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Chinese Box
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Chinese Box (1997) More at IMDbPro »

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Chinese Box (1997) -- The story of Hong Kong, from New Year's Day to June 30th, 1997, when the British left their colony and turned it over to the People's Republic of China.

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   1,793 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Wayne Wang
Writers:
Jean-Claude Carrière (screenplay)
Jean-Claude Carrière (story)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Chinese Box on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 April 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Romance more
Plot:
The story of Hong Kong, from New Year's Day to June 30th, 1997, when the British left their colony and turned it over to the People's Republic of China. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 2 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Our Prayers Are Answered
 (From New York Post. 19 September 2008, 9:33 AM, PDT)

Wayne Wang Offers His New Film Online, for Free
 (From Cinematical. 26 August 2008, 2:03 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Mosaic mood piece more

Cast

  (in credits order)

Jeremy Irons ... John
Li Gong ... Vivian

Maggie Cheung ... Jean
Michael Hui ... Chang

Rubén Blades ... Jim

Jared Harris ... William
Chaplin Chang ... Homeless Man
Noel Rands ... John's Friend at New Year's Party
Emma Lucia ... Amanda Everheart
Ken Bennett ... Rick
Russell Cawthorne ... New Year's Party MC
Emotion Cheung ... William Wong
Harvey Stockwin ... Weeks
Jonathan Midgley ... Jonathan
Bruce Walker ... Bruce
Angelica Lofgren ... Baby-Lin
Dr. Julian Chang ... Dr. Chang
Rui Chao Jian ... Businessman #1
Sing Chau Wai ... Businessman #2
Lo Hung ... Businessman #3
Shirley Hung ... Girlfriend #1
Michelle Yeung ... Girlfriend #2
Alex Ng ... Drunk Karaoke Singer (as Alex Ng Hong Ling)
Wah Lee Chiu ... Minibus Passenger
Maria Cordero ... Mamasan
Fong Pao ... Godfather
Fan Hui ... Godfather's Wife
Man Cheung Lam ... Wedding Photographer
Siu-Kei Lee ... Gangster #1
Chi On Leung ... Gangster #2
Yuen Fat Tse ... Gangster #3
Roderick Lee ... Manhattan Club Bouncer
Hui Li ... Black Moon Hostess
Maria St. Lynne ... Black Moon Hostess

Josie Ho ... Lilly (as Josephine Ho)
Gloria Wu ... News Reporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

François Chau ... Mr. Wong

Winston Ellis ... Brian

Turbo Kong ... Ganster

Ralph Lister ... Principal
Tony Blair ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

James Huang ... Patron (uncredited)
Kim Penn ... (uncredited)
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Directed by
Wayne Wang 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Jean-Claude Carrière  screenplay
Jean-Claude Carrière  story
Larry Gross  writer
Paul Theroux  story
Wayne Wang  story

Produced by
Reinhard Brundig .... executive producer
Lydia Dean Pilcher .... producer
Francey Grace .... associate producer
Akinori Inaba .... executive producer
Jean Labadie .... executive producer
Heidi Levitt .... co-producer
Jessinta Liu .... co-producer
Andrew Loo .... line producer
Jean-Louis Piel .... producer
Wayne Wang .... producer
Michiyo Yoshizaki .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Graeme Revell 
 
Cinematography by
Vilko Filac 
 
Film Editing by
Christopher Tellefsen 
 
Production Design by
Chris Wong 
 
Costume Design by
Shirley Chan 
 
Makeup Department
Isabel Harkins .... makeup department head
 
Production Management
Kelley Cribben .... post-production supervisor
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jo Jo Hui .... assistant director
Chiu Wah Lee .... second assistant director
Gary Mak .... second assistant director
Henry Ng .... second assistant director
Tom Razzano .... first assistant director: USA
Mary Soan .... first assistant director
 
Sound Department
Michael Barry .... sound re-recording mixer
Stan Bochner .... supervising sound editor
Jason Canovas .... assistant sound editor
Tim J. Carroll .... consultant: Dolby Digital
Pam DeMetruis-Thomas .... dialogue editor (as Pam DeMetruis)
Gil Hova .... apprentice sound editor
Richard King .... sound effects editor (as Richard Q. King)
Drew Kunin .... sound
George A. Lara .... foley mixer
Kevin Lee .... foley editor
Lisa J. Levine .... supervising adr editor
Branka Mrkic .... dialogue editor
Barbara Parks .... assistant sound editor (as Barbara J. Parks)
Brian Williams .... sound designer
 
Visual Effects by
Kathy Kelehan .... animation producer: titles
Daniel Leung .... 3D animation supervisor
Daniel Leung .... CG supervisor
Matt McDonald .... 3D animator
Amit Sethi .... 3D animator
Tomoko Shin .... 3D animator
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Christopher Doyle .... camera operator: second unit
Christopher Doyle .... director of photography: second unit (as Chris Doyle)
Louis Jong .... key grip
Deborah Lipman .... second assistant camera: New York
 
Casting Department
David H. Kramer .... adr voice casting
Monika Mikkelsen .... casting associate
 
Editorial Department
Don Ciana .... color timer
Nick Dibeneditto .... negative matcher
Craig Marsden .... assistant film editor
Misako Shimizu .... first assistant editor
 
Music Department
Paul Haslinger .... music programmer
Susan Jacobs .... music supervisor
Simon James .... conductor
Graeme Revell .... score producer
Tim Simonec .... conductor
Tim Simonec .... orchestrator
Elizabeth Waldo .... consultant: Chinese choral
Dan Wallin .... score mixer
Dan Wallin .... score recordist
Brian Williams .... music designer
Joshua Winget .... music editor (as Josh Winget)
 
Other crew
Randall Balsmeyer .... title designer
Kelley Cribben .... production coordinator: New York
Jennifer Zolten Freed .... post-production accountant
Paul Haslinger .... additional arranger
Claudia Raschke .... operator
Thierry Valletoux .... reportage
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language and some sexual content.
Runtime:
99 min
Country:
France | Japan | USA
Language:
English | Cantonese
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Filming Locations:
Hong Kong, China
Company:
Canal+ more

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
John: Just a week ago all I wanted was to tell Vivian how much I loved her. But now I see that's the one thing I mustn't do. I can't offload my illness onto her, or Jim, or Mary and the kids. I don't want the look in their eyes to remind me I'm dying. I wonder if I can hold out longer than the British. Not that I could be described as an empire. more
Movie Connections:
Features A Foreign Affair (1948) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful:-
Mosaic mood piece, 4 February 1999
9/10
Author: Sean Gallagher (naes@cgocable.net) from Oakville, Ont. Canada

I don't know if Wayne Wang is into photography or painting as a hobby, but just like his last two films, SMOKE and BLUE IN THE FACE, this movie reminded me of a mosaic or a photo album. I can see how some people had problems with it, since it's not a plot-driven film, but rather one of mood and atmosphere. I was moved by the images I saw, not just of the city and the changes it went through, but also of the actors. Irons is so often celebrated for the way that he uses his voice (justly, I might add) that you forget how well he's able to act with his face, and he does a terrific job here, communicating his sadness, his will to live even as disease ravages him, his agony over his unrequited love for Gong Li, and his curiosity and attraction to Maggie Cheung.

I haven't seen much of Cheung that I remember, but I've seen a few of Li's films. Both of them are excellent, Li especially in a role that's a lot more complicated than it might first appear. You really do feel that deep down, if circumstances allowed, she'd love Irons back. Cheung's role is mostly a symbolic one, but she handles it well. Not an easy film to watch, but moving.

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films set against the '97 handover of HK damo_wceagles
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