November 6th, 2008
The Golden Rock - November 6th, 2008 Edition
- This isn’t any type of bias. I’m going over the Japanese box office numbers first because it has more detailed statistics. As reported before, John Woo’s Red Cliff made an amazing 960 million yen over the three-day weekend. Box Office Mojo reveals that its two-day gross is roughly 665 million yen, which means it has beaten Hero’s 2-day 630 million yen opening to be the biggest non-Japanese Asian film opening ever. Interesting to see that Suspect X actually saw its two-day box office went up compared to last weekend, even though it’s already in its 5th weekend and no other movie saw its gross go up.
Even though Departures has already dropped to 10th place, but it lost only 9.4% from the previous weekend. The smallest drop, however, went to Journey to the Center of the Earth, most likely due to the popularity of the 3D version. On the other hand, the largest drop went to Fumihiko Sori’s Ichi, which joins a long chain of flops released by Warner Bros. Japan, who hasn’t had a number 1 opening since February with L: Change the WorLd.
- In Taiwan box office, megablockbuster Cape No.7 has finally been knocked off the top spot after 10 weeks there. It’s been knocked to 3rd place by Tropic Thunder’s opening weekend and the second weekend of High School Musical 3. I don’t think the filmmakers are sad, though; it’s already made an amazing 447 million Taiwan New Dollars, and the highest-grossing Mandarin-language film in the region. Meanwhile, high-profile films Body of Lies and 20th Century Boys are definitely now flops. Again, without screen numbers and per-screen averages, it’s hard for me to make kind of detailed analysis, so remember to not just go by standings and numbers.
- Under “more Cape No. 7 news” today, the Taiwanese hit has now been given the green light for release by Mainland Chinese censors, thanks to a warming of the two region’s relationship.
But even when it reaches Mainland Chinese cinemas, the film and its fans still have to put up something as ignorant and idiotically paranoid as this.
- The Japanese press is finally reporting on the Japanese remake of Sideways currently shooting in California right now. According to this report from a week ago, the assistant producer of the Fuji TV-20th Century Fox production says that it’ll be a remake “with all the bad stuff taken out”, whatever the hell that means.
- Under “films by Hong Kongers I’m not looking forward to yet” news today, Jackie Chan has announced that he will not only produce and star in his next film, but he will also write the Qin Dynasty-set road movie. He also chose a relatively unknown director to start shooting it next year.
Meanwhile, Jeff Lau, best known for his irrelevant Wong Kar-Wai-parodying comedies, will next make a movie named Robots, which is poised to be the Chinese version of Transformers. It will start shooting later this month.
- Young actor Yuya Yagira has posted his first blog entry since his accidental overdose back in August. He writes that he is now overseeing his first novel, a “wrenching love story” that he hopes will be turned into a film with him in the starring role. Please make something light with a happy ending already!
- The American Film Market is now underway, and the major news is Japanese production companies continuing to buy up Korean content, though now at a lower price than during the Korean wave.
A little preview - The Golden Rock will have an interview up here with someone who’s actually done his thing at these film markets perhaps this weekend.
- France and China are close to signing a co-production treaty that will allow the French film industry look to one of the world’s fastest-growing film markets.
- Two ex-Morning Musume members (they call them “graduates”, I call them ex-members. Let’s call the whole thing off) are teaming up for a new unit whose debut mini-album will be released simultaneously in the United States.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Well, that was just one stupid person who disliked Cape 7. I’m sure in all of China, there was bound to be somebody to talk about the ties to Japan. But And he is able to have his freedom of speech about entertainment. I tried watching it actually, and I only finished the first part. It was cute, but it wasn’t something that I wanted to continue watching. I’m sure the second half is better so I’ll watch that another day.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Hi, Dana,
Having seen how Chinese netizens have reacted to things over the years, I wouldn’t be surprised if netizens will go as far as condemn anyone who likes Cape No. 7 in China as a separatist. This kind of speech ends up encouraging suppression of other opinions.
Actually, I’m not the biggest fan of the film, either. It’s a likable crowdpleaser, but I think there are a lot of weaknesses. However, the audiences happen to love the pleasing stuff so much that they’re willing to overlook it.
In other words, it’s not stupid to dislike Cape No. 7. But to dislike it because of some political message that doesn’t even exist is just pure paranoia that everything from Taiwan has to be about independence. It’s just not what this film is.
November 8th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
From what I saw, I completely agree. I’m not even sure how there could be something about Taiwan separation just from the first half I saw. But the film does feel very singularly Taiwanese, which I think was appreciated by most of the people who watched it.