Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po reports Hong Kong Film Producers Association (?) has selected THE TOUCH to represent Hong Kong to compete at the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards. Actually THE TOUCH is the only Hong Kong movie has already been or will be released in the US by the end of this year. Therefore THE TOUCH is the only choice. SHAOLIN SOCCER is not qualified for competing at this category because it was released in Hong Kong last year. The paper also reports one or a series of screen test of THE TOUCH will be held by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences starting next month.

According to Beijing's Information Times, Chinese Film Bureau has granted Michelle Yeoh's Mulan project the right of using the title HUA MULAN. After winning the Best Co-production category of this year's Huabiao Awards, the only awards from Chinese government, Michelle Yeoh, her boyfriend Thomas Chung and director Peter Pau are busying on preproduction of this historical drama with the budget of about $US 30 million. Also according to Information Times, Michelle Yeoh is in negotiation to buy a used US$2,500 worth costume from a TV series HU MULAN. She is planning to wear the costume to make a teaser poster. The costume is a set of hand-sewed armor made of thick and heavy leathers. This month, Thomas Chung will go to the US to deal with the North American release of THE TOUCH.

I haven't seen one review which is positive. This one is no exception.

Review: THE TOUCH (Negative, Major Spoilers) by Beige Babapapa

This review was written by "shirodka" from Singapore and was posted on the forum of Jet Li's Official Website.

Review: THE TOUCH (Negative, Minor Spoilers) by "shirodka"

Aintitcool.Com just posted the first known THE TOUCH review written in English. Remember, this is only the first review, which only represent the personal viewpoint of the person who wrote the review.

Review: THE TOUCH (Negative, No Spoilers)

More production photos of THE TOUCH were up on Sina.Com. Click here

Starting today, THE TOUCH will be shown in the mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. At about 28 theaters in 28 Chinese cities, the first screening will start at 0 o'clock Beijing Time. THE TOUCH will arrive in Taiwan and Thailand in about two weeks.

Someone from the Chinese distributor of THE TOUCH told Shanghai Youth that Miramax has promised to release the movie in North America by the end of December in order to make it eligible for bidding the Oscar. Michelle Yeoh, director Peter Pau and producer Thomas Chung are hoping THE TOUCH can repeat CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON's Oscar triumph.

This over four minute long video contains scenes mostly we have never seen before:

THE TOUCH Video (clip and behind-the-scene) (Windows Media) - if the link does not work, try again.

And, here are a few statistics of the movie:

- Scenes contain special effects: 900+

- Scenes shot with wires: 11 minutes

- Scenes with martial art fight: less than 15 minutes

- Origins of the cast: 12 countries

- Production cost: US$20 million

- Cost covered: US$14 million (by selling distribution rights and loyalties)

Photo: SINA.COM

According to Taiwan's United News, Miramax has decided to finance THE TOUCH sequel, which is currently at the script-writing stage. In the sequel, Michelle Yoeh's character and her team will fight the bad guys over a precious diamond, again in China . Michelle Yeoh told this paper this US$20 million dollar movie would cost a Hollywood studio 60 to 70 million to make. Her next project, HUA MULAN, has also received money offer about US$30 million from another studio.

With less than two weeks away from release, a new poster has been revealed, featuring four leads Michelle Yeoh, Ben Chaplin, Richard Roxburgh and Brandon Chang. Meanwhile the official site  just had another round of update. New features include two shots of giant outdoor billboards and three small sample of the soundtrack, each is attached with a nice slideshow.

Almost a year ago, Michelle launched a worldwide contest to choose the right girl to play the younger version of her character. Now we finally know who actually won. According to Hong Kong media, she is 20 year old Zuo Xiaoqing from China's Hunan Province. Have been practicing rhythmic gymnastics since young and once a national champion, she is perfect for the role, an acrobat in the movie.

The same yardang ridges in Gansu Province's Dunhuang region were featured in both HERO and THE TOUCH. Yardang is a kind of  ridge formed by wind erosion and it was named after Yardang region of the former Yugoslavia. Dunhuang's Yardang ridges were called "Devil City" by the locals. The local government just opened the area as a tourist attraction. A cement road was built by the local government specifically for these two movies. On the official THE TOUCH website, Yardang is mistaken for name of the desert and the name is misspelled as Yadan (Yadan is Chinese pronunciation of Yardang). .

One Month Till THE TOUCH (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) July 3, 2002

THE TOUCH Is Coming (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 29, 2002

THE TOUCH Videos (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 2, 2002

BREAKING NEWS: Miramax Acquired Distribution Right Of THE TOUCH! (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) February 22, 2002

Michelle Yeoh Expecting More Touch (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) February 21, 2002

THE TOUCH Teaser (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) February 6, 2002

Michelle Yeoh TOUCH Asia This Summer (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) January 31, 2002

Have THE TOUCH On The Set (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) December 7, 2001

THE TOUCH News Conference and Michelle Yeoh's Appearance In BOND 20 (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) December 6, 2001

Michelle Yeoh's Final Touch In Beijing (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) December 5, 2001

THE TOUCH In Tibet (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 29, 2001

THE TOUCH In Qingdao (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 28, 2001

THE TOUCH Correction (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 8, 2001

Michelle Yeoh - No Touch With The Media (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) October 7, 2001

THE TOUCH Starts (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) September 21, 2001

Michelle Yeoh On THE TOUCH (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) September 12, 2001

Ben Chaplin And Richard Roxburgh Ready For THE TOUCH (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) September 10, 2001

Tibet Gets In Touch (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) August 10, 2001

Michelle Yeoh Looks For A Few Good Or Bad Men (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) July 18, 2001

What Happening In Cannes (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 15, 2002

Report From Cannes (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) May 14 , 2001

Michelle Yeoh's The Touch News Conference (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 1, 2001