March 27, 2006

Website and Trailer for Pang Ho Cheung's Isabella

(Posted In Asia Drama Film News Trailer Alert )

isabella.jpgPang Ho Cheung is one of those acclaimed directors who, for some reason, I've never quite paid any mind to. Based on the trailer to his latest I've been missing out in a big, big way and I'm feeling the need to track down a copy of his earlier film AV ...

Isabella is a family drama with a crime twist starring Chapman To as a disgraced cop and Isabella Leong - a canto pop star making the transition to acting who I think we're going to hear a lot more from - as the daughter he never knew he had. That is, until he propositioned her. The IMDB says Christopher Doyle had a hand in shooting this - Charlie Lam is the other cinematographer - and you can definitely feel his touch.

Isabella Website (trailer embedded within)

Thanks to Tommie for the pointer and read on for the synopsis.

On the eve of the transfer of power over Macao to the People’s Republic of China, a police officer named Shing finds himself in the throes of a dreadful crisis – both in his career and in his private life. Already thrown off course for having been suspended on a corruption charge, shortly afterwards, he has an encounter that completely changes his life.

Hoping to compensate for his failed career, Shing seeks comfort in the arms of a young girl. He has no more than a one-night stand in mind when he ap­proaches this young woman. But when he gently tries to persuade her to go to bed with him, he is more than surprised at her rebuff. For this elf-like creature named Yan confronts him with the most astonishing news conceivable: she is none other than the daughter Shing never knew he had.

While Shing tries to cling on to his bachelor habits, Yan begins turning his daily routine upside down by insisting that she move into his apartment. From this moment on, the two are seen wandering about the streets of Macao together: Yan in search of her little runaway dog, and Shing trying to become acquainted with his daughter. Yan certainly keeps her new-found father on his toes. If she isn’t bickering with her girlfriend Kate, she’s trying to fend off the attentions of her fellow-pupil and fairly scatterbrained admirer. And these are just two of the situations which call for her father’s intervention. Shing soon begins to ask himself whether he really feels up to any of this…

» Posted by Todd at March 27, 2006 09:38 PM
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Reader Comments

I wouldn't call AV one of his "earlier" movies. It was his last film before this one. Get You Shoot I Shoot, Men Suddenly in Black, and Beyond Our Ken for proof that he's HK's best kept secret.

» Posted by crazybee at March 27, 2006 10:08 PM

that theme song is to die for, does anyone have a copy or a source?

» Posted by daniel at March 27, 2006 11:01 PM

The above image looks like it could be right out of Fruit Chan's "DUMPLINGS" ... or the wkw short from Eros...

Yep, looks like Doyle all right.

» Posted by Kurt at March 27, 2006 11:06 PM

The song on the website is called O Gente Da Minha Terra by a singer named Mariza. Pang Ho Cheung often uses music that is decidedly un-Asian, with Beyond Our Ken prominently featuring Italian singer Gianna Nannini's Amondoti.

Great stuff all around.

» Posted by crazybee at March 28, 2006 12:59 AM

(Edmond) Pang Ho-Cheung is one of the best and most interesting filmmakers working anywhere in the world right now. All his films so far are keepers, no question. Also, he insists on subtitling his commentary tracks in English on DVD - all those DVDs (except maybe YOU SHOOT I SHOOT - I still have the old Golden Harvest VCD of that one) have English subs for the commentaries. What's more, AV has the commentary on the second disc, with video of Pang and his leads watching the whole movie and doing the commentary - very entertaining, especially if you're planning on slipping a pretty dirty movie through the HK ratings board and getting a Category IIB rating on it. Whatever he's got up his sleeves for his new one, I can't wait to see it.

» Posted by Rhythm-X at March 28, 2006 01:11 AM

The DVD for You Shoot I Shoot does have english subtitles for the commentary track.
Very funny film, that one.

» Posted by gwyddon at March 28, 2006 08:09 AM

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