Wu-Jing.org

-- Shaolin --
Having completed his week-long stint at Shaolin Temple training for the film Shaolin, Wu Jing has left on January 26 and returned to the set of Tempest of Westerly Winds, which has two more action scenes to go, to resume filming.

 

The executive working for Shaolin Temple says Wu Jing left him a very deep impression, is very professional and dedicated, has excellent driving skills, and is really multi-talented: diving, horse-riding, car racing, driving boat. He is very warm person and was very obliging to the kids at Shaolin requesting for a photo session, as well as fans at the hotel he was staying.

 

It's certainly worth noting that Yu Hai and Xiong Xin Xin are involved in Shaolin as well. Jackie Chan is joining the production after Lunar New Year. Xiong Xin Xin mentions having a great time fighting Andy Lau several days ago, who lives up to his name as the role model in the industry. Despite not having formal wushu training, Andy Lau compares favourably to the stunt professionals, due to his hard work and effort.

-- Shaolin --

Shaolin is currently being filmed in Hengdian and on a 1:1 replica of actual Shaolin Temple built in Yanshi, Yongkang, Zhejiang. The Shaolin Temple set comprises of three main buildings, built at closer distance to expedite filming. They even created two remarkably lifelike cryptomerias in the premises. Benny Chan picked Yanshi due to its beautiful sceneries and surroundings, like stone pillars, multiple peaks, valleys, making it convenient to do location shooting around the set. A big portion of production will be filmed in the region.

However, the ever-changing weather in Yongkang is giving a big headache to Benny Chan as it could be sunny one day, cloudy another, or snow or rain the next day. In order to ensure consistency of the environment, a scene could take many days to complete. Benny Chan also says that the production will take an environmental conscious approach in order to preserve the land.

An executive working for Shaolin Temple mentions that Wu Jing, who arrived in Shaolin Temple on January 20, is staying there for a week to train in Shaolin martial arts. He says that Wu Jing has great martial arts skills, is very professional, has great character, is manly.  Yongkang Daily

 

Video: Touring Yanshi Shaolin set

With True Legend's release date drawing nearer, more and more videos and stills from the film are surfacing. The gala premiere will be held in Beijing on January 31, possibly attended by some Hollywood personages. In addition, True Legend, as well as Little Big Soldier, will get a special screening at 60th Berlin International Film Festival in February.

Continue reading "True Legend: More Images, Footages, and Yet More Yuen Wo Ping Pep Talk"

-- Legend of Chen Zhen --
After watching a sample reel and production stills from Legend of Chen Zhen, the producers, being very happy with the results, are increasing the budget by 20m yuan to 120m yuan, for use mainly in post-production, as they intend to hire Hollywood special effects team to give the film a more polished look.

When conceptualising Legend of Chen Zhen, Gordon Chan hoped to do something that has never been done by Chinese directors, but he felt very pressurised after finishing the script, "After having the script written, I dared not direct by myself, so whom should I work with? Andrew Lau and Donnie Yen came to my mind. Even though during the initial meetings, we had very fierce debates over the script and the nature of the character, but it was precisely because of such a tense atmosphere that we quickly developed a great rapport, fast turning it into a very happy collaboration.

"When I first talked to Donnie Yen on this film, he asked me if there was such a need to take such a risk. For the story and the character are all new, and it's a very audacious move. I told him, if we were not enterprising enough, and simply go about shooting a Huo Yuan Jia or Chen Zhen story that everyone is familiar with, we would just be repeating ourselves, it's not creativity and challenge.

"Everyone's doing a pretty good job on this film, but the biggest surprise to me comes from Donnie Yen. In this film, Donnie Yen has yet elevated himself to another level, whether it is drama or action. He is bound to become a superstar in 2010, and be crowned Best Actor at Hong Kong Film Awards the following year.

   

"This film is more drama oriented. We don't have minor brawls strewn all over the film. We are concentrating on a few more important fight scenes."

 

Producer Zhang Zhao says, "The action in this film is rather unusual, it's like Spider-man, going from top to bottom, or going up from below, something like that."

 

Andrew Lau says that they hare having a great time working together on the set, and both he and Donnie Yen are eager to shoot a sequel.  Sina

Video: This is like Spider-man, say the producers  Sohu

-- Chinese Zodiac --
While promoting Little Big Soldier, Jackie Chan speaks of that which gave rise to the inspiration behind Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac, his 100th movie in the leading role. It was six years back when Jackie Chan decided to do this film of exceptional meaning on recovery of lost Chinese national treasures - the last four missing pieces of Gardens of Perfect Clarity's 12 Head Statues of Chinese Zodiac.

He wants to address, through the film, the inequity concerning Chinese relics being kept elsewhere, "I once saw a Chinese Zodiac animal bust being auctioned in a foreign country, I was immensely stirred, why do we keep losing our national treasures to other countries? Last year, two more busts were auctioned, re-igniting my will to shoot the movie Chinese Zodiac. Why does such and such museum have so many Chinese national treasures? These are loots. Many big countries are saying those are world legacies, and they're safekeeping them, but in reality, they just want to possess them.

"Once, I set aside US$30m, intending to quietly buy back an animal bust for China. However, the final bid was US$100m, it was far too high, beyond what I could afford, and I had to give up. I had thought of making use of my kungfu skills, sneak into those museums, and get back all those lost national treasures one by one. But, their security was too high. But I believe, all these artifacts will gradually be returned by and by."  

 

Jackie Chan is leaving no stones unturned on Chinese Zodiac, allocating 70m yuan for one major action scene alone, "I have been hesitant about this for a long time, many told me it is too extravagant, and advised me against it. But eventually, I still go for it. This film will contain many vigorous action scenes, I'd almost be fighting throughout the film, but my most demanding action scenes will stop at this movie."  Hunan TV, Information Times

It had long been the wish of Sin Kwok Lam, a longtime martial arts practitioner and shrewd businessman and capitalist who is a major player in Hong Kong financial sector and has even published a controversial book on big corporations swallowing up small firms last year, to bring the account of his grandmaster Yip Man to screen, but he couldn't find any filmmakers willing enough to take the risk as Yip Man was little known. Continue reading "And thus, Ip Man, The Legend, is Born"

《西风烈》

Director: Gao Qun Shu

Screenplay: Gao Qun Shu

Cinematography: Du Jie

Art Direction: Xiao Hai Hang

Action & Car Stunts: Nicky Li

Composer: Han Jae Kwon

Principal Photography: Late Oct 2009 to May 2010 (with breaks in between)

Release: September 2010

Cast: Duan Yi Hong, Ni Da Hong, Wu Jing, Zhang Li, Francis Ng, Yu Nan, Charlie Yeung, Xia Yu, He Tie Hong, Ma Guo Wei

Cameos: Ma Su, Wang Shuang Bao, Luo Luo, Ma Zi Han, Biao Zi

 

Plot Synopsis:

On the vast and boundless desolate desert in the Western part of China, Zhang Ning (Xia Yu) and girlfriend Sun Jing (Charlie Yeung) are facing great difficulties staying afloat: on the one hand, four super sleuths are pursing them relentlessly; on the other hand, a pair of male  and female assassins are mercilessly hot on their heels too...

Continue reading "Tempest of The Westerly Winds Information"