Painted Skin (2008)

An action-thriller centered on a vampire-like woman who eats the skins and hearts of her lovers.

Directors:

Gordon Chan, Andy Wing-Keung Chin (co-director) (as Chin Wing Keung)

Writers:

Ho Leung Lau (screenplay) (as Lau Ho Leung), Abe Kwong (screenplay)

Stars:

Donnie Yen, Xun Zhou, Kun Chen

11 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donnie Yen	...	Pang Yong
Xun Zhou	...	Xiao Wei (as Zhou Xun)
Kun Chen	...	Wang Sheng (as Chen Kun)
Wei Zhao	...	Pei Rong (as Zhao Wei)
Li Sun	...	Xia Bing (as Sun Li)
Yuwu Qi	...	Xiao Yi (as Qi Yuwu)
Song Jin	...	Gao Xiang
David Leong	...	Xia Hou Xiang (as David Liang)
Cong Xiao	...	Jing Ping
Yan Liu	...	Patroness (as Liu Yan)
Yeerjiang Mahepushen	...	Bandit chief (as Ye Er Jiang)
Michael An-Ye Tan	...	Da Dao (as Michael Tan)
Yun-Peng Qi	...	Mo Zhui (as Qi Yun Peng)
Yang Wen	...	Tong Tou (as Wen Yang)
Chang-Zhou Zhao	...	Jing An (as Zhao Chang Zhou)

Storyline

Where there is trouble, there is a solution. This time, the trouble comes from two mythical spirits who take the forms of humans. Disguised in human skin and clothes, the pair continue to take the hearts of humans to stay alive and young. But one of them strays down the wrong path and falls in love with a married man. What will happen to the lives of this man and his wife after saving from the barbarians someone who didn't need any saving?

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Plot Keywords:

demon | based on novel | adaptation | qin dynasty | han dynasty china | 

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Taglines:

The battle for an empire begins.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

film information Official site [Japan]

Country:

China Hong Kong Singapore

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

25 September 2008 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

畫皮

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,579,689

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mediacorp Raintree Pictures, Ningxia Film Group, Shanghai Film Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min 118 min (Director's Cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Hong Kong's 2009 Academy Awards official submission to Foreign-Language Film category.

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Goofs

All mail armor in this film is made with the the mail going vertically rather than sideways. This would make the armor less effective, as it spreads the ring pattern open, making it easier to penetrate. All historical examples of mail armor have the ring pattern going from side to side for this reason.

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Connections

Followed by Painted Skin: The Resurrection (2012)

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Soundtracks

Painted Heart
Music by Ikuro Fujiwara (as Fujiwara Ikuro)
Lyrics by Siu-kei Chan
Performed by Jane Zhang (as Jane Zhang)

User Reviews

It is a horror movie...or is it?

The movie painted skin is loosely based on a legendary Supranatural Chinese tale 'Hua Pi' about a disguised demon under a human skin(drawn skin exactly). Like many favorite ancient tales, despite the illogical and senseless aspect, always have some moral aspect to be dig or contemplated over. Painted skin in this case is not much different of. It digs a very deep portrait about the meaning of love and the willing of sacrificing for love. And believe it or not the movie want to show us that not only do human can sacrifice when it came to the matter of love.

Although stamped as a 'horror' movie but sorry to say, don't expect to see very much horror in it. It's nowhere near the horror like you saw in most Zombie movie or modern slasher horror. It's in a more mannerly and elegant way to level its emotion to human being and in my opinion the horror thing is just to dramatize the center love story and not really the main course in the first place. Some humor in the movie is driven well enough to at least force some smirk on audiences. And for those who're aware, with Donnie Yen as the main cast, one can expect less than some martial arts showdown. The rest of the cast is very eye catching especially the irresistible beauty of Zhou Xun.

And finally orchestrated by veteran director Gordon Chan who has experienced in so much genre since his existence in mid 80's, the movie is not disappointed at all except in my opinion if only the director did try boldly adapted a more tragic ending, it could really be better. Because in order to keep the movie running, when the plot seems finally reach an end path, the revealing of the demon's true identity in the end is way out of the blue and the motive is also very laudable.

I'll give it a fair 6/10. Not Special but Enjoyable.