Features: DVD, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, Dolby Surround Sound, Interviews, Production Footage, Filmographies, Theatrical trailer, Previews, English Subtitles
Time Of The Wolf reunites award-winning French actress Isabelle Huppert with director Michael Haneke after the international success of their celebrated film, The Piano Teacher. In addition, Time Of The Wolf features an A-list cast of France's top actors, including Olivier Gourmet (The Son, Read My Lips), Beatrice Dall (Betty Blue) andi Patrice Chearau (the director of Intimacy and Those That Love Me Can Take The Train).
An extremely timely and prescient piece of social commentary, Time Of The Wolf follows a family's difficult journey immediately after an unknown apocalyptic event. Haneke never tells us what happened, or where, or when, but instead puts us directly into the terrifying aftermath, with all of its confusion, uncertainty, and danger. As all social laws and codes are suddenly overturned, Haneke asks us to find our own way through. Time Of The Wolf is Haneke's most intense film, and also his most hopeful.
"Exquisitely made love story." David Stratton, Variety
"...among the finest expressions of the Chinese new wave." J. Hoberman, Village Voice
"For Tian...it marks a triumphant return..." Manohla Dargis, Los Angeles Times
Editor's Note
A romantic triangle erupts in a bombed-out small town in the years between World War Two and the Maoist revolution. Liyan (Wu Jan) suffers from ennui-infused illness while his wife by an arranged marriage, Yuen (Hu Jingfan) wiles away her time shopping, wandering the cliffs, and doing needlepoint. Along comes Zuyen (Xin Baiqing), Liyan's old friend, now a modern Shangai doctor. It turns out Yuen and Zuyen were once in love years ago, but as they tentatively try to rekindle the romance they find themselves frozen by self consciousness, cultural traditions, and affection for the ailing Liyan. Meanwhile, Liyan's energetic younger sister (Si Si Lu) develops a huge crush on Zuyen herself, and Liyan tries to arrange their marriage. A highlight here is the lovely cinematography by Mark Lee Ping-bin (IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE), a model of compositional elegance as the camera moves in perfect counterpoint with the actors among the bombed out ruins and stark landscape. A remake of a 1948 classic of Chinese cinema, this marks a return to directing for Zhuangzhuang Tian, who was banned from directing in China for ten years after 1994's THE BLUE KITE. It's a subtle allegory of a China stifled by its slavish devotion to outmoded, dying traditions. At least the characters manage to find some joy with songs and drinking games.
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