Article written by Cheung Pui Fong. Photographs [which I will import later, if I can find 'em!] by Poon Koon Yu. Transcribed and translated by Wolverine. Original article presumably online at Next Magazine (Chinese character decoder required), but since I can't read Chinese I've not yet found it. :P
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By Cheung Pui Fong
Photography by Poon Koon Yun
Everyone has seen plenty Hollywood films that cost several million to produce. However, does everyone know where that several millon is used?
No? Don't worry, let's check out the set of Fat Gor Chow Yun Fat's second Hollywood film The Corruptor and study Fat Gor's life and treatment on the set.
When Fat Gor was making Hong Kong movies, he worked alone. However in Hollywood, Fat Gor's movie contract specifies that he has to have an assistant and a bodyguard for protection, so everywhere he goes they travel in three.
Fat Gor's bodyguard George is 6 foot 6, nearly 300 pounds. He can single handedly carry a "regulation sized" man and on top of that keep an eye out in every direction. Every time someone wants to get near Fat Gor for an autograph or for a photo, the big guy would always first stop them for questioning.
"George has previously protected Princess Di when she was vacationing in Toronto." It's no wonder whether Fat Gor is working or hanging out, George is always within 5 step radius!
Fat Gor in The Corruptor plays a New York Chinatown cop Chen who specializes in accepting protection money from gambling parlors. Fat Gor actually is an undercover officer on an investigation......finally, Officer Chen will be murdered. [NO!, NO! - WL]
Fat Gor said, since the Chinese pays a lot of attention to luck, Lei Si (lucky money) of course is required when he shoots a death scene, even when the film is shot overseas. Thus he has asked the producers to make preparations to pay every time there is a death scene. Even when there is a funeral scene that Fat Gor wouldn't be in personally, Fat Gor still gets paid. "Of course, my picture is in front of the hearse!" Fat Gor said.
Besides an apartment for Fat Gor and Fat Soe to rest at "home" after work, Fat Gor on the set has a over 300 ft trailer which is as well equipped as his own home. Check it out!
A meal during a Hong Kong film production at most would be a box of roast pork and chicken with rice, but Fat Gor's meal on the Hollywood set is literally a buffet. The dining room has soup, appetizers, main course, and even fresh made sushi. Don't misunderstand that Fat Gor has special privileges because everyone's lunch was like that.
Fat Gor said, "Last time we were shooting in a 300 ft place in Chinatown, do you know that they booked a several thousand ft. restaurant for the dining area?" He finished the noodles, sushi and salmon on his plate and got a piece of cake. Isn't he afraid of getting fat from eating so much? He humorously said, "No, no matter how fat my face is it won't be wider than the screen! It will be awhile before I blow up!"
Besides the full course buffet, the dining cart prepares sandwiches, coffee, and snacks all day long. Without them, the crew has the right not to work! Can you believe it?
Weekends are holidays. Fat Gor and Fat Soe besides resting would take walks, places near Chinatown like Queen Vest St., Eaton are places they would hang out at.
Of course, Toronto's famous Niagara Falls is one of the film's locations. Fat Gor said, "I have been here 7 times, at least twice with Wong Kei (former TVB executive), but Mrs. Chow said she has never been here, so I am accompanying her!" Although they suffered through a half a hour drive, when Mrs. Chow saw the Fall, she screamed with joy, "Hubby, it's huge (the Fall)......"
With a chance to make money and travel, it's real huge--fun!
For those who are environmentally conscious, if your eyes constantly bring their own bags, you should listen to Fat Gor's secret:
"It's simple. Every morning boil an egg and wrap it in a towel. Because the heat from the egg will dissolve the fat and help with blood flow, it is very effective." After that, Fat Gor pointed to Mrs. Chow's eyes and said, "Before she has two bags under her eyes, now she only has one!"
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