Tran Anh Hung on ICWR, Cyclo and Norwegian Wood

[Yuka]

Tran Anh Hung Long Interview (Kinema Junpo /June Issue)

I didn’t translate whole article .I picked up the interesting parts where Tony and Cyclo are mentioned .

<Reason for keeping silent for 9 years>

It is simply amazing to find that such a renowned director as Tran Anh Hung kept silence for 9 years.
It reminds us that A la Vertical de L'ete took 5 years to complete after Cyclo

Tran :
I didn’t choose to be silent. It’s very difficult time for me right now.
It’s getting more difficult for me to make a movie that I really want.
Global movie industry is mass producing and consuming the movie which falls into standard category.
Mine is out of those categories .So, it’s difficult to get enough attention.
In fact I already had a planning concept of I Come With The Rain when shooting Cyclo.
I wanted to shoot ICWR right after Cyclo, but somehow it took such a long time to find a shape.

<Casting big stars is the key to realizing the movie >

Tran:
To be honest, only the reason why I chose these famous actors for ICWR is to realize my concept to production.
In the past , a big star like Tony Leung was featured in my film, but in most of my films
many of the casts were not well-known actors and actresses.
But I knew for this kind of movie with peculiar subjects(ICWR) , no one would fund money .
So I decided to feature many famous actors from main to sub roles. Without casting them, my planning didn’t work out.
I think I could say ICWR is related to Cyclo because I had both concepts
almost at the same time. But for directions, casts were all veterans in ICWR, so I didn’t
Use the method that I used in Cyclo. (Le Van Loc was an amateur actor)
( In Cyclo, Tran used to tell actors in ”Move from here to there.” approach .This kind of approach can be said as mechanical . )
I’m not the one to stick to one directing method . In ICWR , actors have different approaches so
I changed my direction with each of them.

<On Norwegian Wood>

Tran read this novel around 92-93.
“I was so into this novel that I decided to stop reading Murakami’s other novels from now on.
Because I didn’t want to forget the feeling when I read the novel for the first time."
Murakami is well known that he wouldn't say yes for movie production of his novel.
So Tran and Japanese producer wrote him a letter in 2003.
Murakami replied him back that he would see him. Murakami had already watched all of Tran’s movie .
It took Tran 5 years to get final permission from Murakami.

<On casting>
Tran:
I didn’t think Rinko Kukuchi whom I saw in Babel fit the image of Naoko.
But when I saw the tape sent for audition, I decided to cast her in 3 seconds.

[Safran]

Thank you Yuka for this very interesting article -Makes me very curious !

[Yuka]

Hi Safran,

I hear a variety of pros and cons on ICWR movie review.
Certainly not aiming for mass appeal or commercial market.
I think you'll understand this movie more than I do.
I won't say why ..You'll find out why I'm saying this when you
see it.


Yuka

[Eri]

Hello Everyone,

I also watched "I come with the rain".

It is very painful to watch this film but I think each person can adapt the story with their own ideas.

Main part of the film was in HK, so you can hear some Cantonese (although main conversation was in English.) Also a lot of HK crews were working for this film according to the end roll (credits).

You can see more about this film here in English.

Put http before this and copy this url.
://www.soompi.com/fanclub/i_come_with_the_rain

After watching this, I personally felt most strongly about Shitao's role and thought "if someone else have to suffer instead of you, I don't want to be helped".

Dear Paul and Mary,

At the end of the film, I could see "Production - France, UK, Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong", so there seems to be some UK and Irish involvement.

[katwoman64]

Hi!

Thanks to both, Yuka and Eri.

I know the synopsis of the film and wanted to see it, but now you made me really curious.

I also have faith in Tony's knowledge of cinema, and he went to the first screening, supported his friend the director, so it has to be quite good.

Bye, thanks again
Mimma
_________________
“I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world”

Sadako Sasaki

[Yuka]

At the premiere in Tokyo, there were subtitles for Cantonese lines but
for the released version, subtitles were deleted .
I wonder what the lady was saying ….

And a certain scene was also deleted from the premiere version .
I hope this was done after getting Mr. Tran Anh Hung’s approval.
I hope it’s not excessive consideration by Japanese distributor .

[Eri]

[Yuka]

Hello Eri,

No. What we are watching is different from the premiere version.
As you said , Japanese distributor wants to reach more wide range of audiences.
I thought the deleted scene is important to show the nature of one of the character
in this film .So I feel sorry about that .
I thought this movie was R-15 but when I checked the movie brochure , suprised to find it’s PG-12.
May be R-15 is appropriate. (???)

I’d like to recommend Japanese movie fans to read Tran Anh Hung’s interview in
movie brochure after watching this movie.
What he wants to say is clearly written and his comment on the title is …
funny , I mean cute!

[Paul]

I wouldn't have expected it to be PG-12.

What was the deleted scene, Yuka?

[Tony]

there are no subtitles in the premiere version~

[Eri]

Thank you Tony for letting us know.

No subtitles for Cantonese ? Probably because the person who did the subtitles couldn't understand and considered these doesn't make so much difference to the story ?

For the deleted scene, I thought the part with "the man in the bag" changed too suddenly, so some part of these might have been deleted ?
I am not saying that I want to see that, but it would have shown the sheer madness of the character strongly.

Sorry for the people who haven't seen it yet, no idea of what we are talking about ?

Yuka,
I couldn't find brochure when I went, could you let me know what he said ?

[Yuka]

WOW!
Thank you for the correction, Tony !! I heard there were subtitles but that’s wrong.

(For those who don’t want to be informed , please skip)
It’s difficult to write not being a spoiler .But I’ll try.

Paul,
you may remember the scene with mafia’s boss and an animal.
It seems there’s more to that scene after that in premiere version.
It’s been edited for the general release.
In Tran’s interview in Kinema Junpo mentioned above , the actor told Tran that he
wanted to go to extremes with this scene (because it shows his role’s character well.)
Apparently, they discussed a lot and filmed several times for this scene.

(If I’m not wrong )I also found out Kline’s line was deleted from what I saw
in the international promo trailer last year. (May be already deleted in premiere version, too)
The line is critical in a sense that it points out exactly Kline’s psychological state of mind.
(In this line Kline admits his attachment/identification to a certain guy.
Not identical with the scene when Kline is in HK)
I think this deletion is reasonable, because if you follow Kline in the movie,
it is obvious and no detailed explanation is necessary.

AND this following background info is not in ICWR movie brochure…but I think it SHOULD BE included in the brochure;

Lili and Dongpo grew up together in the same orphanage.
Lili witnessed Dongpo ‘s murder he committed when he was in teens.
Of course it’s not described in the movie, but it makes easier for us to understand their close relationship.

With fewer lines, this movie presents and requires us to grasp the concept of the film
through fresh and blood of the actors, colors and sounds.
Very dark but..deep.

(I’d like to have the soundtracks of this movie.)

Sorry for my poorly written explanation in English.

Yuka

[Safran]

Hi Yuka

We western cinemaniacs will have it easier with your help!
I´ve seen some trailers and did read comments to the film, but the more I follow your interesting messages, the more I am curious about.
Sounds a bit sick, psychotic and cruel ....?
You are not spoiling Yuka - its more helpful background information.
If it is a good movie - there is always enough to find and discover - is to expect from a Tran Anh Hung movie !

Thanks to the movie experts - and Tony too for his interest !

[Yuka]

(For those who don’t want to be informed in advance, please skip)

Hello Eri,
(From ICWR movie brochure Japanese edition/Director Tran Anh Hung Interview )

Q: This is the last question. Regarding the title “I Come With the Rain”,
why is it “Come" " with the Rain?”

A: Tran Anh Hung
When I wrote the script for the first time ,I had an image that when
Jesus appears, it’s always raining. However, while revising the script,
the rain slipped off some time or other. (laugh) So “the Rain” can be
found only in the title. But for me, rain’s motif inspired me a lot.

[Paul]

Hi Yuka,

Thank you very much for the extra information.