Okay, I was pretty sure the Gondry news was the best I would come across today, but then I found this: MonkeyPeaches is reporting that Michael Barker – a co-President of Sony Pictures Classics – has told a Beijing newspaper that Sony will be releasing Zhang Yimou’s newest film (Shi Mian Mai Fu or The House Of Flying Daggers or Lovers depending on your language preference and location) in North America for the 2004 Christmas movie season and will be pushing it hard to Oscar voters.
Huzzah! Finally a company that gets it! Now why do I believe Sony will follow through when Miramax made and broke all of the same promises with Yimou’s Hero? Four reasons. First, this is the exact same path they charted to great success with Crouching Tiger and when you’ve got a system that’s proven to work you don’t mess with it. Second, the film is riding a wave of positive press from Cannes and Sony’s not nearly dumb enough to fail to take advantage of that. Third, they’ve said all along that they’re aiming to release the film as close as possible to the Asian release to prevent Chinese DVDs from crossing the ocean and diluting their box office take. I question whether first seeing the film on DVD would prevent someone from wanting to see it on the big screen – every viewing of Hero leaves me itching just a little bit more to see it in all it’s projected glory – but the simple fact is that the film hits Chinese screens in mid-July so if they want to keep release times tight they’ve got to do it before the end of the year. Fourth, and this is the one that makes me giggle with delight, releasing this film three months or so after Miramax’s release of Hero (assuming it actually happens this time) allows Sony to piggy back onto the Hero press campaign. Basically Miramax is going to spend a bunch of money trying to educate the audience on who Zhang Yimou is and how to approach this sort of film and while that’s still fresh in both audience and critics’ minds Sony can come along and say “Remember that film? Liked it a bit? Here’s another one.” There’s a certain poetic justice in having a company that screwed this fantastic film maker over for years inadvertently help out in the promotion of his next film. It makes Bubba a happy boy, indeed.
And if you’d like to check out some of that aforementioned positive press you can check out this review. Or this one. Or this one. And if you’ve not yet seen the trailer you are a truly foolish person but can redeem yourself from your own pit of folly by clicking here.
House of Flying Daggers is NOW SLATED TO BE RELEASED IN US–ON 3 DEC.–INSTEAD OF 10 DEC.
By all accounts–the advance buzz here in US is HOT !!!
Also, like I already stated–Sony is already officially pushing this for the Oscars–likewise, let’s NOT forget about CTHD–it didn’t do well in Asia–even less box office than Daggers–& we all know–how well that did everywhere else.
Another point–this film has already been ‘
reviewed’ in Cannes by all the heavy duty critics..& fr all I read– it’s gotten 98 % rave reviews!
Well, the movie just hit Singapore not too long ago and I managed to catch it today. I have to say that it wasn’t so bad. Except the fact that the storyline is kinda weird. It doesnt really makes much sense. There’s like no head and no tail. Personally no offence though but I dont think it’d hit the oscars. Its well, not that good enough. Its not bad though. So all of ya have to go catch it when it hits your location.
HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS IS SLATED TO BE ‘SHOWN’ AT THE TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL !!!
IT’S FROM 9-18 SEPT OF COURSE, IN TORONTO !
Bubba–once again–you certainly got it !!!
nonetheless, i want to add a few more bits to yours.
Sony Picture Classics bought this in it’s ‘rough cut’–that in itself tells you how much ‘faith’ they have on this film.
they ‘smelled’awinner.
And as early as Cannes–Sony always & already had their eye on Oscar..& the reception given to Daggers only confirmed what they already knew–& was duly gratified.
Likewise, i read an interview of the Pres. of Sony Classics–he,too was the one who bought CTHD– & even then–he said categorically–they want to push Daggers for major Oscar nominations–not just Best Foreign film–wh was all the major CTHD got, outside of the technical nominations.They are duly eyeing–Best picture, Director, etc.. & I’ll even add a BEST Supporting Actor nod for Andy Lau .
Why, Christmas release??? Outside, the holiday traffic for the BO–it also meets the deadline for Oscar submission & meeting one of it’s requirements–a film has to be ‘shown’ at the cinema–in Los Angeles & New York.
Sony I believe something like US $13 mil for it’s NA distribution–but Sony, no doubt will ‘spend’ like US $25 mil to push this film for Oscars..wh is about the studios spend for this..
Daggers is going to the Oscars!!!
The Western world is on the verge a new discovery – Zhang Yimou !!!
Hopefully with a lot of things going the right way, Yimou will get an Oscar and should deserve another for what HERO went through !
you sure got it all right ,Bubba!!! serves Max right,eh???
I’ve NO doubt Daggers will HIT the roof–everywhere–it’s got that sort of ‘vibes’.
Plus, even making a ‘killing’ at the Oscars–Sony is NO fool.
I bet–what Ang Lee didn’t get–they’ll ‘push’ it right for this film.
Plus, not forgetting the studios all know each others big films already up for Oscars–so they know the competition.
This is the film for 2004.
I think I just soiled myself! Woohoo!