Daai si gin (2004)

Director:

Johnnie To

Writers:

Hing-Ka Chan (written by) &
Tin-Shing Yip (written by)

Release Date:

2004 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

When an ambulatory TV news unit live broadcasts the embarrassing defeat of a police battalion by five bank robbers in a ballistic showdown...

Plot Keywords:

Police | TV | Camera | Telephone | Police Officer

Awards:

5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Richie Ren	...	Yuen (as Richie Jen)
Kelly Chen	...	Commissioner Rebecca Fong
Nick Cheung	...	Inspector Cheung
Siu-Fai Cheung	...	Eric Yeung (as Cheung Siu Fai)
Shiu Hung Hui	...	Hoi (as Hui Siu Hung)
Suet Lam	...	Yip (as Lam Suet)
Yong You	...	Chun (as You Yong)
Haifeng Ding	...	Long (as Ding Hai Feng)
Haitao Li	...	Chung (as Li Hai Tao)
Simon Yam	...	Asst. Commissioner C.K. Wong
Maggie Siu	...	Grace Chow (as Maggie Shiu)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chi Wai Wong	...	Wong
Wah Wo Wong	...	White Hair

Directed by
Johnnie To

Writing credits
Hing-Ka Chan		(written by) (as Chan Hing Kai) &
Tin-Shing Yip		(written by) (as Ip Tin Shing)

Produced by
Biao Cao	....	producer
Catherine Chan	....	associate producer
John Chong	....	executive producer
Elos Gallo	....	consultant producer
Sanping Han	....	associate executive producer (as Han Sanping)
Tao Jiang	....	administrative producer (as Jiang Tao)
Shirley Lau	....	associate producer
Johnnie To	....	producer
Buting Yang	....	executive producer (as Yang Bu Ting)

Original Music by
Ben Cheung
Chi Wing Chung		(as Ching Chi Wing)

Cinematography by
Siu-keung Cheng		(director of photography) (as Cheng Siu Keung)

Film Editing by
David M. Richardson		(as David Richardson)

Production Design by
Bruce Yu

Art Direction by
Raymond Chan

Costume Design by
Steven Tsang

Makeup Department
Kit Ling Chan	....	on-set dresser (as Chan Kit Ling)
Miko Chu	....	makeup artist (as Mico Chu)
Rachel Kong	....	hair stylist (as Rachel Kwong)

Production Management
Elaine Chu	....	project manager
Jackson Ha	....	production manager
Eric Huen	....	assistant production manager
Dong-ming Shi	....	production in charge (as Shi Dong Ming)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wai Chu Chan	....	second assistant director (as Chan Wai Chu)
Wai Hung Chan	....	first assistant director (as Chan Wai Hung)
Derick Lau	....	second assistant director
Wing-cheong Law	....	associate director (as Law Wing Cheong)

Art Department
Joey Chan	....	assistant art director
Wai Kin Lam	....	property master (as Lam Wai Kin)

Sound Department
Chun Wang Au	....	foley artist (as Au Chun Wang)
King Fai Choy	....	foley artist (as Choy King Fai)
Wing Hong Fung	....	foley artist (as Fung Wing Hung)
Shek Key Kwong	....	foley artist (as Kwong Shek Key)
Hon Chiu Lam	....	foley artist (as Lam Hon Chiu)
Wai Lun Lam	....	dialogue recordist (as Lam Wai Lun)
Sin-kwok Lee	....	sound recordist (as Lee Sin Kwok)
Charlie Lo	....	sound editor
Charlie Lo	....	sound
May Mok	....	dialogue recordist
May Mok	....	sound mixer
May Mok	....	sound
Kwok Fai Ng	....	boom operator (as Ng Kwok Fai)
Kwong Heung Yam	....	foley artist (as Yam Kwong Heung)
Chi Man Yu	....	foley artist (as Yu Chi Man)
Tomy Yu	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Peony Lam	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Ping Hin Kong	....	CGI animator (as Kong Ping Hin)
Pak Chung Kwan	....	CGI animator (as Kwan Pak Chung)
Sui Lun Leung	....	CGI animator (as Leung Siu Lun)
Stephen Ma	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Bun Yuen	....	stunt coordinator (as Yuen Bun)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ting Fung Kwong	....	best boy (as Kwong Ting Fong)
Hirotake Okazaki	....	still photographer
Hung Mo To	....	cinematographer: second unit (as To Hung Mo)
Kwok Chiu Wu	....	gaffer (as Wu Kwok Chiu)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kitty Chau	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Christy Chan	....	post-production coordinator
Simon Fung	....	assistant editor
Aaron Lau	....	assistant editor
Calmen Lui	....	post-production executive

Other crew
Kenneth Cheung	....	continuity
Yuin Shan Ding	....	film coordinator (as Ding Yuin Shan)
Yuin Shan Ding	....	translation consultant: English subtitles (as Ding Yuin Shan)
Ching Ting Law	....	set runner (as Lu Ching Ting)
Wing-cheong Law	....	associate director (as Law Wing Cheong)
Maggie Lee	....	translator: English subtitles
Chiu Chi Shing	....	location manager (as Chiu Chi Shing)

Production Companies

• Media Asia Films
• China Film Group
• Milky Way Image Company

Distributors

• Media Asia Distribution (2004) (worldwide) (all media) (world sales)
• Media Asia Films (2004) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Bright Angel Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Magic Hour (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Palm Pictures (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Pathé (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Solar Films (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Time Code (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Alberto Bitelli Intl. Films (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• MTV Netherlands (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Palisades Tartan (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Palisades-Tartan Acquisitions (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Palm Pictures (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Tartan Video (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Total Film Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Total Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Visionary Thinking (2004) (Serbia and Montenegro) (all media)

Other Companies

• China Star Production Services Limited  post-production facilities
• Milkyway Creative Team  written by
• Brilliant Genesis Limited  cgi animation
• Cubists  cgi animation
• Showreel Film Facilities  studio
• Milky Way Image Company  studio
• Milky Way Image Company  camera and lighting equipment
• Cinerent  camera and lighting equipment
• Tai Fung (Tsu's) Co. Ltd.  film stock
• Shaw Brothers  laboratory
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• i Zone Sound Design  foley design

Also Known As:

Breaking News (Hong Kong: English title) (Philippines: English title)
Da shi jian (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:90 min | Argentina:90 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | Philippines:88 min (cut)

Country:

Hong Kong | China

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:12 | Australia:M | Malaysia:18SG | Hungary:14 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Hong Kong:IIB | South Korea:15 | France:U (with warning) | Singapore:PG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Argentina:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud)

Company:

Media Asia Films

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Police Commissioner calls a meeting after the humiliating defeat of his police that was broadcast on television, he sits down in front of a large projection screen television that features a Microsoft Windows desktop. The Windows clock at the beginning of the scene displays the time of 10:55. Seconds later it reads 11:10, and by the end of this 2 minute scene, the clock reads 12:53.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chun tian hua hua tong xue hui (2006)

BREAKING NEWS is yet another JOHNNY TO film exploring the theme of honour among thieves

BREAKING NEWS is yet another JOHNNY TO film exploring the theme of honour among thieves. Earlier successes included THE MISSION and FULL TIME KILLER; others would certainly come to mind if I were to peruse his filmography but you can do that yourself on www.IMDb.com!

Mr TO and the CREATIVE WRITING TEAM of MILKWAY have a habit of not giving the viewer a lot of information, and letting the visual elements that define cinema take precedence.

The opening sequence is very tightly and cleverly shot and edited, so much so that it is a pleasure to sit back and play it over again.

That first sequence introduces most of the protagonists, at least those who will do battle; the subsequent act introduces the upper levels of policedom, who decide to stage a publicity coup.

The need for more effective policing to ensure the safety of citizens should be paramount, but the woman in charge (KELLY CHEN) is every bit as ruthless as the gunmen in her sights.

Caught in the middle is DETECTIVE CHEUNG, the police officer in charge of the initial, disastrous stakeout that sets the story in motion.

Every one seems to want to save face: the thieves refuse to surrender even when the odds seem insurmountable; DETECTIVE CHEUNG becomes more an avenger or a vigilante than a lawman, and refuses to back down, even when ordered to desist and give over to SDI, while CHEN in the safety of her control vehicle, uses technology and superior firepower to prove her worth to her superiors.

JOHNNY TO and his team must take pride in making films where the viewer must EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED (a superior policier starring the wonderful LAU CHING WAN). BREAKING NEWS is no exception: there are several twists; scenes of quiet humour, which manage to humanize the villains of the piece, and of course, those nice touches that ensure some memorable characterizations.

By the time the credits roll, everything has come together, and the muddle of the various conflicts is resolved, quite eloquently.

I cannot quite fathom the wide variety of music chosen for this film but it all seems to work.

BREAKING NEWS is an entertaining 90 minutes, and certainly does not wear out its welcome. Now that the anamorphically enhanced DVD is out, you can watch it more than once, to savour all its nuances.