News Links - 2/9/07

[dleedlee]

Zhao Wei signed for Battle of the Red Cliff

Chan, Li to both star in Monkey King film
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?i ... e=National

JACKY Chan and Jet Li are expected to show off their kung fu skills in the same movie, China News Service reported today citing Huayifilm, a Hong Kong based film maker.

Robert Minkoff, director of the Lion King, will direct the action movie, which will include several traditional Chinese mythical figures, such as a Monkey King and Sha Monk, two figures from "Record of a journey to the West" — one of China's four classic novels.

Both Chan and Li will play two roles in the movie. Li, the Monkey King, and Lan Cai He — a member of China's Eight Fairies. Chan will mainly play Sha Monk in the movie.

Though it will be categorized as a comedy, 60 percent of the film will supposedly consist of fight scenes.

Mainland actress Liu Yifei is said to be the leading heroine.

The movie tells the adventurous story of a little boy who encounters the Monkey King after he magically goes back in time and the search for the golden cudgel — the Monkey King's most powerful weapon.


Zhao Wei to Join All-star Cast for "Battle of the Red Cliff"
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/09/63@194602.htm


Max Mok - From Kungfu movies to quest for inner peace
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx ... e&id=15532

"PTU" director makes new "Tactical" move
http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/741/1/

Hong Kong feeds off China's power
Co-productions keep climbing
http://www.variety.com/article/VR111795 ... =2484&cs=1



Singapore: Royston Tan tunes into '881'
http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/753/1/

Review: Don - the remake
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout ... 2&nid=2853

Locarno to honor Hou Hsiao-hsien
http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/734/1/

Shochiku pacts for a remake of "The Yellow Handkerchief"
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout ... 1117959006

Taiwan protests over Berlin Film Festival name gaffe
http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/GetSi ... ntID=31033

China's system of film censorship "doesn't work anymore"
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... 45b93667c0

University of Hawaii offers course on writing English subtitles

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies at UH is taking advantage of Hawaii's gateway position between Asia and Hollywood. The first Southeast Asian film subtitling course has officially begun. Students are composing English subtitles for films in Thai, Filipino, Indonesian, Malay, Vietnamese, Cambodian and Burmese. Program director Paul Rausch hopes this will expand the range of films coming out of Southeast Asia and provide students with practical skills for future employment.
http://starbulletin.com/2007/02/08/feat ... ntime.html

East meets West on biz's front line
Straight-shooting PolyBana builds empire on global market model
http://www.variety.com/article/VR111795 ... =2484&cs=1

Operas to Hip-hop for New Year's TV
Isabella Leung to sing huangmei opera
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/09/60@194630.htm
Spring Festival Stirs Debate Over Preserving Folk Tradition, Culture
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/09/60@194626.htm

Pole Dancing School in Beijing
http://english.cri.cn/3166/2006/12/10/168@172715.htm

[Brian Thibodeau]

I must admit only a basic familiarity with the Monkey King tales, but is this really part of the story?

The movie tells the adventurous story of a little boy who encounters the Monkey King after he magically goes back in time and the search for the golden cudgel — the Monkey King's most powerful weapon.

This sounds more like Disney dumb-ifying and needless contemporization to me, especially if the director of THE HAUNTED MANSION is attached, but again, I'm not entirely familiar with the source material...

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Pole Dancing School in Beijing
http://english.cri.cn/3166/2006/12/10/168@172715.htm



I trust that someone will inform potential students at this school that even though the exercise has its origins in western strip joints, the thigh-high dominatrix stillettos and arse-creeper shorts worn by authentic practitioners are not the standard workout gear...

Not that I'm complaining, but still...

[ewaffle]

While it might be a Disneyfication of the tale, having a kid go back in time to witness and be a part of the Monkey King adventures it may also be an appropriate entry to the story.

Regarding the Golden Cudgel:

"In contrary to those demons, Monkey King, the hero of the novel, has intense animosity or hostility to the evil. The atrocious monsters become submissive to or are killed by the golden cudgel of Monkey King. The stories all express the writer's strong wishes to get rid of the ugliness and corruption of the society."

That is from About China at

http://english.cri.cn/1702/2005-4-29/14@232743.htm

It is a different spin on the tale of the Monkey King, one that makes him an enemy of bureaucracy and local tyrants, which seems to be the approved Communist Party of China view of "Journey to the West".

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Although in this case Brian is almost certainly right--the first time I glanced through the article I missed the most important item: the director will be Robert Minkoff who, of course, as The Lion King on his resume.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Just noticed this in that Max Mok story:

“Our one-sided materialistic hunt for inner happiness is in fact driving us only farther away from our ultimate desire,” asserts Ani Karma who herself became a Buddhist nun six years ago after having gone through similar life experiences in her long stressed career in Hong Kong movie world.

Anyone know who Ani Karma might be and how long her "career in Hong Kong movie world" actually lasted?

[dleedlee]

Jet Li as the Monkey King

Jackie Chan and Jet Li Unite to Remake Classic Characters
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/09/60@194743.htm


Movie "Blood Brothers" Finished Shooting
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/09/60@194758.htm