John Woo's Red Cliff

[Drunk Monk]

This is a major period war epic coming from the one and only John Woo. It's based on the Chinese classic Three Kingdoms.

Here's the first trailer, complete with dramatic slo mos, white doves and everything (except balletic gunplay)
http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/first-tr...s#extended

[Drunk Monk]

Awesome, simply awesome. A monstrously huge film that I must see on the big screen. In China, it's being released in two parts. In America, it may be edited to one film. This is classic Woo taking on a pivotal chapter of China's greatest martial epic, Three Kingdoms. There's a bazillion characters so it might be hard to follow if you're not familar. But the battle scenes are glorious. Minimal CGI - some digital blood but so much blood that it doesn't matter. Digital arrows too, but well actualized. Lots of jousting. Lots of flying bodies. Lots of flying battlefield fu. Like the Olympic opening ceremony, it's thousands of extras. My favorite heroes, Guan Gong and Zhuge Liang, are truly honored. Classic Woo singnatures - the doves, the slow mo, even the kill-hordes-w/a-baby-strapped-to-your-back ala Hard Boiled, but with swords not guns. Red Cliff delivers a masterpiece for John Woo fans. This is an epic DOOM flick, but really deserves the big silver screen, not our HD widescreens.

I can't wait for part two.

[Drunk Monk]

This is quite possible the greatest medieval battle scene ever put to film. EVER.

I withhold my complete endorsement until I see it on the big screen. On my jiggly pirate DVD version, it's hard to distinguish the CGI from the cast of thousands killing each other with flaming catapults, hundreds of ships, spears, bows and swords.

Either way, this is an epic pair of films and I truly hope I get to see it all in a theater someday.

[Drunk Monk]

I'm inviting you to a special free word-of-mouth screening of John Woo's Red Cliff, happening next Wednesday, October 28, 7:00pm at the DGA Screening Room. To RSVP, send an email with the subject line "RED CLIFF RSVP - Angry Asian Man" to <!-- e --><a href="mailto:redcliffRSVP@gmail.com">redcliffRSVP@gmail.com</a><!-- e -->.

Each person can request a maximum of 2 tickets. Readers, I love you, but please note that there are no specially allotted number of tickets or seats reserved for you, so they'll will be given out at a first come, first serve basis. And I would definitely recommend getting there early. Some details:

RED CLIFF Screening
Wednesday, October 28th at 7:00pm (Please arrive at 6:30pm)

DGA Screening Room - Theater 2
7920 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046

Synopsis: Legendary action cinema master John Woo and international superstar Tony Leung reunite for the first time since the 1992 classic HARD BOILED with this epic historical drama set based on a legendary 208 A.D. battle that heralded the end of the Han Dynasty. RED CLIFF opens with power hungry Prime Minister-turned-General Cao Cao (Zhang Fengyi) seeking permission from the Han dynasty Emperor to organize a southward-bound mission designed to crush two troublesome warlords that stand in his way, Liu Bei (You Yong) and Sun Quan (Chang Chen). As the expedition gets under way, Cao Cao's troops rain destruction on Liu Bei's army, forcing the latter to retreat. Liu Bei's military strategist Zhuge Liang (Takeshi Kaneshiro) knows that their only hope for survival is to form an alliance with rival warlord Sun Quan, and reaches out to Sun Quan's trusted advisor, war hero Zhou Yu (Tony Leung). Vastly outnumbered by Cao Cao's fast approaching, brutal army, the rebel warlords band together to mount a heroic campaign unrivalled in history that changes the face of China forever. A massive hit in Asia and the most expensive Asian film production of all time, RED CLIFF is a breathtaking war epic that marks the triumphant return of John Woo.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.angryasianman.com/angry.html">http://www.angryasianman.com/angry.html</a><!-- m -->

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

I guess that would be me? You want me to go out on a school night? You could drive down on Wednesday and see it with me!! Maeve would be so happy to eat you. I mean see you.

[Drunk Monk]

you're not in school.

i've seen it. this is the cut u.s. version. but still, it's on the big screen. i'm planning to catch it around t-day in palo...

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

You said you saw it on your crappy TV (Which is a 42" HD TV if I'm not mistaken) and demanded to see it on the big screen. Well, this would be the big screen, wouldn't it? I'm on the list. I'll decide late if I'm going to see it. Probably around 5pm on Wednesday.

Maeve is much calmer now that has been spayed. Much calmer. She'd barely harm a fly. No, really.

[Drunk Monk]

and it goes into limited release near t-day. the closest theater it will play at is the aquarius in palo. i'll be there. since it's the spayed u.s. version, i can wait.

if you go, post a review on kfm.

[The Queen]

It's a school night for me - I gotta be at the airport at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. Sigh... I suppose I could drive myself...

[Drunk Monk]

...AND SEE THIS FILM.

See it on the big screen. The edited version is solid. There are a few odd dangling scenes, but you won't notice. The U.S. edit just focuses on the battle spectacle, and that's really all you want to see anyway. If you've got a decent eye for the difference between CGI and real armies, this film is absolutely awesome. It's only going to play for a very short time, but it's a must see. It'll probably be gone by next week. See it now.

BEST MEDIEVAL SIEGE SEQUENCES EVER!

[Drunk Monk]

It's still clinging on at the Rep houses. It's a must-see on the big screen. Medieval battles galore!

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

How do the siege sequences compare to "Kingdom of God", which were pretty frickin impressive?

And no, I haven't seen it yet. I've been busy. I've been 'gasp' working.

[Drunk Monk]

I don't think I've seen Kingdom of God, but I know it's better.

Woo spent over $80 million US - the most ever for Asia - all of which was recouped with the release of part 1. A stuntman died in production. There's a 2000-person battle sequence. A lot of the money went to sets. It's set-orgasmic, and then they burn it all down. You've got to see this on the big screen, I'm telling ya.

[thatguy]

After all this pressure from DM, I went and saw Red Cliff at the Nick last night. They're down to a single showing per day, at 8:40pm. I have to concur with DM, it's a big screen epic. There was some initial narration in English, but most of the movie was in Chinese and subtitled. I like the dueling guzheng bit. It's a little "Devil Went Down to Georgia"/"Deliverance" (and the whole movie is about the south joining forces to fight the north...hmmm).

There's a fly-over of the north's fleet parked by the newly built camp that's pretty spectacular. Also, there's a sinking ship set near the end that falls to pieces while people cling to the decks that I thought was done rather well. There's some great humorous moments, especially the bit about the arrows. Lot's of battle strategy, catapult action, Greek fire, spies...All in all, good stuff.

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Rewatched as part of my John Woo prep for a potential request. It gives me an excuse to rewatch a lot of these, but some of the best ones aren’t readily available on any of my streamers. This was on Amazon Prime and it’s the western version, edited down to 1 2+ hour film. It still rocks. Lots of talky talk strategizing than some of the finest ancient battlefield scenes ever. I think they tripped some horses tho. Heck, they killed a stuntman. 

Notes:
Massive film. Ancient battlefields with massive armies on a gargantuan scale (abetted by some cgi fleets and such) 
Super sword and spear sanguineousness
Stunning panoramas
Zither duel between kongming v Tony Leung 
I wonder if this is confusing not knowing the characters
The details of strategy like the novel 
When guan Yu takes on a huge army alone, things get cooking. 
Using plague as a weapon
Distracting beauty and the art of tea
Kongming is so badass as the master strategist
So many fire stunts