HOME TRAILERS 2019 SCHEDULE 2020 SCHEDULE SHORT FILMS REVIEWS PODCAST INTERVIEWS NEWS FEEDS ABOUT US

MOVIE TRAILERS

Watch: Teaser Trailer for Hou Hsiao-hsien's Cannes Hit 'The Assassin'

by Alex Billington
July 5, 2015
Source: YouTube

This looks like it's going to be incredible. The first teaser trailer for one of the big hits of this year's Cannes Film Festival has arrived online. It's a short teaser for Hou Hsiao-hsien's The Assassin, starring Shu Qi, showing a few of scenes without any subtitles or voiceover, but it still looks stunning. The film received rave reviews during the festival and was considered a top contender for the Palme d'Or, but ended up with Best Director. Shu Qi plays "the assassin", with a cast featuring Chang Chen and Satoshi Tsumabuki. A slave to the orders of her mistress, Nie Yinniang must choose: sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins. I seriously can't wait to see this, hopefully on a very big screen.

Here's the first teaser trailer for Hou Hsiao-hsien's The Assassin, found on YouTube (via The Film Stage):

The Assassin Poster

Set during the mighty Tang Dynasty-period in Chinese history. Nie Yinniang (Shu Qi) returns to family after several years in exile. The mission of her order is to eliminate the tyrany of the Governors who avoid the authority of the Emperor. Now she will have to choose between sacrificing the man she loves, or break definitively with the "order of the Assassins". The Assassin, also known as Nie yin niang, is directed by veteran Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-Hsien, of the films Cute Girl, Time to Live A Time to Die, A City of Sadness, The Puppetmaster, Flowers of Shanghai, Café Lumière previously. The script is by T'ien-wen Chu, adapted from a story by Pei Xing. This premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where Hsiao-hsian won Best Director, and Lim Giong won Best Soundtrack. Stay tuned for US release details, as no date is set.

Find more posts: Foreign Film, To Watch, Trailer

Discover more around the web:

Reader Feedback - 19 Comments

really, you can tell its going to be incredible from that teaser? ok

Nic on Jul 5, 2015

Plus all the reviews about it already.

IamSlave on Jul 5, 2015

Yes well, not only has it played to rave reviews from people I trust. But Hou Hsiao-hsien is also an established filmmaker, and the footage in this tease makes me confident that all the reviews line up and, yes indeed, it might be incredible.

Alex Billington on Jul 5, 2015

It played at Cannes. Not like people are basing their reviews on this teaser.

bumboclot on Jul 6, 2015

I love that people in this community feel fine with that practice when it comes to action flicks though. Terminator and Jurassic Park got immediately trashed by commenters here when the teasers came out.

Ben on Jul 7, 2015

Yes, some serious double standards there. Also a teaser/trailer should stand on it's own, something went wrong here.

Panzerknecker on Jul 7, 2015

Why? Both of those movies made huge opening weekend money! How did people not like those teasers and then fork out billions?

bumboclot on Jul 7, 2015

There's some serious pretension on this website when it comes to franchises other than the Marvel universe. It's unfortunate.

Ben on Jul 7, 2015

Wow. Need in IMAX theatre now.

DAVIDPD on Jul 5, 2015

Among many similar films, the whole decision on this one depends after watching. I like female characters in such films. However, it also looks like it could be really good ...

shiboleth on Jul 6, 2015

How does this look incredible? What did I miss?

Panzerknecker on Jul 6, 2015

I thought the exact same thing.

Rock n Rollllll on Jul 6, 2015

1. No robots 2. No explosions Now that's incredible!

bumboclot on Jul 6, 2015

There are a lot of movies without robots and explosions that are not called incredible based on a very basic teaser trailer.

Panzerknecker on Jul 6, 2015

Yeah dude those are called chick flicks! No thanks. This one looks awesome - like an Apichatpong Weerasethakul film - but with epic sword fights! If you can't recognize great cinematography when you see it, then stick to CGI movies.

bumboclot on Jul 7, 2015

Doesn't look all that great. Some very nice locations, sets and lighting, which are very beautifully framed, but also some weird flat and weirdly blocked fight shots, also weird wide nature shots in 4:3. Also, there are no epic swordfights in this trailer, what are you talking about? I hope this will be as good as everyone here thinks though.

Panzerknecker on Jul 7, 2015

My thoughts exactly. 360p, 4:3? This looks like a trailer from the 90's. And furthermore; the sun going down, some people in costumes standing in the woods, something with swords. Perhaps the movie is great, but the trailer looks rather boring and unremarkable to me.

Nash on Jul 6, 2015

I can never take Shu Qi's acting seriously. Hopefully that doesn't distract from an otherwise beautiful looking movie.

bat0u on Jul 6, 2015

I was really curious if this was shot entirely in 4:3, like it appears in the trailer. Apparently it does not, and the director plays with the aspect ratio like Wes Anderson did in Grand Budapest.

Ben on Jul 6, 2015

Sorry, no commenting is allowed at this time.