Dragon Boys

[jaehwan]

http://www.dragonboys.ca/eng/trailer.html

Written and produced by a bunch of white guys, but this miniseries looks pretty cool. Those of us in the States are going to miss it...

[DaveTDS]

I have a copy of it... if i wasn't afraid to go to jail or lose my job, i'd post it somewhere for you guys to see..

I work at CBC in the TV A&E department.

[kimtae]

Burn a CD, mail it to me in Korea, and I'll upload it onto a bittorrent site. I'll reimburse you for the mailing costs with bootleg dvd's from Asia. A'ight?

[lopan]

The Torrent health is low, but they do exist out there for dragon boys:

http://www.torrentspy.com/search?query=dragon+boys&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

[DaveTDS]

lol, it's not THAT good of a movie... well i guess it's pretty good for a TV movie..

[awong]

an article on it
http://asianfanatics.net/forum/All_Asian_Dragon_Boys_Spotlights_Vancouver_Underwo rld-talk383980.html
In a notable first for a North American production, director Jerry Ciccoritti's "Dragon Boys" uses an all-Asian cast, including Hong Kong actor Eric Tsang, seen here in 2006, pitting police against drug dealers on the streets of Vancouver.[Photo: AFP/File/Philippe Lopez]

The cops and robbers genre beloved of Hong Kong cinema has been successfully transplanted to Canada in a groundbreaking new film about Asian crime gangs. In a notable first for a North American production, director Jerry Ciccoritti's "Dragon Boys" uses an all-Asian cast, pitting police against drug dealers on the streets of Vancouver.

The film screened at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival this week after being aired for the first time on Canadian television earlier this year.

Film-maker Ciccoritti said he received a surprised reaction from Hollywood contacts whenever he mentioned the film and its Asian cast.

"In the United States, the representative faces are still going to be a white guy and a white girl," Ciccoritti said.

"You still need Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. What makes us different is that immigrants stay separate."

The movie has an impressive list of stars, including Byron Mann ("Red Corner," "Catwoman") who plays the police officer, Tzi Ma ("The Quiet American"), and Eric Tsang ("Infernal Affairs"), who plays a gangster.

Hong Kong-born actor Simon Wong, who plays a high school senior who gets caught up with a gang and is part of a burglary that goes horribly wrong, said he was surprised by the script.

"I'd never read a script with all these Asian people," said Wong. "And they're all three dimensional characters with lives. I'm so used to the token Asian character -- usually a scientist or a refugee."

Ciccoritti, whose parents came from Italy, said his film is more a study of the difficulties faced by the children of immigrants than crime.

"Immigrants don't understand they are actually cursing their children," he said. "They want to give them a better opportunity, but the kids don't fit in in the new world, and they lose the connection to the old world."

Production of "Dragon Boys" was not without controversy. Before the series first aired the Chinese-Canadian community expressed fears it could lead to a backlash against Asians.

Several Chinese-Canadian film and television personnel were also reported to have threatened resignations.

As a result, "Dragon Boys" producers hired community leaders to act as script consultants in an effort to ensure authenticity.

This move led to subtle changes in character development, including a decision to strengthen the parts of female roles, who had previously been weak and submissive.　　

credit: crienglish.

[blockthebox]

Damn. Sounds like this Ciccoritti guy needs to be added to the list of cool white people.

[Dialectic]

Hey Dave, serious question (and non sequitur).

You remember there was a show called Traders which aired for I think five years that was all the shit in Canada for a while?

I remember enjoying it and bought the first season DVD set, and I LOVE it. Unfortunately no further seasons were released.

Can you somehow get me copies of at least seasons 2 and 3 (while David Cubitt was still around), if not all the rest? I'd pay a reasonable amount, too, but I have no idea how it would work. Do you know if CBC still has these episodes kicking around in some format somewhere, and would you or someone you know have access? I NEED THESE!!!

[RebelAzn]

lol, it's not THAT good of a movie... well i guess it's pretty good for a TV movie..


Just be happy at least Asian Americans are on the big screen no matter where. It is a huge progress one way or another. I got part 1 and 2, when will part 3 and 4 be available on Bittorrent?

[Lum]

I love the premise anyway...like a Chinese rat-pack with a touch of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. I wish something like this had taken The Black Donnellys' spot. Did he say "banana boy"? LOL.

[A_BoyNamedSiu]

I only watched the 2nd episode. Not quite Lock, Stock..., like you suggested. Felt like typically CBC stuff to me. But the story and acting were pretty good. I'll have to admit, CBC stuff is getting better (Corner Gas, Robson Arms), and was pleasantly surprised by this. Great star power on this one.

One of the characters (Movie Star) keeps calling the Asian detective, Banana Boy

[Lum]

Aww, I was hoping for a little funny...with a bullet.