Big, big news here courtesy of Jason Gray. Though he is still guiding his dark thriller I Come With The Rain - check the archive for the stunning promo reel - through the post-production process, French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung is already planning his next project, and what a project it will be. The director of Cyclo and A Vertical Ray of the Sun will next be traveling to Japan to direct a Japanese language adaptation of Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood.
Now, Murakami is pretty much a living legend in the literary world, and deservedly so. His work has a drifting, otherworldly quality to it that often make it read like cinema but Murakami has been very protective of his words up until now, having allowed only one of his works to ever be adapted for the screen - a short story titled Tony Takitani - despite multiple offers. This romantic drama will be the just the second Murakami based project so far and the first based on one of his novels. And, honestly, it's hard to imagine a director better suited to adapt Murakami's work than Hung. No word yet on cast or start dates, though with Asmik Ace and Fuji TV backing the film financially I'd expect a fairly high profile group to be involved.
Awesome news. Sound like a perfect choice of director for this story. I didn't even know Tran Anh Hung still made movies after Vertical Ray of the Sun, but IMDb lists another film that is in post-production right now.
Shooting starts next February for a 2010 release.
Asmik's relationship with Tran began with the release of "A Vertical Ray..." in Japan back in 2001. Murakami, who had long resisted giving up film rights to such a personal book, gave the OK in 2004 when he found out Tran was interested and based on the production plan Asmik Ace producer Shinji Ogawa ("Ping Pong") proposed. Fuji TV's Chihiro Kameyama ("Hero," "Bayside Shakedown") came on board recently which set everything in motion. Kameyama also produced the excellent "I Just Didn't Do It," and had long wanted to turn "Norwegian Wood" into a film.
It's sure to be an excellent fillm.
Don't forget that he also did The Scent of Green Papaya which still looks amazing!
I think the Region 1/US DVD is way out of print -- but the UK Region 2 is still readily available!
Criterion should really put out all 3 of his films.
Exciting news. I absolutely fell in love with the book; this sounds like a very good combo of talents so far to try and do it justice.
Very cool... Like Geert Jan said, what a great choice for a director.
Naota Yamakawa also directed two short Murakami adaptations in the early 80s... "Attack on a Bakery" and "A Girl, She Is 100%"
I thought Murakami promised to never allow any of his writings to be adapted as movies?
Oh good, now I don't have to read the book, lol.
you should read the book.
you should read all of murakami's books, for that matter.