Currently promoting the Karate Kid remake with Will Smith’s 11-year-old son Jaden, Jackie Chan told Total Film magazine he was bullied when he was a child because he was “too scared” to stand up for himself.
“I was bullied quite a lot when I was growing up in my Peking Opera School,” he explained.
“I was bullied until I prevented a new student from being bullied. By standing up for him, I learned to stand up for myself.”
Something of a reduced service here at easternKicks, while I move house and wait an eternity to get my broadband sorted out, but time to highlight the success of Breathless, the debut film by Korean actor turned director Yang Ik-June, at this years Tokyo Filmex, walking off with both the Grand Prize and Audience Award.
Already the recipient of numerous international film awards, the film is an accomplished first work, brutal and uncompromising in its portrayal of the caise and effect of domestic violence, it’s also poetic, funny, and surprisingly uplifting. On paper, a strange mix, but on screen easily one of the best Asian films of the year. The film opens in selected cinemas around the UK on 29 January 2010, distributed by Terracotta Distribution, and is a must-see.
We’ll be bringing you an exclusive interview with Yang Ik-June, who also stars, wrote and edited Breathless, and happens to be a lot more affable in real life than you might expect from his role, as well as a review of the film itself.
Just a few days after the death of David Carradine, star of the Bruce Lee conceived Kung Fu, was announced, now the death of Lee’s co-star in Enter The Dragon has been announced.
Shih Kien (also known as Sek Kin) may be best remembered as Lee’s one-handed arch-rival in Enter The Dragon, but with a career stretching back to 1940 appeared in hundreds of movies. These included appearing alongside Chow Yun-fat in A Better Tomorrow III, and many Shaw Brothers productions including Buddha’s Palm.
Shih died on Wednesday at a Hong Kong hospital with his children by his side, the Ming Pao Daily News reported.
The 72 year-old star of Kung Fu and Kill Bill, David Carradine, was found dead in his hotel room in Thailand on Thursday. Found naked in a wardrobe by a hotel maid, he is said to have had cord wrapped around his neck and other parts of his body, though the cause of death has yet to be established.
Part of an acting dynasty begun by his father, John Carradine, David became best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine (or Grasshopper) in the hit tv series Kung Fu. Though his career later veared into B-movies, including the original Death Race 2000, and straight-to-video productions, it was revived in 2003 when he appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series.
More recently he appeared in tv production the White Crane Cronicles and a Chinese mobster in Crank: High Voltage.
Yep, Asia’s biggest star has had another foot in mouth moment. Seemingly endorsing China’s strict censorship policy, Jackie Chan told an audience of business leaders at a high-profile conference that the ‘Chinese need to be controlled’. Unsurprisingly his comments have sparked anger, particularly in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where legislator Huang Wei-cher said: “He himself has enjoyed freedom and democracy and has reaped the economic benefits of capitalism. But he has yet to grasp the true meaning of freedom and democracy.”
Oh boy, here we go again…
A letter written seven days before Jang Ja-yeon’s death, an actress in popular soap opera Boys Over Flowers, has caused a national outcry in South Korea, with the media focusing on ‘slave’ entertainment contracts. It’s opened up the less-than-salubrious side to KoreanTV.
The 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival is now in full swing, after a gala premiere of Ashes Of Time Redux (yes, I know – well after the rest of the world?). There was a rare public appearance from Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia, long retired from the film industry. Director Wong Kar-wai also attended, with Tony Leung and his wife Carina Lau, and Charlie Yueng.
Elsewhere, John Woo and Tsui Hark celebrated the 25th anniversary of the production company they set up, Film Workshop, best known for 80s classics A Better Tomorrow and Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain.
Chow Yun-fat, star of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Killer and the upcoming live-action Dragonball: Evolution, is set to bring the historical character of Confucius to the screen, according to Times Online. (Well, he has rather become the Asian version of Morgan Freeman of late – the father stroke God figure dishing out advice and wisdom to the lead characters, hasn’t he?)
You can read the full article here, which also includes some pearls of wisdom from both men. (Including “Why do hot dogs come in packages of ten, but hot dog buns only come in packages of just eight?” from Chow Yun-Fat in Bulletproof Monk…
Jackie Chan is set to play the role of Mr Miyagi in the remake of 80s classic The Karate Kid. Originally played by TV favourite Pat Morita, he even won an oscar nomination for his role in the original movie.
The Karate Kid will be played by Will Smith’s son, Jaden. Will Smith confirmed his son will be appearing with Chan this morning on BBC’s Breakfast programme.
The original Karate Kid was played by Ralph Macchio, but people often to forget that two time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank made her cinematic debut in The Next Karate Kid.
The Hong Kong townhouse that was once home to Bruce Lee and had since become a downmarket love motel has been donated to the city to become a museum.
Wise Kwai reports that Chocolate has bombed on it’s release in Taiwan in comparison with the previous success of Ong-Bak and Tom Yum Goong (Warrior King) – mind you, could that have something to do with the now widely available DVD releases, including the UK release next month? Also to be released in the UK soon, Chukiat Sakweerakul’s bloody psychological thriller 13 Beloved.
Wu-Jing.org reports on the release of Gordon Chan’s take on Painted Skin, starring Donnie Yen. Very much of the Chinese Ghost Story ilk, it’s a story that’s previously been interpreted by Pao Feng (1966) and King Hu (1992).
Twitch reports on new Korean cable TV drama, Fight Master, as well as the sad passing of Korean actress Choi Jin-Shil, star of Partisans of South Korea and Roses & Beansprouts.
Meanwhile beyondhollwood.com talks about the official announcement of a Kung Fu Panda sequel, and the new poster for the latest Asian horror to be remade in Hollywood, The Uninvited – a remake of Kim Ji-woon’s A Tale of Two Sisters. (Thankfully not out till January 09 now!)
After leaving the set of Ong-Bak 2 in what appeared to be something of a meltdown, then appearing in tears on national Thai television, Tony Jaa has finally returned to complete the film. His mentor action choreographer Panna Rittikrai will be taking over direction duties from him. Read more about Tony Jaa’s return on Wise Kwai’s Thai Film Journal »
The 65th Venice International Film Festival is now well under way and runs until 6 September. New Asian films in competiton include: Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo On The Cliff, which you can see pictures of and read more about it here at Twitch; Takeshi Kitano’s Achilles and the Tortoise; and Yu Lik-wai’s Plastic City, which you can read more about on MonkeyPeaches.
Meanwhile, Wu-jing.org reports that the latest collaboration between actor/action choreographer Donnie Yen and director Wilson Yip, Ip Man, has been completed.
Hong Kong actor Tony Leung has married long term partner Carina Lau in a Buddhist-inspired ceremony in Bhutan, according to reports.
Tony Leung came to the attention of Western audiences in Wong Kar-wai’s In The Mood For Love, and Infernal Affairs, which was remade by Martin Scorsese as The Departed. He also appeared with Carina Lau in Kar-wai’s 2046. He most recently appeared in Ang Lee’s controversial Lust, Caution.
Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan hopes to make a film about the Chinese earthquake to raise money for survivors.
