The Chinese Mirror

Kwan Shan, Hong Kong actor-director, dead at 79

[left, Kwan Shan in the 1960s, at the height of his career]  

   We recently posted about a 1930 docudrama relating the events surrounding an infamous 19th century legal case, a case which has been given several stage and screen versions since.  The search for an illustration connected with the 1930 film was fruitless, so we drew on an advertisement for the 1963 Shaw Brothers treatment to accompany our article.  Now comes word that Kwan Shan, the actor who played the accused scholar Yang Naiwu in that later version and is pictured in the ad, has died in Hong Kong of lung cancer.

    Kwan Shan 关山 (PinYin:  Guan Shan; Wade-Giles:  Kuan Shan) was born April 20, 1933 in Shenyang, Liaoning province, of Manchu ethnicity.  In 1954 he successfully tested into acting school, and in 1956 joined the Great Wall (HK) movie studio, and that same year acted the title role in《The True Story of Ah Q》, adapted from Lu Xun's famous novel of the same title.  His performance won him the Silver Sail award for Best Actor at that year's Locarno International Film Festival, making him at age 25 the first Hong Kong film actor to win Best Actor in international competition.  In 1961 Kwan moved to the Shaw Brothers studio, where he became one of Shaw's mainstay romantic leading men during its golden era of the 1960s.  During that decade, he played opposite many of Shaw's top female stars, beginning with Lin Dai in《Everlasting Love》(1961).  In 1962, he married Zhang Bingxi [aka Cheung Bing Sai], an actress with Great Wall.  The couple divorced in 1982, but before that had two daughters, one of whom grew up to become the famous and very popular Hong Kong star Rosamund Kwan.  In 1972, Kwan Shan left Shaw to produce《Brutal Boxer》(aka《Blood Fingers》for his own film studio, the Far East Motion Picture Company, serving as producer, director and studio head.  After this, Kwan Shan moved into television in Hong Kong and Taiwan, effectively ending his motion picture career although he appeared in several small screen roles in the 1980s. Following his 1982 divorce, Kwan Shan emigrated to the United States, and although retired, on return visits to Hong Kong he would appear occasionally in small roles, cameos really, in such films as《A Better Tomorrow II》(1987) and《Police Story 2》(1988).  His last such appearance was in 1993's《The Executioners》.  After being diagnosed with his final illness, Kwan Shan returned to Hong Kong to live out his final days there with his surviving family.  

UPDATE:  Chinese sources differ as to Kwan Shan's birth year:  Hong Kong and Singapore media give it as 1933, which I have used here; but mainland Chinese media say 1929, which would make his age at death as 83, not 79.  A Chinese correspondent informs me that some mainland filmmakers who relocated to Hong Kong pared a few years from their ages when they arrived, so that earlier date is a possibility. 

Jackie Chan,《Chinese Zodiac》Cast Interviewed at Cannes

[The following is a translation of an interview conducted on 23 May 2012 in Cannes with the principal cast of the next Jackie Chan movie,《Chinese Zodiac》, scheduled for Chinese release in December 2012, with international release to be determined.  The full video of the interview, with abridged printed transcript, and additional cast photos, are online at the site of Chinese news service Netease Entertainment.  Any further use of the information should cite Netease as the source.  A few items about the translation:  

--the Chinese title of the movie is simply《Zodiac》, which would be assumed by a Chinese audience; 
--the second character of Chan's Chinese name (龙 in simplified Chinese, 龍 in traditional) means "dragon," so the leading ladies in his movies are called "dragon girls," as are the "Bond girls" in that franchise;
--the actresses and interviewer refer to Chan as "Big Brother," a common term of respect;  
--the straight translation of the interview does not convey the relaxed joking among the cast, especially in Chan's jovial acceptance of one of the actresses having lied to him about her swimming/diving capabilities in order to get the part. One wonders how many directors would have been so forgiving: Chan finally pushed her into the water; Stephen Chow probably would have pushed her in, then held her under;
--the name of one actress is Zhang Lanxin (张蓝心 in some Chinese sources, 张澜心 in others), but not Zhang Nanxin or Zhang Nan, as I have seen in other Western sources.  This is the actress's first movie role:  she is a well-known model and TV host in China, but prior to that was a professional martial artist, winning the 55kg class women's 2004 national Taekwondo championship.  
--finally, in the last part of the interview Chan quotes some financial figures to back up his argument that China should concentrate on making good movies for domestic audiences, rather than trying to compete internationally; but while his point is well-taken, his figures disagree considerably with other published sources, so his comments have been paraphrased here, omitting some statistics.  

The interview was conducted for Netease Entertainment by Qi Xiaoe (企小鹅), with photo by Li Daozhong (李道忠).  Items in square brackets [like this] are the translator's, added where it was felt clarification was needed.]

Narrator:

Jackie Chan arrived in Cannes with his 101st movie《Chinese Zodiac》amid a swirl of rumors and heated debate about his impending "retirement."  Regarding this topic, Chan solemnly avowed that he was not giving up fighting, only "retreating," not that it has become too arduous, just that he wants a break from it.  But before doing so he wanted to make one more good fighting movie, and that is,《Chinese Zodiac》.   Concerning the future of [Chinese] martial arts films, he said, "If I said yes, I'd be lying to myself, so I would say no, I'm very pessimistic about that."

[In the following translation of the interview, NE=Netease Entertainment; JC=Jackie Chan; LW=Laura Weissbecker; ZL=Zhang Lanxin; YX=Yao Xingtong.  In the illustration below, from left:  Weissbecker, Chan, Yao, Zhang.  Click on illustration to view full size.]

Discussing the 'Dragon Girls':  Yao Xingtong is a most qualified dragon girl; Zhang Lanxin is the best fighting woman.

NE:  Is everyone sittting here a member of your gang of thieves?

JC:  Just two, only me and Zhang Lanxin are from the gang.  The other two are not.  I play an international, reliable, "Goodfellas" type of thief, a good thief, but paradoxically, a thief nevertheless.  (Hands microphone to LW).  And you are? 

LW:  (in Chinese).  Hello, everyone.  I am Laura Weissbecker, and in this movie I play a Frenchwoman named "Catherine."

JC:  (in English) What's your role?  OK to use English. 

LW:  (in English)  I'm a French countess, and they help me a lot.   

JC:  Your Chinese is pretty good.  (Hands microphone to ZL).

ZL:  I am an athlete in real life, a Taekwondo professional, so I feel very fortunate that Big Brother chose me for his gang.  We do good things, and we do bad things.

NE:  In the gang, what is the division of labor between Big Brother and Zhang Lanxin?

JC:  She fights a bit by my side, much like a bodyguard.  You see her in one early scene spying from above, acting as lookout while I carry out a theft.  But later on, she has a very ferocious fight scene.  

(Hands microphone to YX).

JC:  Yao Xingtong, what is your role in the film?

YX:  My role in the film is Coco, an antiques appraiser who is also a [Chinese] student in France.  She's very brave and wise, a very good person.

JC:  Yes, her character in the film is very brave.

NE:  Each of the Jackie Chan movies we've seen in the past had a dragon girl; why are there three in this one? 

JC:   This was due to requirements of the script.  We come to France, where there is a Frenchwoman and Yao Xingtong, the overseas student, to help me.   

NE:  So she is Zhang Lanxin's beautiful female counterpart?

JC:  She [Zhang] is beautiful.  Why are you joking around today?  Well, she is both beautiful and brave.

NE:  So if Zhang Lanxin is both beautiful and brave, what are Yao Xingtong's characteristics?

JC:  Beauty, they're both beautiful! 

NE:  Did they have some special qualities that led you to choose them for this movie? 

JC:  When I talked to each of them I asked each if she was afraid of heights.  Each said no, and although they had never had the action movie experience they were willing to be trained.  Then I asked if they could swim, and each said yes, but she (gestures toward YX) is better.  She said, I can also dive, in fact I once won a diving championship in an international competition.  Then she said, "But big brother, I'm not very strong," and I said that's all right.  Then I asked them if action was OK, for that way I would know who would need to fight, and who would not.  But all three satisfied my requirements of not fearing heights or water.  But when the day arrived that we really had to film the water scene, and it was time for all to go in, only Yao Xingtong didn't go in.  I said "Get in, get in."  She said she didn't dare, it was too deep.  I said, "Too deep?  Aren't you a diver?"  She said she had never been in water deeper than a couple of feet, she'd been lying to me for a year. 

NE:  Did she finally go in?

JC:  Yes, I pushed her in.  When it came time to go in she grabbed onto one of my crew and yelled "I won't go!"  I told her "We have eight people standing by, they're not going to let you drown."  We had already wasted too much time, and had to get the scene finished.  So I pushed her in, and well, once she was in the water she enjoyed it.  She was like this all along, so when she said just now that she was very brave, I had to smile.

NE:  Does Laura have any action scenes?

JC:  (to Laura, in English):  Any action?

LW:  (in English) Yes, I have a lot of action, like jumping, falling.  I learned a lot about action, but I do no fighting.

JC:  She doesn't fight, just does straight acting.  (To YX)  You didn't fight either. 

YX:  Yes I did, big brother.

JC:  You did?

YX:  Yes, I fought the pirates.

JC:   If a fight was called for, some danger was OK.  When they [the actresses] were fighting, I would stay next to the lens, and if they looked tired, or simply had no understanding of their fight moves, or maybe the fight scenes looked very simple but were really very, very difficult, or had to be speeded up, then it fell to me to tie everything together.  But everything came out all right, and Zhang Lanxin performed very well.

NE:  Zhang Lanxin, this is your chance to brag. 

ZL:  Yes, I was actually playing myself, because I had a decade of professional sports experience, and was a member of the taekwondo national team.  But from the first day that Big Brother chose me for the movie, I realized this was a huge challenge, because filming a fight scene and actually fighting someone are not the same things, they're totally different.  Moreover, Big Brother is a very demanding director, very strict during filming.

JC:  You have a modest view of your own abilities.  In my view, Zhang Lanxin is one of our best female martial artists, and I can't rate her highly enough.  First, there are many who can fight, but they're small in stature; Zhang Lanxin is 177 cm [5'9"+] tall, with very long hands and legs, and very quick.  In the scenes, I tried to show all of her special strengths and qualities.  Plus, Zhang Lanxin has extraordinary staying power:  it was only yesterday at the airport that I saw her cell phone photos from the hospital where she was having blood clots in her knee being cleared up, and I hadn't known till then that she had this problem.  I told her that had I known of this condition I wouldn't have let  you do the fight scene, that if you were like [Yao] Xingtong, I wouldn't have let you fight. 

ZL:  I just had a slight injury in the course of filming, and having been an athlete I would certainly hope I could bear a little pain, and on the day after filming wrapped up I was able to go to the hospital and have my knee drained and the blood clots cleared. 

NE:  So it was when Yao Xingtong learned Zhang Lanxin was so strong a fighter that she decided not to fight? 

YX:  I can't fight.  But although I can't fight, I still wanted to be part of a fight movie, something I would find very enjoyable and very stimulating.  And I actually, I really do have a fight scene.

JC:  Where do you fight?  (All laugh).   

Talking about himself 

NE:  Actually, most of Big Brother's past films have featured a hero acting alone, but《Chinese Zodiac》is pretty much a family affair; why the change?

JC:  I think audiences will find it more fun, as in《Operation Condor》I was just one person, running all around but all alone.  The best rose still has green leaves, and they [the actresses] act as foils, they are all golden leaves, the foils to my character.

NE:  Do you think you could develop a new talent from this?

JC:  I see this as a definite possibility.  For example, I'm sure that Zhang Lanxin could be an outstanding action movie actress.  For one thing, she wouldn't require a stand-in.  As for Yao Xingtong, she might be an excellent action performer in her next life.

NE:  But Yao Xingtong could still be a successful dragon girl without being an action performer, like Maggie Cheung was.

JC:  Yes, she absolutely has the requirements to do that.

NE:  It's also true that many netizens who have seen the trailer for《Chinese Zodiac》said it is reminiscent of the Jackie Chan of Hong Kong's golden age.  Was that your intention?

JC:  Yes, because in the past decade, there have been a lot of friends or directors, either gossiping or telling me directly, "What you're doing now is the right thing, your main concern should be taking care of yourself, and not doing action at your age."  Well, after first feeling angry, I'd think, to be honest, I really am older.  So I thought, all right, but before I retire I'd like to make one last major action film, one good one.  Now everyone is saying that I'm retiring, but I want to solemnly declare, that I don't want to retire, I just want to do things a bit less dangerous to my body, less dangerous action.  So I want to really stress this, I am a director, an actor, producer, action choreographer, and I'm also an investor.  I've been preparing this for seven years, spent seven years on writing the script, spent over a year on filming it, and just finished filming it last week.

NE:  So Jackie Chan will continue to fight?

JC:  Yes, and I hope I can make some Hollywood-type action films like《Batman》or《Spiderman》, action films like that.  With some wire work, maybe wearing a mask.  Like that.

NE:  In fact, there has been a theme running through Jackie Chan films, and that is using real Kung-Fu to resist the foreign gunboats.  Now, Chinese cinema is confronted with the same sort of problem; can China's real Kung-Fu defeat Hollywood's gunboats? 

JC:  That would be difficult, really difficult.  In the past, we could.  Back in the Bruce Lee era, and in my era, Kung-Fu stirred up a kind of frenzy, and many people were learning martial arts from us.  But about a decade ago, Hollywood began bringing in a number of our action choreographers, including two from my own stunt crew, where they became martial arts directors.  Now, a decade later, Hollywood has learned it all, so when you look at the action films they're making now, they all use our action, our martial arts, and then add to that their own technology which is ten times better than ours, and it has to leave us dumbfounded:  how did they film that?

NE:  But can we really return to that golden age, actually restore that brilliance, and return to its former glory? 

JC:  If I said yes, I'd be lying to myself, so I would say no, I'm very pessimistic about that, no matter how hard we may try.  The Chinese market is huge, but out of last year's $2 billion box office, $1.8 billion was taken in by foreign movies, and just $200 million by our own movies, no matter how much we have learned of their techniques, or their good practices.  The Hollywood movies imported into China are all good movies; does the U.S. make lousy movies?  Yes, too many lousy movies, but the imports are good films, so how can they not be box office hits?  They're all hits.  Actually, the few good Chinese movies that foreign countries choose to import are Zhang Yimou's, and mine, a few directors, but how many movies can we make in a year?  We can only make a few, while they turn them out continuously.  China produces 600 movies in a year, of which 3 or 4 go abroad, while of the several hundred they make, we only bring in 50.  It's 50 now, but that could be expanded later on.  

But one thing we haven't mentioned is something everyone should understand very clearly. Look at the budget that was invested in《Avatar》:  who in China has that kind of money to spend on making a movie?  So we as Chinese filmmakers should work together to make Chinese movies that can compete as best we can for Chinese audiences, not make lousy movies, but make the best we can for that audience.  Concentrate the money, the talent we have on making good movies [for China].

NE:  Good, thank all of you for your time today.

JC:  Thank you. 

Yu Nan in《The Expendables 2》

     Chinese entertainment news services are all reporting that my favorite actress Yu Nan 余男 (who I recently promoted from my "dream girl" to (fantasy) "future wife") has joined the cast of《The Expendables 2》and is currently on location shooting in Bulgaria.  This information was confirmed by the actress's agency CAA.  Since she will be filming in both Bulgaria and China, her role should be a substantial one.  According to CAA, she has the most scenes of any female cast member.  Although details are still being treated as confidential information, her character is a sharpshooter named Maggie, a woman of Chinese descent.  In the photo below with other cast members she is at the far left holding a submachine gun. UPDATE:  after her return to China, Yu Nan was interviewed by a Chinese magazine about her experiences making the film.  An English translation of the article is here.

    This will be Yu Nan's third action role, after《Wind Blast》(2010), in which she played a hit woman, and the just-completed《Five》(tentative international release title), in which she plays the leader of a team of female commandos.  She had a major role in an earlier action film, 2007's《Diamond Dogs》, opposite Dolph Lundgren (also in《The Expendables 2》), but except for a shootout at the end she had no action scenes.

    Chinese news sources are touting《Five》as the mainland's first "action beauty" movie.  If it proves successful, those of us who fondly remember the "Girls With Guns" subgenre of Hong Kong action films will have a lot to look forward to.   

[left, Yu Nan as a hitwoman, in one of《Wind Blast》's numerous gun battles] 

 

 

 

 

[below, in《Five》(2012),《Charlie's Angels》meets《Seven Samurai》.  From left, Wang Qiuzi, Hu Mengyuan, Yu Nan, Pan Shuangshuang, Wu Jing] 

China's Emerging Young Women Directors

    At Cannes this past spring, New Zealand director Jane Campion spoke out about the dearth of women in film directing, urging that more women combat the "old boys network" she blamed for the heavily male domination of the profession.  As she put it, women directors "represent half of the population and gave birth to the whole world."  Or, as Chairman Mao wrote, "women are holding up half the sky."  I have read that only 6% of film directors are women, but I don't know if that means worldwide, or just the US, or what.  Earlier this year, Entertainment Weekly published its list of the "25 Greatest Active Film Directors," but not one woman was included.
     Women directors are more common in China, though still outnumbered by men; and while in the past the most accessible route to that profession has been graduation from the directing department of Beijing Film Academy, both men and women directors are now gaining access via other means. Several young women directors are now emerging to join the established pool of veterans in the Chinese film industry, some from acting, some from other fields, but whatever the source, the following six bear watching. (It will probably be seven soon, as acting star Vicki Zhao Wei recently completed her coursework in the Master's program at BFA, and I'm sure her first studio effort will follow before long.)

    But until then, the following are emerging:  [click on any photo for larger image]

1.  Greatest reputation:  Xu Jinglei (徐静蕾).    

    Xu has the strongest reputation for directing accomplishment among this group.  Since making her screen acting debut in 1997's "Spicy Love Soup," the first of over 30 acting credits, Xu moved behind the camera in 2003 with "My Father and I," and has since then directed and/or written two more big screen productions, the most lauded being 2004's "Letter from an Unknown Woman," which she produced, directed and wrote, adapting her screenplay from the Austrian novel Brief einer Unbekannten by Stefan Zweig (1881-1942).    Critics have applauded her talent for directing the overall production, and not just herself (a problem often encountered by actors-turned-directors).   But while her films have been critically successful, none to date has matched that acclaim at the box office.  For her next film, due out next year, Xu reportedly will turn from artistic creations to something more commercial, so time will tell.

2.  Tops at the box office:  Jin Yimeng (金依萌) [left].

     Musician, cartoonist, and holder of a Master's degree in directing from Florida State University in the US, Jin Yimeng returned home to direct the romantic comedy "Sophie's Revenge," produced by and starring Zhang Ziyi.  "Sophie" dominated the Chinese box office for weeks following its August 14 release, doing over US$14.5 million in its first month.  Jin is also reported to have a laid-back, low-key personality, making her easy to work with.  But the big question mark is whether she can follow up her smash first effort with a second hit.  

3.  Most temperamental:  Yu Feihong (俞飞鸿) [right]. 

  Western filmgoers who saw 1993's examination of Chinese mother-daughter relationships, "The Joy Luck Club," may also recall Yu Feihong.  She played the younger Ying Ying, the movie's most tragic figure, a young mother so distraught by her abusive and philandering husband she accidentally drowns their baby boy.  Yu (who also uses the name Faye Yu) has turned to directing, and her first effort is "Eternal Beloved," a romantic, historical ghost story.  In addition to directing and acting the female lead, Yu also co-produced, and adapted the screenplay from a popular Chinese novel.  In an interview, Yu referred to herself as "schizophrenic," and admitted losing her temper on several occasions with her actors, both men and women. Whether this will affect her directing career or the willingness of others to work with her remains to be seen. 

 

4.  Youngest:  Yang Ziting (杨紫婷).

     Still in her 20s. Yang gained considerable attention by her promotional campaign for her first directing effort "Chungking Beauty."  She had a batch of sexy photos taken of herself on the set, in various brief costumes, then uploaded these to the internet.  The film hasn't been released yet, but she has already gained it considerable attention by her boldness and sex appeal. 

[left, Yang Ziting in about the only one of her publicity photos I can include here without triggering parental control software all over the planet]

 

5.  Most controversial:  Li Yu (李玉).  

    TV host-turned-film director Li has made many films, but her last effort "Pingguo" (苹果) [Apple aka Lost in Beijing] certainly drew attention, as it gained her and the film's producer a two-year suspension in China for supposedly pornographic content, plus exhibiting it uncut at the Berlin International Film Festival.  Although heavily cut for the Chinese market, it still hasn't been released there, dooming it as a money-maker despite having garnered several awards at various international festivals.  Li's next project is unannounced, but she has indicated in interviews she intends to continue pushing the censorial envelope. 

6.  Most literary:  Yin Lichuan (尹丽川). 

     Yin Lichuan came to movies from another art form -- literature.  One of China's most prolific young poets, she also published a best-selling collection of short stories in 2001 and a novel in 2002.  After studying at the ESEC film school in France, Yin returned to China to try her hand at directing, with 2007's "The Park." She flashed a bit of temper at one press event when she said the critics who dubbed her the "beautiful director" did so because they were "afraid of talented women." Yin made another film last year, but currently there is no news of forthcoming projects. 

 

Lunar New Year Releases

    In China, as in the U.S., holiday movie releases are eagerly anticipated by studios and filmgoers alike, but the holiday is Spring Festival -- Lunar New Year --  and the run-up to it.  The Year of the Ox is winding down, the Year of the Tiger is on the horizon, beginning February 14, relatively late this year. The last two holiday seasons saw the release of two very successful films from director Feng Xiaogang, the war drama "Assembly" and the romantic comedy "If You Are the One."  Although a new release from Feng is lacking this year, holiday audiences will still have a screen smorgasbord to feast on, with the chance to see Chinese A-list stars Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-Fat, Donnie Yen, Jay Chou, Leon Lai, Aaron Kwok, Vicki Zhao, Chen Kun and Andy Lau, plus new productions from top tier directors Zhang Yimou, Wang Jing, and the Pang brothers.  So it is no exaggeration to say this is the most powerful lineup in the history of New Year's releases.   Time will tell how successful these are, and when (if ever) they have theatrical release in the West, but here are the 10 most anticipated Chinese movies slated for holiday release.  (Release dates are for general release in China; some may have earlier limited release.)
    We will look more closely at each of these films and their makers in upcoming posts, including details on their filming and interviews with their makers from the Chinese entertainment media.

[Click on any poster for larger image]

1. Mulan
Chinese title:  "Hua Mulan"《花木兰》
Release date:  December 8.

Director:  Ma Jingle
Principal cast:  Vicki Zhao, Jaycee Chan, Chen Kun

What should work:   Work on "Mulan" began just after the 2009 Lunar New Year with director Ma Jingle putting together a strong team of talent to make this costume war movie.  The star of the team, the biggest draw, is Vicki Zhao, a major figure in Chinese film and TV over the past decade. For this film she changes her past image of a strong-willed girl to that of a famous Chinese heroine, Mulan, and those who have seen pre-release screenings say the contrast is simply amazing.  The movie has epic battle scenes and an underlying love story, ingredients for a major commercial success.

What might not:   A large-scale film, very large.  Chinese audiences have great expectations for their domestic productions, and those expectations are higher for a major production, especially one as hyped in the media as this one.  In addition, the Mulan legend is a very familiar one to Chinese, and making a satisfying adaptation presents a considerable challenge.

 

2.  Storm Warriors 2
Chinese title:  "Feng Yun 2"《风云2》
Release date:  December 10.

Directors:  Danny Pang, Oxide Pang 
Principal cast:  Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Charlene Choi, Nicholas Tse, Simon Yam, Tang Yan.  

What should work:  "The Storm Riders" set box office records in China 11 years ago, and its special effects opened a new page for Chinese language films.  Now we have the sequel, retitled in English as "Storm Warriors 2" and with the Pang brothers at the helm.  It has already created quite a stir of anticipation among fans of the original, and with Aaron Kwok and Ekin Cheng returning from the first entry, offers good star power.  Add to the cast Charlene Choi, Simon Yan, Nicholas Tse and Tang Yan, and it would seem "Storm Warriors 2" should be a can't miss.  (The producers must see it this way, as "Storm Warriors 3" is already in the works.)

What might not:   The packaging of "Storm Warriors 2" as a macho, Hong Kong-flavored martial arts epic may turn away some women viewers, and while Aaron Kwok and Ekin Cheng are already veteran stars, they have not proven to be box office dragons in the past. All filming was done on location in Thailand, resulting in some lingering customs clearance problems.  But final judgement will be made by Chinese audiences who have experienced super-scale Hollywood productions, and that could make it difficult to sell the million or so tickets needed for profitability.  

3.   A Simple Noodle Story  
Chinese title:  "Sanqiang Pai An Jing Qi" 《三枪拍案惊奇》
Release date: December TBA

Director: Zhang Yimou
Principal cast:  Xiao Shenyang, Yan Ni, Sun Honglei, Ni Dahong 

What should work:  Whether good or bad, in recent years any film directed by Zhang Yimou has had considerable domestic box-office appeal, and the producers have already boasted this Chinese remake of "Blood Simple" will bring in CNY400 million [US$58.5 million]. While some observers think this exaggerated, no one can ignore the box office potential of a Zhang movie. Couple that with the intricate twists and turns of the plot and TV favorite Xiao Shenyang making his big screen debut, it would seem breaking through the initial 100 million mark would be easy.

What might not:   Although "A Simple Noodle Story" has been set for Lunar New Year holiday release, the specific date is still undetermined, and so far there has not been a significant publicity campaign for it. This often indicates that producers have doubts about a film's staying power, so hold it back for later release, when the competition might be less formidable.  In addition, the film's lead actors, Xiao Shenyang, Sun Honglei, etc. have yet to prove their box-office appeal; only director Zhang has accomplished this, but without battle scenes or such international stars as Gong Li, Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi and Jet Li, can even Zhang assure box office success?

4.  The Treasure Hunter   
Chinese title:  "Ci Ling"《刺陵》 
Release date: December 9

Director: Chu Yen-ping
Principal cast: Jay Chou, Lin Chi-ling, Chen Daoming, Eric Tsang 

What should work:  Jay Chou's presence:  this pop music megastar has a fan base that practically guarantees some box office for any movie in which he appears. Advance reports are that "Treasure Hunter"  is an "Indiana Jones"-type of action film, which combined with Jay's drawing power should be a guarantee of success. 

What might not:  Chou's films have always been regarded as cultural fast food, and Jay has all along been a singer, not an actor.  Reports are that "The Treasure Hunter" has some great special effects, but movies that rely on these often counter that strength by dumbing down the story to please audiences.

5.  Bodyguards and Assassins
Chinese title:  "Shiyue Wei Cheng"《十月围城》 
Release date: December 18

Director: Teddy Chen
Principal cast:  Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Nicholas Tse, Wang Xue Qi, Fan Bingbing, Li Yuchun, Zhou Yun, Eric Tsang, Bateer 

What should work:  Even if you just take into consideration the film's all-star cast, it looks impressive on paper.  It relates a most critical date in the history of the Chinese revolution:  the 1905 plot to assassinate Sun Yat-Sen in Hong Kong before he could organize the Chinese revolution that overthrew the Manchu empire, and how people from various walks of life heroically laid down their own lives to protect him.  The setting of central Hong Kong has been reconstructed from scratch on a scale of 1:1, at the most generous financial outlay for a Chinese language film in recent years.

What might not:  Success or failure may rely on performances, especially from those who are relative screen newcomers.  Although indeed a cast of stars, not all are film stars, and some of those in the cast may be there because of their box office potential, and not necessarily because they were most suited to their role: two examples are ethnic Mongolian basketball star (and former US NBA player) Ba Te Er and Chinese pop singer Li Yuchun [aka Chris Lee].

6.  No Man's Land  
Chinese title"  "Wu Ren Qu" 《无人区》
Release date: December TBA

Director: Ning Hao 
Principal cast: Xu Zheng, Huang Bo, Yu Nan 

What should work:  Ning Hao's dark comedy "Crazy Stone" created a frenzy among young Chinese filmgoers, and his follow-up comedy "Silver Medalist" easily broke through the CNY100 million [US$14.5 million] threshold.  For the story line of his latest effort, Ning's first New Year's release deals with poaching in China's west, another in the growing trend of setting productions in that harsh region.  With its attractive subject matter and Ning Hao's past successes, "No Man's Land" should get its share of holiday box office.

What might not:  At present, Ning Hao has not done much publicity work for the film, so it's not known if he has continued his successful past narrative technique with this one.  (It certainly doesn't sound like a comedy.)  In addition, none of the cast are A-list although it does include Xu Zheng and Huang Bo from his earlier successes, as well as my personal favorite Yu Nan (as a pole dancer in a bar!).  These things in combination could put "No Man's Land" at a competitive disadvantage. 

7.  Confucius
Chinese title:  "Kongzi"《孔子》
Release date:  December TBA

Director: Hu Mei 
Principal cast: Chow Yun Fat, Zhou Xun, Ren Quan, Jian-Bin Chen

What should work:  Two obvious strengths:  first, superstar Chow Yun-Fat, whose name on an Asian marquee is a virtual box-office guarantee; second, this film is clearly aimed at the global market, and the character of Confucius should aid in worldwide marketing.  

What might not:  It's an art film, and art films rarely match critical acclaim with Chinese box-office strength.  From the award-winning (including the Golden Lion at Venice) "Still Life" and last year's literary masterpiece biopic of Mei Lanfang, "Forever Enthralled," we can foresee potential limited appeal.  If younger audiences were not attracted by a historical subject from the 1920s (Mei Lanfang), will they be drawn in by one from about 500BC?

8.  Future X-Cops  
Chinese title:  "Weilai Jingcha" 《未来警察》
Release date: January 2010

Director: Wong Jing 
Principal cast:  Andy Lau, Fan Bingbing, Xu Xi Yuan, Xu Jiao, Eric Tsang, Fan Shiu Wong 

What should work:  Wong Jing has a lengthy track record of commercial blockbusters, and for this one he spent CNY200 million [US$29 million] on building an amazing world of the future.  In addition to matinee idol Andy Lau, it has Fan Bingbing, Xu Xiyuan, Fan Shiu Wong and Eric Tsang -- a mixture of both familiar and newer stars.  By combining sci-fi + action + romance, it would seem to be exactly the type of escapist entertainment holiday audiences are seeking.

What might not:  It's a science fiction movie, and Hollywood blockbusters of this genre have set the standard by which Chinese audiences are likely to judge it.  Its one hope is to so captivate the audience they will appreciate it as a good domestic production, without consciously and continuously making comparisons.  However, if "Future X-Cops" turns out to be another "Forbidden City Cop 009," it is difficult to imagine it having much box-office success.

9.  Little Big Soldier  
Chinese title:  "Da Bing Xiao Jiang" 《大兵小将》
Release date: Spring 2010

Director: Ding Sheng
Principal cast:  Jackie Chan, Wang Lee-Hom 

What should work:  In 2008, the pairing of Jackie Chan and Jet Li in "The Forbidden" inspired the martial arts community, and while its plot was ordinary and at times incoherent, Chinese audiences flocked to see the rare site of these two kung fu icons fight.  In this Chinese New Year holiday period, Chan faces off with a new opponent, Chinese-American singer/actor Wong Lee Hom [aka Alexander Wang].  A costume film relating the dangerous adventures of an old soldier and the young general he has kidnapped should give the film limitless Chinese box-office appeal, as Chan's pictures usually have.

What might not:  The one disadvantage (and it's a very small one) is that it will be released fairly late in the spring holiday season, and many filmgoers may have expended their entertainment budgets by then. But if the movie matches the box-office performance of previous Chan New Year's movies, the only concern will be whether Chan's middle-aged character can still win a fight.

10.  14 Blades
Chinese title:  "Jin Yiwei" 《锦衣卫》
Release date:  February 4, 2010

Director:  Daniel Lee
Principal cast:  Donnie Yen, Vicki Zhao, Sammo Hung

What should work:  Strong leads and supporting cast, generous production budget, and simultaneous holiday release in China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, with HK one week later.  Set in the Ming dynasty, the Chinese title means "The Brocaded Guards," which refers to the elite imperial guard sworn to protect the Emperor and his family, and obey orders only from him.  They were called that because of the ornate embroidery they wore on their uniforms.  Pre-screening comments have praised the movie's entertainment value, and in granting its release certificate China's Video Film Board called it "one of the most enjoyable" of the New Year's releases. 

What might not:  As with all big-budget productions, results could fall short of expectations. Much of the advance publicity plays up the Yen-Zhao love story:  will they have the requisite on-screen chemistry?

 

 

Zhao Wei: Tokyo Film Festival "Very Cordial"

[This is a translation of an interview published October 20, 2008 by the Xinhua [New China] News Agency's NewsNet (link is to original article)

Tokyo, October 20, 2008 – Byline:  NewsNet reporters Ma Jie 马杰 and Chen Xi陈曦

          From the vivacious and lovable Xiao Yan of "Princess Pearl" to the dignified and gentle Madame Wang of "Painted Skin," which has already done more than 200 million yuan [US$29 million] at the box office, Zhao Wei [Vicki Zhao] in the past decade has seemingly undergone a total transformation in her performing style, as well maintaining her high popularity.  Now in Japan doing publicity at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Zhao granted our reporters a special interview.

[right, the "Red Cliff' cast arrives on opening night]

Goodbye 13th Aunt: Rosamund Kwan Confirms Her Retirement

   

    In the 70-plus movies she made during more than two decades of filmmaking, Rosamund Kwan 关之琳 (Mandarin:  Guan Zhilin; Cantonese:  Kwan Chi Lam) is probably best known for her continuing role in the "Once Upon a Time in China" series as Aunt Yee (aka "13th Aunt"), the girlfriend (later the wife) of fictionalized martial arts legend Wong Fei Hung (Jet Li).  And while her acting opportunities understandably decreased as she entered middle age, it was still a sad occasion when at the end of 2007 she announced her decision to retire from movies.

[Rosamund Kwan, as '13th Aunt']

   She reaffirmed that decision this summer.  In Shanghai for an earthquake disaster relief fundraising event, Kwan stated that after she fulfills a current advertising commitment, she will retire from the entertainment sector completely, and plans to establish and head a real estate development company.

Maggie Cheung in Beijing: No Movie Plans

          Although she will soon appear on the big screen in "Ashes of Time Redux," the director's cut of Wong Kar Wai's 1994 classic, Maggie Cheung has not made a movie in four years.  During this hiatus, Cheung has stated in interviews her plans were to do no more than one film every two years, but she hasn't held to that schedule and appears increasingly reluctant to do so.  She prefers living a quieter life out of cinema's public glare, allowing her to pursue other interests.  (And away from the Hong Kong paparazzi, of whom she has been harshly critical in the past.) , and referred to somewhat bitterly in this interview.
          In spite of her recent inactivity, Cheung can still be regarded as one of the reigning Chinese movie queens, and on the evening of June 30th she was the guest on Phoenix TV's popular talk show "A Date With Luyu."  [The title refers to the show's hostess, Chen Luyu.]  During the wide-ranging interview, Cheung talked of many subjects, past, present and future.  Speaking of love, she described herself as being very romantic; of life, she said she has learned to be thrifty; about not working, she said that music has become her major interest; as for movies, the actress indicated she has no plans to make any in the next year or two.

[right, Maggie Cheung with hostess Chen Luyu; click on picture for larger image]

          She discussed the "life mentoring" program she is involved with, in which 10 young women from different universities, selected because of their outstanding achievements as students, are mentored by Cheung and 4 other older women who have major accomplishments in their own lives and careers.  The idea for this campaign originated with Cheung herself, and it reflects her public image of someone who wants to give back to life in a more meaningful way.
          Helping these 20-something young women is the fulfillment of a dream for Cheung and something that pleases her greatly.  Her own aspirations at age 20?  "Find someone, marry and have children," she said.  "But I found out I was not too suited for that, so I married, then divorced."
          In spite of that, she still considers herself a traditional woman, capable at such mundane household matters as sewing, cooking and housekeeping.  At the same time, she admits to being a total romantic:  "The romantic aura is just too important to me, and I approach everything I do from that angle."  So at home she cooks for her sweetheart, preparing such homey dishes as steamed meat dumplings and scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and they often dine by candlelight.

Joan Chen's Three Roles at Venice; Jiang Wen: She's My Idol

[Source:  Chengdu Business News, September 6, 2007.  Byline:  Wang Xiao]

Joan Chen may have been the busiest Chinese actor at this year's Venice Film Festival.  After all, two of her works were in competition there, something not often seen at major film festivals.  Although Chen had not been very active on the big screen in recent years, she is now back before the camera lens with renewed vigor.  Whether playing any one of three roles – Mrs. Yee, a nurse, or herself – Joan Chen drew considerable attention from fans at Venice.

Directors' Appraisals

Ang Lee

"Without her, it would be like the mahjongg board didn't exist."  This was Ang Lee in Venice speaking of Joan Chen.  Ang Lee is obviously very satisfied with Joan Chen:  "Her performance gave us infinite possibilities.  Is she aware of the relationship between Mr. Yee and Wang Jiazhi after all?  His other women?  Has she been corrupted by Mr. Yi?  We can't be certain of any of these things, for if you watch Joan performing several times, you come away with a different understanding each time."  For Ang Lee, Joan Chen is the movie's core, for "As a representative of that era, she provides a structure for the entire film."

Jiang Wen

"Joan Chen is someone who sees more clearly than I do what is needed.  Don't forget she spent US$50 million when she directed 'Autumn in New York,' and Richard Gere – a real Hollywood name – was one of her actors!  I don't know about other people, but Joan Chen is a major Chinese filmmaker.  Can you name another person in China who has made a film that big?  No.  I know I can't."  Jiang Wen, very direct and never mincing words, says "Joan Chen is my older dream.  Although we're the same age, she became my idol very early on.  When I was writing this role I felt it was really her."

[right, Jiang Wen, Joan Chen and Jaycee Chan at a promotional event for "The Sun Also Rises."  Click on picture for larger image]

"Even if she's not doing anything, she's still doing everything."  This was a Hong Kong journalist's appraisal of Joan Chen's performance in "Lust, Caution."  And how many people, after seeing Chen's character go into hysteria in a hospital ward in "The Sun Also Rises," were startled by the performance by same woman who was the innocent and cheerful "Little Flower" of so many years ago?  [a reference to the role that made Chen a star in China]  Joan Chen is this kind of actress, one with the self-control that allows her in middle age to accept either a lead or a supporting role.  Before leaving Venice, Joan Chen sat down with our reporter for an interview, and spoke freely about working with two great directors with such different styles.

Q:  Although you've said before that these two films are both your children, we still have to ask how you compare the two.

Chen:  For me, my characters in these two movies are like the North and South Poles of the earth.  In Ang Lee's film, I needed to throttle my own instincts, everything was staged, and very inhibited.  But in "Sun," the character was totally controlled by her instincts, she didn't know how to cover up her own instincts.  That's something I normally wouldn't dare to do in my own life, so acting that was very satisfying.

Q:   And how do you see them as a director?  What are their differences in your eyes?

Chen:  Jiang Wen is a good actor, especially when doing drama.  In the movie I had a love scene with Anthony Wong, and when it comes to expressing love I'm normally pretty shy, so it was difficult for me.  Jiang Wen told me to imagine myself an actress receiving an Oscar, how it would feel being up on that stage, how I would breathing rapidly with emotion, my speech becoming incoherent, and how that emotion would cause my tears to flow.  When he told me that, I immediately understood completely.  As for Ang Lee, there isn't much I can say.  He is so great.  The thing I appreciate most about him is his cool-headedness.  Regardless of how things are going, whether there are restrictions or not, he just films what he wants.  He puts everything into it, and he gets that total commitment from everyone around him.

Q:   Here we have a situation where two outstanding directors coincidentally asked you to work with them.  In your opinion, was this because they valued you so highly, or was it because they felt you would bring to their projects something they needed.  And if so, what?

Chen:   In "Lust, Caution," Ang Lee as director needed my bearing.  I know he needed a foil, someone who would embody the identity of an official's wife.  Someone with this kind of aura could serve as a foil, and this is what he needed from me.

In "The Sun Also Rises," I think Jiang Wen needed absolute sincerity from me, even that kind of naiveté I had back in my "Little Flower" years [Chen's 1980 breakthrough film in China].  Naturally, sex appeal is needed as well, but in "Sun" it had to be open and unaffected, not something put on.

Q:  You've been making movies in Hollywood for so long, some people consider you a representative symbol of Eastern womanhood.

Chen:  This year, we actually see many things which are symbolic.  This symbolism thing is something that others bestow on you.  Americans may think of me as a symbolic actor, so they write roles for me which accord with their understanding of me.  But as far as I'm concerned, I don't see myself as symbolic of anything.

Q:  You have told the press that most of your time and energy now are devoted to your family and children, but now it seems you have suddenly returned [to filmmaking].

Chen:  Actually, I have all along looked forward to cooperating with Chinese directors especially, as well as that cumulative process I need in order to be a director.  Cooperation with Jiang Wen, cooperation with Ang Lee, these are both part of that accumulation.  Everyone saw that I made a few works during a short period of time, but actually [events in my life] were not happening during the time I was filming.  Right now I am focused on my children, and if I get one role a year, that's enough for me.
***
Before departing Venice, Joan Chen granted several media interviews, at which she laughingly said her only reason for being in Venice was to publicize the movies.

Because she had two films in competition, Chen was at the Venice festival for nearly a week, the longest stay of any of the Chinese fimmakers here.  And two films in competition required her to trod the red carpet twice, which in turn required she bring along several evening gowns.

She told reporters, "When you see me walking out here, wearing gorgeous clothes, remember these evening gowns are really just my work clothes, they go with hyping the movies."

Joan Chen on Filming《Lust, Caution》in Shanghai": Follow One's Heart

[This is a translation from the Chinese newspaper Wenhuibao online, posted December 1, 2006, 09:04:22.  Byline:  reporter Liu Qing]

During a break in the filming of "Lust, Caution," Joan Chen [Chen Chong] met with this reporter in a metropolitan Shanghai film studio.  While she is, after all, a mother of two with small laugh lines at the corners of her eyes, she still has a radiant smile.  When a group of young people visiting the studio called out to her, "Sister Chong," she flashed that smile and stopped for a brief visit with everyone.  As a film editor admiringly put it, when she meets someone, her eyes light up like no one else's.

Afterwards, as we rode out to the suburbs together, we talked of her growth as an actress and director.  Dusk was setting in outside, but I could still see that her eyes shone with the radiance I had seen earlier.  In her many years of living in dissolute America, she has had countless experiences, and while one might think these would affect her profoundly, her character is still the same as so many she has portrayed in recent years, someone who knows that "the sun will come up as it always has," a person filled with vitality, someone unceasingly seeking glory and happiness in life.

14 Years Late in Working With Ang Lee

It didn't start with "Lust, Caution."  Joan Chen laughingly pointed out that her collaboration with Ang Lee came more than 10 years late.  "We both know that when he wrote the script for 'The Wedding Banquet,' he created the part of the young woman with me in mind; but later, for reasons that had to do with the investors, we missed out.  So many years have flashed by, but now we can say the dream has come true."

In the original "Lust, Caution" story, Mrs. Yi was a less well-defined character, and in Mr. Yi's involvement with Wang Jiazhi, she doesn't show up at all.  But if the role was merely that of someone in a cheongsam (qipao), playing mahjong and presenting the lofty air of a government official's wife, there is no way Joan Chen would have accepted it.  So when Ang Lee called Chen and asked her to take the part of Mrs. Yi, she responded with just one question:  "Is Mrs. Yi aware of everything that's going on?"  When Ang Lee told her that in his script, she knows, "I said I would definitely take the part."

Chen disclosed that in the film, Mrs. Yi understands the complex relationship between her husband and Jiazhi, and when she also realizes the radical student intends to assassinate Mr. Yi, as well as control many things behind the scenes, Mrs. Yi passively connives in the plot.  "This woman's thinking is very subtle.  Besides that, I am very curious about the people of that era and their relationship with their times, so this role had a great deal of interest for me."

Although Joan Chen's role in the film is not a large one, she is by no means limited to just a few lines.

As for Ang Lee, she said what she admired most was his daring.  "The story is such that it almost defies adaptation, but not only did he do it, his script is the most well-developed and closest to Eileen Chang's original artistic conception of any adaptation to date.  [Chang] once wrote in reviewing a Yan Geling novel that "going into great detail on the particulars of a novel actually performs an intellectual service by prodding the reader to think about what is being read.  Ang Lee's script does that for me."

Of her co-actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai, she couldn't help heaving a sigh and saying in her native Shanghai dialect, "he's really sharp.  He's says so much with his eyes, then waits for you to respond."  Regarding the film's young co-stars Tang Wei and Wang Lihong, she said "they're both really cute.  Tang has a round face, and when she smiles her eyebrows curve upward, and she is very attractive, like the beautiful girl in a cigarette ad you see a lot right now."

Has Abandoned "Fusang"

When Joan Chen came to Shanghai for the filming of "Lust, Caution," her old friend Yan Geling* [aka Geling Yan] flew over to stay with her, keep her company on the set, and discuss the day's shooting during the ride back home.  But when the two close friends take an evening stroll around the city, it is difficult to avoid the topic of adapting Yan's novel "Fusang" [aka "The Lost Daughter of Happiness"].  Chen first expressed interest in making a film version of "Fusang" about five or six years ago, but working during these years with a succession of other directors in "Jasmine Women," "Sunflower," "The Sun Will Rise Again," and now "Lust, Caution," has delayed making her own film all this time.

When I mentioned this, Joan Chen sighed, and said that she has abandoned "Fusang."

The novel "Fusang" inspired in Chen a great enthusiasm for making a film version, "This woman Fusang was so special.  She was clearly so unlucky, but she bore up with so many misfortunes.  Disaster after disaster came at her like an iron fist striking at cotton, but she quietly bore and resolved all of them!"  Joan Chen believes that women like this appear less and less in movies, and "how can they only show docile women who lack the power to take any action on their own?"  This holds the fascination of a challenge for her.  "While I was positioned to throw myself into the project then, it was just at that time that I had my second child," and the baby steadily drew her away from all the necessary preparation work.  "When the drive to do something has passed, it is hard to get that feeling back again.  I no longer have in my heart that earlier feeling that 'this is something I must do.'  Even if I were to reinvest myself in the preparation work for filming 'Fusang,' this time it wouldn't be the same movie I had in mind back then."

When asked about her future plans after filming "Lust, Caution," Joan Chen laughed and said, "Whether I'm acting or directing, in the course of finding out I will always follow the call of my heart."

*Shanghai-born Chinese-American writer.