.

D_Davis
02-15-2008, 04:59 AM
how's about journey to the west? have you guys learned or knew anything about it?

I've read a couple versions, but I don't think I'm a typical American.

This is one of my favorite myths.

Sxottlan
01-11-2009, 08:21 AM
A pretty positive review for part two of Red Cliff is up on Variety here (http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939304.html?categoryid=3 1&cs=1).

Although the review says this may never make to the big screen in the states. I don't want to believe that.

lovejuice
01-12-2009, 12:04 AM
i watched part one in thailand. pretty wretched. still the way they set up the characters make me really curious -- quite different from the romance -- how they are going to resolve it.

the climatic battle in part one is hilarious in a historically incorrect way. i'm pretty sure woo and co. did research, but i'll be damned if that's the way people fought in that era.

Dukefrukem
01-12-2009, 02:08 AM
that trailer looks like 7 other movies crammed into one

Stay Puft
01-12-2009, 03:38 AM
Yeah, the first part wasn't that good. I enjoyed parts of it, but it's hardly a return to form for Woo - it definitely feels more like his recent American works. The cast makes it watchable, particularly Fengyi Zhang, who needs to do more films. His first appearance here is epic. Ten years in the making and worth every second. However much money they spent making these two Red Cliff films, however poor they are in the end, the whole enterprise was worth it just for that one scene.

Kurosawa Fan
09-21-2009, 07:07 PM
I feel like a plant right now, but again, for the sake of those interested, this was announced by HDMovies as an early premiere. It airs on November 18th.

Spun Lepton
09-21-2009, 08:47 PM
I caught Part 1 of this on DVD. It nearly put me to sleep.

Dukefrukem
10-02-2009, 04:57 PM
Apple trailer (http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/redcliff/)

It's amazing what a GOOD trailer can do for first (or second) impression.

number8
10-02-2009, 05:05 PM
JOHN. FUCKING. WOO.

Sxottlan
10-03-2009, 12:18 AM
Well, the website says this won't be coming anywhere near me. At least at first, but I get the impression that that is the extent of the cities.

number8
10-16-2009, 06:06 AM
Just saw it. The 2.5 hour American version, not the two-parts version. It must be heavily edited, because this is so action-packed it barely had any moment to slow down. I can't imagine it putting anyone to sleep.

It's quite a blast because of it.

lovejuice
10-16-2009, 06:18 AM
Just saw it. The 2.5 hour American version, not the two-parts version. It must be heavily edited, because this is so action-packed it barely had any moment to slow down. I can't imagine it putting anyone to sleep.

It's quite a blast because of it.
that sounds like a version to see.

number8
10-16-2009, 06:22 AM
The tortoise form battle is spectacular.

lovejuice
10-16-2009, 06:23 AM
The tortoise form battle is spectacular.
i think that scene is kinda funny. obviously it's not historically accurate.

number8
10-16-2009, 06:35 AM
I kinda wanna see the full versions though.

Sxottlan
03-27-2010, 12:42 AM
I bought the five hour version on disk.

Watched part one last night. I liked the unhurried pace to it. Liu Bei is more of a background character than I would have thought. Cao Cao is interesting. He's jovial, nasty, lonely and kind of pathetic. His next to last scene on part one with the dancer feels like something out of Vertigo.

Watching part two tonight. I'm wondering if I want to get the edited down version for later viewings.

Skitch
03-29-2010, 11:56 AM
FIVE HOURS?! Well, I guess that answers my question about the theatrical and extended cuts...

number8
03-29-2010, 05:21 PM
Well, not really a five-hour movie. Technically, it's two separate 2.5 hour movies.

Sycophant
03-29-2010, 06:03 PM
As I understand it, the 5-hour "international version" that just got released in the US is an alteration of the "Asian version" that's available on DVD in Asia, right?

Gonna import, I suppose.

Sycophant
02-07-2012, 02:49 AM
One wonders how it took me two years and a class requirement to finally get around to Red Cliff, but I've now seen all 5 glorious hours, and I couldn't be much more pleased. It's everything I've wanted to see and more. John Woo directing Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Vicki Zhao, and a host of other amazing actors with eighty million dollars. At its heart, it's a beautiful story about when two beautiful men respect and love the shit out of each other. The first of the two films seemed paced a little better and a little more satisfying as a standalone piece, but I've got no complaints.

Sycophant
02-07-2012, 03:34 AM
Move to General Film Discussion, please?