Description
– Launched 2023
– Note that this is printed by KSPCC, but it’s not a King Star designed or branded deck. The difference is like USPCC vs Bicycle branded decks.
– This is not a King Star designed deck. It’s designed by JIADE, printed by King Star Playing Card Company (KSPCC), and fulfilled by HuiQi upon launch. This is equivalent to the Rising Sun Kickstarter deck designed by Mr Lambert, printed by USPCC, and fulfilled by Gambler’s Warehouse. KSPCC is how King Star makes its bread and butter. What this means, is that you can be assured of the quality of how the cards handle for Cardistry.
– Check out Project Gutenberg movie official trailer
– and the iconic money heist scene
– Available editions:
1. Counterfeit Color (Peacock shimmer), limited edition of 300, unnumbered.
2. Counterfeit Black (Cardistry practice), limited edition of 188, unnumbered.
Counterfeit Playing Cards, designed by JIADE, printed by King Star KSPCC.
Using special color changing counterfeit bill ink. Does not require UV or Blacklight, the effect is apparent under normal lighting.
Inspired by the Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwok 2018 movie Project Gutenberg (Mo Seung) 无双.
Project Gutenberg (Chinese: 無雙; also released as The Counterfeiter in the United Kingdom) is a 2018 Hong Kong–Chinese action film written and directed by Felix Chong, and starring Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwok.
Filming began on 15 May 2017 and the film was theatrically released on 30 September 2018 in China and on 4 October 2018 in Hong Kong.
Project Gutenberg was a critical and commercial success, grossing a total of US$188.12 million worldwide, and winning seven awards at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay.
Plot
Counterfeit artist Lee Man (Aaron Kwok) is extradited to Hong Kong from Thailand. The Hong Kong Police Force led by Inspector Ho (Catherine Chau) are investigating a series of murders and robberies involving counterfeit notes linked to Lee, masterminded by a mysterious figure known only as “Painter”. The interrogations are interrupted by renowned artist Yuen Man (Zhang Jingchu) attempting to bail Lee. An agreement is reached where Lee will be released into witness protection for revealing Painter’s identity and criminal history, so Lee begins recounting his past.
In the 1990s, Lee and Yuen were lovers living together in Vancouver, struggling to sell their artwork. Yuen’s artistic talent was eventually recognized, but Lee’s artwork was criticized for only imitating the styles of great masters. Lee realized his skills and reluctantly became a forger to make a living.
Lee’s work was eventually noticed by Painter (Chow Yun-fat), who invites Lee to join his team. Lee agreed to leave Canada with the goal of returning and winning over Yuen. Lee successfully worked with the team to overcome the security features of the new 1996 US 100-dollar bill, but became disturbed by Painter’s increasingly violent actions, especially after an armored car robbery for paint where Painter kills all the guards out of rage when one ambushes him.
With their counterfeit stock, Painter’s team traveled to Thailand to re-negotiate their contract with a warlord known as “the General.” Painter revealed that he was actually here for revenge, knowing that the General was responsible for the death of Painter’s father, and an attack was launched. During the destruction of the compound, Lee rescued Sau-ching, the General’s own counterfeit expert. Sau-ching joined Painter’s team after recovering from her injuries, and Painter gave her a fake passport with the name “Yuen Man.” At this time, Lee learned that Yuen had become a successful artist, but also that she was engaged to her agent.
Painter discovered that their next counterfeit buyer was an undercover from the Canadian police. Painter ordered Lee to kill him during the deal, but Lee hesitated and Painter was forced to kill the buyer in the ensuing struggle. Frustrated with Lee’s cowardice, Painter revealed a captured and blindfolded Yuen with her agent in the next room. Painter insisted if Lee really wants Yuen back in his life, he should prove it by killing her fiancé. When Lee refused, Painter shot the agent himself, causing Lee to turn on him. Almost everybody was killed in the gunfight that follows, with the Painter nowhere to be found afterwards. Lee and Sau-ching escaped to Lee’s new home in Thailand, knowing the Painter would definitely seek retribution. Lee was eventually arrested by the Thai police for counterfeiting, and would notice Painter in a crowd, realizing he was set up for the crimes.
In the present day, Lee and Yuen are escorted to a hotel. Inspector Ho notices a policeman matching Lee’s drawn depiction of Painter. He is captured and interrogated, but the confused policeman insists he is a legitimate officer who drove Lee Man to the police headquarters. At this point, the authorities realize they were deceived all along.
It is revealed that while Lee’s recount is mostly accurate, the “Painter” character is none other than Lee himself. The real Yuen Man is currently in China, while the Yuen Man in Hong Kong is actually Sau-ching, who received cosmetic surgery to look like Yuen following the burns she received. Sau-ching had feelings for Lee, but Lee was only using her as a replica for Yuen Man. Sau-ching would later kill Yuen Man’s fiancé and report him to Thai authorities. While in prison, Lee wrote to Sau-ching for forgiveness and assistance to escape. Lee and Sau-ching kill their guards and escape Hong Kong by boat.
The next day, Sau-ching reveals to Lee that she has been deliberately sailing in circles and they are still in Hong Kong. As the police surround them, she declares she is tired of living as Yuen Man’s replacement, and detonates a cache of explosives on the boat.
Inspector Ho visits Yuen Man in China to inform her of Painter’s death, but Yuen indifferently says it will not bring back her fiancé. Asked if she recognizes Lee’s photograph, Yuen states that he was a neighbor; it seems Lee’s relationship with Yuen was also fabricated, and his obsession with her was no more than the unrequited love of a stranger.
Production for Project Gutenberg began in Hong Kong on 15 May 2017 where a blessing ceremony was held. On 18 May 2017, which was also lead actor Chow Yun-fat’s 62nd birthday, filming took place at Shing Fung Film Studio in Ho Chung, Sai Kung District. Aside from Hong Kong, shooting also took place in Vancouver, Canada and Thailand.
Director Felix Chong revealed that because the story revolves around a counterfeit organisation and would involve the process of printing counterfeit bills, the script originally contained eight steps describing the printing process, but was later increased to twenty steps to bring more excitement for audiences. Chong also obtained a 7-ton real currency press, which cost HK$100,000, which was able to create realistic looking counterfeit currency, which had to be reported to the Monetary Authority. Alan Mak, a frequent collaborator of Chong, served as the film’s art director.
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