Thursday, January 28, 2010

1.28.2010 - News

The Future of Hong Kong Cinema: a round table discussion (III)
I wrote an article in 2007 in which I discussed how there was probably a misreading of Stephen Chow's film culture. Why is he so popular on the mainland? Because none of you [mainlanders] have seen Michael Hui's movies. You had no awareness, no experience of the filmmakers of his generation, so when you suddenly saw Stephen Chow, it was like discovering a new continent, you felt it was very special, very innovative. His influence in Hong Kong has not been as strong as it has been on the mainland, but he didn't create this effect, it was because the earlier work of Michael Hui was inconceivable to them...
The current decline of Hong Kong movies is also related to this, an indistinct sense of identity.


The Future of Hong Kong Cinema: a round table discussion (IV)
Many Hong Kong directors are making movies of inferior quality in order to accomodate the current mainland market. Take Wang Jing for example. He's really a very interesting director, but if he wanted to make money on the mainland he would have to make what they wanted there, and his original style would be lost completely. His work has a delightful and comic sort of ribaldry, but how do you play this sort of comedy on the mainland? You can't...
Go north, or you're road kill...
Tsui Hark has become a synonym for lousy movies...
many Hong Kong directors went north. but there were also Hong Kong directors who opposed CEPA, such as Herman Yau, Johnnie To and Pang Ho-cheung. Herman Yau may be the most home-grown Hong Kong director.


CRI: Ge You and Huang Xiaoming to Star in "Zhao's Orphan"


Zhang Ziyi, Li Bingbing
Zhang Ziyi drops out from English movie Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Three new possible cast lineups considered: Fan Bingbing and Li Bingbing, Fan Bingbing and Shu Qi, Li Bingbing and Shu Qi. The first is unlikely as the two 'ices' are quite rivals. Li Bingbing is Huayi's top female actress, Fan Bingbing left Huayi early and has been producing her own projects. She is also currently working on New Shaolin Temple. Previously, Shu Qi had turned down an offer to costar in the film. (Xinhua)
Li Bingbing, reported by Hong Kong media, replacing Zhang Ziyi who is too busy with Wong Kar-Wai's Grand Master according to Zhang's manager. Hugh Jackman has been invited to join the cast. (HunanTV)

Jay Chou's Pandaman TV series draws low ratings. Guangzhou TV reported a .06 rating on its third episode. This is the equivalent of 5000 viewers. (Xinhua)

Hong Kong pop legend Jacky Cheung feels liberated by jazz album
Besides the CD, Jacky has 3 new films: Crossing Hennessy, Hot Summer Days, 72 Tenants of Prosperity.
plus the already released Bodyguards and Assassins. In addition, he will appear on a mainland TV variety show for the first time. (Xinhua)


The Great Rescue


Danny Chan


Danny Chan Kwok-Kwan has spent a month shooting the TV series The Great Rescue in Yunnan. The story is about the rescue of the Flying Tigers pilots captured by the Japanese and features an international cast and crew. (Sina) (2) alivenotdead pictures


Married?
Former Andy Lau girlfriend, Yu Ke-Hsin, announced that she had quietly married Andy Lau double Du Yiheng in a small ceremony. Sources have reported that Yu is pregnant and living in Beijing. Andy's stunt and body double, Du Yiheng who is currently working on Let The Bullets Fly, was vague and noncommittal when questioned. Stay tuned. (Xinhua)






Donnie Yen's turn: Did he or didn't he?
Plastic surgery on eyelids, straightend teeth scrutinized (HunanTV)

CRI: Barbie Hsu: Powered by Tofu!

Francis Ng charged with assault (2)
The 48-year-old will stand trial in Kowloon on 9 Feb. If convicted, the actor could be jailed for up to 3 years.

Cherie Chung denies dating Singaporean
Hong Kong - Cherie Chung has denied talk that she plans to marry a Singaporean businessman.
The former actress, whose husband Mike Chu died two years ago, was quoted as telling Apple Daily there was no new man in her life.
'There is no such person. I haven't thought about remarriage. I am not dating. This report could not be more false,' she said.
Her friend, actress Sylvia Chang, also said there was no truth in the report and it was not possible that Chung would wed next year.

1 comment:

Glenn, kenixfan said...

The pic on the Cherie link was quite nice.

"No man in her life" so there's hope for all of us, LOL!