News Links - 11/15/07

[dleedlee]

"The Warlords" Cast Promote Christmas Season

http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/902@294674.htm
In Hong Kong, it's already Christmas
http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyle ... 9120071115

"Lust, Caution" Rakes in 90m Yuan on Mainland
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/14/48@294455.htm
Mainland Chinese tourists in Taiwan demand to watch Ang Lee's latest spy thriller
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/142479.html

Stephen Chow to Make "Dragonball" to Big Screen
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/1221@294580.htm

Kung Fu Kid (Japan) review
Shaolin monk Kung Fu (Zhang) is told by aging Master Pin Ko (vet Japanese actress Pinko Izumi, in a white beard) he must combat his "final opponent" to find humility. The master catapults Kung Fu, via a magic fireball, to Japan, where he literally falls in with a Tokyo family headed by a granny restaurateur (also Izumi) who uses martial-arts techniques to cook noodles. Meanwhile, dark forces have infiltrated the government's education department and, by substituting computer-game consoles for textbooks, threaten to undermine the sweetness of daily Japanese life.
http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/4955/1/

CNN Interview with Maggie Q
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/1 ... a.maggieq/

CBC: Chinese pressure not a factor in pulling program
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news ... e1&k=24551
CBC to air controversial Falun Gong documentary
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2007/11 ... ntary.html

Eileen Chang's Roses for the Stage
Red Rose, White Rose adaptation
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/1261@294840.htm

Gigi Leung Turns Wild for Harper's Bazaar photos
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/902@294586.htm

Best Buy/Future Shop is among few companies turning its own diverse work force into a competitive advantage
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... y/Business

[dleedlee]

Tsai Chin to Open Renovated Arena in Beijing

http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/1261@294885.htm

Taiwan Actress Found with Drugs Again
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/1261@294856.htm

[Brian Thibodeau]

Stephen Chow to Make "Dragonball" to Big Screen
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/1221@294580.htm

I wonder if they'll be shooting this in China. Certainly if they shot it in Canada, Chow would have to be a producer by proxy, since he's not allowed to set foot in the country. I've always been curious to know if the same applies in the U.S., since he doesn't seem to turn up there very often either.

[dleedlee]

Stephen Chow to Make "Dragonball" to Big Screen
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/11/15/1221@294580.htm

I wonder if they'll be shooting this in China. Certainly if they shot it in Canada, Chow would have to be a producer by proxy, since he's not allowed to set foot in the country. I've always been curious to know if the same applies in the U.S., since he doesn't seem to turn up there very often either.

Good point, I forgot about his problems. But was Chow denied a visitor's visa or an application for permanent residency? Perhaps he could be allowed to work in Canada but not immigrate. As for the US, the laws are so tight now, I've read that tourists are bypassing us in droves now. Even cultural groups are having problems coming for tours and concerts. They have to apply so far in advance and in person as a group to the local embassy or consulate office that it's become prohibitively expensive.


The Halle Orchestra, one of Great Britain's oldest symphony orchestras, has not toured the United States in more than a decade, so spirits were high when the group secured dates at Lincoln Center and in Upstate New York for performances last winter.

But when the orchestra learned that to get their entry visas, all 85 musicians -- every last cellist, oboist and piccolo player -- would have to travel from their Manchester headquarters to the U.S. Embassy in London for personal interviews, electronic fingerprinting and facial-recognition scans, it scrapped the trip. Budgeting for airfare and travel costs to New York was one thing, but simply getting everyone to the embassy at the same time, along with hotel bills and fees for the visas themselves, would have cost an additional $80,000, said marketing director Andy Ryans

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02544.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... =printable

[Brian Thibodeau]

Chow was scheduled to present Kung Fu Hustle at the Toronto Film Fest a few years ago, but the authorities supposedly wouldn't let him in the country. I've heard some people say online that he was here for it, but I'm fairly certain he wasn't (of course, I could be mistaken). He applied for residency (not unlike nearly everyone in the HK film industry!) in 1993 and 1996 and was denied both times. Something about the company he keeps . . . One story holds that his agent at some point was active in triad stuff here and got busted, so everyone who was associated with that guy went on a blacklist. Considering how many other HK entertainment people have felt the grip of triads over the years, yet are still allowed to visit and live here, I can't help but think they really do have reasonable grounds with Chow. I've heard there's a rather hefty document out there that goes into exhaustive detail about his ties, but I don't think it's avalable for public viewing.

Barring finding that, this document covers the basics quite well:
http://reports.fja.gc.ca/en/2000/2001fc ... .html.html



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[dleedlee]

Nice find, Brian. I'll have to take a couple more passes through the legalese to understand it all but it does seem they have a pretty good bead on Chow, even if the facts aren't fully disclosed. So, I'm guessing Star Overseas is one of the production companies referred to and not named?

[Brian Thibodeau]

So, I'm guessing Star Overseas is one of the production companies referred to and not named?

Good question! I can imagine any triad group certainly wanting to ride on the coattails of a big star, especially once he becomes an international draw, but I've never been sure which companies were being singled out here, although this bit has always piqued my interest:

[14]The answers received by Mr. Delisle to these questions did not satisfy him that Mr. Chiau was being truthful. For instance, having first denied knowing the named triad member, the appellant later agreed that, if Mr. Delisle had been referring to the person whose recent death had been widely reported in the Hong Kong media, he had known him, but had been confused about the name.

I suppose the only way we'd find out now if is Chow tried to move here again and really decided to fight the inevitable rejection in a public way.

I wonder if the "confidential information not disclosed to appellant" was possibly provided by triad people that simply didn't want they're meal ticket leaving his home turf.