Initial D: The Movie

[F360°]

I heard on the News that there was a leak in a up comming HK movie that deals with Racing. Supposely some of those bootleg dealers got their hands on a copy of the movie before release. Were they talking about this movie??

[areaseven]

Just read a lot of reviews on this film, and majority of people who watched it didn't like it. Is it really that bad?

[Vince]

hopefully its better in Chinese?

[Kamion]

Do a search on BiteNova.org for Initial D and you'll find the torrent.

I've watched this. It's watchable, but I wouldn't say too much about the acting.

[Hikuro]

I've got the torrent saved but I'm in no rush to see it seeing that I've got a 4.5 gig movie I'm doing right now.

[jwinges]

I THought it was pretty good for a hk movie. THey took some license with the plot piecing together races and elements from the first 2 seasons but it wasn't as bad as I though it would be. Funny, my wife hates the anime (but likes most anime) and like the movie while she hates most hk movies.

[yellowlightman]

Thank goodness, The Fast & The Furious 3 is taking place in Tokyo so we can have a proper drifting movie.

[Hikuro]

Dammit the Initial D movie I got is subbed in Spanish or something! And I don't know SQUAT of what's going on twice over being the movie is from Hong Kong.....if it were done in Japanese actors I MIGHT have understood it more.

[Commander McBride]

Dammit the Initial D movie I got is subbed in Spanish or something! And I don't know SQUAT of what's going on twice over being the movie is from Hong Kong.....if it were done in Japanese actors I MIGHT have understood it more.

320018[/snapback]

I think I've got the same version, subbed in Mandarin and what I'm pretty sure is Tagalog. (It's the only asian language I can think of that uses a Western-style alphabet, save Vietnamese, which has a bazillion accent marks, none of which this sub had.

[Hikuro]

If I can't read it, or understand the language, thumbs down on the WHOLE movie.

[Hikuro]

I tried again, downloaded another torrent, the oneI got, nice screen resolution, but no subs what so ever......ugh.

[yellowlightman]

How much of a story is there to understand in Initial D anyways?

Everyone: Wow, Takumi you're so good at racing! You've beaten everybody!

Takumi: Gee, I dunno..

Bunta: You suck and I hate you for the death of my wife.

-ENTER NEW RACER-

Everyone: Wow, he's so good! Can you beat Takumi!?

Takumi: Gee, I guess I'll try...

Bunta: You're going to have to learn something new to beat him, but I can't tell you what it is.

-RACE STARTS-

Everyone: Wow, Takumi sure is losing!

-HALF-WAY THROUGH THE RACE-

Takumi: Gee, I magically learned what I need to beat this new racer through nothing but observation and speculation...

Everyone: Wow, Takumi won the race!

-RACE ENDS. TAKUMI WINS. THE END-

[F360°]

I tried again, downloaded another torrent, the oneI got, nice screen resolution, but no subs what so ever......ugh.

320451[/snapback]

was there 2 files one AVI file and the other SRT? if so then you'll just need to install a sub viewing program to see it. Go and download VOBSUB here after that you should beable to view the subs.

http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_so...ools/vobsub.cfm

[areaseven]

I just picked up the Tai Seng R1 DVD from Chinatown today. Here are some observations from what the movie (WARNING: Spoilers ahead):

- Instead of Eurobeat, the movie uses cheap rap/hip-hop music that's just as inane as Tokyopop's version of the anime.

- For no good reason, Keisuke and Iketani are not in the movie. Without Keisuke, there is no FD3S; however, instead of the AE85 Levin, Itsuki drives Iketani's S13 Silvia. Of course, he trashes it in the beginning.

- Itsuki's character was reworked to become Yuuichi's son.

- We're not supposed to know who Natsuki's "papa" is until later on. Him giving her an envelope of cash in the beginning of the movie already gives his identity away.

- Since when were Ryousuke and Nakazato friends?

- Why is Nakazato drifting? The whole point of him driving an R32 is to get away from drifting by using grip techniques.

- For some odd reason, the license plates have been slightly blurred out.

- Since Keisuke's been written out, part of his character has been incorporated into Nakazato. Still doesn't feel right.

- WTF? So that's why we see Akina decals on the white AE86. That particular one belongs to Itsuki after trading in the S13.

- Gee, I wonder how much Pepsi paid to advertise on this movie?

Overall, despite its faults, the live-action Initial D is still pretty entertaining. Most of the CG effects look cheesy (especially Kyouichi's crash), but the car chase scenes are more realistic than 2 Fast 2 Furious (but then again, that's not saying much). Fans of the manga and anime, as well as Asian Film collectors, should check it out at least once. Of course, there may be a chance of a sequel coming soon...

EDIT: Well, what do you know? This Tai Seng DVD is Region 1.

Edited September 4, 2005 by areaseven

[j_wong00]

I just recently viewed the movie, and overall I thought it was entertaining.

Not great, but still fun to watch.

The parts I thought they did well in compressing was the Takumi/Natsuki relationship.

I felt the actor who played Itsuki did a great job, and that he pretty much stole the show in pretty much every scene he was in.

Oh, A7, about Ryosuke and Nakazato, even in the manga, they never actually said they were enemies or friends. I guess they kinda made them on better terms since it seems they took the Keisuke character, and incorporated his personality into both of them.

[areaseven]

Oh, A7, about Ryosuke and Nakazato, even in the manga, they never actually said they were enemies or friends.  I guess they kinda made them on better terms since it seems they took the Keisuke character, and incorporated his personality into both of them.

325778[/snapback]

I watched the movie again, and apparently, the Nakazato character we know in the manga and anime practically does not exist in the movie. The likeness is there along with the R32, but personality-wise, the character we see in the movie is basically Keisuke - just rewritten as Nakazato.

[areaseven]

Here's an interesting read: former Bandai Entertainment intern Jerry Chu is selling his 1986 Toyota Corolla Hatchback for $6500. It's been modified to look like Takumi's AE86 and is set up for track drifting.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/car/105045623.html

[trueblueeyes]

Thank goodness, The Fast & The Furious 3 is taking place in Tokyo so we can have a proper drifting movie.

318949[/snapback]

Really? I never read this thread before, so I didn't notice this. Sounds like the movie has a chance of being good. Any updates?

[yellowlightman]

Thank goodness, The Fast & The Furious 3 is taking place in Tokyo so we can have a proper drifting movie.

318949[/snapback]

Really? I never read this thread before, so I didn't notice this. Sounds like the movie has a chance of being good. Any updates?

339102[/snapback]

That was a very sarcastic post on my part. A few months ago someone posted info on the casting call for the movie, and from the script selections that were posted the story seemed to be about an American street racer who ended up in Tokyo.

I loved the first Fast & The Furious, it was amazingly quotable and if you don't take it too seriously it's a lot of fun to watch. 2F2F wasn't nearly as well written and tried too hard to be serious, so it came out boring.

[peter]

I just bought the DVD for $6 CAD. I have to say it was not a complete waste of money. I just read the manga for the first time a couple of weeks ago (haven't seen the anime yet) and it's not bad. I had no idea what Initial D was about until just a few weeks ago. I thought it was going to be some crappy, ridiculous story like Fast and Furious but boy was I wrong.

I kind of like Initial D....so far. I've only read the first few manga and watched this new live action movie. Interesting story. To me, that's what racing was all about. Just a couple of friends getting together and getting a little stupid behind the steering wheel. We were fast, but who the hell was furious??? I don't know about you guys, but I've never seen a gun at a street race. Fast and Furious...WTF? Is that how it is in the states? If it is, that's truly scary.

Edited October 24, 2005 by peter

[yellowlightman]

We were fast, but who the hell was furious???  I don't know about you guys, but I've never seen a gun at a street race.  Fast and Furious...WTF?  Is that how it is in the states?  If it is, that's truly scary.

339205[/snapback]

At the risk of getting totally off-topic for the thread, most people missed the point of TF&TF. It wasn't a street racing movie, it was an action movie set with a street racing backdrop. A very silly action movie with a street racing backdrop. If it was an authentic street racing movie it'd be a movie about a bunch of kids in ghetto beater Honda's racing in business parks and getting arrested and hastled all the time by the cops. As it is, it's an enjoyable movie suitable for watching with some friends with cold beer (which has to be Corona).

Edited October 24, 2005 by yellowlightman

[trueblueeyes]

We were fast, but who the hell was furious???  I don't know about you guys, but I've never seen a gun at a street race.  Fast and Furious...WTF?  Is that how it is in the states?  If it is, that's truly scary.

339205[/snapback]

At the risk of getting totally off-topic for the thread, most people missed the point of TF&TF. It wasn't a street racing movie, it was an action movie set with a street racing backdrop. A very silly action movie with a street racing backdrop. If it was an authentic street racing movie it'd be a movie about a bunch of kids in ghetto beater Honda's racing in business parks and getting arrested and hastled all the time by the cops. As it is, it's an enjoyable movie suitable for watching with some friends with cold beer (which has to be Corona).

339209[/snapback]

Yeah, the first one was definetly filmed with tongue-in-cheek dialogue. It is as much unabashed comedy as action, and that is what made it fun to watch. The second one tried to focus much more on racing and failed miserably.

[Hikuro]

It got liscened I guess a while back and its out on DVD, Hollywood video has it, and it was in English too...wasn't bad.

I was pretty pissed at the movie though, specifically the characters. Itsuki is a loud mouth, spoiled, selfish lil bastard who imediatly thinks he's the god of akina. But once he drives with Takumi all he can do for an entire day is puke his guts out...same thing with his father when Bunta drives.

And another thing, Bunta, they turned his character into a child beating alcholic.......WOW.....that was low.

[Rocket Punch]

Still haven't watched it. I'll just wait until a friend picks it up and save myself a few bucks.

Anyways here's an interview of Andrew Lau and Alan Mak by GR. Enjoy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the '80s, John Woo created a gangster movie craze in Hong Kong with the super-stylized and ultra-bloody A Better Tomorrow melodramas. In the '90s, it was all about Andrew Lau's Young and Dangerous. The up-and-coming director replaced the slick-haired businessmen with youths sporting leather, tattoos, and asymmetrical haircuts. The first installment established Lau as a force to be reckoned with and spawned a number of sequels, spin-offs, and rip-offs. Box-office success allowed him to produce and direct the CG-heavy martial arts fantasy The Storm Riders.

Lau formed an alliance with fellow Hong Kong director Alan Mak, and together they directed the Infernal Affairs trilogy, which elicited critical acclaim and commercial success. The big-budget, high-tension movies starring Andy Lau and Tony Leung earned accolades around the world, and a remake by Martin Scorcese is in the works.

Lau and Mak's latest hit is an adaptation of the popular manga and anime series Inital D. GR presented the film at the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles, and Mak was on hand to introduce the film. We hung out during the screening, and Lau sat in for a drink and couldn't help but enter the fray.

GR: Why did you agree to direct Intial D?

AM: Initial Dis very popular in Asia: Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand...

GR: But do you like it?

AM: I like it. The first time I saw the cartoon was 10 years ago, but I didn't think I could make it as a movie. Drifting is very difficult to capture on film.

GR: What made you change your mind?

AL: Money!

AM: For the past 10 years, I thought an Initial D movie was impossible. But the budget was the first thing that changed our minds. After the investors gave us a bunch of money, saftey was the next most important thing - not only for the actors but for the stuntmen and crew as well.

GR: How did you prepare for the move?

AL: It was very different than Hong Kong style. In Hong Kong, you prepare for a month. For this one, we prepared for three months.

GR: I liked how the story remained in Japan, but everyone spoke Cantonese. Was that controversial? Were there a lot of Initial D otaku on your back when you were making the film?

AL: There are Japanese people who think it's the national treasure. It has fans around the world. But even the original writer didn't complain that we only kept certain elements. Before shooting, we wanted to visit him, but he couldn't see us. We didn't see him once!

GR: How did the established actors like Anthony Wong or Kenny Bee mix with the younger actors?

AL: Anthony is a true actor. The others, they only have three or four years of acting experience. For this movie, it was easy for them to act in a story about young people. It's a simple story with simple characters.

GR: How was Jay Chou in his first acting role?

AL: He was good. The first time I saw him in Taiwan, we met for about an hour. Jay didn't talk, and I was worried about that. Then he came to Hong Kong, and we decided that he was just like the character. After the meeting, I decided he was the one.

GR: Didn't you wonder, "Is he just shy or stupid?"

AL: It was very simple: He is the best singer in Asia. Also, at the meeting, he knew everything about the character. He prepared.

GR: Everyone says how epic Infernal Affairs was, but Initial D is epic, too, with all those driving effects.

AL: You can say that Initial D is epic, but in my mind, it's just commercial. It's box office. And even though I didn't use a big star like Andy Lau, it's like a Hong Kong movie from a long time ago. It has a very simple structure: romance, a guy who's a genius but doesn't know it, the father's and son's love, and a chase. And the racing is like fighting.

GR: Are there ever conflicts between what you think is commercial and what is good?

AL: There is no conflict. For example, we are aware that trendy movies will need trendy music. Originally, we had instrumental Eurobeat music like the original cartoons, but we thought it was too old fashioned. It's a young people's movie. We wanted something new, like rap. So we asked Jay Chou to put tracks together, and the music was good. It worked. We both believe that there are more people who are going to see a movie than me, you, and your wife.

GR: Intial D was based on a comic, and so was the Young and Dangerous series. Are you a comic book reader?

AL: So was Feel 100 Percent! When I was young, I hand no TV - only comics. I still go to the comics shop and ask which one is the most popular.

GR: As a comics fan, do you draw your own storyboards?

AL: I ask someone to do it. We made a 3-D mountain road on a computer so I could see every angle.

GR: With all the computer work and shooting in Japan, the production of Initial D must have been pretty difficult.

AL: It was the most difficult movie of my life. It was not easy. Japanese people are very nice but very stubborn. People say Japan is so clean, so modern, and that sor of stuff, but when you go work there, it's like 15 years ago.

AM: In Japan, people are very polite, but making a movie is very impolite.

[Rocket Punch]

GR: When you shoot, do you work crazy hours and eat crummy food?

AL: No, no, no. Why? In Hong Kong, so many direstors don't like people eathing. I make sure we have lunch and dinner on time. It's the same food for everybody. So everybody's fat. Alan used to be a good-looking guy. Sorry!

GR: Can you describe the division of labor when you two co-direct a move?

AM: We don't choose. He's the big boss.

AL: He does so many things for me that I don't want to do. Like preparation, he's go-go-go.

GR: How did you two start working together?

AM: In 1992, I was the assistant director and he was the photographer of The Wicked City, a science fiction movie produced by Tsui Hark.

GR: Is it more fun working in a team than alone?

AM: Not more fun, but directing movies can be quite lonely. You have to decide everything. If you have a partner, you have someone to discuss things with.

GR: Alan, didn't you act in a few movie, too? Did you want to act?

AM: Yes, but after becoming an A.D., I didn't want to anymore. I like being behind the camera and organizing things.

GR: You didn't want to be famous and have girls throw themselves at you?

AM: That's so easy in the industry.

AL: There are so many chicks who will say, "Oh, you're a cameraman," or "Oh, you're a director." We just say, "F*ck off."

GR: Can you describe your relationship with actors?

AL: Our relationship must be good. If we don't like the actors, why make the movie?

AM: It will become a disaster.

GR: There must be so many egos.

AL: That's why I always like eathing. It can solve so many problems.

GR: Are there actors who tell you, "This is my vision"?

AL: I say, "F*ck you!" That's it for Anthony Wong, Andy Lau, nd everybody. They know I'm good and we respect each other, so we don't play games.

AM: He has a basic instinct to direct.

GR: Do you ever hurt actors' feelings?

AL: Sometimes, but we don't make actors' movies. They're Andrew Lau and Alan Mak movies. It's simple. I'm the producer and I'm the director, so they listen to us, right? "I give you money, okay, so why do you say anything?"

GR: Actors are just tools?

AL: Actors are just toys. You put them here, you put them there.

GR: If you really like yourself, you become an actor. If you really like movies, you become a director.

AL: That's very true. And some popel who like control become directors. Like me - I like control. I like power. I started as an assistant camerman, and I knew one day I would be a director.

GR: Did you go to filmmaking school?

AL: No, just high school. I had to learn from cameramen, directors, and others.

AM: I graduated from a performing arts school, where I acted.

GR: So you're good at relating to actors?

AM: Yes, the motivation and all that.

GR: Do you ever think, "I can act better than that guy"?

AM: No, no, no!

GR: Alan, what is it like working with Andrew compared to other directors?

AM: No comparison.

AL: I'm some kind of animal.

GR: Do you have time to do anything besides produce and direct?

AL: There's no time for my wife or my children. Directing is my life, and this is my golden period. I finish one movie and start another one. I always have five projects going on. I'm like an alcoholic.

GR: Whate are you working on now?

AL: It's called The Flock, and it stars Richard Gere and Claire Danes. This movie is very dark. In America, there are so many sex offenders, and people must be aware of the situation.

GR: Does that affect your mood at all?

AL: A movie is a movie, but sometimes it gets in your mind.

GR: Do you still enjoy watching movies?

AL: Of course! today, I saw Richard's first movie, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and Romeo + Juliet. I loved them! Also, old Clint Eastwood movies.

GR: Do you two get invited to many film festivals?

AL: Honestly, I don't like them. They're a waste of time. Festivals make me sick because you spend five minutes here and five minutes there. It's awful. But Cannes is good for me because I can see movies and eat.

AM: I like to go to Cannes because therey's some good food. Los Angeles and San Francisco ahve some good food, too.

GR: There are a lot of pan-Asian movies now. Are you interested in collaborations with Thais, Koreans, and others?

AL: In the old days, it was just Hollywood and Hong Kong, but those good old days are dead. because of the market in Asia, you have to do that. The market is so big with Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Korea. The language is different, but in the end, it's just movies. I go see them because they're movies. They are a special language that goes everywhere.

GR: Are you concerned at all about the Infernal Affairs remake in Hollywood?

AL: I'm not worried about it. Martin Scorcese makes good movies, and the actors are good.

GR: What if they f*ck up the story or something?

AL: Everybody has different tastes. Hong Kong people don't like certain things that American people may love. Whatever makes them happy.

GR: For the Infernal Affairs trilogy, was it hard to stay focused for all three films?

AM: No, it only took 18 months for all three.

GR: What do you think about the DVD with all three Infernal Affairs movies edited chronologically?

AM: You got that? Is it better?

AL: It's not our work. It's just the distributors trying to get a lot more money. we even got a lawyer to try to stop them, so it's not our fault. Someone else did it. Please don't watch it.

Edited April 5, 2006 by Rocket Punch

[Rocket Punch]

GR: In Hong Kong, you always see the same 12 or so actors over and over. Is that good or bad?

AL: There are not 12, there are 40-something! Sometimes I like it. In Hong Kong, if I have a good script, I just call someone and ask. Here, when we're casting every day, it makes me sick.

GR: What about directing? How does your style fly in the U.S.?

AL: My system is very simple. My system is, they have to listen to me. There's so much talking. I'll say, "Shut up, everybody. Don't talk, just do it." Today, we did 20 shoots in half an hour, and the camera crew was shocked. They were so happy. Usuall it's one shot in two hours, and people get sick of it.

GR: Do they actors all know about your work?

AL: They know about me. Richard Gere...

GR: He likes Asian stuff. He hangs out with the Dalai Lama!

AL: Yes! Yes!

GR: Have you gotten a lot of interest from American film companies?

AL: American scripts are always action. I say, "F*ck that." But this time they gave me a drama.

GR: So you weren't going to direct Jean-Claude Van Damme?

AL: John Woo, Tsui Hark, and Ringo Lam - f*ck, I don't want that!

GR: Do you ever worry about burning out or getting sick of filmmaking?

AM: We're not worried about that. When we get sick of it, we'll retire. We'll walk away.

GR: Some directors start to suck but still make movies.

AL: I'm not that kind. If we're happy with a project, we do it. If we're not happy, we walk away.

GR: Do your movies have messages for the audience?

AL: Every movie does. We're always aware of that.

GR: What did Initial D say?

AL: It's about growing up.

AM: There's a very good line, "How fast is one second?" For different people, time is different. For care racers, one second is a very long time.

GR: How about the Young and Dangerous gangster movies?

AL: The message is simple: Bad people always die.

GR: But good people die in those movies, too.

AL: Sometimes, yes. But the bad guys always die.

[Rocket Punch]

Oh yeah.

Anne Suzuki = HAWT