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News Archives |
| March 2004 | |
| MonkeyPeaches' Monthly Recap - Movies Released In March (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) | |
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March 31, 2004 |
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Taiwan born actress Shu Qi plays a mainland girl from the 70's and a pregnant woman who could see dead people in the city of Hong Kong. Click here for 8 movies released in March. |
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| Shots Of Chan/Yen Battle In THE TWINS EFFECT 2 (DonnieYen.com / DonnieYen.net) | ||||||
| March 29, 2004 | ||||||
Shot in Guangzhou city, the scene involves an immortal general (Jackie Chan), who guards a secret weapon storage, and a general in exile (Donnie Yen), who needs those weapons for a rebellion against the evil empress.
More pictures: A B C D E F G H I
Thanks to Marie M |
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| Hong Kong's The 9th Golden Bauhinina Awards (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) | |
| March 28, 2004 | |
Hong Kong Film Critics Associated has announced the winners of the 9th Golden Bauhinia Awards tonight. Johnnie To's stylish cop and crook drama PTU sweeps away six awards.
Click here for the complete winners list
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| HERO News 297 - Stupid Studio Picks Stupid Title (Various) | |
| March 27, 2004 | |
According to various sources, MiramAxe has already decided to call it "Jet Li's Hero". Forcing the director to chop his own creation, keeping silence while a bandwagon wad badly needed for the Oscar race, pushing it back again and again as the market flooded with imported DVDs, dumping it into the dog days of late summer, and most of all, ignoring the fans.., has MiramAxe become the rotten core of Hollywood? S s s s s s t t t t t t u u u u u u p p p p p p i i i i i i d d d d d d ! ! ! ! ! !
Petition: Appeal to Disney for Respectful Treatment of Asian films Appeal to the Academy Awards for Fair Treatment of Foreign Films
Comment by Grg Dean Schmitz from Yahoo! Movies
Thanks to D. Mack, "Evolution" and L.C. |
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March 26, 2004 |
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More SHI MIAN MAI FU Production Stills - The House (Beijing New Picture Film / Takeshionline.com) |
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March 25, 2004 |
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These pictures, originally posted on Takeshionline.com, look like scans of a magazine, possibly a Japanese magazine. The first three are from the set of a brothel house and the last one is from the Ukrainian location. |
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The General Suit From Chen Kaige's WU JI / THE PROMISE (Joyful City Magazine) |
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March 25, 2004 |
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Two spy pictures have been posted on Beijing based weekly entertainment magazine Joyful City. The magazine claims that the costume is designed for the general played by Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada.
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SHI MIAN MAI FU Production Stills - The Green (Beijing New Picture Film / Movie View Biweekly View) |
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March 24, 2004 |
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An anonymous reader has sent me several pictures taken from the current issue of Chinese magazine Movie View Biweekly View. |
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More THE TWINS EFFECT 2 Shots From Guangzhou Locations (Information Times) |
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March 24, 2004 |
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Left: Chan / Fong Cho-Ming and Leung Ka-Fai; Mid: Leung Ka-Fai (right); Right: action director Corey Yuen (white shirt).
(Information Times / photographed by Ding Dong) |
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| March 23, 2004 | |
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THE TWINS EFFECT 2: Some Detail On The Chan-Yen Battle (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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March 23, 2004 |
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Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen just did their fight scene from Sunday to Monday on the set of an weapon storage built inside a factory house in Guangzhou city. According to Chinese paper Youth Times, the sequence is:
(Spoiler alert! Highlight to read)
Jackie Chan plays a general of the past dynasty, who transformed to a stone statue to guard the secret weapon storage a century ago. He would only transform back to human form when the safety of storage was threatened. The prince (Chan / Fong Cho-Ming), the-everybody-thought-he-was the prince (Chen Bo-Lin), a protector of the evil Empress, later turns to the good side, (Gillian Chung) and a man-slave trader (Charlene Choi) enter the storage but Jackie Chan remains as a statue, because they are no threat, until the general, known as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (no joke)" (Donnie Yen) shows up. As the fight drags on, they discover they are fighting in the same style. It turns out that General Yen is actually the grandson of another general from the past dynasty or General Chan himself (confused? So do I). In the end Chan just simply disappears.
Jackie Chan had to wear a surgical mask to protect himself from heavy smoke created for the effect.
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THE EYE 2, The Newest Horror From Hong Kong (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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| March 22, 2004 | |
If you have heard of The Eye, Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner’s production company has brought its the remaking rights, you may want to check out The Eye 2, which has caught some serious interest of New Line Cinema. The sequel has a brand new story with a brand new cast. It features a girl who starts seeing ghostly figures following pregnant women, including herself, and what is growing inside her womb is no ordinary baby.
Related story: New Line Cinema Eyes On THE EYE II Remake (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) March 9, 2004 |
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Director Zhang Yimou May Work With Japanese Vet Actor Takakura Ken (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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| March 21, 2004 | |
According to Beijing based weekly entertainment newspaper Big Star, director Zhang Yimou may is eyeing on 73 year old Japanese actor Takakura Ken for his upcoming project. We do not know any detail on the film except that it has a contemporary setting. |
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Jackie Chan And Son Will Portray Yue Fei, A 11th Century Chinese General (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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| March 20, 2004 | |
During an interview did earlier in China, Jackie Chan said he would produce and play in a biopic on Yue Fei, a legendary Chinese general. He said the script was almost completed and he would let his son to play the younger General. Production will begin next year after he finishing another project (Rush Hour 3, Shanghai Dawn, or something else?). Jackie Chan said, "I think Yue Fei is a man with great sense of loyalty, so am I. I am blindly loyal to Golden Harvest , to friends and to my country." During the Southern Song Dynasty, Yue Fei commanded the army against the invasion from Jin, a state established by the nomadic Nüzhen. He won great victories and recovered many lost territories. However, General Yue's war effort made him the enemy no. 1 of Prime Minister Qin Hui, who only wanted peace with Jin. The emperor was also afraid that two former emperors, captured by Jin, might be freed and take his throne away. Finally Yue Fei was jailed and later executed, with fabricated charges. Traditionally, Yue Fei is the most talked symbol of patriotism among the Chinese and he is one of the most popular heroes in many Chinese folklores. Jackie Chan also said he would like to do Genghis Khan but he had yet come out a workable plan.
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March 20, 2004 |
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Also thanks to "Paul" |
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MiramAxe Pushed Back SHAOLIN SOCCER And HERO Again (Hollywood Stock Exchange) |
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March 19, 2004 |
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D. Mack (aka. "Antiboy") has dropped me a note concerning the new dates of these two films: Shaolin Soccer April 2, 2004 (NY/LA/SF) Hero August 20, 2004 (National but not wide) The original report Also thanks to "Paul" Note: Infernal Affairs is also scheduled for August 20, 2004. Ridiculous! (Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the reminder). |
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SHI MIAN MAI FU On-Location Production Stills, The Second Round (Sina.com / Youth Times) |
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March 19, 2004 |
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Beijing based production company New Picture has released the second batch of production stills today. They were taken during the filming last fall in Ukraine. Producer Zhang Weiping told Beijing Youth Daily Soprano Kathleen Battle had performed the theme song for the film. Director Zhang Yimou has just completed the sound remixing in Japan. |
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John Woo Wants Hugh Jackman And Jude Law For His Action-Musical (APP) |
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March 19, 2004 |
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In an interview with Australian Associated Press, director John Woo said the leading role his upcoming "action-musical about an American Gangster with great dance movies" would likely go to Hugh Jackman, "wowed Broadway audiences with his all singing, all dancing portrayal of flamboyant entertainer Peter Allen (in The Boy From Oz)." Woo said "it's an American gangster movie and is about a gangster who is also a good dancer. It is not a singing movie, but there is dancing and action." According to an earlier report, title of the film is probably Tale Of Chris Damon, or something like it. According to a rumor from an unknown source, Jude Law may also sign up for a role. Set in the 1930's, it is a story of how a small crook making his way to the top of the gang. His talent in dance leads him to a romance a dance instructor and some relationship with the mistress of a crime boss.
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March 18, 2004 |
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Kong Que (Peacock) tells a growing-up story of three brothers and sisters in the China during the 1970's and 80's. It is the directorial début of Hou Yong. As a cinematographers, Hou Yong has made 11 films since 1987, including Zhang Yimou's Red Sorghum and Ju Dou, Chen Kaige's King Of The Children, Life On A String and Farewell My Concubine, Jiang Wen's In The Heat Of The Sun and Devils On The Doorstep, and indie films - Last Chance Love, The Gingerbread Man, Hurlyburly and Autumn In New York. The role of "sister" was originally reserved for Zhang Ziyi, but she has already committed to Mo Li Hua Kai (Jasmine Flower) by the time Kong Que went into production. The role later landed on Zhang Jingchu, who looks very much like Zhang Ziyi. Kong Que will be premièred at the coming Cannes Film Festival in May. |
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Who Are Producing Chen Kaige's WU JI / THE PROMISE (Various) |
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March 17, 2004 |
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The gentleman (click here) visited the set two days ago was very likely producer Ernst Etchie Stroh, sometimes credited as Etchie Stroh. According to Variety, he has teamed with director Chen Kaige "to create a production company that will produce produce both Chinese- and English-language features", and Wu Ji (The Promise) is their first project. "Financing for the as-yet-unnamed company will come from Chinese sources (note: possibly Century Hero Film, which is producing the film) as well as Stroh's production-sales shingle Moonstone Entertainment." Chen Kaige's wife Chen Hong and Han Sanping, the manager of Beijing Film Studios, are also producing. Financing of this US$30 million film is partially from Japan and South Korea. According to Variety, Wu Ji (The Promise) "is a love triangle fantasy between a general, a princess and a slave ."
More cover on Wu Ji / The Promise
Thanks to Philip Hemnell |
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HERO News 295 - Quentin Tarantino Fights MiramAxe On Behave Of HERO (Fangoria Magazine) |
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March 16, 2004 |
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When MiramAxe is backstabbing Hero, Quentin Tarantino is coming to the rescue. According to Fangoria magazine, Quentin Tarantino has been pushing MiramAxe for a release in North America and he will be "presenting" Hero in New York and Los Angeles this June. He told the magazine, "I had to fight for it with Miramax. I think they lost faith in it and everything. And I thought that Hero was an absolute masterpiece, so I fought with them not to cut it. Not to bring it down, but to keep it the same length as when I saw it. And finally they agreed if I would present it. So I got in touch with Zhang Yimou and he was cool with that. Yeah, he was as happy as a clam. So that's what I am doing—it's pretty much what I did for Iron Monkey."
However, Iron Monkey was re-edited for North American release and MiramAxe has already forced Zhang Yimou to chop off about 20 minutes from his film to create a 98 minute version, the only version being shown on the big screen around the world.
Original report by Fangoria Magazine
Thanks to Mark Singh, C.F, John Book, Paul, Han Yik, |
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More Shots From Chen Kaige's WU JI / THE PROMISE (The Sun / Youth Times) |
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March 16, 2004 |
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A snow covered forest mountain has been recreated on the largest soundstage of Beijing Film Studios. The only scene made yesterday involved Nicholas Tse, Liu Ye, Jang Dong-Kun and hundreds of extras.
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Director Lau Wai-Keung Talks About The INFERNAL AFFAIRS' US Remake (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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March 16, 2004 |
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Director Lau Wai-Keung has just talked to Tianjin Daily. He said in the Martin Scorsese's version, character of the police chief and the crime boss have been removed and more weight has been put on the two moles. The story is set around the war between the police and the Irish gang, which also features some international criminal organization. He said the plot is simpler and more intensified. Lau Wai-Keung directed the original Infernal Affairs trilogy, along with Mak Siu-Fai. He has been doing consulting work on the screenplay of the Hollywood remake. |
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March 15, 2004 |
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Production of Chen Kaige's Wu Ji (The Promise) has officially begun at Beijing Film Studios today .
Producer / actress Chen Hong and a representative from the US investor (?) Art director / costume and makeup designer Tim Yip Han Sanping, manager of Beijing Film Studios
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March 15, 2004 |
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Leung Chiu-Wai and Gong Li have shown up at a restaurant in Hong Kong. According to the local media, at spot at the coming Cannes Film Festival has been reserved for 2046 and Wong Kar-Wai is trying to wrap it up by the end of April.
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March 14, 2004 |
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Financed and produced by Eric Tsang, and directed by Wong Ching-Po, Jiang Hu tells a tale set in the early 1990's. Andy Lau, a big boss, wants to quit the crime business, a decision could be fatal for him. A rumor appears - someone is about to kill him in 12 hours with help from someone he trusts. Could it be Jacky Cheung, who has been with him for 20 years? A young kid Edison Chan is hired as the assassin and his friend Shawn Yue is willing to help him whatever it takes. Edison Chan and Shawn Yue also play the boss and his right-hand man.
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Chen Kaige's WU JI / THE PROMISE To Start In Two Days (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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March 13, 2004 |
