Dung che sai duk (1994)

Director:

Kar Wai Wong

Writers:

Louis Cha (novel)
Kar Wai Wong (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 November 1995 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

A broken-hearted hit man moves to the desert where he finds skilled swordsmen to carry out his contract killings.

Plot Keywords:

Swordsman | China | One Man Army | Donkey | Wuxia

Awards:

10 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Brigitte Lin	...	Mu-rong Yin / Mu-rong Yang
Leslie Cheung	...	Ou-yang Feng
Maggie Cheung	...	The Woman
Tony Leung Chiu Wai	...	Blind Swordsman
Jacky Cheung	...	Hung Chi
Tony Leung Ka Fai	...	Huang Yao-shi
Li Bai	...	Hung Chi's Wife
Carina Lau	...	Peach Blossom
Charlie Yeung	...	Young Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joey Wang	...	(scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Ashes of Time (Hong Kong: English title)
Ashes of Time Redux (International: English title) (recut version)
Dong xie xi du (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
Dong xie xi du zhongji ban (China: Mandarin title) (recut version)
Dung che sai duk redux (Hong Kong: Cantonese title) (recut version)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence.

Runtime:

100 min | 93 min (Redux version)

Country:

Hong Kong | China | Taiwan

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Redux version) | Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (Redux version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (Redux version) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) (Redux version) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Hong Kong:II | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) (Redux version) | Hong Kong:IIB (Redux version) | Finland:K-15 | Australia:M | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

China

Company:

Beijing Film Studio

Trivia:

This film had an exhausting effect on Kar Wai Wong. While on hiatus during the editing process he wrote and shot Chung Hing sam lam (1994) (Chungking Express) to "clear his head".

Quotes:

Ou-yang Feng: [to a potential customer] For all these years, there must be some people who you don't want to mention or you don't want to meet again. Because they did something really awful to you. Maybe you want to kill them. But you dare not. In fact, it's really easy to kill a person. Not difficult at all. I have a friend who is great at solving problems. But he has been a little short lately. If you can give him some money, he must be able to solve your problems. Indeed you can think my proposal over. But be quick!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Tian xia wu shuang (2002)

Memories mightier than the Sword

(May contain spoilers) This film is definitely no typical martial arts film. Dealing more with a warrior's psyche rather than physical prowess (although there are plenty of interesting action scenes for those interested). The beautiful desert scenery made me think of an hour glass where the sand is time. The characters in the film all symbolically slip through Leslie Cheung's fingers like sand because they all fail to connect with one another and isolation and loneliness prevail.The film shows how memories can be used as weapons, to manipulate, empower or weaken. Great camera work and performances, (Tony Leung Chiu Wai at his most tortured as a blind swordsman, Brigitte Lin gives a powerful voice to all our inner duels with our Yin and Yangs) Wong KAr Wai-as always, has produced a real work of art. The themes of memory and loss can also been seen in (the amazing) Chungking Express, which KAr Wai shot and completed while editing Ashes of Time.The many story lines may be hard to follow, however Ashes of Time is still definitely well worth the watch.