Tsui Hark's "Seven Swords"

[Li Kao]

This is the next big wuxia movie I'm looking forward to seeing. The casting is pretty good -- the stars will be Leon Lai and Donnie Yen (who I think has way more potential than Jet Li).

And MK, I'm sure you are aware of this film by now, but the fight choreagrapher is none other than the legend himself, Liu Chia-Liang (Lau Kar-Leung)! Good to see him back in action -- I still have yet to see that Drunken Monkey movie he did for Shaw Bros. back in 2003.

Tsui's movies are hit or miss for me, although some of his are certainly classics. Anyone else catch the buzz on this one?

[Shaolinlueb]

its in the making still isnt it?

[Li Kao]

Yeah, Donnie Yen said in an interview 2 weeks ago that he was going back to finish up shooting after the Chinese New Year. I know at least one of the locales they are shooting in is the northwestern region Xinjiang. Here is a link to that article:
http://www.kungfucinema.com/news/2005/011301.htm

And I'm attaching a pretty cool pic I found of Donnie in costume for the movie. Should be good!

[@PLUGO]

From aint-it-cool-news.com

"According to The Beijing News, the original cut of Seven Swords runs about 4 hours, which is too long for being released in theaters. Then Tsui Hark and editor Angie Lam made two more cuts, one is 150 minute long and the other one is 120 minute long. In the end the 150 minute version was chosen as the one to be released in theaters and the 4 hour version will be released on DVD."

Tsui Hark's SEVEN SWORDS First Teaser-Trailer
http://www.sevenswordsthefilm.com/tr.../SSTeasera.mov

some stills from sina.com

another poster for SEVEN SWORDS

At Monkey Peaches

SEVEN SWORDS characters

More characters

a fan site

[doug maverick]

someone besides me, is talking about the latest in ma flicks, i thought i was the only one. have you heard about donnie yen and sammo's new joint sha po lang, i've been waiting for that one to come state side for a while!

[Mighty Scott]

I shall share my source of kung-fu movie geekdom.

http://www.kungfucinema.com/

Use this power only for good, grasshopper.

It has a mention of the 4 hour version in the archives, plus a fairly lengthy article on Sha Po Lang, and probably the largest collection of kung-fu movie reviews I've seen.

[GreenCloudCLF]

Ahhh, it's good to find people who keep up on KF movie news....

[Mighty Scott]

There is a trailer out for Seven Swords from their website

http://www.sevenswordsthefilm.com/

Hi Res:
http://www.sevenswordsthefilm.com/tr...ailerHK768.wmv

Med Res:
http://www.sevenswordsthefilm.com/tr...ailerHK256.wmv

Low Res:
http://www.sevenswordsthefilm.com/tr...ailerHK112.wmv

[GeneChing]

According to two others who saw the film with the sound, the plot makes little sense. Maybe it would have been clearer in the 4-hour version, but neither of them thought Seven Swords was of much merit. Perhaps it's better without sound because it makes it more abstract. I had me guessing a lot, assuming that there was something behind everything, when in fact (or at least according to these two other viewers) it was just babble, wasted film. Given this new insight, my suggestion is that if you see Seven Swords, focus on the red lantern fight in the beginning, the villainess, and the final fight in the corridor. The rest might bore you. Or you could turn off the sound like I did (unvoluntarily). Sometimes, less *is* more.

[grlyncher99]

Illegal downloading and bootlegging is bad. Ironic you did it from a chinese film.

[SimonM]

The DVD is being hyped in all the DVD/VCD stores in Lishi right now. I'll pick up a copy tomorow and give it a watch. I'll tell you all what I think afterwards.

[SimonM]

Hey Gene? You there?

[GeneChing]

Sorry so tardy, SimonM. I took advantage of Labor Day weekend to go on a work study at Tassajara Zendo. As for your questions above, I haven't a clue about the answers, I'm afraid. I saw it without the benefit of sound or subtitles, not that it would have helped much. The further I get from viewing this movie, the less I remember, which is always a bad sign in regards to my opinion of the film. In fact, all that really remains in my memory was the lantern fight, the corridor fight, that villainess and how cool Lau Kar Leung is, even when he's not fighting.

[SPJ]

Here is a link to the movie site:

movie

Donnie Yen fan club forum;

fan

Taiwan site

Tai chi

gallery

[GeneChing]

It you put 'seven swords' in the 'search this forum' box, you get two pages of threads. I've merged this to the main one for the film your convenience. Also note, there was a related TV series called Seven Swordsman.