Excerpts from No Top Ten Central:
(1/1/2007) Ang Lee held an autograph session for his book in Wuhan.
The event did not start until 10AM, but before Ang Lee arrived the line
has already reached over 30 meters; because Ang Lee could only stay for
half an hour, fans passionately held his book high and screamed his name.
Finally he stayed another 10 minutes and signed over 500 books. Ang Lee
had many female fans. He attentively wrote "Keep Going!" for a female
film student in addition to his autograph; another girl wanted to find a
husband like Ang Lee.
The book mentioned his early life. After graduation he was a full
time husband for six years. He said, "If I had the courage of the
Japanese husband, I should have committed hari kari long ago!" CROUCHING
TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON was Ang Lee's milestone. Looking back he had such
difficulties that when he lay down he thought of first killing the actors
then biting off his tongue to commit suicide; the feeling was as
torturing as moving rocks to smash his own legs. When Ang Lee and Chen
Kaige conversed Chen was very excited about participating in film
festivals but he asked Chen Kaige how old he was and he still was
competing. Later he too found himself strange for saying something like
that.
In the interview Ang Lee said that Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King)'s
CROUCHING TIGER character Yu Sulin had a personality that was like his
wife's, tough on the outside but fragile on the inside. Thus when his
wife watched this film she was moved to tears. As a publicly recognized
successful director he said that he too had unsuccessful experience as
his wife had to make a living for the family when he stayed home and
cooked; although now he made more money if he was arrogant in front of his
wife he definitely would be looked down upon. He said that Mandarin film
directors' means of survival on the international markets was art film.
he too had no way of purely make some entertaining and fun but meaningless
thing, which he felt would be hard to break through.
(12/31/2007) The film NGOR LO POR HAI DOH SING (MY OLD LADY IS GAMBLING
SAINT) two nights ago shot at Central. The cast included Nick Cheung Ka
Fai and Wong Jing's new favorite Meng Yao. Cheung Ka Fai two nights ago
wore a wig and a pair of glasses. With an old fashion suit he looked
like a honest person, which was the character that he played. Meng Yao
played the gambling saint. Two nights ago Ka Fai sang on the streets and
people threw trash at him. At this time he ran into Meng Yao who was
running for her life. Finally they both ran away together.
Speaking of the outdated look, Ka Fai expressed that because he
had another movie his hair had to be very short. For this film he had to
wear a wig. Director Wong Jing passed by and joked that Ka Fai was
talking about raising his daughter again. Ka Fai responded, "Speaking of
raising daughters I am not as amazing as you." Wong Jing could only walk
away.
While not in a scene, Ka Fai chatted with a foreigner who was a
Hong Kong film supporter with over 900 Hong Kong films at home. Because
he lived nearby he happily came to the set. Over these two days this
foreigner has followed him on the set. Ka Fai asked him whether he liked
Wong Jing or Johnnie To Kei Fung. He pointed out that they had different
styles, Wong Jing was funny while To Kei Fung was more serious. However,
when work started two nights ago nearby residents complained about their
lights being too bright and they were too loud. The police came to get
an understanding. This time the Gambling Saint Meng Yao did not know how
to gamble but has played the slot machines in Macau. Finally she won
3,000 with 500.
(12/31/2007) The Feng Xiaogang directed ASSEMBLY two nights ago held its
premiere. Aside from the leads Zhang Hanyu and Yuan Wenkang, Shu Qi and
Annie Liu (Lau Sum Yau) came in support. This film in Mainland broke
the 100 million mark. Director Feng Xiaogang was naturally very happy,
but he did not have much expectation for the Hong Kong box office. Of
course he would like the Hong Kong audience to watch it because this film
truly was very touching. Some Mainland male viewers were crying after the
show.
Feng Xiaogang also revealed that he would like to work on a comedy
with Shu Qi but she would have to review the screenplay first. An actor
had to have confidence in the screenplay to have sparks. Earlier he and
Shu Qi have chatted but they still have to review the screenplay first.
The soonest the production would start would be next summer.
Shu Qi two nights ago attended at the director's invitation. She
expressed that she has met with Director Feng several times in Beijing and
had dinner with the director and boss Peter Lam Kin Ngok. Yet they have
never worked together. She would like to be able to work with such an
outstanding director in the future. Director Feng revealed that he would
like to work with her and Shu Qi honestly said that she would like that
too but believed that it would be half a year later at the soonest. After
awhile at rest she honestly said that she did not want to work on a film
yet. She said that now she truly did not know how to make movies and
would feel work was a pressure, perhaps due to too long without working.
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