Cape No. 7
Encyclopedia
Cape No. 7 is a 2008 Taiwan
ese romance comedic music-drama
film
written and directed by Wei Te-Sheng
, his first full-length motion picture. The film is in Taiwanese and Mandarin Chinese with significant lines in Japanese
. Before its commercial release, the film was world premiered on June 20, 2008 at the 2008 Taipei Film Festival
as the opening film. The film later won 3 awards in this festival.
Prior to this film, the two leading actors Van Fan
and Chie Tanaka
only had minor acting experience while some of the supporting roles were filled by non-actors. Even without a strong promotional campaign, the film had become so popular in Taiwan
that on November 1, 2008 it became the 2nd top grossing film in the country's cinematic history, behind JAMES CAMERON's Titanic
. The film has grossed over US$13,804,531 since its release.
The film has won 15 awards to date, including 6 at the 2008 Golden Horse Awards. It was also Taiwan
's entry to compete in the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, although it did not secure a nomination.
, an unnamed teacher (Kousuke Atari
) dispatched to the southernmost town of Hengchun falls in love with a local girl with the Japanese name
Kojima Tomoko (Rachel Liang). After the Surrender of Japan
, the teacher is forced to return home as Taiwan was placed under the administrative control of the Republic of China
. On his trip home, he pens seven love letter
s to express his regret for leaving Kojima Tomoko, who originally planned to elope with him to Japan.
More than 60 years after the teacher left Kojima Tomoko, Aga (Van Fan) is introduced as a struggling young Hengchun-native rock band
singer who could not find success in Taipei
. After returning to his hometown, Aga's step father (Ju-Lung Ma), the Town Council Representative, arranged a position for him as a postman, replacing the aging Old Mao (Johnny C.J. Lin), on leave after a motorcycle accident broke his leg. One day, Aga comes across an undeliverable piece of mail that was supposed to be returned to the sender; the daughter of the now deceased Japanese teacher has decided to mail the unsent love letters to Taiwan after discovering them. Aga unlawfully keeps and opens the package to discover its contents, but the old Japanese-style address Cape No. 7, Kōshun District, Takao Prefecture
can no longer be found.
Meantime a local resort hotel inside nearby Kenting National Park
is organizing a beach concert
featuring Japanese pop singer Kousuke Atari
, but Aga's step father makes use of his official position to insist that the opening band be composed of locals. Tomoko (Chie Tanaka), an over-the-hill Mandarin-speaking Japanese fashion model dispatched to Hengchun, is assigned the difficult task of managing this hastily assembled band, led by Aga along with six other locals of rather particular backgrounds. After a frustrating trial period, Aga and Tomoko unexpectedly begin a relationship. With some assistance from hotel maid Mingchu (Shino Lin), who is revealed to be Kojima Tomoko's granddaughter, Tomoko helps Aga find the rightful recipient of the seven love letters. Tomoko then tells Aga that she plans on returning to Japan after the concert because of a job offer. After returning the seven love letters, a heartbroken but determined Aga returns to the beach resort and performs a highly successful concert with his local band alongside Kousuke Atari while Kojima Tomoko reads the letters.
film Seediq Bale, which had problems securing financial interest.
By the end of 2006 Wei had finished Cape No. 7s script. He was subsequently awarded NT$ 5 million for winning the "Domestic Film Fund" from Taiwan's Government Information Office
. Wei said he picked Hengchun as the film's setting due to its richness in contrasts: mountains along with beaches; the old towns near the modern resort hotels; the aging population with the young working in Taipei; the diversified demographics with Hoklo
, Hakka
, Mainlanders, Taiwanese aborigines
, and international tourists; the weather variation between the tropical southern Taiwan and the snow-laden Japan. Wei believed that such a setting would provide the ideal backdrop for the "harmony in diversity" theme of Cape No. 7.
The movie was filmed between September and November 2007 in Hengchun and its neighboring Checheng
and Manjhou Townships, located on the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County
. The set for the 'Hotel Chateau' (where the concert is held and at which model Tomoko stays) was the real life Château Beach Resort at Kenting
. A few scenes were also filmed in Fangliao Township
and Jiadong Township
of Pingtung County, Kaohsiung International Airport
, Ximending
and Wenshan District
in Taipei
. The final scene presenting the Japanese teacher (Kousuke Atari) and other Japanese people leaving Taiwan by ship was filmed in an abandoned brewery in Taichung
with more than 500 extra
s. Before filming, Chie Tanaka had been staying in Taiwan for 15 months to study Chinese so she did not have major problems dealing with the Chinese lines in the film. Kousuke Atari played himself and as the 1940s Japanese teacher in this film.
As the production went over budget, Wei had problems securing additional capital; he subsequently refinanced his home and forced his family NT$ 30 million (approx. $900,000 USD) into debt before release. Cast members Pei-Chen Lee and Chin-Yen Chang revealed that during filming Wei could barely afford the film rolls and lodging for the crew. Wei later said this film's zealous reception should help him manage his debts.
The film's 133 minute theatrical version was edited from the first cut of 160 minutes. Aga and Tomoko's love scene was shortened, and some of their dialog before the love scene was cut as well. The final version was shortened in Mainland China
after the government film agency snipped out over half an hour of the film for political purposes. Nevertheless, rampant piracy in Mainland China saw the unedited version mass distributed via street stalls and the internet.
buzz, mainly in blogs and on the PTT
, eventually leading to its record-breaking box-office performance.
Critics attribute the film's box office success to its honest depiction of the rural southern Taiwan; the strong emotional resonance among older viewers; the humorous tone, optimistic characters, and musical performances.
where its broadcasting rights were successfully sold to Hong Kong
; South Korea
; Malaysia and Brunei
, through Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd and All Asia Multimedia Network
, both subsidiaries of Malaysian pay-TV group Astro All Asia Networks; and Singapore
. The Hong Kong release date was on November 20, 2008 and the film ranked first during its first week of release. Local critics found this film "civil, humorous, and friendly". The Singapore release date was originally January 1, 2009 but distributors decided to release this film earlier on November 27, 2008 so as to satisfy demand from Singaporeans and to fight piracy
. The film made its United States
premiere on October 10, 2008 in Honolulu at the Hawaii International Film Festival
, where it won the Halekulani Golden Orchid Award for Best Narrative. Its premiere in the Continental United States was on December 12, 2008 in Los Angeles
.
For an unspecified reason this soundtrack does not include the film's ending theme, "Beautiful Scenery" sung by Rachel Liang. This omission gave some fans reason to boycott
this soundtrack.
s 12,000 reservations in 1995.
|-
! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Golden Horse Award
|-
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese romance comedic music-drama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
written and directed by Wei Te-Sheng
Wei Te-Sheng
Wei Te-Sheng , Taiwan) is the director of Cape No. 7, the 2nd top-selling film in Taiwanese history.-Career:Wei’s film career began when he got a job in a small production house. Then he became an assistant in Edward Yang's film studio in 1995. When Yang was filming Mahjong , he was promoted to...
, his first full-length motion picture. The film is in Taiwanese and Mandarin Chinese with significant lines in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. Before its commercial release, the film was world premiered on June 20, 2008 at the 2008 Taipei Film Festival
Taipei Film Festival
The Taipei Film Festival 台北電影節 is a film festival promoted by the city of Taipei, Taiwan, the Republic of China, through the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs....
as the opening film. The film later won 3 awards in this festival.
Prior to this film, the two leading actors Van Fan
Van Fan
Van Yi-Chen Fan is a Taiwanese aborigine singer and actor best known for Cape No...
and Chie Tanaka
Chie Tanaka
is a Japanese model and actress who mostly works in Taiwan. She is best known for her leading actress role Tomoko in the movie Cape No...
only had minor acting experience while some of the supporting roles were filled by non-actors. Even without a strong promotional campaign, the film had become so popular in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
that on November 1, 2008 it became the 2nd top grossing film in the country's cinematic history, behind JAMES CAMERON's Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
. The film has grossed over US$13,804,531 since its release.
The film has won 15 awards to date, including 6 at the 2008 Golden Horse Awards. It was also Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
's entry to compete in the 81st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, although it did not secure a nomination.
Plot
In the 1940s near the end of the Japanese era of TaiwanTaiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
, an unnamed teacher (Kousuke Atari
Kousuke Atari
Kousuke Atari is a J-Pop artist, born July 13, 1980, on Amami island, Japan. Hailing from Amami-Oshima in southern Japan, Atari Kousuke is a folk singer currently signed to Epic Records Japan...
) dispatched to the southernmost town of Hengchun falls in love with a local girl with the Japanese name
Japanese name
in modern times usually consist of a family name , followed by a given name. "Middle names" are not generally used.Japanese names are usually written in kanji, which are characters of usually Chinese origin in Japanese pronunciation...
Kojima Tomoko (Rachel Liang). After the Surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, the teacher is forced to return home as Taiwan was placed under the administrative control of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
. On his trip home, he pens seven love letter
Love letter
A love letter is a romantic way to express feelings of love in written form. Delivered by hand, by mail or romantically left in a secret location, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation of feelings...
s to express his regret for leaving Kojima Tomoko, who originally planned to elope with him to Japan.
More than 60 years after the teacher left Kojima Tomoko, Aga (Van Fan) is introduced as a struggling young Hengchun-native rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
singer who could not find success in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
. After returning to his hometown, Aga's step father (Ju-Lung Ma), the Town Council Representative, arranged a position for him as a postman, replacing the aging Old Mao (Johnny C.J. Lin), on leave after a motorcycle accident broke his leg. One day, Aga comes across an undeliverable piece of mail that was supposed to be returned to the sender; the daughter of the now deceased Japanese teacher has decided to mail the unsent love letters to Taiwan after discovering them. Aga unlawfully keeps and opens the package to discover its contents, but the old Japanese-style address Cape No. 7, Kōshun District, Takao Prefecture
Takao Prefecture
was one of the administrative divisions of Taiwan during the Japanese rule. The prefecture consisted of modern day Kaohsiung City and Pingtung County.-Population:1941 census.*Total population: 930,383**Japanese 59,633**Taiwanese 863,313...
can no longer be found.
Meantime a local resort hotel inside nearby Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park is a national park located in the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County, Taiwan, covering Hengchun, Checheng and Manjhou Townships. Established on January 1, 1984, it is Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island...
is organizing a beach concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
featuring Japanese pop singer Kousuke Atari
Kousuke Atari
Kousuke Atari is a J-Pop artist, born July 13, 1980, on Amami island, Japan. Hailing from Amami-Oshima in southern Japan, Atari Kousuke is a folk singer currently signed to Epic Records Japan...
, but Aga's step father makes use of his official position to insist that the opening band be composed of locals. Tomoko (Chie Tanaka), an over-the-hill Mandarin-speaking Japanese fashion model dispatched to Hengchun, is assigned the difficult task of managing this hastily assembled band, led by Aga along with six other locals of rather particular backgrounds. After a frustrating trial period, Aga and Tomoko unexpectedly begin a relationship. With some assistance from hotel maid Mingchu (Shino Lin), who is revealed to be Kojima Tomoko's granddaughter, Tomoko helps Aga find the rightful recipient of the seven love letters. Tomoko then tells Aga that she plans on returning to Japan after the concert because of a job offer. After returning the seven love letters, a heartbroken but determined Aga returns to the beach resort and performs a highly successful concert with his local band alongside Kousuke Atari while Kojima Tomoko reads the letters.
Cast
| Actor | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Van Fan Van Fan Van Yi-Chen Fan is a Taiwanese aborigine singer and actor best known for Cape No... (范逸臣Fàn Yìchén) |
Aga (阿嘉 Mandarin: Ājiā) | The band's lead singer. Hengchun native who recently returned to the town after failing to find success in Taipei. |
| Chie Tanaka Chie Tanaka is a Japanese model and actress who mostly works in Taiwan. She is best known for her leading actress role Tomoko in the movie Cape No... (田中千絵) |
Tomoko (友子 Mandarin: Yǒuzǐ) | Japanese model and agent assigned to organize the local band. |
| Kousuke Atari Kousuke Atari Kousuke Atari is a J-Pop artist, born July 13, 1980, on Amami island, Japan. Hailing from Amami-Oshima in southern Japan, Atari Kousuke is a folk singer currently signed to Epic Records Japan... (中 孝介) |
Japanese teacher in flashback scenes/himself in the present. | He is an actual pop star in real life |
| Rachel Liang (梁文音 Liáng Wényīn) |
Kojima Tomoko in flashback scenes. | Was left behind by her teacher |
| Johnny C.J. Lin (林宗仁 Lín Zōngrén) |
Old Mao (茂伯 Mào Bó) | Postman; yueqin Yueqin This article is about the Chinese Yuequin. The Vietnamese Đàn nguyệt is also often referred to as a 'moon guitar'.The yueqin is a traditional Chinese string instrument... ist, bass Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... ist and tambourine Tambourine The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all.... ist in the band, close to 80 years old. Proud of having his talents referred to by the yueqin as a "national treasure" and desperate to perform in any capacity possible. |
| Ming Hsiung (民雄 Mín Xióng) |
Rauma (勞馬 Láo Mǎ) | Short-tempered Policeman of Rukai tribe origin; guitarist in the band. Abandoned by his wife. Left the Taiwan police special forces for his wife before she abandoned him. |
| Ying Wei-Min (夾子應蔚民 Yīng Wèimín) |
Frog (水蛙 Shuǐwā) | Mechanic in a local motorcycle shop; drummer of the band. Infatuated with his boss' wife. |
| Ma Nien-hsien (馬念先 Mǎ Niànxiān) |
Malasun (馬拉桑 Mǎlāsāng) | Diligent alcohol salesman of Hakka Hakka people The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China.... origin from nearby Baoli Village, Checheng Township Checheng, Pingtung Checheng Township is a rural township in Pingtung County, Taiwan. During the Kingdom of Tungning, it was called "Firewood City" . During Qing Dynasty rule, it was renamed "Car City" .* Area: 49.8517 km²* Population: 10,340 people... ; bassist in the band. |
| Joanne Yang (楊蕎安 Yáng Qiáo'ān) |
Dada (大大 Dàdà) | 10-year-old girl who plays piano in local church; keyboardist in the band. |
| Bjanav Zenror (丹耐夫正若) |
Olalan (歐拉朗 Ōu Lālǎng) | Rauma's father; policeman; former bassist in the band. |
| Ju-Lung Ma (馬如龍 Mǎ Rúlóng) |
Hong Kuo-jung (洪國榮 Hóng Gúoróng) ,Town Council Representative | Aga's step father; insists on allowing local talent to perform in the concert. |
| Hsiao-Lan Pei (沛小嵐Pèi Xiǎolán) |
Aga's mother. | |
| Chang Kuei (張魁 Zhāng Kuí) |
Hotel Manager | Under pressure from Aga's stepfather, was forced to allow the band formed by locals to perform in the concert. |
| Shino Lin (林曉培) |
Lin Mingchu (林明珠 Lín Míngzhū) | Hotel maid; capable of speaking Japanese. Kojima Tomoko's granddaughter and Dada's mother. |
| Pei-Chen Lee (李佩甄 Lǐ Pèizhēn) |
Motorcycle shop owner's wife | Buxom, with triplet Multiple birth A multiple birth occurs when more than one fetus is carried to term in a single pregnancy. Different names for multiple births are used, depending on the number of offspring. Common multiples are two and three, known as twins and triplets... sons. Frog's employer's wife and infatuation. |
| Chin-Yen Chang (張沁妍 Zhāng Qìnyán) |
Meiling (美玲 Měilíng) | Hotel receptionist. Originally had disputes but later developed brief relationship with Malasun. |
| Yukihiko Kageyama (蔭山征彥) |
Narrator of the teacher's love letters | Voice only |
Filming
The inspiration for Cape No. 7 came in July 2004 when director Wei read a report about a Yunlin postman who successfully delivered a piece of mail addressed in the old Japanese style - the sender was the former Japanese employer of the recipient. Wei decided to make a film based on this story, in the hopes of financing his long-awaited epicEpic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
film Seediq Bale, which had problems securing financial interest.
By the end of 2006 Wei had finished Cape No. 7s script. He was subsequently awarded NT$ 5 million for winning the "Domestic Film Fund" from Taiwan's Government Information Office
Government Information Office
The Government Information Office is a cabinet-level agency of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China in charge of promoting government policies and regulating domestic media.-History:...
. Wei said he picked Hengchun as the film's setting due to its richness in contrasts: mountains along with beaches; the old towns near the modern resort hotels; the aging population with the young working in Taipei; the diversified demographics with Hoklo
Hoklo people
The Hoklo people are Han Chinese people whose traditional Ancestral homes are in southern Fujian of South China...
, Hakka
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
, Mainlanders, Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
, and international tourists; the weather variation between the tropical southern Taiwan and the snow-laden Japan. Wei believed that such a setting would provide the ideal backdrop for the "harmony in diversity" theme of Cape No. 7.
The movie was filmed between September and November 2007 in Hengchun and its neighboring Checheng
Checheng, Pingtung
Checheng Township is a rural township in Pingtung County, Taiwan. During the Kingdom of Tungning, it was called "Firewood City" . During Qing Dynasty rule, it was renamed "Car City" .* Area: 49.8517 km²* Population: 10,340 people...
and Manjhou Townships, located on the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County
Pingtung County
Pingtung County is a county in Southern Taiwan. Pingtung County is officially administered as a county of the Republic of China . The oldest national park in Taiwan, Kenting National Park, was established in Pingtung County in 1984...
. The set for the 'Hotel Chateau' (where the concert is held and at which model Tomoko stays) was the real life Château Beach Resort at Kenting
Kenting National Park
Kenting National Park is a national park located in the Hengchun Peninsula of Pingtung County, Taiwan, covering Hengchun, Checheng and Manjhou Townships. Established on January 1, 1984, it is Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island...
. A few scenes were also filmed in Fangliao Township
Fangliao, Pingtung
Fangliao is a rural township in Pingtung County, Taiwan Province of the Republic of China. It was the site where Japanese forces landed and completed the encirclement of Tainan during Japanese invasion of Taiwan. It is also the location for the filming of the second season of the American show...
and Jiadong Township
Jiadong, Pingtung
Jiadong Township is a rural township in Pingtung County, Taiwan. It has a population total of 21,598 and an area of 30.9842 square kilometres.-External links:*...
of Pingtung County, Kaohsiung International Airport
Kaohsiung International Airport
Kaohsiung International Airport , also known as Kaohsiung Siaogang Airport for the Siaogang District where it is located, is a medium-sized commercial airport located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan...
, Ximending
Ximending
Ximending is a neighborhood and shopping district in the Wanhua District of Taipei, Taiwan. It was the first pedestrian zone in Taiwan.-Overview:...
and Wenshan District
Wenshan District
Wenshan District is the southernmost of the twelve districts of Taipei City. The district was formed in 1990 by combining Jingmei and Muzha. Wenshan previously referred to the region south of Taipei Basin .- Culture :...
in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
. The final scene presenting the Japanese teacher (Kousuke Atari) and other Japanese people leaving Taiwan by ship was filmed in an abandoned brewery in Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
with more than 500 extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
s. Before filming, Chie Tanaka had been staying in Taiwan for 15 months to study Chinese so she did not have major problems dealing with the Chinese lines in the film. Kousuke Atari played himself and as the 1940s Japanese teacher in this film.
As the production went over budget, Wei had problems securing additional capital; he subsequently refinanced his home and forced his family NT$ 30 million (approx. $900,000 USD) into debt before release. Cast members Pei-Chen Lee and Chin-Yen Chang revealed that during filming Wei could barely afford the film rolls and lodging for the crew. Wei later said this film's zealous reception should help him manage his debts.
The film's 133 minute theatrical version was edited from the first cut of 160 minutes. Aga and Tomoko's love scene was shortened, and some of their dialog before the love scene was cut as well. The final version was shortened in Mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
after the government film agency snipped out over half an hour of the film for political purposes. Nevertheless, rampant piracy in Mainland China saw the unedited version mass distributed via street stalls and the internet.
Taiwan
Although the film only attracted moderate box-office success during its first weeks of release, it was helped by strong word of mouthWord of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
buzz, mainly in blogs and on the PTT
Professional Technology Temple
PTT Bulletin Board System is a terminal-based bulletin board system based in Taiwan. It was founded by students from the Department of Information Engineering of National Taiwan University, and is currently administrated by the Electronic BBS Research Society.PTT is arguably the largest BBS in the...
, eventually leading to its record-breaking box-office performance.
| Date | Accumulated box-office in Taipei Taipei Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean... (NT$) |
Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2008 | 5.66 million | |
| Sep 11, 2008 | 28.18 million | surpassed Secret Secret (2007 film) Secret , is a 2007 Taiwanese romance film. It is the directorial debut feature film of Taiwanese musician Jay Chou, who also stars as the male lead and co-wrote the movie.The Secret Original Soundtrack was released by JVR Music on 13 August 2007.... to become the top-selling Taiwan-made film in this island's cinematic history |
| Sep 18, 2008 | 51.99 million | |
| Sep 27, 2008 | 109 million | surpassed The Dark Knight The Dark Knight (film) The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins... s 109-million accumulated Taipei sales record |
| Oct 4, 2008 | 151 million | surpassed Lust, Cautions 136-million accumulated Taipei sales record |
| Oct 6, 2008 | 164 million | surpassed Police Story 3 Police Story 3 Police Story 3: Super Cop , also known as Super Cop in North America, is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts action crime comedy film starring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh. Jackie reprises his "Kevin" Chan Ka-Kui character, a Hong Kong cop from Police Story and Police Story 2... s 156-million accumulated Taipei sales record to become the top-selling mandarin-language film in Taiwan history |
| Oct 14, 2008 | 201 million | surpassed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings... s 200-million accumulated Taipei sales record to become the 4th top-selling film in Taiwan history |
| Oct 19, 2008 | 215 million | surpassed The Lost World: Jurassic Park The Lost World: Jurassic Park The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a 1997 science fiction thriller film, directed by Steven Spielberg. The film was produced by Bonnie Curtis, Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen and Colin Wilson... s 213-million accumulated Taipei sales record to become the 3rd top-selling film in Taiwan history |
| Nov 1, 2008 | 225.7 million | surpassed Jurassic Park Jurassic Park (film) Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck... 's 225.2-million accumulated Taipei sales record to become the 2nd top-selling film in Taiwan history, only behind JAMES CAMERON's Titanic Titanic (1997 film) Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal... 's 387.8-million |
| Dec 12, 2008 | 232 million | Final Taipei box-office (530 million total for the entire country) |
Critics attribute the film's box office success to its honest depiction of the rural southern Taiwan; the strong emotional resonance among older viewers; the humorous tone, optimistic characters, and musical performances.
International
The film gathered widespread attention at the 2008 Pusan International Film FestivalPusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
where its broadcasting rights were successfully sold to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
; South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
; Malaysia and Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, through Astro Entertainment Sdn Bhd and All Asia Multimedia Network
All Asia Multimedia Network
All Asia Multimedia Network FZ-LLC is a foreign company in Malaysia. It is a content aggregation arm of the pan-regional pay-TV group Astro All Asia Networks plc.- External links :*...
, both subsidiaries of Malaysian pay-TV group Astro All Asia Networks; and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The Hong Kong release date was on November 20, 2008 and the film ranked first during its first week of release. Local critics found this film "civil, humorous, and friendly". The Singapore release date was originally January 1, 2009 but distributors decided to release this film earlier on November 27, 2008 so as to satisfy demand from Singaporeans and to fight piracy
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
. The film made its United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
premiere on October 10, 2008 in Honolulu at the Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
, where it won the Halekulani Golden Orchid Award for Best Narrative. Its premiere in the Continental United States was on December 12, 2008 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Soundtrack
Cape No. 7s soundtrack was released on October 24, 2008 by the local Forward Music Corporation, Van Fan's then agency.- "The First Letter: "Tomoko, Are You Still Waiting for Me?" (Yukihiko Kageyama)
- "Don't Wanna" (Van Fan)
- "The Second Letter: Destiny Is this Era's Sin" (Yukihiko Kageyama)
- "Love You to Death" (Joanne Yang, etc.)
- "The Third Letter: Tomoko, I Fell in Love with You at that Moment" (Yukihiko Kageyama)
- "Where to Go" (Bjanav Zenror)
- "The Fourth Letter: Why the Sea Breeze Always Brings Weep" (Yukihiko Kageyama)
- "To Daughter" (Patricia Ho)
- "The Fifth Letter: Tomoko, I Really Miss You: Ah! Rainbow!" (Yukihiko Kageyama)
- "As Happy as Can Be" (live version from the film) (Van Fan, Johnny C.J. Lin, Ming Hsiung, Ying Wei-Min, Ma Nien-hsien, Joanne Yang)
- "The Sixth Letter: I Write My Shame into the Last Letter" (Yukihiko Kageyama)
- "South of Border" (Van Fan)
- "HeidenrösleinHeidenröslein"Heidenröslein" or "Heideröslein" is a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, published in 1799. It was written in 1771 during Goethe's stay in Strasbourg when he was in love with Friederike Brion, to whom the poem is addressed...
" (Van Fan, Kousuke Atari, Chie Tanaka) - "The Seventh and Last Letter" (Van Fan)
- "1945" (orchestral version)
For an unspecified reason this soundtrack does not include the film's ending theme, "Beautiful Scenery" sung by Rachel Liang. This omission gave some fans reason to boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
this soundtrack.
DVD/BD release
On November 14, 2008, Cape No. 7's distributors announced that the film's official DVD/BD release date will be December 19, 2008. On November 30, 2008 the number of copies ordered in advance had reached 23,000, far surpassing the runner-up record holder in Taiwan's cinematic history, The Lion KingThe Lion King
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
s 12,000 reservations in 1995.
Win
| Film Festival | Awards/Recipients |
|---|---|
| 2008 Taipei Film Festival Taipei Film Festival The Taipei Film Festival 台北電影節 is a film festival promoted by the city of Taipei, Taiwan, the Republic of China, through the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs.... |
Best Cinematography (Ting-chang Chin), Taipei Million Grand Award, Best Audience Award |
| 2008 Asian Marine Film Festival | Grand Prize |
| 2008 Hawaii International Film Festival Hawaii International Film Festival The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks... |
Halekulani Golden Orchid Award for Best Narrative |
| 2008 Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival held a three-day one-off film festival from February 16-18, 2003 entitled Kuala Lumpur World Film Festival 2003 with the theme “Peace, Harmony, Non-Violence and Non-Discrimination”. It was organized in conjunction with the Non-Aligned Movement Conference which was hosted by Malaysia during the... |
Best Cinematography (Ting-chang Chin) |
| 2008 Golden Horse Award | Best Supporting Actor (Ju-Lung Ma), Best Original Film Score (Fred Lu, Lo Chi-Yi), Best Original Film Song (Matthew Yen, Tseng Chih-Hao, Van Fan), The Audience Choice Award, The Outstanding Taiwanese Film of the Year, The Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year (Wei Te-Sheng) |
| 3rd Asian Film Awards 3rd Asian Film Awards The 3rd Asian Film Awards was given in a ceremony on 23 March 2009 as part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival.-Best Film:*Winner: Tokyo Sonata **Forever Enthralled... |
The Edward Yang Edward Yang Edward Yang , along with Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming Liang, was one of the leading filmmakers of the Taiwanese New Wave and Taiwanese Cinema. He won the Best Director Award at Cannes for his 2000 film Yi Yi .-Biography:... New Talent Award(Wei Te-sheng) |
| 9th Chinese Film Media Award | The Juries' Special Award |
| 2009 Shanghai Film Critics Awards Shanghai Film Critics Awards Shanghai Film Critics Awards are given annually to honor excellence in national cinema by an organization of film reviewers from Shanghai Film Critics Association and Shang Film Museum. This event is the only critics' awards in mainland China. The first annual held in 1991. From 1991 to 1993, they... |
Film of Merit |
Nominated
| Film Festival | Awards/Nominees |
|---|---|
| 2008 Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival | Best Director (Wei Te-Sheng), Best Asian Film |
| 2008 Golden Horse Award | Best Feature Film, Best Director(Wei Te-Sheng), Best New Performer(Chie Tanaka, Johnny C.J. Lin), Best Cinematography(Ting-chang Chin), Best Sound Effect(Tu Duu-Chi) |
| 2008 Festival International du film asiatique de Vesoul | Asian Feature Film |
| 28th Hong Kong Film Awards 28th Hong Kong Film Awards Ceremony for the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards was held on 19 April 2009 in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and hosted by Eric Tsang, Teresa Mo, Sandra Ng, Vincent Kok, Kay Tse, Denise Ho, Lam Chi Chung, Chin Kar-lok, Louis Fan, Tin Kai Man, Michelle Lo and Wong Cho Lam.-Best Film:-Best Director:-Best... |
Best Asian Film |
Controversies
- The United Daily NewsUnited Daily NewsThe United Daily News is a newspaper published in the Republic of China in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese. It is one of the three biggest newspapers in Taiwan, the other two being the China Times and the Liberty Times.-History:...
published an editorial criticizing the film as "marred by colonial thoughts during the Japanese era" on September 25, 2008.
- At the 2008 Pusan Festival, a deputy director of Taiwan's Government Information Office was barred from attending the closing ceremony due to political pressure from the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Information about the film was also pulled from the festival's website.
- On October 15, 2008, Wang Cho-Chiun (王卓鈞), the Director-General of Taiwan's National Police Agency, was asked about his thoughts after seeing Cape No. 7. He responded that in two scenes he felt the film degraded the image of Taiwan's police force, and behavior such as Rauma beating Aga certainly would not be allowed in real Taiwan society.
- During his visit to Taiwan in November 2008, Chen YunlinChen YunlinChen Yunlin is the current chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits , the body responsible for negotiations with Taiwan in the People's Republic of China.-Biography:...
, the Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan StraitsAssociation for Relations Across the Taiwan StraitsThe Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits is an organization set up by the People's Republic of China for handling technical or business matters with the Republic of China ....
(ARATS), publicly praised this film after a private screening. However on November 28, 2008 during a regular ARATS meeting in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Chen reversed his view and stated that this film was "marred by the shadow of JapanizationJapanizationJapanization is the process in which Japanese culture dominates, assimilates, or influences other cultures, in general. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the word Japanize means To make or become Japanese in form, idiom, style, or character.Narrowly,...
". He recommended the film be banned in the People's Republic of China. Chen's standpoints were later revoked by Yang Yi(楊毅), the spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs OfficeTaiwan Affairs OfficeThe Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council is an administrative agency under the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It is responsible for setting and implementing guidelines and policies related to Taiwan, as stipulated by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and...
later on December 13, 2008. Yang said the PRC delayed the release of Cape No. 7 only due to "technical issues such as translation" and the release date will be December 26, 2008. The final release date was further delayed to February 14, 2009 and the version censored by the PRC authorities was only 100-minute long: certain Taiwanese Hokkien slangSlangSlang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
, foul words, and scenes such as Old Mao speaking Japanese were cut.
External links
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