After fifteen years in Hollywood, Asian legendary director John Woo (A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Face/Off, Mission: Impossible 2) return to his root, China, and bringing alive one of the Chinese most valuable historical literatures, the “Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms”. Based on the Battle of Red Cliffs and events during the End of Han Dynasty and immediately prior to the period of the Three Kingdoms in ancient China, “Red Cliff” is also the most expensive Asian-financed film to date, with an estimated budget of US$80 million. This film is one of the two 2008 Three Kingdoms related films, the other being Daniel Lee's "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon" which has already been released. With this massive budget, Woo has planned to take on every piece of the luxurious Chinese history to be an epic as the original battle itself. In result, “Red Cliff” currently has too much material to include in a single feature and the four-hour length of the film will therefore be divided into two episodes, with the first has been released on the cinema before the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the second only at the end of 2008. But now, this first episode had wrapped up and ready to toss on home cinema market. 2-Disc Edition Hong Kong Version DVD will be release soon, exactly on this September 10.
Be prepare to accept this luxurious and ambitious Asian epic in your home video, the film has without doubt been the Chinese film event of the year. With the groundbreaking financing, the budget immense, the fearsome length and the special effects which tipped to be awesome, it's probably no surprise that Woo claimed it's been the toughest film he's ever worked on. “‘Red Cliff' is the movie I've spent the most energy on, prepared for the longest, and is the most tiring since I started making movies," he told the Southern Daily newspaper. Re-teaming with Woo for the first time in the film since 1992's “Hard Boiled” is Tony Leung Chiu Wai, fresh from his Golden Horse Award-winning turn in Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution.” Rounding out the all-star cast are Kaneshiro Takeshi (The Warlords), Chang Chen (The Go Master), Zhang Feng Yi (The Emperor and the Assassin), Vicki Zhao (Shaolin Soccer), Hu Jun (Infernal Affairs 2), Japanese actor Nakamura Shidou (Fearless), and in her debut performance, Taiwanese model Lin Chi Ling.
In the Imperial Court of the Han Dynasty in Xuchang in the summer AD 208, Prime Minister Cao Cao requests for the Emperor Xian's permission to launch a campaign against the warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan in southern China, whom he considers rebels against the Han Dynasty.
The Emperor hesitates, but reluctantly agrees after Cao Cao speaks of his contributions and loyalty (rescuing the Emperor when he was in exile, uniting northern China). Court official Kong Rong openly challenges and denounces him as a traitor, with the intention of usurping the throne. Kong claims Liu Bei and Sun Quan have no intentions of rebelling, especially when the former is the Emperor's uncle. Subsequently, Kong Rong is executed and Cao Cao placed in command of the Imperial Army, setting forth his campaign.
Cao Cao's mighty army swiftly conquers the southern lands. Meanwhile, Liu Bei abandons the city of Xinye and leads his army and 100,000 civilians unwilling to be under Cao Cao's rule on an exodus. However, Cao Cao's calvary catches up with Liu Bei, igniting the Battle of Changban. Zhang Fei, sworn brother of Liu Bei, personally leads a small group of soldiers armed with reflective shields to hold off the enemy while buying time for the civilians to escape. As the enemy soldiers approached, Zhang's troops use their shields to reflect sunlight into the eyes of the enemy's horses, throwing them into chaos and seizing the preemptive attack.
At the same time, Zhao Yun is in search for Liu Bei's wives and son. He finds Lady Mi desperately trying to protect the infant Liu Shan from being seized by enemy soldiers. Severely wounded, she commits suicide by throwing herself in a well after entrusting Liu Shan to Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun fights bravely and manages to break out after being surrounded by the enemy.
Product Information:
Product Title: Red Cliff (DVD) (2-Disc Edition) (Hong Kong Version)
Region Code: All Region
Language: Mandarin
Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese
Video Format: Widescreen 1.78: 1 (Anamorphic), NTSC, DVD-9, DVD-5, DVD
Sound: DD 5.1, DTS
Disc Numbers: 2DVDs
Running Time: 140 Minutes
Publisher: Mei Ah (HK)
Release Date: 2008-09-10 (Save Your Copy)
Special Features:
- Trailer
- Photo Gallery
- Cast & Crew Interview: Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Feng Yi, Chang Chen, Zhao Wei, Hu Jun, Lin Chi Ling
- Hong Kong Gala Premiere
- Hong Kong Press Conference
- Synopsis
- Character Profiles
Be prepare to accept this luxurious and ambitious Asian epic in your home video, the film has without doubt been the Chinese film event of the year. With the groundbreaking financing, the budget immense, the fearsome length and the special effects which tipped to be awesome, it's probably no surprise that Woo claimed it's been the toughest film he's ever worked on. “‘Red Cliff' is the movie I've spent the most energy on, prepared for the longest, and is the most tiring since I started making movies," he told the Southern Daily newspaper. Re-teaming with Woo for the first time in the film since 1992's “Hard Boiled” is Tony Leung Chiu Wai, fresh from his Golden Horse Award-winning turn in Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution.” Rounding out the all-star cast are Kaneshiro Takeshi (The Warlords), Chang Chen (The Go Master), Zhang Feng Yi (The Emperor and the Assassin), Vicki Zhao (Shaolin Soccer), Hu Jun (Infernal Affairs 2), Japanese actor Nakamura Shidou (Fearless), and in her debut performance, Taiwanese model Lin Chi Ling.
In the Imperial Court of the Han Dynasty in Xuchang in the summer AD 208, Prime Minister Cao Cao requests for the Emperor Xian's permission to launch a campaign against the warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan in southern China, whom he considers rebels against the Han Dynasty.
The Emperor hesitates, but reluctantly agrees after Cao Cao speaks of his contributions and loyalty (rescuing the Emperor when he was in exile, uniting northern China). Court official Kong Rong openly challenges and denounces him as a traitor, with the intention of usurping the throne. Kong claims Liu Bei and Sun Quan have no intentions of rebelling, especially when the former is the Emperor's uncle. Subsequently, Kong Rong is executed and Cao Cao placed in command of the Imperial Army, setting forth his campaign.
Cao Cao's mighty army swiftly conquers the southern lands. Meanwhile, Liu Bei abandons the city of Xinye and leads his army and 100,000 civilians unwilling to be under Cao Cao's rule on an exodus. However, Cao Cao's calvary catches up with Liu Bei, igniting the Battle of Changban. Zhang Fei, sworn brother of Liu Bei, personally leads a small group of soldiers armed with reflective shields to hold off the enemy while buying time for the civilians to escape. As the enemy soldiers approached, Zhang's troops use their shields to reflect sunlight into the eyes of the enemy's horses, throwing them into chaos and seizing the preemptive attack.
At the same time, Zhao Yun is in search for Liu Bei's wives and son. He finds Lady Mi desperately trying to protect the infant Liu Shan from being seized by enemy soldiers. Severely wounded, she commits suicide by throwing herself in a well after entrusting Liu Shan to Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun fights bravely and manages to break out after being surrounded by the enemy.
Product Information:
Product Title: Red Cliff (DVD) (2-Disc Edition) (Hong Kong Version)
Region Code: All Region
Language: Mandarin
Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, English, Simplified Chinese
Video Format: Widescreen 1.78: 1 (Anamorphic), NTSC, DVD-9, DVD-5, DVD
Sound: DD 5.1, DTS
Disc Numbers: 2DVDs
Running Time: 140 Minutes
Publisher: Mei Ah (HK)
Release Date: 2008-09-10 (Save Your Copy)
Special Features:
- Trailer
- Photo Gallery
- Cast & Crew Interview: Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Feng Yi, Chang Chen, Zhao Wei, Hu Jun, Lin Chi Ling
- Hong Kong Gala Premiere
- Hong Kong Press Conference
- Synopsis
- Character Profiles
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