'It's not just the sex scenes...'
Already garnering the sort of Oscar buzz director Ang Lee is used to by now, Lust, Caution has also proved to be a big hit at the normally conservative Far Eastern box-office. Based on a short story, like previous film Brokeback Mountain, the story follows a young woman who joins an underground guerilla organisation and attempts to assassinate a collaborator tied to the invading Japanese. Screenjabber's Cassam Looch caught up with director Ang Lee on his recent trip to Englnad and asked him about the movie and the implications of his work in capturing the spirit of pre- and post-war Shanghai.
Lust, Caution is a fascinating and intricate film but also very different in many ways from your last release Brokeback Mountain. Was this project in your mind during the making of that film?
No, I was thinking about it after Brokeback Mountain. Whilst I was making Brokeback I was even thinking about not making another film. After that film got a release and a distribution I was at ease and then this film (based on a book by revered writer Eileen Chang) came back to me. It was something I wanted to take on…
Of course the film is controversial for its sex scenes, are you surprised by the positive response and commercial success in Asia?
It’s not just the sex scenes; even the political element is not something you normally see in Chinese society. So of course the success is moving and heartwarming. I didn’t know what people would think of me, and if I was disillusioned with patriotism. I think eventually the humanity of the film comes across to everyone that sees it.
Was it also a concern to take on such a famous story and work by Eileen Chang?
Yeah, but once I get into it I don’t really thing about it. I think once I started making it I didn’t really care what others thought in terms of whether I understand Eileen Chang or not. What right do they have to say that? I try and make my shoot…
The way you capture a vibrant and bright Shanghai early on in the film is in contrast to the very naturalistic vistas we saw in Brokeback. How do the two relate?
In terms of shooting there is no relation at all. The only link I feel between the two is the impossible romance between the characters. I don’t now why they appeal to me.
The film is told from the point of view of a female character, a theme from many of your earlier works. I wonder is that something you find easier to direct?
Yes definitely. I don’t know why, maybe it’s because I’m not a macho guy but the female point of view and the feminine touch seems to be easier for me to film. I do try and make all the characters realistic though, whether it male or female. Even someone who kills hundreds of people in battle it has to be realistic.
And obviously a film like this needs a strong female lead. Tang Wei is superb in her role; did you have to search hard to find her?
We tested over 10,000 actresses. I thought her figure was very close to the character I had in mind (and of that of someone from that era). Her disposition is very classical but also I found a little bit of me in her. It’s strange to say but when someone is carrying a movie that’s important, she’s very close to me. I obviously didn’t know she would be so intense in the sex scenes and that was a worry early on in the production but she just walked into those scenes so naturally. I had to tone down some other elements for the Chinese audience but not the language or sex scenes. Some of the ratings are strict, Philippines and Korea won’t change it, thanks to Taiwan they all follow the rating. I’m not sure about the rating in India yet…
Of course the film shows a multi-cultural Shanghai…
That’s the nature of Shanghai. There was a massive Indian population, a massive Russian population and it always changed due to events. I didn’t really make any conscious decision to link modern day Shanghai to the one in the film. My duty was to make it as accurate as I can so it’s more about restoring history. I used photographs, actual measurements, and stores from the era to get it as authentic as possible. I went into details like how tall are the trees on the street and how thick are they were things like that. It’s very intense and not exactly enjoyable but I feel I have a duty to do it. I don’t ‘have’ to do it but I think that if I don’t then no one will and that period will be lost. The historical beauty has to be captured, the authentic Chinese.
There don’t seem to be many filmmakers like that at the moment?
Very few, they either don’t know better or don’t have the resources. Some people can do it on the smaller scale; I feel the duty was to the future of china, and the children of China. That’s not why I made the movie but it was an extra burden…
You seem to take a lot of the pressure upon yourself?
There’s the historical burden, and the social burden as well. What do people think of me, obviously there’s a lot of attention on my movie. The Social burden as well, my countrymen and also the world will look at China through this movie. My last two films have clashed with moral senses, so there is that burden as well.
Maybe looking forward to your next project that could be different?
I thought doing a Martial Arts genre movie would be easier but that turned out to be something different as well. Now people think that all Chinese can fly! Even in that fantasy tale I have to incorporate historical elements and make the characters authentic as well.
I guess even in the Hulk you make a film that is authentic to its source, the comic book that it came from? You can see that in the scenes and the framing of the shots.
Exactly, but that works against the movie genre (laughs). I mean how close were the Fantastic Four movies to the real Fantastic Four? That’s just something I don’t do. It bothers me the way the film (Hulk) was released, it was required to be like another Spiderman, but it’s not that kind of film. If it was released like Lust, Caution it would be given a fair shot. But that would be too expensive so that’s the way these movies work. I got away with Crouching Tiger, but I didn’t get away with the Hulk… At least I got to make it.
Finally going back to Lust, Caution the film has done very well where it’s already been released. How do you think it will do in the West?
America is hard to tell. Hopefully it will gradually open up wider. In Europe I have high hopes actually; I think the audience is more willing to take on something new here. Hopefully the film isn’t too long for the critics…