AMP's Ten Masterful Asian Film Trilogies

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August 4, 2018

Panos Kotzathanasis

Movie trilogies have emerged in world cinema during the last decade or so, as one of the most favorite medium of films, and probably, as a countermeasure to the growing popularity of TV series. Evidently, this does not mean that there have not been trilogies in the past (who can forget “The Godfather”, “Star Wars” and many more), but it seems like, at the moment, this is where the movie industry is heading.

In Asian cinema, though, trilogies have been a favorite medium since the 50’s, with their impact continuing to these days, although not in the same extend as in Hollywood. Filmmakers of the magnitutde of Satyajit Ray and Yasuhiro Ozu felt that a single movie could not contain their vision, and proceeded on shooting trilogies that include some of the all time, international masterpieces.

The tendency continues to later decades, with a number of the most acclaimed Asian directors presenting their own, either loose (Park Chan-wook and Wong Kar-wai) or as a single story presented in parts (Infernal Affairs)

Here are 10 of the greatest trilogies of Asian cinema, in a list that focuses on diversity in themes and aesthetics, although not so much on country of origin.

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  1. 1 new

    Ningen no jôken

    1959 — a.k.a. The Human Condition I: No Greater Love, in 13 top lists Check
  2. 2 new

    Ningen no jôken

    1959 — a.k.a. The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity, in 12 top lists Check
  3. 3 new

    Ningen no jôken

    1961 — a.k.a. The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer, in 12 top lists Check
  4. 4 new

    Pather Panchali

    1955, in 21 top lists Check
  5. 5 new

    Aparajito

    1956 — a.k.a. The Unvanquished, in 15 top lists Check
  6. 6 new

    Apur Sansar

    1959 — a.k.a. The World of Apu, in 19 top lists Check
  7. 7 new

    Ah Fei jing juen

    1990 — a.k.a. Days of Being Wild, in 11 top lists Check
  8. 8 new

    Fa yeung nin wah

    2000 — a.k.a. In the Mood for Love, in 30 top lists Check
  9. 9 new

    2046

    2004, in 6 top lists Check
  10. 10 new

    Banshun

    1949 — a.k.a. Late Spring, in 16 top lists Check
  11. 11 new

    Bakushû

    1951 — a.k.a. Early Summer, in 9 top lists Check
  12. 12 new

    Tôkyô monogatari

    1953 — a.k.a. Tokyo Story, in 27 top lists Check
  13. 13 new

    Boksuneun naui geot

    2002 — a.k.a. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, in 4 top lists Check
  14. 14 new

    Oldeuboi

    2003 — a.k.a. Oldboy, in 34 top lists Check
  15. 15 new

    Chinjeolhan geumjassi

    2005 — a.k.a. Lady Vengeance, in 3 top lists Check
  16. 16 new

    Bei qing cheng shi

    1989 — a.k.a. A City of Sadness, in 10 top lists Check
  17. 17 new

    Xi meng ren sheng

    1993 — a.k.a. The Puppetmaster, in 11 top lists Check
  18. 18 new

    Hao nan hao nu

    1995 — a.k.a. Good Men, Good Women, in 3 top lists Check
  19. 19 new

    Miyamoto Musashi

    1954 — a.k.a. Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto, in 5 top lists Check
  20. 20 new

    Zoku Miyamoto Musashi: Ichijôji no kettô

    1955 — a.k.a. Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple, in 3 top lists Check
  21. 21 new

    Miyamoto Musashi kanketsuhen: kettô Ganryûjima

    1956 — a.k.a. Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island, in 3 top lists Check
  22. 22 new

    Mou gaan dou

    2002 — a.k.a. Infernal Affairs, in 14 top lists Check
  23. 23 new

    Mou gaan dou II

    2003 — a.k.a. Infernal Affairs II, in 3 top lists Check
  24. 24 new

    Mou gaan dou III: Jung gik mou gaan

    2003 — a.k.a. Infernal Affairs III, in 1 top list Check
  25. 25 new

    Ai no mukidashi

    2008 — a.k.a. Love Exposure, in 3 top lists Check
  26. 26 new

    Tsumetai nettaigyo

    2010 — a.k.a. Cold Fish, in 0 top lists Check
  27. 27 new

    Koi no tsumi

    2011 — a.k.a. Guilty of Romance, in 1 top list Check
  28. 28 new

    Ringu

    1998, in 12 top lists Check
  29. 29 new

    Ringu 2

    1999 — a.k.a. Ring 2, in 1 top list Check
  30. 30 new

    Ringu 0: Bâsudei

    2000 — a.k.a. Ringu 0, in 1 top list Check
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Last updated on Feb 13, 2021; source