http://www.chinapost.com.tw/
'Cape No. 7' seen as turning point for struggling industry
Thursday, September 25, 2008By MIN LEE, APHONG KONG -- Taiwan's struggling movie industry has produced a rare hit that's matching Hollywood and mainland Chinese blockbusters at the box office.
Some observers say the love story "Cape No. 7" - with a budget of only US$1.6 million - may be a turning point for an industry that's won acclaim for its art-house directors but boasts few commercial success stories.
"Cape No. 7" made more than 84 million New Taiwan dollars (US$2.6 million) in the Taiwanese capital Taipei since debuting a month ago - a result unheard of for a Taiwanese film in recent years.
That's on par with "Iron Man" (US$2.6 million) and more than John Woo's Chinese historical epic "Red Cliff" (US$2.5 million).
Made by unheralded director Wei Te-sheng without any major stars, the modestly budgeted production is about the romance between a Japanese teacher and a Taiwanese woman when the island was a Japanese colony in the 1940s - and a parallel modern-day love story.
Lee Kang, the younger brother of Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and a filmmaker himself, said it has been rare for a Taiwanese film to make more than 10 million New Taiwan dollars (US$313,000) after 1990.
Observers say the success of "Cape No. 7" is important because it marks the rise of a new generation of Taiwanese directors who have carved a path distinct from the island's rich history in art-house cinema.
Earlier Taiwanese directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang have wowed European film festivals with their often slow, contemplative work - but their films didn't necessarily resonate with the Taiwanese public, Taiwanese movie critic Wen Tien-hsiang said.
But Wei's "Cape No. 7" breaks from that tradition.
"Everyone has been waiting for a movie that was made for the audience - a straightforward, accessible commercial movie," Lee Kang said.
"There has never been such an audience-friendly movie. The characters are so likable. They're happy-go-lucky. Audiences can relate to them," Lee said.
Wen said Wei, who worked as an assistant director for Yang, showed better skill and tackled larger scenes than other young directors - like the one where the Japanese teacher leaves Taiwan for Japan by ship.
"His smooth story telling, his mixing of sadness and humor, his portrayal of indigenous Taiwanese habits - these are things that younger directors haven't been able to capture," Wen said.
Hou has also given the film rave reviews.
The past Venice Film Festival winner called "Cape No. 7" "the best Taiwanese movie I've seen in more than 10 years" in an interview posted on the movie's Web site.
"It could lift Taiwanese film," he said.
Wen said the movie will boost investor confidence in Taiwanese productions.
"They (investors) will become a little more daring when investing in local movies," he said.
'Cape No. 7' seen as turning point for struggling industry
Thursday, September 25, 2008By MIN LEE, APHONG KONG -- Taiwan's struggling movie industry has produced a rare hit that's matching Hollywood and mainland Chinese blockbusters at the box office.
Some observers say the love story "Cape No. 7" - with a budget of only US$1.6 million - may be a turning point for an industry that's won acclaim for its art-house directors but boasts few commercial success stories.
"Cape No. 7" made more than 84 million New Taiwan dollars (US$2.6 million) in the Taiwanese capital Taipei since debuting a month ago - a result unheard of for a Taiwanese film in recent years.
That's on par with "Iron Man" (US$2.6 million) and more than John Woo's Chinese historical epic "Red Cliff" (US$2.5 million).
Made by unheralded director Wei Te-sheng without any major stars, the modestly budgeted production is about the romance between a Japanese teacher and a Taiwanese woman when the island was a Japanese colony in the 1940s - and a parallel modern-day love story.
Lee Kang, the younger brother of Oscar-winning director Ang Lee and a filmmaker himself, said it has been rare for a Taiwanese film to make more than 10 million New Taiwan dollars (US$313,000) after 1990.
Observers say the success of "Cape No. 7" is important because it marks the rise of a new generation of Taiwanese directors who have carved a path distinct from the island's rich history in art-house cinema.
Earlier Taiwanese directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang have wowed European film festivals with their often slow, contemplative work - but their films didn't necessarily resonate with the Taiwanese public, Taiwanese movie critic Wen Tien-hsiang said.
But Wei's "Cape No. 7" breaks from that tradition.
"Everyone has been waiting for a movie that was made for the audience - a straightforward, accessible commercial movie," Lee Kang said.
"There has never been such an audience-friendly movie. The characters are so likable. They're happy-go-lucky. Audiences can relate to them," Lee said.
Wen said Wei, who worked as an assistant director for Yang, showed better skill and tackled larger scenes than other young directors - like the one where the Japanese teacher leaves Taiwan for Japan by ship.
"His smooth story telling, his mixing of sadness and humor, his portrayal of indigenous Taiwanese habits - these are things that younger directors haven't been able to capture," Wen said.
Hou has also given the film rave reviews.
The past Venice Film Festival winner called "Cape No. 7" "the best Taiwanese movie I've seen in more than 10 years" in an interview posted on the movie's Web site.
"It could lift Taiwanese film," he said.
Wen said the movie will boost investor confidence in Taiwanese productions.
"They (investors) will become a little more daring when investing in local movies," he said.
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