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In Tsui Hark's latest lavish epic wuxia/mystery choreographed by Sammo Hung, starring Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Tony Leung Kar Fai, Li Bing Bing, etc, Di Renjie, who is in exile, is summoned back to the court to investigate a series of mysterious murders that threatens the coronation of Empress Wu Zetian. Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame is competing at Venice Film Festival, held from September 1 to 11, and will be released on Sept 29, 2010.

 

Reportedly, Chen Kuo Fu, the producer and scriptwriter for the film, has already finished the screenplay for Detective Dee 2, and expect another trailer in the near future.

 

Trailer: Youtube

Continue reading "Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame Extended Trailer + Poster"

-- Dragon Gate, Flying Shell --
To build a full-fledged 3D team and studio, Tsui Hark spent two years learning from foreign crew, trying to overcome whatever challenges 3D filming may pose. So, Tsui Hark and the 3D crew, comprising top talents from US, that includes Avatar's visual effects supervisor Chuck Comisky, Singapore, Korea and China, are doing trial shoot for 3 months before commencing actual filming of 《龙门飞甲》 Dragon Gate, Flying Shell/Armour (tentative).

Continue reading "Toying with 3D, Tsui Hark Delays Dragon Dyke, Soaring Shell"

-- Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame --  

The trailer for Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, directed by Tsui Hark, action directed by Sammo Hung, starring Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Li Bing Bing, Tony Leung Ka Fai, has just been posted on Sina. 

 

Even before the film is released, Huayi Brothers is already in the process of planning the script for Detective Dee 2, which might possibly be a prequel instead, focusing on Di Ren Jie's salad days.

 

This is confirmed by Tsui Hark, "This year marks the 25th anniversary of Film Workshop and Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame is Film Workshop's 50th production. I have not done any wuxia films in 5 years, and in this film, I'm fortifying my original wuxia heritage, and by combining suspenseful drama that is full of twists with perfect action, I hope my return to my roots would be approved by movie-goers. I have not thought of doing how many more Detective Dee sequels, but this will definitely become a franchise, so as to let this famous detective penetrate everyone's heart so deeply."

 

In the film, Empress Wu Zetian's coronation is threatened due to a spate of strange murders of the court officials. So, she summons Detective Dee, who is in exile, back to help solve the mysteries. Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame opens on September 23, 2010.

 

Update: An English subbed trailer, shown at Cannes Film Festival, has just appeared on Sina and Youtube.

Continue reading "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Trailer"

-- New Dragon Inn --
At this year's Hong Kong Filmart, Tsui Hark was seen trying out 3D cameras, putting on 3D lenses to see the effects, and making enquiries about the 3D equipment, going from one booth to another. When asked about his next work, Tsui Hark reveals that he is planning to shoot a 3D version of New Dragon Inn remake. Right now, it's not known for sure if New Dragon Inn 3D would be a retelling of the original film, or some kind of sequel, and no cast is attached. The film begins production no earlier than 2011.  Sohu

 

Gordon Chan has been in the industry for some decades, starting at the Shaw Brothers as a special effect assistant and later writing scripts for Tsui Hark, John Woo and the likes in the Film Workshop. Writing has always been an important part in his professional life as he wrote all his films and helped out a lot of filmmakers to shape engaging stories.
 
In addition to scriptwriting, Chan directed all kinds of movies from light social comedies like Heart to Hearts to nonsensical laugh-out-loud comedies such as the Fight Back To School series, King of Beggars, to police dramas and action flicks with Final Option, to kung fu films with Fist of Legend, to modern wuxia pian like Painted Skin or straight Jackie Chan’s flicks with Thunderbolt or The Medallion. HK Cinemagic >>More<<

 As the martial arts director for Wong Kar Wai's The Great Master, what do you think of Ip Man trend?
 Yuen Wo Ping: It might bring back the kungfu film wave, when there are so many Ip Man related films. Actually, the first was Wong Kar Wai, he talked about it for years, but only started shooting now. They have already finished filming Ip Man 2, yet he hadn't even started. I have to hand it to him, such patience, taking such a long time to do the preparation. I don't dawdle, dawdling grinds people to death. Continue reading "Yuen Wo Ping on Ip Man Trend and Those He Has Worked With"

Light-Transcending Pandora's Box is currently undergoing production in Guangzhou (video) and, despite some similarities, director Jeffrey Lau clarifies that he won't repeat what he has done previously: Light-Transcending Pandora's Box is a completely different story from Chinese Odyssey.

 

In fact, it's closer to Eagle Shooting Hero in that it's a laugh-out-loud nonsensical comedy throughout the entire film, with romance being sidelined. Light-Transcending Pandora's Box is a burlesque on Red Cliff, much as what Eagle Shooting Hero is to the original Jin Yong novel.

Continue reading "Light-transcending Pandora's Box: Jeffrey Lau Calls Forth Other Film Characters"

 On 11 June afternoon, press conference for Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame was held in Hengdian. Tsui Hark worked through the night to rush out a teaser trailer, which does anything but teases. It shows nothing more than a brooding atmosphere, with barely anyone in sight. To quote Tsui Hark, "Kept under wraps." Continue reading "Detective Dee Press Conference in Hengdian"

-- Detective Dee --

Based on the concept art, as well as confirmation from the crew, Tsui Hark is going for something very epic with Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame.

Over the past few weeks since production began, Tsui Hark has been working day and night, having barely 2 hours of sleep each day, and sometimes, he would even go without sleep for three days and three nights consecutively. With dark circles forming under his eyes as a result, Tsui Hark even earned himself the nickname pandaman.  And the production could hardly keep up with him. Andy Lau and Li Bing Bing are so worn out that they took a break from filming.  Sina

 

 

Continue reading "Detective Dee Concept Art"

-- Detective Dee --

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, directed by Tsui Hark, has been filming intensively Hengdian for three weeks, with the production often working into the wee hours. The cast includes Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Li Bing Bing and Deng Chao.

Each of the principal cast has at least three outfits. Aiming to create the most charming Di Ren Jie yet, as opposed to the portly figure historically, Tsui Hark has Andy Lau sporting a goatee and wearing a headdress. Andy Lau also has other outfits like nocturnal clothing, and something that looks like rags. Li Bing Bing would cross-dress for the most part, and in one outfit, carries a murderous and terrifying appearance, and she would be competing and fighting against Andy Lau again in their 2nd collaboration.

Andy Lau, who is working with Tsui Hark for the first time, is full of enthusiasm for the film, saying that Di Ren Jie is has a very charming personality, and that this will be one of his finest works yet.

Sammo Hung praises Andy Lau for his professionalism, saying that he's strives very hard in action scenes, and with his experiences and talent, fights pretty well. And he would not use any doubles, one of whom bears striking resemblance, for any action that he is able to handle himself. Sammo Hung adds that while the action scenes are poetic in nature, the actual fights are still on the realistic side, for he doesn't like flowery action.

-- Detective Dee --
Apart from Andy Lau who has long been attached to this production, Carina Lau, Li Bing Bing, Tony Leung Kar Fai, Lau Ching Wan are also joining Detective Dee directed by Tsui Hark.

Andy Lau plays the eponymous magistrate Di Ren Jie who's tasked by Empress Wu Zetian to look into a series of enigmatic deaths of court officials in this period suspense mystery set in Tang dynasty.

Continue reading "Detective Dee Cast Announced"

-- Forbidden City Cop: Smart Dog --
In Forbidden City Cop: Smart Dog, Louis Koo's character, Imperial Guard "Dog", will be somewhat similar to Stephen Chow in the original, where he's more into cranky inventions than martial arts and believes that technology will overcome latter. However, his outlandish contraptions never seem to work and he's often snided by the other Imperial Guards. Continue reading "Quick Look at the Various Roles In Forbidden City Cop: Smart Dog"