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Go To 1998 News:Note: In addition, major articles and interviews with CYF are listed here. Back to The World is Read |
August 1998:
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King Yun-Fat of Siam
By Liz Hodgson for the SCMP of August 21, 1998.
Hong Kong heart-throb Chow Yun-fat is set to play the King of Siam in a new film about the relationship between the 19th century monarch and an English governess.
Anna and the King, a non-musical version of the Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr classic The King and I, will be directed by Andy Tennant, whose latest offering, Ever After is doing well at American box offices.
Shooting begins early next year, though the role of Anna Leonowens has yet to be cast.
Tennant takes helm of 'Anna and the King'
By Chris Petrikin and Andrew Hindes for Variety, 20 August 1998. (And many thanks to Lisa R.-R. for forwarding me this article!)
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Director Andy Tennant, whose Drew Barrymore feature "Ever After" is showing strong legs at the box office, has signed on to helm "Anna and the King."
Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun Fat ("The Replacement
Killers") is attached to star in the Fox project about the
relationship between the King of Siam and British governess
Anna Leonowens in 19th century Thailand.
The story has formed the basis of two previous films: the 1946
picture "Anna and the King of Siam," directed by John
Cromwell, starring Rex Harrison and Irene Dunne; and the 1956
musical "The King and I," directed by Walter Lang and starring
Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.
"Ever After," from Fox Family Films, has racked up $34 million
at the box office since its release July 31 and appears on track to top $50 million. His other directing credits are "Fools Rush In" and "It Takes Two."
Reuters/Variety
Michelle Reis joins the mobile phone ad war with Chow Yun Fat
Reposted directly from the Wolverine HKSAR Top 10 for August 19th! Many thanks to Wolverine for translating and transcribing this article.
Michelle Reis (Lee Ka Yun) will join the war of mobile phone ads? Reportedly, Chow Yun Fat's ad in September will also star Lee Ka Yun. Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo) will star in an ad for the same company. When asked to confirm, Fat Jai said, "I can only tell you, I have agreed to star in a new series of ads for the company next month. As for who the lead actress will be, it would be best if you ask the company. I am not at liberty to say!"
Reportedly Gordon Chan Ka Seung, the director of the ad, was
interested in teaming Fat Jai and Lee Ka Yun as a couple, hoping that they will create new sparks. Chow Yun Fat returned to America for a few weeks to add a few lines for his second Hollywood film The Corruptor. Toward the position reaction of test screenings, as many viewers felt the film's action and explosions are better than Armageddon, Fat Jai laughed, "The movie hasn't been released yet, don't ask me to critique the film. I don't have the audience to have too much expectation and when they go to the theater it's another matter. It's best if everyone watches the movie first!"
Even though Fat Jai knew The Corruptor has a good word of mouth in America, recently he is focused on preparing for his third Hollywood film The King and I. In order to capture the role's spirit, Fat Jai worked hard at reading the English script and spent 6 hours daily on practicing the lines. Besides a foreign tutor, Fat Soe sometimes would help her husband with pronunciation.
Chow Yun Fat reappears as Brother Mark?
Reposted directly from Wolverine's HKSAR Top 10 site for August 5th! Article translated and transcribed by Wolverine.
Stars advertising for mobile phones have been common place. Besides getting bigger and bigger stars, whether an ad can be creative has also become a problem. After working with Chow Yun Fat on an ad last night, a mobile phone company has decided to invite Fat Jai again and this time will hire Gordon Chan Ka Seung to direct the ad.
Chan Ka Seung confirmed that he has accepted the offer and admitted that the commercial will have special effects. He also said that Fat Jai's Brother Mark from A Better Tomorrow (Ying Hung Boon Sik) will appear again in the ad.
Gordon said, "Brother Mark's image was very successful. This timein the ad Fat Gor will appear in a heroic image, representing the optimism and diligence of Hong Kongers. The lead actress will be a new comer. Thus now I am worrying about not finding an appropriate choice."
Speaking of the science fiction concept of the ad, Gordon explained, "Although the ad will have science fiction special effects, gun fights, explosions and action scenes, it will not leave humanity behind. Fat Gor's image is so friendly, we will not make Fat Gor appear too cool in the ad."
Chow Yun Fat's second film in the West hits test screening
Reposted directly from Wolverine's HKSAR Top 10 site for August 5th! Article translated and transcribed by Wolverine.
Although Chow Yun Fat's first American film The Replacement Killers (Huet Ying Mei Lan) received only average reactions, his second film TheCorruptor (Kui Lo Je) was well received during recent American test screenings. Some film critics even praised Fat Jai's performance as the New York cop as a showing of his potential and the film itself for having more a story than Replacement which gave Fat Jai more room to show his skills.
Columbia Pictures plans to release The Corruptor at the end of the year in America and Hong Kong. The production on Fat Jai's third Hollywood film The King and I has been delayed until next year because the script still needs work and Fox hopes to have ample time to prepare. Having already begun cramming the script, Fat Jai said, "Because this film has been delayed until next year, I should be able to return to Hong Kong and celebrate Christmas with my family." Although Fat Jai has begun reading the script, to fully prepare him for the production, Fox hired a tutor to instruct him on how to read the lines of The King and I.
Also due to the popularity of Fat Jai's earlier ad, the
telecommunication company plans to begin a new ad campaign in September starring Fat Jai.
Chow Cheered in New Role
From the Hong Kong Standard
Entertainment section of August 7th, 1998. Article written by uncredited staff. (And many thanks to Gil for letting me know about the article last Friday!)
ACTOR Chow Yun-fat's first Hollywood effort, The Replacement
Killers, may have received only a lukewarm response, but selected screenings of his second United States-made movie, The Corruptor, was soundly received.
The role of Chow as a police officer working the streets of New York's Chinatown was so convincing that audience cheered.
There is no word as to when the movie will be shown in Hong Kong,
since it has yet to be officially released in the US.
Chow is taking a break before starting his third project, The King and I. Since filming is not going to start anytime soon, the star may return to spend Christmas in Hong Kong.
[Of course, one has no idea how reliable this report is ... but still, Muahahahahahahahahahahaha!]
More on CYF & the demise of HK film
From "Exit the Dragon?", by Neil Strauss for the New York Times of August 1st, 1998. Reposted directly from Wolverine's HK TOP 10 for July 29th!
Excerpt from the depressing but well-written article:
'Instead of sticking around to help clean up the mess, many of Hong Kong's biggest stars fled for a better shore. Actors like Chow Yun-Fat ("Replacement Killers") have pledged not to return until they see better scripts. At last count, there were at least 17 Hong Kong actors and directors working on projects in Hollywood -- from Jet Li in "Lethal Weapon 4" to Mr. Woo directing Tom Cruise in "Mission Impossible 2" to Michelle Yeoh landing a starring role in "Charlie's Angels." And where Hong Kong directors once remade Hollywood hits, now Hollywood is remaking Hong Kong films. Jim Carrey, for example, just agreed to remake the Hong Kong comedy "God of Cookery," with the Hong
Kong star Stephen Chiau as director.'
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