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Initial D Burns Box-Office Records Across Asia

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Kumiko Nikaido

Vindication...sweet.
From Kung Fu Cinema:

Initial D Burns Box-Office Records Across Asia

28 Jun 2005 [ HK Cinema News |]
Source: screendaily (Liz Shackleton)

Media Asia’s Initial D zoomed to the top of the box office chart in five Asian territories on its opening weekend (June 23rd - 26th). The $12 million car racing drama has also smashed records in all five territories. It scored the biggest opening of all films so far this year in Hong Kong, China and Malaysia and the biggest opening of all Chinese films in Singapore and Taiwan.

Directed by Infernal Affairs duo Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, the manga adaptation is the first major local release of the summer and features a strong cast of Asian idols, including the big screen debut of Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou.

On home turf, the film grossed $1.9 million ($15 million H.K.) over four days from 99 screens. In comparison, the highest-grossing U.S. film in Hong Kong so far this summer, Mr. And Mrs. Smith, grossed $1.6 million in its first week. In China the film opened on 450 screens and took $2.9 million (24 million RMB) in the first four days. It added a further $0.72 million ($1.2 million S) from 38 screens in Singapore and in Malaysia grossed $0.37 million (1.4 million MYR) from 25 screens.

The film also performed well in Taiwan where it took $0.8 million ($25 million NT) nationwide from 66 screens. Chinese-language product has a tiny market share in Taiwan although it was once an important market for Hong Kong films. Stephen Chow’s Kung-fu Hustle bucked the trend last December with a record-breaking opening of $1.9 million in Taipei alone.

Initial D’s strong results will bring cheer to the Hong Kong film industry which saw output and box office slump even further in the first quarter of the year. It also confirms the box office might of Lau and Mak who were responsible for the Infernal Affairs trilogy, one of Hong Kong’s most successful franchises.
 
So did they use the Japanese names & locales from the manga?

It's so weird that none of the japanese film studios picked this movie up.
 
So did they use the Japanese names & locales from the manga?

It's so weird that none of the japanese film studios picked this movie up.
 

ElyrionX

Member
I've caught it. Never really did read the manga or caught the anime though.

It's a pretty decent flick apart from some truly cringe-worthy scenes between the main character and his chick. Great racing scenes.
 

Finaika

Member
gettergooey said:
So did they use the Japanese names & locales from the manga?

It's so weird that none of the japanese film studios picked this movie up.
That's why, I think Takuya Kimura & Takeshi Kaneshiro would be perfect for Takumi & Bunta respectively.
 

-=DoAvl=-

Member
I watched it sunday night (opened in melbourne as well). Man, the line was long...

Anyway, outside the cinema, the teenyboppers all parked their AE86's along bourke st... I was going to run along and scratch them all with my car keys. Oh well, maybe another day.

The movie was surprisingly watchable, jay chou still seems like a saulk tho. And they need more jap chicks in this movie, preferably the AV ones.

The race scenes were alright, I never really watched the anime so I don't really know if it was faithful or not.

Hmm... what else?... that's bout it.

OH! I think the best bits were with chapman to, that guy is fucking funny!
 

Troidal

Member
20050629-00000007-scn-int-view-000.jpg


Suzuki Anne is in this movie?
She's cute and all, but the movie needs a Japanese chick who is teh hotness like...Morishita Chisato :-D
 

LusDekkar

Member
-=DoAvl=- said:
I watched it sunday night (opened in melbourne as well). Man, the line was long...

Anyway, outside the cinema, the teenyboppers all parked their AE86's along bourke st... I was going to run along and scratch them all with my car keys. Oh well, maybe another day.

The movie was surprisingly watchable, jay chou still seems like a saulk tho. And they need more jap chicks in this movie, preferably the AV ones.

The race scenes were alright, I never really watched the anime so I don't really know if it was faithful or not.

Hmm... what else?... that's bout it.

OH! I think the best bits were with chapman to, that guy is fucking funny!

Any idea how long it's giong to be showing for? I was gonna go but don't want to go if it's going to be packed.
 

Interlude

Member
I had watched it...

They squeeze Stage 1 and 2 into this film. Many funny moments. The guys who play Bunta and Itsuki are very funny. The races are against Takeshi (Night Kids), Kyouichi & Seiji (Emperor) and Ryousuke Takahashi (Red Sun). Quite a good movie overall.

But...

The actor, Jay Chou who play Takumi can't act. No expression from him at all in the movie. Good singer != good actor. Luckily most of the focus is on the car scenes.
 

Interlude

Member
Troidal said:
Suzuki Anne is in this movie?
She's cute and all, but the movie needs a Japanese chick who is teh hotness like...Morishita Chisato :-D

Yay. They could have put more chicks inside by including Team Impact Blue in the film. Maybe Part 2.
 

Troidal

Member
Interlude said:
I had watched it...

Thanks for the impressions. I don't have much background to the original anime/manga so the spoiler didn't bother me. I guess I can look forward to this film for the racing scenes :)
 

Timbuktu

Member
Well, Initial D is still breaking boxoffice records in Asia and I think it would do pretty well in Japan too when it gets released there in September.

the racing scenes are well done, and there are quite a few of them, much better than The Fast and The Furious in my opinion.

i have no problems with the cast at all. they do the job, even edison does an OK job as ryosuke, his just edison... but yes, he'd be a better keisuke

personally, i could see leon lai as ryosuke, his acting (or lackof) suits ryosuke. picture leon lai driving and thinking about the leaves on the side of the road! it'd work!

There's talk about a sequel, which is inevitable given the boxoffice success, with a more international appeal, maybe settings in the Alps even. Strange, and The Fast and The Furious sequel is gonna be set in Japan.
 

Finaika

Member
Yeah I just watched it too. Quite faithful to the anime imo... though there are obvious changes but nice effort all-around. But one of my complaint is
they didn't show how under-powered the AE86 is & didn't explain in detail how Takumi managed to beat the superior cars like in the anime

Also I would've like Eurobeat during the races... *runs*
 
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