Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

[doug maverick]

im hoping this film will be good, i loved all the judge dee novels, i wouldnt even have heard of them if it wasnt for kfm...so i hope this movie turns out well...i love tsui harks dedication to the art of filmmaking, he really tries to put china up to standards in terms of current technology. he is actually the only filmmaker thats in that genre who will not settle for cheesy effects...however as a director he is hot and cold...sometimes brilliant sometimes an amateur and all in the same movie. but from trailer it looks enjoyable..we shall see.

[ghostexorcist]

im hoping this film will be good, i loved all the judge dee novels, i wouldnt even have heard of them if it wasnt for kfm...so i hope this movie turns out well...i love tsui harks dedication to the art of filmmaking, he really tries to put china up to standards in terms of current technology. he is actually the only filmmaker thats in that genre who will not settle for cheesy effects...however as a director he is hot and cold...sometimes brilliant sometimes an amateur and all in the same movie. but from trailer it looks enjoyable..we shall see.

I've heard good reviews from westerners who have seen it and are well acquanted with Asian culture, history, and philosophy. On the flip side, I have read bad reviews by westerners with no knowledge of the subject. Take this for instance:

http://www.movieline.com/2010/09/pos...ective-dee.php

They admit that they gave up reading the subtitles in favor of watching the pretty pictures. By far, one of the worst reviews I have ever read.

[GeneChing]

"Detective Dee" gets Asian premiere
English.news.cn 2010-09-21 08:13:45

BEIJING, Sept. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Director Tsui Hark led the entire cast of his film, "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame", to attend its Asian premiere in Beijing on Sunday, September 19, 2010.

The film premiered at the 67th Venice Film Festival earlier in the month where it competed for the top prize, the Golden Lion. Though he came back to China empty-handed, Tsui is now focusing on promoting the film's domestic release on September 29.

The movie is a fictional account of the legend of Tang dynasty detective Di Renjie, who is summoned by Empress Wu Zetian to investigate a series of mysterious deaths.

Andy Lau plays Detective Dee, with Carina Lau as Wu Zetian. Li Bingbing, Tony Leung Ka-Fai and Deng Chao also appear in the movie.

There's 7 pics if you follow the link. Here's the cast pic.

Director Tsui Hark (third from right) promotes the film "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" with cast members (from left) Deng Chao, Li Bingbing, Andy Lau, Carina Lau and Tony Leung Ka-Fai in Beijing on Sunday, September 19, 2010. (Photo: CRIENGLISH.com)

[GeneChing]

On the heels of Reign of Assassins.

09-30-2010 15:35
Big-budget 'wuxia' meets Agatha Christie
By Lee Hyo-won

With larger-than-life characters engaged in high-flying adventures in ancient China, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame” at first glance seems like yet another expensive, star-studded “wuxia” film.

The latest offering by Tsui Hark, however, features only a dab of adrenaline-pumping “Reign of Assassins”-style martial arts sequences; it is interestingly a whodunit story in the tradition of Agatha Christie that relies more on eye-popping, computer graphics-rendered “crime” scenes (created by the Korean talent of Park Chan-wook’s “Thirst”) rather than wire action (though the minimal scenes are cleverly devised, by none other than star actor-cum-director Sammo Hung).

The introduction of the detective element gives the conventional genre a new twist, and it works both ways depending on how you view it: a Sherlock Holmes type trotting around the exotic wonders of the Central Kingdom or wuxia heroes engaged in elaborate wire fu for reasons other else than revenge, romance or family honor.

The $13-million project, featuring a very prominent cast and makers with impressive pedigrees, has undoubtedly upgraded a genre film to a striking degree of fantasy. This is perhaps why it was chosen to compete at the Venice Film Festival, but one can’t help in discerning why it didn’t pick up a Golden Bear with its lack of character development and emotional tension.

Detective Dee is modeled after Di Renjie, a real imperial court judge who lived during the late-7th-century Tang Dynasty. During the 1950s, the historical figure became touted in the West as an Asian counterpart of Sherlock Holmes through a detective novel series by Robert Van Gulik.

The silver-screen adaptation is not based on one of the Dutch writer’s works but could well have been. Andy Lau brings a youthful ebullience to Judge Dee, who has been imprisoned by the emperor’s widow, Wu Zetian (Carina Lau).

Wu is about to become China’s first female ruler and a colossal Buddha statue is being erected in proximity of the palace for her grand coronation. A diplomat from the far West is given a tour inside the towering, 200-feet-high marvel of engineering genius. It’s one memorable opener, to take in the view of this ancient-era skyscraper of sorts, with a great column as a spine, moving mechanical parts and bridges and manual elevators crisscrossing the interior.

When the entourage climbs up to the face, taking in a view of the city through Buddha’s eyes, however, the engineer suddenly burns alive from a fire that seems to have started inside his own body. The horrified onlookers blame his sacrilegious handling of shamanist tokens, and a messenger sets out to inform the empress-to-be about divine intervention. However, the messenger himself dies of the same “self-combustion.”

Wu is given another supernatural calling to realize that the imprisoned Dee may be her only hope to solving the mystery. She sends her most trusted servant, the beautiful kung fu master Jing’er (Li Bingbing), to pardon him and release him from a miserable prison. His former title recuperated, Dee sets out to solve the puzzle, and is convinced that they are part of a complex intrigue to impede Wu’s future reign.

Joined by a ruthless young officer Pei Donglai (Deng Chao), the duo makes their way to various corners of the empire including a sinister, underground water city, and come across oddball characters including a beetle-eating master of disguise and the flying red Imperial Chaplain.

It must be said the production designs by James Chiu are imaginative, but it lacks the atmospheric grandeur of classic wuxia films. This quality reflects in the cartoonish storyline, but “Dee’s” strong fantasy appeal will nevertheless have video game addicts excited when it opens in local theaters on Oct. 7.

[GeneChing]

* OCTOBER 1, 2010
A Chinese Detective Story
By DEAN NAPOLITANO

Director Tsui Hark's clever whodunit set in 7th-century China is a movie he couldn't have made when he first began exploring the idea more than two decades ago.

"Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame" cost $15 million and makes wide use of computer graphics to create a bustling Chinese city centered on sprawling palace grounds and a giant Buddhist statue.

The film stars Andy Lau as Dee Renjie, a Tang Dynasty-era judge investigating a series of grizzly palace murders during the rule of China's only female emperor, Empress Wu Zetia, played by Carina Lau.

The story is fiction, but Dee Renjie was a real-life judge and political figure, born in 630 A.D. He has been the subject of many biographies and novels over the centuries, and Mr. Tsui—the director of such hits as 1991's "Once Upon a Time in China"— brings his trademark visual flair to the film. "Detective Dee" had its premiere last month at the Venice International Film Festival and opens in Asia this week.

Could you have made this film 20 years ago?

I don't think so. It would have had quite a different look, because it involves a certain degree of maturity of computer-graphic techniques. What we have now is a kind of grand-scale landscape and visual look and a very strong rich, romantic style.

What attracted you to the character of Dee Renjie?

I've been very fond of the material as a detective story, starting with a very interesting crime that creates an illusion for Judge Dee.

How did you research the character?

Years ago we didn't have enough access to information to understand this character. Then the Internet came in and we started browsing around to get material and information about him. As we understood more, we started to create this story about his life.

The film depicts a strong contrast between the characters of the cerebral Judge Dee and tyrannical Empress Wu.

According to history, Dee Renjie was quite an important influence on her. Empress Wu was very strong in her control of the government and used torture methods in order to eliminate the powers against her. When Dee Renjie became a minister, she gradually changed from this radical extreme.

Thu, Sep 30, 2010
Slick wuxia epic impresses
By Yong Shu Hoong

DETECTIVE DEE AND THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME
(PG) Action/123 minutes

SEEING Tsui Hark's name attached to Detective Dee And The Mystery Of The Phantom Flame immediately evokes pleasant memories of the heyday of Hong Kong cinema during the 1980s and early 1990s.

As a visionary director and producer, Tsui has been involved with fantasy and wuxia (martial-arts genre set in ancient China) classics like Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain (1983), A Chinese Ghost Story (1987) and Swordsman (1990).

He is well-known for combining humour with aesthetically pleasing action sequences, impressive sets and costumes and, sometimes, dazzling visual effects.

So, after lacklustre collaborations with Jean-Claude Van Damme on Double Team (1997) and Knock Off (1998), as well as less-than-impressive recent films like Seven Swords (2005), can his latest directorial effort be hailed as a return to form? Partially, I would answer. At the very least, this film has enjoyed some hype competing for the Golden Lion Award at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Also, you'll once again find awe-inspiring sets (check out the CGI reconstruction of the ancient capital of Luoyang) and period costumes (for example, the elaborate headgear worn by Empress Wu Zetian).

After a string of mysterious deaths, where the victims are reduced to charred remains by spontaneous combustion, the Empress (Carina Lau) decides to seek the assistance of Detective Dee (Andy Lau) in investigations.

Summoned back from exile, where he is serving time for opposing the Empress eight years ago, Dee is appointed Chief Judge to uncover what she assumes to be a conspiracy to sabotage her official ascension to the throne.

To carry out his tasks, he is assigned two subordinates - the Empress's trusted maid, Jing (Li Bingbing), and an albino judicial officer, Bei (Deng Chao).

Together, they try to piece together the clues and get to the truth behind the case.

The concept of a Tang-dynasty detective, who is not only skilled in martial arts but who also uses scientific knowledge to explain fantastical happenings, is an interesting one.

The fact that Dee is based on a historical figure makes him all the more intriguing. And I can already see him fronting a movie franchise that charts his further adventures - just as how Guy Ritchie revitalises Sherlock Holmes with a 2009 film and a planned sequel.

While the character design here is memorable - from Dee's suave image to Empress Wu's imposing demeanour - and the dialogue is witty and regularly laced with humour, the exploration of the characters' relationships and inner conflicts is less successful.

For example, it's harder for the audience to empathise with the feelings that inevitably develop between Dee and Jing, than to be engrossed in the complexities of the investigation, as well as the well-choreographed action and visual effects.

It's all slick, entertaining and technically competent. But this would have been a more-rounded wuxia epic, if Tsui had emphasised the story's emotional core by dwelling more on the themes of romance, friendship and loyalty.

I'm still eager to see this. I enjoyed Tsui Hark's work in the Fant-Asia genre. That genre is really dated now due to advances in CGI, but I'd enjoy seeing directors like Tsui Hark revitalize it.

[GeneChing]

Sorry, a little Giants fever there. But I do claim the first reviews for the Venice Chollywood triumvirate: Chen Zhen, Reign and now this. Yay me!

I really enjoyed Dee. For me, it's the pick of the Venice litter, although Reign was excellent too. Chen Zhen went a superhero route, which totally worked for Dee but failed for me with Chen Zhen. But I must confess, I was a serious Tsui Hark fan for a spell. Those of us who remember the Fant-Asia wave of the '90s, this film revitalizes the genre. And it's from the King of Fant-Asia, Tsui Hark. Tsui did OUATICI & II, Swordsman, Chinese Ghost Story, Zu Warriors, and worked a lot with John Woo. We loved those movies but now their special effects are horribly dated. Well, Tsui just entered the CGI world big time with Dee. Dee is an old kung fu tale - imagine a medieval Sherlock Holmes that does kung fu and discredits magic (although only marginally - the over-the-top CGI is hard to explain scientifically). It's all very entertaining - like a comic book film with glaringly overdone heroes and villains, super saturated color schemes and a lot of flying about. The fight choreography was done by Sammo Hung, so it's also entertaining. It's high-fantasy wire work, with strange kung fu physics (kung fu physics are like Looney Tune physics - where Looney Tunes physics are all rubbery, kung fu has altered rules for momentum and gravity). There's no groundfighting - quite the opposite, the bulk of the fights are flying in the air. Like I said, think comic book, like Batman or even the new Sherlock Holmes. Most of all, it takes a few great unexpected turns, just like the old Fant-Asia story arcs used to. Long live Fant-Asia 2010!

Tsui just signed Jet for a 3D Fant-Asia flick Dragon Inn. I'm looking forward to that a lot now. Dee would have been even better in 3D. It's just gloriously cheesey that way.

[GeneChing]

Detective Dee heads for N American release

By Patrick Frater
Tue, 09 November 2010, 11:48 AM (HKT)

Indomina Releasing, a newish US distribution company with a taste for Asian films, has acquired North American rights to Detective Dee: The Mystery of the Phantom Flame (狄仁杰之通天帝國).

The deal was struck with co-producer and sales agent Huayi Brothers Pictures (華誼兄弟影業投資有限公司), which fielded several bids. Eventually the deal was done with Indomina, the highest bidder, for a sum close to $500,000.

Directed by Tsui Hark (徐克) and starring Andy Lau (劉德華), Li Bingbing (李冰冰) and Carina Lau (劉嘉玲), the film was the runaway winner at the Chinese box office over the lucrative October National Day holiday period.

Official figures show it scoring RMB290 million ($43 million) to 31 Oct, though other sources suggest that problematic reporting by some exhibition circuits could put the figure significantly higher in the final tally.

Indomina has recently acquired rights to Vietnamese thriller Clash (Bẫy rồng), Chinese titles Bodyguards And Assassins (十月圍城), Fire of Conscience (火龍), True Legend (蘇乞兒) and Australian films Griff The Invisible and Wasted on the Young.

Dee, B&A and TL. Now the question is whether Indomina releases on DVD or theatrically.