Saam gaang yi (2004)

Directors:

Fruit Chan
Takashi Miike
(more)

Writers:

Haruko Fukushima (segment)
Lilian Lee (segment)
(more)

Release Date:

20 August 2004 (South Korea)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

From the Nightmares of 3 Horror Masters

Plot:

An Asian cross-cultural trilogy of horror films from accomplished indie directors. |

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Broken Leg | Severed Finger | Blood | Dumpling

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Bai Ling	...	Mei (segment "Dumplings")
Pauline Lau	...	Li's Maid (segment "Dumplings")
Tony Leung Ka Fai	...	Lee (segment "Dumplings")
Meme Tian	...	Connie (segment "Dumplings") (as Meme)
Miriam Yeung Chin Wah	...	Ching (segment "Dumplings")
Sum-Yeung Wong	...	Old Hairdresser (segment "Dumplings")
Kam-Mui Fung	...	Vomiting Woman (segment "Dumplings")
Wai-Man Wu	...	Nurse (segment "Dumplings")
Chak-Man Ho	...	Wang (segment "Dumplings")
Miki Yeung	...	Kate (segment "Dumplings")
So-Fun Wong	...	Kate's Mother (segment "Dumplings")
Kai-Piu Yau	...	Gynaecologist (segment "Dumplings")
Byung-hun Lee	...	Director (segment "Cut")
Won-hie Lim	...	Stranger (segment "Cut") (as Won-Hee Lim)
Hye-jeong Kang	...	Director's Wife (segment "Cut")
Dae-yeon Lee	...	Actor in School Girl Uniform (segment "Cut")
Gene Woo Park	...	Assistant Director (segment "Cut")
Mi Mi Lee	...	Kyung-Ah (segment "Cut")
Gyu-sik Kim	...	Old Man Mannequin (segment "Cut")
Jung-ah Yum	...	Vampire Actress (segment "Cut")
Kyoko Hasegawa	...	Kyoko (segment "Box")
Atsuro Watabe	...	Yoshii / Higata (segment "Box")
Mai Suzuki	...	Kyoko (Age 10) (segment "Box")
Yuu Suzuki	...	Shoko (Age 10) (segment "Box")
Mitsuru Akaboshi	...	Circus Member (segment "Box")
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lee Jun Goo

Directed by
Fruit Chan		(segment "Dumplings")
Takashi Miike		(segment "Box")
Chan-wook Park		(segment "Cut")

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Haruko Fukushima		segment "Box"
Lilian Lee		segment "Dumplings"
Chan-wook Park		segment "Cut"
Bun Saikou		story (segment "Box")

Produced by
Peter Chan	....	producer
Fumio Inoue	....	producer (segment "Box")
Kazuo Kuroi	....	executive producer (segment "Box")
Yo-jin Lee	....	executive producer (segment "Cut") (as Eu-Gene Lee)
Jung-Wan Oh	....	executive producer (segment "Cut")
Naoki Sato	....	producer (segment "Box")
Shun Shimizu	....	producer (segment "Box")
Ahn Soo-Hyun	....	producer (segment "Cut")
Eric Tsang	....	executive producer (segment "Dumplings")

Original Music by
Kwong Wing Chan		(segment "Dumplings")
Kôji Endô		(segment "Box")

Cinematography by
Christopher Doyle		(segment "Dumplings")
Jeong-hun Jeong		(segment "Cut")
Kôichi Kawakami		(segment "Box")

Film Editing by
Fruit Chan		(segment "Dumplings")
Jae-beom Kim		(segment "Cut")
Sang-Beom Kim		(segment "Cut")
Yasushi Shimamura		(segment "Box")

Production Design by
Seong-hie Ryu
Takashi Sasaki		(segment "Box")
Chung Man Yee		(segment "Dumplings")
Seong-hie Yu		(segment "Cut")

Art Direction by
Pater Wong		(segment "Dumplings")

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sang-gyeong Jo	....	costume designer: segment "Cut"
Dora Ng	....	costume designer: segment "Dumplings"

Production Companies

• Applause Pictures

Distributors

• 3L Filmverleih (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• CJ Entertainment (2004) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• Pan Européenne Distribution (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Rialto Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• SBP (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Tartan Video (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• HFR  dailies

Also Known As:

Three, Monster (South Korea)
Three... Extremes (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, some involving abortion and torture, and for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

USA:125 min | Australia:121 min | South Korea:118 min | Argentina:118 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Hong Kong | Japan | South Korea

Language:

Cantonese | Japanese | Korean | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Japan:R-15 | Finland:K-18 (self applied) | Canada:R (Alberta/Nova Scotia) | Australia:R | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Brazil:16 | UK:18 (uncut) | France:-16 | Germany:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Canada:18A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Argentina:18 | Hong Kong:III | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18

Company:

Applause Pictures

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the segment "Cut," towards the end of the film there is a panning shot looking in through a window. The reflection of one or more persons standing on the outside portion (the side the camera is on) can be seen.

Quotes:

Mei: You're rich but I'm free.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Thirst (2009)

Fone film shorts

3 extremes were 3 short stories about extreme situations. Each story has very different qualities and gave the viewer something to enjoy. Not American style, scream queen, psychobabble laden horror films. More intellectual and artistic as the characters are made to look good rather than deviant. Shorts were you can turn off the subtitles and still understand the plot are hard to come by, but these fit the bill. I wish I could speak the languages of the films because the English translation detracted from the emotional content and context. If you like slasher movies and jump out of your seat scary, pass on these. If you like more artistic, intelligent, and subtle horror films, then these shorts are for you. Some blood and minor amounts of gore. A job well done.