News Archives
January 2006
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News Archives |
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January 2006 |
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Zhang Yuan's LITTLE RED FLOWERS Premièred at Sundance (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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January 30, 2006 |
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Chinese director Zhang Yuan's Little Red Flowers had its world première during the Sundance Film Festival last Monday. Based Kan Shang Qu Hen Mei (literal meaning: Looks Beautiful - The Chinese title is same as the book title) by Beijing writer Wang Shuo, Little Red Flower tells the stories of a group of kindergarteners in Beijing during the early 1960s. The film is co-produced by Marco Müller, the director of Venice Film Festival.
The making of (Click on the numbers below the screen to select.) A party held during Venice International Film Festival.
English title: Little Red Flowers (previously known as: Could Be Beautiful) Chinese title: Kan Shang Qü Hen Mei (literal: Looks Beautiful) Directed by Zhang Yuan, based on a novel by Wang Shuo, written by Ning Dai, Produced by Wang Mo, Jia Zhijie, Li Bolun, Guan Zhonglian and Marco Müller Cinematography by Yang Tao, production design by Huo Tingxiao, sound by Wu Lala, lighting by Wong Chi-Ming Music by Carlo Crivelli, editing by Jacopo Quadri Starring Dong Bowen, Ning Yuanyuan, Chen Manyuan, Li Xiaofeng and Zhao Rui.
Related Story: Trailer: Zhang Yuan's LITTLE RED FLOWERS / KAN SHANG QÜ HEN MEI (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) September 8, 2005 |
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reproduction Update (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) | ||||||||||
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January 2 9, 2006 |
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According to various sources, the war scenes of Golden Armors would be shot on locations in China's Yunnan Province and Hengdian World Studios of Zhejiang Province, because these locations are perfect for such gigantic scenes. He has reached an agreement with the military over borrowing 20,000 men to "fight" for the ancient war. Director Zhang Yimou just came back from the US with a few deals. An American company is commissioned to do the aerial shots of the war scenes and all equipments have to be shipped to China.
Zhang Yimou has also signed a contract with an effect company and the price, counts the largest portion of the overall budget, is "ten times" of what he could get from a mainland Chinese or Hong Kong company. This effect company, which name was not given, is described as "the best in America" and its works include Gladiator and Pearl Harbor. As what I know, the computer effects of Gladiator were done by London based Mill Films and the digital shots in Pearl Harbor were the the works of ILM. Could it be one of them, or a less known company which was involved in the production of both movies? Neither Gladiator nor Pearl Harbor get my favorite CG scenes.
A construction team is redecorating Qing Ming Shang He Tu sector of Hengdian World Studios. This sector contains streets and houses in the architectural style from Song Dynasty (960 -1279). Story of Golden Armors is set in Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). A large number of lavish costumes were also made. An emperor's robe prepared for by Chow Yun-Fat is more expensive than all costumes of Jet Li, Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung worn in Hero.
Director Zhang Yimou is known for casting actresses with little or no acting experience, like Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi, as the lead roles and subsequently making them famous. As usual, newcomer is going to be selected from 63 candidates to be the second female lead. Producer Zhang Weiping said she had to have the right look, a distinctive personality and be able to dance.
As original planed for House of Flying Daggers, an action sequence was supposed to take place on a field filled with flowers. The flowers planted on Ukrainian location never grew and the scene had to be shot with some wild flowers. Director Zhang Yimou wants to redo the scene in Golden Armors, with planted golden chrysanthemum flowers, which are metaphoric for golden armors. |
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Feng Xiaogang Has a Few Words to Say about His BANQUET (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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January 28, 2006 |
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During an interview with a TV program, director Feng Xiaogang reviewed several differences between The Banquet and Hamlet. He said the storyline of The Banquet was similar to that of Hamlet but it would not show any visit from a spirit of the dead. Zhang Ziyi's character was once in love with the crown prince, played by Daniel Wu, and was forced to marry the emperor. When his brother (Ge You) murdered the emperor and took control of his thrown and his young empress, the crown prince begin to revenge.
This project is now in post-production and the release date in China has been aimed at this fall. The production studios, Beijing based HTF and Hong Kong based Media Asia are thinking about pushing it to next year's Oscar. According to an earlier report, a 20-minute trailer would be shown during the coming Cannes Film Festival and special screening s at Toronto International Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival this September were also planned.
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Opening This Week: January 21 - 27, 2006 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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January 27, 2006 |
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Fictionalized life-story of Chinese martial-art master Huo Yuanjia and the third adventure of McDull the little pig from Hong Kong...
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January 2 6, 2006 |
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Three set of poster designs of the upcoming MA film is released today. Based on the same name comic series, Dragon Tiger Gate tells a story of several youngsters fighting the gangs. The first trailer of this project is also expected to come out this week.
Related Stories: DRAGON TIGER GATE Production Photos from Hong Kong (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) January 7, 2006DRAGON TIGER GATE Promotional Stills (Beijing Times) October 22, 2005Production of DRAGON TIGER GATE Begins (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 1, 2005 Donnie Yen's DRAGON AND TIGER GATE Will Go into Production This Fall (DonnieYen.net) September 26, 2005
Donnie Yen Preps MEGA DRAGON
AND TIGER / GATE OF DRAGON AND TIGER (MonkeyPeaches
Exclusive)
August 2, 2005
Donnie Yen in Negotiation for MEGA
DRAGON AND TIGER (MonkeyPeaches
Exclusive)
March 27, 2005
Donnie Yen To Helm Film Adaptation Of
Comic Series MEGA DRAGON AND TIGER
(MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) June 24, 2003 |
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January 25, 2006 |
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Jet Li's last wushu movie, not his last action movie, is released today in the mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
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January 24, 2006 |
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Zhang Yimou's upcoming historical drama, Man Cheng Jin Dai Huang Jin Jia (literally meaning: Fill the City with Golden Armors) is based on four-act play Thunderstorm, written by Cao Yu in 1933. It tells the story of Zhou family during a summer day.
Zhou Puyuan is a mid-age wealthy mine owner. Thirty years ago, he was in love with a maid named Shi Ping and shortly after she gave birth too their two sons, Zhou Puyu, decided to protect his reputation, expelled Shi Ping and their younger son from his house. Fan Yi is Zhou's second wife and she has a son named Zhou Chong. Zhou Puyuan treats Fan Yi very badly because he cannot forget his first love. Fan Yi had an affair with her stepson Zhou Ping. The affair is over now and Zhou Ping is deeply in love with a maid named Si Feng. Looking for her daughter Si Feng and husband Lu Gui, now both work at Zhou family mansion, Shi Ping makes a surprise visit and meets Zhou Puyuan for the first time in thirty years. Lu Dahai, now leading a miners' strike, comes to Zhou Puyuan's mansion for a talk and clashes with Zhou Ping...
To adapt the play into a movie, Zhang Yimou has shifted the backdrop of the story from the 1930s to Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). Zhou Puyuan the mine owner has become the emperor, wich will be played by Chow Yun-Fat and his second wife Fan Yi has become the empress, which will be played by Gong Li. The emperor had two sons with a lower class girl when he was still a prince. He later expelled her from the court before he inherited the power. The older son remains at the palace and the younger son was taken away by the girl. She then married to someone, a rebel leader, khan of a foreign nation, or just an ordinary man. Years later, two brothers finally meet on battlefield. Liu Ye is in negotiation to play the older brother, the prince, and the young actress whose name is not given is up to the role of an imperial bodyguard, the prince's lover and half-sister.
According to a Chinese newspaper, play writer Cao Yu's daughter Wan Fang has approved the script of Golden Armors. She said it was very faithful to the original play, except the ending, which was changed creatively.
Major cast members from Hero and House of Flying Daggers will also be involved in Golden Armors, including action director Ching Siu-Tung, art director Huo Tingxiao, cinematographer Zhao Xiaoding and sound designer Tao Jing. Bill (William) Kong, the powerful film financier behind Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of Flying Dagger and Jet Li's Fearless, is also involved in the project. |
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IN THE NAME OF THE KING Trailers, a Glance of Ching Siu-Tung's Action Direction (DungeonSiege-theMovie.com) |
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January 23, 2006 |
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In the Name of the King is based on the hit action RPG game series Dungeon Siege. Ching was on board as the project's Action Director and Choreographer.
Related Stories: Ching Siu-Tung Joins DUNGEON SIEGE (DungeonSiege-theMovie.com) July 4, 2005 Statham & Sobieski Enter Dungeon Siege (ComingSoon.net) |
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January 22, 2006 |
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This year's Berlin International Film Festival will be held from February 9 to 19 and the complete program will be available by next month.
In competition: Isabella by Pang Ho-cheung, Hong Kong Invisible Waves, by Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Netherlands / Thailand / Hong Kong / South Korea
Out of competition: Wu Ji (The Promise) by Chen Kaige, mainland China / Hong Kong / USA
Kinderfilmfest:
Panorama:
Shisso (Dead Run) by Sabu,
Japan: Kinderfilmfest:
Mizu no Hana (Water Flower) by Yusuke Kinoshita, Japan
Kinderfilmfest Short Films
14plus: Wo Men Lia (You and Me) by Ma Liwen, China
Kamataki by Claude Gagnon, Canada / Japan
Forum:
Nine classic genre films from the 1950s and 1960s by the Japanese master director Nakagawa Nobuo. |
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Rumor: Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung May Take JUSTICE BY ONE'S OWN HAND (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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January 21, 2006 |
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According to Shanghai Youth Daily, Hong Kong director Wong Jing is putting his script of Ti Tian Xing Dao (literal meaning: Justice by One's Own Hand) and he is asking Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung to play the leads. Wong said Ti Tian Xing Dao, which was expected to go into production in March, was a fast paced suspense movie, in which Lau and Cheung's characters were separately drawn into a mysterious incident and later worked together to uncover the truth. This would be the first time Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung working in the same movie since Mongkok Carmen was made fifteen years ago, by Wong Kar-Wai.
Update: Sina.com reports that both Andy Lau and Maggie Cheung has denied being involved in the project. |
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January 21, 2006 |
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McDull, the Alumni is the third installment the McDull series, about a little pig from Hong Kong.
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Breaking News: Jet Li Will Continue Doing Action Movies Jet Li's FEARLESS Premièred in Beijing (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) |
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