Ip Man (2008) Yip Man (original title)

Director:

Wilson Yip

Writers:

Edmond Wong (screenplay) and
Chan Tai-Li

Release Date:

12 December 2008 (China)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

The celebrated Kung Fu master of Bruce Lee

Plot:

A semi-biographical account of Yip Man, the first martial arts master to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun.

Plot Keywords:

Martial Arts | Master | Fight | Chinese | General

Awards:

12 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Donnie Yen	...	Yip Man
Simon Yam	...	Chow Ching-Chuen
Ka Tung Lam	...	Captain Lei Chiu
Siu-Wong Fan	...	Jin Shan Zhao / Kam Shan-Chau
Lynn Hung	...	Cheung Wing-Sing
Hiroyuki Ikeuchi	...	Miura
Yu Xing	...	Master Zealot Lam
Chen Zhi Hui	...	Master Lau
You-Nam Wong	...	Sa Dam Yun
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zhang Bo	...	Jin Shan Zhao's underling
Li Chak	...	Yip Chun (as Li Ze)
Xu Chuan-Jian	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Shi De-Qiang	...	Southern master
Yu-Lam Fan	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Wang Hui-Liang	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Liu Jun	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Chen Ka-Da	...	Uncle Wong
Calvin Cheng Ka-Sing	...	Chow Kong-Yiu
Lu Kai	...	Jin Shan Zhao's underling
Kong King	...	Jin Shan Zhao's underling
Chan Siu Kwan	...	Waiter
Siu-Hung Leung	...	Green Dragon Club Master
Ming Zhe Liu	...	Righteous Club Master
Li Qin Long	...	Master Lei
Lu Mei-Fang	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Han Meng-Xin	...	Lei Chiu's daughter
Xu Ming-Yu	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Sheng Qi-Rong	...	Lei Chiu's father
Cai Rong-Jun	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Shi Rui-Jun	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Yu-Hang To	...	Hu Wei
Mao Wen-Jun	...	Jin Shan Zhao's underling
Wang Xiao-Fang	...	Yip Man's maid
Yang Xu-Feng	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Ding Yi-Lan	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Ku Yin	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Gao Yuan	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Bian Zheng	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Wang Zheng	...	Cotton Mill Worker
Zhong Zhou	...	Master Ho

Directed by
Wilson Yip

Writing credits
Edmond Wong		(screenplay)
Chan Tai-Li

Produced by
Kwok Lam Sin	....	executive producer
Bak-Ming Wong	....	executive producer
Bak-Ming Wong	....	producer
Baoquan Zhang	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Kenji Kawai

Cinematography by
Sing-Pui O		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ka-Fai Cheung

Art Direction by
Kenneth Mak

Costume Design by
Pik Kwan Lee

Makeup Department
Maggie Choy	....	makeup artist
Samuel Wong	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Cheuk Kau Man	....	assistant production manager
Yuk-Lam Pang	....	production manager
Eddie Wong	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Po Chun Chan	....	first assistant director
Ka-Wai Kam	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Wai Kin Lam	....	property master
Wai Yan Wong	....	set designer
Hsi-jen Yang	....	props crew

Sound Department
Wing Lai Chin	....	sound recordist
Terry Shek	....	sound effects editor
Kinson Tsang	....	sound
George Lee Yiu-Keung	....	sound editor
George Lee Yiu-Keung	....	sound

Visual Effects by
Ralph Chun Ho Poon	....	visual effects artist
Henri Wong	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Leo Au-Yeung	....	fight instructor
Ip Chun	....	fight consultant
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	....	action director
Chi Kit Lee	....	action choreographer
Siu-Hung Leung	....	action choreographer
Ke Ming Lin	....	action choreographer
Donnie Yen	....	action choreographer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Yuk-chuen Cheung	....	gaffer
Chan Siu Kwan	....	grip

Other crew
Wai Kei Cheng	....	script supervisor
Ip Chun	....	advisor and consultant

Production Companies

• Beijing ShengShi HuaRei Film Investment & Management Co.
• China Film Co-Production Corporation
• Mandarin Films Distribution Co.
• New Film Studio of Beijing Starlight International Media Co. Ltd.
• Shanghai Film Group
• Time Antaeus Media Group

Distributors

• Mandarin Films Distribution Co. (2008) (worldwide) (all media)
• Well Go (2010) (USA) (all media)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Face to Face (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Innoform Media (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Libero (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Variance Films (2010) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Viva International Pictures (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Gravitas Ventures (2010) (USA) (video) (VOD)
• Maiandros Entertainment Group (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Showbox Media Group (2009) (UK) (DVD) (as Cine Asia)
• Splendid Film (2009) (Austria) (all media)
• Splendid Film (2009) (Germany) (all media)
• Splendid Film (2009) (Switzerland) (all media) (German language)
• Splendid Film (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Waylen Group (2011) (Canada) (TV)

Special Effects

• Asia Legend (visual effects)
• Parabucks Co. (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chili Advertising & Promotions  promotion and marketing
• Kantana Animation Co. Ltd.  digital intermediate lab services
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  film processing
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Media Business Service Limited  post-production sound studio
• Parabucks Co.  titles
• Postique  digital intermediate
• Salon Films  camera and lighting equipment provided by
• Soundfirm Beijing Co.  dialogue dubbing: Putonghua version
• Tai Fung (Tsu's) Co. Ltd.  film stock supplied by (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Yip Man" - Hong Kong (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

Hong Kong | China

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | New Zealand:M | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | UK:15 | Netherlands:16 | Germany:18 | USA:R (certificate #46140) | Malaysia:18SG (cut) | Japan:G

Company:

Beijing ShengShi HuaRei Film Investment & Management Co.

Trivia:

Although it's the first film centering around Yip Man, the idea of doing a Yip Man biopic have been conceived for as long as 30 years. Donnie Yen was actually slated to play Yip Man in the supposed first biopic that was about to go into production in 1997. The film would've also featured Stephen Chow playing an adult Bruce Lee. However, only one day of shooting took place before the project was canceled.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The first duel between Ip Man and Jin takes place in Ip Man's home. When Jin pulls out his sword, Ip Man reaches for what looks like a feather duster (a bamboo rod with chicken feathers). When their weapons clash, the sound is of metal-on-metal, despite the fact that Ip Man is not fighting with a metal weapon.

Quotes:

Ip Man:[Facing the Northerner Ip Man adopts his combat stance with an unsettling mixture of mettle and serenity] Wing Chun, Ip Man.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in 72 ga cho hak (2010)

Powerhouse performance by Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen is a long time favorite of mine, although this is mainly due to his martial arts skills and screen presence rather than his acting skills. In Ip Man (or Ye Wen, as they were shouting in the seats next to mine) he delivers a truly solid performance on the acting side, carrying the burden of a nation on his shoulders with gravitas, at least that's what he conveyed to the audience at the cinema. They were actually applauding at times. Then again, moviegoers might be more absorbed over here on a regular basis. I digress.

I'm not going to delve deeper into plot details. The basic stuff is already outlined above, and I also feel the historical accuracy of certain events depicted can be debated. That's a bit of a moot point, though, since most people will watch this for the action scenes. Nobody will be disappointed. Donnie kicks twelve kinds of ass in this movie, and it is all accompanied by some of the meanest sound design I've ever heard. Every one of his rapid punches can be felt as he pummels the poor bastards in his way with the Ip Man-style of martial arts (imdb won't let me spell out the name for some reason). The final bout is epic,but for me it was one scene about halfway through that got my heart beating faster. It involves Donnie, ten Japanese karate practitioners and some of the most furious fighting I've ever seen on screen. You can really sense the anger of his character in this scene. Great stuff.

The film moves forward at a brisk pace and contains a surprisingly large amount of fight scenes. It totally lacks the vintage over-the-top-aesthetics of Donnie Yen's films of the 80's and 90's, but for some people that's a good thing. I personally think this is his finest performance to date.

Highly recommended for fans of martial arts cinema!