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From the September 30th fluff at Sanney's HK Entertainment Review. Many thanks to John Charles for circulating the info!
Recently an Internet poll was taken on stars you would support on opening weekend come rain or sleet or snow. Chow Yun-Fat (left) was the only Hong Kong star to make it onto the list. Jackie Chan did not make it. Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts headed the list.
Kaos, Pras in "Full Contact" with New Line
By Zorianna Kit for the Hollywood Reporter of September 30th. And many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!
Thai filmmaker Kaos is on board to direct New Line Cinema's remake of the 1992 Hong Kong actioner "Full Contact," with Fugees' singer Pras attached to star.
The remake of Ringo Lam's "Xia dao Gao Fei" starring Chow Yun-Fat has been in development at New Line since 1992, when John Ridley ("Three Kings") was hired to write the script. The story will keep to the same core themes of the original, but the settings, circumstances and characters have been reworked for an American audience. Newcomer scribe Matt Cirulnick is tailoring the script for Pras.
Described as in the vein of "Heat," "Full Contact" is a dramatic actioner that chronicles the secrets of survival in a murky underworld of criminals.
Although the deal has yet to be sealed for Pras, the project would mark the singer/actor's second feature for the studio. He recently completed "Ghetto Supastar."
Andy Gershon, Peter Afterman and Chris Lee will produce "Contact," while New Line's senior vp Brian Witten and Chris Lee Prods. vp Greg Frankovich will oversee on behalf of their respective companies.
"Kaos really responded to 'Full Contact' and had a great take on it," Witten said. "With Pras, we had a great working relationship on 'Ghetto Supastar,' and we feel that the combination of the two of them will make for an exciting new movie.
Kaos, who is repped by ICM and Lee, recently signed on to helm his first American feature, "Ecks vs. Sever," for Franchise Pictures and Chris Lee Prods.
Pras and Cirulnick are both repped by UTA.
From the Singapore Straits Times of September 29th, 1999. And many thanks to John Charles for the URL!
HONGKONG actor Chow Yun Fat has apparently been doing more than making heads turn on the set of the much-anticipated flick, Anna And The King, which also stars Jodie Foster.
The movie's director, Andy Tennant, told Premiere Magazine that the Chinese actor is incredibly charismatic.
"Every woman on this production seemed to swoon, including my wife," he revealed.
To bring his point home, the director admitted cheekily: "He is probably one of the few men that I will allow to kiss me. Twice on the cheek every morning."
'Anna and the King' Challenged
By the Associated Press. From the New York Times of September 28th, 1999. And many thanks to John Charles for the URL!
NAKORN LUANG, Thailand (AP) -- The king's warriors marched bare-breasted, blood-soaked women prisoners toward execution stakes, followed by angry crowds chanting for the captives to be beheaded.
``Cut!'' director Chatri Chalerm Yukol shouted. ``Not enough sunlight. Wait another day.''
What a movie. It has partial nudity, adultery, violence, betrayal and corruption -- all depicting life in Thailand's monarchy in a bad light. That would usually be enough to stop it being made or shown in this royalty-revering country.
But unlike a Hollywood remake of the ``King and I'' starring Jodie Foster, which Thai film authorities banned from being shot on location earlier this year over historical inaccuracies, work is proceeding on ``Suriyothai'' as fast as the elements will allow.
A big difference: The film has backing from the royal family, with Queen Sirikit presiding over the opening ceremonies. If all goes well, the three-hour epic will hit the screens in December for the 72nd birthday celebrations for King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Chatri, himself a minor member of the royal family who has 25 films to his credit, hopes ``Suriyothai'' can be shown to audiences before the New Year and qualify as a nominee for Best Foreign Picture to symbolicly challenge ``Anna and The King'' in the Oscars, though they wouldn't be competing in the same categories.
Thailand's problem with ``Anna and The King'' and its Broadway predecessor is that the tale is based on the memoirs of an English governess at the court of 19th century King Mongkut.
Thais say that Anna Leonowens was prone to flights of imagination and that Mongkut was a refined scholar, not the dancing despot as he has been portrayed.
Chatri, who is reaching three centuries further back in history, says that ``Suriyothai'' is based on five years of research. He studied old documents and wall paintings so he could tell it like it was at the royal court of Siam, as Thailand was then known.
``Unlike `Anna and the King,' I have evidence to prove the historical accuracy of my film,'' said Chatri, 57. ``Everybody knows that movie is just a joke.''
The movie is named after Suriyothai, a queen who saved the life of her husband King Thianracha during a war with invaders from Myanmar. Chatri is convinced the story of love and sacrifice will win people's hearts and stir up national pride.
Dim light halted shooting on a recent Saturday at a recreated folk village set near the historic capital of Ayuthaya. Dozens of onlookers were disappointed to miss the shot of the prisoners' heads being lopped off and put on stakes.
The condemned prisoners -- a food taster and three servants -- had been accused of trying to poison another king, while the real would-be killer was the king's adulterous wife.
``We reflect the brutality and harsh punishment for lawbreakers,'' Chatri said. ``It's about sex, a tradition of polygamy carried on by the kings, adultery, corruption among traders and officials.''
Budgeted at $6.1 million, the film will be the most expensive ever made in Thailand and comes at a time the moribund local industry is hoping for a revival.
In recent years, production has fallen from more than 100 films annually to about 20, according to the film board, and most films in Thai theaters are Hollywood action and horror fare.
The hope is that ``Suriyothai'' and a recently released, stylish ghost story, ``Nang Nak,'' will break the quality barriers that have prevented many Thai films from being screened outside the country.
``Nang Nak'' has already pulled in $2.7 million at the box office, four times the original investment, a figure that impresses independent film critic Suthakorn Santithawat.
``That is quite successful,'' Suthakorn said. ```Nang Nak' serves the need of Thai movie-goers to see a real Thai story. Who knows? Chatri's `Suriyothai' might be what Thais have been longing for.''
Film board officials think it will pass the tough censorship code, bare breasts and all. And the royal backing sure won't hurt.
Thais normally treat the monarchy with reverance and respect -- backed by harsh lese majeste laws -- but at the remove of several centuries and dynasties, such frank treatment becomes acceptable.
By Choi Wai Lin, for The Sun of September 18th, 1999. And many thanks to Wolverine for translating and transcribing the article at his HKSAR Top 10 site!
Taiwan reports claimed earlier that Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King) during the production on Ang Lee's CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (NGOR FU CHONG LUNG) was injured during a wire stunt. However the injury was more serious than first reported since she had to return to America for surgery and to nurse the injury.
One of her friends said, "I only read about her injury yesterday in the papers, but I don't think the injury was that serious! (Did Chi King return to America to nurse the injury?) No, because Ang Lee has to attend a month long film festival in France, she and Fat Jai (Chow Yun Fat) have returned to America and Hong Kong respectively to rest."
From Harry Knowles' Ain't-It-Cool News. And thanks to Jeff Koga for the URL!
I just caught a preview of ANNA AND THE KING at the AMC La Jolla 12 in where else . . . La Jolla. I feel tired after watching it. I don’t want to bag on the movie because it is a finely crafted, well-acted piece of filmmaking with some great cinematography. But it was so slow I think the audience aged five years while sitting through it. Yes, I know the story was paced to match its Thai setting and era, but good heavens I could have put away “Atlas Shrugged” and had a bowl of ice cream before that movie finally ended.
Beyond the glacial pace, Foster and Yun-Fat do admirable jobs with well-worn characters. They show us nothing new. They just get the job done. I must admit I find it weird to see Chow without two .45’s blasting away, but I got over it. The supporting cast is serviceable too. Nobody stands out in any way, but this is also due to the uninspired tale that has been around forever. The kids are cute and they steal many a scene.
I really appreciated that the Thais, when speaking to each other, actually used their native tongue, unlike so many other lame Hollywood movies which have the actors speaking English with an accent – witness Robin Williams’ new piece of crap LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, PART II, THE POLISH YEARS . . . oops, I’m sorry JAKOB THE LIAR. Anyway, the costumes, the attention to detail and the sets are all quite nice eye candy, but the movie left something to be desired.
So overall it was a nice movie. I have no real complaints beyond the been-there-done-that-feel and the pacing of an 80-year-old on Valium. Would I recommend it to anyone under 30? Maybe a few girls I know might enjoy it but definitely nobody under 20 will like this movie. Older people may dig it, but they, of course, know the story, so really they shouldn’t bother either. What a shame, they probably sank 40-50 million into this well-intentioned movie and it’ll be lucky to make half that at the box office. If you want a quality flick, pass this up and check out AMERICAN BEAUTY.
Fox shuffles Anna, X-Men dates
By Chris Petrikin, for Reuters/Variety. And thanks to Jeff Koga for the URL!
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Figuring that its new Jodie Foster movie ``Anna and the King'' will be no match for the early holiday shopping rush, Fox has moved the film's release to Dec. 17 from Nov. 24.
According to insiders, Fox moved the Andy Tennant-directed ``Anna'' from its Thanksgiving slot in order to avoid a drop off with its core female audience. Rather than face abandonment just a week into its run and the potential loss of screens, the film can now compete freely for holiday filmgoers. Fox executives are touting it as a David Lean-like romantic.
However, in its new slot, ``Anna'' will have to go head-to-head with Disney's ``Bicentennial Man,'' starring Robin Williams; Miramax's ``Cider House Rules''; and Warner Bros.' ``The Green Mile,'' starring Tom Hanks.
Fox has also claimed June 30, 2000 for the release of its Marvel Comics action movie ``X-Men.'' The film was initially set for a holiday 2000 launch. Reuters/Variety
By Choi Wai Ling, from THE SUN of Sept 11th, 1999, as translated and transcribed by Wolverine at his HKSAR Top 10 site and Sanney at his Entertainment Review site!
Chow Yun-Fat surprised many people yesterday when he showed up at a Mongkok camera shop. Chow, who has been in Beijing working on CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (AW FU CHONG LUNG), was in Hong Kong for a short holiday. He took the opportunity to go shopping for a camera so he could use it to take pictures when he returns to the Mainland. Chow was visibly thinner, he has lost about twenty pounds, but the fans who saw him told him that he looked very good.
Yesterday afternoon Fat Gor went to visit several camera stores for camera lenses and bought a camera for HK$12,800.
"Later, I'll be going to Huangshan and Hangzhou for exterior shooting. You know how people say that the scenery there is exceptionally beautiful so I thought I'd buy a new camera to take some pictures!" Actually Fat Gor is a photography fanatic.
Chow has lost twenty pounds in two months, going from 170 pounds to around 150 pounds. He has done it mostly by dieting and swimming. He has noticed that his skin has become tighter and that more wrinkles have appeared on his face. Chow laughs, "Can't help it! It's pretty dry up there. Besides, I have to practise kung fu for about five hours a day. It's hard not to lose the weight."
With such a strenous lifestyle, you can't blame Chow for going to the Central District to get a massage in the morning.
Besides practising kung fu moves, Chow has to learn his lines in Mandarin. A task that seems to have its difficulties. When asked about it, Chow frowns and says, "don't talk about me. Even Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi-King) is having problems with it."
In other Chow Yun-Fat news, Chow does not think he will have time to accept an invitation to attend the Golden Horse Awards this year. He says, "I don't think I have the time. During the awards, I'll be up dueling at Mount Wah!" (SANNEY: For you non-Jin
Yong fans, Chow is referring to the LEGEND OF THE CONDOR HEROS. In the novel, a kung fu contest between the best fighters in China is held at Mount Wah.)
Professor Marvel looks at ANNA & THE KING
From Harry Knowles' Ain't-It-Cool News of August 25th. Many thanks to Ben and Judy for the URL!
I say, it is Professor Marvel here and when I look into my crystal ball I am looking at a roughcut of ANNA AND THE KING. This is the same crystal that foretold of Julius Caesar coming to Cleopatra and the gross sums made off of a terrible sea-faring tragedy. But now I am watching Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat...
I caught a fairly well-finished (all except the soundtrack and probably 10 minutes of editing) version of "Anna and the King" yesterday, and thought I'd share it with you guys. Basically, it's the dramatic version of "The King and I," following the true story of Anna Leonowens as she travelled to Siam to educate the son of King Mongkut. When she gets there, she realizes that the king's "son" is actually about 50 offspring of concubines, and she sets out to teach them all the ways of the world in her own steely British style.
Meanwhile, all kinds of discord is breaking out amongst the king's ranks - one of his advisors is disgusted with the King's attempts to curry British favor, and plots a coup. Anna herself is disgusted with the slave-owning and lack of human respect that goes on in the country, and sets out to change the king's mind about everything, with varying degrees of success.
Jodie Foster, of course, is terrific, and her English accent as the dour Anna isn't bad either. She looks magnificent, and fills the screen with her usual intensity. Chow Yun-Fat, as the King, has trouble with some of the dialogue, but definitely pulls off the part. The problem is that their romance - only hinted at, but obvious just the same - seems like more of a concession to screengoers than anything organic, and given Foster's presumed history, it's hard to take her and the King of Siam seriously.
The film's denouement suffers from a battle scene that never quite pans out, and indeed, the political intrigue here seems to get in the way of the film's mood. It's such a good story, how Siam/Thailand remained stable throughout the last 150 years, but the film lacks a unifying theme that makes other great movies into epics. This one is just a pretty good story.
But the cinematography, my God, so beautiful. If you're a fan of photography or the use of light in film, or even the majesty of a world long gone, you'll get your money's worth. It's by far the most gorgeous thing you'll see this winter in the theater, and for some, that may be enough.
Professor Marvel
RTHK Selects The Top 10 HK Films of the Century
(And many thanks to Sanney for posting this summary from the Ming Pao of August 24th, at his HK Entertainment Review site!)
With the Twentieth Century coming to a close, RTHK took the opportunity to hold a Hong Kong's Best Movies election. Thirteen experts were assembled to select fifty movies. From those fifty, HK movie fans in Hong Kong and around the world were allowed to vote to pick the ten best films of the Twentieth Century. Several weeks and more than thirty one thousand votes later, the results were released yesterday.
(1) A BETTER TOMORROW [YING HUNG BOON SIK] (1986)
(2) AN AUTUMN'S TALE [CHAU TIN DIK TUNG WAH] (1987)
(3) MR. BOO I: THE PRIVATE EYES [BOON GUN BAT LEUNG] (1975)
(4) PRINCESS CHANG PING [DAI NUI FA] (1959) [SANNEY: Not the John Woo version]
(5) CHINESE GHOST STORY [SIN NUI YAU WUN] (1987)
(6) THE CHINESE CONNECTION [JING MO MOON] (1972)
(7) SUMMER SNOW [NUI YAN SEI SAP] (1995)
(8) GOD OF GAMBLERS [DO SUN] (1989)
(9) THE GREAT DEVOTION [HO NIN TIN HA FU MO SUM] (1960)
(10)C'EST LA VIE MON [CHERI SUN BUT LIU CHING] (1993)
Ed note: As Sanney mentioned, CYF stars in #s 1, 2, and 8 -- his hat trick tops the list for HK actors.
Jinx plagues set of Foster's royal epic
By Liz Hodgson, for the SCMP of August 13th. And many thanks to Jerry for reposting the article on his HKSAR Top 10 site!
There was so much bad luck on the Malaysian film set of Anna, starring Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-fat, that Hollywood film industry executives joked it should be renamed The Jinx and I.
People suffered broken bones, animals fell off cliffs and one man was nearly killed by a snake during the remake of the 1956 musical, The King and I.
The producers became so desperate to stop the mishaps they hired two local priests to rid the set of evil spirits.
"There were way too many mishaps to be labelled a fluke," a movie executive said.
Trouble started early for the film, in which Foster plays British teacher Anna Leonowens and Chow the King of Siam. It also stars Red Corner actress Bai Ling.
Twentieth Century Fox was forced to switch filming to Malaysia after the Thai Government refused to play host.
A few days into filming Foster, 36, fell and bruised her ribs and a week later twisted her ankle.
A young boy on the set was almost crushed by an elephant.
Director Andy Tennant broke his hand when a metal clamp fell on it and Bai Ling broke her nose during a boat ride.
A worker plunged off a hotel balcony, splitting his head, and an assistant was nearly strangled to death by a boa constrictor.
After the producers called in a priest to perform a cleansing ritual, two horses fell off a cliff.
A second priest arrived later to perform the same blessing. Unfortunately, while one blessing is a charm, two are considered bad luck - and a third horse fell off the cliff.
Published in the South China Morning Post. Copyright (c) 1999. All rights reserved.
From the Singapore Straits Times of August 11th. Many thanks to Jerry for reposting the article on his HKSAR Top 10 site!
THE mass kowtow is not going well. A young woman marches down a long corridor, barking into a megaphone in Malay.
She is trying to get 896 extras -- farmers and traders from surrounding Malaysian villages -- to fall to the ground in sequence, like a wave.
Dressed in traditional Thai culottes, hair shaved in 19th century -style mohawks, the courtiers are milling about in front of a sparkling Thai palace made of Styrofoam and real marble.
This is the set of Anna And The King, the fictionalised story of the English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens, who travelled to Siam in 1862 to teach in the court of King Mongkut.
The extras are supposed to show their reverence for the king, played by Hong Kong star Chow Yun-Fat, as he walks towards Anna, better known as Jodie Foster. Instead, they look as if they are collapsing in the blistering Southeast Asian heat. "The wave is on Prozac," director Andy Tennant says with a sigh.
If attention to cultural detail makes a great epic, Anna And The King will be a blockbuster. Its creators insist that it is not a remake of The King And I, the 1956 movie musical, which was also based on the Leonowens diaries.
While the real Anna may have met the king only a few times, both Hollywood movies cast the two in a love story. But the similarities end there. As played by Yul Brynner in the musical, the Siamese king was charming but buffoonish.
The creators of Anna hired Thai consultants to ensure that their love story portrays King Mongkut the way Thai historians do: as a visionary who fended off colonialism by launching his country's modernisation.
"There will be no king saying 'et cetelah, et cetelah, et cetelah'," says Tennant, mimicking Brynner's comical English in the musical.
"This is a movie about the arrogance of the West meeting the alternative of the East," says executive producer, Jon Jashni.
That didn't prevent Twentieth Century Fox from meeting trouble in Thailand, where the story takes place.
Thai film authorities hated The King And I so much that it has been banned for 44 years, and they refused to allow Tennant to film in Thailand. Anxious to protect the image of Mongkut, whose heirs are still in power, they fear the new film will also offend the monarchy.
Hoping to win approval from the National Film Board, Tennant did five rewrites to address a long list of objections.
According to the Thai press, the board didn't like a scene in which the king's daughter climbs a tree and drops fruit on his head. It didn't like Anna's son, Louis, making fun of the way the king walks and talks.
It didn't like comments about the king's concubines and children (according to Thai books and records, he had 82 children by 35 different mothers, and a harem of more than 100 women).
"They were adamant about everybody crawling around on all fours around the king," says Foster.
In the end the board refused Tennant, so he shot in Malaysia instead. The budget soared to US$70 million (S$112 million), much of it to build a re-creation of Thai royal palaces.
The film board is one of the most conservative institutions in Thailand, and wasn't about to take chances. It sent a copy of the script to the imperial palace, which sent it back, saying the decision was up to the board. It was a tough position for any Thai official. Even Tennant's Thai advisers say the original script was unacceptable.
Thailand's monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is a direct descendant of Mongkut, and no-one knows what he thinks of the flap over Anna. But he once described Yul Brynner's portrayal of Mongkut as a "sympathetic character".
Supinda Chakraband, a film producer who represented Fox in its talks with the film board -- and whose great-grandfather was one of King Mongkut's sons -- says she and other members of the royal family urged the board to give Fox a second chance.
She says the family also assured the board they would advise the film-makers on historical accuracy -- and accept public responsibility if the final cut stirred up controversy.
But it was no-go. One film board member said he feared the eruption of "a political crisis" if it had allowed filming in Thailand.
Publicly, the board's main complaint against the final script was that it portrays Anna as "far more superior than the king in every way".
Leonowens's account of Mongkut has always been controversial, and it is still unclear just how much of it shows up in Anna. The final script is still under wraps. But Leonowens was known to have embellished at least parts of the books she wrote after returning to England.
She casts the king as a mercurial figure, alternately kind and cruel. She tells of harsh punishments, including a royal concubine burned at the stake for keeping a secret lover.
Reinventing Leonowens as a difficult but likeable character was a challenge. So was bringing emotional life to her relationship with the king, while also capturing the stiff restraint of 19th-century manners.
"It's a bitter romance," says Foster. "It's true to the period, but also messy, and interesting, and emotional."
The role that may draw the most heat, at least in Asia, is that of the king. Chow has made his name playing tough villains in Hongkong action movies, but he is stepping out of his old character to become the first Asian film star to play a complex, romantic leading man in a serious, big -budget Hollywood movie.
It's a role that will offend at least some Thais, who argue that no foreigner should be allowed to play Mongkut.
At the end of the day, Foster and Chow take their places for a final shot. The kowtow wave has been perfected, and the king's procession has reached Anna, where the only lines of the day are spoken.
It is a close-up shot, filmed from the waist up. In the tropical heat, Foster stands stoically in her bonnet and bolero. Underneath, hidden from the cameras' view, she has dropped her hoop skirt. She is wearing yellow and white polka-dot boxers. After all, this is just a movie.
-- Newsweek Copyright (c) 1999 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
When Everything's Beautiful Except Their Lives
By Paul Fonoroff, from the SCMP of August 6th. Many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!
Rose-coloured love: is what Chow Yun-fat and Maggie Cheung seek - but never find - in Lost Romance.
In an age when most audiences view first-run Cantonese films on disc, tape or television, the very idea of refurbishing a relic and re-releasing it in a theatre is romantic, old-fashioned and nostalgic.
These same qualities also apply to Lost Romance (formerly released under the English title Rose), making a big-screen re-debut after an absence of more than a dozen years.
The movie's chief draw is its star duo, then 22-year-old Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, at the beginning of a brilliant career, and 31-year-old Chow Yun-fat, a mere six months before A Better Tomorrow would transform him into a superstar.
Lost Romance, based on Yi Shu's best-selling novel, is opulent, sentimental, kitschy, glamorous - and as far away from Hong Kong realities as the typical Cantonese film. But rather than exaggerate the city's base or uglier characteristics, as is common in Hong Kong gangster and action films, Lost Romance takes a route strewn with hearts and flowers.
It is pure, unadulterated Yonfan - the director/writer/producer/cinematographer (and, as Yonfan laughingly admits, audience) who is one of Hong Kong's most ignored auteurs.
Whatever one's opinions of Yonfan's oeuvre, there is no denying he is one of the most thematically and stylistically consistent film-makers in Hong Kong. He is also one of the most independent, following his vision regardless of audience taste or trends. Rose was not a huge hit on its release in 1986. It was not honoured with awards or film festival appearances.
Somehow, these factors make it all the more fitting for Yonfan to lavish so much time and expense on this "neglected child" and spruce it up for an encore. Lost Romance, like all Yonfan pictures, centres on the quest by beautiful people for the one element lacking in their exquisite lives: true love.
Rose Wong (Cheung, her dialogue newly re-dubbed by Ada Choi Siu-fun) is a rich, spoiled teenager whose innocence and beauty draw men like moths to a flame. Despite a succession of handsome beaux, her one true love is elder brother and playboy painter Charles (Chow, newly re-dubbed by Tse Kwun-ho).
Both principals are totally unaware of the underlying passion, their mutual attraction obvious only to the audience. Unhappy after yet another shallow affair, Rose runs off to Paris where she suffers in beautiful surroundings, marries a man totally unsuitable for her and becomes a mother.
A melodramatic twist has brother Charles contracting a mysterious disease and dying. But never fear, he returns to life a few years later as another wealthy hunk, Ka-ming. A series of coincidences bring him together with Rose, now a 20-some thing matron who drinks to forget the shambles of her gorgeous life. Ka-ming and Rose fall in love, have tastefully staged but incestuously tinged sex and get engaged to get married.
But this being a Yonfan film, the marriage - along with true love and happiness - is not to be.
Although the characters and situations lack emotional depth, this is partially compensated by the meticulous composition and lush mise en scene that are hallmarks of Yonfan's photography. What ennobles the film is the director's sincerity and lack of malice, his belief in both the characters and their Byronic ideals.
For romantics who revel in the likes of Barbara Cartland or Yi Shu, Lost Romance will be sheer heaven.
[Ed note: for a somewhat less positive review, see my CYF movies page.]
Chow Yun-Fat and Anita Yuen Wing-Yi attended an anti-piracy event. Chow,
who flew back to Hong Kong from Beijing for the event, says that he is
spending four to five hours a day practicing kung fu for the film CROUCHING
TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON. At the event, Chow joked that all his clothes were
authentic name brands except for his underwear which were hand-me-downs
from his wife. Chow also denied rumours that he is interested in
financially backing a movie starring Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk. He has only
shown preliminary interest in starring in a movie with Cheung.
(And many thanks to Sanney for posting these summaries from the Oriental Daily at his HK Entertainment Review site!)
Last Saturday, Chow Yun-Fat finally signed a contract to play Lee Mo-Bak in the movie CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON. After failing to sign Jet Li, the Taiwanese / Mainland / Hollywood production settled on Chow Yun-Fat in spite of rumours that Chow was not going to be signed because of perceived problems with his weight. Last Monday, Fat-Jai left from Beijing and began working on kung fu moves and Mandarin with co-star Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi-King). On the following Saturday, he signed a contract. Although co-star Yeoh remarked that he was not fat and was quite fit, Chow hopes to lose about six pounds before shooting begins on August 1st. The movie will be Chow's first period piece in a long time.
CHOW YUN FAT PLANS A NEW FILM WITH MAGGIE CHEUNG MAN YUK
(And many thanks to Jerry for posting these summaries from The Sun at his HKSAR Top 10 site!)
Chow Yun Fat is personally planning a movie!
Reportedly Fat Gor is planning a romance which Hai Chung Man will direct and Hong Kong Film Award winning writer Ong Sai will write.
Fat Gor would even personally star in the lead and plans to play a couple again with his THE STORY OF ROSE (MUI GWAI DIK GOO SI) co-star Maggie Cheung Man Yuk.
Fat Gor is busy working on Ang Lee's new film in Beijing, but he did not forget to work on the drama. Capable of playing different roles, Fat Gor is unwilling to stick to one type. Thus he thought about playing a couple with Maggie to save the sad Hong Kong film box office.
Hai Chung Man said with a bit of excitement, "Actually this concept is still in its very initial stages. Because Fat Gor likes Ong Sai's script, I asked On Sai! (Is the lead going to be Maggie?) I have talked with Maggie, but she has not responded. Because the film would have to wait until the beginning of next year, Maggie and Fat Gor are busy with their own things. Fat Gor has to work on Ang Lee's film until the end of the year, thus nothing is confirmed yet."
"Since Fat Gor is so sincere about the project, he would make appropriate arrangements on his schedule."
Hai Chung Man said, "It is a light modern romance, but since Fat Gor is apart of it, the film's budge should not be low. We hope to be able to shoot in Shanghai."
Though Hai Chung Man has plenty of ideas, everything is in conceptual stages. He is busy with commercial work and Jingle Ma Cho Sing's new film as chief art supervisor.
Fat Gor is currently busy with Ang Lee's CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (NGOR FU CHONG LUNG) in Beijing, and Maggie is busy with Wong Kar Wai's new film.
[And from a later article of July 27th:] Maggie Cheung Man Yuk reportedly would star in a Steven Spielberg film next year or with Chow Yun Fat in Hai Chung Man's new film. She denied both since she is only in negotiations so far.
"I have known director Hai Chung Man for a long time. I have a lot of confidence in his work and also really want to work with Chow Yun Fat again. It's been 13 or 14 years!"
(And many thanks to Sanney for posting these summaries from the Oriental Daily at his HK Entertainment Review site!)
Part I: July 15th Oriental reports that Ang Lee is being pressured to replace Chow Yun-Fat for the movie CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON because Chow is too fat to play the hero 19th Century hero Lee Mo-Bak. Chow could not be reached for comment but earlier at a publicity event, Chow was seen eating up a storm. When asked if he was worried that his weight gain would effect his future roles, Chow replied, "don't give a damn." CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON will be directed by Ang Lee with action scenes by Yuen Wor-Ping. Along with Hsu Chi, Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi-King) will headline the female talent of the movie. Yeung is already in Beijing working on her Mandarin for the film.
Part II: July 17th Chow Yun-Fat was contacted about rumours that he was going to be replaced as the star of CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON. At first, Chow coyly evaded the rumours by saying that he has yet to even sign a contract for the movie. He later revealed that he would be heading to Beijing on the 19th to start learning kung fu moves and Mandarin for the film. He said, "they all say that I'm going to act in it. It's the papers that say I'm being replaced! I think that if I weigh the same as I do now in September I should be in the film."
Actually, at six feet with a weight of around 160 pounds, Chow isn't fat at all. However, Chow does not mind talk of him being fat. Chow said, "I'm quite happy when people say that I'm fat. It's because being fat is related to prosperity. Isn't it good to be prosperous? However, I hope that I can be down to 160 pounds by the time shooting starts. I need to be a little more fit!"
Photo by C. Y. Yu, from the SCMP of July 9th. |
CYF Gets Another Award
The caption to this photo, taken by by C. Y. Yu, for the SCMP of July 9th, reads:
Go CYF! |
Sony Pix Classics taps Lee's 'Crouching Tiger';
Machine also handling distrib duties on Yeoh starrer
By Charles Lyons, for the Variety of July 9th, 1999. And many thanks to John Charles for circulating the article!
Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired the lion's share of global distribution rights for director Ang Lee's next feature, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," a Chinese-language martial arts film. Sony Pictures Classics previously secured North and South American rights for the film at the Cannes fest this year. But Sony's international distribution arm has picked up Asia (except China), Eastern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Turkey, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan and Brazil. Good Machine Intl. is co-financing the film with Sony and handling remaining territories on behalf of producers Bill Kong and Shu Li-Kong.
Story of two women
The film, based on a series of novels published in Shanghai in the 1920s, is scripted by longtime Lee collaborator James Schamus ("The Ice Storm"), along with Hui Ling-Wang. It tells the story of two women in early 19th century China: one an aristocrat's daughter with a secret life as a notorious criminal, the other China's most renowned female warrior who tracks the criminal down only to become her greatest ally. "Tiger" stars Michelle Yeoh ("Tomorrow Never Dies") with Hong Kong action choreographer Yuen Woping serving as stunt coordinator and martial arts instructor, just as he did on the hit movie "The Matrix." The film marks Lee's first Chinese-language film since his critically acclaimed 1994 film "Eat Drink Man Woman."
"MADE IN CHINA CECILIA CHEUNG" STARS IN CROUNCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON
By Fung Chui Ling, for THE SUN of July 7th, 1999. And many thanks to Wolverine for translating and transcribing the article to his HKSAR Top 10 site!
Ang Lee's new film CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (NGOR FU CHONG LUNG) has replaced actress after actress. After replacing erotic star Hsu Chi, LOVE WILL TEAR US APART (TIN SEUNG YUN GAN) lead actress Wong Ning is gone as well. Now the film has cast "Little Gong Li" and "Made in China Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi", new comer Chiang Chi Yi.
The 19 year old Chiang Chi Yi won a national dance competition in 94 then switched from dance school to Central Drama Academy. Then she was discoverd by Zhang Yimou who cast her in the lead of NGOR DIK FU CHUN MO CHUN (MY FATHER MOTHER).
Due to the scale of the production, Ang Lee has been very strict with casting and made changes after changes, like going from Hsu Chi to Wong Ning who starred in Tony Leung Ka Fai's movie LOVE WILL TEAR US APART.
CROUCHING takes place at the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic. Cast members Chow Yun Fat, Chiang Chi Yi, Cheng Pei Pei and Chang Chan have to study riding, calligraphy, boxing and weapon use, though production would be very tough.
Cyndy sent me the following depressing e-mail:
Ack! Well, we can but hope, I suppose.
 Awesome reprint from APPLE DAILY of the July 17th Newsweek Cover. Go Apple!
|
Newsweek put CYF on the cover of their August 16th International Issue -- unfortunately, the US and Canadian editions did not benefit from this intelligent decision. Three news stories are currently online, all written by Dorinda Elliot:
If you're an American, you can try obtaining a print copy of this issue, as Judy was cool enough to tell me, by sending a us$10 cheque payable to "Newsweek International" / Attn: Theresa Perry / 251 West 57th Street / New York, New York 10019. You can also phone ahead to Ms. Perry and reserve a copy, apparently, at 212-445-5811. (If you're not from the US, I expect the price is higher; I'm not sure if it's possible at all.) Unfortunately though it's been over a month since I first received this info, so they may be sold out already. Please let me know how things are going on this, people. (And many thanks to John Shaw, Judy Hardy, and Cassie for the relevant info!) |
By Laura Jacobs, for the July issue (Will Smith on the cover) of Vanity Fair, pp. 102-105.
Back to Chow Yun-Fat: God of Actors....
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