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Movie executive cautious about expanding US release of Ang L

 
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summertime



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 923

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:24 am    Post subject: Movie executive cautious about expanding US release of Ang L

Movie executive cautious about expanding US release of Ang Lee spy thriller

The Associated Press

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

HONG KONG: The head of the American production company that made Ang Lee's new Chinese-language spy thriller "Lust, Caution" says he's cautious about expanding its release in the U.S. because of its Asian flavor and a crowded market.

Despite winning the top Golden Lion award at the recent Venice Film Festival, Lee has set low expectations for the movie's U.S. box office, saying it's a "very Chinese" film.

"Lust, Caution" is about the sexually charged relationship between an undercover female student activist (Tang Wei) and the Japanese-allied intelligence chief (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) set in World War-II era Shanghai. It's based on a short story by Chinese author Eileen Chang.

In another obstacle, "Lust, Caution," which features explicit sex scenes, received the restrictive "NC-17" rating in the U.S., banning viewers younger than 17.

The film's executive producer and Focus Features Chief Executive James Schamus said in an e-mail to The Associated Press late Monday he's careful about opening "Lust, Caution" in more movie theaters.

The film had made US$2.1 million (€1.5 million) from 125 theaters in the U.S. as of Sunday, according to the box office tracking Web site Box Office Mojo. It has earned nearly five times that figure overseas, according to Box Office Mojo, with strong contributions from Lee's native Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Its mainland China release is scheduled for Nov. 1.

By comparison, the top movie in North America last weekend, "30 Days of Night," was shown at 2,855 movie theaters and has made nearly US$16 million (€11.3 million).

Lee said earlier that "Lust, Caution" was budgeted at US$12 million (€8.5 million) but he fronted another US$2 million (€1.4 million).

Schamus, a prominent independent filmmaker, told the AP the U.S. movie market is "insanely overcrowded" and that there's limited space for art-house films.

"Every art-house film that tries to go wide is having trouble, so while we are going out in every major market and getting great numbers, we are being very cautious until we see how the market shakes out," he said.

"Right now it's an art-house hit, but it could cross over (to mainstream appeal)," Schamus said.

The executive also called "Lust, Caution" "a very Asian film ... whose politics and sexuality are challenging" and noted its "NC-17" rating in the U.S. He said newspapers in Salt Lake City have refused to carry advertisements for the movie.

"It's utter hypocrisy, but we're dealing with it," Schamus said without elaboration.

Schamus has helped write scripts for many of Lee's movies, including "Lust, Caution," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Hulk" and "The Ice Storm."

Schamus said it's still unclear if Lee will direct the romantic comedy "A Little Game." Schamus is writing the script.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/23/arts/AS-A-E-MOV-Ang-Lee-Lust-Caution.php
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Marie



Joined: 30 Jul 2007
Posts: 143
Location: North Carolina, USA

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 6:51 am    Post subject:

This story makes me wonder if the picture will ever open in my area. We are a smaller regional market (only 1 million in 3 county metro area). The picture would play well here, though we don't have a sizable Chinese population. Three major universities are within 25 miles of one another. The town I live in has the highest per capita number of people with Ph.D.s anywhere in the US. It would be sad if this market was bypassed and I had to wait for the DVD release to see this film. Crying or Very sad

Marie
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kaya



Joined: 18 Jul 2007
Posts: 60
Location: New York, NY

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:31 am    Post subject:

Not to put the blame on the Focus Films, but I think they should step up on their publicity campaign with Lust, Caution. I live in a high-density Chinese population and I don't see one single promotional poster hung on store fronts. It is a possibility that they ran ads and articles on the movie in the local Chinese newspaper, but still. I just feel they should be a little more aggressive in the promotions/publicity/marketing department even if they are playing the cautious card in opening in small markets.
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