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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 |
September 1998:
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More on CYF destroying HK film:
Reposted directly from the HKSAR Top 10 for September 23rd. Many thanks to Wolverine for transcribing and translating this article.
From an article in Sing Tao about Jackie Chan's Hollywood career:
....Hong Kong people cheered when Chow Yun Fat succeeded in Hollywood.
No one expected that, with Fat Gor gone, Hong Kong film lost 100
million at the box office (if he makes 3 films a year). Star is
Hong Kong's most valuable resource with no doubt. Then Jet Li (Lee
Nin Kit) ran off as well. Hong Kong people still don't know the
good and bad of it all.....
Chow Yun Fat thinks about leaving Hong Kong film
Reposted directly from the HKSAR Top 10 for September 16th. Many thanks to Wolverine for transcribing and translating this article.
This summer, without Double Chow (Chow Yun Fat and Stephen Chiau
Sing Chi) and One Lung (Jackie Chan), Hong Kong film lost its
attractiveness and only The StormRiders (Fung Won) reached the 40
millin mark at the box office, followed by A True Mob Story (Lung Joi
Gong Wu) with 17 million. The rest remained disappointing. To the
audience, the cast is still honey.
In order to save the market, Jackie Chan has decided to return
to Hong Kong to make an action romance; Stephen Chiau Sing Chi's God
of Cookery 2 (Sik Sun 2) is in its preparation stages; what about our
Fat Gor? When will he leave Hollywood temporarily to console his
Hong Kong film fans?
"20 more years!" 20 years? "I worked in Hong Kong for 20
years before reaching a certain level of success; but in Hollywood I
just started, how will that work if I don't spend 20 years?" Sigh!
Hong Kong fans will have to wait as their necks and lives grow longer.
"They can watch me perform in plays and I will also do
commercials." But Hollywood films aren't as much fun as Hong Kong
films, what will he do when his acting addiction kicks in? "It did!
That's why I have asked directors for cameos to let me have my fun."
The 40 year old Fat Gor after 20 years will be 60? When he returns
to Hong Kong film will he be as strong as Sean Connery? "Not yet,
20 years from now I still have a long way to go before I hit 60. I
am young than Alan (Tam Wing Lun), I am not 25 yet." Fat Gor joked,
"I never thought about retiring. As long as people are willing to
hire me and to watch me, I will continue."
Now Hong Kong film faces external and internal ills. Chow Yun
Fat who grew up in this scene has already stabilized his footing in
Hollywood but is willing to return to save the market. Isn't he
afraid that people would say he has forgotten where he came from?
"Hong Kong film is fine, there are several big brothers holding the
fort. Nothing will happen! Hong Kong is a lucky place and its
future can't be brighter."
Fat Gor again lightly brushed off trouble. Perhaps the truth
is that no Hong Kong boss can afford his current salary to attract
him? "I spent two years before I made a film in the West. I had to
hire an agent, pay taxes and expenses. I didn't end up with much,
don't think I made a lot of money."
Only Fat Gor knows the truth. With a film every other year,
he wouldn't let the time go to waste, right? On days when the
acting bug bites, Fat Gor actually has considered starring in a
television series.
"It has been such a long time. Performing on television
actually can really hold on the bug. If television can be like film,
with a complete 25 episode script and an attractive production, I
will definitely consider it."
"New comers like us don't have the power to choose script. The
offers came to me, perhaps because the people feel I am suitable.
They think I am a kung fu actor (You hold a gun, at most you are an
action actor) How can they make the distinction." Kung fu actor?
What would he do if Fat Gor has to jump from 20 floors above?
"I of course can't do it! Ah Yun can! (Ah Yun?) (Jet Li) Lee
Nin Kit's double (oh, Hung Yun Yun). However, for The King and I I
don't even have to hold a gun. Now with the new production, I don't
have to shave my head, I don't have to sing, the times have improved!"
Toward this film and this character, Fat Gor appeared to be somewhat
proud, perhaps due to the fact that an Asian actor finally is being
recognized without any weapon and purely for his acting.
Chow Takes Centre Stage
In and out: Busy Chow Yun-fat is teaming up with Andy Lau and Stephen Chiau in a play.
From the Hong Kong Standard
Entertainment section of September 29th, 1998. Article written by uncredited staff. (And many thanks to John Charles for circulating the URL!)
THE multi-talented Chow Yun-fat will star in a Cantonese play called Love's Labour Won at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from Wednesday to 10 October.
Fans are wondering if Chow along with comedian Stephen Chiau and pop superstar Andy Lau will be performing on stage at the same time.
John Woo's Killer made Premiere's Top 100
Reposted directly from Wolverine's HKSAR Top 10 for September 9th! Many thanks to Wolverine for translating and transcribing this news.
John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) still hasn't won any international film festival award, but his effect is no less than any international masters. In the latest issue of American film magazine Premiere, his early work The Killer (Dip Huet Seung Hung) was chosen as one of the 100 "earth shattering" classic films.
Premiere selected 100 so-called "earth shattering" film to celebrate film's 100th Anniversary. All of the films have been screend by American Film Society. John Woo and Chow Yun Fat's The Killer from 9 years ago was the only Chinese directed film on the chart. Other films include Hitchcock's Bird, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and Rashomon.
Premiere also called John Woo a talent that has brought Hollywood new excitement. Ng Yu Sum said, "Fat Jai and I are noticed by Hollywood because of The Killer, which can be considered a bridge and a turning point for our path to Hollywood. Thus this film is very important to both of us. Actually America has always wanted the two of us to pair up on a project again, but currently both Fat Jai and I are busy with our own careers. I think it will be next year before we can work together on King's Ransom."
HKSE blurb confirms Reis will co-star in cell phone ad.
This article appeared in the Hong Kong Standard Entertainment Section. Many thanks to John Charles for forwarding me the news!
It's official. Michelle Reis and Chow Yun-fat have been paired
up in an upcoming advert for mobile-phone network SmarTone.
Reis and Chow will play a couple in the advert, which will be shot in three parts.
But unlike the steamy kiss scene that Takeshi Kaneshiro and Japanese model Miki had to do, there will be no contact between Chow and Reis. Well, almost none.
Entertainment Weekly CYF News
Article written by Gary Eng Walk for Entertainment Weekly, & reposted in Wolverine's HKSAR Top 10 for September 2nd! Thanks to Wolverine for posting this news.
Hong Kong legend Chow Yun-Fat will play the King of Siam
Fresh off the success of the modern-day fairy tale "Ever After," director Andy Tennant is set to bring another storybook romance to the big screen next year: "Anna and the King" (Twentieth Century Fox), starring Hong Kong film legend Chow Yun-Fat as the King of Siam. Just don't call it a "King and I" remake. "I think American audiences' only exposure to the history of Siam is a frivolous musical that took some gross liberties with the factual elements," says Tennant, about the 1956 movie musical that won five Oscars, including a best actor award for Yul Brynner. "This nonmusical movie is a serious version of the story that's much better and quite detailed."
The choice to cast Chow, 43, in Brynner's role is a bold one, considering that the actor has made a name for himself by playing noble but violent double-barreled gunslingers in films like "The Killer," "Hard Boiled," and "The Replacement Killers." But Tennant, who is now researching the film in Thailand, is convinced that the actor is perfect for the part: "I never thought of him as a shoot-'em-up kind of guy. I feel that he has tremendous screen presence, loads of talent, and a charisma that hasn't been tapped yet for the American market." If Chow does as well in "King" as Barrymore did in "Ever After" (which has grossed $40.7 million in four weeks) Tennant may look like a genius. "A lot of people were surprised by how strong Drew Barrymore's performance was," says the director. "Chow
will be similar. I'm looking forward to seeing him have an opportunity to kick ass -- this time in an acting sort of way."
-- Gary Eng Walk
Chow Yun Fat reveals what would bring him back to the small screen
Reposted directly from Wolverine's HKSAR Top 10 for September 2nd! Many thanks to Wolverine for translating and transcribing this news.
Art Advancement Student Group will perform a show between
September 30 to October 10 and manage to get its Lifetime Honorary Chair Chow Yun Fat to guest star.
On the 3rd the group held a press conference to announce the details with Chow Yun Fat, Tony Leung Ka Fat and Andy Lau Tak Wa in attendance. Cast members of the show, Joi Ji Chiu Gai Yun, include Lo Hoi Peng, Lam Ka Tung, Lee Kwok Lun, Lo Chun Shun, Gigi Fu Ming Hin and others even changed into their costumes and met with the press. Wa Jai although will not take part in the performance wrote the words Nung Ching Sup Joi (Lit: Deep Love Ten Years) as a gift to the group.
Haven't performed on stage for awhile, Fat Gor's performance this time is on a voluntary basis and before hand he has notified his American managers who only asked him to ask the group not to release this show on video.
Recent news reports have been surrounding the topic of girl's figures. A lot of news has gone under thanks to the shapely ladies. Did the group hold the press conference now to avoid those Japanese beauties? Fat Gor said that was not the intention. The press conference was held at this time because he was sick as soon as he returned to Hong Kong.
Television stations in order to increase ratings constantly ask their artists to wear swimsuits. Coming from a television background, does Fat Gor have any regrets seeing television programs reaching today's level? Fat Gor thought that every era has its own management. Actually a lot of TVB's choices were just following other's footsteps.
TVB is already the major station, how can it be led by others? Fat Gor said TVB also has its worries as the decision makers are also worried that it would lose out to others. No matter how good TVB's management methods are they are still prone to mistakes.
Will he return to television? Fat Gor said if there is a 25 episode series with a complete script and production method similar to film, he will return to the small screen again.
Also, he has been married for years yet he and his wife still don't have any children. Why not take time to make one? Fat Gor laughed, "We don't plan to have any anymore. Perhaps we will adopt."
Does he regret not having any kids in the family? He said, "I don't have any regret in this world anymore. Things have always been smooth sailing for me, what else would I want?"
Having children would make the family more complete. He said, "Marriage can end in divorce, thus as long as the couple is happy they don't necessarily have to have kids."
The reason Fat Gor doesn't want to have kids is because after his wife's miscarriage, he realized that it was difficult enough for his wife to take care of him. If they have children, he would worry that the burden would be too great for her.
"After the accident last time, we have decided from now on not to have a baby because if we do have a kid not don't have enough time to raise it, that would be really selfish. If we really want one, we will adopt one. If we really adopt, of course I hope to adopt children of every background, like an United Nations. As for Ma, she is very open and doesn't pressure us."
In the end though, Fat Jai said, "I am just saying that, if an accident happens, I still would want the kid." Fat Gor is killing us here.
Next March Chow Yun Fat would begin work on King of Siam.
As for his new film The Corruptor, early reviews claimed that he might have a chance at the Oscars. Fat Jai heard and frowned, "I think the paper was talking about my partner, not me. I am afraid that everyone from the film would be nominated except me!" On the 5th he would begin work on a cellular phone ad with Michelle Reis (Lee Ka Yun). When asked if he thought about retirement, Fat Gor felt that age isn't the problem, but health is. As long as he is able to, he will definitely continue acting.
Tony Leung Ka Fai who was also presented at the event revealed that next week he would head to Malaysia for an ad, then when he returns to Hong Kong he would start working on Teddy Chan Tak Sum's new film. The film will be about terrorists. As for Taiwan reports that he and Joan Chen will be in a film together, Leung Ka Fai said that she indeed has talked to him about it. However both of them will not star in it, since she will be directing the project.
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