Shortchange Hero

Published 2011-07-03

I wouldn't say user Centperk 'inspired' this video, considering I made it before I saw his Scorsese montage, but I had shelved this after a minor glitch in the editing that I didn't feel like fixing at the time. But a spark did come after I saw his video, so I decided what the hell. In a way you could say he inspired it's posting.

Maybe he saw the song in the new Arkham City trailer like I did. ;)

In truth I also wasn't sure if it was worth showing, it's a little slow for a video to an action movie. But I thought the song fit perfectly, and in a way it follows my thesis for this film. Not that it's making some boring totalitarian political message, as some have claimed, but that it's just about how conflict contradicts unity, and how not fighting can be more honorable than fighting when it comes to a cause.

This video is non profit, designed to help showcase my editing skills, I argue that the crafted material is sufficiently different enough from it's sources to constitute fair use, in additon to this claim, I make no claim that the footage or music is copyrighted to me in any form.

The music s by indie rock band 'The Heavy' I would assume the rights belong to them and/or their label 'Ninja Tune'

The film was directed by Zhang Yimou, it stars Jet Li, Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi as well as Donnie Yen, and Maggie Cheung.

Some studio information:

Sil-Metropole Organisation
China Film Co-Production Corporation
Elite Group Enterprises Inc.
Zhang Yimou Studio
Beijing New Picture Film Co., Ltd.

Distributed by:

Beijing New Picture Film Co. China
EDKO Film

and Miramax in the States

While there are many a geat number of things which can and should be regarded when discussing this film, it should be noted in particular the incredible soundtrack by Tan Dun (not present here) and the release of the film in America thanks almost exclusively to film director Quentin Tarantino. (As Miramax elledgedly bought the film with no intention of distributing it.)

I don't see a lot of youtube movie fans giving a lot of respect to Asian cinema, broaden your horizons, their work - especially contemporary Koreanm and Classic Japanese, are milestones of film making. (This film is Chinese, btw)

On a final note, I could probably take my own advice, and move on to a few other countries (I've seen some French some Italian) but I can honestly say that I have yet to see an Asian film heralded as a classic that has completely dissapointed me. So I've been playing the odds. Long story short; cinema is cinema, and great is great. Movies are worth watching anywhere, and believe me, these film makers can get away with some interesting shit in some of these countries.