The Banquet - Chinese (?) LE @ CD-WOW

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Oct 2006, 08:40

http://www.cd-wow.com/detail_results_2. ... de=1064093

Looks good but is an HK DVD (may be better quality?) forthcoming?

The Banquet is set in ancient China during the Period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 AD), when dynasties succeed each other rapidly in the north and a dozen independent states vie with one another in the south. Meanwhile, the neighboring Khitan Empire is on the prowl in Manchuria, ready to conquer China when the moment arises.

Against this background of internal turmoil and external threat lives a legendary queen. As beautiful as she is young, and as limber as she is smart, Empress Wan (Ziyi Zhang) can launch a thousand ships with her charm, and fight a hundred soldiers with her sword. But something is lacking in her life. Unfulfilled in her royal boudoir, she harbors forbidden desires for her stepson Prince Wu Luan (Daniel Wu), an introverted and melancholic young man four months her senior, who shies away from the palace to indulge in the ancient art of music and dance.

When the Emperor dies all of a sudden and his virile younger brother Li (Ge You) takes over the throne, Wan shocks everyone by agreeing to marry Li, convinced that this is the only way to protect Wu Luan while sealing her own position in the court. But Li is no fool, however infatuated he might be with his sister-in-law, he only pretends to buy into her scheme to consummate his lust. Oblivious to Wan, he has already dispatched his guards to kill his nephew.

Already devastated by his father’s death and stunned by his stepmother’s impending marriage to his uncle, Wu Luan is pushed to the end of his tether when he realizes his own life is being threatened. After warding off the assassination attempt in a ferocious fight scene, he returns to the palace to investigate his father's death.

Taking Shakespeare's Hamlet as its initial inspiration, The Banquet is a sumptuous period drama, brimming with passion, intrigue, bloodshed and beautifully choreographed martial arts.

Special Features:

* Limited edition includes calendar and photo album
* Making of documentary
* Interview
* Behind the scenes featurette (40 mins)
* Trailer
* TV Spot
* Poster & Promotion Materials
* Photo Gallery

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Oct 2006, 12:09

Its not Chinese - its the HK 2 disc SE apparently - £8.99 with vouchers.

brooce-leroy · Post by **brooce-leroy** » 27 Oct 2006, 12:34

Link doesn't work?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 27 Oct 2006, 12:46

Yes, it is the HK disc.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Oct 2006, 12:50

Works for me

Is this worth buying for £8.99 with the LE stuff?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 27 Oct 2006, 13:01

No idea. Haven't watched the movie, but the usual 2-discer is enough for me.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Oct 2006, 13:07

How much is that?

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 27 Oct 2006, 13:13

You lazy ass, I have no idea.

It's US$14.99 [~€11.88] at YesAsia.

LE is US$25.49 [~€20.20] over there.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 27 Oct 2006, 13:16

Sorry LD

In that case £8.99 sounds like a billy bargain for the LE @ CD WOW

I can't find it at CD-WOW.com though, only CD-WOW US, it is $17.95 with the $2 off link.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 27 Oct 2006, 19:36

It's on CD-WOW.com and link updated.

I'm about to e-mail CD WOW to ask if they can get the Standard 2 Discer in. As the LE is £10.99, the Standard is about to be at least £8.99 before vouchers.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Oct 2006, 00:28

CD WOW have come back to me saying they're not able to get the standard version (just LE) from their suppliers.

£8.99 it is a steal. Ordered!

p.s - Thanks Grim

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 29 Oct 2006, 00:29

LOL, just ordered as well, as it is cheaper than anywhere else.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Oct 2006, 00:47

I'm a sucker for Wuxia films and especially with Zhang Ziyi as one of the leads, she sure loves doing them.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 29 Oct 2006, 01:14

"The Banquet" is hardly wuxia.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 29 Oct 2006, 07:53

What is it then?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Oct 2006, 13:36

thelostdragon wrote:"The Banquet" is hardly wuxia.

Well you know more about these things but:

Asian Epic with a sprinkling or sometimes lots of Martial Arts set in a period of well over 100 hundred years ago is a bit of a mouthful.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 29 Oct 2006, 13:54

There is not a lot of martial arts in "The Banquet". In fact, it is supposed to have only one action scene.

set in a period of well over 100 hundred years ago

Almost, yeah, lol!

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 29 Oct 2006, 13:55

grim_tales wrote:What is it then?

A period drama.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 29 Oct 2006, 13:59

OK, I'm still looking forward to it though.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 29 Oct 2006, 14:04

Me too.

I find it funny that you both oredered a film of which you don't know what it is about and only got it due to the fact that it is a cheap LE.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 29 Oct 2006, 14:06

I had heard about it before ordering it, I'd seen the trailer.