CYF & Jamine run into Michelle Yeoh at a save-the-planet event. From the Ming Pao of November 30th, 1998. Many thanks to Sanney for circulating the pic!
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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 |
December 1998:
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Thai body rapped for blocking film project From Reuters, via the Singapore Straits Times of December 29th, 1998. Many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!
BANGKOK -- A Thai academic on Saturday criticised a government body overseeing the film industry of being paranoid in protecting the Thai monarchy by rejecting 20th Century Fox's plan to film Anna And The King Of Siam in Thailand.
Academic and social critic Sumet Jumsai told reporters a final decision by Thailand's National Film Board this week to turn down Fox's project to make a new version of The King And I in the country reflected its siege mentality.
Film board chairman Prasit Damrongchai said on Friday his body would not allow the film to be made in Thailand after Fox failed to meet a Dec 23 deadline in confirming that the movie would be based on its fourth amended script submitted to the agency.
A film board member said the agency was against filming it in Thailand because the movie was aimed primarily at entertaining rather than upholding the image of the Thai monarchy.
Thailand's constitution prescribes long jail terms for acts that would put the monarchy in an unfavourable light.
A Fox spokesman said last month the studio would move to neighbouring Malaysia to make the film starring Jodie Foster and Hongkong actor Chow Yun Fat, that retells the story of the 19th-century English woman, Anna Leonowens, who went to Siam to teach in the court of King Rama IV.
Ms Supinda Chakrabandhu, Thai coordinator of the movie, said Thailand stood to lose about 800 million baht (S$36 million) in potential revenue.
"This is an attempt by the film board to pass the buck and, whether intentional or not, to make it impossible for Fox to make the film here," she said.
Social critic Sumet, echoing the views of many Thai academics, argued that moving the film location to Malaysia would increase the chances of historical distortions and cultural inaccuracies in the film that Thai officials tried to avoid. "I fear that filming in Malaysia would make the final version a joke. The film board, the minister overseeing the film industry, and the prime minister must take the responsibility for the damage to be done to Thailand and its monarchy.
"They were walled in by their paranoia, their excessive fear and overprotectiveness of the monarchy while we are only one or two years from a new millennium," he said.
Fox is a division of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
Chow Film "Worst" From the Hong Kong Standard of December 29th, 1998. And many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!
CHOW Yun-fat's Replacement Killers has landed the honour of being one of America's top 10 worst films of the year. When asked to comment about his first effort in Hollywood being a flop, Chow just smiled.
He said that since Replacement Killers is the worst, he can't sink any further, but can only go higher. He had hoped it would do well, but he was disappointed by the response.
Nevertheless, he doesn't worry about it much. Chow, asked if the movie would be a bad reflection on him and his chance to make it big in Hollywood, said he is currently concentrating on another movie being filmed there. In March he will go to Malaysia with Jodie Foster to make The King and I. On 21 February his second English movie The Corruptor will be released here.
When asked if bootleg VCDs of his latest movie would affect ticket sales, Chow said he was worried, and hoped the local movie industry would be healthy once again.
CHOW YUN-FAT STILL CONFIDENT
Excerpts from Oriental and Takungpao of December 28th, transcribed and translated by Sanney!
Last night, Chow Yun-Fat and his wife attended a performance of the stage play BUTTERFLY LOVERS. His mood was very good -- although the box-office for his first Hollywood movie, THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS, was poor and has made the ten worst list of Hollywood films for 1998 [from People Magazine -- WL] -- Chow Yun-Fat still laughed and said he was happy. Chow stressed that after falling this time, he would not fall again. He said that he had big expectations for THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS so he was naturally disappointed. However, following
the disappointement, expectations are rising again as his next film, THE CORRUPTORS is due for international release soon. As for the problem of piracy, Chow said that it was a cause for concern. All he can do is hope that the industry can rebound from its low tide.
This year, Chow Yun-Fat was able to spend Christmas in Hong Kong. Fat-Jai revealed that he spent Christmas at home with his family, let his servants do all the cooking and ate a big meal. Last year, Fat-Jai spent Christmas away from Hong Kong and did not enjoy it as much. He says that, in the end, spending Christmas in Hong Kong has more of a holiday atmosphere.
Towards the end of January, Fat-Jai will be going to Los Angeles to meet with Jodie Foster to prepare for the filming of ANNA AND THE KING in March. Currently, his biggest concern is to get his English down pat. This is because the film is an art film so learning the dialogue is critical. Although he has made art films before, he has never acted opposite a high quality actress such as Jodie Foster. He worries that he will not be able to live up to his end of the bargain.
FOX TO SPEND US$20 MILLION ON PALATIAL SET FOR "ANNA AND THE KING"
Moving the movie location to Malaysia may increase the chances of inaccuracies
Not worried: Only way to go is up, Chow Yun-fat joked.
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Pic and article from the Apple Daily of December 23rd. And many thanks to Sanney for translating and circulating the article! It has now been confirmed that ANNA AND THE KING, the remake of THE KING AND I, starring Chow Yun-Fat and Jodie Foster will be shot it Malaysia. According to an Internet report from Hollywood, ANNA AND THE KING will shoot for 13 weeks in Malaysia. Also Fox 2000 is reportedly spending US$20 million to build a replica of a palace for the shoot. Moreover, over 2000 extras and twenty elephants will be needed for the film. No doubt, Fat-Gor's new film will definitely have the feel of an epic. |
More Rumours About Yeoh and AATK
From an article in the Singapore Straits Times of December 22nd: "Michelle Yeoh Moves On," by Li Xueying. And many thanks to John Charles for forwarding the URL!
The article is on Yeoh's possible future career moves. The relevant part goes:
Flipping back her long jet black hair, she said with a laugh: "The role might require me to shave my head, and if so, I won't do it. I have other movie commitments and I can't possibly be bald in all of them!"
AATK: The Extras and The Elephants
From the Dark Horizons site, December 21 update. And many thanks to Jeff Koga for forwarding me the news!
Anna and the King: Overseas correspondent (always wanted to say that) 'Wooky' sent in this scoop on "The King & I" remake:
"Hi, I'm a resident in Malaysia and I've received some info on this new Chow Yun-Fat/Jodie Foster flick. They will apparently shoot for 13 weeks and will spend some US $18-20 million. It will shoot in the city of Ipoh which is just north of Kuala Lumpur. A replica of the Siamese royal palace is being built there. Over 20,000 extras and 20 elephants will be casted in this movie."
TC Lunar New Year Release
Excerpt from the Apple Daily of December 17th. Courteously translated and transcribed by Sanney, and circulated by John Charles.
This year's HK Box Office is down 20% from last year. Industry insiders hope that the holiday films can revive and save the industry.
The Hong Kong film industry is in the doldrums. The box office is down 20% compared to last year. Industry insiders hope that the traditionally busy time of Christmas and Chinese New Year films can help revive the box office and bring in patrons. The coming crop of New Year's films include the top of the HK industry: Stephen Chow, Chow Yun-Fat, and Jackie Chan.
This year, during Christmas, the wave of HK films released will not be large. Of the releases, only the Andy Lau - Athena Chu GAMBLING HERO 1999 and the Ekin Cheng - Jordan Chan - Kelly Chen WAN YING DUT GUNG are worthy of attention.
As for the New Year's Films, releases from Hollywood and HK will form a strong attack. Golden Harvest will naturally rely on a Jackie Chan. The Vincent Kok Tak-Chiu film GLASS BOTTLE; besides starring Jackie Chan, also stars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Hsu Chi. The Gum Sing - Sun Bo theatre chain will feature the Stephen Chow - Karen Mok KING OF COMEDY. The Western film dominated On-Lok theatre chain will feature Chow Yun-Fat's second Hollywood film THE CORRUPTOR. Raymond Wong Bak-Ming's BIG-Mandarin chain will feature the Andy Lau - Ishida Hikari
romance DESTINY OF LOVE.
A spokesperson for On-Lok, Chan Wai-Chu told Apple reporters yesterday, "The 1998 box office dropped 20% from 1997. As theatre operators, we hope that the New Year's movies will represent a turning point. This year we will be putting out our best and hopefully we can attract audience members into theatres. However, piracy remains the biggest problem for the industry. We maintain hope that Customs can deal with the problem. Otherwise, recovery of the market will be impossible."
Oscar nominations for Anna and the King?
By Chan Yuet Mei, for the Apple Daily of December 14th. Courteously translated and transcribed by Sanney, and circulated by John Charles. Also translated by Wolverine and posted at the HKSAR Top 10 page!
Apple Daily pic from the December 14th paper! |
Asian Best Actor Chow Yun Fat and Oscar Best Actress Jodie Foster would begin work on Anna and the King in February. 20th Century Fox would invest US$65 million on the project and even planned to make this film an Oscar contender in 2000.
Fat Jai said, "The movie hasn't even begun production yet and I haven't received a notice from the company. If the film participates in film festivals, the company wouldn't tell the cast! However this movie will be one of Fox's major productions next year and Jodie Foster is an Oscar award winner. It wouldn't be surprising that it is nominated from an Oscar next year! Of course I would be happy if I have a chance to compete for a Best Actor Oscar! I believe that is the lifelong dream of all actors." Fat Jai expressed that in February he would head to Malaysia two weeks in advance to rehearse with Jodie Foster. Knowing how great of an actor she is, Fat Jai saw working with her as a challenge. For Fat Jai's third Hollywood film, both casting and production budget are higher than his two previous films. However he didn't feel any pressure. "You are the ones who say there is pressure. I don't feel any! Now I am reading the English script daily. I have to work hard during rehearsals." John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) after finishing Tom Cruise's sequel to Mission: Impossible will begin working on Fat Jai's King's Ransom immediately. Ng Yu Sum has always hoped for a Hollywood star to match Fat Jai on this project, and Brad Pitt is in negotiation. However Fat Jai didn't seem to be in the mood to look too far ahead. He laughed, "Let me finish The King and I before thinking about other stuff! I really haven't thought about who to work with for the next film." |
[However, the November 1998 Action Status reported that after MI:2 Woo is doing a WW2 film called Windtalkers. So AFAIK KR has been pushed back again. -- WL]
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From the Hong Kong Standard of December 14th, 1998. And many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!. HOLLYWOOD actor Chow Yun-fat and Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster will begin work on the movie The King And I in February in Malaysia, not Thailand as originally planned. The Twentieth Century Fox production will cost about US$65 million (HK$507 million) and will be the studio's biggest project next year. Asked about his chances of being nominated for an Oscars' Best Actor award for his upcoming movie, the Hong Kong actor said he can't be sure since the film hasn't been made yet. But he added he certainly hopes to be nominated. Chow, who previously starred in Hollywood movies Hard Boil [sic! What a bizarre mistake for an HK paper to make. -WL] and Replacement Killers, says he doesn't feel too much pressure and is hard at work rehearsing his English lines. Pic at left: from the same article, captioned "Lined up: Chow Yun-fat is busy learning his lines for the Hollywood movie The King And I." |
Jodie to earn a royal $116m as Anna
By Greg Torode for the SCMP of December 5th, 1998. And many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!.
Hollywood star Jodie Foster will earn three times as much as local heart-throb Chow Yun-fat in the controversial remake of The King and I.
Oscar winner Foster is set to earn a near record US$15 million (HK$116 million) for the lead in 20th Century Fox's Anna and the King while Chow will be paid US$5 million, production sources confirmed. Foster's fee is one third of the budget.
Chow plays revered 19th-century Thai monarch King Mongkut, a role made famous by Yul Brynner in 1956, while Foster plays Anna Leonowens, an English teacher who served in the Siamese court and wrote two hotly-disputed memoirs.
"Despite all the controversy, Foster remains at the heart of the film in a partnership . . . it is going to have to be a stunning Chow Yun-fat performance to steal the show," a production source said.
Many Thais remain outraged that Brynner's King Mongkut was a vain eccentric rather than a heroic visionary who modernised his country while keeping foreign colonialists at bay.
If a Thai translation of a fifth version of the script is rejected by the authorities next week, the film will be made in Malaysia.
CHOW YUN FAT ATTACKS THE THAI LANGUAGE PREPARES FOR 'ANNA AND THE KING'
From the Ming Pao of November 30th, 1998. Many thanks to Sanney for courteously translating and circulating the article!
Yesterday, Chow Yun-Fat attended an event promoting environmental protection. Fat-Jai feels that Hong Kong people are not active enough in protecting the environment. He fells that it is important that there are more events promoting environmental protection. This may be so but Fat-Jai admitted that although he has been a sponsor of the event since 1984, he has not attended more than ten times. He explains that the reason is because of a busy work schedule.
Recently a report stated that of Hong Kong actors, Fat-Jai had the second highest income for 1998 at HK$30 million. Fai-Jai replied bluntly, "Not that much."
When asked if it was HK$20 million, Fat-Jai went on to say, "Still not that much. I don't like to talk about money. I also don't like outsiders wildly making things up about money."
Recently, reports have also surfaced regarding Chow's ex-wife Yu On-On. Lee Man-Kei, Yu's current husband, praised Yu as a good wife and that Chow wronged a good woman. When asked to respong, Chow showed no emotion, "From this day forward, I will not talk about this issue."
When asked how he feels about current wife Chan Wui-Lin, Fat-Jai replied, "Not bad. She likes to shop." Reporters then asked if he did not like Yu On-On because she didn't like to shop. To that, Chow just smiled and did not answer.
In other news, although ANNA AND THE KING does not start shooting until March 1999, Chow is busy taking English lessons every day. Also, because the King has to speak Thai, Chow has been taking lessons in Thai as well. The film will not be shooting in Thailand. Rather, it will be shot in Michelle Yeoh's native Malaysia. This had lead to rumours that Yeoh will
appear in the film.
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