the atmosphere in Days of Being Wild is incredible. I hope you enjoy it more this round. In the Mood for Love, I heard was originally a steamy/sexual movie that was reshot to what we have today....
I also had mixed feelings about Days of Being Wild when I first saw it. But it has since become my second or even first favorite WKW film. I think what did it was perceiving it as a character study; I gained some new insights and all of a sudden Yuddy became almost endearing, felt sorry for him in the end.
WKW is one of my favorite directors. My favorite film of his is Chungking Express. I have been known to pair it as a double feature with Lost in Translation. It feels like falling in love and then having it not work out somehow. Painfully beautiful.
(possible spoiler for in the mood for love) Sofia Coppola thanked Wong Kar Wai when she won an Oscar. Clearly she was inspired by In the Mood For Love. I remember thinking that during the whisper scene. Her shouting him out was awesome!
Glad to know you will re-visit Wong Kar Wai and I hope it doesn't disappoint you! Kar Wai is probably my favorite director to put it simply, he was one of the first director to get me into Asian cinema. He is definitely style over substance, and I'm all for that. I remember watching an interview with Maggie Chueng and Tony Leung after the release of In The Mood For Love, and Cheung, it being her first movie with Kar Wai, was left a bit confused and disappointed in the way Kar Wai worked. There was barely a script, and what there was of one, he kept changing all the time, so Cheung found it hard to be prepared for the shooting. So while Cheung kept wanting to do a good job and being a bit stressed out not to be a disappointment to Kar Wai, Leung, who had worked with the director before, told her to relax, not to worry, everything will be alright, just take it easy, this is how he (Kar Wai) works. (This is just my interpretation of the interview/press event, and it should be available on youtube if you're interested in seeing it yourself!:) Also, there is a behind the scenes movie from Happy Together (Called Buenos Aires Zero Degrees, I believe) where this is also commented on. There were days with no shooting because Kar Wai didn't know where he wanted to shoot, or what, so the crew ended up walking the streets of Buenos Aires days on end, without knowing how long they would be there, or how much money they would have at the end. So the crew ended up being almost in the same situation as Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung in the movie. I appreciate the way Kar Wai and Christopher Doyle go about making movies, without much of a plan. I guess it's a hit or miss way of making movies, tho. I remember Doyle saying in an interview about his work with M. Night Shyamalan on the movie Woman in the Water, that he disliked this way of making a movie, with all the planning and storyboarding .. He'd rather just go out and shoot! Enjoy re-visiting Wong Kar Wai!
Thank you very much for that write-up and behind the scenes stories! That seems to be consistent with what I've read about Wong Kar Wai in the past. I've become very open-minded over the years in regard to filmmaking styles like this, so I am quite excited to dig back into his filmography.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Wong is legendary for taking forever to make a film. With one of those with Tony Leung, Leung would fly in, film a scene or two, then fly out again and make several films. Then six months later fly in and do another scene or two on the same film.
Maggie Cheung was in a significant number of films before Wong Kar Wai -- mostly as eye candy. She subsequently said that she came to understand what acting is from working with Wong.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast If you can see "Clean" (with Nick Nolte): one of her best. And Criterion is releasing "Irma Vep" (by the same French director as "Clean," to whom she was married for a time). It's sorta a movie about a stressed director making a movie, in which Maggie Cheung is both herself, and the character in the film he's making.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Criterion is releasing "Irma Vep" in April or May. "Clean" is still available via Amazon (DVD-only), and I believe at a reasonable price. (Somehow I lucked in: I got the several Kino and Criterion Blu-Rays, including "Chungking Express," when their prices were still "normal".) Criterion should do "Clean". And "Green Tea" (the Doyle cinematography in that is often exquisitely delicate). "Comrades, Almost a Love Story" was released as Blu-Ray not that long ago, so should be available at reasonable price. In any event, Wong Kar Wai is challenging; but "In the Mood for Love" is relatively straightforward as a story compared with "2046". For the cinematography, for me: "Fallen Angels" and "2046".
I hesitated getting this when i read how he edited some of them, but when i saw that it would be delivered tomorrow if ordered in 50 minutes, i did it, i thought, jeez this is CRITERION, and the changes are by WKW himself, and i've only seen In the Mood for Love on the old Criterion DVD. Thanks for showing it in a detailed way, i feel more confident about my purchase (26% off!!!)
Wow, with a good restored version of WKW films , definitely rewarding for second rewatch 😉..In the Mood for love was the one that really established his style 😎
Another Maggie Cheung that is good, even though she was still cast as eye candy: the comedy "A Fishy Story". But "Clean" is a must (in that she speaks English -- she was educated in England -- and French and Chinese in a Chinese restaurant in Paris). She made that and one other film, "Irma Vep," with French director Assayas (sp?), and Criterion has released several others of his, though I don't have them. "The Soong Sisters": biographical drama starring Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, and Vivian Wu. Maggie steals the film.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Another must I was just recalling is "Chinese Odyssey 2002". It was directed by Jeffrey Lau, but produced by Wong Kar Wai, and even with subtitles it's a laugh-out-loud comedy, and stars Tony Leung, Faye Wong, Wei [Vicki] Zhao, and Chang Chen. There are two releases: Kino, which is 90 minutes; and Mei Ah, which is 97 minutes. And probably available at reasonable price. Much of it is doubtless culturally Chinese, which us Americans wouldn't catch. Even so, it is hilarious. I don't at the moment recall the backstory, but a second film was made immediately after with the same cast members, essentially because they were still available and present. Not as funny or accessible, of course. Would love to see the longer release on Criterion. And at the top of my list is Zhang Yimou's "The Road Home," currently available as only DVD as a "Sony Classic". Zhang Ziyi's first film (not counting a TV film she made), "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" being her second, and which made her a star, even though the credits only listed Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh. And for a different Tony Leung, see Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution".
Thanks for reminding me about Chinese Odyssey 2002; that one was very entertaining. I just purchased the Mei Ah release to add to my collection. Lust, Caution had some of the best acting I've seen in the last 20 years.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Tony Leung is phenomenal in "Lust, Caution". And I believe it was Tan Wei's first film -- phenomenal. Got her "banned" in mainland China for a time. Ang Lee, in interviews, is laid back and genial. But he gets top performances from his casts, which must require intense focus. Another great by him: "Eat Drink Man Woman".
@@su4359 They told me it's called a French fold. It adds texture and lux but it isn't something that you're supposed to tear or open. There is no unique image or text to be found so no need to rip the book.
More criterion collection reviews imo should be on RUclips, what would be your top 10 if you had to pick, sorry if you made a video discussing this already
WKW is one of my favorites just off of the three films of his I’ve seen and own, In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express, & The Grandmaster. I’ve been very anxiously waiting for this set to explore more of his work. It’s beautiful but I’m a bit disappointed in the book. The pages are awkward to flip through and you can’t see the pictures inside the folds so they’re useless in that way, plus it makes the book appear larger than it actually is. Also, it has just one essay. I was really hoping for something more comprehensive with more essays. Still since it’s all about the movies I’m sure that disappointment will fade as I explore this set. Cheers!
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Yes! Vickie Zhao. IMDB has a long list of his credits -- huge. "House of Flying Daggers" also, Zhang Yimou. There are quite a few interviews with him (some with WKW) on youtube. One has him walking around an area -- signature beer in hand -- describing how parts of "In the Mood for Love" were shot there. He also has a "part" in, but did not do the cinematography for, "Comrades, Almost a Love Story" -- Maggie Cheung shines in this, and Leon Lai isn't sleepwalking. Doyle "plays" an English teacher, even though it isn't a significant role -- perhaps he just happened to be hanging out on the set. His most prominent appearance in the film is with the ubiquitous beer in hand. Still, in "Clean" she is fully comfortable in her skin. Outstanding. Alas, she quit making films not long thereafter to be a singer; the critics were NOT impressed (perhaps she is inspired by Marianne Faithful). You'll hear her singing at the end of "Clean".
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast I don't like the packaging of the Criterion. Makes storage/preservation more difficult; I'd have preferred hard cases in slipcover.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast It's a challenge: I've watched it probably a dozen times, and am still trying to figure it out. As example, is the Japanese man on the train actually Tony Lueng's character imagining he's a Japanese man? And how might that relate to the almost-relationship with Faye Wong's character who is in love with a Japanese man? Visually spectacular. I've not done a one-to-one comparison between the Criterion and the DVDs of it I have, but the colors seem brighter. And I'll have to do that to be certain he didn't cut the scene in which Zhang Ziyi's character's face, upon being rejected by Wong's character, utterly crumbles. Tears your heart out. But when she first enters the film it's hilarious: you only see her lower legs as she's tossing and turning in bed, trying to sleep, while the couple in the next room is having loud sex, thereby keeping her awake. Wong Kar Wai, like Ang Lee, is terrific at getting excellent performances from his casts.
Good points. I will keep these in mind while re-watching. If I remember correctly, 2046 was the first movie I saw where I could finally tell the difference between the languages spoken. I was so proud of myself. :)
I go back and forth with this. In the end I just often place In the Mood for Love at the top because it’s so utterly perfect and timeless on its own, and frankly 2046 - while being it’s own operatic work of genius - demands you see the former film first.
love this guy. Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love are my favorite....love those movies. Never saw his American movie or 2046.
the atmosphere in Days of Being Wild is incredible. I hope you enjoy it more this round. In the Mood for Love, I heard was originally a steamy/sexual movie that was reshot to what we have today....
Interesting note on In the Mood for Love. Probably a good decision to change it.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast they show some scenes from that version in one of the making-of.
I also had mixed feelings about Days of Being Wild when I first saw it. But it has since become my second or even first favorite WKW film. I think what did it was perceiving it as a character study; I gained some new insights and all of a sudden Yuddy became almost endearing, felt sorry for him in the end.
That's what I'm expecting from my second viewing.
I love Wong Kar wai. And the film selection looks amazing. Im so jelous haha
WKW is one of my favorite directors. My favorite film of his is Chungking Express. I have been known to pair it as a double feature with Lost in Translation. It feels like falling in love and then having it not work out somehow. Painfully beautiful.
That would be an interesting double feature.
(possible spoiler for in the mood for love) Sofia Coppola thanked Wong Kar Wai when she won an Oscar. Clearly she was inspired by In the Mood For Love. I remember thinking that during the whisper scene. Her shouting him out was awesome!
Glad to know you will re-visit Wong Kar Wai and I hope it doesn't disappoint you! Kar Wai is probably my favorite director to put it simply, he was one of the first director to get me into Asian cinema. He is definitely style over substance, and I'm all for that. I remember watching an interview with Maggie Chueng and Tony Leung after the release of In The Mood For Love, and Cheung, it being her first movie with Kar Wai, was left a bit confused and disappointed in the way Kar Wai worked. There was barely a script, and what there was of one, he kept changing all the time, so Cheung found it hard to be prepared for the shooting. So while Cheung kept wanting to do a good job and being a bit stressed out not to be a disappointment to Kar Wai, Leung, who had worked with the director before, told her to relax, not to worry, everything will be alright, just take it easy, this is how he (Kar Wai) works. (This is just my interpretation of the interview/press event, and it should be available on youtube if you're interested in seeing it yourself!:)
Also, there is a behind the scenes movie from Happy Together (Called Buenos Aires Zero Degrees, I believe) where this is also commented on. There were days with no shooting because Kar Wai didn't know where he wanted to shoot, or what, so the crew ended up walking the streets of Buenos Aires days on end, without knowing how long they would be there, or how much money they would have at the end. So the crew ended up being almost in the same situation as Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung in the movie.
I appreciate the way Kar Wai and Christopher Doyle go about making movies, without much of a plan. I guess it's a hit or miss way of making movies, tho. I remember Doyle saying in an interview about his work with M. Night Shyamalan on the movie Woman in the Water, that he disliked this way of making a movie, with all the planning and storyboarding .. He'd rather just go out and shoot!
Enjoy re-visiting Wong Kar Wai!
Thank you very much for that write-up and behind the scenes stories! That seems to be consistent with what I've read about Wong Kar Wai in the past. I've become very open-minded over the years in regard to filmmaking styles like this, so I am quite excited to dig back into his filmography.
That was not Maggie Cheung's first film with Wong Kar WAI; she was in "As Tears Go By".
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Wong is legendary for taking forever to make a film. With one of those with Tony Leung, Leung would fly in, film a scene or two, then fly out again and make several films. Then six months later fly in and do another scene or two on the same film.
Maggie Cheung was in a significant number of films before Wong Kar Wai -- mostly as eye candy. She subsequently said that she came to understand what acting is from working with Wong.
I love her, even in her more shallow roles. Green Snake is a personal favorite.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast If you can see "Clean" (with Nick Nolte): one of her best. And Criterion is releasing "Irma Vep" (by the same French director as "Clean," to whom she was married for a time). It's sorta a movie about a stressed director making a movie, in which Maggie Cheung is both herself, and the character in the film he's making.
I've been meaning to watch Clean and Irma Vep. I should get on those.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Criterion is releasing "Irma Vep" in April or May. "Clean" is still available via Amazon (DVD-only), and I believe at a reasonable price. (Somehow I lucked in: I got the several Kino and Criterion Blu-Rays, including "Chungking Express," when their prices were still "normal".) Criterion should do "Clean". And "Green Tea" (the Doyle cinematography in that is often exquisitely delicate). "Comrades, Almost a Love Story" was released as Blu-Ray not that long ago, so should be available at reasonable price.
In any event, Wong Kar Wai is challenging; but "In the Mood for Love" is relatively straightforward as a story compared with "2046". For the cinematography, for me: "Fallen Angels" and "2046".
I hesitated getting this when i read how he edited some of them, but when i saw that it would be delivered tomorrow if ordered in 50 minutes, i did it, i thought, jeez this is CRITERION, and the changes are by WKW himself, and i've only seen In the Mood for Love on the old Criterion DVD. Thanks for showing it in a detailed way, i feel more confident about my purchase (26% off!!!)
It has been so long since I've seen these, so I probably won't even notice the edits. Of course, I generally prefer "original" versions of movies.
Wow, with a good restored version of WKW films , definitely rewarding for second rewatch 😉..In the Mood for love was the one that really established his style 😎
Very nice indeed. Mine got shipped to the UK so I hope it survives. Hope you are well mate.
Oh, I'm doing well!
is there anywhere in UK where we can buy this? there is a preorder option on BFI.
@@AleksandarBloom the UK version is out in May. I ordered mine from Amazon US.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast glad to hear mate
"The Hand," in shorter version, was available in the US on "Eros," with films by Soderbergh and Antonioni, as an import.
I gotta get that (if it ain't sold out already due to your endorsement). On the real!
It's pretty sweet.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast 10-4
Another Maggie Cheung that is good, even though she was still cast as eye candy: the comedy "A Fishy Story". But "Clean" is a must (in that she speaks English -- she was educated in England -- and French and Chinese in a Chinese restaurant in Paris). She made that and one other film, "Irma Vep," with French director Assayas (sp?), and Criterion has released several others of his, though I don't have them.
"The Soong Sisters": biographical drama starring Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh, and Vivian Wu. Maggie steals the film.
I remember A Fishy Story and Soong Sisters both being pretty good.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Another must I was just recalling is "Chinese Odyssey 2002". It was directed by Jeffrey Lau, but produced by Wong Kar Wai, and even with subtitles it's a laugh-out-loud comedy, and stars Tony Leung, Faye Wong, Wei [Vicki] Zhao, and Chang Chen.
There are two releases: Kino, which is 90 minutes; and Mei Ah, which is 97 minutes. And probably available at reasonable price.
Much of it is doubtless culturally Chinese, which us Americans wouldn't catch. Even so, it is hilarious.
I don't at the moment recall the backstory, but a second film was made immediately after with the same cast members, essentially because they were still available and present. Not as funny or accessible, of course.
Would love to see the longer release on Criterion. And at the top of my list is Zhang Yimou's "The Road Home," currently available as only DVD as a "Sony Classic". Zhang Ziyi's first film (not counting a TV film she made), "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" being her second, and which made her a star, even though the credits only listed Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh.
And for a different Tony Leung, see Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution".
Thanks for reminding me about Chinese Odyssey 2002; that one was very entertaining. I just purchased the Mei Ah release to add to my collection.
Lust, Caution had some of the best acting I've seen in the last 20 years.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Tony Leung is phenomenal in "Lust, Caution". And I believe it was Tan Wei's first film -- phenomenal. Got her "banned" in mainland China for a time.
Ang Lee, in interviews, is laid back and genial. But he gets top performances from his casts, which must require intense focus.
Another great by him: "Eat Drink Man Woman".
Holy crap, that is INSANE packaging! I’m grabbing mine at the summer sale. Did you grab Lucky Stars?
I do not have Lucky Stars yet.
I’m super confused, too. I am contacting Criterion before I do anything to my copy.
Let me know what they say please!
@@su4359 They told me it's called a French fold. It adds texture and lux but it isn't something that you're supposed to tear or open. There is no unique image or text to be found so no need to rip the book.
More criterion collection reviews imo should be on RUclips, what would be your top 10 if you had to pick, sorry if you made a video discussing this already
House, Zatoichi, Godzilla, Lady Snowblood and this set would be high on my list.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast good picks, I can appreciate your taste in movies.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast do you do live streams or just mainly uploads?
Most of my live streams are collaborations on other RUclips channels. I usually post links and announcements on the Community tab here.
WKW is one of my favorites just off of the three films of his I’ve seen and own, In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express, & The Grandmaster. I’ve been very anxiously waiting for this set to explore more of his work. It’s beautiful but I’m a bit disappointed in the book. The pages are awkward to flip through and you can’t see the pictures inside the folds so they’re useless in that way, plus it makes the book appear larger than it actually is. Also, it has just one essay. I was really hoping for something more comprehensive with more essays. Still since it’s all about the movies I’m sure that disappointment will fade as I explore this set. Cheers!
Good points. The booklet is quite odd, but certainly cool to look at.
Haha wonderful. Heard of the name but have not jump in its filmography yet.
"Fallen Angels" has some of Christopher Doyle's best cinematography.
He also did Zhang Yimou's "Hero".
Green Tea is one of my favorite movies. Doyle did the cinematography for that one too.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast Yes! Vickie Zhao. IMDB has a long list of his credits -- huge. "House of Flying Daggers" also, Zhang Yimou. There are quite a few interviews with him (some with WKW) on youtube. One has him walking around an area -- signature beer in hand -- describing how parts of "In the Mood for Love" were shot there.
He also has a "part" in, but did not do the cinematography for, "Comrades, Almost a Love Story" -- Maggie Cheung shines in this, and Leon Lai isn't sleepwalking.
Doyle "plays" an English teacher, even though it isn't a significant role -- perhaps he just happened to be hanging out on the set. His most prominent appearance in the film is with the ubiquitous beer in hand.
Still, in "Clean" she is fully comfortable in her skin. Outstanding. Alas, she quit making films not long thereafter to be a singer; the critics were NOT impressed (perhaps she is inspired by Marianne Faithful). You'll hear her singing at the end of "Clean".
Ziyi Zhang, star of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".
"Grandmaster" should be released in it's circa-3 hour cut.
That would be an interesting watch.
Some of the pages have pictures in them that can be slid out.
That sort of "presentation" is known as the "art of excessive fancy-*ss".
That description makes perfect sense! :)
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast I don't like the packaging of the Criterion. Makes storage/preservation more difficult; I'd have preferred hard cases in slipcover.
Criterion's website refers to it as 'French-fold book'.
It's a heavy book, even if one doesn't read it.
lol i dont remember Happy Together either lol weird.
Se ve increíble
"2046" is superior to "In the Mood for Love".
I'm definitely looking forward to re-watching 2046. It could surpass "In the Mood for Love" for me, after a repeat viewing.
@@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast It's a challenge: I've watched it probably a dozen times, and am still trying to figure it out. As example, is the Japanese man on the train actually Tony Lueng's character imagining he's a Japanese man? And how might that relate to the almost-relationship with Faye Wong's character who is in love with a Japanese man?
Visually spectacular. I've not done a one-to-one comparison between the Criterion and the DVDs of it I have, but the colors seem brighter. And I'll have to do that to be certain he didn't cut the scene in which Zhang Ziyi's character's face, upon being rejected by Wong's character, utterly crumbles. Tears your heart out.
But when she first enters the film it's hilarious: you only see her lower legs as she's tossing and turning in bed, trying to sleep, while the couple in the next room is having loud sex, thereby keeping her awake.
Wong Kar Wai, like Ang Lee, is terrific at getting excellent performances from his casts.
Good points. I will keep these in mind while re-watching. If I remember correctly, 2046 was the first movie I saw where I could finally tell the difference between the languages spoken. I was so proud of myself. :)
I go back and forth with this. In the end I just often place In the Mood for Love at the top because it’s so utterly perfect and timeless on its own, and frankly 2046 - while being it’s own operatic work of genius - demands you see the former film first.