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09.07 Jacky Cheung banned from hiring another Filipina maid... Jacky Cheung has hired and fired no fewer than 21 maids from the Philippines in only three years, earning himself the nickname "The Terminator". Now employment watchdogs have put the succesful singer and actor and his wife on a blacklist, meaning thye will not be able to hire another Filipina maid... [Read more about Jacky on the Times online]
09.07 More Chinese censorship, now for Ang Lee... Now Ang Lee's new film Lust, Caution, currently in competition at the Venice Film Festival, is facing having to cut scenes from his film in order to get it released in China. The film has already been given a restrictive NC-17 rating in the US and faces a smaller release as a result... [Read more about Ang Lee's latest film on BBC news online]
08.07 Jet Li attacks China film censors... Chinese action star Jet Li has voiced frustration that his Hollywood films do not get shown in his home country... [Read more on BBC news online]
08.07 Re-Enter the dragon... It should be a surprise, Hollywood execs have announced they are to remake Enter The Dragon, changing the title to Awaken The Dragon. So far the producers are being pretty tight-lipped about who the stars will be... [Read more on the Guardian online]
08.07 A feud that animated Japanese film... Kaleem Aftab of the Independent explores the very public rift between Goro Miyazaki and his father Hayao over Tales Of Earthsea... [Read more on the BBC News online]
07.07 Jackie Chan film 'angers Chinese'... Chinese officials call a scene in new comedy Rush Hour 3 "fundamentally anti-Chinese", reports say... [Read more on the BBC News online]
07.07 China actress hits blog success... The daily online musings of a popular Chinese actress and director has turned her into one of the world's most widely-read bloggers... [Read more on the BBC Online]
07.07 Director of Yi Yi dies... Taiwanese director Edward Yang, who won best director at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival for Yi Yi, has died from complications related to colon cancer aged 59... [Read more on Edward Yang on the Guardian online]
06.07 Mad for it: Made in Hong Kong... Throughout June and July the Cornerhouse in Manchester is running a season of films celebrating a decade of cinema made in Hong Kong since it handed back to China... [Go to the official Made In Hong Kong festival site]
04.07 John Woo's new multi-million pound Chinese epic beset with problems... The much-touted return of John Woo to an Asian produced films, The Battle of Red Cliff, has been beset with problems before production has even truly begin. What was to be the first collaboration between Woo and the star he helped create, Chow Yun-fat, has fallen flat due to the star not being supplied with the script until shortly before filming was due to begin. Infernal Affairs and In The Mood For Love lead Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who appeared with Chow in Woo's Hard Boiled, left the project early on but has returned to play a different role.... [Read more about John Woo's Battle Of Red Cliff at Guardian Online]
04.07 Kar-wai vs. Tarantino... Wong Kar-wai is up against several other prestigious directors for this years top prize at Cannes. Kar-wai's My Blueberrey Nights is up against Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof and Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park... [Read more about the Cannes Film Festival nominations at BBC Online]
04.07 New series will keep Bruce Lee's legend alive... State broadcaster China Central Television has announced a new 40 part series The Legend Of Bruce Lee, produced and aimed at an international audience. Chen Guokun - who appeared in Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer - will star... [Read more about the new Bruce Lee series on the Times Online]
04.07 'I don't go to Hollywood. Hollywood goes to China'... In the run-up to the UK release of Curse Of The Golden Flower, star Gong Li talks to the Guardian's Jonathan Watts about her happy reunion with director Zhang Yimou and recent success in the west... [Read the full interview with Gong Li on the Guardian Online]
04.07 Chan's reputation brought into question... Jackie Chan has admited stuntman Bruce Law's claims that he doubled for him, but ONLY in Hollywood movies because otherwise they require insurance coverage. Maybe there was more than sour grapes to Wong Jing's High Risk?... [Read more about Bruce Law's claims on the Guardian Online]
04.07 Pangs Western debut... It was only a matter of time. The Pang Brothers have finally made their first film in English. The Messengers opens at cinemas around the UK 5 April, meanwhile the US remake of The Eye opens later in the year. What are the cahnces either of them will be any good?... [See The Messengers web site]
03.07 Banned Chinese director heads to Palestine... Lou Ye, banned from making movies in China for showing Summer Palace at Cannes last year without official approval, is planning a film about a Palestinian who is abandoned by his wife after being imprisoned for 10 years in an Israeli jail... [Read more about Lou Ye's new film on the Guardian Online]
03.07 No business like Yeoh business... Michelle Yeoh, soon to star in Danny Boyle's sci-fi epic Sunshine, talks to Jon Swain of The Times... [Read the full Michelle Yeoh interview on the Time Online]
03.07 Mum's the word for Li... Jet Li is in talks to play the villian in the upcoming The Mummy 3 film. He's also in preproduction on an untilted project with Jackie Chan... [Read more about Li's future plans on Guardian Online]
03.07 Cinema China UK... Distinctly more imaginative than the NFT's follow-up Heroic Grace season comes the University of Edinburgh's Cinema China festival, showing at screens throughout the UK. With a fantastic range of films from Shanghai melodramas from the 1930s, wuxia movies like Touch Of Zen and One-Armed Swordsman, and a season of films from Zhang Yimou. There's even a showing of the classic underrated masterpiece King Of Masks. The real highlight of the festival will be a masterclass held by the (very lovely) Maggie Cheung, accompanied by a short season of her movies... [Read more about the Cinema China festival]
03.07 Introducing to Firecracker TV... The guys at Firecracker have just launched themselves as Firecracker TV. Adding on-demand movies to the sterling on-going reviews and yearly festival they produce... [See the new look Firecracker TV]
02.07 Heroic Grace returns... This April sees the return of the Heroic Grace season to London's NFT. Picking up where the first season left off several years back, there's an opportunity to see Bruce Lee's Fist Of Fury and Way of the Dragon, as well as other kung fu features such Dirty Ho and Five Venoms - plus a showing of King Hu's The Valiant Ones... [Here's what I think about the new Heroic Grace Season]
01.07 China rejects new Scorsese film... Hollywood thriller The Departed will not be released in China, after it was rejected by the state-run distributor - mind you, haven't they already seen the better, original version anyway?... [Read more about The Depated]
01.07 Chan's new film company... Currently filming Rush Hour 3 (I can't wait, ahem!) Jackie Chan revealed he has set up a new production company with plans to make 10 movies... [Read more about Chan's new film company on BBC News]
12.06 Curse of the Golden Corset... Bloggers are so up-in-arms about the amount of cleavage on show in Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower they've even renamed it ...'Corset'. Star Gong Li has defended the films wardrobe design... [Read more on Golden Flower's 'disgraceful' costumes]
12.06 'Monopoly' row over Chinese movie... The runaway success that has surronded Zhang Yimou's latest film Curse Of The Golden Flower has run into claims from distributors that other movies were blocked from being shown to make it a hit. The latest wuxia themed movie from Yimou, director of Hero, House Of Flying Daggers and Raise The Red Lantern stars Chow Yun-fat and Gong Li... [Read more about Curse of the Golden Flower's controversy]
12.06 Maid on the make... Actor/singer Jacky Cheung's maid has been jailed for six months for stealing three photos and a letter from him. The severe sentence was because the judge felt she had intended to sell the items... [Source: Metro, 13 December 2006]
11.06 The Bruce Lee Theme Park... Yes, really. The Little Dragon is to get his own theme park built in his honour. The park will be located in his ancestral home of China - but what could the fun rides be, exactly?... [Read more about Bruce Lee's new theme park on BBC News]
11.06 It's Chan-el, darling!... Believe it or not Jackie Chan is to enter the cosmetic market with a range of organic skin care goods. I guess if you’ve had as many scrapes as he has you’d probably need them?... [Source: Metro, 21 November 2006]
11.06 Ashes Of Time revisited... Rumours have been circulating that Wong Kar-wai was to revisit his classic wuxia-on-its-head movie Ashes Of Time. For years no decent version of the film has been available - Well, sounds the rumours are true, as Fortissimo Films has announced it will be handling international sales on what they call 'the definitive version'... [Read more about Ashes Of Time on Twitchfilm.net]
11.06 The Host on UK release... The Host, Korean blockbuster and latest film from Kong Joon-ho, director of Memories Of Murder and Barking Dogs Never Bite, is general release in the UK from Friday 10 November...
10.06 Kim's cinematic bombshell... The North Korean film The School Girl's Diaryis causing a real stir internationally, and not just because the country's 'Dear Leader' helped with the script... [Read more about the film The Schoolgirl's Diary on the Observer Online]
10.06 Ang Lee's Olympic rapprochement... China has banned the US-schooled director Ang Lee's films and even his Oscar acceptance speech. But now the prodigal son is back in favour as ambassador for the 2008 Games in Beijing... [Read the full story about Ang Lee and Zhang Yimou's upcoming collaboration on the Independent Online]
10.06 Jackie back on form?... Jackie Chan returns to his roots with New Police Story, released Friday 13 October... [Check out the trailer for New Police Story]
10.06 Original is best... Director Andrew Lau likes Martin Scorsese's take on Infernal Affairs, The Departed, but still considers his original to be the best... [Read more about Andrew Lau's comments on the Guardian Online]
10.06 Hold the blockbusters, China celebrates homegrown efforts... China is delaying the release of Hollywood blockbusters like Miami Vice and World Trade Center to promote home-made films celebrating its revolutionary past and culture such as My Long March, China, 1949 and Two Red-Scarf Wrapped Women... [Read more the October Golden Autumn Excellent Domestic Film Exhibition Month on the Guardian Online]
09.06 South Korea to rest Oscar hope on gay-themed film... South Korea has picked the low-budget, gay-themed film The King and the Clown by director Lee Jun-Ik's to be its official submission for the best foreign language film Oscar at the 79th annual Academy Awards... [Read about The King and the Clown's submisson to the oscars on the Guardian online]
09.06 Kekexili theatrical premiere... Lu Chuan will be attending the UK theatrical premiere of his film Kekexili: Mountain Patrol on 14 September for a Q&A following the film. But if you can't make it, don't fear - we'll (hopefully) be bringing you an exclusive interview with the director himself... [Curzon Cinemas official site]
09.06 Chinese director 'given film ban'... Director Lou Ye has been banned from making films in China for five years for submitting an entry for the Cannes festival without government approval... [Read about Lou Ye's ban on the BBC Online]
09.06 Firecracker Showcase '06... The Firecracker Showcase festival runs at Curzon Cinemas in London from 14 to 24 September, with plenty of treats in store for Asian film fans... [See the official Firecracker Showcase website]
08.06 Chan in Hong Kong photo protest... Martial arts star Jackie Chan attends a televised rally in Hong Kong protesting against local media intrusion... [Read more about Chan's protest on the BBC online]
08.06 Hong Kong imposes 'film pirates' fines... The organisation representing Hong Kong's film industry has imposed fines of US$3,000 (£1,582) on 42 people it alleges illegally downloaded movies'... [Read more about the fate of HK film pirates on the BBC online]
08.06 Chan shoots public information film... Jackie Chan has recorded a one minute information film, aimed at children in Thailand, warning against the dangers of Bird Flu... [Source: Metro UK]
08.06 China cracks down on internet spoofs... In recent months China has caught up with the world with a series of internet pranks, including a 20 minute spoof of Chen Kaige's The Promise entitled Murder Over a Steamed Bun – which made a star of its maker Hu Ge. Sadly, this looks due to come to an end as the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) is drafting plans to block internet broadcasts of short films that satirise 'officially approved cultural products'... [Read more about plans to censor spoofs in China on the Guardian online]
08.06 Lady V in B&W... Tartan Asia Extreme are to release the 'fade to black and white' version of Lady Vengeance as part of their very special box set of Park Chan-woon's Vengenace Trilogy. New versions of Lady Vengeance, Sympathy For Mr Vengeance and Oldboy will feature additional material, including new commentaries, deleted scenes and featurettes. There's even going to be a deluxe numbered edition with packaged like the box in Oldboy, with 'vengeance themed' gifts including a hammer/bottleopener...! [Click here to order the Vengeance box set from Amazon | Click here to order the deluxe Vengence box set from Amazon]
07.06 Firecracker issue 19... The latest issue of Firecracker is online now, including a great interview with Tony Takitani director Jun Ichikawa (by yours truly!)... [Sign up for Firecracker's monthly email]
07.06 Guess who's Bak?... Tony Jaa returns to UK screens on 28 July with Warrior King, the film known as Tom Yun Goong everywhere else on the planet – do us Brits have to retitle everything?... [Check out the trailer for Warrior King]
07.06 Crouching Tiger Hidden Lawsuit... The son of the late martial arts author Wang Du Lu is contesting Columbia Pictures right to make the planned Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon prequel... [Read more about the row over Crouching Tiger prequel on the BBC online]
07.06 Three times two?... In case you hadn't twigged, Tartan Asia Extreme's release of Three Extreme II on 25 September is in fact the original Peter Chan produced Three anthology... [Read what we thought about Three]
07.06 Ang Lee to work with Tony Leung... Ang Lee has his announced his next movie, Lust, Caution, set in Shanghai in the second world war. The chinese-language film will feature In The Mood For Love star Tony Leung in what's being billed as a spy thriller. Filming commences this autumn... [Source: Guardian Unlimited Film]
07.06 Drunken Master disrupts concert... Jackie Chan interupted a concert by Taiwanese singer Jonathan Lee when he appeared inebriated on stage and traded insults with the crowd... [Read more about Jackie Chan on the Guardian online]
06.06 Firecracker issue 18... The guys at Firecracker have been very busy and have just stepped over into print (Well done!), and now the latest issue is up at last!... [Sign up for Firecracker's monthly email]
06.06 Zhang set for Seven Samurai remake... Zhang Ziyi is in talks to star in a remake of Akira Kurosawa's classic Seven Samurai (another one?), as well as a new adaptation of the legend Mulan. Nicholas Cage is to star in the remake of the Pang Brothers Bangkok Dangerous (oh dear!)... [Read more movie news on the Guardian online]
06.06 Beguiling Bai Ling... Wendy Ide of the Times talks to Bai Ling on her roles in the upcoming films Shanghai Baby and Dumplings, which will be released on 16 June... [Read more about Bei Ling on the Times online]
05.06 4th Korean Film Festival gets underway... The Prince Charles Cinema, London, plays host to this year’s Korean Film Festival from Monday 22 May to Friday 26 May. Treats in store include Scary Girl and Princess Aurora... [Find out more about the Korean Film Festival on the official website]
05.06 Cultural revolution in Cannes... Xan Brooks takes a candid look at Cannes while it tries to forget about its much-hyped, embarrishing opening film, and finds a rather more significant development - the dominance of Chinese cinema... [Read more about the cultural revolution at Cannes on the Guardian Online]
05.06 Stir it up... Forget Da Vinci (what?), it's Summer Palace that will be causing a stir at this Cannes... [Read more about the political rows at this years Cannes on the Guardian Online]
05.06 Chan warns children aboout bird flu... Jackie Chan has filmed a public service advert warning children about bird flu, according to the film star's website... [Read the full story on Jackie Chan's public service advert on BBC Online]
04.06 Incoming!...The Guardian gives a run down of upcoming releases to watch out for this summer. They include the UK release of Takashi Shimizu's Ju-on: The Grudge 2 and Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Three Times, starring Shu Qi... [Get the full lowdown on what you can expect to be watching this summer on the Guardian Online]
04.06 Election 2 in the Cannes... Johnnie To's Election 2 opens out of competiton at this years Cannes Film Festival. Wong Kar-wai will head the official jury, along with Zhang Ziyi. Other films will include the Pang Brothers latest offering, Gwai Wik (Re-cycle), Su Chao Pin's Guisi (Silk), Wang Chao's Luxury Car and Yoon Jong-bin's The Unforgiven... [See the full selection for this years fesival on Cannes official website]
04.06 Stranger than fiction... The life of South Korean director Shin Sang-Ok, who died on 11 April, became more bizarre than any Hollywood thriller after he and his wife were kidnapped by North Korean agents... [Read Shin Sang-Ok's obituary on the Guardian Online]
04.06 Firecracker issue 17... The latest issue of the Asian film newsletter is online... [Read the latest issue of Firecracker and sign-up to receive newsletter every month!]
04.06 Tony Takitani UK release... Jun Ichikawa's beautifully understated adaptation of Haruki Murakami's short story finally gets a limited release in the UK and Ireland from Friday 21 April courtesy of Axiom Films. The director will even be in attendance for some of the screenings in London and Cambridge. Those of us who saw it at the 2004 London Film Festival will agree how overdue this release is. For those who didn’t I can’t recommend it highly enough (see our review below!)... [Find out more about the screenings of Tony Takitani with director Jun Ichikawa on Axiom Films website]
03.06 Chinese star faces Hong Kong hatred... With the international success of Memoirs Of A Geisha (except in China) Crouching Tiger Ziyi Zhang finally looks set to break Hollywood - but not if the media in Hong Kong have anything to do with it! Their hate campaign for the popular actress hints at an ongoing cultural schism with mainland China... [Read more about the Ziyi's problem with the Hong Kong media on Guardian Online]
03.06 New kung fu label... A new label, 55th Chamber, launches in April, promoting old school kung fu at a bargin price of £7.99 each. The first releases will include Death Duel Of Kung Fu, Prodigal Boxer 2: Secret Of Shaolin Poles, and My Kung Fu 12 Kicks...
03.06 Seven Swords on TV... Tsui Hark has returned to television after nearly thirty years, with the production of a television version of Seven Swords. The series will give the original story justice, unlike the film that ended up being cut down from four hours ...[Read more on Seven Swords TV series on People's Daily Online]
03.06 A Bittersweet DVD release... The UK release from Tartan Asia Extreme looks like it will be the original Korean theatrical version of the film (due to it being the one they were supplied with). If this is the same as Japanese theatrical release, it's about 20 mins shorter (an improvement?)...
03.06 Firecracker issue 16... The latest issue of the Asian film newsletter is online... [Read the latest issue of Firecracker and to sign-up to the newsletter]
02.06 Lady Vengeance UK DVD... Tartan Asia Extreme will release Lady Vengeance on 15 May. The UK release will include exclusive material, but not, it appears, the 'Fade to Black & White version' (currently only on the Korean 2-disc DVD)...
02.06 Kung fu's greatest mystery unravelled...? For years the sudden death of Bruce Lee has sparked rumours and conspiracy theories, but now a medical examiner in the United States may have finally solved the mytery. He believes that Lee could have suffered an epilepsy attack, a condition that has only been recognised in the last ten years... [Read more about the new theory on Bruce Lee's death on Guardian Online]
02.06 Park Q&A... On the eve of it's UK release, the Curzon Soho Cinema, London hosted a special preview showing of Lady Vengeance, followed by a revealing Q&A with the director himself - and easternKicks was there!... [Read more about the Park Chan-wook Q&A]
02.06 Firecracker issue 15... The guys at Firecracker have put the latest issue online, and it's packed full of reviews and, surprise surprise, Park Chan-wook!... [Read the latest issue of Firecracker and to sign-up to the newsletter]
02.06 Chinese star defends Geisha cast... Actress Liu Xiaoqing has played down the decision to cast Chinese stars in Japanese roles in Memoirs of a Geisha... [Read more about Xiaoging's defence on BBC Online]
02.06 Park life... With the UK release of Lady Vengeance from 10 February, Park Chan-wook talks to Geoffrey Macnab about his new film, along with Mr Vengeance, JSA and Old Boy... [Read the Chan-wook interview on Guardian Online]
02.06 'Well known' Asian actress fights for identity secrecy... An 'extremely well known' Asian actress is battling to keep her identity secret after being charged with a $217,000 benefit fraud in New Zealand. Her lawyer sought suppression on grounds that members of the actress's family in New Zealand and in her original country were not yet aware of the charges and publication would affect her career... [Read more about the story on the actresses fight for secrecy on Stuff.co.nz ]
02.06 Kar-wai to make Katrina film... Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai is to make a film about the human drama that unfolded in the wake of the hurricane Katrina that ravaged New Orleans... [Read more about Kar-wai's new film on the Guardian Online]
02.06 China ban for Memoirs of a Geisha... After coming in for critism from China's media, the decision has been made to ban the film there due to the leads being Chinese, not Japanese. They say it's insensitive because of Japan's atrocities during the 1930s occupation... [Read more about Memoirs ban in China on BBC News Online]
01.06 Be afraid, be very afraid... Jet Li's new vehicle Fearless opens this week in China and Hong Kong - with direction by Ronny Yu (The Bride With White Hair, The Phantom Lover, Bride of Chucky) - himself making a return to the East - hopes are high for a return to form following some of Li's shocking US films. Mind you, who know's when we'll get a chance to find out?... [Visit the Fearless official site]
01.06 Happy Chinese New Year!... This year it's the Year of the Dog...
01.06 Brilliant Korea... The ICA in London are holding a rather self-explanatory festival of new(ish) Korean movies. There’s a chance to catch an early showing of Park Chan-Wook's Lady Vengeance, as well as many other titles including A Tale Of Two Sisters, A Bittersweet Life, R-Point, and Memories of Murder... [See the ICA's web site for further details]
01.06 Shaw Bros releases... Out on 19 January: The Ghost Lovers, Heroes of The Underground, It's All In The Family, The Mad Monk Strikers Again, The Naval Commandos, Rivals of Kung Fu, Rolls, Rolls, I Love You, Sexy Career Girls, Sexy Playgirls, The Story of Sue San... [Read more about 5 January releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
01.06 Tartan releases... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme - 23 Jan 2006: Beautiful Boxer, R-Point and Wishing Stairs; 20 Feb: Vital and One Night In Mongkok; 27 March: Ab-normal Beauty; 24 April: Tell Me Something (Battle Royale II: Revenge (2-Disc Limited Edition Tin - has been postponed)... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
01.06 Leung Ka-fai escapes jail sentence...Hong Kong actor and star of Election and Zhou Yu's Train has received a suspended jail sentenance for a second drink driving offence... [Read more about Tony Leung's brush with the law on BBC Online]
01.06 Obsession repossession... Jonathan Ross is finally going back to his roots (and the reason we liked him in the first place) and rediscovering Asian Cinema in a new series for BBC4. Well, it was a series of films he presented on Channel 4 in the late 80s that got me started... [Read more about Jonathan Ross' new series the Guardian Online]
01.06 Kar-wai for President... Director Wong Kar-wai has been named president of the Cannes Film Festival jury for 2006... [Read more about this years Cannes Film Festival on BBC News Online]
01.06 Lady Vengeance UK release... Park Chan-wook's long awaited Sympathy for Lady Vengeance will get a cinema release on 10 February 2006. Other theatrical releases from Tartan include Kim Ji-woon's A Bittersweet Life on 20 January 2006...
01.06 Ong-Bak 2?... Well, not exactly, but Tom Yum Goong, the film that reunites Ong-Bak star Tony Jaa with its director Prachya Pinkaew is due for UK release in 'early 2006' (roughly March?)... [Source: Contender Group/Hong Kong Legends]
01.06 Geisha girls... The Spielberg produced film version of Arthur Golden's bestselling book Memoirs of a Geisha is released in the UK on Friday 13 January. The film has been causing a stir in Japan where there is an uproar about NONE of the main female cast actually being Japanese - instead Chinese/Hong Kong favourites Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li star. And if that wasn't bad enough the Chinese weren't too pleased either, as the film celebrates China's formal colonial ruler... [Read Geisha film incenses Japanese on the Guardian web site]
12.05 More Shaw... Out on 5 January: The 14 Amazons, Ambitious Kung Fu Girl, Empress Wu, Songfest... [Read more about 5 January releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
12.05 Seven Swords UK release... Tsui Hark's latest epic Seven Swords is due for a national UK release from 24 February 2006 by the Contender/Premier Asia group - But what did we think of it?... [Read more out review of Seven Swords]
12.05 Tartan releases... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme - 23 Jan 2006: Beautiful Boxer, R-Point and Wishing Stairs; 20 Feb: Vital and One Night In Mongkok; 27 March: Battle Royale II: Revenge (2-Disc Limited Edition Tin - new release date!) and Ab-normal Beauty; 24 April: Tell Me Something... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
12.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 22 December: Magnificent Wanderers, Demon of The Lute, The Magnificent Concubine, Blue Skies, Tragic Commitment... [Read more about 22 December releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
12.05 The Promise breaks China box office records... Chen Kaige's new Kung fu epic film The Promise has become the biggest-ever movie opening in China, breaking the record previously set by Kung Fu Hustle... [Read more about The Promise on BBC News Online]
12.05 Walk in the Dragon's shoes... The Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw takes a walk round the locations for Enter the Dragon and compares them with the Hong Kong of today... [Read more about Hong Kong on the Guardian Online]
12.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 1 December: The Hidden Power of Dragon Sabre, Song of Tomorrow, Ten Tigers of Kwang Tung, Sex, Love and Hate, Scandal... [Read more about 1 December releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
12.05 The samurai commuters... Stephen Dalton of the Times chats to Yoji Yamada about his new take on the samurai legend... [Read more about Yoji Yamada on Times Online]
11.05 Lady Vengeance UK release... Park Chan-wook's long awaited Sympathy for Lady Vengeance will get a cinema release on 10 February 2006. Other theatrical releases from Tartan include Yamada Yoji's Twilight Samuari follow-up The Hidden Blade on 2 December 2005 and Kim Ji-woon's A Bittersweet Life on 20 January 2006...
11.05 Tartan releases... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme - 5 Dec: Memento Mori; 30 Jan 2006: Beautiful Boxer, R-Point and Wishing Stairs; 27 Feb: Battle Royale II: Revenge (2-Disc Limited Edition Tin) and One Night In Mongkok... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
11.05 Little Dragon's big tribute... A festival celebrating the life of Bruce Lee takes place in Hong Kong from 26-30 November. A stature will be unveiled on 27 November, which would have been his 65th birthday. There will also be kung-fu displays, music events and free screenings of his films... [For more details see www.bruceleeclub.com]
11.05 Chan takes top Chinese prize... Movie star Jackie Chan has scooped the best actor prize at China's most prestigious film ceremony, the Golden Rooster Awards... [Read more about Chan's success on BBC News]
11.05 Hustle hits Golden Horse heights... Unsurprisingly, Martial arts comedy Kung Fu Hustle led the winners at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards, the Chinese-speaking world's leading film awards. It also saw prizes go to Taiwanese pop idol Jay Chou for Initial D, Aaron Kwok for Divergence and Shu Qi forThree Times... [Read more about the Golden Horse Awards on BBC News]
11.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 3 November: The Wandering Swordsman, The Flying Daggers, Mr. Prossessed, Mother VS Mother, Love With The Perfect Stranger... [Read more about 3 November releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
10.05 Tartan releases... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme - 14 Nov: Sky Blue (2-discs) and Whispering Corridors; 5 Dec: Memento Mori; 30 Jan 2006: Beautiful Boxer, R-Point and Wishing Stairs; 27 Feb: Battle Royale II: Revenge (2-Disc Limited Edition Tin) and One Night In Mongkok. Future Tartan releases include A Bittersweet Life and Inner Senses (postponed from 24 Oct)... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
10.05 Kung Fu Hustle rides off on Golden Horse... Stephen Chow's brilliant comedy has swept the board at the Chinese-speaking world's equivalent of the Oscars, the Golden Horse awards... [Read more about Stephen Chow's success on the Guardian's web site]
09.05 Zellweger's Eye... Renee Zellweger, who made her debut in the horror sequel Texas Chainsaw Massacre, will star in the Hollywood remake of The Pag brothers The Eye, to be directed by Hideo Nakata... [Read more on the Guardian's web site]
09.05 London Film Festival '05... The festival programme has been released and features a whole host of treats for Asian film fans. They include Wisit Sasanatieng's follow up to Tears of the Black Tiger - Citizen Dog, Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Three Times, Johnnie To's Election, 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano's experimental Takeshis', Blood and Bones, also starring Takeshi, and last but not least, a single showing of Park Chan-wook's finale to his loose vengeange trilogy Sympathy for Lady Vengeance... [See the LFF's official site for the full programme]
09.05 New look bulletin board... After a few teething troubles, a new look for bulletin board has been launched. So what's wrong with you - cat got you tongue...? [See the new bulletin board]
09.05 The REAL Shaolin way... Tired of watching filmmakers misrepresent their martial arts and spiritualism, the Shaolin monks are going to make their own movies and TV series. And they're going to get so big international stars and directors to help them... [Read more about the new Shaolin films on the Guardian web site]
09.05 An end to action roles for Chan... Jackie Chan expects that he'll stop appearing in action roles within the next five years, but will continue to produce and direct... [Find out more about Chan's future on BBC online]
09.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 22 September: The Angry Guest, The Duel, Girl With Diamond Slipper, Invincible Enforcer, Lovers' Rock... [Read more about 22 September releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
09.05 Ang Lee takes top prize... Ang Lee's gay cowboy film Brokeback Mountain has taken the top prize at the Venice Film Festival... [Find out more about Lee's Venice victory on BBC online]
09.05 Firecracker 2005... This years Firecracker Showcase runs until 18 September in London. The 40 films on show include Kim Ji-woon's A Bittersweet Life, Twilight Samurai director Yoji Yamada's latest Hidden Blade, Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle and Xin Lee'sMaster of Everything... [Find out more on Firecracker's official website]
09.05 Kung Fu Hustle 2... Stephen Chow has confirmed he'll be making a sequel to Kung Fu Hustle. The cast hasn't been finalised but Chow said he'd be 'looking abroad', possibly spurred on by a 'not bad' (as he puts it, performance at the US box office of $17.1 million... [Read more on Yahoo News]
08.05 Vengeance at the Venice Film Festival... The 62nd Venice Film Festival opens today with Tsui Hark's Seven Swords. Also included in the line up is Park Chan-wook's final film in his Vengeance trilogy Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Peter Chan's Perhaps Love and Stanley Kwan's Changhen ge. The festival also features a retrospective of rare and largely unknown films from 1934 to 1990 as part of its 'Secret History of Asian Cinema'... [Read more on International Herald Tribune]
08.05 Asia Extreme Tour 2005... The tour runs from 16 September, films include R-POINT, TELL ME SOMETHING, ONE NITE IN MONGKOK, ABNORMAL BEAUTY, ANOTHER PUBLIC ENEMY and VITAL... [Read more on UGC Cinemas news page]
08.05 Tartan releases... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme - on 26 September Infernal Affairs 3; on 2 October The Eye 2; 24 October Inner Senses; 14 November Sky Blue is released on DVD and UMD; the special tin box release of Battle Royale 2: Revenge sill now be released on 5 December with Whispering Corridors... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
08.05 "Dark water didn't scare me"... Hideo Nakate enjoyed Walter Salles remake of his film Dark Water, but admitted 'Please make his sound OK, but it just didn't scare me'. Nakata has being having a tough time in Hollywood finding a script that suits. His next project is to be a US remake of the Pang brothers The Eye, but what he really wants to direct is a romcom... [Source: Metro 25/08/05]
08.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 8 September: Marco Polo, The Jade Faced Assassin, Emperor Chien Lung and 72 Tenants sequel The 82 Tenants... [Read more about 8 September releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
08.05 Weinsteins pick up Tom Yum Goong... Variety reports that the newly formed Weinstein Co., run by former Miramax heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein, have picked up Tony Jaa's latest action movie for distribution in the U.S., Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In the meantime, Tom Yum Goong opens throughout Asia on August 11th. Check out the official Tom Yum Goong site for a trailer, pics and information... [Source: Kung Fu Cinema]
08.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 18 August: Judgement Of An Assassin, Brothers From The Walled City, The Adventures Of Emperor Chien Lung, The Mermaid and Murderer Pursues... [Read more about 18 August releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
08.05 Yimou chairs 18th Tokyo Film Festival... Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers, Hero, Raise the Red Lantern) will be president of the jury for the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival, and his new movie Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles will open it... [Read more about the Tokyo International Film Festival]
08.05 Suzuki in Edinburgh... Koji Suzuki, Japan's foremost horror writer and author of Ring and Dark Water, will meet his growing number of British fans as part of the Edinburgh Book Festival. The event will be on 24 August at Charlotte Square Gardens... [Read more on The Observer web site]
07.05 Sympathy for the devil... The final part of Park Chan-wook's Vengeance trilogy Sypathy for Lady Vengeance has been released in South Korea to mixed reviews. The Korean Times says it 'falls short of satisfying moviegoers', while the Korean Herald claims it 'breaks new ground for the director'. None of which has stopped it form being selected for the Venice Film Festival.... [See the Sympathy trailer (Windows Media File)]
07.05 Hong Kong remembers Bruce Lee... Hong Kong is to honour one of it's favourite film stars, Bruce Lee, with a bronze statue to be unvield on what would have been his 65th birthday... [Read more on BBC News]
07.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 4 August: Swift Sword, My Rebellious Son, River Of Fury, Ode To Gallantry, Fast Fingers... [Read more about 4 August releases on Celestial Pictures official site]
07.05 Li to quit Kung Fu?... Jet Li has intimated he may be hanging up his kung fu shoes for good, once his latest production Huo Yuanjia, based on folk hero Fok Yuen-gap, is completed... [Read more on Kung Fu Cinema]
07.05 Asian premieres at Edinburgh Film Festival... This year once again sees several films of interest in the line up for the Edinburgh Film Festival. There's A Bittersweet Life from Kim Jee-woon, director of Tale of Two Sisters, Foul King and The Quiet Family, which looks set to be this years Old Boy. Other Korean films include Im Kwon-taek's Low Life and Im Sang-Soo's The President's Last Bang. From Hong Kong there's Derek Yee's acclaimed One Nite in Mongkok and horror Dumplings, shot by famous cinematographer Cristopher Doyle. Other films on show include P, Letter from an Unknown Woman, Before the Flood and The Cat Leaves Home... [See the official Edinburgh Film Festival site for more details]
07.05 New from Tartan... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme: on 25 July Koma; on 26 September Infernal Affairs 3 and Inner Senses; on 2 October The Eye 2; 24 October the special tin box release of Battle Royale 2: Revenge; and on 14 November Sky Blue is released on DV and UMD... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
07.05 His eyes have seen the glory... To accompany his season of films at the NFT, cinematographer Christopher Doyle speaks to Gaby Wood of the Guardian... [Read the Christopher Doyle interview on the Guardian web site]
07.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 21 July: The Mad Monk - A film by director Johnnie To starring Stephen Chow and Maggie Cheung from 1993, The Proud Youth, The Flying Mr.B, The Sugar Daddies, Three Sinners... [Read more on Celestial Pictures official site]
06.05 Watered down?... Walter Salles US version of Dark Water is released on 22 July in the UK - but do we need another Asian remake, even if it's not bad for a change? When the director of the accliamed The Motorcycle Diaries and Central Station was asked about his first English language film with an audience at the NFT London last year he said 'Mia Culpa', explaining his primary reason for doing it was the experience. Kinda funny for such a politically motivated director?... [See Dark Water's Official site]
06.05 Doyle @ NFT... The NFT in London are having a season celebrating the work of Cinematographer Christopher Doyle. As well as Doyles many collaborations with Wong Kar-wai, there's a chance to see his own - and only - directorial effort, the Japanese produced Away with Words, and plenty more besides... [Read more on NFT's programme for Chris Doyle]
06.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 7 July: The Proud Twins, Legend Of The Fox, Bruce Lee & I, Call To Arms, Cherie... [Read more on Celestial Pictures official site]
06.05 Clean cut... In the lead up to the UK release of Clean on 1 July, Maggie Cheung talks candidly to Steve Rose of the Guardian about her marriage and subsequent divorce from its director Olivier Assayas and growing up in 70s Britian... [Read more about Maggie Cheung on the Guardian web site]
06.05 Chop and change... With the release of Kung Fu Hustle on Friday 24 June Steven Rose of the Guardian has a fascinating chat to it's writer director Stephen Chow and a look back at his career... [Read more about Stephen Chow on the Guardian web site]
06.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 23 June: Dirty Ho, The Fake Ghost Catchers, The Treasure Hunters, Perfect Girls... [Read more on Celestial Pictures official site]
06.05 The go-between... He spearheaded the 'new wave' of Taiwanese cinema and wasn't afraid to portray his country's troubled past. With Café Lumiére out in the UK, acclaimed director Hou Hsiao-hsien (Three Times) talks to Geoffrey Macnab of the Guardian about filming in Japan, bridging the generation divide and why he won't return to his native China... [Read the full interview on the Guardian web site]
06.05 Korean Film Festival... Held at various venues in Edinburgh and Bradford, the Koren Festival includes new films like Jung-won Shin's To Catch a Virgin Ghost and Heung-shik Park's My Mother, the Mermaid, as well as a rare chance to see Ki-Young Kim's The Housemaid, Hyun Mok Yu's Aimless Bullet and Dea-jin Kang's The Coachman from the 1960s. Starts 17 June... [Read more on the BBC films site]
06.05 Do the Hustle - at last!... Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle will be released at UK cinemas on 24 June. (It was originally to be 3 June)... [Read more on the offical movie web site]
06.05 New from Tartan... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme from 27 June: H, Acacia, and the 2nd Ozu boxset (Record of a Tenement Gentleman; Flavour of Green Tea Over Rice) on 4 July Heroic Duo, and on 25 July Koma is released... [Read more on Tartan Video's official site]
06.05 Chinese stars' mobiles bombarded... Zhang Ziyi was among the hundreds of Chinese stars bombarded with calls after their mobile numbers were posted online this weekend... [Read more on the BBC news site]
05.05 Shaw reissues... Out on 9 June: Return Of The Sentimental Swordsman, King Cat, The Lady Assassin, Look Out, Officer!... [more]
05.05 Get Canned... The Cannes film festival is in full flight. As well as Johnnie To's Election, starring Tony Leung and Simon Yam, other films in competition include Huo Hsiao hsien's Three Times with Shu Qi and Chang Chen, and Keuk Jang Jeon (Tale of Cinema) by Sangsoo Hong... [more]
05.05 New from Tartan... Out on Tartan/Asia Extreme from 25 May: 2046, The Isle and Park Chan-wook's JSA: Joint Security Area (2-disc set)... [more]
05.05 "I'm preparing for Hollywood"... Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actor Chang Chen says he would consider appearing in a Hollywood movie but wants to boost the film industry in his native Taiwan. "I'm preparing for Hollywood. Maybe I'll go one day, but I'm still not ready at the moment," Chang told the South China Morning Post.
05.05 Sky Blue... The acclaimed Korean animation Sky Blue is set for release in the UK from 24 June, distrubuted by Tartan... [more]
05.05 Shaw reissues ... Out on 12 May: The Deadly Breaking Sword, The Silver Fox, Dead End, The Goddess Of Mercy, The Crimson Charm... [more]
04.05 Ong-Bak UK release... Acclaimed Thai martial arts epic Ong-Bak gets a limited release in the UK from 13 May. Check out the web site... [more]
04.05 New from Tartan/Asia Extreme... Lastest releases from the Tartan/Asia Extreme label include Into The Mirror (2-disc set) and When The Last Sword Is Drawn (2-disc set) from 25 April... [more]
04.05 Cannes festival films announced... and they include the new Tony Leung thriller, Election... [more]
04.05 Jackie Chan in Aceh... Jackie Chan, along with a host of other celebrities including Eric Tsang and the current Miss World Miss World, Peruvian Julia Garcia Mantilla, have toured tsunami-hit Banda Aceh to see how the charity money he helped raise will be used... [more]
04.05 More from Shaw... Out on 28 April: The Avenging Eagle, The Lark, Raw Passions, Rear Entrance(?!), The Twin Bracelets... [more]
04.05 Bulletin Board... Apologies for the lack of Bulletin Board, but my service provider has managed to lose all the data from the server - meaning I need to reload the scripts and set them all up again (great!) But in the meantime I'm afraid they won't work!
04.05 Shaw Brothers releases... From 12 April: Clan Of The White Lotus, Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre, Heaven Sword And Dragon Sabre 2, Intrigue In Nylons, Woman Of The Night... [more]
04.05 Hollywood Hustle... Hoping to make even MORE of an impact this time, Stephen Chow enjoyed the Hollywood premiere of Kung Fu Hustle... [more]
03.05 Kung Fu Hustle earns top honours... Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle has been named best film at the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards. Yuen Wah also won best supporting actor, but most acting honours were swept by Wong Kar-wai's 2046. Derek Yee's One Nite in Mongkok won best directing and script prizes... [more]
03.05 Shaw releases... From 31 March: A Deadly Secret, Finger Of Doom, Friends, The Invincible Fist, Clan Of The White Lotus... [more]
03.05 Get your kicks (and get out?)... But if Hollywood thinks its got the hang of this kung fu thing, it better think again. Steve Rose of the Guardian looks at two upcoming films, Ong-Bak and Kung Fu Hustle... [more]
03.05 Under the influence... Zhang Yimou talks to the BBC about the increasing influence Asian films are having on Hollywood... [more]
03.05 Shaw releases... From 17 March: Cat Vs Rat, Tiger Killer, The Illegal Immigrant, Lost Souls, Return Of The Crazy Bumpkins... [more]
03.05 Ring Ring... The remake of The Ring Two by the original Japanese director Hideo Nakata is released in the States on 18 March, rolling into the UK on 1 April... [more]
02.05 Shaw releases... From 3 March: Bells Of Death, Boxer Rebellion, Descendant Of The Sun, Heroes Of The East, The Crazy Bumpkins... [more]
02.05 Do the Hustle... Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle gets released on DVD from 28 February. Order yours online now from [hkflix.com] (or maybe you'd like the Limited Edition Collector's Edition ?)
02.05 Happy Chinese New Year!
02.05 Scorsese Affairs... Martin Scorsese will direct the American version of Infernal Affairs. renamed The Departed it will star Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio... [Guardian Film] | [imdb.com]
01.05 More Shaw... From 15 February: Killer Darts, Tales of a Eunach, Interpol, Summons to Death, Let's Make Laugh II... [more]
01.05 Oscar nominations... Cinematographer Zhao Xiaoding has been nominated for his work on House of Flying Daggers, but otherwise it's a bit of a snub for anything else coming of of Asia this year... [more]
01.05 Wong fu... According to Trailer Trash in the Observer, both Quentin Tarantino AND Wong Kar-wai have been looking to the Shaw Brother movie archives for inspiration for their next movie. What have they settled on? A remake of 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the original of which starred Gordon Lui who appeared as two characters in Kill Bill However, Kar-wai's number one cinematographer Chris Doyle has decided he HATES kung fu movies after his experience with Hero... [Observer review section, 23 January 2004]
01.05 Shaw-fi... Sci-Fi-London, the London based international festival of science fiction and film, are having a tribute allnighter in honour of Shaw Brothers, featuring Mighty Peking Man, Monkey Goes West, Super Inframan and Oily Maniac. The festival, which runs from 2 to 5 February, also includes an Animé allnighter of Lady Death, Sky Blue, Parasite Dolls and Rapxephon and the London premiere of Richard Jobson's alleged 'first full-length British martial arts movie' The Purifiers... [more]
01.05 Latest Shaw Brother reissues... From 13 January: King Eagle , The Singing Killer, Gambler's Delight, The Drug Addicts and The Fugtive... [more]
01.05 Ring Ring... In the build up to the release of Hideo Nakata's US remake of his own The Ring 2, a new trailer has been released... [more] Released in the US on 18 March, 1 April in the UK, the official site is [here]
01.05 'If you call me, you know what you're in for'... The Guardian talks to cinematographer Christopher Doyle, frequent Won Kar-wai collaborator... [more]
01.05 We Are The World... Jackie Chan and Andy Leung are to feature on a Hong Kong version of the charity single We Are the World in aid of victims of the tsunami disaster... [more] Jackie Chan has given $64,000 himself to the cause and many other Hong Kong celebrities have also donated.
12.04 Jet Li... Jet Li was one of many to be caught up in the tsunami disaster, lucky he and his daughter escaped with only a foot injury... [more]
12.04 Hero box office broken... Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, King of Comedy) has broken the Chinese box office record previously set by Hero with his latest film, Kung Fu Hustle - his homage to the Shaw Brothers movies from the sixties... [more] Check out the films fantastic official site [here]
12.04 Smoking Skill Boosts Career... Kung Fu Hustle director Stephen Chow cast Yuen Qiu, seen in the 1974 Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, simply because he like the way she smoked... [more]
12.04 Shaw Brother reissues... From 30 December: King Boxer, The Amorous Lotus Pan, Temptress Of A Thousand Faces, Black Butterfly and Zhang Che's The Assassin... [more]
12.04 Dashing Blade... Takeshi Kaneshiro has been profiled by The Times in the lead up to House of Flying Daggers UK release... [more]
12.04 'I'm not interested in politics'... House of Flying Daggers director Zhang Yimou talks to Geoffrey Macnab of the Guardian... [more]
12.04 Flying Daggers nominated for Globe... House of Flying Daggers has been nominated for Best Foreign Film at the next Golden Globes, winners to be announced 16 January... [more]
12.04 Firecracker Showcase... From 10 December the Curzon Soho cinema is showing a short season of Asian films. Amonst the movies, many of which making a first appearnce on UK screens, are The Eye 2, So Close and Three... Extremes... [more]
12.04 House Of Flying Daggers - UK release... Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers is due for limited release in the UK from 26 December, don't miss it!... [more]
12.04 Latest Shaw Brothers reissues... Out on 16 December - The Lady Hermit, Roving Swordsman, Madam White Snake, The Enchantress and Double Bliss... [more]
11.04 British book casts spell over Japanese box office... Spirited Away director Hayao Miyazaki's latest film has broken box office records in Japan, and it's based on a British children's book... [more]
11.04 Shaw Brothers reissues... Out on 18 November - The Brave Archer 2, Martial Arts Of Shaolin, Vengeance Is A Golden Blade, The Casino and Twin Blades Of Doom... [more]
11.04 Tarantino plans old school kung fu flick... Spurred on by seeing Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers at Cannes, Tarantino has announced his next film will be to make an old-style kung fu film, in Mandarin. He even plans to make it available in a badly dubbed English version, in homage to the films he grew up with... [more]
10.04 More Shaw Brothers reissues... Out on 4 November - The Angel Strikes Again, The Brave Archer, Lady General Hua Mu-Lan, Raw Courage and The Shaolin Avengers... [more]
10.04 Upcoming Shaw Brothers reissues... Out on 19 October - Legendary Weapons Of China, Bat Without Wings, The Golden Sword, The Golden Sword and Five Venoms follow-up Crippled Avengers ... [more]
10.04 Warners teams up with China Film Group... Warner Bros is to become the first big US studio to produce films fo rthe chinese market, working with the China Film Group... [more]
10.04 Hong Kong in the Movies... Max Wooldridge of The Guardian takes a stroll through Hong Kong's film landmarks... [more]
10.04 Hero EXTENDED CUT... The extended cut of Hero is now available from Sensation.com, as are 2046 and House of Flying Daggers ... [more]
10.04 Shaw Brothers reissues... Out on October 7 - The Chinese Boxer, Lovers Destiny, Maybe It's Love, Mist Over Dream Lake and The Swordmates... [more]
09.04 Zhang Yimou - rebel or turncoat?... Zhang Yimou explains to The Times how his recent action blockbusters are in no way a move towards the mainstream... [more]
09.04 Raise the magic lantern... The Times gives a neat run down of the Chinese films being shown at this years London Film Festival... [more]
09.04 'It was like being in jail'... Wong Kar-wai reveals the four-year ordeal to complete 2046 to Guardian reporter Howard Fernstein... [more]
09.04 Twins Effect 2... Twins Effect 2 will be released on DVD at the beginning of October... [more]
09.04 Shaw Brothers reissues... The next batch of Shaw Brothers releases will include The Deadly Duo, Angel With The Iron Fists, The Lotus Lamp, The Spirit Of The Sword and Crazy Shaolin Disciples - described as a cross between The 36th Chamber of Shaolin and Animal House (?!)... [more]
09.04 London Film Fest a go-go... Zhang Yimou's House Of Flying Daggers and Wong Kar-wai's 2046 are just part of this years London Film Festival, which begins 20 October... [more]
09.04 Hero in UK cinemas... As Hero opens in the UK, here's another chance to hear what I said about it over a year ago... [more]
09.04 Zhang Ziyi, flying high... With the UK release of Hero due on 24 September, and House Of Flying Daggers at the end of the year, star of both films and Crouching Tiger talks to the Guardian's Sanjiv Bhattacharya... [more]
09.04 New bulletin board... easternKicks.com has now launced a new bulletin board. So if you've got something you want to get off your chest, here's your chance... [more]
08.04 Hero tops US box office... After the long wait, Hero has taken the top spot at the box office in US and Canada - and they were afraid to release it?... [more]
08.04 House of Flying Daggers premiere... Zhang Yimou's House Of Flying Daggers is the premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. The festival will also include Wong Kar-wai's portmanteau film Eros... [more]
08.04 Kar-wai retrospective... The NFT in London is holding a retrospective of Wong Kar-wai in October. The programme also includes a crash course on his films and a short course on Hong Kong cinema... [more]
08.04 Upcoming Shaw Brothers releases... 2 September sees the release of The Spiritual Boxer, The Enchanting Ghost, Shaolin Prince and Adultery, Chinese Style from Celestial Pictures... [more]
08.04 Spielberg and the Geisha... Now stop me if you see a theme developing here, but Steven Spielberg is backing a production of Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha novel. The lead roles will be played by those famous Japanese actresses(!) Zhang Ziyi and Michelle Yeoh, who last appeared together in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Rob Marshall (Chicago) shall direct... [more]
08.04 Woo goes back to his roots... John Woo is to direct his first Chinese-language film in a decade. Varitey reports the film The War of the Red Cliff will be adapted from 15th century novel by Luo Guanzhong based on true events 1,700 years ago. It will also reunite him with the star of his most acclaimed films The Killer, A Better Tomorrow and Hard Boiled Chow Yun Fat... [more]
08.04 Long wait for 2046... Wong Kar-wai has pulled the release of 2046, due to close the Edinburgh International Film Festival and be previewed at the National Film Theatre at the end of August. The version shown at Cannes was not complete and the director is still working on the final cut - let's hope we don't have to wait till 2046... [more]
08.04 Hero released... After holding on to the film for two years, Miramax are finally to release Zhang Yimou's Hero in America.
08.04 Happy Birthday to us... easternKicks.com is now two years old. The aim to update the site with a review every couple of weeks has, amazingly, been kept to (well nearly). Admittedly some sections are STILL a little lacking (particularly Actors and Filmmakers) but we will be working on that. Thanks to everyone who has visited the site, and please come back again soon.
08.04 I've done a lot of cruelty to animals... Steve Rose of the Guardian talks to Kim Ki-duk, director of The Isle, and looks at some of the Korean films due here in the next few months... [more]
06.04 Ring ring... The original Ring novel by Kuju Suzuki has finally been tranlated into English. Released by HarperCollins in the UK, you can order it online from Amazon [more]
06.04 Hark the herald Tsui Hark is back from Cannes and things are hotting up for his next project - Seven Swords of Mt Tian - which will eventually encompass 6 films, a 60 part series and a computer game. Filming is due to start in August... [more]
05.04 Flying Daggers Zhang Yimou has secured a release of his latest wuxia movie, House of the Flying Daggers, with Sony Pictures Classics in America. Hopefully this should mean it actually makes it to cinemas in the west this time... [more]
05.04 Can't go... Wong? Reviewed by the Guardian, Wong Kar-wai's new 2046 sounds beautiful and strange. Would we expect any less...? [more]
05.04 Canned Wong Wong Kar Wai's 2046, the alledged sequel to In the Mood for Love is to premiere at Cannes. Along with (out of competition) Zhang Yimou's Flying Daggers. With Hong Kong fanatic Quentin Tarantino and Tsui Hark on the panel of judges this year we can expect there'll be no bias at all... [more]
05.04 Golden Dragon Korean actor Kwan Sang Woo (Volcano High, Spirit of Jeet Keun Do is to the Disney produced cast of this martial arts take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to be directed by Yuen Woo Ping... [more]
05.04 Come on Jackie Chan, pt 2 Jackie is set to follow in the footsteps of Geri Halliwell and Audrey Hepburn by becoming a goodwill ambassador for the UN. Well, few stars have such a global appeal right now... [Metro, 27 April 2004]
04.04 Come on Jackie Chan, uh-oh uh-oh! Jackie's comment that Taiwan's presidential eletions were a joke hasn't pleased MP Chen Shuibian. He wants Around the World in 80 Days banned, and Chan himself barred from entering the country. He's also urging the Taiwanese not to go to Hong Kong. I wonder how Chan's wife, Taiwanese actress Feng Jiao-Lin, feels about that... [Metro, 23 April 2004]
04.04 I want my Bichunmoo TV Leapfrogging on the success of the Korean film, shooting has just begun on a TV serialisation. It's set to be broadcast in China, Korea and Japan... [more]
04.04 John Woo Looks like Mr Woo is still intent on following his artistic cul-de-sac, he's been mentioned as the possible director of the live action version of Spy Hunter... [more]
04.04 Twins Effect 2 The official website for this (relatively) big budget production is now up and running, featuring a trailer... [more]
04.04 Snow White and the Seven Nunchuks Golden Dragon, a wuxia chivalry take on the Snow White story looks like it's finally going to materialise, filming will begin in Sichuan in September or October... [more]
04.04 The Ring 2 Though it sounds unlikely, Hideo Nakatada - director of the original Japanese Ring series - is listed on IMDB.com as the director of the upcoming American sequel... [more]
03.04 New Dragon Inn 2 The Beijing Forbidden City Film Company have announced a sequel to the 1992 Tsui Hark produced remake of Dragon Inn. They hope to get the original cast and Tsui Hark innvolved, but considering that Brigitte Lin has retired and Maggie Cheung is so popular now that sounds pretty far fetched... [more]
03.04 Twins Effect 2 Jackie Chan's scenes from the new sequel have been posponed till April. Meanwhile, he's also publicised his plans to shoot Yue Fei, the martyr of Song Dynasty in 2005. His son Jaycee will play the character as a young man... [more]
02.04 With the imminent release of Infernal Affairs in the UK, the Guardian have a fascinating interview with the lead star, Tony Leung... [more]
02.04 Happy Chinese New Year! and 2004 is the year of the Monkey...
01.04 COMING IN FEBRUARY 2004: HEROIC GRACE, a season of some of the finest Chinese martial arts films at the NFT (National Film Theatre), London... [more]
01.04 On a more tragic note, less than a year on from Leslie Cheung's suicide, news has come in of the tragic death of Anita Mui, often referred to (rather unfairly) as the 'Chinese Madonna'. She passed away on 29 December from cervical cancer. Anita co-starred with Cheung in the classic Rouge, which established her as an actress as well as singer. Other major roles include Heroic Trio, Miracles, The Moon Warriors, A Better Tomorrow 3 and Saviour of the Soul.