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More on the John Woo project KING'S RANSOM
From Ain't-It-Cool News, by Harry Knowles. On June 30th, he wrote:
Well Diabolik (cool name pardner) came slinking in
from the set of MI2 in Australia to drop me a line
telling me what is on the up and up concerning
John Woo and KING'S RANSOM. Also, I've found out
that John Woo and Terrence Chang are producing
with the folks from IGNITE... well they're producing
Lance Mungia and Jeffery Falcon's next film OUT
WEST. So keep your ear to the ground for that
project as well as KING'S RANSOM... I'm curious
about anything that Woo is involved in!
With all due respect to Bob the Tomato, at least one fact in his bulletin was
wrong: Mike Werb and Michael Colleary are not currently working on "King's
Ransom." Those guys finished their last rewrite about 14 months ago. I can
definitely tell you, however, that the reports of its demise are greatly exaggerated.
"King's Ransom" is an action comedy. Since John Woo is famous in the United
States chiefly for his hero films, many of his fans don't know that he is actually a
very funny man who made lots of comedies in HK before "A Better Tomorrow."
(John also loves classic American musicals.) After "Broken Arrow" and
"Face/Off," he wanted to do something light and breezy and just plain fun.
John had been developing a hard-action script called "King's Ransom" with an
excellent writer named John McCormick ("Tokyo Pop"), about a heist of the
English Crown Jewels. John Woo's vision of the story was evolving, however, into
a caper movie in the spirit of "Topkapi," (HARRY NOTE: SEEK OUT
TOPKAPI AND WATCH IT, BRILLIANT MOVIE) and "Big Deal on
Madonna Street" (HARRY NOTE: UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE YET TO
SEE THIS MOVIE)... playful ensemble pieces with romance, music ... and very
little gunplay.
The script Mike Werb and Michael Colleary re-worked was a love triangle in
which a woman jewel thief is torn between her reckless partner-in-crime and her
new boyfriend, a Dudley Do-Right FBI agent, who in turn has no idea his new
girlfriend is the mysterious jewel thief whom he is trying to catch. There are lots
of casino heists, motorcycle escapes, armored car thefts, acrobatic museum
robberies, noble heroes and double-crossing bad guys. In short ... it was very
much a John Woo movie, but without a big body count.
John was very happy with that draft and even started to meet with actors
about the lead roles. But not surprisingly, Fox was hoping for a trademark-John
Woo, hard action star-vehicle with lots of shoot-em-up. Consequently, they asked
for more work on the script in order to snag an AAA-list movie star, and ... well,
John got impatient and moved on to MI2, which was going ahead quickly.
Meanwhile, another writer was assigned to "King's Ransom." Drafts are still
being written, and there is still a great deal of enthusiasm at Lion Rock (John and
Terence Chang's company) and at Fox.
As for John's supposed negativity about "King's Ransom:" he might truly be
soured on it, but I doubt it. In the grueling dog days of the "Face/Off" production,
you might remember the stories that John swore off making ANY movies again,
especially big action movies ... like MI2! So I think it's safe to take his disavowel
with a grain of salt ... at least for now.
John has invested a lot of love and hard work in "King's Ransom." Since it's
one of his pet projects, I wouldn't sign its death certificate just yet.
Diabolik
KING'S RANSOM nearing death...
From Ain't-It-Cool News, by Harry Knowles. On June 27th, he wrote:
Hey folks Harry here! I know a lot of you don't know
much about this project, because the rest of us
don't as well. Rumors of this project have been
floating about for the past two years (ever since
FACE/OFF) and at one point it was to be made prior
to MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2... Well, that didn't pan
out. The film was rumored to star Chow Yun Fat and
(Tom Cruise, Nick Cage, John Travolta or Harrison
Ford) in a buddy ONCE A THIEF sort of film. But
now, it seems it's unlikely to be made.
This film according to Woo himself is probably never going to get made, it just
doesn't have the potential according to Woo, he said he is very sick of the action
genre (considering this MI2 situation) he says it has about a 40% chance of
getting made, the Face/Off guys (Mike Werb & Michael Colleary) are rewriting it
right now.
Bob the Tomato
JACKIE CHAN, CHOW YUN FAT, STEPHEN CHIAU SING CHI REMAIN POPULAR
From the Ta Kung Pao of June 18th. And many thanks to Jerry for reposting the article on his HK Top 10 site!
The Radio and Television Hong Kong produced
JOI GEIN MUNG GUNG CHEUNG (BATTLE THE DREAM FACTORY AGAIN) has conducted a
survey to see how the film industry went from a full blossom to its
current tragic state.
The survey took place in the beginning of March and interviewed 405
Hong Kongers who are above the age of 12. The results showed that 40% has
gone to the theaters in the past year. Most like Hollywood films. Hong
Kong films cannot compete with its Western counterparts because of the
bad quality of the films. Another reason for the decline of theater
audience is the expensive ticket prices. In terms of genre, comedy is
still the most popular.
The survey also selected film idols from nearly 80 Mainland, Hong
Kong, Taiwan and overseas film stars. In the end the guys win the
battle of the sexes as the top three favorites are Jackie Chan, Chow Yun
Fat, and Stephen Chiau Sing Chi. Then Arnold Schwarzenegger, Andy Lau
Tak Wa, Tom Hanks, Leon Lai Ming, Tom Cruise, Maggie Cheung Man Yuk and
Sylvester Stallone. The survey also showed the favorite behind the scene
film professional is Hollywood director Steven Spielberg. Local directors
John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) and Wong Jing both received 8 votes and tied for
second, while the only female director on the list is Ann Hui On Wa.
Takuya Kimura (Muk Cheun Tok Joi) who yesterday arrived in Hong
Kong for a costume fitting for Wong Kar Wai's new film 2046 did not
appear on the top 80, while Yutaka Takenouchi (Juk Ye Noi Fung) and Muk
Chuen's LONG VACATION co-star (San Hau Jit Ji) did. Others listed
included Muk Chuen's 2046 co-star Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Carina Lau Ka Ling,
and Faye Wong. Veteran film stars like the late Yam Kim Fai, Bat Shuet
Sin, Fong Yim Fun, Josephine Siao Fong Fong and the recently returned to
stage for a new record of 100 performances film princess Connie Chan Bo
Chu were also on the list. True stars could withstand the test of time.
The youngest among the top 25 were Nicholas Tse Ting Fung and Sam
Lee Chan Sam, While Gong Li was the only Mainlander on the list.
Also, RTHK yesterday held a discussion panel for the program and
invited Baptist College Communication Department lecturer Lo Wai Lik,
film critic Law Kar and Media Asia film distribution chief Lok Wing to
attend. Lo Wai Lik disagreed with Lam Seung Wa's comment days ago that
due to the effects of piracy film has already died and even stressed that
film as an art form will not die. He agreed with Fung Wing that in the
future the genre will gear toward family, as the audience no longer
consists of individuals, but groups of people. Another genre of the
future is romance because the theater is a holy land for couples on dates,
thus it definitely has room to exist.
Fung Wing also pointed out that parents would always bring their
children to the movies, thus family film would be the new trend for the
future. Film's path through the bottom could excite producer's creative
concepts so no one would again fight to make movies of the same topic.
As for budgets due to the market shrinkage they has fallen, everyone could
only make creative films. At the peak of the industry since most were
only in it for the money, quality steadily declined.
As for the expensive admission prices, Fung Wing felt that because
a good film is worth every cent, there is no such thing as expensive.
Chow's Chinatown role angers Beijing
HONGKONG actor Chow Yun Fat is apparently in trouble
with the Chinese authorities who feel that parts of his recent
Hollywood action movie, The Corruptor, discriminated against Chinese
people.
The Chinese government's ire may just cost him the lead role in Wo Hu Cang Long (Sleeping Tiger, Hidden Dragon), a film to be made by Taiwanese film-maker Lee Ang and shot in China.
According to Taiwanese newspaper reports, the Chinese
authorities have yet to grant the filming permit for the Lee Ang
movie, apparently because The Corruptor slighted the Chinese.
Chow plays a cop heading the New York Police Department's Asian Gang Unit in the movie about Chinatown gangs.
When it was being filmed in New York's Chinatown, the Chinese there had raised objections, saying the movie painted the ugly side of the community and poked fun at the way they speak.
However, Lee is optimistic that he will get an okay from Beijing for his movie, and has flown to Malaysia to discuss filming details with Chow, who is in Ipoh for the shooting of Anna And The King.
CHOW YUN FAT FACES A POSSIBLE BAN IN CHINA
From the Oriental Daily of June 12th. And many thanks to Wolverine for reposting the article on his site!
Originally enlisted to take Jet Li (Lee Nin
Kit)'s place in Ang Lee's new film CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (NGOR FU
CHONG LUNG), Chow Yun Fat might lose the opportunity and face a possible
ban in China due to his second Hollywood film THE CORRUPTOR.
Sources from Taiwan revealed that China has words over the Chinese
insulting story of THE CORRUPTOR. According to current Chinese
regulations, all movies shot in China might first be approved by the
Broadcast and Film Ministry and also be a collaboration with a Chinese
studio or film company. CROUCHING's collaborator is a Chinese film
company, but because the authorities have yet been willing to grant
approval, currently Fat Jai has yet signed a contract for CROUCHING.
Right now Fat Jai is working on ANNA AND THE KING in Malaysia. The
film is expected to wrap by the end of the month. Reportedly, Ang Lee
headed to Malaysia from Beijing to further talk with Fat Jai about the
film. If the project can successful "break through" China's ban, Ang Lee
hopes Fat Jai could arrive in Beijing before the end of June to begin
training for the film.
JOHN WOO AND CHOW YUN FAT IN NEGOTIATION FOR NEW FILM
By Peter Tang, for THE SUN of 6/1/1999. And many thanks to Wolverine for reposting the article on his site!
Chow Yun Fat is quite an international
superstar. His new film CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (NGOR FU CHONG LUNG)
has yet begun production and already it has sold for more than US$8 million
at the Cannes Film Festival. Chinese producers all over the world now hope
to be able to land Fat Gor for their production.
The most sincere one has to be the China Film Studio. The studio
production department manager Lee Yau Ning months ago handed the script of
the new film SUN TAM LEE CHEUNG ?YUK (GODLY DETECTIVE LEE CHEUNG ?YUK) to
Fat Gor and planned to head to America in the summer to talk details with
Fat Gor's manager Terence Chang (Cheung Ka Chun). Even though Fat Gor has
not been confirmed to star, China Film has already decided to purchase the
rights to the film and announced the entire film would be shot in the
Western production style. At the same time it hopes that John Woo (Ng Yu
Sum) could direct.
As for Ang Lee's new film CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, the cast
would include Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King), Hsu Chi, and
Chang Chen (Cheung Chun). Pre production is at its final stages.
[Note: This China Film Studio is wildly unlikely, IMHO. Woo is hunting bigger game, these days, and the project sounds like the kind of wanne-be heroic bloodshed film that CYF now eschews. -- Winnifred]
YONFAN INVESTS MILLION TO RERELEASE ROSE
By LEE PO CHEUNG, for THE SUN of 6/1/1999. And many thanks to Wolverine for reposting the article on his site!
Director Yonfan (Yeung Fan) likes his 86 film THE STORY OF ROSE (MUI GWAI DIK GOO SI) so much he is willing to invest over HK$1 million to "renovate" the movie, including the use of computer
effects to rearrange the film, Bao Bei Tak to redo the music and, Cass Phang Ling to sing the theme.
The film has been in post production has been quite some time.
Currently it is awaiting a date for its re-release.
Released in 86, THE STORY OF ROSE took in over 8 million at the box
office. At the time Chow Yun Fat was still known as "box office poison"
and Maggie Cheung Man Yuk was brand new to the role of a romantic lead.
The passionate love scene in the film between the two became the talk of
the town.
Yonfan honestly said, "I really like this movie. That's why I have
spent so much time and effort as well as a million to fix it up, but I
think it is well worth it! Because the result is very good! (Are you
confident about the re-release?) I think the sentimental value is more
important than money!"
In order to make everything perfect, besides giving the theme JAP
GWAN YAU NEI (USED TO HAVING YOU) to the beautiful voice of Phang Ling,
he even hired professionals from England to come to Hong Kong to mix the
sound. After 5 months of post production, the completion and re-release
are near.
Since he likes the film so much, why does not just team Fat Gor and
Maggie up again? Yonfan laughed, "That kind of feeling won't be there
anymore because they are no longer that age!" However, Director Yeung
expressed hopes of inviting Fat Gor and Maggie to attend the premiere so
they too could reminisce the beautiful memories.
Back to Chow Yun-Fat: God of Actors....
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Good news ... hope it's true!
times since October 15th, 1998.