Dangerous Liaisons (2012 film)
Dangerous Liaisons | |
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Directed by | Hur Jin-ho |
Screenplay by | Yan Geling |
Based on | Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos |
Produced by | Chen Weiming |
Starring | Zhang Ziyi Jang Dong-gun Cecilia Cheung |
Cinematography | Kim Byeong-seo |
Edited by | Nam Na-yeong |
Music by | Jo Seong-woo |
Distributed by | Zonbo Media[1] |
Release dates |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
Country | China |
Language | Mandarin |
Budget | CN¥150 million ₩40 billion US$24.2 million[2] |
Dangerous Liaisons (Chinese: 危險關係) is a 2012 Chinese film by Hur Jin-ho loosely based on the 1782 novel with the same title by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. The novel has been adapted numerous times, including Les Liaisons dangereuses, an adaptation by Roger Vadim (1959), the eponymous Hollywood film (1988), Valmont (1989), Cruel Intentions (1999), and Untold Scandal from South Korea (2003).[3]
This version is set in 1930s Shanghai and stars South Korean actor Jang Dong-gun and Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung.[4][5][6][7][8][9]
The film screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival,[10][11][12] the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival,[13][14] and the 2012 Busan International Film Festival.[15][16][17]
Plot
Shanghai, September 1931: Wealthy businessman and serial seducer Xie Yifan (Jang Dong-gun) is introduced to his uncle's granddaughter, Du Fenyu (Zhang Ziyi), when his maternal grandmother, Du Ruixue (Lisa Lu), arrives at his apartment one day. Fenyu, a young widow who has just arrived from Northeast China (aka Manchuria) where the Japanese are making incursions, is staying at the country home of Madam Du, her grand-aunt.
At a glitzy fund-raiser for refugees thrown by Hudong Bank chairwoman Mo Jieyu (Cecilia Cheung) at Yifan's nightclub, Jieyu, an old friend of Yifan who has never succumbed to his advances, asks him to rob Beibei (Candy Wang), the 16-year-old fiancée of tycoon Jin Zhihuan (Zhang Han), of her virginity. Jieyu wants revenge on Jin, for publicly dumping her in favor of a schoolgirl. Yifan turns down Jieyu's request, partly because he has another quarry in his sights—the quiet and retiring Fenyu. Sensing an opportunity for some sport, Jieyu makes Yifan a wager: if he can seduce Fenyu without falling in love, she will finally agree to sleep with him; if he fails, he will sign over a valuable piece of land to her. Yifan accepts the challenge, but finds the virtuous Fenyu apparently immune to his charms.
Meanwhile, Jieyu employs a different strategy to get her revenge on Jin, encouraging an attraction between Beibei and her young drawing teacher, college student Dai Wenzhou (Shawn Dou). Despite Jieyu's strenuous efforts, the relationship is never consummated; but when she finds out about it, Beibei's mother, Mrs. Zhu (Rong Rong), forbids her daughter to see Wenzhou anymore. With time running out, Jieyu suggests to Mrs. Zhu that Beibei should spend some quiet time at Madam Du's estate—and secretly arranges for Yifan to be there, to "comfort" Beibei. Mission finally accomplished, Yifan refocuses on seducing Fenyu, but finds himself in deeper emotional waters than he has ever experienced.[18]
Cast
- Zhang Ziyi as Du Fenyu (Tourvel)
- Jang Dong-gun as Xie Yifan (Valmont)
- Cecilia Cheung as Mo Jieyu (Merteuil)
- Shawn Dou as Dai Wenzhou (Danceny)
- Lisa Lu as Madam Du Ruixue (Rosemond)
- Rong Rong as Mrs. Zhu (Madame de Volonges)
- Candy Wang as Beibei, Mrs. Zhu's daughter (Cecile)
- Ye Xiangming as Wu Shaopu, the demonstrator
- Xiao Shuli as Gui Zhen
- Zhang Yun as Wen, Mrs. Zhu's maid
- Wu Fang as Hong, Jieyu's maid
- Chen Guodong as Gen
- Zhang Han as Jin Zhihuan
- Xue Wei as young lady
- Hao Yifei as teacher
- Zong Xiaojun as police captain
- Yang Fan as policeman
- Gang Xiaoxi as dance girl
- Zhang Zichen as Cai Lu, Yifan's driver
- Piao Yanni as make-up woman
- Yan Hongyu as photographer
- Jiang Yiyi as manicure maid
- Dong Hailong as reporter
- Son Seong-jae as saxophonist
- Leng Haiming as art director
- Yang Chen as MC
- Xiang Dong as lawyer
- Yin Yanbin as Japanese officer
- Jean Favie "Ji En" as the French tailor
- Li Shiping as young street beggar
References
- ^ Chu, Karen (7 June 2011). "China's Zonbo and Singapore's Homerun Announce $77 Million, Five-Picture Slate". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Ho, Stewart (7 September 2012). "Jang Dong Gun Charms Zhang Zhiyi and Cecilia Cheung With His Bad Boy Ways in New Movie Stills". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Lee, Claire (28 September 2012). "BIFF to heat up Busan". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ "Another Dangerous Liaisons". Global Times. 15 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Lee, Hyo-won (23 September 2011). "Jang Dong-gun to co-star with Zhang Ziyi, Cecilia Cheung". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2012-11-11. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ "Jang Dong Gun: 'I Am Glad to Work with Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung'". KBS Global. 28 September 2011. Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Lee, Jin-ho (7 October 2012). "Interview: Jang Dong Gun on Family and Who He is as an Actor". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Jung, Hyun-mok (8 October 2012). "Language no barrier to Jang's appeal". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Ji, Yong-jin (18 October 2012). "JANG Dong-gun of DANGEROUS LIAISONS: I want to be more active in co-produced films". Korean Cinema Today. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
- ^ Leffler, Rebecca (24 April 2012). "Cannes 2012: Michel Gondry's The We & The I to Open Director's Fortnight". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Sunwoo, Carla (26 April 2012). "Dangerous Liaisons heads to Cannes". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ "2012 Selection". Directors' Fortnight. Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
- ^ "Toronto 2012: China's Dangerous Liaisons Goes To Well Go USA". IndieWire. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Suk, Monica (11 September 2012). "Jang Dong-gun, Zhang Ziyi show celebrities' dignity at 37th TIFF". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Lee, Claire (5 October 2012). "Zhang, Cheung touched by Jang Dong-gun's professionalism". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Lee, Jin-ho (5 October 2012). "BIFF: Cecilia Cheung Says Jang Dong Gun is a Great Actor". enewsWorld. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Suk, Monica (5 October 2012). "BIFF: Dangerous Jangs Receive Positive Reviews on Dangerous Liaisons". 10Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
- ^ Elley, Derek (17 October 2012). "Dangerous Liaisons". Film Business Asia. Retrieved 2012-11-19.