The Official "Dragon Dynasty" Thread!

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 07 Feb 2008, 12:18

bradavon wrote:For example I know if Tony Leung is in a film it will definitely not be a complete disaster if nothing else. I cannot "really" say that about Korean film stars.

In Korea that would be Song Kang-Ho in my opinion.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 07 Feb 2008, 12:19

DangerousLeeHandsome wrote:PTU

A helicopter? An explosion?

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 07 Feb 2008, 13:17

thelostdragon wrote:
DangerousLeeHandsome wrote:PTU
A helicopter? An explosion?

At least they're not calling it "Legend of the Missing Gun"...

But yeah, that is one hellava misleading cover.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 07 Feb 2008, 18:29

Lol, I guess selling it as an action movie (which it isn't) is more likely to garner sales than selling it as a black comedy (which it is).

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Feb 2008, 20:22

It would've worked on me. I thought all of Johnie To's films were cop action dramas

It's so it's really a comedy? I'm no longer interested then.

thelostdragon wrote:In Korea that would be Song Kang-Ho in my opinion.

Thanks. I cannot say I found him hugely impressive in Memories or Murder, JSA (or Shiri) but then both IMO are overrated.

Those are two of Korean films I've seen but don't own. I think Choi Min-sik is very impressive. You pronounce Korean names surname first right?

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 07 Feb 2008, 21:00

I'm also not a big fan of Song Kang Ho. I dislike his plump brick-shaped head.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 07 Feb 2008, 22:28

Christ you're not keen on Daniel Day Lewis and now Song Kang-ho, is there a great character actor you actually rate Yi?

Song is one of the best actors in Asia, as is Choi Min-shik and Seol Kyung-gu. Korea has some fantastic actors -as do HK and Japan of course - but Korean Cinema is certainly not lacking in acting talent right now. It's a shame the films ain't being made to really push those actors anymore.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Feb 2008, 22:43

Just to clarify what I meant I didn't say he wasn't a good actor just that he didn't really overly impressive me. He was perfectly fine but nothing special. I've never seen Seol Kyung-gu act to comment.

It's a shame the films ain't being made to really push those actors anymore.

Were they at one point? Why do you think that is? Are they imitating other countries too much?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 07 Feb 2008, 22:55

There are many great actors in Korea.
-Shin Ha-Gyun is probably my favourite (No Mercy for the Rude, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, JSA, Save the Green Planet).
-Shin Hyun-June (Bichunmoo, Master Kims) isn't too bad either.
-Choi Seung-Guk is a great comedic actor (Romantic Warriors), and so is Lee Beom-Soo (My Wife is a Ganster 3).
-If you want a martial artist who can act, watch Jeong Du-Hong (Resurrection of the Little Matchgirl, Arahan, Natural City).
-And let's not forget Yoo Ji-Tae (One fine spring day, Oldboy) and Lee Byung-Hyun (the guy is cooler than Jean Reno).

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 07 Feb 2008, 23:47

Shingster wrote:Christ you're not keen on Daniel Day Lewis and now Song Kang-ho, is there a great character actor you actually rate Yi?

Song is one of the best actors in Asia, as is Choi Min-shik and Seol Kyung-gu. Korea has some fantastic actors -as do HK and Japan of course - but Korean Cinema is certainly not lacking in acting talent right now. It's a shame the films ain't being made to really push those actors anymore.

Well.. with Daniel Day Lewis, you can kinda 'see' the 'acting', which I really hate. I dont wanna pick up that the guy is ACTING, but that the guy just IS. Daniel Day Lewis can ACT, and he can ACT madness, and rage, and pain, and being a sly evil bastard, etc etc... but you can somehow still 'sense' that he's 'acting' the part, instead of BEING the part.

Leslie Cheung, in Days of being Wild, IS Yuddi. You never ever see him 'act', he just 'is'.

Now, I dont have that same problem with Song Kang Ho. He's a fine actor that also 'is', but TBH I havent seen enough of him, and what little I did see of him, didnt overly impress me. It was good, but it didnt 'win me over', so to say.
Some actors win you over within seconds. I know Leslie Cheung sure had that effect on me. Tony Leung as well. Jang Dong Gun (Friend, Taegugki) also has that talent.

And some actors, for me, never really reach that level (for me), or very very rarely, like Chow Yun Fat.

I do like Seol Kyung-gu btw. Havent seen much of him. Only Public Enemy, but he was very very good in that (shame about the bland bad guy)

Choi Min-shik is also a terrific actor, and he is one of those actors that IS instead of ACTS. Also he is one of those where you know they're good within seconds of seeing them. It immediately just 'clicks'.

Korea has great great actors, both male and female.

RickyTheDragonSteamboat · Post by **RickyTheDragonSteamboat** » 08 Feb 2008, 00:37

bradavon wrote:Thanks.

I may get the Premier Asia of that one which is identical except it loses the commentary (right down to virtually the same extras on disc 2 and DTS). I'd prefer the DD (for the commentary) but the HKL can possibly be bought for less. I'll get it if it goes into any sales.

The DD also has 2 exclusive documentaries adding over 80 minutes to the already over-long disc 2. Man, Korean filmmakers are much more generous than the HK counterparts.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2008, 04:49

tom2681 wrote:There are many great actors in Korea.

I don't recognise any of those names and had to use Google image search on all of them

.I can never remember Korean neames, as they're they're so alien to me. I wouldn't even know where to start to pronounce them.

The only Korean actor I could safely say I know will give a good performance is Choi Min-sik.

What about female actors too? Don't forget those. Maggie Cheung for example is easily up there with Tony Leung for talent. I cannot think of any Korean actresses who really impress me. Ji-hyun Jun is always lots of fun but she's not a "real" actor.

This forum is so full of testosterone sometimes

It's funny that my Korean friend (who visited me earlier this year) I really struggle to say her name properly and she struggles to say mine properly. Both of us mostly get it wrong most of the time

Yi-Long wrote:Well.. with Daniel Day Lewis, you can kinda 'see' the 'acting', which I really hate. I dont wanna pick up that the guy is ACTING, but that the guy just IS. Daniel Day Lewis can ACT, and he can ACT madness, and rage, and pain, and being a sly evil bastard, etc etc... but you can somehow still 'sense' that he's 'acting' the part, instead of BEING the part.

Fair enough for your opinion but IMO that's bollocks.

Daniel Day Lewis (like the young Robert De Niro and Al Pacino) completely becomes the characters he plays. You completely forget it's Daniel Day Lewis. In Last of the Mohicans you totally believe he is a white man born into a Mohican family, this is especially impressive when he's not even American. It's very hard for an actor to do this but Daniel Day Lewis achieves it.

I hear he does it again in There Will Be Blood. I film I cannot wait to see. Paul Thomas Anderson is god!

Yi-Long wrote:Leslie Cheung, in Days of being Wild, IS Yuddi. You never ever see him 'act', he just 'is'.

Firstly Leslie Cheung is dead so while it's fine to bring him up you're not going to get any new performances out of him. I personally too never found that awe-inspiring. I don't also think "Days of Being Wild" is that

Yi-Long wrote:act. Wong Kar Wai really came into brilliance with Chungking Express, and hasn't stopped since.

Yi-Long wrote:And some actors, for me, never really reach that level (for me), or very very rarely, like Chow Yun Fat.

Agreed. I think he's very talented but overrated too.

Yi-Long wrote:Korea has great great actors, both male and female.

Why are all your examples are male then?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2008, 04:51

RickyTheDragonSteamboat wrote:The DD also has 2 exclusive documentaries adding over 80 minutes to the already over-long disc 2. Man, Korean filmmakers are much more generous than the HK counterparts.

Really?

I didn't know that thanks. It's the DD then definitely. DD DVDs are also reasonable priced anyway. I've never found HK to film makers particularly generous with their extras.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 08 Feb 2008, 07:34

bradavon wrote:
tom2681 wrote:There are many great actors in Korea.
What about female actors too? Don't forget those. Maggie Cheung for example is easily up there with Tony Leung for talent. I cannot think of any Korean actresses who really impress me. Ji-hyun Jun is always lots of fun but she's not a "real" actor.

Have you actually seen a movie with Jeon Ji-Hyun, Brad!?

Yi-Long wrote:Well.. with Daniel Day Lewis, you can kinda 'see' the 'acting', which I really hate. I dont wanna pick up that the guy is ACTING, but that the guy just IS. Daniel Day Lewis can ACT, and he can ACT madness, and rage, and pain, and being a sly evil bastard, etc etc... but you can somehow still 'sense' that he's 'acting' the part, instead of BEING the part.
Fair enough for your opinion but IMO that's bollocks.

Daniel Day Lewis (like the young Robert De Niro and Al Pacino) completely becomes the characters he plays. You completely forget it's Daniel Day Lewis. In Last of the Mohicans you totally believe he is a white man born into a Mohican family, this is especially impressive when he's not even American. It's very hard for an actor to do this but Daniel Day Lewis achieves it.

I hear he does it again in There Will Be Blood. I film I cannot wait to see. Paul Thomas Anderson is god!

I stand by my earlier opinion.

Yi-Long wrote:Korea has great great actors, both male and female.
Why are all your examples are male then?

I thought I had (male) examples enough already, so why bother with a few extra female examples...
Everyone knows Korea has some great great actresses. Just watch those movies.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 08 Feb 2008, 07:49

bradavon wrote:
RickyTheDragonSteamboat wrote:The DD also has 2 exclusive documentaries adding over 80 minutes to the already over-long disc 2. Man, Korean filmmakers are much more generous than the HK counterparts.
Really?

I didn't know that thanks. It's the DD then definitely. DD DVDs are also reasonable priced anyway. I've never found HK to film makers particularly generous with their extras.

Brad, are you really watching all those extras. I get the feeling that you don't have enough time even to watch the movies you buy... or is that because you spend all your time watching extras?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2008, 15:50

Yi-Long wrote:Have you actually seen a movie with Jeon Ji-Hyun, Brad!?

I've mentioned many times I've seen My Sassy Girl. What's your point?

I've also seen Il Mare too and I think another. I have Daisy on DVD.

Yi-Long wrote:I thought I had (male) examples enough already, so why bother with a few extra female examples...

Because unlike most macho types on this forum. I enjoy watching a good female performance "as much as I do" a male one.

HungFist wrote:Brad, are you really watching all those extras. I get the feeling that you don't have enough time even to watch the movies you buy... or is that because you spend all your time watching extras?

He he touché.

Actually no but I'd like to have the option to watch them and anyway if price is the same why not? I tend to watch the odd extra or two but most I don't any more. I wouldn't re-buy a DVD just for extras, whereas once I would have.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 08 Feb 2008, 18:26

Te reason we were going on about male actors was just beause I happened to link Yi's comments about Daniel Day Lewis and Song Kang-ho, who are both men. But seeing as Brad's got his P.C hat on I got 3 names fo' ya:

Jeon Do-yeon.
Moon So-ri.
Bae Doo-na

Jeon in particular is an extremely versatile actress.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2008, 18:35

Shingster wrote:But seeing as Brad's got his P.C hat on I got 3 names fo' ya

Not really. It's just nice to know whose talented, regardless of gender. Something which is forgotten at times. That's all.

p.s - Bae Doo-na is stunning.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 08 Feb 2008, 19:09

bradavon wrote:
Yi-Long wrote:Have you actually seen a movie with Jeon Ji-Hyun, Brad!?
I've mentioned many times I've seen My Sassy Girl. What's your point?

I've also seen Il Mare too and I think another. I have Daisy on DVD.

So if you've seen those movies, how can you possibly say:

bradavon wrote:
tom2681 wrote:There are many great actors in Korea.
What about female actors too? Don't forget those. Maggie Cheung for example is easily up there with Tony Leung for talent. I cannot think of any Korean actresses who really impress me. Ji-hyun Jun is always lots of fun but she's not a "real" actor.

Why the hell would anyone think she is not a 'real' actor? She's amazing.

Yi-Long wrote:I thought I had (male) examples enough already, so why bother with a few extra female examples...
Because unlike most macho types on this forum. I enjoy watching a good female performance "as much as I do" a male one.

So? Do I have to somehow magically predict what you would want to hear from me, whenever I post an answer!?

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 08 Feb 2008, 19:10

liked her in Linda 3

Edit: Bae Doo-na, I mean. Damn Yi

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 08 Feb 2008, 19:17

What is it about Jun Ji-Hyun? (Notice: Now Gianna Jun) I mean she hasn't appeared in THAT many films and most of the few films she was in, she seemed to be playing the same character over and over again. While she does a good job, though, I couldn't tell if she is a versatile actress, which in my opinion makes a good actor.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2008, 19:31

Yi-Long wrote:Why the hell would anyone think she is not a 'real' actor? She's amazing.

Not in my opinion. I'm with LD. Sure she can act and is good at it but she's no Maggie Cheung, Helen Mirren or even Scarlett Johansson (i.e - roughly the same age).

I've liked every performance she's done I've seen but she never amazes me in the way the above women do. I never said btw she wasn't a real actor, that's your words. I suspect most are so in awe of her beauty and ignore everything else. As it happens I think she's hot but I've seen much hotter Korean women.

p.s - Fingers crossed a remake finally means a decent Western DVD (not that it happened with L' Apartment):

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404254/

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 08 Feb 2008, 21:11

Brad wrote:What about female actors too?

Lee Eun-Joo (Taegukgi, Lovers' Concerto, Bungee Jumping of their Own) was a great actress.
Son Ye-Jin (a Moment to Remember) is amazing.
Shin Mina (Volcano High, Bittersweet Life) is cute.
Yun So-Yee (Arahan, Shadowless Sword) has a lot of charisma.
Ha Ji-Won (Duelist) is super-fun.
Lee Young-Ae (JSA, Lady Vengeance) is a proper actress.
And of course there's Kang Hye-Jung (OldBoy, Dongmakgol).

Don't wanna go off-topic.
PM me if you want more info.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 08 Feb 2008, 21:12

The Banquet details
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/ ... rpion.html

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 08 Feb 2008, 21:32

Thanks Salty.

My HK DVD is Mandarin only (no Cantonese as per that link) and runs 131 minutes (NTSC) so lets hope both are a mistake!

Why the dumb re-title again? It's not as if The Banquet is a bad name. At least before they had the excuse that SPL doesn't translate well. What's going to be their excuse this time?

It otherwise looks good. It's a pity there is no Zhang Ziyi extras, especially now she can speak decent English.

p.s - It's listed as 126 minutes on DD's website. It's not looking good:

http://www.dragondynasty.com/films/show/102