Check Out New Footage In 'The Grandmaster 3D' Trailers

There is now a fourth version of Wong Kar Wai's most recent film, The Grandmaster. Originally released in 2013 in a 130-minute Chinese version, then a 122-minute "international" version, and finally in a streamlined and substantially-different 108-minute US version, the film has been converted to 3D for re-release in China. This new 3D cut is based mostly on the US version — so it loses entirely some characters from the longer cuts — but also features some new footage. See what you can spot in the Grandmaster 3D trailer (actually, trailers) below.

The problem with these trailers, of course, is that the prime attraction is the 3D conversion, overseen and approved by Wong Kar Wai. While the first trailer is exceptionally good quality, and the shots suggest what we might see in 3D, most of us can't really get the full effect.

Still, while new footage is appealing, what's really interesting here is the idea of seeing the director work in 3D. No matter what you think of 3D, Wong is notoriously picky and detail-oriented, typically taking months to fine-tune the final edit of a film. If he has signed off on a 3D cut, I want to see it. (Sure, there could be simple economic and/or contractual forces at work, but I'm trying not to be too cynical about this release.)

This summer, the director said,

We had originally planned to film 'The Grandmaster' in 3D not only for the cinematic sensation, but also for the subtlety of the expression of this beautiful story. We now have the opportunity to show the film as it was always intended – searching for a brand new aesthetic or cinematic language in the 3D format.

The problem, however, is that The Grandmaster 3D is currently only slated to be released in China, where it opens on January 8, delayed from a planned October opening. [via The Playlist]