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-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3 --

As the ultimate villain in Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3: Heroes of the Great Desert, Sammo Hung is playing general Wan Shou Shan from the fallen Ming Dynasty who spends his entire life going against the Manchu empire. Sun Hui Ning describes that while their collaboration was rather short, everyone was able to feel the prowess of Sammo Hung, imparting such domineering presence worthy of a general of Xilu Society, he is indeed an actor with real strength.

 

Wan Shou Shan is extremely cunning, scheming, devious and ruthless, and would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, even at the expense of the lives of his children. He wields great military powers, and is responsible for the death of the Ming prince, thus becoming the only remnant Ming loyalist in power to reclaim the throne.

 

Time and again, he sends assassins after the present ruler Emperor Kangxi. Emperor Kangxi, who wishes for peace and prosperity of the nation, doesn't wish to take up arms, and intends to grant amnesty and recruit him instead, but Wan Shou Shan would rather perish than yield to the court, and the uprising continues...  Sohu

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3 --

After over 7 months of intensive and gruelling filming, Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3: Heroes of the Great Desert, directed by Du Xiao, has successfully wrapped up in late April 2010. Following the tradition of Legend of Shaolin Kungfu series, the final instalment features various martial artists as Shaolin monks, including Li Yuan, Xu Peng Jun, Xie Miao, (who was simultaneously filming a kungfu comedy Fist Club 《拳馆》 with Kou Zhan Wen in April), Xu Ming Hu, Cao Jun, etc.

 

Veteran martial artists like Yuen Wah, Gordon Liu, Xu Xiang Dong, Sammo Hung, etc are specially hired to take on villainous roles, to ensure that both sides are evenly matched, rewarding the audiences with numerous authentic and intricate fights. Sammo Hung is playing the final villain Wan Shou Shan. In addition, veteran actor Bao Guo An, the wonderful abbot from the first instalment, is back, by popular demand. Rounding up the cast are Sun Hui Ning, Yuuki Moami, Ji Chun Hua and Wang Zhi Gang.

Here are some pics from the blogs of Xu Ming Hu, Xie Miao, Li Yuan and Xu Peng Jun:

Continue reading "It's a Wrap for Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3"

Sina has released yet another bunch of stills from True Legend, this time containing a few images of Gordon Liu. Gordon Liu plays the role of Whitebeard, a mischievous elderly who is a doyen of martial arts. Seeing through Zhao Wen Zhuo's heart, he helps him gain deeper understanding of the essence of martial arts, pushing him to new heights. 

 

Continue reading "Gordon Liu in True Legend and Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3"

42-part kungfu series 《少林寺传奇３—大漠英雄》 Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3: Heroes of the Great Desert has finally begun production in Gansu on September 7, and filming will go on for 5 to 6 months. The TV series is helmed by Du Xiao, with screenplay by Wu Han and Lu Jian, while Li Cai provides the martial arts choreography.

Continue reading "Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3: Heroes of the Great Desert Begins Production"

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu --

With the incredible success of the truly realistic kungfu series Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 1 in not just China, but also Japan, not only has Fuji TV continued to acquire the Japan rights to Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks, but is also co-producing Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3: Story of Xilu, that is scheduled for production sometime in July, announces director Du Xiao at a press conference on June 29, attended by the cast Yuen Biao, Ji Chun hua, Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Sun Hui Ning, etc.

Continue reading "Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 3: Story of Xilu Slated for July 2009 Production, with Fuji TV Co-producing"

Legend of Shaolin Kungfu II: Thirteen Cudgel Monks has just been released on DVD. Thirteen Cudgel Monks is the 2nd of the highly successful epic martial arts trilogy, each with its own unique and independent story, that revolves around Shaolin Temple. Apart from a gripping script, director Du Xiao ensures that the martial arts sequences are as authentic and exhilarating as possible by casting genuine martial artists and employing top-notch martial arts choreographers, with Yuen Bun lending his expertise this time around.

 

Thirteen Cudgel Monks has just been aired in a few Chinese provinces to top viewership ratings while the third part 18 Arhats is expected to begin production in the near future.

 

Yuen Biao joins the original cast that include Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Ye Jian Wei, Sun Hui Ning, Ji Chun Hua, Wu Ma, etc., playing the head monk Tan Zong that is instrumental in assembling, training and leading 12 other warrior monks in rescuing the Tang Prince Li Shimin and aiding him in a war against the tyrannical warlord Wang Shi Chong played by Beardy Leung Kar Yan. Xu Xiang Dong also has a part in the series as an inscrutable martial arts exponent. Order at YesAsia.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu --
Finally, the wonderful kungfu TV series by Du Xiao, which has been topping viewership ratings across various provinces in China, is available for sales officially on DVD.

 

This martial arts production features highly authentic martial arts sequences with intricate exchanges, courtesy of Ching Siu Tung who discards his usual highly stylised/beautified choreography for wide shot and long cuts that give ample room to showcase the skills of the martial arts champions Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Ye Jian Wei, Ji Chun Hua, Yu Cheng Hui, Chen Jia Jia, Guo Hui, Li Qi Long, Dai Tian etc, a number of whom are fresh talent. Also starring Bao Guo An, Sun Hui Ning, Yaqi Fatima, Wu Ma, Anthony Wong, Tsui Siu Ming, etc.

 

Order Legend of Shaolin Kungfu DVD (in Chinese only) from YesAsia.

 

As a side note, Shaolin Warriors DVD with Sammo Hung in a major supporting role as well as actual Shaolin monks as extras but starring non-martial artists is shipping on August 19, 2008. Shaolin Warriors is an unrelated TV series surrounding Shaolin Temple and its monks helping general Qi Ji Guang fend off marauding pirates. However, with its choppily edited action scenes, perhaps done purposely to mask the inefficiencies of the non-martial artists, genre fans are well advised to steer clear of Shaolin Warriors.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: 13 Cudgel Monks --

On 9 July, Legend of Shaolin Kungfu director Du Xiao, joined by cast members Bao Guo An, Ji Chun Hua, Xie Miao, Sun Hui Ning, attended a chat organised by Sina, whereby they shared their experiences on the set of the 40-part TV series.

 

A 12-minute trailer to the upcoming Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2, starring Yuen Biao, Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Leung Kar Yan, Ji Chun Hua, Xu Xiang Dong, Sun Hui Ning, Wu Ma, etc. was also shown then and may now be viewed on Sina.

 

Based on the trailer, which is interspersed with excerpts from the original from 8th minute onwards, Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2 looks to be of bigger scale and even more epic. However, being an unfinished product, it's too early to tell if the martial arts scenes would live up to expectations of the original.
 

Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2 is currently in post-production with a targeted release by early 2009.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu II: Thirteen Cudgel Monks --
Jimmy Lin plays a supporting role as Prince Li Shimin in Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2, one who puts the welfare of the populace above everything else. In actual life, Jimmy Lin has been involved in many charity activities.

孙卉凝 Sun Hui Ning, who plays the leading lady Wang Yu Feng, the daughter of Wang Shi Chong (Leung Kar Yan). She's Wang Shi Chong's only child. Beautiful, cold, aloof, intractable. Many years back, Wang Shi Chong sacrificed his wife in order to save his own skin. This has an ill-effect on Wang Yu Feng, resulting in her lack of trust in men.

 

To make up for his guilt, Wang Shichong especially dotes on her, so, she grows up becoming very wilful, bold and impudent, fears nothing, and does whatever she wants. The only person she trusts and loves single-heartedly is her childhood playmate Zhang Tian Bao (Xie Miao), who, once, saved her from a freezer room at his own expense. However, she's torn between kinship and love as her father is responsible for the deaths of Zhang Tian Bao's entire family.

Sun Huining is a devout Buddhist in real life. Studying Buddhist sutras is perhaps her only hobby, for she can learn many meaningful things and also it has a calming effect. As a vegetarian, she says, "It takes ages before a life is born, why kill for one's own selfish desires? Imagine if you were the animal being killed for food... Let's start a vegetarian diet." Jimmy Lin concurs, "The lives of animals must be respected. We must show love towards the little animals, we should respect life, and treasure resources."

The United Nations reports have stated livestock are top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems. Raising animals for food is a primary cause of land degradation, air pollution, water shortage, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and not least of all, global warming.

Both of them echo similar sentiments on environmental issues, saying that we must do our best to protect the planet. At the behest of Sun Hui Ning to reflect his thinking on environmental care, Jimmy Lin writes, "Love and care for the environment, do it from the heart" and adds that we must not neglect the minor things around us, for every little things that you do count towards helping the planet, this is the responsibility of everyone. 

Sina

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks --

Filming of Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks is nearing completion. Pan Yuan Jia has posted videos of his two fighting scenes on his blog. Also, there's a news report at Youtube. Finally, various photos, a few of which are high resolution, have been released by cast members Li Yuan, Sun Hui Ning, Leung Kar Yan, Li Chong.

 

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu II: Thirteen Cudgel Monks -- 

Yuen Biao is playing Tan Zong, one who is responsible for assembling 12 other monks to form Thirteen Cudgel Monks to deal with Wang Shi Chong. He is expert in 72 Peerless Arts of Shaolin, his skills unfathomable, having reached the state of union of Zen and Kungfu. He is pensive, collected, and doesn't exhibit his emotions. He has the bearings of a grandmaster of his times, caring for the affairs of the world.

Leung Kar Yan plays the antagonist Wang Shi Chong, a cunning, greedy, vicious, merciless general of Sui who later usurps the throne. He throws his weight about in the court and oppresses the populace. He bans martial arts practice in order to forestall any future threats.

Continue reading "Four Martial Arts Veterans of Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2"

Director Du Xiao Shares His Visions and Goals

 

When China's multiple awarding director Du Xiao read the script of A Legend of Shaolin Kungfu, he approached it with reminiscence. As everyone is aware, Jet Li's version of Shaolin Temple is known throughout the world for its authentic portrayal of martial arts scenes, their elegance and practicality.

The kungfu culture developed rapidly following that, and films like Swordsman and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon brought about a different school of martial arts choreography, tending towards surrealism, etherealness and gracefulness.

Continue reading "Du Xiao and Sun Hui Ning on Legend of Shaolin Kungfu"