Dung che sai duk (1994)

A broken-hearted hit man moves to the desert where he finds skilled swordsmen to carry out his contract killings.

Director:

Kar-Wai Wong (as Kar Wai Wong)

Writers:

Louis Cha (novel), Kar-Wai Wong (screenplay) (as Kar Wai Wong)

Stars:

Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Leslie Cheung

9 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Brigitte Lin	...	Mu-rong Yin / Mu-rong Yang
Leslie Cheung	...	Ou-yang Feng
Maggie Cheung	...	The Woman
Tony Chiu-Wai Leung	...	Blind Swordsman (as Tony Chiu Wai Leung)
Jacky Cheung	...	Hung Chi
Tony Ka Fai Leung	...	Huang Yao-shi
Li Bai	...	Hung Chi's Wife
Carina Lau	...	Peach Blossom
Charlie Yeung	...	Young Girl
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joey Wang	...	(scenes deleted)

Storyline

Ou-yang Feng lives in the middle of a desert, where he acts as a middle man to various swordsmen in ancient China. One of those swordsmen is Huang Yao-shi, who has found some magic wine that causes one to forget the past. At another time, Huang met Mu-rong Yin and under the influence of drink, promised to marry Mu-rong's sister Mu-rong Yang. Huang jilts her, and Mu-rong Yin hires Ou-yang to kill Huang. But then Mu-rong Yang hires Ou-yang to protect Huang. This is awkward, because Mu-rong Yang and Mu-rong Yin are in reality the same person. Other unrelated plot lines careen about. Among them is Ou-yang's continuing efforts to destroy a band of horse thieves. Oy-yang recruits another swordsman, a man who is going blind and wants to get home to see his wife before his sight goes completely. The swordsman is killed. Ou-yang then meets another swordsman who doesn't like wearing shoes. Oy-yang sends this man after the horse thieves, with better results. We then find out what a man must give...

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Plot Keywords:

swordsman | desert | china | wuxia | vengeance | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Spain]

Country:

Hong Kong Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin Cantonese

Release Date:

17 September 1994 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Ashes of Time

Filming Locations:

China

Box Office

Budget:

HKD 40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$21,372, 12 October 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$173,526, 4 January 2009

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jet Tone Production,Block 2 Pictures,Scholar Films Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 93 min (Redux)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Redux version) Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Apparently, Joey Wong, Veronica Yip, and Kenny Bee were originally also in the cast list of Ashes of Time. Due to Wong Kar Wai's shooting overrun of epic scales, producer Jeff Lau gathered everyone and shot The Eagle Shooting Heroes, a nonsensical comedy version of the story and maintained many of Wong Kar Wai's original casting decisions.

During this break, Wong Kar Wai decided to have a complete overhaul of who plays who. By then, Joey Wong had to leave the production for her other filming obligations. Wong Kar Wai wanted to delete all of Joey Wong's footage, but she was already listed as a cast member in the rushes screened to film investors, hence he retained an 8-second shot of Joey Wong's side profile in the Taiwanese print (this did not survive in the redux version).

Charlie Yeung later joined the production as a quasi-replacement for Joey Wong.

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Quotes

Ou-yang Feng: People say, when you can't have what you want, the best you can do is not to forget.

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Connections

Followed by Dung sing sai tsau 2011 (2011)

User Reviews

WKW's underrated best film

The first time I saw this movie. I was REALLY confused. I still loved it though, but after a few viewings of this film I've grown to love it even more. This is undoubtably Wong Kar-wai's best work. Alot of people however hate this, but there is a good few who love this film, so it's a love it or hate it film.

The performances are all good. Leslie Cheung was brilliant as the cynical and bitter Ouyeng Feng. Tony Leung Chiu-wai was also great as The Blind Swordsman. Maggie Cheung's ten minutes torward the end is the most jaw-droppingly beautiful, yet haunting and sad scene ever. It is the best scene ever in a film, the film is worth it for that scene alone. Maggie Cheung is an actress you'll never forget, once you see this movie and the scene that she is in. The best performance is by Bridget Lin as Yin and Yang, who are really one person in one. I REALLY thought those were two different actresses playing those characters, amazing work by her.

The directing and cinematoaghy is off the hook. The images you see on screen are truely amazing and unforgetable. Wong Kar-wai does a brilliant job of putting this film together. This is one of my top ten favorite films.

10/10