News Links - 8/12/08

[dleedlee]

"Red Cliff" Makes Box Office History
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/11/1261s392577.htm

Opening ceremony dents H.K. boxoffice
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/con ... b3003a094f

Actor George Lam Will Be Charlene Choi's Father in a New Film
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/12/176s392790.htm

http://ent.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/news/sho ... 055&ct=pic

Mei Lanfang featured in Harper's Bazaar


http://i2.sinaimg.cn/ent/m/c/2008-08-11 ... 125758.jpg
http://i3.sinaimg.cn/ent/m/c/2008-08-11 ... 125758.jpg
Sun Honglei


http://i1.sinaimg.cn/ent/m/c/2008-08-11 ... 133026.jpg
http://i1.sinaimg.cn/ent/m/c/2008-08-11 ... 133228.jpg
http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2008-08-11/12332133724.shtml
http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/m/mlf/index.shtml

2R's Rosanne and Race guest performers in "Shanghai"

http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/f/2008-08-12/07512134236.shtml

Buddies Play Enemies in New Action Flick ``Rough Cut'' (South Korea)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/ar ... 29203.html

Shaolin Girl - This Chow fans won’t stomach
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/ ... xpull_html

Olympic-swimmer-turned-Cantopop star Alex Fong Lik-sun
http://www.hk-magazine.com/feature/alex-fong-lik-sun

Zhang Ziyi at the Water Cube (with upside down flag)

http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/m/2008-08-11/10532133613.shtml
Zhang Ziyi Shoots New Pics
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/12/176s392749.htm

Karena Lam Raises Funds for Sichuan
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/11/902s392309.htm

Michele Lee/Reis Guests in Radio Program
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/11/902s392311.htm

Miriam Yeung and fan

http://ent.sina.com.cn/s/h/p/2008-08-12 ... 4205.shtml

Vanessa Mae - She didn't want me as a daughter
http://justwoman.asiaone.com/Just%2BWom ... 81767.html

Olympic Opening Available on DVD
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/11/1261s392570.htm
Beijing Olympics: First Observations and Impressions
http://benross.net.customers.tigertech. ... ess/?p=217
HK set for own Olympic glory
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_deta ... 80812&fc=2
Spectators left disappointed as mainland rider falls
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_ ... r=20080812


Tiny Singer Wins Heart of Nation
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2008/08/12/176s392801.htm
Faking scandal over girl who 'sang' in opening ceremony

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... emony.html
Why I don't care about the opening ceremony's fraudulent footprints
http://news.imagethief.com/blogs/china/ ... rints.aspx

Men swell ranks of depressed and suicidal shoppers
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_deta ... 80812&fc=2

[Brian Thibodeau]

Faking scandal over girl who 'sang' in opening ceremony
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/others ... emony.html

My first impression on Friday of this singer was that she was singing to a pre-recorded track for safety reasons, but I never would have guessed it wasn't her own voice. Does 'saving face' no know bounds? Heaven forbid the world discover that China, like everywhere else on the planet, has people who don't look perfect.

Yang Peiyi is said to have reacted well to the disappointment. "I am proud to have been chosen to sing at all," she is reported to have said.

In Beijing? Hitch a ride in a Mini Cooper rickshaw:
http://en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/news/a ... id=9245120


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[dleedlee]

Did NBC re-arrange Olympic 'parade of nations' in the opening ceremony for ratings?
http://news.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid ... 09/2231231
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympic ... lympi.html

[ewaffle]

Shaolin Girl - This Chow fans won’t stomach
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/ ... xpull_html

"Shaolin Lacrosse"? "Kung Fu Bustle"?

If no one has good ideas for movies then they will use something they don't quite understand and get it wrong.

Chow's movies worked because they were parodies of films and their conventions that people loved. This sounds like a pastiche of Chow movies with the comedy left out.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Hardly an issue specific to China in this day and age, but the bait-and-switch with the child singer is definitely grabbing headlines. And all over some imperfect teeth. That musical director should've kept quiet rather than justifying it:

Olympic Balladeer's voice was dubbed:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/sport ... ref=slogin

[quote]Photos posted online showed a happy girl with imperfect teeth, hardly an uncommon problem in China. “Everyone should understand this in this way,â€

[dleedlee]

Hardly an issue specific to China in this day and age, but the bait-and-switch with the child singer is definitely grabbing headlines. And all over some imperfect teeth. That musical director should've kept quiet rather than justifying it:

Actually, musical director Chen should get credit for bringing it to light. He'll most likely catch a lot of heat for spilling the beans.

"Our rehearsals had already been vetted several times - they were all very strict. When we had the dress rehearsals, there were spectators from various divisions, including above all a member of the politburo who gave us his verdict: we had to make the swap."

(There's your future for you! )


...Turns out Chen Qigang is a naturalized French citizen now.
http://www.chenqigang.com/chenqigang/fe/english.htm

[Brian Thibodeau]

Actually, musical director Chen should get credit for bringing it to light. He'll most likely catch a lot of heat for spilling the beans.

I completely agree he should have spilled the beans, but it seems he spilled them as a form of pre-emptive justification rather than with any sense of regret (at least based on his interview comments so far). Then again, sounding like a whistle-blowing crusader might still be detrimental to one's mental well-being, so exposing the fraud while maintaining the party line ("there really was no other way. Really. I swear") was probably a very smart move on his part, even moreso if he now resides in France.

Still feel bad for the 'voice' girl . . . Hope she someday gets at least some of the attention that went to her "prettier" friend.

"Our rehearsals had already been vetted several times - they were all very strict. When we had the dress rehearsals, there were spectators from various divisions, including above all a member of the politburo who gave us his verdict: we had to make the swap."

(There's your future for you! )

No doubt!

[ewaffle]

Olympic Balladeer's voice was dubbed

Sounds like a strangely twisted "Singin' in the Rain"

[Brian Thibodeau]

A recap:

Slew of troubles dog 'perfect' Games:
http://olympics.thestar.com/2008/article/477403


.

[kenichiku]

Olympic Balladeer's voice was dubbed

I've got no problem with this 7 year old Milli Vanilli posing for a massive noisy stadium crowd. Who the **** cares if the real singer is less than 'cute' with less than 'perfect' baby teeth in the eyes of some ideal. The cat's out of the bag now & if they really want to redeem themselves & save face, allow the one with the real pipes to show up & sing for closing ceremonies.

I'm more concerned about another potential boon-doogle, those female Chinese gymnast-slash-little fortunes look like contemporaries of the 7 yr old singer-lipsynchers & not the compulsutory 16 yr olds they're supposed to be! (& I'm taking into account my own bias in favor of relative physical youthfulness in Asiatic genes.)

[dleedlee]

I'm more concerned about another potential boon-doogle, those female Chinese gymnast-slash-little fortunes look like contemporaries of the 7 yr old singer-lipsynchers & not the compulsutory 16 yr olds they're supposed to be! (& I'm taking into account my own bias in favor of relative physical youthfulness in Asiatic genes.)

Yeah, I don't think anyone believes that they are 16 (or turning 16 in the year), except the team captain. Last night, Mary Carillo said that one of the pixies could probably walk under the balance beam.

Chalk it up to home court advantage.

[ewaffle]

A recap:

Slew of troubles dog 'perfect' Games:
http://olympics.thestar.com/2008/article/477403

Allegations by a U.S. senator that Chinese security are monitoring the personal emails of hotel guests.

And in further news, Captain Renault remains shocked by finding gambling in Rick's Cafe American.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Who the **** cares if the real singer is less than 'cute' with less than 'perfect' baby teeth in the eyes of some ideal.

Exactly. I think most of the world would have found her adorable because of these silly 'flaws' (which they're not, of course, except in the eyes of dye-jobbed bureaucrats and veteran film directors). A wonderfully real opportunity wasted.

And those pixies are indeed troubling. I wonder if genetic testing or some such scientific investigation will be demanded if they start racking up the medals?


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[dleedlee]

Who the **** cares if the real singer is less than 'cute' with less than 'perfect' baby teeth in the eyes of some ideal.

Exactly. I think most of the world would have found her adorable because of these silly 'flaws' (which they're not, of course, except in the eyes of dye-jobbed bureaucrats and veteran film directors). A wonderfully real opportunity wasted.

And those pixies are indeed troubling. I wonder if genetic testing or some such scientific investigation will be demanded if they start racking up the medals?


.

I think everyone is politely turning the other way (except Bela Karoly who just takes it as given). Earlier, it was reported that previous Chinese gymnastic web sites had listed ages that proved that they were under age. Those sites are now obliterated, obviously.

US team blame stadium official for gymnastics loss
Sore loser Gold
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1