2008/2009 - Red Cliff

[summertime]

Channelnewsasia

By Ng Yan Bo, Channelnewsasia.com | Posted: 11 July 2008 1830 hrs

SINGAPORE: With a production budget of US$80million, a cast number running into the thousands, and based on possibly the most famous battle ever fought in Chinese history, "Red Cliff" is certainly a film of epic proportions.

In fact, some have even crowned it Asia's equivalent to Hollywood's “Troy” or “Lord of the Rings”.

With acclaimed director John Woo at the helm, there's no doubt countless A-listers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China had been eyeing leading roles in the film, hoping to remake history by bringing to life some of the most well-known and well-loved Chinese heroes (and antiheroes) of all time.

And so, how does the Golden Horse award-winning director choose his leading lords and ladies?

While in town to promote “Red Cliff” with several cast members on Thursday, Woo said it had been a challenging task casting the main characters as the story of The Three Kingdoms has long been embraced by Asian audiences, and each person already has an idea of how each character should be portrayed.

But the director said: "I wanted to remain faithful to history, and cast actors who resembled the characters' descriptions in history books.”

Tony Leung as Zhou Yu
Leading the star-studded affair is one of Hong Kong's most critically acclaimed actors Tony Leung (Lust, Caution; 2046) in the role of Zhou Yu, the viceroy of the Wu Kingdom.

According to reports, Hollywood actor Chow Yun-Fat was originally selected for the role but pulled out just before shooting began due to disputes in contract terms.

Another major superstar considered for the part was Hong Kong megastar Andy Lau, fresh from his role as Zhao Yun in another epic movie on the same era, “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon”.

Lau, whom the director said he had "always admired", was unfortunately not available due to a clash in schedules but Woo said he "would not rule out a chance to work with Andy in future".

The director said he was confident Leong will play Zhou, the classic romantic-yet-tormented hero, to its full glory, juggling hot steamy scenes with Taiwanese supermodel Lin Chi-ling with one hand and gallantly slashing enemies in full armour gear with the other.

Takeshi Kaneshiro as Zhuge Liang
Allied with Zhou is perhaps the greatest and most accomplished strategist of the era, Zhuge Liang, played by Japanese-Taiwanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro (The Warlords; Perhaps Love).

According to Woo, the military advisor to Emperor Liu Bei of the Shu Kingdom was supposedly “a 27-year-old six-foot tall handsome young man”.

And apart from Leung, who was first offered the role but turned it down in favour of Zhou, Kaneshiro was the only other actor who fits the part.

"He represents the ideal youth of today: good looking, suave, intelligent, energetic..." said Woo. ”For this role, Takeshi Kaneshiro brought with him such charm, humour, wit and wisdom that the part seemed tailor made for him!"

Zhang Fengyi as Cao Cao
On the other side of the battlefield playing Cao Cao, is Chinese actor Zhang Fengyi (The Emperor and the Assassin; Velvet Gloves).

The role was initially for Japanese actor Ken Watanabe but objections from Chinese fans who felt that it was inappropriate for a Japanese to play a Chinese historical figure changed the director's mind.

Cao is the ruthless warlord and ruler of the Wei Kingdom who, like King Menelaus of Sparta in the Trojan War, started a battle of epic proportions because of a woman.

"Unlike the popular novel 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', the Cao Cao I play is more human, more realistic," said Zhang. "The Cao Cao in the novel was made to look worse than he actually was."

And while Zhang still fronts a brutal warfare in the movie, deploying troops with cunning wit and cutting down enemies with unabashed rage, the actor himself is a much less expressive person.

"When I was younger, I wouldn't even dare to ask a girl out, much less start a fight for her!" Zhang laughed, during an interview with xin.sg.

Lin Chi-ling as Xiao Qiao
And of course, an epic would not be complete without the beautiful leading ladies.

China's darling Vicky Zhao (Princess Pearl; So Close) plays Sun Shangxiang, a tomboy trained in all forms of martial arts.

Taiwan's top supermodel Lin Chi-ling took on her debut acting role as Xiao Qiao, wife of Zhou Yu and one of the main causes of the war.

Director Woo deemed Lin, one of the great beauties in this modern day as parallel to Xiao Qiao, who was one of the great beauties of ancient China.

But Lin insisted her character is not just a pretty vase to tune up the scenery in the film.

"Some people may think that Xiao Qiao is just a pretty girl, but I do think she has a much deeper character," Lin mused.

"She's also strong and brave, and she transcends above war with the strength of love. She offers a softer side to the film, which is mostly about bloodshed.”

"Red Cliff" is co-distributed by MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, and is now in cinemas across Singapore.

- CNA/yb


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/359744/1/.html

[summertime]

The Wall Street Journal


July 11, 2008


'Red Cliff' Battle Moves to the Box Office

International Success
Needed to Help Recoup
Epic's Huge Price Tag

By IRIS KUO

July 11, 2008

HONG KONG -- The most expensive Asian-financed film in history will need some deft handling to win international success.

With a price tag of $80 million -- well above average for movies from the region -- "Red Cliff" is counting on its appeal to foreign audiences to break even. But that could be a formidable task: The movie is in Mandarin, runs roughly four hours over two parts, draws its plot from an 1,800-year-old Chinese battle and stars actors who haven't proved to be box-office draws outside their home markets.

To meet these challenges, the film's backers are marketing two different movies. Regionally, they are playing up the pan-Asian cast and tying marketing to historical events that are widely known in China and other Asian countries. Elsewhere, they plan to pare the two parts down to one action-oriented film and play up its director, John Woo, who is well-known in the West for his cinematic shoot'em-ups.


"It has the spectacle of war scenes, and it has a very romantic love story as well," Mr. Woo said in an interview. "That's good enough to attract a Western audience."

"Red Cliff," which opened Thursday in China and a few other Asian nations and may reach Europe early next year, needs international appeal. While its $80 million budget sounds modest when compared with U.S. summer blockbusters, China's $437 million annual film market is still too small to support big productions by itself. So far, the film hasn't found a U.S. distributor.

"As part of the Asian film industry, yes, we are rooting for it," said Albert Lee, chief executive of Hong Kong-based film distributor Emperor Motion Pictures, a division of Emperor Group. "But in order for it to succeed, it definitely would have to cross over to an international market."

"Red Cliff" comes in the wake of a series of Chinese period films that have tested the waters abroad since 2000's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which grossed more than $100 million in the U.S. and won four Oscars. Its success whetted the appetite of foreign producers, who have tapped the rising ranks of Asian filmgoers but long for big U.S. box-office rewards. No other Asian movie has come close to that kind of success -- Jet Li's 2002 film "Hero" and this year's Jet Li and Jackie Chan double-bill, "The Forbidden Kingdom," pulled in around $50 million in the U.S. Meanwhile, 2006's "Curse of the Golden Flower," with Chow Yun-Fat, took in less than $7 million.

"Red Cliff" depicts an epic battle fought in the year 208 for control of China -- a story that has been fodder for comic books, TV shows and videogames in Asia. It stars Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, who is known for his roles in last year's "Lust, Caution" and 2000's "In the Mood for Love," and Takeshi Kaneshiro, a Taiwanese-Japanese actor who appeared in 2004's "House of Flying Daggers," as well as other actors from China, Japan and Taiwan.


The film's financing came mostly from Asian film distributors: China Film Group Corp., Tokyo's Avex Group Holdings Inc., Taipei's CMC Entertainment Group and Seoul's Showbox/Mediaplex Inc. The rest came from European distributors and a loan put up by British bank Standard Chartered PLC. The production companies agreed to split marketing costs. Under the financing arrangement, the movie needs to perform only modestly in the U.S. to break even, said Terence Chang, a producer.

Mr. Woo -- the Hong Kong director who went on to helm blockbusters including "Face/Off" and "Mission: Impossible 2" -- and the producers initially set out to make the movie for $50 million. But with massive battle scenes, eight major characters and several story lines, "Red Cliff" quickly ballooned. So it was cut into two movies for Asia, with the second one set to open early next year.

The film's scope is unusually large and complex for a mostly Chinese production, involving more than 1,000 extras, 300 horses, 28 battleships and a staff of special-effects experts from the U.S. (One stuntman died last month filming a flaming battleship scene for the movie's second installment.)

The Chinese production was "a first for everyone," Mr. Woo said. "In Hollywood, everything is so professional." But with "Red Cliff," he added, "it took a lot of time and a lot of patience."

But the intent, in part, was to foster China's movie scene. "I think in China they really need this kind of big movie to bring up the whole business," he said.

European distributors snapped up the rights after a trailer was shown at the Cannes film festival, but "Red Cliff" has yet to secure a buyer for the U.S. market. That's not to say it won't appear there: "Hero" won distribution in the U.S. but sat on the shelf for two years before appearing on screens.


http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB121571763577443405.html?mod=2_1567_leftbox

[summertime]

The Hollywood Reporter

'Red Cliff' has rock-solid opening in Asia
Attendance is high for John Woo's $80 mil war epic

By Karen Chu and Mark Russell

July 11, 2008, 12:41 PM ET

"Red Cliff" director John Woo got a local hero's welcome as his $80 million war epic opened with a bang across Asia.

On Thursday, 60 Hong Kong cinemas earned HK$2 million ($257,000) from Woo's first made-in-China film since 1992's "Hard Boiled."

The strong opening is a good sign for a film that dealt with a lengthy and troubled shoot, including the death of a stunt man and the hospitalization of producer Terence Chang for stress.

Touted as the most expensive Chinese-language movie ever made, "Red Cliff" is the first installment of a nearly four-hour, two-part film with an international cast that includes Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai ("Lust, Caution") and Taiwanese-Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro ("The Warlords").

Shot in Mandarin, the film will need overseas ticket sales to satisfy a cast of international investors that includes Beijing's state-run China Film Group, Tokyo's Avex Group, Taipei's CMC Entertainment, Seoul's Showbox/Mediaplex, a few European distributors and Standard Chartered bank of the U.K.

Based on a historical sea battle in 208 A.D., "Red Cliff" used more than 1,000 extras and lots of special effects. The second part will be released in Asia in December, when Western audiences will be shown a single-part, condensed version. The film has yet to link with a U.S. distributor.

Thus far, good word-of-mouth and positive reviews appear to be paying off. "Red Cliff's" Hong Kong distributor, Emperor Motion Pictures, said that ticket sales show it trumping Will Smith starrer "Hancock," which earned HK$970,000 ($124,000) in 38 cinemas, bringing its first week's total to HK$15 million ($1.93 million).

Initial boxoffice reports from China, Japan and Taiwan were not available, but local reports said attendance was high. In South Korea, "Red Cliff" opened strong, selling 131,000 tickets Thursday on 437 screens, about double the number of screens enjoyed by Zhang Yimou's "Hero" in 2002. "Hero" and director Ang Lee's "House of Flying Daggers" (2000) each sold about 60,000 tickets in their opening days in Korea.

Korean exhibitors said they expect "Red Cliff" to sell about 900,000 tickets by Sunday night. Showbox, which marketed the film with an English-language trailer, giving it the appearance of a Hollywood blockbuster, is predicting 3 million tickets (about $19 million) by the end of the film's run, making it the biggest Chinese-language film ever released in Korea.

To help reach that goal, Woo toured Korea with the cast and agreed to cut nine minutes to tighten the Chinese tale for Korean viewers.

Karen Chu reported from Hong Kong; Mark Russell reported from Seoul.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3iff4fffbfb65a506fed8b7768e3d68773

[summertime]

The Hollywood Reporter

Film Review: Red Cliff

Bottom Line: A formidable prelude to an epic battle with resplendent effects and action spectacles.

By Maggie Lee

Jul 11, 2008


Opened: July 10 (Asia)

HONG KONG -- As the first film to re-create the 208 A.D. Battle of Chibi, the most famous military feat in Chinese history, John Woo's "Red Cliff" is a Pan-Asian project with the word "monumental" written all over it. The 140-minute first half that opened across major Asian territories is only a prelude that provides the beams and columns for the narrative framework, but with a few decisive and spot-on action spectacles, it sufficiently kindles expectations for the climactic clash in Part 2. The Western version will be a shorter, condensed one.

Costing $80 million and years in the making, "Red Cliff" is the most expensive Chinese-language picture ever mounted. Its investors likely are to recoup most of it from the Asian market, where the story has infiltrated school curriculum, computer games and manga.

Although this is hailed as Woo's "homecoming" after his Hollywood tenure, hardcore disciples of his Hong Kong oeuvre will be straining hard to find the all-stops-out passion and sinewy machismo that ignited his bullet ballets such as "A Better Tomorrow" or "The Killer." Such signature themes as male bonding and David-and-Goliath face-offs still drive the action, but the functional script has dismantled much of the original story's dramatic intricacies and character complexities, then reassembled it into a easy-to-follow three-act structure.

The epic opens with ambitious Prime Minister Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) browbeating the emperor of Han into authorizing a campaign to crush his enemies, Liu Bei and Sun Quan (Chang Chen) in their southern strongholds. In the first big action scene, most reminiscent of Woo's earlier SFX-free brute heroics, Gen. Zhao Yun (Hu Jun) single-handedly battles whole armies to save Liu's infant son.


The middle act replaces action with character interaction, focusing on Liu's strategist Zhu-ge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) persuasion of Sun Qun to ally with Liu and his elaborately built-up meeting with Sun's viceroy, Zhou Yu (Tony Leung). The men's chemistry flickers but does not sparkle. Most of this section, notwithstanding a gratuitous sex scene plus some comic capers, lacks a gripping atmosphere. The modernized dialogue is accessible but lacks eloquence and gravity.

A change of tone and tempo at 105 minutes into the film brings a welcome catharsis with a 20-minute extended battle sequence that has the speed and grandeur of Akira Kurosawa's samurai classics. As the troops of Liu and Sun unite in a strategic formation against Cao's 200,000 cavalry assault, masterfully varied cinematography captures an astounding array of military pageantry, martial arts sequences and ancient weaponry that could be a war game geek's wet dream.

With an ensemble of key figures to introduce, the main roles physically look the part but still need to warm up to each other. The pivotal Zhu-ge and Zhou have been apocryphally depicted as rivals, but Woo's decision to follow history and turn them into potential soul mates weakens dramatic power. More of a romantic, melancholy heartthrob, Leung has the acting chops but not the physique or the commanding presence of a martial hero that would be the equivalent of Charlton Heston or Toshio Mifune. Kaneshiro.

Eschewing the ornate Orientalism of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Curse of the Golden Flower," production and costume designer Tim Yip goes for historical accuracy and creates a period look that is imperious and dignified.

Cast: Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Hou Yong, Hu Jun, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen; Director: John Woo; Screenwriters: John Woo, Khan Chan, Kuo Cheng, Sheng Heyu; Producer: Terence Chang, John Woo; Executive producers: Han Sanping, Masato Matsuura, Wu Kebo, Ryuhei Chiba, Chin-wen Huang, Wootaek Kim, Jeongchun Ryu; Directors of photography: Lu Yue, Zhang Li; Production/costume designer: Tim Yip; Music: Taro Iwashiro; Editors: Angie Lam, Yang Hongyu, Robert A. Ferretti; Action director: Corey Yuen; Sales: Summit Entertainment, Mei Ah (Hong Kong).

No rating, 182 minutes.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/television/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=11425

[summertime]

TIME

Thursday, Jul. 10, 2008

John Woo will now take your questions

Do your life experiences affect the way you make movies?
Deanna Woo, Riverside, Ca.
I was raised in a slum. Almost every day, I had to deal with gangs. I always got beat up and I had to fight very hard to survive. At that time, I felt like I was living in hell. Whenever I got hurt, or was feeling sad, I liked to go to church. The church gave me a lot of comfort, which is why I became a Christian. I put that experience into my movies. You can see it in A Better Tomorrow or The Killer.

Birds are a common motif in your movies. Why?
Ergün Yüce, Istanbul
Since I'm a Christian, I love the white dove. It represents peace and love and innocence, so that's why I love to use it.

When you came to direct films in the U.S., what was the biggest culture clash that you experienced?
In Kyung Yoo,Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca.
I tried to make Hard Target look like a Hong Kong movie, but it didn't work. When there were slow-motion shots, [the audience] didn't know how to react, so they just laughed.

What's your advice for Asian directors seeking success in the U.S.?
Harry Jeon, New York City
If you want to make an American film, it's got to look like an American film but have something different about it. You have to try your best to bring in your own culture.

Do you have any regrets about coming to America?
Franc Hong, Pittsburgh, Pa.
No. I've learned so much from Hollywood. I've made a lot of good friends. Also, it's been great to work with such superstars as John Travolta, Nic Cage and Tom Cruise.

There haven't been any interesting new Hong Kong movies. What's going on?
Kerstin Reiher, Lucerne, Switzerland
Hong Kong people aren't excited about Hong Kong films. People think Hollywood movies are the best because they have the highest budgets. But there are some great filmmakers trying their best to make better Hong Kong movies. Just wait and see.

What relevance does Red Cliff have for modern society?
Guo Haikong, Dalian, China
The story of Red Cliff is very optimistic. I have seen quite a few Chinese historical movies that look so dark and seem to not have much hope. So I tried to make a different kind of historical film. The audience will feel there is a better tomorrow. It will make people excited about the future.

Chow Yun-fat left the cast of Red Cliff. Are you two still friends? Will you ever work together again?
Cheo Hodari Coker,Studio City, Ca.
Yeah, we're still friends. I still admire Chow Yun-fat as a great actor. Even though it didn't work out for Red Cliff, I'm looking forward to working with him again. We have a project called The Divide. It's about Chinese railroad workers in the United States. He's going to be one of the main cast [members]. I'm also looking forward to working with him again in Hong Kong or China.

Are you still interested in directing a musical?
Bill Fisher, Seattle, Wa.
I'm dying to. About eight years ago, I had a script called The Next Diamond. I tried to make it an action musical. It was a pretty good script, but it was hard to get financing, hard to make the studios believe that musicals still work, and hard to get stars, because we wanted a star who could sing, dance and shoot. I'm still working on it. If I can't make it in Hollywood, I will try to make it in China.

You haven't received an Oscar. What do you think about that?
Wang Hongjun, Shenzhen, China
I never think of getting any awards. I just try to concentrate on making my own films. As long as some people love them, I'll be satisfied.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1821497,00.html

[summertime]

Red Cliff debuts in Taiwan

Source: CCTV.com

07-11-2008 09:17


Billed as the most expensive film ever produced in Asia, the
first installment of John Woo's epic, 'Red Cliff' opens in
theatres around Asia this month.


"Red Cliff" is based on a part of History that has given rise to legends and inspired video games and comic books. It was the time in the third-century AD, when prime minister Cao Cao undertook his quest to unite a divided China.

Variety Magazine says the film cost the equivalent of 70-million US dollars.

Director, John Woo told reporters in Taipei, he wants 'Red Cliff' to give western audiences a better understanding of China.

Appearing with Woo in Taipei were the leading cast members from 'Red Cliff,' Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Taiwanese-Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Leung says he felt his character Zhou Yu, the strategist behind the battle, reflected Woo's personality.

"Red Cliff" marks the Hong Kong director's triumphant return to Chinese film after 16 years in Hollywood.

Woo directed hits like 'Face Off' and 'Mission: Impossible II'. He hasn't directed a Chinese movie since the 1992 action thriller 'Hard-Boiled'.

'Red Cliff' opens in Taiwan, Thursday.

http://www.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20080711/101362.shtml

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Malaysia Star

Saturday July 12, 2008


Woo: Quake affected me

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sichuan earthquake is a tragedy that will not be easily forgotten for a long time, especially for Hong Kong film director John Woo.

“We were devastated by the incident, but at the same time we were also very touched by the help offered by the doctors, nurses, the army and the public who saved thousands of lives,” said Woo at a press conference here.

Woo, accompanied by cast members Lin Chiling, Chang Chen and Zhang Fengyi, is in town to promote his latest film Red Cliff, which will open in cinemas on July 17.

The film was screened at the Wu Hou shrine in Sichuan recently where doctors, nurses, rescue workers and journalists were invited to walk the red carpet.

The move was seen by many as an effort to boost the morale of the people affected by the earthquake.

Woo said the incident had influenced his filmmaking, and he would place more emphasis on compassion and care for humankind in his future films.

Red Cliff, based on the famous Chinese literary work, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, marks Woo’s return to filmmaking in Asia, after spending years in Hollywood making hit films such as Face/Off and Mission: Impossible II.

At US$80mil (RM256mil), Red Cliff is the most expensive Chinese-language film ever made.

The lavish historical epic tells the famous story of the alliance between the kingdoms of Xu and Wu in a battle against the conquering Han empire.

Other stars in the film include Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhao Wei.

The film will be released in Asia in two parts, with the second part to open early next year. Countries outside Asia will get a single, two-and-a-half-hour version.

Last night, Woo, Lin, Chang and Zhang made a special appearance at Golden Screen Cinemas in Pavilion here, to greet fans who turned up in droves to see their favourite stars.

http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/12/movies/21807639&sec=movies

[Hong]

Red Cliff-Hanger
By Sky Canaves, July 14, 2008

Will “Red Cliff” need to conquer the [1] rest of the world? The first part of the John Woo epic seems to be doing quite nicely at home, where it had an impressive opening weekend in the five Asian territories where it screened. [2] Variety tallies the combined box office estimates at over $23 million for mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea.


Tony Leung plays military ace Zhou Yu in “Red Cliff” (AP photo/Meiyi Entertainment)
Most of the receipts come from mainland China, where “Red Cliff” is poised to set a new record for a Chinese-language film opening. In its first weekend alone, the film surpassed the 100-million yuan ($15 million) mark that typically signifies a major hit, according to Chinese-language media [3] reports. (Overall, mainland China’s box office is pretty small– last year total receipts were just $437 million).

Screenings of the film have been packed. Variety notes that an 8:30 a.m. show in Seoul was reported to be 70% full. Here in Hong Kong, the only tickets available on Thursday afternoon at our preferred theater were for the first show on Sunday– at 12:35 a.m.– in a theater that was about 90% full.

It’s good news for a film that seemed to be doomed from the start– with massive budget overruns, numerous casting changes and, most tragically, the death of a stunt actor during filming of the second installment last month.

We also admit to having low expectations for Woo’s big-budget return to Chinese film– maybe the result of seeing one too many overwrought and melodramatic Chinese historical dramas in recent years (Feng Xiaogang’s “The Banquet,” Zhang Yimou’s “Curse of the Golden Flower” and “The House of Flying Daggers,” and Chen Kaige’s “The Promise” come to mind).

Instead, we were pleasantly surprised by a fairly straightforward plot centered on the alliance of two powers against a corrupt power-hungry general circa 208 A.D. Although a shorter, one-shot version is being planned for release in the west next year, even in its long, two-part incarnation, the Mandarin-language film should be accessible to audiences that enjoyed Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” Despite the 2:20 running time of part one, the pace of “Red Cliff” is brisk, full of battle scenes that provide vivid lessons in ancient Chinese military strategy along with a healthy dose of action. And Woo allows the story to unfold through individual scenes that resonate throughout the film, such as the intense duet on Chinese zithers that seals the partnership between the forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei, or the hunting lesson given to a ruler who feels inadequate compared to his elder brother and father.

The ending leaves audiences at the edge of their seats, perhaps like us, grumbling at the prospect of a five-month wait for part two, but certain that we’ll be back for more.

Sky Canaves


http://blogs.wsj.com/chinajournal/2008/07/14/red-cliff-hanger/
_________________
Pour l'essentiel, l'homme est ce qu'il cache - André Malraux

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Variety


'Red Cliff' brings in big numbers
John Woo epic snags over $23 million in Asia

By PATRICK FRATER


John Woo's "Red Cliff," the most expensive Asian film ever, enjoyed a boffo start to its theatrical run across East Asia, where part one of the two-part epic bowed in five territories.

Actuals and distributor estimates point to an opening weekend north of $23 million.

China Film Group reported that the film grossed in excess of $3.65 million Thursday, its first day of release in mainland China. That led CFG's topper Han Sanping to forecast Friday that the pic would pass the $14.6 million mark by the end of the four-day opening weekend.

Showbox, the movie's Korean investor and distributor, reported 139,000 admissions on opening day. That equates to an approximate $973,000 from 437 screens, for a one-day per-screen average of $2,227. On Friday, Showbox forecast that the weekend total would be close to 1 million admissions. That would translate as a four-day weekend cume above $6 million.

In Taiwan, where the pic was released on 120 prints by the film's Taiwanese investor and distributor CMC Entertainment in association with 20th Century Fox, Thursday opening day was a powerful $526,000. That was the biggest first-day figure of the year in that territory and a one-day screen average of $4,380.

On Sunday, CMC reported that the three-day total (Thursday through Saturday) had risen to $1.91 million.

In Hong Kong, where "Cliff" is handled by Mei Ah in collaboration with Edko Films, "Cliff" scaled $257,500 from 60 sites on its Thursday opening frame. That is a single-day per-screen average of $4,280.

In Singapore, pic was released on Friday by distributor Scorpio East on 46 prints, with a single session of sneak previews on Thursday night. Preview earned $33,000, with Friday clocking in at $176,000. Company said it regarded as "very, very positive" a 65% jump on Saturday to $309,000, for a two days plus preview cume of $518,000. Scorpio forecast that cume would comfortably top $625,000 for the three day weekend and expected "Cliff" to beat "Hellboy 2" which was released a day earlier, on Thursday.

Showbox said the figure is the highest ever for a Chinese film in Korea. In comparison, "Hero" enjoyed 58,000 admissions on its opening day and "House of Flying Daggers" tallied 60,000 admissions. Opening day of "Cliff" knocked "Hancock" down to 79,000 admissions Thursday, or an estimated gross of $550,000.

Showbox played the pic, which it trimmed by nine minutes, six times per day in Seoul multiplexes and five times per day in suburbs and second city venues. It occupied five screens at the COEX Megabox, which in several recent years has been the world's busiest cinema, with the 8:30 a.m. screening on Thursday reportedly 70% full. Showbox said the casting of Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro helped the pic score well with older demographic sectors.

Second week will coincide with the beginning of holidays for high schools and competition from local blockbuster "The Good, the Bad, the Weird," which is posting strong advance bookings.

"Red Cliff" received a generally positive critical reception in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, the film faces stiff competition from "Kung Fu Panda" and "Hancock," which are still playing on large numbers of screens.

In China, the path has been largely cleared for "Red Cliff's" outing, with considerably less competition. Additionally, tickets to the biggest movies in China are often priced at premium rates on opening day.

Malaysia releases part one on Thursday, Japan follows in November. Throughout Asia the pic is being released in two parts, with the second part skedded for January 2009, likely coinciding with the Lunar New Year.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117988876.html?categoryid=19&cs=1

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Cinematical

Asian Cinema Scene: 'Red Cliff' Draws Audiences, Gets Good Reviews

by Peter Martin Jul 12th 2008 // 11:02AM


Early box office returns look strong and reviews are mixed to positive for the most expensive independent Chinese production ever. John Woo's historical epic Red Cliff has opened in Asia, and Variety reports that it's off to "a smashing start," drawing big audiences on its first day of release in China (US$3.65 million), Hong Kong (US$257,500), and Taiwan ($526,000). Relative to their respective territories, those are very good numbers indeed -- it's the biggest opening day this year in Taiwan, for example.

South Korean distributor Showbox received permission from Woo to cut nine minutes from the film's 2 hour and 23 minute running time. This sounds idiotic to me, more like Showbox trying to flex their muscle, but Red Cliff still made an estimated $973,000 on opening day, more than double other Asian hits of recent years such as Hero and House of Flying Daggers.

Variety described Red Cliff reviews as "generally positive." Here are three English-language reviews I've found online: JoonAngDaily, The Associated Press, The Korea Times, The one from AP is entirely positive. More reactions can be found at China View. One friend of mine that's seen it says it's "good but not fantastic."

Red Cliff ends with what can only be described as a "cliffhanger": the decisive battle will be shown in the second part of the film, due for January release in Asia. All things considered, right about now I imagine Mr. Woo is relaxing in his editing suite, finishing up part two, and just smiling.


http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/12/asian-cinema-scene-red-cliff-draws-audiences-gets-good-revie/

[summertime]

Xinhua

"Red Cliff" declares opening victory in Asian market


2008-07-12 10:39:02

BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhua) -- "Red Cliff", reportedly Asia's most expensive ever film, gained 27 million yuan (3.91 million U.S. dollars) of box office on its first-day release, setting the highest record among homemade movies.

The first of this two-part epic motion, adapted from China's classic historic fiction Romance of the Three Kingdoms, hit cinemas in Asia on July 10.

Its first-day box office was the highest among all movies released in the mainland so far this year and higher than last year's Hollywood blockbuster Transformers whose first-day box office was 22.41 million yuan.

Weng Li, spokesman of the China Film Group Corporation, the movie's main investor, said that the group was confident of its box office later on.

"The romantic epic fits in the taste of audience of all ages and the upcoming summer vacation will bring more people to the cinema. I believe more records will be set," he said.

On its first day release, the movie also gained 17 million New Taiwan dollars in Taiwan and 2 million HK dollars in Hong Kong.

The movie directed by Hollywood-based Hong Kong director John Woo has several leading Asian stars in its cast, including award-winning Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, Taiwan supermodel Lin Chi-ling, Taiwanese-Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro and mainland's leading actor Zhang Fengyi.

It attracted public attention for the 80-million-US-dollar investment, said to be the most expensive of all Asian movies.

The movie revolves around the epic Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 AD in China's Three Kingdoms period. It was a famous military case of the weak winning the strong, in which a 50,000-strong allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan defeated the powerful 800,000 troops of the northern warlord Cao Cao.

The biggest scenes in the movie involved 2,000 actors and crew, and a large amount of special effects were used, according to earlier media reports.

The movie's second episode is set to be released in December. By then, a condensed version covering both episodes will also be released outside of Asia.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/12/content_8533341.htm

[Hong]

Historical China film lives up to expectations
July 11, 2008

Tony Leung, center, plays Zhou Yu, a legendary military strategist, in the Chinese epic “Red Cliff.” Provided by Lion Rock Entertainment
The “Romance of Three Kingdoms” is comparable to the Bible in East Asia. It’s one of the most-read if not, the most-read classics in the region.

It’s a Chinese historical novel based on the turbulent events in the final years of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era more than 2,000 years ago.

The story depicts loyalty, bravery, ambition and wisdom through complex stories and heroic figures.

“Red Cliff,” based on the novel as well as historical records of the Three Kingdoms, takes us back to the year 208 when the Battle of Red Cliff dramatically altered Chinese history.

The ambitious northern warlord Cao Cao (Fengyi Zhang) dreams of unifying China and becoming an Emperor himself. His army has already conquered more than half of China and Emperor Xian is no more than a puppet.

Cao Cao raises a million-man army against a southern kingdom ruled by Liu Bei. With the help of loyal soldiers like Zhao Yun (Jun Hu), Zhang Fei (Zang Jinsheng), and Guan Yu (Basen Zabu), the people flee to another kingdom in the south ruled by Sun Quan (Chang Chen). But they’re far from safe from Cao Cao’s forces.

Liu Bei’s military advisor, Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) suggests that they help Sun Quan form an alliance against Cao Cao. Despite Zhuge Liang’s eloquence and persuasiveness, Sun Quan hesitates amid strong resistance from his officials. It’s only with the aid of Sun Quan’s trusted viceroy Zhou Yu (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) that the young and relatively weak warlord decides to form a mutual front against Cao Cao.

As Cao Cao prepares a huge navy to destroy the armies of both southern warlords and invade southern China, Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, the military brains behind the battle, devise their grand scheme. Plus, they struggle to put aside the rivalry and different war tactics between the forces.

By far the most expensive Asian film invested in by Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Red Cliff lived up to my expectations in more ways than one.

While the battle scenes were as bloody, brutal and done in a massive-scale as they were in 300, Troy and the Patriot, director John Woo didn’t forget to insert aesthetic details in between.

A scene where Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu together play a traditional Chinese string instrument is one of the most critical, intense scenes in which the two connect and agree to join hands. Woo softens the war movie with beautiful, resonating sounds and harmony.

Frequent appearances of white birds, an obvious indication of longings for peace, creates a stark contrast to Cao Cao’s armor-clad soldiers and grey, intimidating warships.

Romance is also a vital element in the story. Cao Cao has his eye on the beautiful girl he met in the past, who is now Zhou Yu’s wife. The painting of the girl, drawn by Cao Cao himself, makes the audience wonder if she is the cause behind this immense battle, which is very reminiscent of Helen of Troy.

In Asia, Red Cliff has been released in two parts totaling over four hours in length, with the first part premiering this month and the second in January next year.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2892148
_________________
Pour l'essentiel, l'homme est ce qu'il cache - André Malraux

[summertime]

The Hollywood Reporter

John Woo's 'Red Cliff' bows big in Asia
War epic earns $15.8 mil in China

By Alex S. Dai

July 14, 2008, 01:01 PM ET

"Red Cliff"


SHANGHAI -- John Woo's period war epic "Red Cliff," at $80 million the most expensive Asian film ever made, scored a record-breaking weekend across six Asian territories, earning 108 million yuan ($15.8 million) in its first weekend in China, according to the China Film Group.

In Hong Kong, local hero Woo's two-part film continued its boxoffice dominance for distributors Mei Ah and Edko, earning HK$10,585,000 ($1.36 million) from Thursday-Sunday on 60 screens, the Hong Kong Kowloon & New Territories Motion Pictures Industry Assn. said.

"Red Cliff" grossed nearly twice what Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" earned in its four-day Hong Kong opening weekend in 2000 before going on to become the highest-grossing Chinese-language film ever released in the U.S.

Made with international backing and a star-studded, Pan-Asian cast including Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro, "Red Cliff" also raked it in in Singapore, where Daniel Yun, CEO of MediaCorp. Raintree Pictures, predicted the film will best most Asian epics from recent years.

Distributor Scorpio East scored a Friday-Sunday take of S$1,029,290 ($761,000) from 47 prints, topping the Singapore boxoffice.

"Red Cliff" sold 20% more tickets there than the first weekend of Peter Chan's "Warlords" in December. It also earned more than Zhang Yimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower" and Lee's "Crouching Tiger" when they opened in the Southeast Asian city state.

In China, "Red Cliff" -- Woo's first film made in China since 1992's "Hard Boiled" -- earned a record-high 27 million yuan ($3.9 million) on Thursday, its opening day, CFG said. This broke the previous opening-day record in China, held by "Transformers," which took in 22.4 million yuan ($3.3 million) in its July 2007 China debut.

Karen Chu from Hong Kong, Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop from Singapore and Alicia Yang from Shanghai contributed to this report.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i78e076c5490e131394bc79c0d9fbeda7

[summertime]

Malaysia Star

Tuesday July 15, 2008


Epic homecoming

By ALLAN KOAY

John Woo’s dream project of 18 years, Red Cliff, has finally come to the big screen.

JOHN Woo laughs out loud. I’ve just told him that I see the similarity between the scene with Zhao Zhilong (Hu Jun) rescuing the infant heir to the Xu kingdom in Red Cliff, and Chow Yun-fat and the baby in Hardboiled. The Hong Kong director smiles and nods in agreement when I also tell him that I suspect he was influenced by Zhilong’s story when he made Hardboiled.

If he seems a little sheepish, maybe it’s because his secret is out.

“Yes!” he says, still nodding. He is in Kuala Lumpur with actors Lin Chiling, Chang Chen and Zhang Fengyi to promote Red Cliff. “When I was a kid, I really admired Zhao Zhilong. He was my hero. So when I made Hardboiled, or even A Better Tomorrow, I used Zhao Zhilong’s image for Chow Yun-fat.”

It wouldn’t be too wrong to say that everyone is glad that Asia’s preeminent action movie director is back on homeground, after spending years in Hollywood making such hits as Face/Off and Mission: Impossible II.

Though in his last few years there, his films started to become a little monotonous (Windtalkers, Paycheck), Woo was, however, still able to keep up the action with his trademark slow-motion sequences and Mexican stand-offs.

During a press conference for Paycheck in Taipei in 2003, Woo mentioned that he wanted to make an epic movie in Asia to showcase more of Asian culture and heritage. He had lamented rather humorously that some people in the United States mistook him for Taiwanese director Ang Lee. So he wanted to show that no, we don’t all look the same.

Fast-forward to the present, and Woo has finally gone and done it. Red Cliff, Woo’s dream project of more than 18 years, has finally come to the big screen. It’s an ambitious, sprawling historical epic, partly based on the famous Chinese literary work, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and partly based on the historical facts of the Warring States period, particularly the great standoff between the Han empire and the alliance of the Xu and East Wu kingdoms.


At US$80mil (RM256mil), with a cast and crew of thousands, it’s the most expensive Chinese-language film ever made, and it took three years of planning and another year of pre-production. It was rife with problems from the start, with actors leaving and returning, and recently with an accident on a second-unit shoot that killed a stuntman and injured three others.

But the first part of Red Cliff has arrived, and it has proved to be an exciting, gorgeously shot and often humorous film. The anticipation for it has shown in the numbers generated by its successful opening in several Asian countries last week. It had the biggest opening in Taiwan, grossing NT$16mil (RM1.7mil).

Woo says he greatly appreciates the opportunity to work in Hollywood, and relished the chance to work with actors such as John Travolta, Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise, and especially the friends he has made. But he admits that he gets less space for creativity there, and that he has to work strictly according to the script, budget and time.

“When we got on the set, we just executed it,” he explains. “I didn’t get any creative excitement. Usually I like to work with the set. Whenever I get some new ideas, I just change things right away, like how I used to do it in Hong Kong. That’s why I wanted to come back to China to make a movie which I have been dreaming of making for a long time.”

But he says the knowledge he has gained from Hollywood has helped greatly with Red Cliff, especially with the amount of special effects sequences, such as the stunning finale (in the second part) with 2,000 burning ships.

And among the crew of Red Cliff were young Chinese film students and those new to the industry, who were eager to learn. Woo felt he could help them greatly by getting them to work on a challenging project like Red Cliff.


“I think it’s very good to let them get involved while bringing in some great people from Hollywood,” he says. “Then they can learn from each other. That’s very good for the young people. It was one of my intentions when I made Red Cliff.”

The film employed no fewer than two cinematographers and three editors. While the change in cinematographers was due to contractual obligations, using three editors was a kind of experiment for Woo. Famous Hong Kong editor Angie Lam, Chinese editor Yang Hongyu and American Robert Ferretti all have very individual styles.

“It’s very interesting to see how they look at a movie and how to tell a story,” says Woo.

“I tried to combine their good points and bring them all together. I think they will make all kinds of audiences find the movie interesting.”

But there are already complaints about how Red Cliff deviates from Romance of the Three Kingdoms. For instance, it is hinted that the real reason why Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) of the Han empire goes to war is because he is secretly in love with Xiao Qiao (Lin Chiling), the beautiful wife of East Wu viceroy Zhou Yu (Tony Leung). It is somewhat like a Helen of Troy angle. But Woo maintains that he wanted to make the characters more human and less mythical than in the books, and included more historical facts. He knows he can’t expect to please everyone.

“As a director, I feel I’m like a painter,” says Woo. “After I finish a painting, I leave it for the audience and let them feel what they feel.

The painting doesn’t belong to me anymore, but to anyone who sees it.”


And if anyone thinks Red Cliff, seen by most as Woo’s Asian comeback, means he is staying put in Asia from now on, they’d have to think again.

“Even though I spent three-and-a-half years working on this project, it doesn’t mean I’ve given up Hollywood,” Woo assures. “I still really appreciate working there, so I still have another two projects. One is a western, a collaboration with Johnny Depp’s company.

It’s called Caliber, and it’s based on a comic book. Another is called The Divide, a story about the Chinese building a railroad in America. We’re still working on those.”

But for now, it’s Red Cliff until early next year, when the second part is slated for release in Asia. (The rest of the world gets a single, two-and-a-half-hour version.)

I voice another of my suspicions, that the wipes in the film are really Woo’s tribute to Akira Kurosawa. He laughs again. Indeed, he says he had wanted to remake Yojimbo but someone else has beaten him to it.

“I love Kurosawa’s movies, and I got so much inspiration from him,” Woo says with a smile. “He is one of my idols and one of the great masters. (With Yojimbo), I wanted to make my kind of a martial arts film, in memory of Akira Kurosawa, Chang Cheh and King Hu.”

Red Cliff, distributed by Golden Screen Cinemas, opens on Thursday.

http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/15/movies/20080714201452&sec=movies

[summertime]

International Herald Tribune

John Woo Chinese epic earns US$26 million in Asia in opening weekend

The Associated Press

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

HONG KONG: John Woo's historical epic "Red Cliff" has opened strongly in Asia, earning US$26 million (€16.4 million) in China, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea since debuting last Thursday.

The Hong Kong native's return to Chinese-language film also beat Hollywood movies "Hancock" and "Kung Fu Panda" in the weekend box office in at least two territories.

Based on an famous battle in third-century China, "Red Cliff" is Woo's first Chinese film after a 16-year stint in Hollywood, where he made hits like "Face/Off" and "Mission: Impossible II."

Loaded with Asian stars and backed by investors from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, it's also a huge production by Asian standards. Woo told the AP in a recent interview he has already spent US$70 million on the movie, which features scenes that involved up to 2,000 actors and crew members.

The Hollywood trade publication Variety says "Red Cliff" is the most expensive Asian production in history.

In mainland China, where the movie is viewed as an important showcase of Chinese history before the Beijing Olympics in August, "Red Cliff" earned 108 million Chinese yuan (US$16 million) through Sunday on a wide release of 1,400 copies, spokesman Weng Li at investor China Film Group said. China has more than 3,500 screens.

The result makes it the quickest film to break the 100 million yuan (US$15 million) mark — the threshold of a big hit in China, Weng said. "Red Cliff" achieved the result in four days, breaking the record of five days set by Hollywood blockbuster "Transformers."

The Chinese results are also significant because of mixed reviews. Chinese audiences are intimately familiar with the story and some have aired concerns about Woo's alleged deviation from history and over-the-top dialogue.

Producer Terence Chang said he isn't worried about box office results because the minimum guarantee payments he secured from distributors around the world already covers the movie's big budget.

Still, Chang said in a phone interview with the AP he was surprised by the results.

"I thought it would do OK, but I didn't think it would do so well," he said.

In South Korea, the movie made 5.1 billion South Korean won (US$5 million) through Monday, according to figures posted on the Web site of the Korean Film Council.

In the four-day period ending Monday, "Red Cliff" beat the Hollywood movies "Hancock," "Wanted" and "Kung Fu Panda."

In Taiwan, "Red Cliff" earned 80 million New Taiwan dollars (US$2.6 million) through Sunday, according to figures provided by investor CMC Entertainment.

In the Taiwanese capital Taipei, "Red Cliff" is the top-earning movie on opening day this year, raking in nearly 8 million New Taiwan dollars (US$263,000) on Thursday. At the weekend box office in Taipei, it also bested "Hancock" and "Kung Fu Panda."

In Hong Kong, "Red Cliff" has made 10.6 Hong Kong dollars (US$1.4 million) through Sunday, according to figures posted on hkfilmart.com. That figure is better than last week's earnings by both "Hancock" and "Kung Fu Panda."

In Singapore, the film pulled in 1.03 million Singapore dollars (US$740,000) until Sunday, according to figures provided by distributor MediaCorp Raintree Pictures.

Woo is also releasing a sequel to "Red Cliff," which he is currently editing, and a one-part condensed version for markets outside of Asia.


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/15/arts/AS-MOV-John-Woo-Red-Cliff.php