Ming Fever

[flemmings]

Walked out on this cold and mellow sunny afternoon intending only to get mugicha for me and jewel cases for the Woxin DVDs and returned with Infernal Affairs 3. Not even a rental; $15 at the used CD/DVD place.

Do I watch cop dramas? No. Have I ever watched cop dramas? No. Do I want to watch cop dramas? No.

I think I need to lie down for a while in a dark room and think this over.

Comments

[incandescens]

While I admit that I haven't seen any of that particular series of films, I have seen other HK movies, and I would note that there is usually an operatic/Shakesperean/even Jacobean element to them that might amuse you. That is, more than just a "cop movie".

(I hope that I am not wrong in this case.)

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

Me, I'm only hoping that if it has Hu Jun and Chen Daoming it hasn't been dubbed into Cantonese.

[kickinpants.livejournal.com]

I hear Infernal Affairs is very-very good, movie-wise. I saw the American remake (The Departed) and thought it was an excellent film, very tense.

This could be better than a run-of-the-mill cop drama. (Plus if you like it, you can check out the sequels.)

[mikeneko.livejournal.com]

Ah. I have Infernal Affairs on the premises. It is twisty and depressing. (And hey, there's even fanfic for it.) I don't know why you'd want to watch 3 if you've not even watched the first one, given that . . .

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

3 has Chen Daoming in it. 1 & 2, from my squinty-eyed peering at the unreadable western labels ('All those Chinese names, no one's gonna actually read those, right? so let's squash the fonts together to be purrrty') do not.

[mikeneko.livejournal.com]

I recommend consulting the IMDB for all your casting questions. :D

Anyhoo, nothing wrong with sudden desires to watch HK crime dramas! Personally, I read summaries of 2 and 3 and decided to abstain. The original movie is a closed circle of tragedy as is, and doesn't need further elaboration imho.

[rasetsunyo.livejournal.com]

D: D: D: But 1 and 2 are better than 3, Chen Daoming or not! And 3 probably won't make sense without 1 and 2, I've heard it barely makes sense with 1 and 2. I love 1 (Tony Leung is really good) and the old men bits of 2 are good too (those pretty young 'uns, pah). Definitely a cop drama, but a cop drama done right.

Although 2 does go in for these weird overly dramatic moments that become unintentionlly comical. 1 > 2 > 3. Shawn Yue just doesn't have what it takes to play a younger Tony Leung, I have no idea what they were thinking when they did the casting.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

But I'm not watching this for the plot or the acting or the cinematography or, well, anything except the desire to hear Chen Daoming in something new. Which is why, if it's dubbed into Cantonese, I shall have a very loud shitfit all over this journal.

Have consulted IMDB and would never watch a film like Infernal Affairs in any of its avatars for any other reason than that. I may still have to wash the taste of 3 out of my mouth with various wuxia films, if I can find some that *aren't* in Cantonese.

[rasetsunyo.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's alright then. Chen Daoming wasn't dubbed.

Seven Swords? A Tsui Hark. I saw it in Mandarin, but that might be because they dub all theatrical releases in Mandarin here.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

xsmoonshine sent me a copy of *a* Tsui Hark Seven Swords which I distinctly remember as Cantonese. Maybe I just selected the wrong viewing option, but everything else of his I've seen has been Cantonese. I also somehow got the idea that this was the older version of something he then remade, but apparently it's the 2005 film itself. The approach is... very Hong Kong, that I remember.

[rasetsunyo.livejournal.com]

Ah right. I must have seen a dub then, I wish they'd stop doing that. (Speak Mandarin Campaign, pfui.) Very Hong Kong, yes.

[i-am-zan.livejournal.com]

But I'm not watching this for the plot or the acting or the cinematography or, well, anything except the desire to hear Chen Daoming in something new

- Spoken like a true fangirl! It's one of the things I love about my flist! Eee! ^____^ *hugs*

[paleaswater.livejournal.com]

Oh, it really is incomprehensible. And Uncle Ming is just in a few scenes. Even I had trouble sitting through it. You should go look for a movie call "Rainbow". It's incomprehensible art house fare, but very pretty, and has both Uncle Ming and Bo Pi in it. And Snuffbox is worth a rewatch as well, methinks.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

Can't find Snuffbox anywhere, unless I go cruising Chinatown for unsubtitled raws (the roads south have just opened, unless Tuesday's snow closes them again.) But Rainbow might exist in the hdden corners of the local art video store rentals, though the cover rings no bells.

[paleaswater.livejournal.com]

ha, snuff bottle is available at yesasia (snuff battle, haha) for $6.99, and I know it has subtitles because I have this version. Just not sure if your DVD player will play region 6.

http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/aid-11759/section-videos/code-c/version-all/pid-1004276119/

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

Not even sure what region 6 is, but my DVD player is a NAmerican product that doesn't hack, so chances are not.