Press Release: 2009 Lost Memories
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
?2009 LOST MEMORIES? OPENS IN HOUSTON TODAY!
PREMIERE IN ADV FILM?S HOMETOWN FOR ACTION-PACKED KOREAN LIVE-ACTION THRILLER PRECEDES WIDER NATIONAL RELEASE
HOUSTON January 9 2004??2009 Lost Memories? the action-packed and thought-provoking Korean blockbuster feature film starring award-winning Korean actor Dong-Gun Jang and famous Japanese superstar Toru Nakamura as friends on opposite sides of a brewing conflict between the Japanese government and violent insurrectionists makes its North American theatrical debut tonight at Houston?s Alamo Drafthouse courtesy of ADV Films. ?2009 Lost Memories? is the first of more than 20 high-quality Korean live-action films ADV Films will release to theaters over the coming months.
?2009 Lost Memories? is truly an action spectacle of the highest quality. The producers spared no expense in bringing the exhilarating script to life?the film was shot on location in Korea China and Japan. Millions of dollars were spent on creating the impressive special effects including the construction of several original sets which were some of the largest and most expensive in Korean film industry history. Much of the effects budget also went towards the procurement of dozens of imported cars which were used generously throughout the movie for numerous explosions and an elaborate car chase scene. Finally one of ?2009 Lost Memories?? most impressive action sequences features a daring shootout utilizing 50 pieces of 25 different types of firearms and 20000 rounds of ammunition.
?2009 Lost Memories?: The Story August 15 1945: The United States of America and Japan succeed in winning World War II following the atomic bombing of Berlin and East Asia is united into one great union under the name of ?The Japanese Empire.? Decades later Japan is prospering as a strong economic nation second only to the U.S. but the Japanese Empire is plagued by anti-government terrorist attacks. When members of Korea?s largest underground anti-government organization the Hureisenjin attack an artifacts exhibition hosted by an influential politico Japanese Bureau of Investigation agent Masayuki Sakamoto investigates the insurrectionists? motives and uncovers a connection between the attack and the JBI itself. In an effort to throw Sakamoto off the trail JBI executives frame him for the murder of a fellow agent. Sakamoto narrowly escapes thanks to the help of his close friend and fellow agent Shojiro Saigo but is badly wounded. To make matters worse Saigo turns his back on Sakamoto leaving him with the ominous warning that they?ll ?meet as enemies next time? and forcing Sakamoto to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy alone.
Production Credits ?2009 Lost Memories? is written and directed by Si-Myung Lee who makes his debut as a full-length feature film director with the movie after working as an assistant director for Korea?s Cinema Service. Lee first began directing while attending college; his first short film won the Special Award at the 7th Original Korean Short Film Festival. He also won another award at the 2nd Shin Young Youth Visual Art Festival for another short film he?d directed.
Other notable members of the production staff are cinematographer Hyun-Chul Park one of only a few Koreans to graduate from AFI (American Film Institute) and composer Dong-Jun Lee known internationally as the Korean counterpart to Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
Distribution Bookings to date (additional theaters are expected to be added in the coming weeks; stay tuned for updates):
Jan. 9th: The Alamo Drafthouse-Houston TX
Jan. 23rd: The Carolina Theater-Durham NC
Jan. 24th: The Guild Cinema-Albuquerque NM
Posted on Friday, January 09, 2004 (Archive on Monday, February 09, 2004)