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August 2004
-- Martial Arts Stars Align for Wilson Yip Action Drama SPL -- Three generations of martial artists have joined forces for Wilson Yip’s upcoming action drama SPL (working title), which is nearing the end of a four-month shoot in Hong Kong. Produced by Carl Chang with backing from Abba Chan’s Abba Movies, the US$3.8m (HK$30m) film stars martial arts veteran Sammo Hung along with Donnie Yen and upcoming star and wushu champion Wu Jing. Simon Yam, whose credits include Tomb Raider II and Johnnie To’s PTU, also has a lead role in the film.
Described by Chang as a dark action drama, the film revolves around the psychological battle between a ruthless mafia boss (Sammo Hung), who has killed off the family of a police witness, and a cop (Simon Yam) who has taken it upon himself to raise the one surviving family member. The English working title, SPL (Sha Po Lang), is derived from the initials of three renegade stars in Chinese astrology which take on good or evil characteristics depending on their position in the heavens. According to Carl Chang, the film will be heavy on both action sequences and drama. “We’ve recently had some successful films that were strong on drama but didn’t contain much action, while the old style kung-fu films had all the moves but were weak on drama,” Chang explains. “With this film, we hope to combine both elements.”
Donnie Yen, whose credits as actor or action director include Hero, Shanghai Knights and Hong Kong blockbuster The Twins Effect, is over seeing the action sequences. Other behind-the-camera talent includes director of photography Lam Wah Chuen, who has worked on several Fruit Chan movies, and Infernal Affairs composer Chan Kwong Wing.
At present, no international sales agent is attached to the film but Carl Chang is talking to interested parties and taking a promo reel to the upcoming autumn markets. Meanwhile, Carl Chang is in the process of setting up a new Hong Kong-based production and artist management outfit, See Corporation, with backing from Hong Kong and overseas investors. The company already has several projects in development including a period martial arts movie to be directed by Lee Chi-Ngai. Screendaily, 26 August 2004
-- The Seven Swords Movie Press Conference --
-- The Seven Swords Movie Press Conference --
Photos of Tsui Hark, Liu Chia Liang, actors Lu Yi, Leon Lai, Sun Hong Lei and actresses Charlie Yeung and Kim So Yeon at the press conference: Sina, Sohu, Tom. Seven Swords will begin shooting on September 1, 2004.
Interview Videos (Netease; In Mandarin; Real Video) Seven Swords Beijing Press Conference At around 25th minute are footages of Tsui Hark scouting locations in Xinjiang, a horse-riding and swordplay training session, and a real-time preview of the online RPG game.
Tsui Hark, Liu Chia Liang
-- Upcoming The Seven Swords Movie Press Conference on Aug 29, 14:20pm (GMT+8) -- URL for live broadcast of the event at Netease: rtsp://202.108.34.60:554/encoder/7swords.rm
URL for live broadcast of the event at Sina: http://vipchat.sina.com.cn/vip/new/3/vsimple.html
-- Upcoming Seven Swords of Mt Tian Movie Press Conference on Aug 29 --
The event will also be broadcast through Netease, and live transcript, in Chinese, will be made available with installation of Popo software. Run Popo, register as a member and login to Distinguished Guest Chat Room (嘉宾聊天室), the third icon, which is a microphone, on the left and choose Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》.
Questions or comments for the production may be left at this Sina page.
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV Series: Sang Wei Lin -- Being in Xinjiang for more than a month has turned Sang Wei Lin's skin swarthy. Sang Wei Lin, now 27, made his debut in Tsui Hark's Xanda. Being happy with his performance, Tsui Hark recommended him to play Wu Yuan Ying in Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series. Sang Weilin grew up in a farm village and like most kids there, joined the military police force. His diligence in martial arts led him to becoming a Sanda champion. That was how Tsui Hark began to take notice of him and bring him into the entertainment field, lifting him out of poverty.
"When filming Xanda, Tsui Hark wanted me to gain more societal experience, and arranged for me to do jobs outside the boundary of an actor. This time, I was the first actor to arrive in Xinjiang, during which I helped out with the production. When we worked with your press to audition the applicants, I acted opposite them, to help the director choose the cast-members. I got the feel of working behind the scenes." said Sang Wei Lin.
"After finishing Xanda, I received many script offers. Tsui Hark's wife, Lady See Nan Sun, told me not to simply accept anything, but to be careful and selective." Sang Wei Lin said he does not want to have a meteoric rise to fame and wishes to go at a slower pace in order to have time to identify his weaknesses and upgrade himself. Sang Wei Lin is especially fond of his role Wu Yuan Ying, for he feels that his life is much like Wu Yuan Ying. Wu Yuan Ying, who leads an ordinary life, inadvertently stumbles upon a priceless sword and subsequently becomes a topnotch swordsman. Sang Wei Lin said Tsui Hark was the one who gave him the priceless sword.
Sang Wei Lin does not feel pressurised working with many famous stars like Zhao Wen Zhuo, Ray Lui, Adao Choi and Li Xiao Ran, for "I don't face such problems, as I don't fight for the limelight. The most important thing is to put all my effort into my role. I am trying to convey more emotions with my eyes such as projecting the chilling air described in wuxia novels, but have yet to master it. I need more practice." Xinjiang City Daily
-- Journey to the West Remake -- Recently, the studio behind Seven Swords of Mt Tian, Beijing Ciwen Oriental Digital Film and TV Production (Wenlian Studio), announced its plan to shoot a 60-part TV adaptation of Journey to the West next year. The series has been in pre-production since two years ago. In order to outdo the CCTV's classic starring Liuxiao Lingtong, after much debates, they came to the conclusion that they have to seriously rack their brains on the script above everything else. CCTV's Journey to the West TV series was such a classic due to its fidelity to the original novel. So, Ciwen Oriental Digital is adopting a conservative approach by sticking to the original novel, and currently the draft script has been completed. The script will focus on character development and highlight the humour of the novel by providing scintillating dialogues. Besides being entertaining, it will also be didactic by exploring the meaning of life.
Apart from the TV series, a 52-part animated series, budgeted at more than 50 million yuan, is also in the pipeline. However, the anime series, being targeted at kids aged 6 to 12, will not be completely faithful to the novel. For example, Tripitaka and his three disciples will each have their own pets whom they will bring along with them on their journey to the west to acquire the sutras. And, in order to attract girls as well, the production is performing a major gender operation on White Dragon Horse, changing it from Third Dragon Prince to Third Dragon Princess and is approaching this character from the perspectives of girls. All these changes were made after consulting the kids to find out what they would want to see and what the production could do to appeal to them.
With a TV series and cartoon series on the way, does Ciwen Oriental Digital have any intention of making a film based on the same novel? CEO Ma Zhong Jun replied, "It('s no secret that it) has always been Tsui Hark's dream to direct Journey to the West movie, we have also discussed this with him, and wish to be able help him realise his dream. However, this only in propositional stage." Anxi evening News, Beiijng Youth Daily, Zhaoyan Daily
-- Kung Fu Hustle at Toronto International Film Festival 2004 -- Stephen Chow will be attending the world premiere of Kungfu Hustle at Toronto International Film Festival 2004, held between September 9 to 18. Kungfu Hustle is taking part in the festival under Special Presentations. Nanfang Daily
-- Shaolin vs Evil Dead 2 -- While little is known of the release of Shaolin vs Evil Dead (Shaolin Vampire), My Way Film Co is already planning a sequel. Shaolin vs. Evil Dead Part II, a sci-fi actioner starring Gordon Liu and William Hung, is slated to begin shooting in December with a budget of HK$7 million. The film will mark action choreographer Yip Wing-kin's first outing as director. William Hung Official Site
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV Series: Zhao Wen Zhuo, Ray Lui --
Both Zhao Wen Zhuo and Ray Lui just arrived on the set of Filming Unit A in Xinjiang on August 20. The production was filming a scene where Chu Zhao Nan battles the Manchu soldiers when this reporter reached Wuerhe Wind City (aka City of Ghosts), a desert region with constant strong winds stirring up the sands, and infrequent sandstorms which disrupt the production, Being an aerial combat with Chu Zhao Nan being suspended by wires, the action was done by a double. Later, Zhao Wen Zhuo, who is playing Chu Zhao Nan, got on the set personally to complete the ground-based actions of the same scene.
On being asked why he was always being cast in all Tsui Hark works, he replied, "I am not in all of his works, but my major works were directed by him. Tsui Hark is a very professional director, especially with kungfu movies, his demands are very high and very few could reach his standards. We have collaborated with each other for many years, so have had lots of communications. I always try to accommodate him. All these years, our collaboration have been most felicitous. Usually, whenever Director Tsui looks me up, I would assent. Seven Swords of Mt Tian is no exception."
"How's your confidence in delivering your role?" Zhao Wen Zhuo replied, "While I have never played a villain before (except Fong Sai Yuk), I believe I can handle the role Chu Zhao Nan with no problem." After a slight pause, Zhao Wen Zhuo smiled, "One, two weeks ago, I saw the newspapers saying that I might back out for many fans were upset over me playing a villain. How could it be so? I have had lengthy discussions with my management before deciding to take up this project."
Zhao Wen Zhuo was very concerned about his fans' opinions and hence, in order allay his fans' misgivings, he patiently explained his role to this reporter. He felt that, in fact, the character suits him very much, "Actually, Chu Zhao Nan is not a straight-forward villain. He has sincere feelings, such as his fraternal ties with Yang Yun Cong, and his love for Lu Zhu and Flying Red Shawl. He isn't a bad person initially, but owing to circumstances, owing to some helpless situations, he turns evil. There is a sharp change in him during this phase, this is a very interesting character."
Prior to doing Seven Swords of Mt Tian, Ray Lui had been approached by two productions set in Manchu Dynasty as well. On hearing he had to shave his head, he immediately turned down the offers. However, on Tsui Hark's account, he accepted this series, and would be having his head shaved soon. He was also drawn by the fact that CCTV is also investing in the series. Ray Lui has his own interpretation of his role of General Duo Duo (who was later promoted to a Duke), "After going through the script, I became deeply in love with this character. I don't feel it's a supporting role, Duo Duo is an exemplary general, he is like the Ministry of Defence. His inner world is filled with vibrancy. On the one hand, he spares no effort in rounding up the rebels, on the other hand, he has to face the pressure from the Imperial Court. It's a very colourful character, it's a very important role, and gives me plenty of room to display my ability." Xinjiang City Daily
-- Donnie Yen on Sha Po Lang --
"I'm trying to stay focused," he says. "Not so much on the physical martial arts training, because that is a given- it's not to be taken for granted, but it's a given. Physically, I'll be prepared for this film, but mentally. I have to stay focused. I want to do something with this film I've never done before. I want to take local action films up to another level." As if to accentuate his strength of purpose, Yen's gaze gathers intensity, and the star grows increasingly more excited and animated as he discusses his plans.
"Twins Effect 2 is a big commercial film and most likely it will be very successful. But will it be a groundbreaking action film? Probably not," he says. "So, is my next movie going to be really successful at the box office? I don't know- I hope so! But that is not the goal I'm setting. The goal is to produce the best action movie we possibly can, then worry about the box office." In Yen's opinion, that's the order moviemakers' priorities should always be in. And he sees the fact that they tend to be the other way around in Hong Kong these days as one of the reasons for the decline in quality. Yen's unconventional take on the importance of box office results becomes clear when he talks about high points in his career. B International June 2004 Cover Story, DonnieYen.us
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: The Conceptualisation -- Tsui Hark is planning to make a documentary on Chinese wushu. Jackie Chan has agreed to host the documentary. With the help from Chinese Wushu Society, Tsui Hark intends to spend two years travelling across various regions in China visiting wushu legends' hometowns and interviewing their descendants. In the meantime, he's busy with Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》. The TV version was originally planned to be 30 episodes, however, as Tsui Hark felt that in order to go into the specifics of each of the Seven Swordmasters of the First and Second Generations, it's necessary to extend the teleplay to 60 episodes, or 74 as it's the case now. He felt that it would be too short with 30 episodes, the pace would be too rushed, with little room to describe each swordmaster's tales, their dreams and pursuits, as well as their swords. Soon, Korea and Japan investors were attracted to the material and the franchise soon snowballed into various projects, such as comics and online game. Then, someone mooted the idea of doing the movie as well. Thus, Tsui Hark began formulating the film structure. However, because of the scope and length of the novel, it's certainly no mean task. Eventually, they took out the relevant elements and came up with the movie script. Seven Swords of Mt Tian will focus on the nature of each of the seven rare swords, their relationships with their owners, their owners' feelings for the swords, how they learn, through the swords, the way of humanity, the growth of each swordmaster, from the beginning when they start using using their swords. Nanfang Daily
-- Star of Himalayas -- Wai Kai Fai will soon be directing Chinastar's Star of Himalayas 《喜马拉雅星》 (aka Strange Encounter in India / Joyful Journey), a festivity celebratory film starring Lau Ching Wan, Cecilia Cheung, Cherrie Ying and Ronald Cheng. Currently, the script is being vetted by Chinese censorship board. In 2003, Wai Ka Fai worked with Johnnie To on Running on Karma. In that movie, the Indian yogi's incredible contortion and bone-shrinking skills had the audience fascinated. At the same time, Wai Ka Fai formed a keen interest in Indian culture. He decided to exploit that theme and that's how Star of Himalayas was born. Ronald Cheng plays a yoga practitioner who spends years in retreat in The Himalayas. By order of his parents, he leaves the mountain to marry Indian Beauty. Lau Ching Wan, a Hong Kong tourist who gets lost in India, is inadvertently mistaken by Beauty as her husband and relations develop between the two. However, Ronald Cheng's appearance disrupts this relationship. Netease
-- The Seven Swords -- Tsui Hark landed in a tight spot when Korean actor Song Seung Hun backed out at the last minute. Fortunately, on learning the gravity of the situation, Donnie Yen immediately agreed, without any hesitations, to take over Song Seung Hun's role as Chu Zhao Nan. Donnie Yen had to turn down other works because of this. Having a tight schedule, he will not be attending Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 press conference at the end of the month and will join the production in Xinjiang after completing Sha Po Lang. Having Donnie Yen playing Chu Zhao Nan has two distinct advantages: He is a genuine martial artist compared to Song Seung Hun, and is an internationally renowned actor, having already made a name in Hollywood, unlike Song Seung Hun, who's fandom is limited to Asia. Jiefang Daily, Kungfu Cinema
Wang Xue Qi (Warriors of Heaven and Earth) will play Prince Duo Duo, the role which Hu Jun turned down, in the movie. Shanghai Youth Daily
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV Series: Filming in Progress --
On August 15, our press' reporters accompanied Producer Wang Yong to City of Ghost, where another filming unit was shooting on location. Filming at the arid City of Ghost was being helmed by Gary Sing, and the cast-members include Ada Choi, Li Xiao Ran, Askar and Wang Xue Bing as well as local tribesmen and extras. Cheung Chi Leung is taking charge of the scenes at Hengdian.
The scene being shot depicted a group of Manchu cavalry pursing Yang Yun Cong (Wang Xue Bing). His horse gets killed and in a fit of anger, he casts his concealed weapons (Actually, Wang Xue Bing merely had some sand or pebbles in his hand), and a few Manchu soldiers fall off their horses and die. After that, Wang Xue Bing fights the remaining soldiers. This scene was done several times. This is one of the scenes where Yang Yun Cong has just arrived at Xinjiang.
In the past few days, they were mostly filming Wang Xue Bing's scenes. Sometimes, when there were night scenes, the production also had to work in the night. Wang Xue Bing was the busiest actor that day. When off-camera, the non-martial artist would sometime practised swordplay. However, sometimes, his actions were completed by doubles. Xinjiang City Daily
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- Due to various reasons, with schedule conflicts being cited as one of them, Wu Jing has, unfortunately, withdrawn from Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 TV series. He was rueful over missing such an epoch-making wuxia series but added that his management is planning a new movie for him, one that is bigger than Sha Po Lang. Jing Hua Yan Yun
Gordon Liu, the seventh generation heir to Hung Gar, explained that Wong Fei Hong was not a fictitious character, rather, he was a genuine historical figure. He also said that Shadowless Kick is part of a routine in Hung Gar, and that the essence of the Shadowless Kick lies in its speed and power, moving so fast that the enemy won't have time to react. He said he would be demonstrating the authentic Hung Gar's Shadowless Kick in his upcoming TV series Wong Fei Hung and Aunt Thirteen 《黄飞鸿与十三姨》. Gordon Liu will be heading to Xinjiang soon to do Seven Swords of Mt Tian movie. He will be playing a major villain. Tianfu Morning News
Lu Yi said he is playing "a good guy" Han Zhi Bang in the movie version of Seven Swords of Mt Tian. Business Times
Some shots from the scene at Tiechanggou's sunflower meadow. Netease
-- Hero: An Interview With Jet Li --
-- Sha Po Lang -- Sha Po Lang 《杀破狼》 is currently being filmed in Hong Kong. The movie will wrap up in early September. Donnie Yen, the film's lead star and martial arts choreographer, said that martial arts movies nowadays tend towards over-reliance on CGIs, but Sha Po Lang bucks the trend by returning to wire-free fights done by actual people, with little or no use of stunt-doubles, to showcase the power of traditional kungfu. Donnie Yen revealed that ShaPoLang is a modern police kungfu movie, Simon Yam and him are colleagues in the police force and Donnie Yen's character possesses peerless skills. Donnie Yen, Simon Yam and Sammo Hung's roles respectively take after Killing, Obliteration and Avarice as per Sha Po Lang constellation. The three would engage each other in a battle of wits and fists. Sammo Hung plays the boss of a triad, his most capable assassin Wu Jing would have an ultimate duel against Donnie Yen. Meri Paper
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV Series: Filming in Progress -- On 13 August, 4 pm, Xinjiang City Daily's reporters accompanied Producer Wang Yong to the set of Seven Sword of Mt Tian series at Tiechanggou. On the set were Sang Wei Lin, Qiao Zhen Yu, Wang Li Kun and child actors Liu Xiang Yu and Tang Kai Cheng, etc. On that day, they were shooting at a sunflower meadow. Liu You Fang (Wang Li Qun) has just mastered the arts and descended the mountain, and Mu Lang (Qiao Zhen Yu), in order to test her skills, asks her to pierce at him, "just like piercing the sunflowers." Liu You Fang is hesitant, for the fear of hurting her lover. Under Mu Lang's encouragement, Liu You Fang eventually attacks with her sword... and the two begin an exciting duel.
This scene which lasts for two minutes were shot repeatedly for countless times. Newcomer Wang Li Kun was rather nervous and had difficulty entering her role, and her lines were not delivered without errors. The director Clarence Fok was especially patient. After a few tries, she finally discovered the feeling. The seemingly simple expression came alive, especially when complemented with her coursing tears, with the golden yellow sunflowers serving as the backdrop and the crew scattering sunflowers about... the scene was utterly beautiful. Finally, the director was satisfied with this dramatic scene. Under the hot son, Wang Li Kun and Qiao Zhen Yu, who were dressed in three-layer costumes, were panting and perspiring.
The parents, who accompanied their child actors, were heaping praises on the director, after seeing how he was able to coax their children into weeping so sorrowfully. The mother of Liu Xiang Yu said she didn't know that her kid has such talents, "It is mainly thanks to Director Fok, he knows how to tap into one's potential. He's very patient and uses different ways to dig out the actors' latent talents." All the parents said, "He is a really great director, we have learned much through him."
"Actually, Director Fok is a very quick-tempered person, but he knows how the teach the actors, how to coax the best performance out of them." remarked Producer Wang Yong.
Shandong's Sang Wei Lin did not have any scenes that day. He merely stayed at a distance, watching the production, hoping to be able to provide help when needed. "I play Wu Yuan Ying, a very simple person. I don't have any romance, for if everyone is involved in a relationship, it would be very chaotic." Sanda champion Sang Wei Lin, said it was very fortunate to work with Tsui Hark, "I have learned many things from him, including humanity." While filming was tiring, Sang Wei Lin, being a formal Sanda sportsman, having been through much tougher trainings, did not find it any difficult.
Mainland's veteran actor Ma Jing Wu, who is playing the role of Reverend Hui Ming, is joining the production on September 2, according to Producer Wang Yong. His brother-in-law, Yao Ji Zhi, who has a resort in the region, has been very generous to the production. Not only is he offering hostels to the production, but also frequently brings them food and snacks. Yao Ji Zhi said he's investing around 40 thousand yuan to build Seven Swords Manor and other sets. Both the TV series and movie are expected to do filming at Seven Swords Manor. This place might be turned into a tourist attraction in the future. Xinjiang City Daily
-- Battle at Red Cliff -- Beijing based Poly Huayi Media and John Woo's Lion Rock Productions are planning to make Battle at Red Cliff《赤壁之战》, a big-scale historical war movie interspersed with romance, friendship, humour and tragedies of war. Filming is slated to begin next year for this 300 million yuan movie. Meanwhile, Shanghai Move Group has also announced 2 months ago of its plan to make a film with the same title at a budget of 250 million yuan. Since 1990, they have been planning 6 movies based on Romance of Three Kingdoms, with Battle at Red Cliff being one of them. Battle at Red Cliff, set in AD 208, is about Sun Quan and Liu Bei joining forces to defeat Cao Cao. Chongqing Evening, East Day
-- The Seven Swords Movie -- Song Seung Hun has originally agreed to act in Seven Swords of Mt Tian movie. However, being tied up with other projects, he had to relinquish the movie. Song Seung Hun felt bad about it too, for he had looked forward to doing this movie which would help him break into the international market. 21st Century Life
Mainland actor Lu Yi has been undergoing training in horse-riding and swordplay to prepare for his role in the movie version of Seven Swords of Mt Tian next month. He said he's playing the most junior member of the Seven Swords. Wnhui-Xinmin United Press
-- Sha Po Lang --
Wu Jing, Liao Zhi and Xia Shao Sheng were at Central, Hong Kong, filming a scene in Sha Po Lang 《杀破狼》 where Wu Jing kills policemen Liao Zhi and Xiao Shao Sheng. The two had their body smeared with blood, to create the effect of gushing blood. Filming took place at Central's Statue of Queen Square at 3 am. Martial arts director Donnie Yen were discussing with the actors regarding how the action scene was to be done. As it was extremely hot that day, both Liao Zhi and Xia Shao Sheng, who were in formal attires, kept sweating all the time. Wu Jing's hair was dyed gold, to suit the image of a punk. On the set, Wu Jing, who had a prop knife wrapped up with newspaper, rushed towards Xia Shao Sheng suddenly and stabbed him in the stomach, after which he collapsed. As there were lots of outtakes, Wu Jing was perspiring heavily, the make-up artists had to touch up his makeup frequently. Apple Daily
-- Kung Fu Hustle Teaser -- A very short teaser trailer of Stephen Chow's Kungfu Hustle: BVI
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: Ada Choi --
Ada Choi describes her
role Flying Red Shawl (Fei Hong Jin) as a ravishing beauty who is highly
skilled, and has lots of comical parts - albeit in an inadvertent manner. Flying
Red Shawl is overbearing, impervious to reasons, thoughtless and rough, as such
she sometimes does things that are uproariously funny. She said she loves this
role and she doesn't like those sappy roles where she has to cry all day long.
East Day -- Miracle Healer Couple TV Series on DVD (YesAsia)--
Miracle Healer Couple 《神医侠侣》 DVD Boxset, starring Zhao Wen Zhuo, Alyssa Chia (Jia Jing Wen) and Gao Yuan Yuan has been released. Plot: During the years of Emperor Han Hui's rule, the Great Empress Lui holds power in count, her servant Xing informs her that the master doctor Que has created a medicine called "Never-aging". Lu ordered General Liu Xiang to lead an army to capture the medicine. During the journey a poisonous sword wounds Xiang but fortunately Ti nurtured him back to health. Meanwhile, Xiang's brother Zhang managed to find the medicine in a mysterious place.Xing returns to court to an ecstatic Empress and she placed the medicine in the Ice Palace. The medicine is soon stolen, and the angered Empress ordered the arrests of all doctors in the city, which inclued Ti's father. Zhang was ordered to seek the medicine once more and he discovered a secret in a cave: as Doctor Que spent his life creating the medicines "Long-licing" and "Never-aging", his student Xing fell in love with the doctor's concubine Shan, and together they plotted to steal both medicines. When Shan tried to kill Xing, he fled to hid in court. Shan turns out to be a student of ex-Empress Mo, whose live was saved by Shan when the court tried to kill her. Mo stole the medicine from the court and plans on meeting Shan to exchange medicine...
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: Newcomer Wang Li Qun --
"Tsui Hark indeed has great foresight, Wang Li Kun gets into her character very quickly, is a great seedling that is hard to come by!" remarked director Clarence Fok. Liu You Fang is a leading role in Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》, and the actress playing this role is required to have martial arts capability and able to ride horses, and must also have an animated face, able to portray her intricate feelings. "Had it not been Tsui Hark's persistence and confidence in Wang Li Qun, we wouldn't dare to employ a newcomer with no acting experience for this role," said producer Wang Yong. In a scene, Liu You Fang was pining for a close friend at his grave. A a crewmember said, director Clarence Fok only requested Wang Li Kun to show extreme sadness and then kowtow three times, but her performance shocked everyone on the set, "She acted very well, originally, she only needed to kowtow thrice, but she was so deeply involved that she kept kowtowing and her tears were streaming nonstop." The crew said Clarence Fok was especially satisfied with this scene, and praised her on the spot. However, as this was her maiden voyage into acting, she forgot about having to face the camera. Still, they managed to capture that precious moment on the camera.
A crew said, two years
ago, Tsui Hark and Cheung Sing Yim went to Beijing Dance Academy to scout for
the role of Yi Lan Zhu. On passing by a classroom, Wang Li Kun was practicing folk
dance. On the instant she turned her head around as she danced, Tsui Hark
noticed her. "Tsui Hark said he felt that she exuded a chivalrous aura, and was
not garishly glamorous." So, they arranged to meet her right away, and decided
to hire her no more than a jiffy as they talked. Later, Tsui Hark discovered
that when she was teaching her peers, she carried the bearings of a teacher, had
a hardy, stoic look, and
hence decided that she was more suitable for the role of Liu You Fang. Wang Li Kun told the
reporter, to prepare for her role, she had been learning swordplay and
horse-riding since two years ago. She even secretly combined swordplay with
dancing. Chengdu Daily -- Interview: Cheung Sing Yim on Seven Swords -- On August 7, the day of Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 TV series inauguration, this reporter conducted an interview with Cheung Sing Yim (Cheung Kam Yim) at the hotel he was staying. This was also the first time Cheung Sing Yim granted a formal interview with a Mainland press. Cheung Sing Yim, who is 70 years old, revealed that once Seven Swords of Mt Tian is unleashed, he will retire from showbiz. During the three hour long interview, his wife stayed by the side, serving tea and listening attentively. Chengdu Daily >>Full Story<<
-- Tsui Hark on Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- In July 2002, Tsui Hark met Cheung Sing Yim, who introduced him to the production studio of Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》. He had always wanted to reinvent the genre and was thus grateful to his mentor Cheung Sing Yim for giving him such a chance. He said that Shaolin Temple was also a trendsetting movie, and with combined effort between him and Cheung Sing Yim, his confidence was boosted by a hundred times. He believed that wuxia productions are heading towards international market, and this is not limited to movies alone. He was glad to do a movie hexalogy and TV series together, as they are both heading in the same direction, both could complement each other. There are fourteen main characters in Seven Swords of Mt Tian, and TV series has greater capacity for content, he believes the drama serial would be as great as the movie, with the emphasis being on the methods employed.
According to Tsui Hark, "The sword in Chinese wuxia is an intriguing weapon, it posseses its own soul, its own spirit, its own traits. I have discovered many dramatic qualities and filmming techniques through Seven Swords of Mt Tian, in Chinese wuxia culture, sword and (wo)man share an intricate relationships. I wish to portray these inner qualities."
Tsui Hark said with aplomb that Seven Swords of Mt Tian will transcend his previous works, otherwise, he'd not film anymore. Tsui Hark said he's also in pre-production of New Dragon Inn sequel. He hoped he would have the chance to bring Journey to the West to screen. The Beijing News
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: Filming in Progress --
On August 8, in the early morning, filming of Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 officially commenced. Filming Unit A began shooting at City of Ghost while Filming Unit B, helmed by Clarence Fok Yiu Leung, started their work at Tiechanggou (Iron Gully). Filming will be done in Tulubo, City of Ghost, Fuhai, Tiechanggou etc. Xinjiang City Daily's reporters were given the privilege of following Clarence Fok on the first day.
Tie Chang Gou is a very treacherous place with cliffs everywhere. Clarence Fok said, "This place will be used for filming members of Heaven and Earth Society being pursued by the Manchu soldiers. The terrain here is great. We will be filming in Xinjiang for two months, out of which 12 days will be spent at Tie Chang Gou."
In the first few episodes, Heaven and Earth Society is being persecuted and hounded by the Manchu government. Teacher Liu You Fang leads her seven students in running away. While this 15 second scene in which they are making their escape in the forest seems to be relatively simple, it wasn't easy for the actress Wang Li Kun and seven child actors, who are all new to filming, to please director Clarence Fok. For just this scene alone, they had to run up and down for no less than 50 times.
During the noon break, the stern Clarence Fok smiled, "This child actors have no acting experiences at all, and I'm not very happy with their performance today. The little friends are still very young, very naive, you can't see the terrified feelings of being hunted on their faces. So, I have to make them run again and again, let them trip during the escape, until they realise acting is not a game, and the expressions I want would be shown." This reporter asked, "How long?" "In the afternoon, let them climb the hills, wade through water, at around 8 pm, the expressions would be there."
They had planned to shoot 50 scenes, but as it's the first day, director Clarence Fok was going easy on the child actors, to allow time for them to get use to it. Clarence Fok said what they were filming were primarily action scenes right now, such as the current one which was quite risky as the cast members had to "fly down" the 20m hill. In the subsequent 10 days, they'll be filming more demanding action scenes. Xinjiang City Daily
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: Bits and Pieces -- On August 7, Tsui Hark was anxious to get in touch with the production manager He Qing as the script in Xinjiang has been undergoing many amendments and being in Beijing for the past few days, Tsui Hark had yet to read the final amended script. His mind was not at ease and he turned down all appointments that day. He wanted to discuss the script with He Qing. Eventually he got in touch with He Qing but he had already boarded a car. So, Tsui Hark could only discuss with him over the phone. Tsui Hark said he had to get He qing that day as he's flying to Beijing the next day. He said script should come before everything else. He is now putting all his energy into the movie, at the same time, he still have to oversee the TV series. Because of all these works, he never had a day of good rest. He said he shoot a film not to win awards, for he believes that a good director should think of how good his film would be. During the conversation, Tsui Hak received as SMS saying that his longtime friend had passed away. He was feeling very sad, to the extent of having no appetite, and requested to end the talk. On August 8, Tsui Hark left to work at the soundstage in Beijing. He's returning to Xinjiang a few days later. Xinjiang City Daily
Two elderly wushu experts, Yu Cheng Hui and Sun Jian Kui, will also be the martial arts directors for Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 series. Yu Cheng Hui is a master of double-handed sword, though he's getting on in the years, his skills with the sword never diminishes. Intriguingly, while sword is the weapon of focus in Seven Swords of Mt Tian, Sun Jian Kui actually specialises in sabre. Producer Wang Yong explains the reason for hiring these two elderly experts is to accentuate on authenticity of the fights, not only must to action be beautiful, but every move must clash head on with each other. As such, background in martial arts is a prerequisite to the actors and actresses in the series, and the use of stunt doubles is to kept to a minimum. Chengdu Daily
Ma Zhong Jun, the executive producer for Seven Swords of Mt Tian, said that the drama serial will be divided into two parts, making up a total of 74 episodes. The budget is 80 million yuan. East Day
Mainland actress Zhang Jing Ru will be joining the movie version of Seven Swords of Mt Tian. She said she is an ardent fan of Tsui Hark and especially love The Lovers. She looks forward to collaborating with Tsui Hark and hopes her acting skills will improve by leaps and bounds. Sina
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian Camera Rolling Inauguration --
The inauguration began with a swordplay performance by three actors, followed by Yu Cheng Hui, who plays the erudite physician Fu Qing Zhu, showing his skills with the brush by writing The Seven Swords Descend Mt Tian. After that, Tsui Hark appeared, raised a rare sword, marking the commencement of the filming of Seven Swords of Mt Tian, produced by Oriental View; he declared, "We will be developing seven cultural programmes of Seven Swords of Mt Tian including TV series, movie, etc. The TV series, which represents the first of the Seven Swords, is now unleashed!" >>Full Story<<
-- Donnie Yen on Twins Effect 2 and Sha Po Lang -- Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan are being paid HK$10 million each for their cameo roles in Twins Effect 2, Huadu Chronicles: Blade of the Rose, which gets released across Asian countries on 12 August 2004. Jackie Chan did the movie as an investor, putting all his pay back to the production, as a sign of support for his son, who debuts in this movie. Donnie Yen neither admitted to nor denied getting such a princely sum, only saying he got a "reasonable pay". Donnie Yen plays a master of martial arts in Twins Effect 2 and will have a very intense battle against Jackie Chan. Donnie Yen was quite impressed with Jaycee Chan saying he has inherited the acting genes from his parents. Donnie Yen said he is currently filming Sha Po Lang 《杀破狼》, with Wilson Yip directing, "We have very high expectations of this movie, apart from starring in the movie, I am also the martial arts director. I'm playing a beastly police officer who takes over the team from the ailing Simon Yam, who's gentle in nature. Sammo Hung's the villain, the leader of the underworld. This is an all-man kungfu movie. The investors are Uncle Ba and Paco Wong, the actresses under their label also have some parts in the movie, but they are of minor roles." Takung Daily
Donnie Yen left a message at Donnieyen.info saying that there are still some scenes left in Sha Po Lang and he is going back to Hong Kong to resume shooting after returning from Twins Effect 2 publicity tour. He will be shooting a fight scene between him and Wu Jing, which is one major highlight of the film.
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian Movie -- The movie version of Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 comes in six instalments, and Tsui Hark has already completed all the scripts. The first instalment, to be filmed this September, is estimated to cost US$12 million and slated for release next summer. The cast includes Leon Lai, Song Seung Hun, Charlie Yeung Choi Nei, Liu Chia Liang, Dai Li Jun, etc. Tsui Hark said that he's going to change Charlie Yeung's image, "In the past, she has been acting as decorous girls, but now, I will let her be someone tough, savage and extreme." (Seems that Charlie Yeung will play Flying Red Shawl in the movie.) He explained his reason for choosing Leon Lai, "I saw him in Legend of Flying Fox years ago, we shall see whether we can bring out something different in him." Tsui Hark said in the movie, there is a tale behind each swordsmaster and their sword, all of them possessing distinct personalities. Song Sueng Hun carries Gallivanting Dragon Sword, it is of extraordinary sharpness, like its owner's pro-activeness and quick-wittedness. Lu Yi is equipped with God Relinquishing Sword, it's very, very heavy, and when wielded, the sword tends to lead and control the owner, only by learning how to let go can the user master the essence of the sword. When Charlie Yeung brandishes her Heavenly Cascade Sword, she often injures herself due to lack of confidence, just as she isn't capable of handling love, and often ends up hurting herself emotionally. Dayoo Daily
-- 'HERO' to be Left Intact as it Opens Nationwide in the U.S on Aug 27 -- NEW YORK, Aug. 5, PRNewswire -- The top-grossing motion picture in Chinese history is coming to the United States on August 27th, 2004, when Miramax Films and Quentin Tarantino present Zhang Yimou's Academy Award nominated action spectacular HERO on screens from coast to coast. A full four years before U.S. audiences experience the wonders of China via the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the release of HERO offers moviegoers nationwide the opportunity to witness China's all-time highest-grossing -- and most stylish, spectacular and action-packed -- motion picture experience. The film is being released in the exact same version that shattered box office records in its native land. Yahoo Finance >>More<<
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: From the Novel (1)-- In conjunction with the inauguration of Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV production, starting this month, we'll be bringing you, hopefully on weekly or fortnightly basis, some of the first few chapters of the original novel Qi Jian Xia Tian Shan 《七剑下天山》 (Seven Swords Descend Mt Tian) in English. This novel, which depicts the tales of the second generation Seven Swordmasters, is believed to form the basis of the plot for the second half of the TV series. If you have any feedback or suggestions, let us know.
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian --
As Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series is about to begin production this Saturday at the foot of Mt Tian, Oriental View's President Ma Zhong Jun shed some light on the project. He said the first 36 episodes of Seven would be filmed first. Each episode is budgeted at 1 million yuan. Tsui Hark, Cheung Sing Yim, Cheung Chi Leung and Clarence Fok would work hand in hand on this work. Zhao Wen Zhuo, Sang Wei Lin, Ji Chun Hua, Wang Xue Bing, Qiao Zhen Yu, Wang Li Kun and Yu Cheng Hui will play the first Seven Swordmasters. Other cast members include Ada Choi, and Ray Lui. Liu Ye and Guo Jin An will play cameo roles.
The costumes and appearances of the main characters were personally painted by Tsui Hark, their personalities, their swordplay, their martial arts styles, their concealed weapons were all designed by him. Costume designer is Cheng Guo Fang, Tsui Hark's collaborator on A Chinese Ghost Story. The series will be divided into two main camera units, with four groups filming concurrently. Tsui Hark and Cheung Sing Yim will oversee the filming and render assistance. Nearly 200 crew members are involved.
As to the martial arts style of the series, Ma Zhong Jun said, "Actually, just by looking at the cast members alone, you might notice that most of the male leads are martial artists. So, it's quite evident what kind of martial arts choreography the series will have." Tsui Hark has assigned a martial arts director and swordplay coach to each camera unit, and has especially invited Yuen Clan and Jet Li's Stunt Team for this TV series. "Apart from the filming crew led by the two directors, we also have a martial arts team who will be responsible for the action sequences."
CCTV, which would only acquire the rights after viewing the whole work, has made an exception this time by pre-buying the rights for the premiere of the series in China. Seven Swords of Mt Tian is equally highly sought after by overseas broadcasters, not restricted to the Chinese-speaking markets alone.
Apart from TV series and movie hexalogy, whereby the first instalment will be shot in September, they're collaborating with Korea and Japan to develop an online game, a 40-volume comic series, cellphone game, brand name products, artiste management, a total of seven projects in all, all of which bear Tsui Hark's imprints, totalling 1 billion yuan (US$120 million) in investments from over 10 companies across the three countries. The first volume of the comics will be published in November 2004, the handphone game in February 2005, while closed beta testing for MMORPG begins next March, followed by open beta in July 2005. Press conference will be held on the evening of 7 August 2004 to mark the inauguration. Once filming begins, the set is off limits to reporters. Author Liang Yu Sheng will visit the production in November The Beijing News, Chengdu Daily, Xinjang City Daily
-- Four Rarities of the Royal Palace Wraps Up --
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian Movie Cast -- Chinese actors Lu Yi
and Sun Hao Lei are joining the movie version of Seven Swords of Mt Tian
《七剑下天山》. Lu Yi will play Han Zhi Bang, according his manager. While Hu Jun has
been approached to play a prince, feeling that the villainous role is not
especially suitable for him, he is unsure if he would take up the movie offer.
His manager said they will make final decision by end of the month.
Jiangnan Times -- I Have Eyes Only For You Released -- The VCD boxset of I Have Eyes Only for You, which is otherwise known officially as Who Are My Heart (sic) has just been released. The series is about the relations between an ordinary stuntman played by Wu Jing and a major celebrity, the vicissitudes of life in the entertainment circle, as well as the misery behind all the glitz and glamour that celebrities get. Details
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- According to his management Abba Group, Wu Jing has formally inked the deal for Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 TV series. He will be doing 50-plus episodes (out of 60).
-- Master of Taichi DVD -- Master of Taichi TV Series DVD Boxset (China version) is finally out now. Master of Taichi tells the story of the founder of Yang Style Taichi. Directed by Cheung Sing Yim and Yuen Wo Ping, it features some of the most jaw-dropping martial arts ever to grace the screen, with top-notch martial arts cast consisting of Wu Jing, Yu Hai, Wang Qun, Qiu Jian Guo, Xu Xiang Dong, Kara Hui Ying Hong, Tan Qiao, Kou Zhan Wen, etc. Details
July 2004
-- Sha Po Lang -- Filming of showdown between Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung in Sha Po Lang 《杀破狼》 has finally been completed on 16 July, amidst worries and complaints among the crew that it seemed to go on forever. Kenji Tanigaki has returned to Japan, having done most of the fighting scenes. There are only some minor scenes left and the production expects to wrap up by end of the month. Kenji Tanigaki remarked that he had learned a lot working with Donnie Yen, particularly his tenacity. As long as he believes that a scene should be done in a certain way, Donnie Yen would insist on having it done that way, despite having all odds against him. Kenji Tanigaki wished he had been more assertive at times. Kenji Tanigaki Official Site, DonnieYen.info
July 2004
-- 36th Chamber of Southern Shaolin DVD and other New Releases (YesAsia) --
36th Chamber of Southern Shaolin TV Series DVD Boxset (Alt version: VCD) - Directed by Yuen Cheung Yan; Starring Wu Jing, Anita Yuen, Yuen Cheung Yan, Zhang Tie Lin, Li Nan, Andrew Lin (Lian Kai). Finally, the long-awaited sequel to Wu Jing's Southern Shaolin has been released! View Trailer.
Wu Dang TV Series DVD Boxset - Stars Jiao En Jun, Carman Lee, Zhang Xi; Traces the life of founder of Wu Dang and creator of Taichi, Zhang San Feng.
Abbot Hai Deng TV Series VCD Boxset - Directed by Xie Hong; Stars Xiong Chang Gui. Su Dong Hua, Li Zong Ru, Gao Peng, Li Nong; Abbot Hai Deng was best known for three major skills, Single Finger Stance, Chastity Kid Skill and Plum Blossom Formation. Was called Fan Wen Bing before becoming a monk. Born into an impoverished family during the turbulent period when Manchu Dynasty was coming to an end. Often bullied when young. When 7, learned martial arts from his uncle while studying. Was saved by an extraordinaire Ba Shu Zhen when he was framed in the school. Ba Shu Zhen took him in as disciple, imparting him enigmatic skills.
Qiu Xiang TV Series DVD Boxset - Carman Lee reprises Gong Li's role as Qiu Xiang in this TV series.
Hero Director's Cut DVD - The extended version which comes with extra footage not seen in cinemas.
Hero on the Silkroad TV Series. Directed by Cheung Chi Leung; Starring Nicky Wu, Chin Siu Ho, Ma Ya Shu, Thersea Lee, Niu Zhen Hua
Once Upon a Time in China 1,2,3 Collection (DTS). The first three instalments of Tsui Hark's classics now get fully remastered with enhanced audio and video.
Breaking News "A mind-boggling one-take shot of the heated duel between good and evil that once again highlights Johnnie To's skilled directing techniques."
-- Sha Po Lang -- Filming of showdown between Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung in Sha Po Lang 《杀破狼》 has finally been completed on 16 July, amidst worries and complaints among the crew that it seemed to go on forever. Kenji Tanigaki has returned to Japan, having done most of the fighting scenes. There are only some minor scenes left and the production expects to wrap up by end of the month. Kenji Tanigaki remarked that he had learned a lot working with Donnie Yen, particularly his tenacity. As long as he believes that a scene should be done in a certain way, Donnie Yen would insist on having it done that way, despite having all odds against him. Kenji Tanigaki wished he had been more assertive at times. Kenji Tanigaki Official Site, DonnieYen.info
-- Seven Swords to Descend Mt Tian on the Seventh Day --
According to Wenlian Studio, Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 series will begin production in Xinjiang on the seventh day of next month. Cheung Chi Leung will be the series' chief director. The series, which has been in pre-production for over two years, will be divided into two segments. The first segment, which is about Seven Swordmasters of the first generation, is comprised of 30 episodes and will purportedly be shot first. The cast includes Zhao Wen Zhuo, Li Xiao Ran, Wu Jing, Ji Chun Hua, etc. Presently, producer Wang Yong, the production crew, as well as some of the cast-members, have already arrived or are gradually arriving in Xinjiang for experimentation filming or auditioning, getting ready for the official camera rolling inauguration. Li Xiao Ran will play Hangzhou Commander Nalan Xiu Ku's daughter, Nalan Ming Hui. Nanfang City Daily
Among the candidates who responded to the recruitment drive in Xinjiang, 24 Xinjiang locals were chosen to act in Seven Swords of Mt Tian series, having met the criteria of the production during the auditions, including playing opposite Sang Wei Lin on actual locales. They were also the readers' top choices based on Xinjiang City Daily's polls. Xinjiang City Daily
According to See Nan Sun, Leon Lai and Song Seung Hun are currently receiving training in sword and horse-riding in preparation for the movie. They will be going to Xinjiang for more intensive training in the middle of August, to acclimatised themselves to the sweltering weather of Xinjiang, which reaches as high as over 40 degrees Celsius in temperature, as well as the conditions of Mt Tian and Fiery Mountain. Martial arts director Liu Chia Liang, along with the Lau Clan, is teaching the main cast members new moves, hoping to produce a new era wuxia movie. Kunpeng World
-- Kungfu Hustle --
Kung Fu Hustle's 《功夫》 purportedly 10-minute trailer will be attached to Spiderman 2 when it gets released in China on August 5. Both films are owned by Columbia Pictures. Kungfu Hustle expects to be released in December. Shanghai Youth
Wang Zhong Lei, CEO of Huayi Brothers Films, was pretty confident of Kungfu Hustle doing well at the box office. He said, based on the cast alone, Stephen Chow himself already commands a strong box office presence. But having good cast is only one step forward in the right direction. What a movie really needs is a good script. That which accounts for House of Flying Daggers' failure is the lack of a good story. Wang Zhong Lei said Feng Xiao Gang's cameo was very impressive and funny and appears in the beginning of the movie. He said Huang Sheng Yi, the female lead, does not have very much screen time. They will begin a series a publicity starting from September. While the exact date has not been fixed, it's possible that Kungfu Hustle and Feng Xiao Gang's A Thiefless World 《天下无贼》, both of which were produced by Huayi Brothers, will be released on the same date.
Kungfu Hustle is set in 1940's Canton. Stephen Chow plays a hopeless hooligan Ah Xing, who has the gift of the gab, and often twists facts around. However, having little perseverance, he never succeeds at anything. His ambition is to become someone at the top of the underworld. He always dreams of joining the notorious Axe Gang. Meanwhile, Axe Gang is eyeing on a town not yet under its influence. However, that town is full of hidden talents. The tyrannical landlady Fat Woman Four and her husband Second Great Uncle lead a band of martial arts experts, who have until now concealed their abilities, to fight against the oppressors. Wang Zhong Lei said that Kung Fu Hustle has all the good qualities that make it a spellbinding movie, believing that this is Stephen Chow's best work yet. He had toiled hard for the film, and it's also a big breakthrough. While still a movie that tickles the audience's funny bones from the beginning to the end, it doesn't follow Stephen Chow's established brand of "mou lei tau" formula. A major highlight will be towards the middle of the movie when Stephen Chow flaunts his ability in Chinese kungfu. Shenyang Today
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- Korean actor, Song Seung Hun, was one of those Tsui Hark had set his sights upon for Seven Swords of Mt Tian. However, Song Seung Hun had been hesitant as the production schedule conflicts with a Korean project he's doing. On July 25, Tsui Hark went to Korea to meet him again, bringing along the script translated in Korea. They spent four hours in discussions. Eventually moved by Tsui Hark's sincerity, he agreed. Song Seung Hun felt it an honour to be invited by the internationally renown director Tsui Hark. Tsui Hark's wife See Nan Sun praised Song Seung Hun for his physical built, saying that he bears the hallmarks of a Joseon warrior from Mt Changbai. Reportedly, he is being paid KRW$600 million (HK$4 million / US$0.5 million) to star in the movie. Jin Qian Times
According to her manager, Li Xiao Ran (Wu Jing's sister Dugu Feng in Metamorphosis of Heavenly Silkworm) will not be playing Li Mo Chou in Return of Condor Heroes as she has already signed up for a leading role in Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series. Beijing Morning News
Wang Xue Bing will be playing Yang Yun Cong, the second senior among the first generation Seven Swords, in the TV series (Yang Yun Cong's the eldest disciple in the novel, while Chu Zhao Nan the second). Business Times
Zhao Wen Zhuo, who is currently filming Four Rarities of the Royal Palace, will join Seven Swords of Mt Tian once the former wraps up production. He plays an "ordinary person" in Four Rarities of Royal Palace. Zhao Wen Zhuo quipped about his role, "In the past, I was often the first to fight when someone is in trouble. But now, my skills cannot be put to use in this series. It's kind of awkward to require protection when faced with danger." Jinwan News | More Photos: Kunpeng World, NetEase
Singer Edell Ai Dai is playing Lu Zhu (a completely "fictitious" character not in the original novel), a beautiful songstress from the west who has a convoluted, touching relationship with Chu Zhao Nan. Netease
-- He Ping Plans Ten Warriors -- He Ping, director of Swordsman in Double Flag Town and Warriors of Heaven and Earth, is planning a new work Ten Warriors (tentative). Ten Warriors 《十武士》 tells the story of 10 warriors, each chapter carries an independent story. Currently in scripting phase, the movie will be shot entirely on high-definition 14p digital camera. Ningbo News
-- Jing Wu Family --
-- Tiger Chen Hu's Upcoming Work --
-- Hua Mu Lan --
-- Gordon Liu Brings Fans to Foshan --
To promote the launch of remastered version of Challenge of the Masters, Celestial Pictures organised a tour for Hong Kong fans, led by Gordon Liu, to Wong Fei Hung's homeland, Foshan. Gordon Liu, having many fans in Mainland, was requested to take pictures with them and also for his autographs. He gladly obliged them, and talked to them with politeness and good-natured humour. Gordon Liu, a descendant disciple of Wong Fei Hung, spent a day at Nanhai Xiqiao's Wong Fei Hung Lion Dance Wushu Centre. He was met with warm reception at his ancestor master's hometown, where the centre's members staged a performance of Lion Dance and martial arts. Gordon Liu was especially impressed with a youngster's skills. Gordon Liu, who has recently completed production of a Mainland series Wong Fei Hung and Aunt Thirteen 《黄飞鸿与十三姨》, said he is planning to make an international kungfu movie, in which he will be producing and acting. He said the movie is looking into hiring some young martial artist as capable as Ong Bak's Tony Jaa (Panom Yeerum) to play the leading role. Gordon Liu is currently doing a TVB series. Takung Daily
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- Wenlian's President Ma Zhong Jun made confirmation with the press that Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series will commence production officially in August. He said Producer Tsui Hark will put all attention on the TV series before shooting the movie, which is being put on hold temporarily. Ma Zhong Jun also said Seven Swords of Mt Tian has a colossal screenplay team and Wu Jiu Xi and Liu Yu Zhu are but part of the team. The Beijing News
Ray Lui (Lu Liang Wei), famous for his role as Zhan Zhao in Justice Bao series, indicated in an interview that he will join Seven Swords of Mt Tian serial as the duke who is all out to eliminate the Seven Swordmasters. (It appears to be Prince Duo Duo or perhaps Wu San Gui.) Henan Press
TV version will start production in around 10 August 2004. A press conference will be held on 28 July, with the attendance of major cast members, Zhao Wen Zhuo, Ada Choi, etc, who are arriving in Xinjiang in late July. The Xinjiang recruitment drive, organised in collaboration with Xinjiang City Daily, is also coming to an end. Last Saturday(17 July), Sang Wei Lin, one of the lead actors, had already come to Xinjiang, to role play with the nominees and candidates.
The movie version of Seven Swords of Mt Tian will begin production in September or October, with Leon Lai (*shudders*) and Charlie Yeung playing the leads. The other movie cast-members have yet to be finalised. Xinjiang City Daily
-- English Feature of Madame White Snake -- Taiwan's Equinox Film and New Zealand's Silver Screen Films are planning a collaboration of an English adaptation of the classic Chinese mythological tale Lady White Snake which will feature a mix of martial arts, romance and mythical legends. Lady White Snake is about a white snake fairy turning herself into a beautiful woman, and subsequently falling for a young scholar. But the romance is forbidden by the human world and also hindered by a rigid, inflexible Buddhist monk. Budget is planned at US$40 million, with both to raise half the amount each, the feature will be shot in New Zealand. Special Effects will be handled by Oktobor, Silver Screen's post-production wing, and Taiwan's Dragon Digital. Don Reynolds, CEO of Silver Screen Films, said the cast has to be internationally known actors, as the film is English. Richard Hou, CEO of Taipei-based Equinox Films, said their first choice for Fa-hai, the Buddhist monk with supernatural powers, is Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. The film is scheduled to begin production in 2006, at the latest. Taipei Times
-- New DVD Releases for the Month (YesAsia) --
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: The Duo Behind the Screenplay --
--Retro:
The Logic Behind Wu Jing's Words -- -- Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- More are expected to join Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series 《七剑下天山》 as they are being contacted by the production. Singer Edell Ai Dai is joining this work as one of the leading female roles. Ai Dai will go for costume fitting in the next two days. Tsui Hark spotted her last year at a concert, and was struck by the energy and life she infused into her dances, and wanted her partially due to her partial Spanish descent, but was until now, unable to get in touch with her. Recently Gallen Lo has been approached to play a general in Tsui Hark's Seven Swords of Mt Tian, he said excitedly, "This is a villainous role, I have to pursue and kill Zhao Wen Zhuo." (It appears to be a cameo as one of Wu San Gui's men). Chen Hao is also in talks with the production. She indicates would rather do Seven Swords of Mt Tian than Zhang Ji Zhong's Return of Condor Heroes, which expects to begin production in September or October, as "Though I do not know Tsui Hark, and neither have I read the novel, I have great faith in Tsui Hark, and also love his movies." Xiaoxiang Morning News, EastDay, Beijing Times
-- Sha Po Lang: More of Finale --
Recently, director Wilson Yip was shooting a major battle and promotional trailer for Sha Po Lang 《杀破狼》, where police officer Donnie Yen fights the crimelord Sammo Hung. Despite several takes, Wilson Yip was never satisfied with a certain portion of the scene. Eventually, without consulting with the martial arts director Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung impromptuly allowed an elbow jab from Donnie Yen to land squarely on his right cheek, and resulting in the shot which the director had wanted to achieve. This came as a great shock to all the cast and crew on the set, including Simon Yam, who took their hats off to Sammo Hung for such work ethics and professionalism. Donnie Yen felt very bad about it, kept apologising to Sammo Hung. On being interviewed, Sammo Hung said that during their exchange, he felt that he was not necessarily faster than Donnie Yen, in order to achieve the best result, he sacrificed being hit without notifying the other party beforehand. He said, "You might think that I got hit, but actually it wasn't so. Otherwise, how could I be a senior in the industry?". On recent spate of news regarding celebrities involved in drag-taking, Sammo Hung said we should treasure ourselves and not take drugs. In his times, practically no one bothered about the drugs. The female lead for the movie is a new Mainland actress Liang Jing Ke, a younger schoolmate of Vicky Zhao Wei and Zhang Ziyi. Apple Daily
-- Hero Youngster Chen Zhen -- Shooting of Juvenile Chen Zhen 《少年陈真》 is currently in full swing. According to the movie's publicist Miss Ho, even action star Yuen Biao is using doubles in this work. Yuen Biao plays Mr Qu who protects a princess in distress. Yuen Biao, having too many action scenes, infrequently gets doubled for more difficult stunts. On the other hand, the 14 year old Xu Xiao Long handles all actions personally. In fact, he's the only one in this work who is not doubled, even Yuen Biao concedes defeat. Yuen Biao is especially caring towards this child actor, often demonstrating stunts to Xu Xiao Long during his breaks, despite being already worn out after shooting. Director Law Kei comments Xu Xiao Long's performance in the show as fantastic. Heilongjang Press
-- Casting Call for Seven Swords of Mt Tian --
-- Sha Po Lang: Finale --
In the recent days, they have been shooting the showdown between Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen. Kenji Tanigaki has learned a lot from Sammo Hung. Sammo Hung displays amazing prowess in martial arts, his movements executed with such precision and control. Moreover, Sammo Hung has been most cooperative and accommodating, is never disgruntled about having to sustain hits, and in fact even offers many suggestions to Kenji Tanigaki. Having such professionalism, Sammo Hung is naturally well-respected by the crew. Kenji expects to return to Japan after the finale is completed while the rest of the crew heads back to Hong Kong for further filming. Kenji Tanigaki Official Site, Donnie Yen Forum
-- Dragon Inn 2 -- In an interview on July 9, Tony Ching Siu Tung revealed that he might be working in New Dragon Inn sequel 《新龙门客栈续集》. He said Tsui Hark had contacted him, but it was only an initial proposal, with no ultimate confirmation. To him, wushu in a movie is a 'green leaf', which only serves to augment the drama. What drives a movie is the story. It's imperative that the martial arts bring out the elements of the show. On being asked why his works often used of strips of white gauze in the fights, Ching Siu Tung said that the weapons used by a girl should be soft and graceful. It would be awkward for her to carry a big weapon like General Kwan's Sabre. On being asked if a martial arts director gets injured often, his reply was yes. For instance, when filming House of Flying Daggers, he was hit by an arrow in the area above his left brow. As the nerves were affected, his face was numb for a few months, even now, it still feels numb upon touching. Beijing Times
-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: Movie Casting Blues -- Compiling from a multitude of different media reports on separate issues, except for Charlie Yeung, a pall of uncertainty hangs over the cast members of Seven Swords of Mt Tian movie. Andy Lau faces dilemma as his other commitment with Johnnie To is also to be shot in September, clashing with Seven Swords of Mt Tian. When asked, Andy gave vague replies. More forthcoming was Tony Leung, who said despite his eagerness, he was, unfortunately, unable to take up the movie offer, as he already had an agreement with director Guan Jin Peng, which again conflicts with Seven Swords of Mt Tian. However, he was quick to add that, given his passion for wuxia, all it takes is one word from Tsui Hark, and he would gladly join Dragon Inn 2, which is in pre-production, without hesitation. Meanwhile Tsui Hark has sent coaches to train Charlie Yeung and Leon Lai. Charlie Yeung, who's involved in various charitable activities, indicated that she would be teaming up with Korean actor Song Seung Hun (aka Song Seung-heon) when she attended the press conference of World Wildlife Fund for Dolphin as the ambassador. On being asked if she would need to brush up with her Korean, she smiled, saying, she had already met him and they communicated with each other in English.
-- New Police Story Trailer -- A new New Police Story trailer is now available at EMG. Official Site.
-- Zhao Wen Zhuo Officially Joins Seven Swords of Mt Tian -- Zhao Wen Zhuo, is currently doing Four Rarities of the Royal Palace《御前四宝》in Beijing, filming scenes of Kangxi's incognito travel. He said, "This is a very humorous period drama where I am playing a monarch for the first time. Emperor Kangxi is quite adorable, not only is he jealous of his officials' wealth, but also their friendliness to his concubines."
Since last month, news has been circulating around concerning Zhao Wen Zhuo's participation in Seven Swords of Mt Tian. Zhao Wen Zhuo revealed that he had just signed the contract prior to this reporter's arrival. "It was Tsui Hark who brought me to the new heights in the showbiz. I was only an undergraduate at Beijing University of Sports back then. I got to know him on the set of Fong Sai Yuk, it's a pleasant surprise that this affinity carries on till today." According to Zhao Wen Zhuo, impartiality and evilness are the paramount traits of his character Chu Zhao Nan. (On the other h | ||||||||||||||||||||||
