THREE…EXTREMES
A Lions Gate Films release
Story - $9.50
Acting - $9.50
Directing - $9.50
Production Design - $10.50
Special Effects - $10.50
Score/Music - $10.50
*"REEL" VALUE - $10.00 = The word “extreme”
fails to fully evoke the true nature of these films that are as beautiful
as they are unsettling.
SYNOPSIS: “DUMPLINGS” - A retired actress tries to retain her
beauty and seeks the rejuvenating effects of a mysterious woman’s
“special” dumplings, that contain and powerful and horrifying
ingredient.
“CUT” - A film director is abducted by a vengeful stranger and forced
to make an impossible choice that will alter his life forever.
“BOX” - A beautiful female novelist, still guilt-ridden over the
childhood death of her twin sister, receives a mysterious invitation to
meet at the site of the tragedy.
THREE … EXTREMES is three macabre tales from the visionary talent of
three master directors – Japanese cult figure Takashi Miike, Hong
Kong’s Fruit Chan, and Korea’s award-winning Park Chan-Wook. These
tales run the cinematic gamut of dream-like minimalism, savage comedy and
baroque horror. Stylish, twisted and laced with haunting imagery, these
cutting-edge directors penetrate the dark heart of desire, examining the
ghastly urges that transform ordinary people into monsters.
REVIEW: How do you describe something that can be so spectacular
and gruesome at the same time? These three maestros of the Asian cinema
craft incredibly distinct grand operettas that at one time would only be
found on the stage of the Grand Guignol. Still, they seem to embody the
lavish nature of a classic fairy tale, but these contemporary tales are
more gruesome by design. The production designs and visual elements are
extremely stylized and produced with great detail. I’ve personally
watched at least two films by each of these directors, and these are their
finest works to date. These films transcend the concept of a simple horror
film and achieve an artistic level that captures the ideal of the films
the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases, or even the shocking beauty of
the horrifying images photographer Andres Serrano captures. I think the
shorter format makes the stories more accessible to an American audience.
The Asian films have a pacing that is significantly different from an
American movie, and given the shorter time constraints it enables these
stories are able to grab the viewer right from the start.
This is an amazing cast. These actors bring out unique aspects of their
performances that allow these multi-layered roles never to become mere
stereotypes. They are haunting, insane, cold, hypnotic, and evil –
murders, madmen, and monsters. There are times they can lightly touch upon
a comedic moment and than shock you with a blatantly violent act that
obtains a level of fright that I haven’t experienced since I was an
adolescent and saw my first horror film.
THREE EXTREMES is not for the faint of heart. I attended a screening where
several people walked out because they couldn’t deal with the concepts
and/or visuals of these films, especially the first one, “Dumplings.”
Still, as this is being release by Lions Gate Films the same day as “Saw
II,” THREE EXTREMES is a much more highly developed and engrossing
Halloween treat. Be warned, you may never eat dumplings again!
CREW: “DUMPLINGS” – Director - Fruit Chan; Producer - Peter
Ho-Sun Chan; Screenplay - Lilian Lee; Cinematography - Christopher Doyle (HKSC);
Production Designer - Yee Chung-Man; Music - Chan Kwong-Wing.
“CUT” – Director – Park Chan-Wook; Producer – Ahn Soo-Hyun;
Screenplay – Park Chan-Wook; Cinematography - Chung Chung-Hoon;
Production Designer - Yoo Seong-Hee; Music – Peach.
“BOX” – Director - Takashi Miike; Producers - Naoki Sato, Shun
Shimizu, & Fumio Inoue; Screenplay - Haruko Fukushima; Original Story
- Bun Saikou; Cinematography - Koichi Kawakami; Production Designer -
Takashi Sasaki; Music - Kouji Endo.
CAST: “DUMBLINGS” - BAI LING… Mei; PAULINE LAU… Li's maid;
TONY KA-FAI LEUNG… Sije Li; MEME… Connie; MIRIAM YEUNG… Qing Li;
MIKI YEUNG… Kate; WONG SO-FUN… Kate's mother.
“CUT” - LEE BYUNG-HUN… Ryu Ji-Ho; LIM WON-HEE… Stranger; GANG HYE-JUNG…
Ryu's wife; LEE JUN GOO… Kid; LEE MI MI… Kyung-Ah.
“BOX” - KYOKO HASEGAWA… Kyoko; ATSURO WATABE… Yoshii / Hikita; MAI
SUZUKI… Kyoko (10 years old); YUU SUZUKI… Shoko (10 years old);
MITSURU AKABOSHI… Circus member.
* Based on the regular $10.75 ticket prices of a Manhattan
theater.
Reviewer: Joseph
B. Mauceri
Score: 
Related web link: THREE
EXTREMES Lions Gate Films Official Site