Ahem, I rarely dabble in New Wave credits but for this wonderful but challenging film I just screened this afternoon at our local film fest here in SF (we're late bloomers here ya'know):
http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=11886&display_set=eng
I have a query. Howd'ya guys get the info that little Eric Tsang & Big Tony Leung were a part of this already rich cast as they were nowhere to be found in the print I saw (Big Tony did get honorable mention with thanks in the credits but to what extent I dunno) & I believe we saw the longest version Mr Tam put out for festivals; I just can't see those 2 luminaries figuring into the plot of this film so could editor/fans here based in Asia or an expert on this film please comment?

Patrick Tam was present at our screening and I unfortunately was just a paying customer this time without any pro/press credentials for any kind of exclusive access so I had to refrain from pouncing on the man as if I was armed with a mike in scoop mode i.e. controlling myself by not asking any questions about the past: Shaw Bros, Wong Kar Wai, The Sword, Ashes of Time, etc, Nunca, but I did get to engage him during his audience Q&A afterwards & he told me that he had over 5 hours of coverage edited down to our 160 some odd minutes (so if I was aware of your entry here ahead of time, I woulda asked him if he had some Eric & Tony coverage that ended up on the cutting room floor) that you guys obviously legitimately got a cast roster somewhere. Since I just seen this for the first time with no plans to invest in video, could you experts on this film please satiate my curioisity?

...and btw, I thanked Mr Tam for his fantastic Malaysian Ipoh sunsets & bewitching me with the ravishing talents of Charlie Yeung & Kelly Lin.

I wondered the same here:
http://hkmdb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t= ... ight=exile

At that time, I searched the blogosphere and noted that others also commented on their non-appearance. So they were looking for the pair also. Were they originally scheduled to have parts? It sounds like you saw the director's cut, so they are not in there either? I do recall an end credit on the regular DVD giving thanks to Big Tony too.

It sounds like you saw the director's cut, so they are not in there either?

Wow, you guys don't know either? And to think I was just one 'excuse me Mr Tam' from finding out the skinny on this? Another missed opportunity.

Anyway, this kind of story has been done time and time again since Cantonese weepies in the 50s & Italian realism before that. Actually I'm glad they weren't in it. I'm speculating here but given that the piece was done with mostly an unknown but rich cast deep in nuance, I think Patrick wanted a 'tabula rasa' i.e. he knew the presence of those two would of distracted from the main performances so he probably took them out & why not, Aaron has a tendency to suck up all the air around him & then some. IMO, though he did better here than in 'Divergence', he mugged his share of celebrity star power enough for 10 HK stars.

Well, I know I didn't escape to the john or doze off once this time to have missed them so I can say with confidence that Eric & Tony weren't in the 160 min. version. You guy's call on the credits.

Now I'm curious to the source of the data.

Also listing Eric and Tony in the cast !!
http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID.540 ... etails.htm
http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/movie.asp?id=8682

Aha!!
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/ ... Choice.php

Tam said in an interview published in the current issue of Hong Kong's City Entertainment magazine that the script for "After This Our Exile" had been circulating for 10 years and that he first approached Andy Lau, Eric Tsang, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and then finally Kwok.

The director said he and Lau's "paths didn't cross" and Leung had a conflicting filming assignment in Antarctica. He didn't say why Tsang declined, but the veteran actor ended up producing "After This Our Exile."

"Then I picked Aaron Kwok," Tam said.

http://star-ecentral.com/services/sprin ... sec=movies

In an interview with City Entertainment magazine, Tam revealed that the script had been written a decade ago and he had initially approached Andy Lau, Eric Tsang and Tony Leung Kar Fai for the part. But the timing didn’t seem right or it just wasn’t meant to be. Then Tam watched Divergence.

“I was quite surprised by his (Kwok’s) performance in the movie. He didn’t look at all like an idol. He could act thoughtfully without the baggage of a movie star or pop idol,” he said, adding that Kwok worked hard on his role.

In an interview with City Entertainment magazine, Tam revealed that the script had been written a decade ago and he had initially approached Andy Lau, Eric Tsang and Tony Leung Kar Fai for the part. But the timing didn’t seem right or it just wasn’t meant to be. Then Tam watched Divergence.

“I was quite surprised by his (Kwok’s) performance in the movie. He didn’t look at all like an idol. He could act thoughtfully without the baggage of a movie star or pop idol,” he said, adding that Kwok worked hard on his role.

And finally:
** page 161 of our editor's log shows that the cast was entered in Oct 2006 **

I will delete the credits.

Now I'm curious to the source of the data.

Now that's the whole point of it all idnit? Thru this we can keep each other honest w/constructive oversight.

he knew the presence of those two would of distracted from the main performances so he probably took them out

Alas the truth is often times more simple & mundane than any hackneyed speculation.

Thanks Dlee.