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 Among those martial arts stars/directors in the entertainment industry that are from Guangxi, perhaps the most famous is Xiong Xin Xin. Yet, few know of 谭俏 Tan Qiao, who also hails from Guangxi - or more specifically, Guilin. While the name Tan Qiao may not ring a bell to most people, he ranks alongside the foremost kickers and martial arts choreographers ever to grace the silverscreen. Continue reading "Tan Qiao: Fighting from Guangxi to Hollywood"

Directed by Dennis Law, Bad Blood, starring Simon Tam, Bernice Liu, Andy On, Jiang Lu Xia, Xiong Xin Xin, is about gang members turning against each other following the death of their chief, with Nicky Li bringing you the hard-hitting action.   

 

Bad Blood Blu-ray and DVD are being released on March 4, 2010.

Preorder on YesAsia: Blu-ray | DVD

  

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"

-- 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 --

As opposed the bustling press conference (that was rather rowdy and disorganised due to huge turnout) held last October, Shaolin has begun production very quietly in Hengdian in the beginning of this month. Benny Chan is keeping a low profile as usual, and Shaolin's sets are off-limits to anyone, with tight security being implemented, as some reporters snooping around, fishing for information found out. Majority of  scenes revolving around Shaolin Temple will be filmed on the custom-built set; only a handful of scenes will be shot on actual Shaolin Temple.

Apart from previously announced cast Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Wu Jing, Fan Bing Bing, Xing Yu, Yu Shao Qun, Liang Jing Ke, et al., Yu Hai and Xiong Xin Xin are also joining the production. Shooting takes around 4 to 5 months, and the film is tentatively scheduled for year-end/next Chinese New year release.

Kungfu Cyborg: Metallic Attraction (Oct 2, 2009)

In this romantic action comedy directed and written by Jeffrey Lau, Alex Fong, the newly invented android with emotions and reasoning ability being, gets planted in a remote town, under the charge of sheriff Hu Jun, to test its functionalities. Being a "perfect human", Alex Fong soon becomes the town's idol, with Sun Li falling for him. But he's forbidden by his programme codes to fall in love. Soon, Hun Jun and Alex Fong are sent to track down Wu Jing, an android seeking independence and questioning the orders of his creator. With box-office takings of 50m yuan, the film was better received in China than Hong Kong.

 

Order

YesAsia: Blu-ray, DVD | Related products: Soundtrack CD, Making-of Documentary Book

HKFlix: Blu-ray, DVD

Continue reading "Coming on DVD in September/October 2009: Kungfu Cyborg, On His Majesty's Secret Service, etc"

-- Don Quixote --

Don Quixote, China's first 3D wuxia film with a runtime of 100 minutes, budgeted at 70m yuan, produced by Filmko, directed by Ah Gan, is expected to begin production in Chang'an later this month.  

 

Professional crews are being hired from US and Germany to help in shooting the live-action film entirely in 3D, as opposed to Yuen Wo Ping's True Legend, scheduled for early 2010 release, in which only action scenes are in 3D. Xiong Xin Xin, who provides the action direction, finds filming of action scenes in 3D to be very challenging.

Towards the end of last month, they have already begun filming the trailer at the cost of 3m yuan, with all 40 shots revolving around a manmade volcano crater measuring 14 square km that took 3 months to build. Guo Tao, Huang Bo, Liu Hua would star in the film. Guo Tao will portray the Chinese version of Don Quixote.

The film will be set against the backdrop of ancient Chang'an, whereby knighthood spirit of the original novel is being altered into a more wuxia-esque kind of chivalry.  Beijing Youth Daily

-- Bad Blood --
Bad Blood official site has been launched officially. This upcoming action film directed by Dennis Law is about internecine conflicts among the triad members following the death of their boss.

 

Trailer isn't ready yet but there's a 4:38 minutes making-of which shows highly intense and complex martial arts sequences being done by the various cast-members Jiang Lu Xia, Ken Lo, Xiong Xin Xin, Andy On and Bernice Liu, under the choreography of Nicky Li who seems to have scored a hit this time.

-- Taishan Kung Fu --

Director Tao Ming Xi's Kungfu film Taishan Kung Fu, filmed last summer, premiered in Beijing recently and is gradually being expanded to cinemas across other Chinese provinces. The film showcases Mt Tai's rare kungfu known as Stone Skill, and apart from scintillating martial arts scenes, it explores the culture of Mt Tai.

Taishan Kung Fu is Tai Ming Xi's fourth film as a director, with Huang Guan Bao as the martial arts director. The film stars Wu Yue, Wei Yu Hai, Xu Huan Huan, Zhao Pei, Cheng Pei Pei, Wang Fei Hong. Both Tao Ming Xi and Wei Yu Hai are members of Sammo Hung Stunt Team.

Continue reading "Taishan Kung Fu Premieres in Beijing"

Days in Shaolin

Many kids have the tendency to swap pointers with their friends after watching martial arts films or TV series.

That 蒋璐霞 Jiang Lu Xia, 23, walks the path of wushu is also on the account of these works.

"When I was very young, my father loved martial arts shows, and I would watch them with him. While I hadn't had the slightest inklings of the mechanics, I was envious of those people on the screen who could fly. Then, I made up my mind, I must train this, so that I could soar to school every day," recounts Jiang Lu Xia in her interview. Continue reading "Interview: Jiang Lu Xia Yearns to Fly Like in the Movies"

-- Coweb --

Coweb, directed by Xiong Xin Xin, has completed post-production recently and just been approved by Mainland censors. The martial arts film, starring Jiang Lu Xia, Sam Lee, Kane Kosugi, Cheung Siu Fai and Mike Moller, hits the theatres in May.

Jiang Lu Xia, a martial artist who rises to fame on the web through a series of shorts, plays a wushu coach who gets embroiled in fights against scores of opponents in a bid to save her kidnapped employer in Hong Kong. These fights are broadcast live on the internet with high stakes being placed illegally on the outcome.

Continue reading "Entangling Xiong Xin Xin in Coweb This May"

-- Coweb --

Freshness comes also with new blood. Hung Yan Yan's second best idea to draw more people in theatres was to cast film newcomer, albeit kung fu expert, Jiang Lu Xia. Nationwide Shaolin Quan Wushu champion Jiang has already earned a deserved reputation with her performance in the reality-TV show "The Disciple" and with her Sina-hosted blog packed with demo clips showcasing her skills.

While making new with old and casting newcomers is barely ground-breaking, Hung plans to lure audience in theatres by going back to basics. Fight scenes are barely edited and reportedly shot in long takes. The female lead will perform all the action with no stunt double at all. In brief, we are back to the local old-school way of showing, or exhibiting, action.  HK Cinemagic >>More<<