My blog

Label... The One Foundation The Warlords The Forbidden Kingdom Fearless Thoughts The Mummy 3 Expendables Ocean Heaven - 海洋天堂 Category... Standard Entry Video Information Press Release Event News

• Forbidden Kingdom: HK Press Junket Day 2 Movie

  Thursday, Apr 17, 2008 11:04AM / Video / The Forbidden Kingdom

  
  
  
  

  50 comments–  Add a comment

• Forbidden Kingdom: HK Press Junket Day 1 Photos
  ( 繁 )

  Monday, Apr 14, 2008 1:43PM / Standard Entry / The Forbidden Kingdom

  Today's Photos
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  21 comments–  Add a comment

• Forbidden Kingdom: HK Press Junket Day 1
  ( 繁 )

  Friday, Apr 11, 2008 11:40AM / Standard Entry / The Forbidden Kingdom

  Today's photos:
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  29 comments–  Add a comment

• September 13, 2007: Dream-like Cinema
  ( 繁 | 简 )

  Thursday, Sep 13, 2007 3:07PM / Standard Entry / The Forbidden Kingdom

  Filming of "the Forbidden Kingdom" has just about finished.  It is the way "time" works, where 4 months ago, prior to filming, you wonder how to manage the job.  Hundreds of people from different provinces, cultures and languages coming together is a difficult process, but at last we meshed well and the filming has come to an end.
  
  It was abnormally hot in Hengdian this year.  We received temperature alerts from 43 to 48 degrees celsius.  And since we're all wearing ancient costumes it makes it even more difficult on each of the actors.  And now, after 4 months, it is almost over.  I often feel that the filming process is like running a marathon, and the last few days is like the final stretch of the race; the most difficult stage and the most challenging.  It is always the most difficult shooting at the very end of a film, but everyone has worked hard, putting forth their best effort to finish.
  
  Jackie and I had discussions about doing a movie together before.  15 Years later this collaboration of ours is finished, and there have been many little anecdotes.  Jackie is like a big brother, taking good care of everyone.  He gave me many things; wire equipment, many varieties of protective gear, heat prevention supplies, mosquito repellent, glasses, vests, umbrellas, different foods -- dozens of things!  I joke with him about how, now that the filming is over, when will I have a chance to receive his gifts again?
  
  If the audience likes, we would be willing to film the story idea we discussed 15 years ago, because we've always felt that particular story has merit.  I hope that everyone can watch "the Forbidden Kingdom" with an open mind, and that they don't emphasize the fighting scenes with Jackie and myself.  After all, this is an American production, created by an American screenwriter, about an American child's dream of the Journey to the West story.  It would be more interesting and enjoyable to approach this film from a different angle or point of view.
  
  It's just another dream.  And like a dream, when you wake up, the dream of making the movie has come to an end.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  82 comments–  Add a comment

• July 6, 2007: About the Monkey King
  ( 繁 | 简 )

  Friday, Jul 6, 2007 2:46PM / Standard Entry / The Forbidden Kingdom

  Ideally, the identity of the person portraying the Monkey King should be kept secret.  However, with advances in technology and information distribution, today's entertainment industry doesn't really have any secrets.  By now everyone knows that I will be playing the Monkey King character in "Forbidden Kingdom".

  In fact, when I first received the scrīpt three years ago the producer approached me to play the role of the Monkey King, but at that time there were problems with the scrīpt.  At that time they portrayed the Monk as a great fighter.  I felt this was a bit weird because, according to the original story, "Journey to the West", the Monk was the only role that was based on "reality".  This character was based on the life of Buddhist Master Xuan-Zhang from the Tang Dyanasty.  If his character was a great fighter the film wouldn't be accepted by the public.  So after discussions with the producer we decided that the monk should not be a fighter.  Otherwise the film would have a difficult time being accepted in Asia.

  But, how to fix this problem?  I had two suggestions:

  First, have the Monk be a transformation of the Monkey King.  Since the Monkey King knows the 72 "earthly methods for transformations", he can pull one of his hairs out and transform himself into the Monk.  So, instead of being the "Tang Monk" we can call him "Silent Monk" and the problem is solved.

  Second, I suggested that the movie does not have to be based strictly upon the original "Journey to the West".  Everyone who is familiar with that story has their own perceptions on how that story should be represented.  In the film, the story is the creation of an American kid's dream.  This being the case, there are apt to be differences between these characters and those from "Journey to the West".  But that's not a problem.  this is a dream of this American kid's interpretation of these characters so there is a lot of room for creativity.

  The producer liked my ideas.  The screenwriter even flew to Hong Kong to discuss the development of the Monkey King with me.  Naturally there are many differences between Chinese and Western culture and eveyrone has a different interpretation of the Monkey King character.   There should be a lot of work done to create this character, but it's best to maximize the room for creativity and not base it solely on previous examples.  I will put forth my best effort with this character, so I hope that everyone can understand this perspective: As this is a character based on a western kid's dream-world, this is a new representation of the Monkey King for a global audience.

  To be honest, portraying the Monkey King has required a lot of courage.  There have been so many successful depictions of this character in Beijing Opera, animation and TV series.  For example, the Monkey King portrayed by Master Liu Xiao Ling Tong; his expressions and movements portray the character exactly as it should be from a Chinese cultural perspective.  But if our interpretation of the Monkey King's character was based on the previous depictions, then it would not work in this new context.

  We had the same situation with the character Wong Fei-Hung in "Once Upon a Time in China".  Master Kwan Tak-Hing had portrayed this character in over 100 movies, but to develop this character I had to create a totally new interpretation of Wong Fei-Hung in order for it to work in the film.

  The Monkey King in this movie is not just for Chinese audiences, nor just for Asian audiences, but for the whole world.  There are many people in the world who don't know anything about the Monkey King.  Therefore, as long as the character of the Monkey King is true to the world created in the dreams of the American kid in the movie, there is no right or wrong, and the room for creative diversity is enormous.

  You will be able to see the movie next year, and of course I can't promise that you will or will not like it.  I can only try my best, along with action director Yuen Wo-Ping and his team, to create the best Monkey King I can.

  
  

  43 comments–  Add a comment

9

1/2

1

2

>