Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All
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Tactical Unit - Human Nature (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All
YesAsia Editorial Description
Johnnie To offers a very different take on the Hong Kong triad genre in Election. Simon Yam Tat Wah and Tony Leung Ka Fai portray two triad leaders who struggle with each other to head the Wo Sing Society. The film never romanticizes triad leaders as heroes (like the Young and Dangerous series), nor condemns them as criminals, but offers an extremely realistic portrayal of gangsters as human beings.
Apart from the two superstars Simon Yam and Tony Leung as potential Chairpersons Big D and Lok respectively, the film also has Louis Koo playing the young, brilliant, and college-educated rising star in the triad. Veteran Wong Tin Lam is the influential senior triad member Uncle Teng. Well-experienced actors including Nick Cheung, Eddie Cheung, Lam Suet, and Gordon Lam, who has excelled in many other Johnnie To movies, vividly portray other gangsters in the film, and Maggie Shiu is Tony Leung's wife.
The film title Election already spells out the plot: it follows the Chairman selection process in the Wo Sing Society. The film opens with the ceremonial rituals of the Chairman's inauguration, which reminds us of the Society's origin being a centuries-old institution once with a virtuous aim of overthrowing tyranny. Ironically, while the head of the Wo Sing Society is still elected by senior triad members nowadays, the temperamental Big D (Tong Leung) and the calculating Lok (Simon Yam) both attempt to beat their competitors by all means, including bribing the seniors and bullying the opponents.
The intervention from the police and Uncle Teng (Wong Tin Lam), and the conflicts and cooperation among the junior triad members, etc, lead to complicated politics and, undoubtedly, fierce fights as well. Even without a single gunshot, the film still contains plenty of spectacular actions alongside with in-depth depiction of human nature during power struggle. Johnnie To enriches the film with a political allusion to the present day Hong Kong, making this excellent title more than just another triad movie.
Technical Information
| Product Title: | Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version) 黑社會 (導演特別版) (香港版) 黑社会 (导演特别版) (香港版) エレクション （黒社會）（2枚組デラックス・エディション）（香港版） Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version) |
| Artist Name(s): | Tony Leung Ka Fai (Actor) | Simon Yam (Actor) | Johnnie To | Louis Koo (Actor) | Nick Cheung (Actor) | Maggie Shiu (Actor) | Wong Tin Lam | Luo Da You | Tam Bing Man | Gordon Lam | Eddie Cheung | Lam Suet | Cheong Siu Keung | Patrick Tam | Yau Nai Hoi | Tony Yip 梁 家輝 (Actor) | 任達華 (Actor) | 杜琪峰 | 古天樂 (Actor) | 張 家輝 (Actor) | 邵美琪 (Actor) | 王 天林 | 羅大佑 | 譚炳文 | 林家棟 | 張兆輝 | 林雪 | 鄭兆強 | 譚家明 | 游乃海 | 葉天成 梁 家辉 (Actor) | 任达华 (Actor) | 杜琪峰 | 古天乐 (Actor) | 张 家辉 (Actor) | 邵美琪 (Actor) | 王 天林 | 罗大佑 | 谭炳文 | 林家栋 | 张兆辉 | 林雪 | 郑 兆强 | 谭 家明 | 游乃海 | 叶天成 梁家輝 （レオン・カーファイ） (Actor) | 任達華 （サイモン・ヤム） (Actor) | 杜琪峰 （ジョニー・トー） | 古天樂 （ルイス・クー） (Actor) | 張家輝 （ニック・チョン） (Actor) | 邵美琪 （マギー・シウ） (Actor) | 王天林（ウォン・ティンラム） | 羅大佑（ルオ・ダーヨウ） | 譚［火丙］文（タム・ビンマン） | 林家棟（ラム・カートン） | 張兆輝（チョン・シウファイ） | 林雪 （ラム・シュー） | 鄭兆強 | 譚家明 （パトリック・タム） | 游乃海（ヤウ・ナイホイ） | 葉天成 Tony Leung Ka Fai (Actor) | Simon Yam (Actor) | Johnnie To | Louis Koo (Actor) | Nick Cheung (Actor) | Maggie Shiu (Actor) | Wong Tin Lam | Luo Da You | Tam Bing Man | Gordon Lam | Eddie Cheung | Lam Suet | Cheong Siu Keung | Patrick Tam | Yau Nai Hoi | Tony Yip |
| Director: | Johnnie To 杜琪峰 杜琪峰 杜琪峰 （ジョニー・トー） Johnnie To |
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| Release Date: | 2005-12-20 |
| Language: | Cantonese, Mandarin |
| Subtitles: | English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese |
| Country of Origin: | Hong Kong |
| Picture Format: | NTSC What is it? |
| Aspect Ratio: | 1.78 : 1 |
| Widescreen Anamorphic: | Yes |
| Close Caption: | Yes |
| Sound Information: | Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround |
| Disc Format(s): | DVD-9, DVD-5, DVD |
| Region Code: | All Region What is it? |
| Rating: | III |
| Duration: | 101 (mins) |
| Publisher: | Panorama (HK) |
| Other Information: | 2DVDs |
| Package Weight: | 220 (g) |
| Shipment Unit: | 2 What is it? |
| YesAsia Catalog No.: | 1004096624 |
Product Information
- Disc 1: 16:9 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
- Disc 2: 4:3
* Sound Mix:
- Disc 1: DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1
- Disc 2: Dolby Digital 2.0
* DVD Type:
- Disc 1: DVD-9
- Disc 2: DVD-5
* Language:
- Disc 1: Cantonese
- Disc 2: Cantonese
* Subtitles:
- Disc 1: On/Off Traditional/Simplified Chinese, English
- Disc 2: On/off Traditional Chinese, English
* Approx:
- Disc 1: 99 mins
- Disc 2: 71 mins
* Extras (With English & Traditional Chinese Subtitles):
1. 導演杜琪峰獨家專訪 Exclusive Interview with Director Johnnie To
2. 演員獨家專訪 Exclusive Interviews with Actors
- 梁家輝 Tony Leung Ka Fai
- 任達華 Simon Yan
- 王天林 Wong Tin Lam
3. 製作特輯 Making Of Documentary
4. 康城影展花絮 Products of Cannes Film Festival
5. 預告片 Traliers
6. 電視廣告 TV Spots
7. 劇照館 Photo Gallery
8. 黑社會歷史 The History of the Triad Society in Hong Kong
9. 精美小冊子 Collector's Booklet
** 珍藏版隨碟附送《黑社會》精美小冊子
導演： 杜琪峰
Director: To Kei Fung
『和聯勝』是香港最具江湖地位的社團，兩年一度的扛把子選舉，由阿樂與大D競爭。所以雙方想盡辦法，各自拉攏江湖中擁有投票權的大哥級人物，選舉由阿樂勝出，大D不服，企圖搶奪「和聯勝」最高權力象徵的「龍頭棍」，以阻止阿樂登位。
而在雙方人馬混戰期間，龍頭棍竟然下落不明，阿樂與大D旗下人馬在香港及大陸展開搜尋「龍頭棍」之跨境爭奪戰，而香港本島的江湖內戰亦一觸即發…
The time has come, it does every two years, for the senior members of Hong Kong's oldest Triad. The Wo Shing Society, to elect a new chairman. Fierce rivalries emerge between the two eligible candidates. Lok, respected by the Uncles is the favorite to win. But his rival Big D will stop at nothing to change this, including going against hundreds of years of Triad tradition and influencing the vote with money and violence.
When Wo Shing's Ancient symbol of leadership, the Dragon's Head Baton, goes missing, a ruthless struggle for power erupts and the race to retrieve the baton threatens to tear Wo Shing in two.
Can Wo Shing balance their traditional brotherhood way with the cutthroat modern world of 21st century business?
Other Versions of "Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version)"
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- Availability
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Hong Kong Version
- Election (Blu-ray) (Hong Kong Version) Blu-ray Region All
- US$31.49
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- Election (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All
- US$14.99
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- Election Plus The Mission (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All
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- Election (Hong Kong Version) VCD
- US$9.49
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US Version
- Election (US Version) DVD Region 1
- US$16.99
- Usually ships within 7 - 14 days
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Awards
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Cannes International Film Festival 2005
- Golden Palm Nomination, Johnnie To
-
Hong Kong Films Awards 2006
- Best Film Winner
- Best Director Winner, Johnnie To
- Best Screenplay Winner, Yau Nai Hoi, Tony Yip
- Best Actor Winner, Tony Leung Ka Fai
- Best Supporting Actor Nomination, Wong Tin Lam
- Best Supporting Actress Nomination, Maggie Shiu
- Best Cinematography Nomination, Cheong Siu Keung
- Best Film Editing Nomination, Patrick Tam
- Best Original Film Score Nomination, Luo Da You
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YumCha! Asian Entertainment Reviews and Features
Professional Review of "Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version)"
This professional review refers to Election (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
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This is one of those movies that just gets better and better the more you think about it. Johnnie To has actively sought to bring a realistic representation of the triad to the screen, to subvert the glamorized manner with which the Hong Kong cinema (To included) has portrayed its local gang culture, and lay bare its true nature. These kind of revisionist gangster movies have always been the best, and Election reminded me of The Godfather Part II and the magnificent (and still underrated) Donnie Brasco in the way it mercilessly deglamourizes modern organized crime while waxing elegiacal about the essentially honorable motives that gave birth to it. Election is the best movie of the year so far, and also a real kick in the guts. When the elder uncles of the Wo Shing Triad vote for the safe professionalism of Lok (Simon Yam) over the charismatic and risk-taking Big D (Tony Leung Ka Fai) for the chairmanship, it begins a bloody civil war within the gang. Big D and his men take violent revenge on two of the uncles, and seek out the totemic symbol of leadership, the Dragon's Head Baton, before Lok can take his rightful possession of it. While Big D and Lok are both incarcerated due to the police interest this arouses ("You are suspected of triad activities!" the police mantra goes), their respective factions continue the war as the baton is sought out. Seeming somewhat slow and structureless at first glance, Election might take a while to draw you into its rhythm. Certainly, it lacks something of the headlong urgency we might expect from To, but that's because it's a different type of movie. Action takes a back seat to the intrigue of backroom string-pulling and ambiguous loyalties, and the violence, when it does come, is sharp and brutal. To has abandoned all notions of entertainingly choreographed gunplay. In fact, he has abandoned guns altogether, which is a simple nod to realism: Hong Kong gangsters typically do not carry them. To my mind, Tony Leung Ka Fai is no longer the lesser Tony Leung. With this movie and the superb Dumplings, his career is entering a new high. His performance as the virtual man-child Big D is exuberant, intimidating and vastly entertaining. But even this only manages second place to the steely cool of Simon Yam, wearing a nearly permanent smile which is at once warm and foreboding. Yam's Lok is the ultimate modern gangster, which is to say he looks exactly like a businessman. Absurdly billed by the Melbourne International Film Festival's guide as "a non-stop action treat", Election is a demure drama, not an action movie by any stretch of the imagination, but utterly riveting nevertheless. It has the scope and atmosphere of an epic, with the tightness and efficiency of, well, a Johnnie To movie. It is a mark of tremendous screenwriting and direction that the movie feels like just a tiny portion of a vast fictional world: the story, with its great host of sharply drawn characters, histories and motivations, lives and breathes outside the frame, not to mention the running time. And like any story portraying part of a dynasty with no end in sight, the ending only feels like a new beginning. And it's not a happy one. 9.5 machete wounds out of 10 by Ben Jennings - heroic-cinema.com |
Feature articles that mention "Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version)"
Customer Review of "Election (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) (Hong Kong Version)"
See all my reviews
August 2, 2006
Not overrated.
| If anything, underrated. Underrated because not enough people know about this film, yet. I know it's not right, but I want to compare this to the last successful triad film from Hong Kong, Infernal Affairs, to give people a better idea of what this is. Johnnie To saw that violence like this was necessary in order to portray this type of gang life accurately, and did not sacrifice anything just so more people can see it. Whereas IA consisted more of twists and turns that caused the audience to think "wow whoever wrote the storyline is clever", this movie is much more believable and, to me, alive. Simply put, IA is a complex machine while Election has flesh and bones. It made me use my head, not the way one solves math problems, but the way one wants to see things from multiple perspectives. I respect both films equally (I respect To more than the other two directors though), but this movie is denser and takes more to really grasp. I'm on the eve of watching it again, then selling it so I can get the special edition shown here, because it's that good. |
See all my reviews
April 30, 2006
| Now being as though this was a great triad film, it was also a very different type of triad film. If you are expecting a young and dangerous type of film, look somewhere else because this is more of a subtle and slow paced film. You truely have to love the Gangster genre in order to enjoy this movie. The movie is basically centered around two main protagonists fighting for the top spot in this HUGE organization. One is willing to bribe and intimidate his way to the top while the other uses his suave manors and positive (as so it seems sometimes) attitude to help persuade his fellow brothers into choosing him. There really isn't much violence and no gun fights (Which was somewhat of a let down for me but ahwell). This film does not have a good guy because in reality, both men fighting to win are bad men. Altogether, great film but a bit slow at times. |
See all my reviews
January 8, 2006
| Given that this film actually entered a film festival, it's not your average HK gang movie. The 2nd disc is loaded with many extra. Good buy, but for fans of this genre only. |
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