By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
John Woo (``Mission Impossible 2'') releases a mega-action war epic ``Red Cliff,'' which the director proudly said was a manifestation of his childhood dreams during the movie's premiere event in Seoul Wednesday. This 80 billion won ($80 million) co-production by South Korea's Showbox/Mediaplex brings together the hottest Asian stars including ``Lust, Caution'' hero Tony Leung and heartthrobs Takeshi Kaneshiro (``House of Flying Daggers'') and Chang Chen (``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'').
The movie, coming to theaters July 10 across Asia, is about the Red Cliff Battle, a climactic marine conflict in the epic historical novel ``Romance of the Three Kingdoms.'' The 61-year-old director told reporters ``Red Cliff'' took 18 years in envisioning and almost a lifetime of dreaming. ``I was a diehard fan of the novel and I loved all the characters. When I was 10, I used to stay awake at night drawing characters on my window and use a lamp to project them onto the wall,'' he said.
``This is my dream come true, and it is by far my best work,'' said the maestro filmmaker with a smile. Reporters applauded Woo, who spent every cent from his paycheck when the project surpassed its budget just halfway into the shoot. ``All I earned from the movie was two meals per day,'' he said.
The premiere event opened with a ``gut'' performance or Korean shamanistic ritual praying to the gods for good luck. Woo said the event boosted his confidence for the film's success.
While the maker of ``Face/Off'' said he was fortunate to work on many wonderful Hollywood projects, he said he always felt that Western films lacked a true understanding of Asian culture. ``I truly wanted to capture the courage and wisdom of Asians and Asian culture,'' he said, again receiving applause from reporters.
In this classic story of warring states and hearts, Leung plays the role of brave general Zhou Yu while Kaneshiro is a wise scholar and Chen is a young, ambitious emperor. The three join hands to counter evil Cao Cao and his million-men army. In the heart of it all is a Helen of Troy-type struggle, as greedy Cao Cao lusts over Zhou Yu's beautiful wife, played by newcomer Lin Chiling.
For casting the star actors, the director said he had to consider many factors since it was based on history. He conducted thorough research on each character, and said Leung was perfect for playing a man who was known for his big heart. The actor flashed a big grin when one of the reporters congratulated him on his upcoming birthday and asked what was his secret for becoming sexier with each passing year. ``I think men become more mature with age and experience. I think that makes director Woo the most attractive,'' said Leung, who turned 46 on Friday, drawing laughter from the room.
Woo said Kaneshiro was made for the role of a smart, handsome and jovial 27-year-old Zhuge Liang. The Japanese actor, 34, said playing an intellectual spared him the trouble of wearing heavy armor and doing action during the hot weather, but having to focus on subtle facial expressions was tough.
The director said that he always kept an eye on Chang, who seemed to be made for the role as a charismatic leader. While Chang is familiar to many through Ang Lee's martial arts story, the 31-year-old considers this his first ``genuine period piece.''
``The other films had a very contemporary feel to them. But this is based on history and I felt a lot of pressure to convince the audience, many of whom grew up reading the original novel. But after meeting the director and reading the script I really became attached to my character and enjoyed the transformation he goes through. I also loved wearing the ornate period dress and felt like I was really living during that time,'' said Chang.
The director went on to introduce Lin, who he said was not only a stunning Asiatic beauty, but also a warm-hearted person who actively volunteers to help AIDS victims in Africa. ``I believe that a beautiful woman is not only attractive on the outside but also strong-willed,'' said Woo. The 34-year-old former model said she felt nervous about her acting debut and also some pressure to personify a woman whose beauty was great enough to cause a war. But said she saw fortitude as her character, who was very humane and ordinary.
Woo said he wanted to capture a very human sketch of historical heroes and looks forward to sharing ``Red Cliff'' with the audience.