Tianjin Daily has reported how HERO will be promoted in China - a news conference in Beijing (December); signing deals with theater chains to make sure HERO being release on December 19th; premières in Beijing (December 14th), Shanghai (December 16th) and Guangzhou (December 17th);  showing a 20-minute clips at SONY Stores; showing commercials (15 seconds and 30 seconds) on TV (early December); showing trailer at theaters (soon); and publishing a same name novel (December).

According to Information Times, producer Hsu Li-Kong has renewed the film rights of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON prequel with the widow and daughter of the Wang Dulu, author of the original novel. The prequel, titled PRECIOUS SWORD, GOLD HAIRPIN, will like be based on the part 2 and 3 of the Iron-Crane Pentalogy - PRECIOUS SWORD, GOLD HAIRPIN and SWORD FORCE, PEARL SHINE. However, this news only means the prequel project is still alive and there is no confirmation on whether Ang Lee, Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh will be involved in this project.

Beijing Youth just had an interview with Zhang Ziyi. Here are some of the highlights:

What is HERO?

The main theme (of HERO) is the spirit of xia. HERO is not about "me" but about "others", about being responsible for your own nation's fate, and about the meaning of each character's life.

HERO is consisted with three parts - two fictional and one real. Each can be identified through a color. The structure is a bit complicated. If you understand, you will know the meaning; and if you don't, you will be entertained. Luckily, the visual is more than enough to satisfy (your eyes).

HERO can inspire the spirit of xia and heroism hidden inside people's mind. The spirit of xia will be accepted by all cultures.

Did director Zhang Yimou add scenes for you?

No. Zhang Yimou's way of doing things is to fully prepare for everything and he knows exactly what he wants. In the begining, Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung felt very uncomfortable with that. They have got used to Wong Kar-Wai's way - no script, no lines, one shot with many versions - laughing, crying, from the left, from the right. But director (Zhang Yimou) said pass after only two takes. They got very surprised and even asked for one more take. From this, (I think) Zhang Yimou and Wong Kar-Wai are two extremes (of the same thing).

Have you felt pressure when working with such big stars like Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung and Jet Li.?

Big pressure. But I received even more helps from them. One day when I am doing a scene and Maggie Cheung and Leung Chiu-Wai were waiting aside. I just started feeling nervous and wished to get over it quickly. I didn't want to let them wait. But more I felt anxious, more mistakes I made. (I) can't even catch the weapon thrown to the air. Then Maggie Cheung shouted to me, "take it easy, Ziyi. It's OK. Or we can wait outside..."

How do you remember Zhang Yimou, Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Cheung and Chen Daoming?

They all felt working with each others was something very precious. This is much more important than what they will get after the film is done.

Zhang Yimou - wuxia is a dream of his. Now I feel he is very good at making wuxia. In the past, he just kept accumulating the energy (in other films) and HERO is a big explosion. In HERO he has fully explored everything he is good at, like using colors, handling big scenes, stirring up the atmosphere, telling the story...

Jet Li - I think HERO is the best movie he has played. Fight scenes are beautiful and he has shown us the his actor side.

Maggie Cheung - She is a very straight woman. Never hide her feelings. She likes catching butterflies. At the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, she led us to light candles and make lanterns. Her heart is very young and very energetic. She is also very cautious and very sensitive. When we were wrapping up, she cried very hard.

Leung Chiu-Wai - He was very quite and worked very hard. To practice writing the character "sword", he made the hotel we stayed at smell like an ink pot. There are more people watching Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung's scenes. We all like their performance. To me, it's a lesson of acting, very rare.

Chen Daoming - It is very unfair that the media have ignored him. I think among so many versions of the First Emperor, his is the most successful one. (He is) steady and never overdoes his acting. He knows how to deliver his lines and his handling the role of a king is just right.

You have mentions more than once that you wanted to learn from HERO. What have you learned?

Besides acting, I have learned more about how to treat other people. They are great director, actors who have no longer bothered by fame, have focused on the art, and have treated other people very well. I was deeply moved by all these.

Is there anything regrettable about your character "Like Moon"?

Like Moon is really a small role in HERO. (It) got very few scenes. To me, I cannot redo what I have done, therefore I couldn't allow me to treat anything carelessly and to leave anything regrettable behind. Each shoot is important. Once the shooting started, (I must be) at the peek of my performance. Anyway, I have done my best and (you can judge me) from the movie.

How do you compare Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou?

I think it's depends on (their) personalities. Ang Lee is scholarly and cautious, (therefore) CROUCH TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON is mild and beautiful. Zhang Yimou is a typical guy from Shannxi (a province of China). He is persistent and bold, so HERO will make you feel greatly satisfied. The similarities between them are also very oblivious - being meticulous on art and seeking perfectiveness.

How do you feel about HERO's chance at the Oscar?

Never thought about that. I think (Zhang Yimou) has no longer bothered by this. Making HERO is fulfilling a heroic dream of his.

Besides PURPLE BUTTERFLY, do you have any other project?

Shooting of 2046 will start soon. Wong (Kar-Wai) has asked me to check in on November 17th. There is no script and (I) know nothing about my role. Based on the test shot I did earlier this year, (I think) it is probably a strange futuristic character. My hair was made very tall and I was walking the wire with high-heel shoes. 2046 is a big mystery to me. I feel curious and expected.

Among actresses in China, only you and Gong Li never made any TV series.

I have never intended to stick with movie and stay away from TV. If the role is right for me, the time is allowed, and the production team is good, I may give it a shot. But I will not make anything like teen idol shows.

Photo: Sina.com

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Michelle Yeoh is doing an futuristic story of a fictional heroine once popular the 1960's Hong Kong with cinematographer and director Jingle Ma. The US$10 million project is developed by Mythical Films and Han Entertainment, both were behind THE TOUCH. Shooting will start next January in the mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan. This means both Michelle Yeoh's HUA MULAN and Jingle Ma's TITANIUM RAIN (with Jackie Chan) might somehow be delayed.

Click here for the original report

Photo: THE TOUCH Official Site

Thanks to Cass

A regular visitor to this site, identified as "W.F", has sent me a mail claiming seeing HERO trailer on a bus in Hong Kong. Here is what he/she said:

I saw the Hero trailer tonight on the way home on the bus in Hong Kong. (They have T.V installed on buses here. It is called M-Channel). I swear I am not making this up. I sat some distance from the T.V so I can't catch all the details, but the trailer began in the desert with swords cross and then have snapshots of Jet Li in his black costume, Tong Leung and Maggie in their green and blue costume, Zhang Ziyi in his red costume. There was also a brief clip of Donnie Yen leaping into the air to fight someone (Jet Li I think) There wasn't much scenes of actual fighting shown but there was a few clips of the emperor's army and the emperor himself. One show a group of soldiers surrounding Jet Li. The trailer ends with the screen fading into the title "Hero" in both Chinese and English. All in all, it looks awesome. The trailer was in Chinese but with English credits.

M Channel is a Hong Kong based company specialized in showing ads through TVs installed at public transportation carriers, chain stores and health centers.

John Woo and Tsui Hark, two of the biggest names of Hong Kong cinema, have turned their focus at developing their own TV productions. Reuters reports yesterday John Woo has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox and Regency Television about developing drama series projects. According to the report, "it's possible Woo would direct the project if it's picked up to pilot."

Meanwhile, according to Chengdu Daily, wuxia novelist Liang Yushang has personally picked Tsui Hark as the director of the TV adoption of his QI JIAN XIA TIAN SHAN (literal translation: SEVEN SWORDSMEN LEFT MT. HEAVEN). Shooting of this 30-episode series will start during the first half of 2003.

Related News: Action Director Woo Has TV in Crosshairs (Reuters)

Thanks to Eddie Huey for the John Woo news 

Review: SHANGHAI KNIGHTS (Very Positive, Minor Spoilers) by "In Charge"

Thanks to Marie M and "Bee" 

KungFuCinema.com just posted an exclusive interview with Donnie Yen, who is the Action Director of THE TWINS EFFECT, a "sci-fi vampire slaying" flick from Hong Kong.

Click here

Thanks to Mark Pollard, Webmaster of KungFuCinema.com

These pictures were taken inside New Nanguo Theater by a photographer from Nanfang Daily. Besides the Jet Li poster and the Maggie Cheung / Leung Chiu-Wai poster, there should have several posters for Chen Daoming (The King), Zhang Ziyi (Like Moon) and Donnie Yen (Long Sky). On the Jet Li poster, we can see some of the soldiers were definitely computer-generated.

Photos: Sina.com

The one on the left is the green version of the same poster, (or a promo sheet, or a post card, or ...) of the purple poster (right).

Photo: うしおわーるど and SZNews.com

Hong Kong's Oriental Daily has posted two new pictures. They were both shot in Dunhuang area of Gansu Province last year.

Photo: Oriental Daily

According to Chinese media, HERO was shown at Shenzhen's New Nanguo Theater under ultra-high security. To prevent any piracy from happening, employees from New Image (?), the distributor of HERO in China, have almost taken over the theater. Only one copy of the film was delivered from Beijing by New Image's employees, the theater was patrolled by many of its employees and 40 security guards; the screening room has been carefully checked for any hidden camera; and even the projectors were operated by its own employees. To enter the screening room, you must, first, show you ticked to four guards for authenticity check, second, leave everything behind, including cell phone and keys, and third, walk through a security gate. If you are wearing glasses, they will be checked for hidden spy camera too. Even though, people are lining up to see HERO everyday. The box office opens at 4 pm but a few funs have lined up outside the theater at 11 am and by 2 pm, the number has increased to over 40. 5 minutes after 4, 100 tickets (for that day only) were sold out. One more thing, many audiences walked out the theater with tears.

Photos: Beijing Youth

According to Nanfang Daily, Beijing based New Image (?), one of the production company responsible for HERO's distribution in China, has received a letter from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences about half month ago, informing them what should they do to make HERO qualified

for the "Best Foreign Film"Category of the Academy Awards (Oscar). This has explained why New Image has rushed to arrange a seven day run of HERO at New Nanguo Theater of Shenzhen City. According to Zhang Weiping, one of the producers, HERO is shown at a one-hundred seat small screening room of the theater and to prevent any piracy, the number of audiences is also somewhat restricted. HERO post has been shown to the public for the first time outside the theater (left). From October 24th to 30th, HERO will be shown at 7 and 10 pm each day, and each ticket will cost 50 Yuan (about US$ 6).

New Image is so ambitiously to push HERO to next year's Oscar and could this mean Miramax, HERO's distributor in North America, has already arranged a qualification run sometime this year in LA? Readers who live in LA area, please keep an eye on this one and please inform me if anything come out.

Also according to New Image, Chinese Film Bureau has intended to make HERO the only candidate from China to compete the at  "Best Foreign Language Film" category.

On December 14, HERO will be first premiered at Beijing's People's Great Hall, the headquarter of the National People's Congress (the parliament). Also because of the concern of piracy, probably only the 20-minute footage from HERO and the documentary CAUSE will be shown that day. However, if the security was satisfied, the whole movie will be shown.

Nanfang Daily also has the première dates at several other Chinese cities:

December 16, 2002 - Shanghai

December 17, 2002 - Guangzhou

December 19, 2002 - Hong Kong

December 19, 2002 - Official release date in the mainland China, Hong Kong and, possibly, Taiwan

Photos: Nanfang Daily and Beijing Youth

Ms. Xie Xiao from Nanfang Daily has sent me an e-mail claiming the manager of Beijing based New Image (?), one of the production company responsible for HERO's distribution in the mainland China, Ms. Yu has told her that, starting today, HERO will be shown at New Nanguo Theater in Shenzhen City for seven consecutive days. The goal is to make HERO partially qualified for competing the "Best Foreign Film" category of next year's Oscar. To be fully qualified for all categories, HERO still have to be shown at at least one commercial theater in Los Angeles County for at least seven consecutive days by the end of this year.

Related link: 75th Academy Awards Rules

Beijing's Information Times reports China Film Group intents attach the HERO trailer with THE TUXEDO, which will be released in China by the company starting December 6. So far I have found nothing to suggest the trailer is going to be released any time earlier. During the holiday season, besides THE TUXEDO, HERO will have to face a truckload of competitors, like THE BOURNE IDENTITY (?), ZHOU YU'S TRAIN (literal translation), HARRY PORTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, and possibly XXX.

SHANGHAI KNIGHTS -  producer Roger Birnbaum and co-star Owen Wilson

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS - director Frank Coraci

Thanks to Marie M, "jocky chan" and "Bee" 

According to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, John Woo is in talks to direct Paramount's new action PAYCHECK. "The futuristic tale, based on a short story by prolific sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, revolves around a man who can't remember what he has done for the past two years. The protagonist must seek clues to his whereabouts using common objects such as a ticket stub and bus token to uncover a government secret." "'Paycheck' was originally published in 1953. Film adaptations of Dick's short stories have included 'Minority Report,' 'Total Recall' and 'Blade Runner,' released shortly after Dick died in 1982."

The reports did not mention whether woo will work on the project before or after the railway building flick, which has a whole bunch of working titles - MEN OF IRON, THE LINE, MEN OF DESTINY, THE DIVIDE and LAND OF DESTINY. It will unite Woo's favorite stars from both side of the Pacific - Chow Yun-Fat and Nicolas Cage. Shoot once planned to start this fall but was delayed due to some pre-production problem.

Report by Variety

Report by The Hollywood Reporter

Review: BULLETPROOF MONK (Positive, Minor Spoilers) by "Hot Dog Fan"

Related Story:

Three Reviews Of The Work-In-Progress BULLETPROOF MONK (AICN) October 21, 2002 (see below)

                               First BULLETPROOF MONK Review (Dark Horizons) October 19, 2002

Winners of the 22nd Golden Rooster Film Awards have been announced tonight at the closing ceremony of the 11th Golden Rooster and One Hundred Flowers Film Festival. There is no big winner this year and three categories, Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, disappointingly have tied winners. MEI LI DE DA JIAO (BEAUTIFUL FEET (lit.)) collected four awards. Chen Kaige's TOGETHER and CHARGE OUT OF AMAZON won three awards each.