Trailers

Ip Man 2's release has been brought forward to April 29, 2010. While there were sayings that it was to avoid the World Cup fever that might affect box office, it has been denied by the production.

 

On the other hand, release date for The Legend is Born: Ip Man is being pushed back to end of June. Yip Chun says, "No matter how well-received Ip Man was, there were areas that could have been better. For example, the film was obviously set in Foshan, yet it was not shot on location on the actual place. Neither was the mansion like the original. Hence, we have The Legend is Born: Ip Man shot in Foshan, showing Foshan as it is meant to be."

With a recent flood of Ip Man films on the market, Donnie Yen, who gives himself 120 marks for his performance in Ip Man 2 compared 90 marks for the first, has made up his mind, "After Ip Man 2, I would never ever touch any films related to Ip Man. This will be my final film on the subject. Whenever something becomes a success, everyone would jump on the bandwagon, this is very frightening. Did you know how many Ip Man films are in production? Under such condition, we would not progress, it'd only lead to over-saturation of the subject matter."  Guangzhou Daily, Sina

 

Below is Ip Man 2 shooting diary, which shows a bit of Donnie Yen's duel with Sammo Hung towards the end.

Continue reading "Donnie Yen Has Had Enough of Ip Man"

Over 10 million yuan and around 4 months were spent on building the 1:1 life-size replica of Shaolin Temple in Yanshi, Yongkang. Some structures or props of the new Shaolin Temple were actually built larger for ease of filming or to impart a more numinous feel, such as the towering giant Buddha statue.

Continue reading "Shaolin: Andy Lau Teams up with Wu Jing, Xing Yu and Yu Shao Qun Against Nicholas Tse and Xiong Xin Xin"

-- Martial Spirit --
《武动青春》 Martial Spirit, Kou Zhan Wen's directorial debut produced by Paco Wong, is opening in China on March 12. A 2nd trailer can be found on Sina.
 
Owodog from a rich family is obsessed with kungfu, and being proud and arrogant, often goes around challenging skilful opponents.
 
Zhang Chi is an orphan who grows up in a martial arts centre, but putting tons of kungfu formulae in his head turns him into a kungfu nut.
 
The frivolous Da Zhang Wei is but an empty vessel boasting of his wushu exploits and pursuits, yet never putting in any serious effort, only thinking of winning the hand of Theresa Fu from a martial arts centre.
 
Because of wushu, the three youths from different backgrounds come together, enacting one comic opera after another.

-- Just Another Pandora's Box --

Trailer to Just Another Pandora's Box has recently been made available on Youtube

 

Just Another Pandora's Box is director Jeffrey Lau's spoof on Red Cliff, with many characters from numerous other films being brought through time using the Pandora's Box to the Three Kingdoms period and turning everything topsy-turvy. Apart from the main cast Ronald Cheng and Sun Li, it features cameos by over 50 stars, including Yuen Biao, Athena Chu, Ada Choi, Yuen Cheung Yan, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Xing Yu, Wu Jing, Alex Fong, Fan Siu Wong, Gillian Chung, Huang Yi, Lam Tse Chung, and more..

 

Just Another Pandora's Box opens in theatres on March 18, 2010.

Continue reading "Just Another Pandora's Box Trailer"

-- The Legend is Born - Ip Man --

The Legend is Born: Ip Man trailer, with really awesome intricate, blazingly-quick Wing Chun exchanges between Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao, To Yu Hang, Fan Siu Wong and Ip Chun, courtesy of action director Leung Siu Hung, has just been posted to Youtube. And it appears that martial arts philosophy plays quite a big part in the film, based on the conversations in the film.

 

The production recently celebrated the completion of the film, attended by the main cast To Yu Hang, Yuen Biao, Huang Yi, Bernice Liu, Rose Chan, Xu Jiao, Lam Suet and Ma Sai, as well as Gold Typhoon's Paco Wong.

Continue reading "A Trailer Showing How The Legend is Born: Ip Man"

-- True Legend --
 There are only two scenes - Thousand-Buddha Cliff and Thousand-Snake Cavern - in True Legend which are in 3D, clocking around 20 minutes in all. Both use different 3D-technologies and finale between Zhao Wen Zhuo and Andy On in the Thousand-Snake Cavern is significantly better, with clearer, more palpable images and 3D effects, as well as better fighting.
 
 The Thousand-Buddha Cliff is an imagined place which sees Beggar Su (Zhao Wen Zhuo) raising his martial arts skills under the guidance of Whitebeard (Gordon Liu) and through his sparring with Lord of Martial Arts. It's rather jarring watching this scene as the audience have to keep putting on and removing the 3D lenses as it's interrupted occasionally by other scenes, which are in 2D.
 
 But why is the film not in full 3D? Director Yuen Wo Ping explains, "Producing a 3D film consumes lots of human resources as well as material resources. It already took over 100 digital artists slogging day and night for over half a year to create these two 3D fight scenes. Initially, I had hoped to make this a full 3D film, but the budget was really astronomical, requiring US$200m to 300m, and the post-production would take 5 years. So, I picked the two most important action scenes to be in 3D."
 
 Alternatively, Yuen Wo Ping might take a leaf out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' book, which was shot in 2D, but converted to 3D at US$5m per film or US$10m for both parts.
 
 The script, written by Du Zhi Lang, follows the tried and tested forumla typical of kungfu films, and is said to bear close resemblance to Fearless that she also wrote: From Su Can's arrogant beginning to being badly beaten, demoralised and thrown into Yellow River, through his healing in a paradise-like place and elevation of his level of martial arts, to his return to fight the villain plus foreigner challengers. Still, Yuen Wo Ping finds the script to be pretty good, as Beggar Su's emotions are handled very well, and it has great character development, like how Beggar Su gradually becomes a great master.  Netease, Sina

 -- Ong Bak 3 --
Teaser trailer for Ong Bak 3, featuring more awesome, hard-hitting action from Tony Jaa, may be found on Twitch or Martial Arts Info.
 
He was captured, tortured and left for dead. But in a land ruled by a tyrant, he has obligations to return.
 
Ong Bak 3 begins after Tien (Tony Jaa) has lost his fighting skills and his beloved stepfather at the Garuda's Wing cliff from the raid led by Jom Rachan (Saranyu Wonggrajang). Tien is brought back to life with the help from Pim (Primrata Dechudom) as well as Mhen (Petchai Wongkamlao) and the Kana Khone villagers. 
 
Deep into the meditation taught by Phra Bua (Nirutti Sirijanya), Tien finally is able to achieve 'Nathayut'. His talents are put to the test again when his rivals including the Golden-Armored King's Guard (Supakorn 'Tok' Kijusuwan), the mysterious killers in black, and Bhuti Sangkha (Dan Chupong) return for the final massive showdown.

 -- Flirting Scholar --
Fan Siu Wong is playing the villainous role of a powerful martial arts exponent in Flirting Scholar 2, which is wrapping up soon. His character is a fake monk Reverend Wuliang who makes use of his guise to drug, kidnap and traffic humans to Japan.

 

Zhang Jing Chu, who is looking for her missing sister, believed to be linked to Fan Siu Wong, discovers his secret cellar and a fight breaks out...  QQ

 

Behind-the-scenes videos:

Fan Siu Wong vs Zhang Jing Chu

The Four Scholars

Wolverine Brush Claws

Season's greetings from the crew and cast