I'm not so much weirded out by the language, just that they've cast a Chinese actress in the lead role. I love Ziyi, think she's amazing, but I wonder how that plays in Japan -- a movie about their culture, written by a white guy, starring a Chinese woman.

IMDb page [link] says it's in production.

They were recently shooting at Yamashiro (a so-so sushi place atop a hil at the end of my street, with a great view, and modeled on an old Edo Japan castle). They screwed my whole street out of parking for most of a week, and pissed off all the residents, primarily because they were too cheap to rent the parking from the nearby Magic Castle.

Eh, I'm more with Jim on this. Hero was gorgeous, but, despite my penchant for sweeping epic flicks, I don't think I'll ever watch it again. I have high hopes for House of Flying Daggers, though.

How does House of Flying Daggers compare to Hero? I know the former has opened in New York. A few reviews I've read weren't as uniformly enthusiastic as the ones about Hero.

I liked Daggers more -- it's less High Art, and much meatier and gritter, while still blowing your mind with how fucking gorgeous every single shot is. The scene in the bamboo forest alone is worth the price of admission.

(And, who knew Zhang Ziyi was capable of actually acting? She's always been fun to watch, but this is the first time I've ever seen her actually inhabit a three-dimensional adult character, and she's excellent.)

The only thing I disliked about it is that they kept switching the horses of the guy who's not Andy Lau. They had one horse for standing shots, and another for galloping shots, and they look nothing alike, which was more than a little distracting.

And while we're at it, let's cast Summer Glau as Death.

I can't conceive of anyone other than Tori Amos playing Death. I have no idea if she'd be any good at the part or not, but in my head (and, you know, on the page) that's who she is.

I can't conceive of anyone other than Tori Amos playing Death. I have no idea if she'd be any good at the part or not, but in my head (and, you know, on the page) that's who she is.

I thought Tori was supposed to be Delirium. Or, you know, vice versa.

Really? Do I have it wrong? I thought Death was the one who was modeled (at least physically) after Tori Amos.

I may be wrong, but my understanding is that Death is physically modeled on two people -- a random waitress and a friend of the artist. I don't know if her personality is based on anyone in particular.

Delirium is somewhat modeled on Amos, which you (or at least I) can see really well in some panels of "Brief Lives." Though even that isn't really true.

Edit: Here's a better site about the whole thing.

Hey -- do Daniel and Morpheus look alike, just coloured differently?

I think so, ita. (But I've never done a side by side comparison, so there may be subtle differences.)