We Can't Wait #7: Snowpiercer
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 9:03PM [In the We Can't Wait series we're looking at our top 14 most exciting film prospects for 2014. Previously: Nymphomaniac, Boyhood, Big Eyes, The Last 5 Years, Gone Girl , Can a Song Save Your Life and Veronica Mars plus movies that just missed the cut. Here's Anne Marie on a 2013 offering that was delayed. -Editor]
Snowpiercer
Joon-ho Bong's much-discussed scifi masterpiece (?). A train powered by a perpetual-motion machine cuts through a snowy post-apocalyptic earth. Onboard, a caste system has developed. All is thrown into chaos when the lowest classes revolt and fight their way, car by car, to the front.
Talent
Joon-ho Bong brings together a versatile cast including Tilda Swinton, Chris Evans, Ed Harris, Jamie Bell, Allison Pill John Hurt, and Octavia Spencer.
Why We Can't Wait
Joon-ho Bong (The Host, Mother) has been rightfully called one of the greatest directors in Korean cinema, an area filled to brimming with great directors. Even if you don't know Joon-ho Bong's work well, the idea of a post-apocalyptic train heist movie starring Tilda Swinton should be reason enough to get any self-respecting sci-fi fan excited. Still not convinced? The film has done over $50 million internationally and has been officially selected as the best Korean film of 2013. Snowpiercer has been hailed as a new Metropolis, using its extraordinary world to tell an intelligent story of class struggle and humanity.
But We Do Have To Wait
Unfortunately for Americans, Harvey Weinstein thinks we're too unintelligent for this movie. Since Weinstein picked up the film's US distribution rights last year, he has been garnering lots of bad publicity for his decision to cut 20 minutes out of the US release. His reasoning? He doesn't think it would play well in middle America. Instead of 20 minutes of exposition, he's added voice-overs to cover the lost information. (Anybody else getting Blade Runner deja vu?) Joon-ho Bong has publically stated he's against it, but Weinstein has yet to relent. No official US release date has been announced, but folks may want to skip it anyway and wait for the uncut film to be released on Bluray and digital download, whenever that may be.
Reader Comments (10)
I'm going to feel awful for saying this, but I am pre-ordering the French BluRay for a reason. Harvey Scissorhands strikes again. If what he did to The Grandmaster was any indication....
CMG -- one does what one must to get the full experience. Hey, as long as you're paying for it, why wouldn't you say it?
If it does well at the international box office and gains critical raves - Harvey might rethink his decision.
Seriously - what sort of films do 'middle America' like? Life of Pi? Hugo? Gravity?
Nathaniel- I didn't want to come off a smugly superior for people who might enjoy seeing the version that makes it to America. I've heard too many good things of the version Bong has shown abroad.
This is torture. I can't NOT see it on the big screen, but added voiceover sounds so awful...
It's out here in my country. Can't wait to see it! Though I don't know whether to put this in my 2013 watch list or 2014 watch list. Oh, well. Dilemmas, dilemmas.
I'm so nervous this will never get released in America that I might just give in and buy the foreign Blu-Ray, too. I just... NEED to see this. Especially after the rave reviews it's gotten abroad.
Ah, crap. What are the Weinstein Bros. up to now? The decision to cut time from A:OC definitely diminished the film version IMO. Not sure if TWC had anything to do with that decision.
Looking forward to any version of this one because of Tilda.
Pre-ordered the french Blu-Ray as well. I'm hype for this, but #icant with butchered Weinstein cuts. Not again.
(Wong-Kar Wai ;_;)
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