In 1782, the talented inventor-artillery artist Choderlo de Laclo wrote his most famous and still revered literary work “Les liaisons dangereuses”, translated into all languages of the world, and in Russian called “Dangerous Liaisons”. In 1959, our former compatriot Roger Vadim made the first attempt to film the great novel, somewhat stylizing it and transferring the main time of action. In 1988, Stephen Frears made a new film adaptation, starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich, and this film is still the most famous and is considered the best adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons. But the next year Milos Forman removes his interpretation, naming the tape, so as not to echo the acclaimed premiere of Frears, Valmont with Colin Firth and Annette Bening in the lead roles. In 1999, Roger Cumble filmed “Cruel Games”, as they say based on the novel, transferring both time and place of action. The film still has a reputation as one of the best paintings by Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
But not only in Europe and the United States were films based on the novel by Choderlo de Laclo. In 2003, South Korean filmmakers made the first attempt at an “Asian” adaptation of the work, filming the film “The Hidden Scandal”. He did not find much success, so nine years later, the South Koreans called on China and Singapore to come up with a better picture. And, I must say, they succeeded. Of course, there are not as many fans of Asian cinema as it deserves, many nod in the direction of the fact that they confuse actors with each other because of the external similarity, but not only those who respect Asians, as well as the work of Choderlo de Laclo, can without skepticism watch the film “Wi-heom-han gyan-gye”, or simply “Dangerous Liaisons” from director Ho Jin Ho with Chang Dong-Gun, Cecilia Chung and Zhang Zi in the lead roles. When creating this film adaptation, everyone without exception tried to make a great film, which at least by Asian standards will not be inferior to European or American cinema.
With the help of the film directed by Ho Jin Ho and adapted the novel by screenwriter Galin Yan, you can understand why “Dangerous Liaisons” by Choderlo de Laclo are still popular with readers, are a must-have in the school curriculum and to this day do not lose their relevance. Even in Shanghai, mores were similar to those described in the epistolary style of the Frenchman, where intrigue literally consumed people. In the “Dangerous Liaisons” of this spill, we see the same puppeteers hungry for new victories, they are cynical sons and daughters of their world and era and do not even know who is purer – the thief or these secular hypocrites who destroy the fates of people who are obviously weak and not so sophisticated in life before them. Only in order to pamper themselves, to laugh at their malicious smile, they play, but they will come to retribution, and someone will be struck by the very weapon with which he himself struck everyone whom he wanted to lure into his museum of tormented souls.
The vicious circle inside the secular parties with all its grace with a snake hiss was played by Cecilia Chung. At first, such a sweet, beautiful, bright and seductive girl, not like Glenn Close or Annette Bening, and somehow can not believe that Chung is capable of vile deeds. But this actress showed that even the sweetest smile can keep the icy heart of the intriguer and her filth knows no boundaries, and her poison penetrates into all the crevices, poisoning even the most closed souls. It’s an amazing role of Cecilia Chung, which I first met. Jang Dong-gong is one of the most sought-after South Korean actors and in Dangerous Liaisons he shows why. Strong role, very strong, he proved to be a great dramatic actor. The only downside is that when compared to John Malkovich, he is still inferior, but this does not mean anything special. Yi Zhang Ziyi, who played virtue itself, became an innocent victim of a hard bet. She allowed herself to fall in love with the devil in the flesh, but so much love and pain in her eyes! Her sincerity takes her to heart.
"Dangerous Liaisons" from a joint South Korean, Chinese and Singaporean production is a very exciting and even powerful movie. Do not think that in Asia they can shoot films only about samurai and kung fu. Watch this drama and you will understand that this cinema deserves attention, as well as those actors and actresses who magnificently played the roles of the Marquise de Mertay, Viscount de Valmont and Madame de Tourvel, whose names are immortalized by the novel “Dangerous Liaisons” by Choderlo de Laclo.
9 out of 10
I love the novel “Dangerous Liaisons” and enjoyed watching all the adaptations. American films "Dangerous Liaisons" and "Cruel Games", the French film with Catherine Deneuve "Dangerous Liaisons" all these films are worthy of adaptation with excellent actors and talented directors. This new Chinese adaptation of the novel “Dangerous Liaisons” was unexpected, and I eagerly watched it.
We see a history of great deception and love affairs. We see how the main characters easily break hearts and weave their black intrigues. He's a rich intellectual. She's a seductive, wealthy woman. They live for their own pleasure and play their cruel games. When a new goal comes in the person of a fragile and kind woman who lost her husband, everything changes, and events take an unexpected turn.
Zhang Ziyi is my favorite Chinese actress. She is very talented and plays cleanly and enthusiastically. I love watching her play. Every role she passes through, and in her game always without looking back believe. This film had all the attention on Zhang Ziyi. She played touching and soulful and was able to purely convey the essence and emotional state of her character on the screen. Negative roles were played by previously unknown actors Cecilia Chung and Chan Dong Gong. In the role of the main villain, a Chinese actress was well selected. She is a beautiful woman and she was suitable for the role of an insidious intrigue. After this movie, I remember this actress. But the actor who played the main character did not impress me very much. I think the films would have been more successful and popular if it had been played by another more famous Chinese actor. As for the quality of the film, it is shot decently, and it is felt when watching. All the decorations and dresses were beautiful.
"Dangerous Liaisons" is a new adaptation of the famous novel and a Chinese, costumed version of the famous story. The film is sensual, and it is built on feelings and emotions.
7 out of 10
If it is not love, then love does not exist at all. You deny it in a hundred ways, but prove it in a thousand ways. – C. de Laclos
Along with the earlier work of Jae-yeon Lee, which is a film adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, the action of which is transferred to Korea during the time of Joseon, there is another oriental “remaking” of a magnificent French novel. This time the setting is Shanghai, not the eighteenth century, but the twentieth. Of course, neither the time nor the place are of paramount importance compared to the plot and its implementation in practice, but can spoil the picture a little if it is not brilliant in itself. Ho Jin Ho shot not the worst film based on the novel de Laclo – say, Roger Vadim adaptation was much weaker, but Stephen Freerz and Jose Diane he is definitely inferior in many ways.
The main advantage of the film is a well-reproduced plot - the connection with the book is felt at every step, and small deviations do not cut your eyes. Of course, Dancini was a musician, not an artist, but could Cecil pose for a naked musician? Turvel's husband in the novel was not dead, but only away, but is it so fundamental? Not lucky except for the two main characters: Mrs. Mo, despite the well-disclosed image, cost too little blood for his atrocities, and the Chinese “Valmon” – not only that pronounced playboy and metrosexual, and still acts axe methods. In his arsenal of the seducer are not flowery speeches, pretended repentance and disguised flattery, but some simple tricks: an unscrewed light bulb, tea poured on the seat of the car ... On the other hand, the emotional dynamics of his character Chang Dong Gong conveyed great.
Although the camera constantly admires the charming Cecilia Chung (ah, how hard it is to get rid of the idea that she could be much better played by Gong Li!), the star is rather Zhang Zii, much better known to the Western audience for such films as “House of Flying Daggers”, “Hero”, “Memoirs of a Geisha”, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. Although the role of an actively seduced, respectable widow is by definition difficult, the girl coped with her easily - however, she managed the final torments of separation much better than throwing between brewing love and a sense of duty. Pleasant detail - Ho Jin Ho did not miss read between the lines of the novel hatred experienced by Madame de Mertey towards a woman who dared to encroach on what was undividedly hers. The finale seems to serve as an illustration to Laclaw's lines about the deadly blows inflicted by women on their rivals.
Personal preferences force to award this tape, characterized not only by good content, but also by an excellent picture, fourth place out of seven in the framework of the marathon on the adaptations of Dangerous Liaisons.
The story of the seducer, for whom the game develops into real feelings, is not new and has been served under different sauces many times. And yet the creators of Dangerous Liaisons managed to present it in a different light.
In my opinion, we should pay attention to the performance of the three main actors (Cecilia Chung, Chang Dong Gong, Zhang Ziyi). The images in their performance turned out colorful, memorable.
Not without blotches, of course. So, in Du Fengyu moments saw Sayuri, the role of which Zhang Ziyi performed in “Memoirs of a geisha”. But, as they say, nothing can be done. The role of Sayuri became a peak for the actress and now willy-nilly the memory of the viewer (at least mine) will compare other works of Zhang Ziya with her.
In addition, a significant omission for this image, in my opinion, was the following. How would Ms. Du feel about Fan's actions towards Baipei? How would you behave when you found out? Resolving this issue would add drama, depth to Zhang Tzui’s heroine!
Another brand that scratched the eye was the image of the heroine Cecilia Chung. A bright character, but still he lacked darkness, strength, surprise. Relations with Fan obscure most of the life of the heroine on the screen, although it would seem that such a powerful woman (at least was presented to the viewer as such), many other cases, no less interesting. Yes, and Ms. Moe’s intrigues – as a negative character! – seemed shallow, predictable. But even in this version, the heroine of Cecilia Chung remains remarkable.
The advantage of the picture is the work of people who created the atmosphere of Shanghai in the 30s and captured this beauty – scenery, appearance of heroes, music, exquisite shots (the whole film can be disassembled into shots, each of which is a masterpiece!), color combinations... It is thanks to the flawlessly submitted picture with oriental attributes (+ the game of actors) that the film managed to avoid the fate of the stamp.
The creators of the picture with the plot, with the story itself.
For starters, the film was not about the intrigues of a powerful woman, in which the main character is involved. “Dangerous Liaisons” is a film about love and all the consequences that could arise from its time and circumstances. In my opinion, the storyline of Baipei, her young fan and their relationship with the powerful of this world is devoid of expressiveness, depth (it does not want to reconsider!), with its disappearance, the film will only win. Or at least you won’t lose anything. The relationship of the main characters is the essence, the salt of the picture.
In addition, despite all the “freshness” of the film, in the first half it is clear what will happen in the second. To put it less sharply, much of the picture is predictable. And the reason is not that Dangerous Liaisons is another film adaptation: you can always change the story if you want to. The creators seem to have let this side of the picture take its course.
So we can summarize. Highly appreciated the film, first of all, viewers are hungry to beautiful shots. The work of the actors (Cecilia Chung, Chang Dong Gong, Zhang Ziyi) and the relationships of their characters will make the hearts of other viewers freeze. The rest will have to decide for themselves why to watch the movie, if at all. But you have to look at it first. .
Although you tear up my letters, I keep writing to you.
“Dangerous connections” Choderlo de Laclos aroused in the twentieth century a very serious interest among filmmakers. For their adaptation took Milos Forman, Stephen Frears, Roger Vadim and many others. The film “Dangerous Games” is also memorable, in which the action is transferred to our days, to college.
Acting works of Valmont performed by Colin Firth and John Malkovich have long been textbook. And, probably, film producers were cautious about the possibility of new adaptations.
But a new interpretation of de Laclos's novel was made in Asia. The big-budget project attracted three Asian film stars and an experienced director. The action of the tape was transferred to Shanghai, 30s of the twentieth century.
You understand that in this case I need a complete victory, and I do not want to owe anything to the occasion. Following this plan, and in order to persevere without too much trouble, I returned to the word “love” which I had been so stubbornly denied.
In such a paradigm, with any outcome, the film could not fail to attract attention. And, it is important that the creators of the tape could all the issues of “not falling” into the generally accepted emotional tact of the plot could be redirected to the peculiarities of the Asian mentality, as well as to completely different, troubled times.
Intuitively, there was not without the influence of the super-successful "Lust" Ang Lee. The influence of this tape is felt throughout the film. Even the final, typically Eastern metaphorical parable, which seems to me completely superfluous, seems to be nothing more than a reference to the famous conversation about the game of mahjong. If you don’t know what I mean, then it’s better not to waste time on this review and review “Living” – the film is worth it.
My dear friend, my beautiful eyes really turned to me, the heavenly lips even said, “Yes, yes, I....” But suddenly my eyes faded, my voice stopped, and this delightful woman fell into my arms.
The actors were a little surprised. If I immediately penetrated the play of Cecilia Chung and internally said “I believe”, then the other performers of the leading roles were a little surprised.
Jang Dong Gong is an incredibly young and bright actor. Perhaps one of the most promising at the moment. But, despite all his brightness and charisma, the role of the cynical Valmont is not for him. Perhaps it’s all about directing tasks, but the nuances that the actor showed at key moments did not impress me at all. It seemed to me that he was too monotonous - as if he was afraid of inadvertently losing a successfully selected image.
No less paradox is the game of Zhang Ziyi. Cynicism and duplicity are the nature of her character. But the actress offers us a very simple image - throughout the tape, it will be the same. No downturns or dynamics.
I can’t deny that I watched a great movie with great actors. The director did not hesitate to give them as much screen time as possible.
Maybe I misunderstood or underestimated something. Maybe it's not the case. Perhaps such superficiality is a special concept, the author's or performing vision of actors and directors.
I understand perfectly well that such a choice is not to your taste, that you prefer any kind of procrastination, and I am not without knowledge that you never liked to say yes or no.
I really liked how this picture was made. The operator seeks to highlight the most important thing - close-ups, emotions, feelings, mood swings. Here's Jang Dong-gun undressing Cecilia Chung; here's the experiencing Cecilia's cup, the symbol of the beginning of change; here's Jang Dong-gun pulling out Cecilia's dress. Each of these fragments looks like an element of a great film, a masterpiece. Beautiful, majestic, with a sweep, sometimes slow.
The film's cameraman Byung-soo Kim achieved a stunning effect - despite the excellent scenery, bright and spectacular, he still preferred close-ups. This made the film huge.
Paradoxically, technically, the film is very similar to Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Both films are technically shot at a very high level.
Hugh open when the heart is closed
In any case, we have a very, very interesting experiment that deserves attention and discussion. A film in which you can quite see a masterpiece - there are many very worthy fragments. Well, I misunderstood the acting - it is brilliant, or, conversely, mediocre. Probably both. I didn’t like the ending of the tape either. But this subjective opinion is the child of the moment.
The film, which stands out from other films of 2012, but alas, is not the defining and best.
7 out of 10
"Dangerous Liaisons" is a very beautiful and intriguing Asian movie
Dangerous connections.
The film is based on the novel by Choderlo de Laclo “Dangerous Liaisons dangereuses” (Les Liaisons dangereuses, 1782), but with the transfer of the action to Shanghai, the thirties of the last century.
If you compare with “Cruel Games” (also adapted from the novel by Choderlo de Laclo), then the modern and Western style attracts more. But the fresh Asian answer is more interesting, for one simple reason - it is Asian. But "Cruel Games" came to light more than 10 years ago. And the most famous adaptation of the novel, “Dangerous Liaisons” by Stephen Frears, starring John Malkovich, was released 20 years ago. So the Asian response did not have to wait long, also about 10 years.
That's really the answer. You could say a statement. The claim that the combined forces of Asian cinema can make films based on popular novels, no worse than Hollywood, may even be better.
Long ago, Chinese, Hong Kong films ceased to be only in the Wusya genre. “Dangerous connections”, a vivid, thorough confirmation.
There is no point in telling the story, it is well known to everyone. Although it wasn’t until the end that I realized that Cruel Games and Dangerous Liaisons were similar in plot. Plus or not, everyone decides for themselves.
In the film, immediately, from the first minutes, all attention is captured by the main character Fan (South Korean – Jang Dong-Gong). His charisma, face, manner of movements are all honed to idealism – a real donjouan. I wouldn’t say it’s beautiful, but that’s my opinion. Thanks to the gradual development of the plot and beautiful scenery, it is very interesting to observe the lives of wealthy Chinese. Behind their intrigues and games with other people's lives. The main female heroes with their beauty overshadow everyone and everything. They are all very beautiful and interesting. But there's a very big but. The entire cast is very, very much overplaying or not overplaying. What's this about? I think that they have little or no education. To Zhang Ziyi and Chang Dong Gong this does not apply. They're at the top. Loved by me Zhang Tzui here is very beautiful and cute.
The scenery and costumes here deserve special praise. Very interesting and beautiful. To some extent, it's even exotic. Traditional Chinese dress, which is unbuttoned by Fan with Fenyu (Zhang Ziyi), very beautiful and seems to show nothing - but erotic. I remember this dress very much.
At the end of the show, I had mixed feelings. There was no sense of seriousness. Well, you can't be so heartless about other people's feelings. You can't break someone else's life so easily. It is impossible not to see true love. It is impossible to exchange this love for a vicious passion. At the same time, delight in the beauty of all actors and scenery. The film also lacks depth. It’s a very interesting story.
In general, “Dangerous Liaisons” is a very beautiful and intriguing Asian cinema, for lovers of oriental beauty.
8 out of 10
