Chinese Box

Starring:Jeremy Irons, Li Gong, Maggie Cheung, Michael Hui, RubÃ©n Blades, Jared Harris, Chaplin Chang (II), Noel Rands, Emma Lucia, Ken Bennett, Russell Cawthorne, Emotion Cheung, Harvey Stockwin, Jonathan Midgley, Bruce Walker, Angelica Lofgren, Dr. Julian Chang, Rui Chao Jian, Sing Chau Wai, Lo Hung
Director: Wayne Wang
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

From acclaimed director Wayne Wang (Maid in Manhattan) comes a gripping romantic drama set against the backdrop of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule. Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons stars as John, a British journalist living in Hong Kong. John has fallen in love with Vivian (Gong Li), a bartender with a jaded past. Vivian is eager to secure her position in Hong Kong society and wants her successful boyfriend Chang to marry her. When Chang proves to be indecisive about their relationship, Vivian turns to John. Giving in to their feelings for a brief but passionate affair, they now face inevitable change and unexpected obstacles in this touching and compelling film.

System Requirements:
Starring: Jeremy Irons and Gong Li.
Directed By: Wayne Wang.
Running Time: 99 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2003 Lions Gate Entertainment.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Set during the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong in 1997, this fascinating film uses that urgent and grandly ceremonial political backdrop for an intimate study of personal transition. Jeremy Irons plays a seasoned journalist who discovers he is terminally ill, causing him to be torn between his obsessive love for a former prostitute (Chinese film star Li Gong) and a streetwise hustler (Maggie Cheung) whom he has chosen as the subject of a video documentary. Through his involvement in the lives of these two very different women, director Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club) creates a cinematic "love-hate letter" to his native Hong Kong, where each character is allegorical and suffers an identity crisis much like Hong Kong itself. The film's love story is somewhat aimless and ultimately unimportant, but Chinese Box (even the title suggests a place that holds secrets within its borders) remains a fascinating film in the semi-documentary tradition, capturing the psychology of its time and place with compelling immediacy. Musician/actor/politician Ruben Blades is featured in a memorable supporting role. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Possibly the most ridiculous film ever made!! Razzies all over!.......2007-07-03

THIS WAS AWFUL!!Usually I can find something positive to say about a film, but not with CHINESE BOX!

If you choose to waste 99 minutes with a film that is absolutely ridiculous be my guest.How could someone such as Wayne Wang who directed THE JOY LUCK CLUB and actors Gong Li (RAISE THE RED LANTERN) and Jeremy Irons (just about everything for thirty years) have ever held their heads up after this bomb!!!

1997 Hong Kong is in the midst of British Colonial Rule ending.What will happen to it's culture,it's society etc. as the Chinese regain rule? If that is the story then something really got lost in translation in this internationally produced debacle.This screenplay is absolutely one of the worst that I have ever sat through. The acting is simply misdirected.CHINESE BOX is ludicrous. 0 stars.

Mesmerizing.......2007-02-11

Chinese Box is a mesmerizing assault on the senses: confounding, mystifying, bewildering and passionately driven from beginning to end. The acting is riveting and complex: Gong Li eloquently portrays a siren of a cipher and Jeremy Irons unrelentingly lives and breathes the role of her doomed lover. Wayne Wang's film draws you into a maze of emotions and actions that intertwine to defy all reason and yet make the most profound sense. IF you are serious about your film collection--Chinese Box is a must have.

Wayne, please stick with melodrama and lay off the social commentary.......2006-07-18

I can completely understand those who feel this is a beautiful and touching film. The acting, pace, mood are good and even affecting.

It is the social commentary part that is laughably atrocious. It should be a crime for a film maker to make up historical events like Mr. Wong did in this film; I am referring to the two scenes of student suicide. For those of us who are well informed, the movie just lost all credibility; for those who aren't, it just added more to social and racial prejudice. It is beyond artistic license, it is political propaganda! Why oh why Wayne? To appease certain Westerners' stereotypical view of the Chinese? Simply unforgivable!! Wayne, for your and the world's sake, stick with melodramas please.

Awesome except for the Maggie Cheung Story.......2006-07-03

The film is a masterpiece. But the Maggie Cheung story was sad and not vey interesting, that is my main objection to this excellent movie. And Ruben Blades is quite annoying.

But the Jeremy Irons and Gong Li love story is a masterpiece, it deserves a place among humanity great performances. The chinese man that is Gong Li's boy friend sees her as a prostitute, but the english man loves her with all his hearth. Extremely good acting, since it is extremely difficult to play convincingly a love story.

The music is absolutely awesome and is perfect for such a good love story. I am not a big fan of love stories, but this one is a true one and it is awesome.

The end is really sad. The film is really very very good. If you ask me who is the best actress in the world, I probably would say Gong Li. Sadly she is not so popular in the western world

Lost time..........2006-06-20

This film has a good plot (a romance, in a background of change in an exotic place), a great cast (Jeremy Irons, Li Gong, Maggie Cheung), and a well-known director (Wayne Wang, the director of "The Joy Luck Club"). Notwhitstanding that, "Chinese box" falls short of expectations, and can only be defined as a forgettable movie.

In case you are still interested in this film, despite what I have just told you, I will outline the plot for you. The main character is John (Jeremy Irons), a journalist in love with Vivian (Li Gong), a lovely Chinese woman with a shady past that he cannot have. John discovers he is severely ill, and decides to make something in the last few months he has left. He wants to make a documentary regarding Hong Kong, the place where he lives as an expatriate. During his new endeavour, John meets a very troubled young woman (played by Maggie Cheung), and manages to document some of the turmoil that took place in Hong Kong before the Chinese takeover in 1997.

All in all, I regret renting this movie, and I regard the time I spent watching "Chinese Box" as lost. Not recommended.

Belen Alcat

PS: At least I didn't buy it!

Average customer rating:

Possibly the most ridiculous film ever made!! Razzies all over!
Mesmerizing
Wayne, please stick with melodrama and lay off the social commentary
Awesome except for the Maggie Cheung Story
Lost time...

Chinese Box
Starring: Jeremy Irons , Li Gong , Maggie Cheung , Michael Hui , and Rubén Blades
Director: Wayne Wang
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305078521
Release Date: 1998-09-29

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Possibly the most ridiculous film ever made!! Razzies all over!.......2007-07-03

Mesmerizing.......2007-02-11

Wayne, please stick with melodrama and lay off the social commentary.......2006-07-18

Awesome except for the Maggie Cheung Story.......2006-07-03

Lost time..........2006-06-20

Average customer rating:

lovely and funny
Great movie
This is the best Chinese movie of all times, period!
reiterate: it is a cult classic
Novel Twist to a Classic!

Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box
Starring: Stephen Chow , Athena Chu , Kit Ying Lam , Kar-Ying Law , and Karen Mok
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 6304853009
Release Date: 1998-01-28

Customer Reviews:

lovely and funny.......2006-12-23

I saw this movie many many times. Faye Wong and Tony Leung shows
groundbreaking performance.
They made such a nice couple here. Amazingly funny.
But they have to work on the subtitles, they can do better.

Great movie.......2006-06-19

"A Chinese Odyssey: Pandora's Box" and "A Chinese Odyssey: Cinderella" is a two-parts series movie. Together, it is my favorite Chinese movie of all time. It's a modern and humorous twist on the famous Chinese story of "The Journey West" (also known as "The Monkey King"). In the first part, the Monkey King has been reincarnated as Joker, the leader of a group of bandits...

However, I'm confused by the picture that's shown on this listing. That picture is for "Chinese Odyssey 2002"--clearly a movie NOT made in 1995, with a completely different cast of actors. It stars Tony Leung (a supporting actor in Jet Li's "Hero") and singer/actress Fay Wong. It's not the same movie as described here.

Edit: Looks like Amazon has removed the picture I was talking about, so I've taken a bit of time to scan and upload the front and back covers of this DVD.

This is the best Chinese movie of all times, period!.......2005-10-10

It will laugh you to death, and then move you to life (and tears), and then laugh to death again, and again, and again.
No words can do justice to this movie. Sadly, you have to know Chinese (or even Cantonese) to fully appreciate it. This great movie definitely deserves a 6. It is better than Kung Fu Hustler. Strongly recommend it to anyone who knows or is studying Chinese. Buy it, watch it, NOW!

reiterate: it is a cult classic.......2005-09-16

It is the best of best among Stephen Chow's movies. (Both Part One and Part Two)

It's not only the slapstick style of humor which is sort of typical in his movies, the conversations in the movie are funny and brilliant too.

Again no English subtitle version can do justice to its full wit and flavor, which, I guess, a Chinese version of Woody Allen's movie would be terrible in this respect too.

Like the effect of some childhood rhyme that everyone remembers, to break the ice among a group of Chinese college students, just recite some words from this movie or sing the "Only you" song from it, you can bring the joy that will immediately spread and light up everyone. Guaranteed! It is a cult.

Novel Twist to a Classic!.......2005-01-25

I have seen Chinese Odyssey many times, because it is just so funny! Chinese Odyssey is not really a remake of the Chinese classic, Journey to the West, but it is more of a parody, or a side story based on the Monkey King.

Chinese Odyssey is a period drama set in Ancient China. Here, the Monkey King, Sun Wu Kong (Stephen Chow) is reborn (although he doesn't know this yet because he has yet to find a particular person who can "confirm his identity"), and he's now the leader of a bandit group. Two demons (Spider & "White-Bones" Demon) suddenly appear one day and forcefully "force" the bandits to do their bidding. And from there, the story moves on to include time-travel, romance, friendship and self-discovery.

There are plenty of twists and turns that are really different from the original story, which is good since it doesn't get boring even if you already know the story of the Monkey King. However, a minus is that you'll need to know the story of the Monkey King to be able to appreciate and laugh at some of the jokes aimed at the original story, but if you don't, there are still plenty of comical parts around to keep you laughing. The funny parts may be rather silly at times, but go ahead and laugh at their silliness. Afterall, Stephen Chow is known to be the King of Comedy. :)

At the end of part 1, you'd probably feel like the ending is too abrupt and somewhat of a cliffhanger, but Chinese Odyssey comes in two parts, so you'll need to watch part 2 as well to be able to fully understand the entire movie. If you are into Chinese mythology and culture, give this a try and take the time to enjoy this show!

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose (August 11, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000IU33OM
Release Date: 2006-12-21

Description

A rebroadcast of a conversation with actor Jeremy Irons about his roles in the films "The French Lieutenant's Woman," "Dead Ringers," an adaptation of "Lolita" starring Dominique Swain, and "Chinese Box," a historical film about the return of Hong Kong to China from March 25, 1998).

Charlie Rose with Jeremy Irons (March 25, 1998)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Jeremy Irons (March 25, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Description

An interview with actor Jeremy Irons about his latest movie, Chinese Box, a love story which takes place during Britain's return of Hong Kong to China. Irons discusses the semi-improvised nature of the film as well as the historical context surrounding the film.

Kung Fu Classics: The Invincible Kung Fu Legs

Average customer rating:

The Legfighters, in Widescreen

Kung Fu Classics: The Invincible Kung Fu Legs

Manufacturer: Shaolin Cinema
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Martial Arts | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

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Product Description

Kung Fu Classics: The Invincible Kung Fu Legs. In the sun set, magic kicking Tan Haijack fights a duel with Pan Fei a member of the Ground kicking sect. Pan is defeated and killed at last. Pan's elder brother Pan Pak, master of the sect decides to avenge his brother. Tan is employed by a millionaire Ho Tung-shan as a coach for daughter Miss ho Feng Wan who is a naughty student. Flying kicks! Exciting challenge! The most exciting film ever made! Box office hit Chinese Kung Fu Movie!

Customer Reviews:

The Legfighters, in Widescreen.......2005-08-11

This movie, originally named "The Invincible Kung Fu Legs," was renamed and rereleased by Tai Seng as "The Leg Fighters." The Shaolin Cinema release (under review) is in widescreen, while Tai Seng's release--for no good reason--is cropped to 4:3. However, the DVD transfer for the Shaolin Cinema release (from VHS, no doubt) is not as clear as Tai Seng's, plus, (regrettably), the last critical second or two of the film, where the fateful, death-dealing blows are mutually administered to the villian by the hero and heroine, are mercilessly hacked off as well.

All-in-all, great leg kung fu, with plenty of action and a storyline about as good as it gets for this genre. See The Leg Fighters for formal reviews of the film content itself. My main purpose is to alert the reader to a cheap, extras-less (not even scene selection!), but refreshing WIDESCREEN alternative to Tai Seng's mindlessly cropped film, The Leg Fighters.

A Chinese Odyssey, Part 1: Pandora's Box

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A Chinese Odyssey, Part 1: Pandora's Box
Starring: Ng Man Tat , Karen Mok , Stephen Chow , and Ng Mang-Tat
Director: Jeffrey Lau
Manufacturer: Mega Stars
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ASIN: B0002JC5BG
Release Date: 2006-10-23

Album Description

Full title - A Chinese Odyssey Part One - Pandora's Box (1994). Asia Exclusive re-release directed by Jeffrey Lau (Treasure Hunt, Chinese Odyssey 2002) starring Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, God Of Cookery) and Karen Mok (So Close, Fallen Angels). The Monkey King doomed to wear the form of a human until he is able to complete the original quest of the Journey to the West. This would seem to be impossible...until a magical treasure, Pandora's Box, with its ability to send its user back through time. Digital Dolby. Digital Surround. Anamorphic Widescreen. All Code / NTSC. With optional English, Japanese,Korean & Chinese subtitles. Megastar Video. 1997.

Sissi ~ Victoria in Dover ~ The Young Empress ~ The Faithful Years - Chinese (Tiawan) and German Language - 4 Movie Box Set

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Sissi ~ Victoria in Dover ~ The Young Empress ~ The Faithful Years - Chinese (Tiawan) and German Language - 4 Movie Box Set

Manufacturer: BETA Film
ProductGroup: DVD
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Product Description

Chinese and German Language The tumultuous life of Austrian Empress (Sissi) and her beloved Franz Joseph in these feature films.

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Chinese Internal Arts 3 DVD Box Set
Starring: Takemi Takayasu; Frank Ropers; Xiao Fen Fang
Director: Christophe Diez
Manufacturer: Rising Sun Productions
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Xiao Fen Fang presents on this dvd all the simple movements, easy to learn. Tai Ji Quan leads to a general relaxation of the body and of the mind, and to a better way of life, along with well-being and comfort, away from modern life stress.Thierry Alibert & Jean-Jacques Galinier introduce you to Yang style sword practice with two forms or Tao Lu. You will be able to practice the Chinese sword handling thanks to diverse basic techniques taught, as well as exercises with a partner (Tui Jian), similar to Tui Shou. Thierry Alibert teaches you the Great San Shou of Yang Style, or more precisely Dui Da (San Shou is to be used for Chinese boxing) with a Pao Chui 1, Pao Chui 2, and Dui Da demonstration, plus all the applications broken down into 45 sequences in order for you to learn in a progressive and detailed manner, followed with a few Pao applications. Extra features include interviews, clips, extra techniques…

Chinese Hercules / Blood Fight / Breathing Fire / Edge of Fury [4 DVD Box Set]

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Chinese Hercules / Blood Fight / Breathing Fire / Edge of Fury [4 DVD Box Set]

ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000AA4376

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