david and lisa is a 1962 american drama film directed by frank perry .

it is based on the second story in the novel jordi , lisa and david by theodore isaac rubin ; the screenplay , written by frank perry 's wife eleanor perry ( née rosenfeld ) , tells the story of a bright young man suffering from a mental illness which , among other symptoms , has instilled a fear of being touched in him .

this lands him in a residential treatment center , where he meets lisa , a similarly ill young woman who displays a split personality .

the film earned perry a nomination for the 1963 academy award for directing and one for eleanor perry for her screenplay .

the film was later adapted into a stage play in 1967 and a made-for-television film in 1998 .

david and lisa

david , say something ,
lisa pushed david after an awkward silence .
kyle sandilands and jackie o had david and lisa oldfield in the studio this morning .
harry ainlay students mercedes rubenok and sophia iligan in the cappies show david and lisa .
a great movie - - - from 1962 : ' david and lisa . '
jordan , neil , and david leland , mona lisa , london , 1986 .
: david . . . david look at me . who do you see ?
harry ainlay students , from left , jaden boero , sophia iligan and ethan crane in david and lisa .
harry ainlay students , from left , rudra patel , emma brown and john kim in david and lisa .
harry ainlay students , from left , michael lees , sophia iligan and tristan holm in david and lisa .
with the headline : screen : ' david and lisa ' ; odd romance involves mentally ill children .
lisa also admitted to regularly checking david’s phone and email accounts — and at one stage posing as david while using his phone to text abuse to another ex - girlfriend .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing david and lisa near you .
it was five long years before lisa came clean and admitted to david that she’d faked his ex - girlfriend’s death .
moments of love , comfort , and vulnerability came together during harry ainlay’s minimalist interpretation of david and lisa , from a script by james reach set in the 1960s . this production of david and lisa triumphed , proving to be supremely affecting in every vignette and scene .
david and lisa follows david’s story from the moment he enters his new boarding school and treatment centre for students with psychiatric challenges . transitioning through serious moments with glimmers of comedy , it is revealed that david suffers from a debilitating fear of being touched . at the school , david eventually encounters lisa , a young woman with multiple personality disorder . encouraged by an entourage of equally eccentric classmates and nurturing employees of the facility , david and lisa break through each other’s barriers and life - changing moments ensue .
david and lisa oldfield , seen here doing their best not to push each other in the pool . picture : justin lloyd
as another contrast to iligan’s prancing lisa , david crowfoot offered a warm and paternal voice as john that enabled this fatherly relationship to flourish . his calm portrayal played wonderfully off david , who shone with just as much intensity as lisa .
the oldfields recounted the story of an ex - girlfriend of david’s who moved to the us but whom david’s friends still asked after fondly — much to lisa’s annoyance .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing david and lisa ( 1998 ) near you .
kyle and jackie o had troubled couple lisa and david oldfield in the studio this morning for a bizarre stunt even kyle himself admitted was awful .
harry ainlay’s production of david and lisa highlighted the blossoming friendship between two unique individuals through a series of vignettes . adapted from a movie and short story of the same name , david and lisa’s story was first told in 1962 . the film version quickly gained notoriety and was received positively by the public .
the ending was so sweet and i loved all of the scenes with david and the psychiatrist .
the understated charm of david and lisa is what set the movie apart from so many other attempts at depicting the problems of the mentally ill .
posing alongside david schwimmer , jennifer aniston , courteney cox and lisa kudrow with her co - stars , kaley couldn ' t hide her excitement .
i watched the
oprah winfrey presents
made - for - tv remake of david and lisa on abc in early november . what a disaster .
tristan holm was touching as david , the boy who does not like to be touched at all , and was dynamic in the treatment centre and school settings that were evoked throughout the production . sophie iligan’s portrayal of lisa was in stark contrast to holm’s david . with exuberance and childlike energy opposite holm’s brusque demeanour , iligan challenges the boundaries that david has constructed . as the relationship between david and lisa builds , the demarcation between lisa’s alternate personalities breaks down . one speaks only in rhyme , and the other , muriel , communicates through the written word .
david schwimmer is taking a stand against sexual harassment in the tv and film industry .
nina arianda and hugh dancy in “venus in fur , ” written by david ives .
on their annual trip to wisconsin in june 2015 , lisa and david , in coordination with her aunt ka ( the lovely matron of honor ) and her uncle ge ( groomsman ) , thought it would be a great idea to surprise her family while they were vacationing in wisconsin dells . to lisa and her family ' s surprise , david had an unexpected and unforgettable twist to the already amazing cross country adventure . after a long day at the water park , lisa ' s family came to huddle by the fireplace and that is when david decided it was time to ask lisa to marry him .
dr . miller works hard to bust through david’s impenetrable facade , but it’s lisa — an emotionally disconnected waif who will speak only in rhyme — who is finally able to lower david’s defenses with her pouty lips and puppy - dog vulnerability .
dr . miller works hard to bust through david’s impenetrable facade , but it’s lisa — an emotionally - disconnected waif who will speak only in rhyme — who is finally able to lower david’s defenses with her pouty lips and puppy - dog vulnerability .
harry ainlay’s production of david and lisa consistently proved that the subject matter of mental health could be handled appropriately and the captivating performances served as a reminder that there is dignity within every person .
from the happy to the heart - wrenching , harry ainlay’s production of david and lisa brought the importance of mental health support and respecting boundaries to the stage . though the character david did not like to be touched , the performances and technical aspects of the show touched the lives of many .
sorry guys , but jennifer aniston , courteney cox , lisa kudrow , matthew perry , matt leblanc and david schwimmer will not be returning to our screens for a friends reunion .
david and lisa lives up to it ' s tagline of
an unusual love story
. a movie whose primary concern is human connection , it ' s all explosive emotion and sharp edges .
“an unusual love story” as advertised in the playbill by isabelle richardson , mercedes rubenok , and ethan franz , david and lisa has been viewed by audiences previously in both film and short story form , and has had many iterations since its 1962 debut . in harry ainlay’s interpretation of this material , “unusual” refers to the mental hurdles that lisa and david overcome during their respective treatments and the camaraderie that ensues after their characters are brought together .
david clemens is diagnosed with a torturous fear of touching , or being touched by another person . he is admitted to a private psychiatric school where he encounters lisa , an energetic teenager who possesses a split personality disorder . while initial interactions are rocky , an enthralling relationship evolves throughout the tender progression of david and lisa’s trust in each other , and themselves .
david storch ( left ) , kelly mcnamee and liisarepo - martell bring ian brown’s memoir to life .
through their masterful performances as david and lisa , tristan holm and sophie iligan helped portray a convincing , touching and emotional picture of mental illness . holm’s quiet , understated performance as david served as a perfect contrast to iligan’s manic and heartbreaking portrayal of lisa . iligan’s role stood out in particular , carefully avoiding being over the top . holm’s subtle expression of david’s uptight nature and iligan’s portrayal of lisa’s wild behaviour achieved near perfection . the chemistry the two actors had onstage truly shone in nearly every moment they shared together , whether they were speaking in rhyme or chasing one another around the stage .
lisa and david oldfield made a bizarre appearance on the kyle and jackie o show this morning , casting more light on their dysfunctional relationship — and submitting to a listener phone - in about whether or not they should stay together .
congratulations lisa and david – we had a fantastic time playing for you and your guests – so full of energy , up for all the styles of music we threw at them . have a great honeymoon !
david and lisa is a wonderful play about young love and finding light in the darkest of times . harry ainlay’s cast and crew united to put on a fantastic performance filled with laughs , tears , and a message about how love can come from anywhere .
the small mannerisms from the actors brought the story to life . working within a minimalistic set , the cast of david and lisa were able to pull the focus to themselves and draw the audience into their world .
join us for a reception celebrating the opening of our new art exhibit , second look : oil paintings by lisa david . david is a prolific painter , artist , and local teacher . her works , including scenes from around schenectady county , will be on display through may .
occasionally interrupting the narrative are klezmer - flavored songs and music by lisa gutkin and aaron halva , who play instruments and are active participants in the action . the fluent choreography , by david dorfman , also contributes to the almost cinematic flow .
i found it an incredibly moving film , and while some of its depictions are a bit laughable , it ' s beautifully photographed and doesn ' t rush david and lisa ' s stories or recovery . small steps of understanding and recovery are taken , and although the film does end with…
david also begins to open up to the other kids . one day , he and another boy are spending time together when lisa comes and bothers them . david gets frustrated and yells at her . lisa runs away . everyone goes looking for her . david is upset and worried , but he remembers the museum they went to and suggests looking for her there . when he goes , he finds her , and tries to get her to come back with him , but realises he has to put his trust in her as well for both of them to be healed .
with the help of the eccentric classroom ensemble , some of the centre’s doctors , and even the lighting technicians ( connor campbell , rebecca cave , robyn shaw , and ismail surtina - azarov ) , the cast of david and lisa traverse many locales , from david’s bedroom to a city alleyway , growing as characters along the way .
“call us now . david and lisa oldfield , should they stay together or should they call it a day ? ” asked jackie o breezily as the phone lines for the kiis 1065 show opened .
courteney cox , jennifer aniston , lisa kudrow , matt leblanc and david schwimmer reminisced about the good ol ' days during upcoming show must see tv : an all - star tribute to james burrows .
and just to confirm , lisa said she ' d never actually been asked to agree to that . cheeky .
courtney also shared that her lisa and jennifer ate lunch together during the show ' s 10 years of filming .
want to know why we think that ? friends creators marta kauffman and david crane have pretty much stressed it .
a remake of frank and eleanor perry ' s 1962 film
david and lisa ,
based on the book by theodore isaac rubin about two teenagers who live at the borders school , a school for disturbed youth . david is a brilliant but troubled teen obsessed with time and death . no one seems to be able to reach him , until the arrival of lisa , a young woman trapped in her own world , who speaks only in rhymes . as david and lisa slowly fall in love , they find in each other the power to rebuild their lives with the help of dr . jack miller , who runs the school .
lisa oldfield announced her divorce the old - fashioned way : an instagram e - card .
luckily , lisa took the news on the chin but still . . . how awks !
*
david & lisa
airs sunday at 9 p . m . on abc . the network has rated it tv - pg ( may be unsuitable for young children ) .
a remake of frank and eleanor perry ' s 1962 film
david and lisa ,
based on the book by theodore isaac rubin about two teenagers who live at the borders school , a school for disturbed youth . david is a brilliant but troubled teen obsessed with time and death . no one seems to be able to reach him , unt
by dr . theodore isaac rubin ) . the film was remade for television by co - producer oprah winfrey in 1998 with sidney poitier as the psychiatrist , lukas haas as david and brittany murphy as lisa .
the lead performance from keir dullea as david is powerful , if perhaps a bit shaky at times . janet margolin is at least as good , and brings a lot of pathos to the role of lisa .
so , after all this time , you probably think you know every scandal that rocked the set made famous by jennifer aniston , lisa kudrow , courteney cox , david schwimmer , matt leblanc and matthew perry .
david kelly , center , and other cast members of berkeley repertory theater’s “it can’t happen here” rehearsing earlier this month .
david clemens mrs . clemens porter secretary dr . alan swinford mrs . ferris maureen hart josette carlos sandra simon kate lisa barbara robert ben john mr . clemens girl woman first boy second boy
teenager david clemens ( keir dullea ) develops a hysterical fear that he will die if he comes into physical contact with another person . perturbed , david ' s overbearing mother places him in a home for mentally disturbed young people , but david remains withdrawn from the other patients and his psychiatrist . over time , however , david grows interested in 15 - year - old lisa ( janet margolin ) , who suffers from multiple personalities - - one who can only speak in rhyme , and the other , a mute .
a stand out technical aspect of david and lisa was the costume work : costumes either made or altered by hannah weaver , meltem atak and crew effectively fit the era , with some female characters sporting distinguishably bright dresses reminiscent of the ’60s .
david clemens is an emotionally disturbed adolescent who lives in constant terror of being touched . when his mother places him in a home for disturbed youngsters , he rejects both the other children and his psychiatrist , alan swinford . gradually , however , he becomes interested in lisa , a 15 - year - old schizophrenic : as
muriel
she is completely mute , and as lisa she talks only in rhyme . as the relationship between the two develops , david ' s attitude toward alan relaxes , and he begins to talk with the doctor . david ' s mother , however , is unsatisfied with her son ' s progress and removes him from the home . unable to bear his mother ' s domination and his parents ' quarreling , david runs away and returns to the home . lisa is so delighted at his return that she ceases speaking in rhyme . during a student party the two youngsters quarrel , and lisa runs away ; after an all - night search , david finds her at a nearby museum . to persuade her to return to alan , david shows his trust by finally reaching out to touch her , and two walk off together , holding hands .
in the case of abc ' s
david & lisa ,
the third entry to arrive under the
oprah winfrey presents
banner , the motivation was probably a mixture of both .
lisa gutkin ( playing the violin ) oversaw the period and original pastiche songs , with aaron halva , in “indecent . ”
the parents of david clemens send him to a private school that deals with youth who have mental illness issues . outwardly , david ' s mental health issues manifest themselves in not wanting to be touched , as he believes human touch will potentially kill him . and he has a recurring dream where he chops off the heads of people he knows using the arm of a large clock which acts like a guillotine . david does not respond well to authority , has a need of precision in his life , and acts with an air of superiority and arrogance to those around him . that is why he has made few to no friends at the school . the only exception is lisa brandt , who he correctly surmises suffers from adolescent dissociative identity disorder . initially , david seems to like lisa solely as a clinical case . however , as he goes through his own counseling with the compassionate head of the school , dr . swinford , david begins to open up emotionally to lisa , and she to him . potential problems are david ' s parents , especially his controlling mother who seems to care more about what the outside world thinks than if david is truly well , and david needing to come to an understanding of what he needs compared to what lisa needs in their fragile mental states .
david bowie in labyrinth , directed by jim henson in 1986 . photograph : allstar / tristar pictures
lisa ordered supplies from cards and pockets and designed the stationery herself . with a little help from her bridesmaids , she assembled them and mailed them off in slate gray envelopes .
thanks to the troubled concerns of his mother , adolescent david clemens is enrolled in a boarding school for mentally ill teenagers and left in the care of dr . alan swinford and his staff . the immediate unhappiness that david feels is soon undermined as he learns to deal with the school’s eccentric students and forms a remarkable relationship with lisa , a teenage girl with split personalities .
prior to the ceremony , lisa and david saw each other for the first time in the magnificent garden of the ballyvolane house , where their reception would later take place . of the private time together , lisa recalls how it helped her not be clouded by nerves for the ceremony and use it as an opportunity to absorb the emotion of the day .
a boy , a girl , and a boarding school for kids with mental illness . harry ainlay’s production of david and lisa tells the story of two young patients and their growing bond as they journey through the darkness of their illness , finding love in the most unexpected of places .
the quality of the costumes produced by hannah weaver , meltem atak , and the rest of their crew was truly admirable , as their authenticity and craftsmanship helped make the world of the play even more believable . under stage manager rebecca cave’s watchful eye , david and lisa truly excelled .
the original film , about hypersensitive oddballs , was deeply affecting . by contrast , this made - for - tv “david and lisa” lacks the surrealistic sense of disconnection and despair embodied in the boffo work of keir dullea and especially janet margolin . the remake instead carries a spirited message that love conquers all , even if you happen to be a teenager who is certifiably wacko . unfortunately , “david and lisa” never really gives us a sense of why its protagonists are the way they are , other than misfiring synapses .
david and lisa has always been one of my favorite movies . i saw it originally in 1962 when i was a sophomore in high school . ( i remember the dramatic tension was too much for my friend barry levine , who ' d come to the movie with me . just as david and lisa touch at the grand finale , barry burst into uncontrolled , uproarious laughter . i thought the other people in the theater were going to kill him . )
while at times david and lisa was emotionally distressing to watch , it stands as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the cast and crew of harry ainlay . the remarkable maturity exhibited by everyone involved was crucial to handle the delicate topic of the play , and the end result was undoubtedly worth it .
lukas haas portays david , a withdrawn but apparent near genius , who fears being touched . brittney murphy plays lisa , a young woman seemingly suffering from split personalities who speaks . . . see full summary »
adapted from frank perry’s 1962 film of the same name , david and lisa follows david clemens , a 16 - year - old boy with mental illness , who fears that if someone touches him he will die . after arriving at a special treatment centre for young people , he meets lisa , a patient with schizophrenia who has multiple personality disorder . in one moment , she is a lively , excitable girl who can only speak in rhymes , in the next she is a girl who cannot speak , communicating in her notebook , through pictures and writing . the young couple grow closer throughout their time at the centre , and lisa begins to open up to david . through ups and downs , they help each other face their individual disorders and find happiness with one another .
“i wanted her gone , dead , ” said lisa — so that’s what she did . oldfield faked an online obituary and police report declaring her husband’s former flame had died , then broke the ‘news’ to david that she had passed away .
tristan holm took on the challenging role of david with elegance and charm . upheld by intense character work , holm portrayed david and all of his emotions with ease . his performance was complemented by sophie iligan’s portrayal of lisa . iligan brought lisa to the stage with endless energy and skill . her work with lisa highlights the complex humanity of a young person wrestling with mental illness . the performance peaked without ever patronizing those who experience childhood schizophrenia and similar disorders . the ensemble of the classroom offered both comic relief and insight into the perpetual exhaustion a youth might experience within a similar facility . the ensemble performances never wavered and the subtle details of character often exhibited some of the most commendable skill on stage .
with the help of its engaging cast , dedicated crew , and a boatload of energy , harry ainlay’s students delivered a stunning performance of david and lisa . their empathetic approach to challenging material , combined with an all - star effort by cast and crew , came together to give the audience a show full of laughter and emotion .
“none of it’s surprising to me nowadays , which is sad , ” said david of his wife’s dishonesty .
before they took calls from listeners , lisa — who last week announced plans to divorce david on instagram , before calling in to kyle and jackie o the next morning to backtrack — gave a few shocking insights into the couple’s 17 - year marriage .
poor lisa only recently found out that she was the only cast member made to audition for her role twice .
i ' m not going to name names , but it may not be [ david ] schwimmer .
the newlyweds paused to greet david’s grandmother peg who traveled from a couple hours away to share in the celebration .
by contrast , this made - for - tv “david and lisa” lacks a similar surrealistic sense of disconnection and despair as was embodied in the boffo work in ’62 of newcomers kier dullea ( who would go on to star as dave in “2001 : a space odyssey” ) and especially janet margolin . what it carries instead is a spirited message that love conquers all , even if you happen to be a teenager who is certifiably wacko . unfortunately , “david and lisa” never really gives us a sense of why its protagonists are the way they are , other than clearly misfiring synapses .
it became clear that wasn’t to be the case when the opening scenes of “sparrow” revealed lisa’s plan to die by suicide . ironically , lisa’s death proved a wake - up call for mary jane , who realized that part of her grudge had played in lisa’s guilt over david . with a frank dialogue about mental illness and suicide within the black community supporting mary jane’s new resolve to “tell everyone that you love them , that you will love them no matter how ugly their truth is , ” tuesday’s episode proved one of the series’ most emotional to date . ( especially with mj’s touching eulogy . ) but why did lisa have to die ? will we ever learn the full extent of her relationship with david ? and what about those crazy revelations about lisa’s past ? here , rose answers our burning questions , reflects on saying goodbye to her character , and reveals details about the show’s surprising plot twist .
first and foremost , dr . theodore isaac rubin , nearing 94 , is one of the finest and most honest authors and clinicians in psychology and psychiatry of our time . his writing is exciting in both fiction and non - fiction . it is his book that is adapted for this film ; the screenplay by eleanor perry . david ( keir dullea ) and lisa ( janet margolin ) are 2 deeply troubled adolescents - - david having symptoms of severe ocd and lisa of schizophrenia . their illnesses isolate them from even their peer residents of the same psychiatric facility . little by little they come together , liking each other and honoring and respecting each ' s idiosyncrasies . this is a powerful , emotion - packed , tender film , exquisitely and authentically acted and directed ( frank perry ) . dullea , margolin , and da silva and all the cast are top - notch . a timeless classic and a must see !
even if you’ve seen lisa kudrow and mira sorvino go back to school , you can probably still find new nuggets to enjoy in their classic comedy .
at first , the gang look a little embarrassed but after an awkward silence , lisa finally decided to speak up .
two young people meet in a home for disturbed teenagers and become fascinated with each other ' s illnesses . david has a phobia of being touched , and lisa / muriel has two distinct personalities . they form a bond that brings them out of their isolation , and in the end , they cure each other . so well played and written , it ' s intense and believable from start to finish .
the award - winning motion picture has been adapted for the stage with the utmost fidelity . it retells the strange , appealing , and utterly fascinating story of two mentally disturbed adolescents : david , the only son of wealthy parents , who is tortured by his mania against being touched , and lisa , the wa…
cast : keir dullea ( david clemens ) , janet margolin ( lisa ) , howard da silva ( dr . swinford ) , neva patterson ( mrs . clemens ) , clifton james ( john ) , richard mcmurray ( mr . clemens ) .
addressing the controversial stigma regarding mental health in a manner that doesn’t dehumanize , or disrespect those affected is an arduous feat that the cast of david and lisa swiftly accomplished . giving voice to a misunderstood community , harry ainlay’s production truly eradicates any assumption that plays performed by high school students , are nothing more than what david clemens himself describes as “kids with no talent making a disgusting spectacle of themselves . ”
traditional flirting tactics take a back seat to childish rhymes and clock talk as a relationship absent of touch turns a girl from a “clinical study” to first love . in harry ainlay’s david and lisa , the cast gifted the audience with a performance that intertwined values of love and trust with a realistic , yet respectful portrayal of those diagnosed with mental illness .
teleplay from helmer lloyd kramer ( with assists from eleanor perry and from theodore isaac rubin , who penned the book on which the original movie was based ) sticks closely to the simplicity that guided the first “david & lisa . ” but for some reason , the dialogue comes across here as a bit trite and repetitive .
harry ainlay high school kicked off the cappies season with their poignant , unconventional love story about two adolescents who fall in love while attending a school for youth with special needs . david suffers from a phobia of being touched , and lisa has multiple personality disorder . the pair led a remarkable cast and created a captivating production .
nina arianda and hugh dancy in a scene from david ives ' s play at the samuel j . friedman theater . ( video courtesy of manhattan theater club . )
“we didn’t want a traditional wedding guest book that gets put away and gathers dust , ” lisa said . “we wanted a memento of the day that we could look upon and laugh at and remember the good times . ” lisa’s brother painted a canvas black and gold pens were set out for guests to use to write their well wishes with . the board now hangs in the lounge of the couple’s home .
another impressive performance came from david crowfoot as lisa’s primary caretaker , john . coupled with silent but dominant strength , crowfoot supported the cast in its entirety with few lines . it is genuine work like this that maintained the realism of the story . the actors were backed by impressive technical aspects : ismail surtina - azarov served as a jack of all trades , assisting in both lighting and sound alongside connor campbell working the lights . the crew of david and lisa supported the actors’ performances with ease through frequent scene changes . their work made the passage of time seem believable and impressive . set changes were accomplished by the crew with lightning speed .
“we were up until s * * * head here started bragging about his love life as an ageing lothario , ” said lisa .
courtney cox , jennifer aniston , lisa kudrow , matt leblanc and david schwimmer joined over 40 stars of burrows ' best - known shows for must see tv : an all - star tribute to james burrows . sadly , matthew perry was absent , due to his contract for a new west end play .
originally based on a true story , david and lisa was thrust into the theatre spotlight by james reach in 1967 when he combined the book written by theodore isaac rubin in 1960 , and the screenplay by eleanor perry in 1962 . while the play only commanded the stage for a brief period of time , the theatrical adaptation was nominated for two academy awards and a bafta award .
the script — credited to helmer lloyd kramer , eleanor perry ( who wrote the 1962 script ) and theodore isaac rubin ( who penned the book on which the original movie was based ) sticks closely to the simplicity that guided the first “david & lisa . ” but for some reason , the dialogue comes across as a bit trite and repetitive .
such conscientiousness has its downside . for all its resourceful stagecraft — which includes the fluent use of period and original pastiche song ( overseen by ms . gutkin and mr . halva ) and dance ( by david dorfman ) — “indecent” can be deflatingly earnest in its dialogue and timeline exposition .
according to tmz , matt leblanc , matthew perry , and david schwimmer were not invited to the big day - a decision which reportedly triggered some bad feelings amongst the actors .
once the host had convinced jen to read lines as rachel , while he played ross , it wasn ' t long before courteney cox and lisa kudrow swung by to join them .
according to the hollywood reporter , film - maker fede alvarez will write and direct the film , while lisa henson , daughter of the original film’s director jim henson , will produce .
new york . an odd little boy - meets - girl romance is rather crudely but courageously played in the picture called
david and lisa ,
now at the plaza theater . it is the strange tenderness that develops between a psychoneurotic youth and a schizoid girl who are thrown together as lonely patients in a private psychiatric school . view full article in timesmachine »
there ' s a frankness here that i wasn ' t expecting from a movie released in 1962 . this frankness fits well with the story of young people who are tired of bullshit and desperately in search of real answers and connections . when david takes the step to connect with lisa ( in a rather odd setup , this is achieved by rhyming ) , …
lukas haas portays david , a withdrawn but apparent near genius , who fears being touched . brittney murphy plays lisa , a young woman seemingly suffering from split personalities who speaks only in rhymes and withdraws from anyone who doesn ' t speak to her likewise . meeting in the psychiatric ward , the two ' s eyes lock and an obvious attraction is indicated . first each must learn to approach each other in their own sphere . enter sidney poitier as a caring psychologist who helps david to come to terms with his emotional failure to deal with his father ' s death at an early age . debi mazar also appears as lisa ' s case worker .
like us , david schwimmer is also bummed that his old friend matthew perry won ' t be there , but he ' s not annoyed .
the news was revealed at the nbc panel for the television critics association , and not to be a party pooper , but the network ' s robert greenblatt warned us that courteney cox , jennifer aniston , lisa kudrow , matthew perry , matt leblanc and david schwimmer won ' t all be in the same room during the special , but they will all take part .
david wore a tom ford tuxedo and his groomsmen looked just as dapper in sharp black suits . they posed for a cheeky portrait snapped by photographer katie stoops with a classic , and very irish , accessory—a pint of guinness .
about halfway in , as david is beginning a chess game , lisa picks up a white knight , puts it various places on the board and then on the opponent ' s head . there , though , it has become the white queen . when she returns it to the board the piece is once again a knight . '
while both iligan and holm were individually magnificent , together they were a powerhouse on the stage , each being the emotional catalyst for the other . the unique romantic dilemma within the show could only have been accomplished within the dazzling dynamic created by holm and iligan , whose chemistry was exceptionally believable . while the love story between david and lisa may be unusual , the ending is right out of a fairy tale .
first , a personal note : the first time i saw the original “david and lisa , ” i was all of 5 years old , the son of parents who didn’t understand that maybe this wasn’t exactly appropriate material for an impressionable little kid to watch on a bigscreen . it deeply affected me to see hypersensitive oddballs weren’t restricted [ … ]
james , joy ,
black femmes fatales and sexual abuse in progressive ' white ' cinema : neil jordan ' s mona lisa and the crying game ,
in camera obscura ( bloomington ) , no . 36 , september 1995 .
david ( keir dullea ) , a young man suffering from an overwhelming fear of being touched , is admitted to a home for disturbed teenagers run by dr . alan swinford ( howard da silva ) . though at first resistant to interacting with the other patients , david finds himself drawn to lisa , a schizophrenic girl who speaks only in rhymes . their relationship , which grows from antagonism to one of trust , gives them both the strength to confront their inner demons and hope for the future .
starring as david clemens , tristan holm flawlessly captured the demeanour and mannerisms of a troubled teenager with paranoia . throughout the play , holm stayed in character with rigid posture and cold looks , flinching whenever another character came close to him .
so many wonderful details to lisa and davids brandywine manor house wedding reception . i guess that’s what happens when a stylist plans her own wedding . i wonder if lisa arranged the perfect sunset too ! ceremony and reception venue : brandywine manor house flowers and décor : green meadows florist makeup and hair : claudia seyler bridal gown : ivy & astor from jennifer’s bridal shoes : angela nuran caterer : williamson caterers cake : the master baker entertainment : groove place invitations : diy paper source
we learned a lot about lisa posthumously : she went to kenya to find herself and came back with twists , she was mentor at the boys & girls club , and was open to all faiths . how did that backstory come about ?
first , a personal note : the first time i saw the original “david and lisa , ” i was all of 5 years old , the son of parents who didn’t understand that maybe this wasn’t exactly appropriate material for an impressionable little kid to watch on a bigscreen . it deeply affected me to see hypersensitive oddballs weren’t restricted to my dysfunctional family .
a follow - up to labyrinth , the 1980s musical fantasy film that starred the late david bowie as a villainous goblin king , is in the works .
. i ' d walk down a street and people would come over and say , ' hello , david , can i touch you ? ' and . . . i just couldn ' t break the mold professionally in either the movies or tv work i got after it .
i can’t really say too much about their relationship , but in terms of backstory , i believe it was something where lisa had real affection for david . whether she never really made room for herself to have love , or wasn’t able to because of what had happened to her , lisa probably wasn’t capable of pursuing real love . and when her friend mj was like , “you’re not going anywhere , ” i think that probably cements that fact . when i read the scripts and saw that line , i thought “how did their friendship devolve to this ? ”
lukas haas is all doe - eyes , oversized ears and tortured angst as david , a genius who has a pathological fear of being touched and excruciating recurrent nightmares in which he uses a giant clock to behead anyone who dares invade his tortured space . his perplexed mother commits to a school / institution for troubled youth where he meets the compassionate dr . jack miller ( sidney poitier ) and a luminous young woman named lisa ( brittany murphy ) .
one day , he notices a girl , lisa . she ' s dancing around , talking in rhyme . when one of the doctors tries to talk to her normally , she becomes agitated . a few days later , lisa passes a note to david , asking him to play with her . for some reason , david is intrigued . he agrees to play , but since he didn ' t say it in rhyme , she gets mad and goes away . later , he gets the hang of things and starts speaking to her in rhyme . he figures out that she ' s schizophrenic . she thinks that if she doesn ' t talk in rhyme , she ' ll turn into
muriel
another side of herself . david has a hard time talking constantly in rhyme . when he asks her if he can talk normally , she gets angry and threatens to touch him . but , they soon make up when david agrees to keep speaking in rhyme . they join the rest of the students on an outing to a museum , where people begin to mock them for being mentally ill .
latarsha rose : i got a call from [ creator ] mara [ brock akil ] before the season , and we met , had breakfast and talked about it . she talked about her inspiration and lisa’s journey , mainly that she wanted to have the opportunity to explore suicide in a character .
lukas haas is all doe - eyes , oversized ears and tortured angst as david , a genius who has a pathological fear of being touched and excruciating recurrent nightmares in which he uses a giant clock to behead anyone who dares invade his tortured space . his perplexed mother commits him to a school / institution for troubled youth , where he meets the compassionate dr . jack miller ( sidney poitier ) and a luminous young woman , lisa ( brittany murphy ) .
david slowly begins to open up to dr . swinford , and to continue his friendship with lisa . he even begins to relate to the other people there . but , his mother comes and takes him back home . when he hears that she ' s coming , he asks dr . swinford if he ' ll let that happen . he shows that he hopes dr . swinford will fight to keep him there . when dr . swinford says that she has a right as his mother , david feels betrayed . he goes home , and spends his time listening to his mother demean his father . david winds up in bed , almost catatonic . he finally runs away , back to the treatment center . he has finally learned to trust dr . swinford . his parents allow him to stay . he starts up his friendship with lisa again . she even accepts him not speaking in rhyme , although she still won ' t speak any other way .
the movie crosses two dependable story structures : ( 1 ) the romance between lovers widely separated in age , and ( 2 ) a mistaken identity that leads to complications . the trouble begins when rafi gardet ( uma thurman ) and david bloomberg ( bryan greenberg ) fall in love . they know there is an age difference , but because they both lie a little , they don ' t realize how big it is : rafi is 37 and david is 23 .
a big
little
film . prior to this , there had been many films like the snake pit and the three faces of eve , but the understated charm of david and lisa is what set the movie apart from so many other attempts at depicting the problems of the mentally ill . dullea is a bright young man who cannot bear to be touched by anyone . his overly protective mother . . . read more
the traditional catholic service was performed by a jesuit priest and incorporated specific readings and prayers selected by the couple . contemporary music performed by the bride and groom’s friends added a special touch . “the reflection at the end of the mass was composed and read by one of my best friends , ” lisa said . “the only point that i cried ! ”
sophie iligan in the role of lisa was outstanding and truly captured the split personality of her character , with well - considered facial expressions and body language that made it easy to determine which of the two personas she was playing . her devotion and dedication to her role pulled the audience into the story , engaging them in the character’s struggles and problems .
despite awareness and treatment of mental illness growing in our modern era , it can still be easy to forget the people who are struggling behind their condition . the portrayals of individuals facing these burdens are rarely handled with empathy or professionalism ; very few productions truly capture the anguish and alienation these individuals feel . as one of the few to truly accomplish this sensitivity , harry ainlay’s production of james reach’s david and lisa effortlessly translates itself from the silver screen to the spotlighted stage .
the support from the other cast members was just as delightful , from the empathetic guidance of dr . swinford ( shashank bhat ) to the pleading regret of david’s father , played by dennis huseinovic . particular praise must be given to the diverse and hilarious group of students who accompanied lisa and david , led by john kim as carlos , who gave a standout performance . his character’s antics helped provide a much - needed sense of comedic relief to the sometimes intense scenes of the play . the actors quickly saved any mishaps onstage , with some wonderful commitment to character helping to integrate these into the scenes .
david storch is wonderful as brown , all wound up and ever on the move . he gives you the sense that he feels a little guilty about his occasional jokes through just a shrug or a small smile . lisa repo - martell gives depth to schneller , playing her slightly hunched over throughout as if carrying an immense burden . kelly mcnamee drifts in and out playing their daughter haley and other characters , notably members of the not very helpful medical team who patronize the parents .
first , a personal note : the first time i saw the original
david and lisa ,
i was all of 5 years old , the son of parents who didn ' t understand that maybe this wasn ' t exactly appropriate material for an impressionable little kid to watch on a bigscreen . it deeply affected me to see hypersensitive oddballs weren ' t restricted to my dysfunctional family .
urltoken david and lisa : keir dullea , janet margolin , howard da silva , neva patterson , clifton james , richard mcmurray , nancy nutter , mathew anden , jaime sánchez , coni hudak , karen lynn gorney , janet lee parker , leonard hirschfield , frank perry , irving oshman , lee r . bobker , paul m . heller , eleanor perry , theodore isaac rubin : movies & tv
what’s more , “indecent” delivers not only a history of styles of theater and their political contexts but also a portrait of asch ( played by max gordon moore and tom nelis ) , as he progresses from youthful enthusiasm to embittered old age . this is achieved by a tight ensemble of chameleon performers — who also include mimi lieber and steven rattazzi and the musicians matt darriau , lisa gutkin and aaron halva — glowing with devotion to their craft and its possibilities .
if winfrey wanted
to introduce david and lisa to a new generation of viewers ,
as was stated in the prologue , why didn ' t she just show us the original film ? who needed oprah telling us at the outset that
this movie is about the healing power of love
? hey ! if the director couldn ' t get that across in two hours . . .
i absolutely love it when i uncover films like this . i had been aware of the title for years , but i didn’t bother to find out anything about it . then , i see it and i’m very impressed . stories about mental illness and the treatment of it intrigue me . the problem is that they are often not artfully done with a heavy emphasis on the maudlin to wring the emotions . that wasn’t the case with david and lisa . the characters in this story felt so real . keir dullea is obviously too old for the role of david , but his acting choices are spot - on . i want to see him be helped , but he is so prickly and aloof that my empathy was…


the stool pigeon ( simplified chinese : 线人 ; traditional chinese : 綫人 ; pinyin : xiàn rén ; jyutping : sin3 jan4 ) is a 2010 hong kong-chinese action thriller film directed by dante lam and starring nicholas tse , nick cheung and gwei lun-mei .

the film is about police detective , don lee ( cheung ) , who uses informants to gain information about gangsters .

lee begins to feel guilty when his informants are caught , but sends out a street racer named ghost ( tse ) as an informant to gain information about a gangster name barbarian ( lu yi ) .

the film was released in china on august 24 and two days later in hong kong .

the film performed well in the hong kong box office , though it has received mixed reviews .

the stool pigeon ( 2010 film )

his fellow hong kong director dante lam’s latest action film “the stool pigeon” shattered [ this suggestion ] .
a by - the - numbers look at my 2010 movie viewing yea . . .
the stool pigeon is screening as part of the 37th annual seattle international film festival . for more details about the festival and screenings , please check out siff site .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the stool pigeon near you .
( left ) nick cheung , and ( right ) nic tse and guey lun - mei in the stool pigeon .
link to trailer for “the stool pigeon” here . it doesn’t have english subtitles , but the action excitement is a universal language .
the…hong kong cops and gangsters film “the stool pigeon” was screened for the press in beijing recently , and [ despite scenes of intense mayhem ] the film had passed the mainland examiners and would be presented in its original form without any cuts .
for the creative team behind “the stool pigeon , ” making this film must have been a no - brainer . director dante lam previously collaborated with actors nick cheung and nicolas tse to great success with 2008’s “ beast stalker . ” that film earned nick cheung a hong kong film critics society award and a hong kong film award for best actor , and the screenplay and editing nabbed similar nominations . their 2010 follow - up “the stool pigeon” carries the feeling of a well - earned victory lap : it’s an entertaining if unremarkable hong kong thriller .
in this film , the director prefers to be more realistic when expressing his aesthetics of violence . when a stool pigeon is stabbed by a group of gangsters , the director zooms in to capture the facial expression of the stool pigeon . while an informer is escaping , dante lam cuts the sound and adds light music to augment the actor’s concentration .
the energetic driven , rock infused and pulsating soundtrack to the hong kong mega blockbuster film ' stool pigeon ' ; composed by hong kong composer henry lai , who also composed the ost for ' three kingdoms - surrection of the dragon ' .
action thriller “the stool pigeon , ” which opens in theaters on august 24th , released its final trailer in order to catch audiences’ attention . sina . com reports .
“the stool pigeon” has a slick look with an earthy color palette that recalls christopher nolan’s two batman films . hong kong media outlets reported that nick cheung was unhappy with the amount of screentime he received in the film but cheung later said his words were taken out of context . the film does struggle to focus on two protagonists at once , with cheung and nicolas tse disappearing for periods of time , but i imagine that fans of either actor will go home happy . i personally would have enjoyed “the stool pigeon” more if the action quotient was a little higher but , regardless , “the stool pigeon” is a gutsy thriller from a region that could use more gutsy thrillers from filmmakers that aren’t johnnie to .
hong kong international film and tv market ( filmart ) , organized by the hong kong trade development council since 1997 , is the leading event of its kind in asia and one of the most important film markets for the global film industry .
hk action thriller “the stool pigeon” ( 线人 ) with nick tse , directed by dante lam – final trailer and 2 english reviews , including this blog’s exclusive [ crienglish . com / sweet & sour cinema / sweet & sour cinema exclusive film review ]
dante lam is one of my favorite working hong kong directors . a real pro , he doesn’t always score high with me ; but in the case of “the stool pigeon” he does — with a predominantly authentic - feeling , and authentically thrilling , cops & robbers film .
the stool pigeon could make for a great double feature with another hong kong film about undercover police work , the excellent infernal affairs . whereas infernal affairs dealt with the complexities of undercover work and how twisted loyalties can become , the stool pigeon makes everything more personal , focusing on the moral and psychological effects of deceit and undercover work . the story concerns police officer don lee , who is in charge of undercover operations , he is tasked with bringing down a renown jewel thief and enlists the aid of ex - con ghost , jr .
police inspector don ( nick cheung ) works with stool pigeons - dangerous informants willing to rat on others for the right price . don is also wracked with guilt after the near death of his prior stool pigeon jabber ( liu kai - chi ) , who is now insane and living out of cardboard boxes .
any film which rejuvenates the often - tired hong kong cops vs . gangs genre is worthy of praise , and i walked out of “the stool pigeon” feeling invigorated thanks to dante lam’s expert direction and some fresh casting choices . if this genre appeals to you , i expect you’ll enjoy it .
hk action thriller “the stool pigeon” ( 线人 ) with nick tse , directed by dante lam – final trailer and 2 english reviews , including this blog’s exclusive [ crienglish . com / sweet & sour cinema / sweet & sour cinema exclusive film review ] | sweet & sour socialism 糖醋社会主义
summer 2010 issue featuring an exclusive interview with alan moore . also features on mike paton , robyn , roky erickson , marc almond , chrome h . . .
los angeles , ca , oct . 26 , 2010 – the american film market ( afm ) and the hong kong trade development council ( hktdc ) have collaborated for “hong kong day” at the 2010 afm on thursday , nov . 4 . throughout the day , events and activities will focus on the benefits of producing and co - producing in hong kong , the breadth of films and projects from hong kong sales companies and the 2011 edition of hong kong international film & tv market ( filmart ) . afm managing director jonathan wolf and hktdc assistant executive director raymond yip made the announcement today .
despite not having the word
beast
in its title , the stool pigeon is a solid hong kong film and a fine recovery for dante lam after the underwhelming experience that was fire of conscience . it ' s predictable and sags in the middle but the ride is a good one . nick cheung and nic tse are again pretty damn good .
the only film i have seen on the list is stool pigeon and i liked it very much despite the bad performance from nick cheung . nic tse on the other hand is a superbly talented actor . i wish he was in more films . thanks to you that now i have a good reference point to check others . i kind of entered into a voluntary hk film break after watching
murderer
.
los angeles , ca , oct . 26 , 2010 – the american film market ( afm ) and the hong kong trade development council ( hktdc ) have collaborated for
hong kong day
at the 2010 afm on thursday , nov . 4 . throughout the day , events and activities will focus on the benefits of producing and co - producing in hong kong , the breadth of films and projects from hong kong sales companies and the 2011 edition of hong kong international film & tv market ( filmart ) . afm managing director jonathan wolf and hktdc assistant executive director raymond yip made the announcement today .
meanwhile , lam has made a subversive change to the cast . although the film is made by the same team that produced the action film , “the beast stalker , ” nick cheung , who won best actor at the hong kong film awards for his role as the kidnapper in that film , plays a cop in this one . and the sergeant nicholas tse from “the beast stalker” now portrays a recently released convict who becomes an informer for cheung .
to everyone’s surprise , the ending of the film is also included in the trailer , but it will take the viewer some time to find it .
: more , actually , than the number of hong kong movies made in other years that i viewed for the first time in 2010 as well as the number of movies from any other territory in the world ( including the usa , mainland china or japan ) .
it wasn ' t so long ago - just back as the 2000 ' s rolled into double digits - that hong kong ' s dante lam made the transition from being a journeyman jobbing director into one of the world ' s finest purveyors of large scale , hyper kinetic action cinema . 2008 effort beast stalker led the charge with 2010 releases fire of conscience and stool pigeon seeming to seal the deal to the point that he was being regularly name dropped in the company of john woo and johnnie to and not feeling at all out of place .
the stool pigeon is a dante lam directed hong kong undercover action thriller starring kwai lun - mei , nicholas tse and nick cheung . it has a bunch of really sweet action set pieces , but it also takes every single element out of the beginner’s handbook for melodramatic filmmaking .
these changes within the film and the actors may not reform the current downturn situation of hong kong films , but at least it’s a refreshing break .
tai fung ( tsu ' s ) co . ltd . ( film stock supplied by )
viewers who are searching for the next great action movie out of hong kong may find themselves slightly disappointed by “the stool pigeon . ” the film is nearly two hours long but the script favors melodrama over action . towards the end of the movie , a subplot involving nick cheung and his ex - wife takes center stage and injects the film with an almost overbearing amount of emoting . the unpredictable plot twists that follow during the final thirty minutes attempt to recall the bygone era of early 90’s hong kong crime films , but what’s missing is an innovative or tensely - staged shootout . the story’s denouement is an exercise in brutal stabbings and bludgeoning that goes for a primal rather than choreographed feel .
hong kong - - smarting with as much psychological as physical bruising ,
the stool pigeon
is an action film with a grave , melancholic strain . it ' s a conventional yarn , slightly dragged out and belabored by director dante lam , in which a beleaguered cop and his desperado informant develop loyalties in spite of themselves but are forced into betrayals against their wishes . nevertheless , the performances nick cheung and nicholas tse deliver make one agonize with their quandary .
in a prologue , police stakes out a factory to round up a gang of ice dealers . senior inspector don li ( nick cheung ) jeopardizes the life of his stool pigeon jabber ( liu kai - chi ) in his urge to nail the big boss marco . marco escapes anyway , but jabber , seriously injured and traumatized , has to go under .
one critic said the film wiped away the recent years of love stories , as it recalls the classic gang themes from hong kong crime films . there are definitely a few violent scenes which stimulate the senses and gets the adrenalin flowing .
don lee ( nick cheung ) , a police detective in kowloon whose reliance on informants leaves him struggling with a guilty conscience . lee ' s previous stool pigeon ' s cover was blown and was attacked , leading him paranoid and driven from his wife and home . lee begins to doubt his own methods . lee recruits a street racer named ghost ( nicholas tse ) as his latest stool pigeon who is assigned to infiltrate a gang lead by the notorious armed robber barbarian ( lu yi ) . ghost accepts lee ' s offer so he can rescue his sister from a life of prostitution as well as help his father ' s one - million dollar debt .
the trailer starts with [ scene clips from ] director dante lam’s last film “beast stalker” ( 《zheng ren》 , 2008 ) . it [ the new film ] features many fierce shootouts and car racing scenes and also the first screen kiss between taiwan actress guey lun - mei and hong kong heartthrob nicholas tse .
filmart attracts renowned producers , distributors , investors and professionals from around the world for launching full - scale promotions , networking with key industry players and negotiating deals . the 14th edition in 2010 was a record - breaking year with more than 540 exhibitors and some 5 , 000 visitors from 51 countries and regions .
from hong kong cinema ' s dante lam , we get the stool pigeon , a police / crime tragedy like only hong kong does them . the film splits the focus between an informant and his police handler , and perhaps loses itself in its subplots at times , but i tend to respect the effort to give each character an interesting ( if melodramatic ) background . but these do impact the story and fuel the theme of a cursed cop who changes the fortunes of those he meets for the worst , putting their lives in danger through his very function . the scenes are well played by the ensemble cast , the director makes every shot interesting , the car and fist action is well done , and the violence looks like it really hurts . hard to ask for more .
the afm is produced by the independent film & television alliance ( ifta ) , the trade association representing the world ' s producers and distributors of independent motion pictures and television programs . more information can be found at urltoken .
crime drama i viewed on a big screen in 2010 , i felt a thudding in my head . although some might not consider it a good sign , i did - - because rather than being signs of a migraine or tension headache , what i took it to be was a physical manifestation that this film that reunited the two main stars ( nick cheung and nicholas tse ) , scriptwriter ( jack ng ) director of
i have a love - hate relationship with every hongkong crime film that came out after infernal affairs but this one was great .
the china - taiwan - hong kong cast helps in varying degrees . oddly , lu yi is dubbed into cantonese while guey lun - mei speaks in her own mandarin . they , along with keung ho - man and miao pu ( as inspector lee ' s crippled dance instructor crush ) deliver solid performances , and liu kai - chi chews scenery in his gloriously inimitable manner . this is really the nick and nic show , however , with both outshining the whole cast in screentime and performance . the action and acting carries the film such that it compensates for quite possibly stool pigeon ' s biggest problem : the curse of the china co - production . more specifically , everyone gets what ' s coming to them , making every character ' s fate easy to guess . still , the filmmakers and actors infuse the situations with enough emotional resonance and kinetic surprise to make the whole package work . if the challenge facing hk filmmakers is how to work within sarft ' s confines , then dante lam and jack ng succeed in a strong , if not completely stellar fashion . ( kozo 2010 )
this is a big break for tse , and his performance will provide him with a good chance to win best actor at the hong kong film awards next year .
standard - issue undercover crime caper directed by dante lam ( and not to be confused with fellow hong kong action maestro ringo lam ) . despite the tried - and - true premise , the film manages to be fresh and entertaining thanks to its hair - raising chase sequences ( both on foot and on wheels ) and slick production values . as its name suggests , the stool pigeon is a police informant movie along the lines of infernal affairs and reservoir dogs with nicholas tse as the mole and nick cheung as the investigating officer . tse , a career criminal recently released from prison , has been promised a hefty reward for his efforts to bring down a high - profile gang leader . but the plan backfires when tse falls for the gang boss’ trophy girlfriend , …
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lam has stated he was conscious of trying not to repeat “ beast stalker’s ” formula with this film , however successful it was . “the stool pigeon” is almost the flipside of the popular “infernal affairs” series : instead of following a cop who’s undercover with the triads , we see what it’s like for criminals who decide to become informants for the police . nick cheung plays the main character , a hong kong supercop who is haunted by the mistakes of his past . his latest informant is a street racer named ghost jr . , played by nicolas tse . together they’re working to bring down a ruthless criminal named barbarian before he pulls of his latest jewelry store heist . in the meantime , nicolas falls for barbarian’s girl ( kwai lun - mei ) and cheung worries that another informant is about to die on his watch .
for all its violence , bloodshed and heavy combat ,
the stool pigeon
is less a hard - boiled cop thriller than a melodrama of human suffering , underscored by a crushing aesthetic of pain . every main character wear cuts , plasters , casts , limps or gets hospitalized . ghost jr . is more of a martyr than a hero , ennobled by his ability to endure bullying rather than power to fight back or defend his loved ones .
is about informants , with nick cheung playing inspector don lee , an expert at recruiting and using lower - level criminals to bust even more dangerous ones . but there’s a dark side to the biz , witnessed in an opening sequence where lee betrays an informant ( liu kai - chi ) when unexpected circumstances get in the way of a bust . flash - forward a year and lee recruits a new stool pigeon , jailed driver ghost jr . ( nicholas tse ) in hopes of bringing down jewelry thieves tai ping ( keung ho - man ) and barbarian ( lu yi ) . as most criminals would , ghost jr . wants nothing to do with the fuzz , but lee has some powerful tools : money and leverage . he can help ghost jr . in ways that his old gang pals can ' t , and if ghost jr . says
no
, lee can force his cooperation . eventually , ghost jr . has no choice but to become lee ' s latest stool pigeon .
the first dante lam film i viewed in 2010 provided me with a real roller - coaster ride of a movie experience . filled with highs and lows , it opened with a scene that left me slack - jawed in amazement - - it was that astoundingly innovative and good . unfortunately ( and this is a good part why it is only at number seven on my list ) , it ended with a whimper as far as i ( and quite a few other people i know ) are concerned . if only the last quarter or so of the film had lived up to what had preceded it . . . including some visuals that had excellent special effects and others that made use of the kind of stunt work and dedication to physical acting duty that contributed quite a bit to what made many of us fans of hong kong cinema .
as an observer of the hong kong cinema scene , it ' s been interesting to see the reception that this nostalgia - tinged derek kwok and clement cheung movie revolving around an unlikely group of old school kung fu exponents and youthful followers has gotten in various spheres . at the hong kong international film festival screening that i attended ( and which was graced by a number of its stars and derek kwok ) , the film received the kind of rave reception that many a filmmaker and actor can but dream of . but although it appears to have become quite the film festival favorite overseas as well , it had but a modest commercial run in hong kong - - indicating that this is the kind of movie that appeals only to a certain ( as opposed to truly wide ) audience .
first day of domestic release in hong kong bodes well with $ 112 , 000 worth of tickets sold . overseas ancillary looks hopeful . reactions from major festivals however , have been lukewarm , possibly due to the emotionally overcooked ending and familiarity of the police - mole relationship in hong kong cinema . indeed , despite reuniting the same main cast and mapping out neat symmetries of character and plot with lam ' s critically lauded
beast stalker ,
pigeon
falls short in tension and stylistic brio if judged as a sister film .
one thing that became very obvious over the course of the conversation ( that took in the works of tsui hark and john woo as well as their own ) was how much they really are film buffs ( and not
just
filmmakers ) . and there ' s a wonderful scene in
adheres more to the tried and true , with characters never breaking from conventional expectations . some details and subplots are more labored than they should be , with inspector lee’s backstory reaching particularly egregious heights ( or depths , perhaps ) in order to make his character exceptionally and unnecessarily tortured . furthermore , some of the film’s biggest twists are handed to characters who lack the same generous development as inspector lee and ghost jr . that uneven focus hurts the film ' s momentum , but lam ' s execution compensates nicely .
“hong kong offers an efficient and skilled environment for producers , a gateway to mainland china and filmart , the region’s only global film market , ” wolf said . “we are thrilled to have the hong kong trade development council join with us at afm . ”
don learns that a jewelry heist gang led by a man known named barbarian ( yi lu ) is back in hong kong and setting up for their next score . word on the streets is that the gang is in need of a getaway driver . don then attempts to recruit ghost jr . ( nicholas tse ) , an ex - con supremely talented at street car racing , as his next stool pigeon . when ghost jr . discovers that his sister works as a prostitute to pay off their dead father ' s debt , ghost jr . decides to work for don . . .
film looks suitably large scale , but that is some terrible cgi . it seems that chinese movie companies are still using special effects that were available in the 90 ' s . sometimes they totally ruin an otherwise excellent action movie .
don ' s story starts off promisingly as a police procedural , but then morphs into the most dire , wrong - headed kind of melodrama , complete with uncontrollable weeping , hysterical mental illness , and syrupy love songs . we learn a couple of things about the serious , incredibly straight - laced don as the movie progresses , but they fail to illuminate him in the context of the story in which he inhabits . the losses that he suffers outside of the job are so contrived , pulled so thoroughly from the
bigger emotions are better
playbook , that they effectively derail much of the stool pigeon ' s third act in an orgy of unearned tears and drama . in particular , there is a revelation about his wife that we learn which is so dumb ( there ' s no better word for it ) that you would suspect it was pulled from a script parodying this kind of silliness .
there are a couple of well - staged and tense action sequences peppered throughout the film - - in particular a car chase through the city streets which ends in a more realistic way than many film car chases do , then becomes a pretty interesting foot chase through a market that works in spite of not really answering how the characters are finally able to make their escape . again , these scenes are part of a much more interesting movie that has a recognizable shape and would be easy to recommend were it not grafted onto the terrible other half which should be avoided like the plague .
nick cheung brings a heightened level of authenticity to his role , seeing as how he was an actual member of the royal hong kong police officer for five years ; and the rhkp’s most beloved actor , danny lee , was the one who helped cheung get his start in films . nicolas tse delivers a dependable performance , even if the script calls for him to smoke more than act . the real revelation here is taiwanese actress kwai lun - mei . i was shocked to read online that lun - mei has a ‘good girl’ image in the press because in “the stool pigeon” she comes across as a smolderingly sexy and dangerous criminal who isn’t afraid to open fire at a moment’s notice . it’s a shame that the screenplay gives her character so little backstory or motivation ; kwai lun - mei appears to have created this interesting but troubled woman out of thin air .
hong kong offers an efficient and skilled environment for producers , a gateway to mainland china and filmart , the region ' s only global film market ,
wolf said .
we are thrilled to have the hong kong trade development council join with us at afm .
the upcoming edition is the 15th anniversary of filmart to be held march 21 - 24 , 2011 at the hong kong convention and exhibition centre in the downtown wan chai district .
what with 2010 being the 70th anniversary of bruce lee ' s birth , it was almost inevitable that there would be a hong kong international film festival programme commemorating the man who may well still be hong kong cinema ' s internationally most recognizably personality even after all these years . less predictable - - at least to me - - was that there also would be a biopic made of the individual known to cantonese - speakers as lee siu lung ( little dragon lee ) , that the biopic would actually have far more drama than action , and that it would turn out to be a watchable movie even for someone who ' s not been that big a bruce lee fan for decades . ( confession : as a child , i was a big fan - - and remember having been in utter disbelief as well as devastated at the news of his death . )
plays like a procedural on the cop - informant dynamic , with lam showing us the compromises and moral issues involved in using bad guys to catch other bad guys . inspector lee can apply police pressure to get his way , making the stool pigeon less of a partner and more of a pawn coerced into betraying his kind . then , if lee wants a little more , he can always change the deal . after all , who cares about the well being of a three - time loser when seeking justice ? on the flip side , if you betray someone who trusts you for your own ends , what does that make you ? these are worthwhile themes and dante lam and jack ng’s script tackles them smartly , making both inspector lee and ghost jr . into strong and involving characters . both cheung and tse are excellent in their roles , with cheung once again edging tse as the efficient yet tortured inspector lee .
having already reviewed this chan hing ka and janet chun movie on this blog , i don ' t see much reason to write much more about the film . instead , here ' s taking the opportunity to recount that some years back , i had the privilege of meeting chan hing ka and his frequent collaborator ( including on this movie ) , producer amy chin . the official reason was to interview the director about a previous movie of theirs (
film fan , culture vulture , foodie , and independent travel and hiking enthusiast who has lived and worked on four continents . i moved to hong kong in 2007 and still do love it after all these years .
unbeatable was a pretty unmitigated success both critically and commercially . and i wouldn ' t worry about zhang and peng : whether one likes them or not , they ' re two of china ' s most charismatic actors . the trailer does look a bit rough ( kind of like footage quickly put together for early film market exposure ) , but it looks pretty enticing to me ! to the fore was indeed a puzzling misfire ( and i ' m saying that only after having seen the film , mind you ^ ^ ) , but this should at least be entertaining .
“given our long - time alliance with afm , we are honored to launch the inaugural hong kong day , especially as we are celebrating the 15 th anniversary of filmart next year , ” said yip . “through an interesting variety of activities , we hope that overseas film professionals at afm will discover hong kong as an effective trade platform for exploring the asian markets , particularly the vast potential of china . ”
given our long - time alliance with afm , we are honored to launch the inaugural hong kong day , especially as we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of filmart next year ,
said yip .
through an interesting variety of activities , we hope that overseas film professionals at afm will discover hong kong as an effective trade platform for exploring the asian markets , particularly the vast potential of china .
principals – actors nick cheung and nicholas tse , and writer jack ng – and an entertaining and involving hong kong film . as usual , lam combines morally complex characters and strong action beats into a hopefully potent mix , but unlike
a dutiful cop , guilt - ridden over saving the life of a gang leader , becomes obsessed with bringing down the crime syndicate of the man he saved .
in a recent talk , hong kong filmmaker derek yee shared his experience about how to deal with mainland film examiners . as for advice when shooting action films , he concluded that directors had better use a panoramic view to shoot violent scenes .
founded in 1981 , the afm quickly became the premier global marketplace where hollywood ' s decision - makers and trendsetters all gather under one roof . unlike a film festival , the afm is a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed . in just eight days , more than $ 800 million in deals will be sealed - - on both completed films and those that haven ' t started shooting yet - - making afm the must - attend industry event .
a gritty tale of a police detective ' s internal struggle to cope with the sacrifices his informant must undergo for the big bust . the flow of the story is captured with an urban crime ridden atmosphere and filled with violent action . the gorgeous gwei lun - mei plays dee who fleshes out the story wonderfully adding a touch of humanity and retribution to the overlying bleak tones .
in the 1970s , the hong kong government enacted a policy that granted each male heir of new territories villagers the privilege to build a house without paying any dues to the government . . . . see full summary »
there’s plenty of excitement for action fans . a desperate chase which turns into a running battle of brutal hand - to - hand combat showcases dante lam’s capacity for action set - pieces that are deceptively simple yet devastating . it is worth noting , as the above reviewer does , that this film’s violent scenes passed the mainland censors completely ; which itself illustrates the dynamics between ultraviolence and restraint which lam skillfully utilizes .
inspector don lee often works with informants to solve his cases , with stool pigeons . in a ploy to convict the notorious jewel thief barbarian , don smuggles ghost jr , recently released from jail , into his gang . lee is plagued with scruples ; an informant from an earlier case whose cover was blown now leads a destitute and traumatized life on the streets . lee has also ruined his wife’s life with a slip - up . when ghost enters dangerous waters , lee decides to step in . with his most recent film , dante lam , whose
beast stalker
was shown in the 2009 forum , presents a sophisticated genre piece that successfully lends its characters emotional depth . the tragic love stories of three couples appear against the backdrop of surveillance and wild chase scenes , giving the plot a crucial change of direction . but above all lam uses real - life places in hong kong for his visually stimulating scenes . the modern architecture plays just as important a role as the small labyrinthine markets with their wooden sheds and an abandoned classroom piled up with tables and chairs .
could this just be a bad trailer for a good film ? i certainly hope so because i ' d like nothing more than crazy - ass dante lam back throwing hand grenades at the screen again . but all i know right now is that it ' s a pretty bad trailer . take a look below .
) . but the icing on the cake came after the interview ended and chan hing ka and i hung out and talked movies for fun for a couple of hours , with amy chin joining in at some part during the conversation .
thanks for the list . i know someday i will start catching up on hk films from the past 2 years and this is a good starting point . i get the sense from the comments that i am not the only one who has drifted away from hk films for other interests . why was dream home banned in singapore ?
the business of independent motion picture production and distribution - - a truly collaborative process - - reaches its peak every year at the afm when more than 8 , 000 industry leaders converge in santa monica for eight days of deal - making , screenings , seminars , premieres , networking and parties . participants come from more than 70 countries and include acquisition and development executives , agents , attorneys , directors , distributors , festival directors , financiers , film commissioners , producers , writers , the world ' s press and all those who provide services to the motion picture industry .
a tycoon ' s daughter playing a woman so desperate to get her dream home down to an affordable price that she will kill to make it happen . only in hong kong and only josie
daughter of stanley
ho ? the fact that she not only plays the role with such gusto but also pulls it off - - and is the pang ho cheung - helmed film ' s producer - - is a real credit to her . and it is a real credit to the cinematic work that its horror credentials didn ' t take all that much away from the seriousness and validity of much of its commentary about hong kong real estate prices , related housing issues and average people ' s salaries in the territory .
for female audience members , some of the violent scenes may be tough to swallow ; but rest assured most men will enjoy the action .
put another way : i found this work which centered on a physically unassuming police inspector whose job is to make use of low level criminals to bust higher level ones and one of his selected stool pigeons to be absolutely thrillingly intense and emotionally involving - - the latter not least because i found the main characters to be so satisfyingly complex and believable , however dramatic the situations they found themselves put in . additionally , while its two main men were indeed superb , i ' d like to give a shout out to kwai lun mei for impressively investing a scene she was in with amazing fury borne out of a desperation that felt all too real .
champion competitive marksman ken comes across an armored van robbery . he sees a policeman held hostage and shoots and kills four of the robbers . one of the robbers escapes and the . . . see full summary »
in the awesome climax , barbarian tracks down ghost jr . and dee to a disused classroom . his brutality is so pitiless and the couple ' s desperation so vivid even desks and chairs seem as menacing as knives and spears . the action is partly shot from the point of view of li , who watches from a window across the classroom but cannot get over to their side in time . it mirrors the prologue when jabber is stabbed by marco .
, the 1973 shaw brothers production credited with playing a major part in reviving cantonese language cinema . but due to such as it being graced by a lot of faces who are most associated with that era ( notably anita yuen ) , this work directed as well as starring eric tsang also got me thinking of hong kong cinema ' s most recent golden age - - that of the period between the years 1985 to 1994 . to be sure , the nostalgia factor played a part in my enjoyment of this movie that essentially revolves around two rival families headed by men in love with the same woman but the film also possesses plenty of sight gags and in jokes that hit the spot ( i . e . , my funny bone ) . additionally , i can definitely imagine that people who watch plenty of contemporary tvb shows as well as decades of hong kong movies would have a lot of extra fun spotting the multitude of stars that appear in this work !
as a detective is ordered to turn a recently release convict into an informant in order to bring down a high profile criminal , the film takes a surprising turn in becoming a much more powerful story about a guilt and the desire from both leads to make things right , by whatever means they can , even as it takes them on a path that could ultimately risk everything and endanger everyone around them , inevitably leading into a violent conclusion . its an emotionally gripping story and the performances are superb with a development that is unexpected but adds to its depth . definitely one worth recommending .
the narrative could benefit from more tautness . as if worried about the audience ' s attention span for drama , action scenes are intermittently inserted through out but they don ' t build to one big momentum . some become run - of - the - mill . still , the main set pieces have a thrilling ferocity .
the leakers ( hong kong - mainland china , 2018 ) - 6 . 5
however , this is not the case with the other half of the movie which deals with police inspector don lee ( nick cheung ) , who drafts ghost jr . into becoming an informer in spite of his own reservations about endangering another snitch . the opening of the movie shows us an operation gone wrong with jabber , another informer who is nearly hacked to death after the criminals he exposed track him down and decide to teach him a lesson . wracked with guilt from this as well as the incredibly ridiculous circumstances of his own personal life , don nonetheless does what he can to get ghost jr . to help him take down the gang .
has a number of strong , kinetic action sequences , with the climactic school - set chase / beatdown proving surprisingly brutal . at its most powerful , the violence in
established in 1966 , the hong kong trade development council ( hktdc ) is the international marketing arm for hong kong - based traders , manufacturers and service providers . with 40 offices worldwide , including 11 on the chinese mainland , the hktdc promotes hong kong as a platform for doing business with china and asia . the hktdc also organises trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in hong kong and the mainland , while providing information via trade publications , research reports and online . for more information , visit
the camera is fixed on the iron - gate behind which jabber is trapped , and nothing else is shown except his frightened howling off - screen . the audience is made to share li ' s frustration as an impotent spectator of the horror . other mise - en - scenes also exude a prison or cage like atmosphere , such as the hellishly grubby and labyrinthine housing estate where li and ghost jr . have their secret meetings .
the problem is the same problem with all hk movies now . the producers think they must cover ever base , every character must have a love story etc etc if they want ppl to see it in hk . the sad thing is that it is true , people only go to the movies here to watch celebrities and hence want to see them all get their screen time and want to see them in some cheesy romantic situation .
tse plays the informant for cheung’s police detective and infiltrates a gang . hooking up with the leader’s girlfriend played by kwai lun - mei isn’t the smartest thing , at least when it comes to his own chances of survival but there’s certainly enough action and on foot and car chases to make for an entertaining two hours . but every attempt at character depth and emotional scenes becomes an exercise in over the top eye - rolling for the…
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which brings us to operation mekong . based on the true story of a chinese / thai / laotian joint operation to investigate the killing of 13 passengers and crew aboard a merchant vessel working the mekong delta in 2011 , this promised to be a return to the sort of large scaled action that had people so excited not so long ago . and he has certainly tried to do that but the recently released trailer leaves me with more concern than excitement .
a statutory body established in 1966 , the hong kong trade development council ( hktdc ) is the international marketing arm for hong kong - based traders , manufacturers and service providers . with more than 40 global offices , including 11 on the chinese mainland , the hktdc promotes hong kong as a platform for doing business with china and throughout asia . the hktdc also organizes trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in hong kong and on the mainland , while providing information via trade publications , research reports and online . for more information , please visit : urltoken .
nick chewing is as solid as ever and it ' s another decent role for nicholas the but the whole thing gets dragged down by a somewhat unnecessary romantic subplot that comes out of nowhere .
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nice list . i was really disappointed by ip man 2 . i found the acting by the western actors to be pretty awful and the choreography doesn ' t hold up to the first installment ( maybe because sammo hung was taken ill half way through filming ? ) . also i think you are right about old jc . he seems to be the least popular actor in hk these days , but he seems to have brought it all on himself so i have little sympathy .
this is a heavily - mined genre in hk so to make it work and work well is highly laudable . the device that puts its over is probably the fact that star and matinee idol nicholas tse is playing against type as a the titular character , a somewhat grungy ex - con .
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i could not agree with you more . the movie would have been much better had it just followed tse . wasn ' t really into cheung ' s side of things . i remember being really into the movie during and just after the car chase , but it then it lost me . don should have stayed to the side and they should have stuck with ghost jr . to tell a simple story .
hi ytsl , awesome list , i liked what you liked too ! ! a pity that dream home will never see the light of day in singapore on the big screen as it ' s banned . sigh : (
ghost jr . isn ' t an especially deep character , and we more or less know where the story will take him : that he ' ll be attracted to the pretty lookout dee ( lunmei kwai ) and that the feeling will be mostly mutual , and that between her and the cops , ghost jr . will find himself in over his head . there ' s something to be said for taking basic material and simply writing it honestly and well , with an understanding of a script ' s characters that is clearly articulated to the viewer .
dante lam has had an interesting career trajectory . during the early 00’s he seemed to be mired in comedy and action fluff , co - directing movies like “the twins effect” and “love on the rocks . ” ambition must have bit lam in the ass since as of late he’s attempted to become something like the hong kong analog to paul greengrass ( “the bourne supremacy” ) or michael mann . lam specializes in crime films that provide an in - depth look at their gritty characters . he delivers action scenes with a street - level , handheld - camera style . although dante lam hasn’t achieved the level of michael mann when it comes to intense character studies and kinetic violence , one senses that he does have at least one truly great movie in him , waiting to come out .
an old but serious miscarriage of justice clouds a current police investigation looking into the death of a mutilated corpse .
i wouldn ' t have had such a problem with the structure being split between the two characters if don ' s story wasn ' t stubbornly just an entirely different movie with a wildly different ( and silly ) tone .
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spotted at admiralty yesterday afternoon also seen at admiralty yesterday and today even beyond the designated study corners , . . .