Bodyguards and Assassins (2009)

[DiP]

Jackie Cheung will not play Sun Yat Sen in "Bodyguards and Assassins"

HONG KONG : Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung will not play revolutionary leader Sun Yat Sen in upcoming movie "Bodyguards and Assassins", the film's production team announced on Wednesday.

Cheung, 48, will instead play revolutionary Yang Quyun who accompanied Sun when he returned to Hong Kong in 1894. His character will have little screen time and will sacrifice himself early in the film.

Produced by award-winning Hong Kong director Peter Chan, "Bodyguards and Assassins" is a story based on a group of bodyguards protecting Sun Yat Sen from assassins in 1905 Hong Kong.

Cheung's involvement in this film has been wrapped in so much secrecy that most of the main cast were not even aware of it. The production team also sealed off the set to shoot his scenes.

The film's director, Teddy Chen, said Cheung has decided to donate all his earnings from this film to charity.

Costing more than US$23 million (S$32 million) to produce, it features more than 10 well-known stars across China and Hong Kong, making it one of the most eagerly anticipated Asian movies at the end of the year.

The stellar cast includes Donnie Yen, Wang Xueqi, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Nicholas Tse, Hu Jun, Leon Lai, Eric Tseng, Li Yuchun, Simon Yam, Fan Bingbing, Zhou Yun, Wang Po Cher, as well as a guest appearance from Michelle Reis.

"Bodyguards and Assassins" is set to hit the big screen in mid December.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1020712/1/.html

[DiP]

Zhang Hanyu's Transformation into Sun Yat-Sen

Zhang Hanyu, who plays Sun Yat-Sen in the upcoming Chinese action thriller "Bodyguards and Assassins", is likely to astound the audience with the question, "Is that really him?"

Still pictures show that the famous actor apparently doesn't look like himself. Rather, he resembles his character, revolutionary forefather Sun Yat-Sen (1866-1925), to an astonishing degree.

A series of behind-the-scenes photos released Monday shows why. The photos document Zhang's makeup process for the film. In one of the photos, Hollywood makeup artists carefully apply a skin-color latex mask to Zhang's face, with a black-and-white photograph of Sun Yat-Sen hanging in the background.

"I sat for seven hours everyday for the makeup," Zhang said recently, "But it's definitely worthwhile."

According to director Teddy Chan, he had shot four versions with each featuring a different actor playing Sun Yat-Sen. "Although it was really a hard decision to make, we eventually chose Zhang's version for the completed film."

Sun Yat-Sen is not a major role in "Bodyguards and Assassins", but it is key to the story, which is about a group of vigilantes trying to protect him from assassins on an October day in 1905.

The film boasts an all-star cast, which also includes Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Nicholas Tse, Eric Tsang and Fan Bingbing. It is produced by Peter Chan.

A pan-Asian release is set for December 18.

http://english.cri.cn/6666/2009/12/07/1261s533868.htm

[DiP]

Contains 1/3 (around 4 min) of the whole fight (10 min long in total). Watch or avoid... Your choice!

scU43_TJlos

[Drunken Monk]

Eek! I watched some of it and some of the editing looks a bit awkward. It looks a little too frenetic in places.

[Drunken Monk]

Just watched it again and while there are some good moments (Donnie running down the corridor in Parkour-type fashion), I really didn't like the fight. Granted, I had my sound down so might not have felt the whole atmosphere of it but with the wild camera work, gratuitous slow motion and wirework I can say I'm rather disappointed.

[DiP]

http://www.mtime.com/movie/98991/trailer/23379.html

http://www.mtime.com/movie/98991/trailer/23380.html

http://www.mtime.com/movie/98991/trailer/23381.html

[DiP]

Donnie Yen Crossing Path with Cung Le in More Ways than One

While promoting Bodyguards and Assassins in Shanghai on December 9, producers Peter Chan and Yu Dong gave their thanks to Donnie Yen for helping the film wrap up successfully, returning to the set after filming had ended to re-enact a fight scene without taking extra pay. They also presented Donnie Yen with a film print of the parkour fight scene, that Donnie Yen, working with Cung Le and his longstanding team of 17 stuntmen, choreographed.

A portion of the 10 minutes fight scene between Cung Le and Donnie Yen was shown, opening with confusing camerawork and editing which thankfully stabilized in no time as it transitioned to a heart-stopping parkour chase, before segueing into a full-blown MMA-inspired martial arts sequence crisply delivered by both, while, for those growing weary of seeing Donnie Yen doing MMA yet again, other styles could be seen implemented in the making-of videos.

Donnie Yen was hesitant about this role initially, pondering over it for weeks, of whether he could handle such a demanding role, which was very different from his previous film Ip Man, of whether it might backfire instead. "I was eventually convinced by Peter Chan, for I should believe in Peter Chan, as well as in myself. Actually, I was given more than one choice, but I chose the down-and-out gambler eventually, and went all out to fulfill this role in terms of drama and action."

Peter Chan praises Donnie Yen unstintingly, "This scene is very representation of precision, speed and effectiveness. Being both the actor and martial arts director, Donnie Yen would be prone to hogging the limelight, yet from the finished cut, he was shooting mainly Cung Le, from our professional standpoint, this is very exceptional."

Donnie Yen elaborates on his duel with Cung Le, "I will never repeat myself, when shooting this scene, I was thinking parkour is a very popular sport, and while it was shown in a James Bond film, it wasn't done particularly well. I told Peter Chan, we've made built such a gargantuan set, spent so much money, why not shoot a graceful parkour fight scene?"

And so, they spent 8 days on the scene, creating what Peter Chan describes as his most ideal fight. Donnie Yen even worked non-stop for 26 hours, setting the record for the longest shoot on Bodyguards and Assassins. On his 84kg MMA champion opponent, Donnie Yen says, "It's like fighting a bull. Cung Le is the strongest opponent I have ever encountered in shooting action scenes, and because of his excellent martial arts skills and weight, I have to be extra careful."

Just a day before shooting this scene, Donnie Yen's grandmother, who was living in US, passed away. He couldn't sleep well, and his heart was very heavy, and he became quick-tempered. He was not able to attend her funeral, as he had already given his word, and to make matter worse, he had a relapse of waist injury, which made the parkour chase scene particularly a struggle to him.

Donnie Yen was recently listed as the highest paid Chinese actor this year, earning 12m yuan per film. Upon being asked about his pay, Donnie Yen smiles, "Sometimes, I get more, sometimes, lesser. Just like property, there is rise and fall. Today I get this amount, but the next day, I might get something completely different.

And it's only been announced recently that Dr Sun Yat Sen is played by Mainland award-winning actor Zhang Han Yu. Apparently, they couldn't come to a decision on picking which of the four actors they cast and filmed for the role until then.

http://www.wu-jing.org/happenings/archives/748-Donnie-Yen-Crossing-Path-with-Cung-Le-in-More-Ways-than-One.html

[DiP]

BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS Review

Those expecting a period action epic in a similar vein to last year's IP MAN may be left wanting by Teddy Chen's BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS. Where Wilson Yip's film happily traded historical accuracy for fighting opportunities, Chen has chosen the opposite approach. The director takes his time to develop characters, position them carefully within a clear historical context and fully explore their relationship to each other and personal politics, before letting them off the leash to wreak bloody carnage.

Audiences teased by footage of Donnie Yen doing parkour through a crowded marketplace and unleashing holy hell on Le Cung have a long wait ahead of them. Only once outspoken revolutionary and assassination target Dr. Sun Yat Sen arrives in Hong Kong, a good hour into the film, does the action really begin. When it does, however, it does so in spades. The second half of the film unfolds more or less in real time and basically consists of one long chase/scuffle through the centre of turn-of-the-century Hong Kong. The Resistance must protect Dr. Sun from Quo (Hu Jun) and his Qing assassins, so he can meet with the leaders of the 13 rebel factions and plot the uprising that will bring about the end of the Qing Dynasty.

For the first half at least, Donnie Yen's Shen is very much a peripheral figure - a compulsive gambler with outstanding debts and exceedingly loose morals, happy to sell out anyone else if there's a quick buck in it for him. It is not until he is approached by old flame, the now Mrs. Li (Fan Bing Bing), and asked to watch over her husband during their mission that he really takes to the stage.

The true dramatic anchor of the film is Li, brilliantly played by Wang Xueqi. He starts the film as a successful businessman with little or no political agenda, but is drawn into the Resistance by his friend Chen (Tony Leung Ka Fai) and the involvement of his beloved son (Wang Bo Chieh), and eventually becomes a reluctant hero and the driving force of the operation.

Li recruits a ramshackle mob of "unsung heroes" to aid their mission, including his loyal rickshaw driver, A-Si (Nicholas Tse), whom Li vouches for when he proposes to a local girl. Chow Tofu (Mengke Bateer) is a giant, lumbering shaolin monk, who gladly puts himself forward to guard the convoy on its treacherous journey, and precocious young Fang Hong (Li Yuchun), the daughter of General Fang (Simon Yam), Dr. Sun's intended protector, who is brutally slaughtered with his men by the Qing forces days before the Doctor has even arrived.

Not only do Li and Chen have to contend with an encroaching army of invisible assassins, led by Quo (played with suitable menace by bad-guy du jour Hu Jun), but also Eric Zhang's interfering "puppet" police chief Shi, who is ordered to quell the riots by his British superiors, only to be instructed to turn a blind eye to the assassination attempts.

The problem with an ensemble piece like this is ensuring that enough screen time is given to each character and while Chen does a valiant job of making us understand and care about a good dozen or so different people, one or two do slip through the cracks.

This is most true in the case of Leon Lai's beggar, Liu. A washed-up warrior pining after a dead lover (a briefly glimpsed Michelle Reis), he is barely featured at all until he is called upon very late into proceedings to shave his beard and take on a whole legion of assassins single-handed. Lai's moment in the sun raised unintentional titters from the audience, not it seems for his performance or the direction, but simply because it's Leon and he simply fails to convince as a world-weary, lovelorn badass.

Hong Kong, circa 1906, is fantastically recreated on screen, thanks to a combination of vast outdoor sets seamlessly complimented by CGI landscapes. And it is here where the influence and involvement of producer Peter Chan Ho Sun can be most acutely felt. BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS boasts lavish production values, bringing a much-needed authenticity to the proceedings that director Chen effectively capitalizes on to build atmosphere, tension and an intricate web of characters.

Suffice to say that the film is more of a political drama than is perhaps hinted at in the film's marketing, but an engrossing and highly effective one. The context of this turbulent and volatile period of Chinese history is carefully executed and Chen ensures the drama is always placed ahead of any particular political agenda. And ultimately it is all for the audience's benefit. The second half is a tense and riveting piece of action cinema featuring some impressive fight sequences and numerous wince-inducing moments of bone-crushing violence, certainly worthy of the foundations so deliberately laid before it.

Cross published in bc Magazine (Hong Kong)

http://twitchfilm.net/reviews/2009/12/bodyguards-and-assassins-review.php

[Guest WuxiaFan]

Good review! Thanks for posting!

[SimonMW]

Hmmm. The action was a bit difficult to follow in that preview. Glad there is more though. I thought that the fight had ended, but clearly there is a lot more.

What is interesting is that this is the first time that Donnie has allowed himself to be totally outclassed on screen. He really took a beating there, which i don't believe has ever really happened before. He usually dominates.

[DiP]

What is interesting is that this is the first time that Donnie has allowed himself to be totally outclassed on screen. He really took a beating there, which i don't believe has ever really happened before. He usually dominates.

I felt the same way when I watched it, but in terms of his own choreography. Remember that he used to work with Woo Ping back in the day, which meant 50/50 outclassing from both parties.

[gorhama]

I for one would have no problem with Donnie Yen being outclassed for a while in his fight scene. To me it shows that he is willing to showcase a talented screen fighter and maybe just maybe that ego of his is taking a back seat and he's willing to let someone else shine as well. NOW I haven't seen it but I'm sure it's more 50/50 than Yen being outclassed. I'll hold off until I see it.

[blue_skies]

Hmmm. The action was a bit difficult to follow in that preview. Glad there is more though. I thought that the fight had ended, but clearly there is a lot more.

What is interesting is that this is the first time that Donnie has allowed himself to be totally outclassed on screen. He really took a beating there, which i don't believe has ever really happened before. He usually dominates.

I haven't been able to see the clip yet but that was one of the things I didn't like about Ip Man's fights with Donnie. He never really looked like he was going to lose at any given time. I think it's better when the lead takes a bit of a beating and you are not completely sure how he's going to overcome such a fierce adversary.

[shapes]

looks quite promising

[DiP]

Reviews.

http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/bodyguards_assassins.html

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403130/usercomments?filter=chrono

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20091217-186378.html

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20091217-186389.html

[DiP]

BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS (HK/China)

Genre: Action/Historical/Drama

Director: Teddy Chen

Cast: Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Wang Xueqi, Nicholas Tse, Tong Leung Ka-fai, Hu Jun, Simon Yam, Eric Tsang, Li Yuchun, Fan Bing-bing, Zhou Yun, Wang Po-chieh, Mengke Bateer, Michelle Reis, Xing Yu, Zhang Hanyu, Jacky Cheung

RunTime: 2 hrs 18 mins

Released By: Scorpio East Pictures, MediaCorp Raintree Pictures and Golden Village Pictures

Rating: PG (Some Violence)

Official Website: http://www.bodyguardsandassassins.com

Opening Day: 17 December 2009

Synopsis:

1905, City of Victoria (British Colony of Hong Kong) In the distance of thirteen blocks, the one man who holds a nation’s fate must survive relentless attempts on his life with only five bodyguards to protect him. Against hundreds of assassins, these men must put their courage to the test in order to protect the hopes of millions in this perilous night even if it means fighting to the death…

Movie Review:

Things can never really go wrong when you have filmmaker Peter Chan on board as a producer. The veteran of Hong Kong cinema (the award winning director helmed the successful Comrades, Almost a Love Story, Perhaps Love and The Warlords) knows what works for the market, and what doesn’t. And this is not to imply that he is all commercialism and no substance. The ability to achieve a nice balance of fluff and stuff is one main reason Chan is one successful filmmaker in Asia. This time round, he ropes in director Teddy Chan (Wait 'Til You're Older, The Accidental Spy), with one main objective: To create one spectacular affair to wow viewers all around Asia.

So it is with this, we get the self touted 'action packed blockbuster of the year', and what a star studded affair it is.

Donnie Yen – an obvious choice because of his Ip Man fame. Wang Xueqi – an experienced Mainland Chinese actor who anchors the film. Tony Leung Ka Fai – he provides the affirmative weight to the cast chemistry. Nicholas Tse – another opportunity to hone his acting skills. Hu Jun – another Mainland actor who is increasingly popular with the masses, Eric Tseng – a familiar Hong Kong face always helps. Li Yuchun – a very popular singer in Mainland China would definitely boost the market. Fan Bing Bing – an obligatory pretty face from Mainland China to soften the mood. Mengke Bateer – the professional basketball player from Inner Mongolia would help to pull in some fans too.

The list doesn’t stop here. We’ve also got other notable names like Leon Lai, Simon Yam, Jacky Cheung, Michelle Reis and Zhang Hanyu (in cameo roles which are essentially important to the story) in the mix. Indeed, listing all these actors down almost seems like an exhausting task – imagine what the casting director went through to pin down the cast?

The pro Chinese story works for the production too: Revolutionary leader Sun Yat Sen is arriving in Hong Kong, and the politically dangerous trip requires a group of patriotic bodyguards who will go all out to protect the man. And it is with this, the 138 minute movie is played out nicely like an action adventure.

The impressive production values will awe you – Huge sets, magnificent cinematography, rhythmic editing, engaging action choreography, decent computer effects and emotionally charged music score are all part of the equation to this recommended movie. Sure, the storyline isn’t really considered innovative, but the pompousness of a production like this doesn’t need anything more.

Action fans would be pleased to know that there are some memorable sequences showcasing Yen’s agile moves, all adrenaline charged. Lai gets to be part of the fun too, but the Heavenly King’s character design is just too awkwardly distracting to hold ground. Celebrity Li’s foray is decent, as she turns in an affecting performance as a revolutionary’s daughter who gets involved in the turmoil. Other actors like Tse, Leung and Hu may have to resort to makeup antics like scars and blood to capture the audience’s attention, but being capable and respectable actors already, this doesn’t come off as exploitative.

If there’s one name to look out for during the award season, it has to be 63 year old Wang’s winning performance as a merchant. Note to budding artistes: This is called acting. Every subtle facial expression, eye movement or hand gesture is indicative of the experienced actor’s skill to bring out the intricate personality of the character. Though not a key scene of the movie, watch out for the sequence where the wealthy merchant agrees to propose on behalf of Tse’s rickshaw puller character. Through some simple exchange of words and actions, this scene stands out as the most poignantly moving portion of the movie.

Rating: 4/5 (An impressive ensemble piece with remarkable production values)

Review by John Li

http://moviexclusive.com/review/bodyguardsandassassins/bodyguardsandassassins.html

[DiP]

Bodyguards and Assassins

It’s difficult to classify what type of film “Bodyguards and Assassins” actually is. It’s based on an historical event (although most details are fabricated) and mixes producer Peter Chan’s signature tear-jerking style with director Teddy Chan’s typical fast-paced action scenes. A big budget and a star-studded cast means this local production does have its moments, but overall it’s ruined by too many wrong turns.

The film is based on Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s very brief trip to colonial Hong Kong in 1905, right after he set up the Chinese United League in Tokyo, the organization that led the 1911 revolution. The trip is for a one-hour meeting with the leaders of league branches from China to discuss strategies for the revolution. The Qing Empire has sent out assassins to take down Dr. Sun, while the British government has decided to take a step back instead of providing protection. This leaves unarmed revolutionists to protect Dr. Sun. People from all walks of life are recruited; among them are a tycoon (Wang Xueqi), his rickshaw runner (Nicholas Tse), a stinky tofu hawker (former NBA player Mengke Bateer), and a policeman (Donnie Yen). The lives of these people become intertwined, making the plan more complicated and less secure than it originally seemed.

What is hugely impressive about this film is that Chan spent RMB43 million building a life-size replica of Central, circa 1905, in a Shanghai movie studio. As the characters run rickshaws down the tong lau-lined Gage and Pottinger Streets, it is apparent how much heritage we have lost in Hong Kong. So much so that a filmmaker had to rebuild it in Shanghai, and here comes the irony—the studio will be transformed into a tourist attraction for people wanting a glimpse of old Hong Kong.

What is also admirable is the great performance by Nicholas Tse. After years of public humiliation with his acts of rebellion, the former pop idol proves himself a solid actor by mastering the complexity of his deceptively simple-minded rickshaw runner character.

Almost everyone in the cast does extremely well—except Leon Lai. Sadly, he cares too much about his “heavenly king” image and makes a total fool of himself when he appears with long hair and tries to kick some bad guy’s ass.

Aside from the Leon absurdity, “Bodyguards and Assassins” has a pacing issue, leaving us bored during the tear-jerking moments and confused when the action scenes are simply way too fast for anyone to follow. We are talking about more than 60 minutes of non-stop action toward the end of the film—schizophrenic storytelling just doesn’t work in this case.

3/5 Stars by Winnie Yeung.

(Hong Kong) Directed by Teddy Chan. Starring Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Wang Xueqi, Hu Jun, Tony Leung Ka-fai. Category IIB, 138 minutes. Opens Dec 18.

http://hk-magazine.com/feature/bodyguards-and-assassins

[DiP]

Korean poster.

[DiP]

"Bodyguards and Assassins" sweeps big screen

From "Perhaps Love", "The Warlords", to "Bodyguards and Assassins", Peter Chan has become the only Hong Kong director to compete with mainland heavyweights like Chen Kaige, Feng Xiaogang and Zhang Yimou. Fresh from the first weekend showings of his latest film, let's take a look at how it has performed.

Since Thursday night's premiere, "Bodyguards and the Assassins" has taken seventy thousand yuan from its nationwide screenings. At a cinema in Beijing, all showings from noon to nine at night are sold out.

Audience feedback has been quite good. While some are impressed by the actors' performances, some think the mainstream theme has some entertaining elements, making it more intriguing.

According to an internet poll, sixty three percent of cinema goers give the film a score above ninety, while four out of five think both the drama and the martial arts scene are excellent.

It seems that the story about bodyguards who protect Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of the Chinese democratic revolution from assassins will pave the way for box office success in the days to come.

http://english.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20091223/101917.shtml

[BaronK]

If this does well, we can look forward to Bodyguards and Assassins 2, Young Bodyguards and Assassins The Prequel, Sun Yat Sen the movie, Young Sun Yat Sen and a Bodyguards and Assassins movie from Wong Kar Wai.

[DiP]

Reimagining a Pivotal Year in China

SHANGHAI — Big, star-studded ensemble casts with their many egos are notoriously difficult to handle, and for Teddy Chen, the director of the Chinese blockbuster “Bodyguards and Assassins,” it was no different.

The film, which opened throughout most of Asia last week, features some of the hottest Chinese stars of the moment: the martial arts hero Donnie Yen, the Hong Kong actor-singer Leon Lai, the veteran actor Wang Xueqi, the Hong Kong heartthrob Nicholas Tse and Fan Bingbing, one of the most popular actresses on the mainland. There are also cameo roles by the Hong Kong star Michelle Reis and by Zhang Hanyu, the lead actor in “Assembly,” a 2007 film by Feng Xiaogang.

Over the summer, while still on the film’s set on the outskirts of Shanghai, Mr. Chen admitted to finding the experience stressful. Peter Chan, one of movie’s three producers, said he felt he also had to stay on the set throughout most of the production to “calm everybody down.”

“Movie stars are movie stars, and an ensemble cast is the one thing that scares them most,” Mr. Chan said. “They’re concerned another actor could outperform them; they could get less screen time if that’s the case. They’re afraid of letting themselves be at the mercy of the film director and producer, who have more control over the movie’s final editing because they can play out one character more than another.”

But the difficulties seem to have been worth it: “Bodyguards and Assassins” (Shi yue wei cheng) and its stars’ performances have been given the thumbs up by Chinese distributors, who dedicated 70 percent of cinema screens in the country to its opening weekend. Not surprisingly, the movie claimed the No.1 spot for Dec. 18-20, earning 74.8 million renminbi, or about $11 million. With the release of the Hollywood film “Avatar” delayed in China until early January, Mr. Chan said he is confident that “Bodyguards and Assassins” is on target to bring in a total 300 million to 350 million renminbi, which would make it one of the most successful Chinese-made movies ever.

It has been well-received by critics, with the journalist Zei Xin of Chengdu Daily noting, “The film provides what most Chinese commercial blockbusters’ lack — concrete contents and attention to details.” The movie has been sold for distribution next year in Britain and Canada.

The film takes the audience back to Hong Kong, circa 1905. The Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen is due to spend a few crucial hours in the British colony, meeting other revolutionaries to plot their next move in their battle to take control of China, and the Qing empress has sent an army of assassins to kill him. With the British government deciding to stay on the sidelines, it’s up to a group of misfits — including a tofu hawker (the former NBA player Mengke Bateer), a gambler (Donnie Yen) and an opium-addicted beggar (Leon Lai) — to protect him; all of them are, of course, martial arts experts.

Mr. Chen said the inspiration for the script came from the 1973 movie “The Bodyguard,” directed by his father, Tung Man Chan. “It was just a hard-core action movie,” said Mr. Chan, who recalls going to his father’s film set as a child. But while the original film focused on a couple of characters, the new one incorporates a broader cast.

While the new version is still a fast-paced action movie, Mr. Chan believes it is closer to a disaster film in its structure. It’s reminiscent of “The Poseidon Adventure,” “Towering Inferno” or “Titanic,” he said, in that “the first half of the film is spent presenting the various characters who are going to be summoned to the task, while the second half is about the disaster” or the attempted assassination of Sun Yat-sen and how the characters deal with it.

Mr. Chen said he started working on the film 10 years ago and had faced several financial setbacks. Key to the $23 million film was an elaborate $5 million set, at one-to-one scale, of a Hong Kong neighborhood in 1905, including the historic Pottinger “Stone Slab” Street.

“I tried to talk him out of building such an elaborate set because I thought it was too expensive,” Mr. Chan said. “In hindsight, I realize he was right to hold out for it. The film set actually became the single thing that drew all the people together; it worked like magic in a way because every star who came to the set was so impressed, it gave them that extra push.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/24/arts/24iht-chen.html?_r=1

[fiol]

the movie has been released in China (mainland) on dvd (original, not bootleg)

'till now it's out only the D5 version without english subs.. let's see if the D9 (with dts) will have the eng subs or not.

[QueMuchita]

I can't wait for this to be released on DVD with English subs as I still haven't seen this. Does anybody know when The Flying Guillotines or Queen's Road Ripper movies are being released?

[DiP]

The China version is cut. Avoid it at all cost!

[fiol]

The China version is cut. Avoid it at all cost!

it runs 132min... how long is the uncut version?

edit: it's 132min pal... hk version runs 139ntsc.. now.. are u sure it's cut?