By Jeff Swindoll Oct 1, 2007, 15:49 GMT
Ang Lee’s follow-up to Brokeback Mountain concerns the story of a shy student and actress who engages in espionage during 1940’s Shanghai. The Japanese are occupying the city during WWII and Mr. Yee (Tony Leung) is cooperating with the occupying forces. The Chinese students form an underground resistance movement and assassinating Mr. Yee is top of their lists of projects.
They recruit the shy Wong Chia Chi (Tang Wei) to infiltrate Mr. Yee’s house and become his mistress. The film is based on a story from Eileen Chang’s short story. Chi uses the freedom she feels when she’s acting onstage to play this most dangerous part. Lust, Caution has already come under some controversy in that it has been rated NC-17 for its graphic sexual content.
Composer Alexandre Desplat composes a sweeping score for the film. Ang Lee even plays piano on ‘Nanjing Road.’ Desplat also composed the score for the Painted Veil, which had a similar setting as this film and won a Golden Globe for that score.
The score for Lust/Caution might score him some awards since it is haunting, evocative of the era, and quite good. The CD includes two bonus tracks, "Seduction" and "Desire."
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