|
|
|
|
|
Chinese title |
|
Se │ Jie |
|
|
|
English title |
|
Lust, Caution |
|
|
|
Synopsis |
|
A startling erotic espionage thriller about the fate of
an ordinary woman’s heart, it is based on the short story by revered
Chinese author Eileen Chang, and stars Asian cinema icon Tony Leung
opposite screen newcomer Tang Wei. Shanghai, 1942. The World War II
Japanese occupation of this Chinese city continues in force. Mrs. Mak, a
woman of sophistication and means, walks into a café, places a call, and
then sits and waits. She remembers…how her story began several years
earlier, in 1938 China . |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LUST, CAUTION Stills - Tang Wei
(Sina.com) |
|
|
|
September 5, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
(Images:
Focus Features,
Haishang Films, Sil-Metropole Organisation, Ltd,
Shanghai Film Group Corp.,
) |
|
|
|
|
More about Lust, Caution. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ang Lee's LUST, CAUTION Premiered in
Venice
(...) |
|
|
|
August 30, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
(Images:
Focus Features,
Haishang Films, Sil-Metropole Organisation, Ltd,
Shanghai Film Group Corp.,
) |
|
|
|
|
Press conference photos:
A
B
We are all waiting for reviews to pop up...
People from the Chinese language press are almost overwhelmingly
praising the film. Derek Elley from Variety writes "too much
caution and too little lust squeeze much of the dramatic juice out
of Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, a 2˝-hour period drama that's a
long haul for relatively few returns," Ray Bennett from The
Hollywood Reporter says "brings to main what soldiers say about
war: that it's long periods of boredom relieved by moments of
extremely heightened excitement," Dan Fainaru claims "it promises
much more than it actually delivers," and "had Lee accepted that his
film is about the conflict between duty and desire, and worked
smoothly on this premise, this could have been a far more focused
and precise film," Roderick Conway Morris from The International
Herald Tribune says "the film is grueling to watch and some
audiences may find very little in the way of recognizable 'love' in
this supposed 'love story'," and Boyd van Hoeij blogs at
european-films.net that it "is an uncompromising and
incredibly seductive piece of filmmaking that is too long but has so
many good elements going for it that it is hard to really care that
on certain points the director seems to have thrown caution to the
wind" and "acting and technical credits are more than first-class
and newcomer Wei Tang, starring alongside veteran Tony Leung, is
simply riveting."
Bear it in mind, it appears Ang Lee has done a faithful adaptation
of Eileen Chang's original short story, which is only known among
the Chinese. The title "Lust, Caution" and the MPAA's NC-17
rating could also be very misleading.
(Thanks to "dwhudson" of
GreenCine Daily.)
Review by Derek Elley, Variety
Review by Ray Bennett, The
Hollywood Reporter
Review by Dan Fainaru, Screen Daily
Review by Roderick Conway Morris,
The International Herald Tribune
Review by Boyd van Hoeij,
european-films.net
Related story:
In Ang Lee's 'Lust, Caution,' love is
beautiful to see, impossible to hold, by Dennis Lim,
International Herald Tribune |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Official Synopsis of Ang Lee's LUST,
CAUTION
(...) |
|
|
|
August 29, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
(Images:
Focus Features,
Haishang Films, Sil-Metropole Organisation, Ltd,
Shanghai Film Group Corp.,
) |
|
|
|
|
The synopsis is a little bit spoiling, so please beware.
The new film from Ang Lee, the Academy Award-winning director of
“ Brokeback Mountain ” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” A
startling erotic espionage thriller about the fate of an ordinary
woman’s heart, it is based on the short story by revered Chinese
author Eileen Chang, and stars Asian cinema icon Tony Leung opposite
screen newcomer Tang Wei. Shanghai, 1942. The World War II Japanese
occupation of this Chinese city continues in force. Mrs. Mak, a
woman of sophistication and means, walks into a café, places a call,
and then sits and waits. She remembers…how her story began several
years earlier, in 1938 China . She is not in fact Mrs. Mak, but shy
Wong Chia Chi (Tang Wei). With WWII underway, Wong has been left
behind by her father, who has escaped to England . As a freshman at
university, she meets fellow student Kuang Yu Min (Wang Leehom)
Kuang has started a drama society to shore up patriotism. As the
theater troupe’s new leading lady, Wong realizes that she has found
her calling, able to move and inspire audiences – and Kuang. He
convenes a core group of students to carry out a radical and
ambitious plan to assassinate a top Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yee
(Tony Leung). Each student has a part to play; Wong will be Mrs. Mak,
who will gain Yee’s trust by befriending his wife (Joan Chen) and
then draw the man into an affair. Wong transforms herself utterly
inside and out, and the scenario proceeds as scripted – until an
unexpectedly fatal twist spurs her to flee. Shanghai, 1941. With no
end in sight for the occupation, Wong – having emigrated from Hong
Kong – goes through the motions of her existence. Much to her
surprise, Kuang re-enters her life. Now part of the organized
resistance, he enlists her to again become Mrs. Mak in a revival of
the plot to kill Yee, who as head of the collaborationist secret
service has become even more a key part of the puppet government. As
Wong reprises her earlier role, and is drawn ever closer to her
dangerous prey, she finds her very identity being pushed to the
limit... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ang Lee's LUST, CAUTION Got NC-17 in
America and Shortened in China
(...) |
|
|
|
August 25, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
(Images:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp.,
Haishang Films) |
|
|
|
|
Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter
report Ang Lee’s latest film, Lust, Caution has been rated
NC-17 in the US. Let’s hail director Ang Lee, producer James Schamus
and Focus Feature for not kowtowing the outdated MPAA by deleting
some shots in order to get an “R.”
In the US, the censors would make a movie less
accessible if they thought it was
too extreme.
However in China, where the film
was made, the policy has always been "cut or no deal." According to
newspaper, The Beijing News, a deputy director of the State
Film Bureau said those “pornographic shots” had been deleted but
there were only a handful of them and it would not affect how the
audiences understood the story. There is no movie rating system in
China and the regulator has refused, even talking about the
possibility of a rating system. All movies have to be made or cut to
be suitable for audiences of all ages. By just cutting a few shots,
this movie would probably match the "R" standard by MPAA.
Ironically, an
"R" movie is still not quite appropriate for kids to watch but it is
considered safe for everyone in China.
(Thanks to “Sean” and “Mighty Ganesha” for the
links.)
Related
stories:
Ang Lee's latest nabs NC-17 rating
, by Diane Garrett, Variety
"Lust" too hot for Hollywood censors,
by Gregg Goldstein, The Hollywood Reporter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LUST, CAUTION Chinese Posters
(Sina.com / Sohu.com) |
|
|
|
August 19, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
(Images:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp.,
Haishang Films) |
|
|
|
FYI: the tile in Chinese is written from the right to the left, the
more traditional way of writing in China. The tagline literally
means, "Lust is easy to stop but passion is not."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LUST, CAUTION Stills
(Sina.com /
IMDB) |
|
|
|
August 14, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
(Image:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp.,
Haishang Films) |
|
|
|
More:
A
B C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Asian Chinese Edition of f Ang Lee's LUST, CAUTION
(...) |
|
|
|
August 10, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
(Image:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp.) |
|
This Asian / Chinese edition (1 minute 30 seconds), 15 seconds
shorter than the one Focus Features released at its website,
got many shots we have never seen before.
It is the same trailer, showed up on Focus Features' website almost
a month ago and was removed shortly after.
Click here or
here
More about Lust, Caution. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In Ang Lee's LUST, CAUTION, Leung
Chiu-Wai Is a Very Very Very Bad Man
(Sina.com) |
|
|
|
July 30, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Image:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp.) |
|
Click here for two more images. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Trailer
of Ang Lee's LUST, CAUTION Released Officially
(Focus Features) |
|
|
|
July 24, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Image:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp.) |
|
It is the same trailer, showed up on Focus Features' website almost
a month ago and was removed shortly after.
QuickTime:
High
Low
Windows Media:
High
Low
(Thanks to Focus Features and Mighty Ganesha.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Promotional
Stills for Ang Lee's LUST, CAUTION
(Sina.com) |
|
|
|
July 23, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
Mr. Yee (Leung Chiu-Wai), the menacing intelligence chief,
working for the Japanese occupation force.
|
Wang Jiazhi (Tang Wei), sitting quietly, waiting for Mr. Yee to take the
bait, herself. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
To recreate the old Shanghai, a street of 800 meter long was built
adjacent to the existing set inside Shanghai Film Studios. |
Some Shanghai scenes were shot in Malaysia, such as the one shown in
this picture. |
|
|
|
|
|
(Images:
Focus Features, Shanghai Film Group Corp., TungStar) |
|
|
|
|
| |
