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| Posted: 26 Jul 2011 03:41 AM PDT Veteran kung fu star Jimmy Wang Yu returns to acting after a 17-year hiatus. IN the movies, Jimmy Wang Yu, even with one arm cut off, was a force to be reckoned with. He leapt to superstardom with Chang Cheh's The One-Armed Swordsman in 1967 and dominated the Hong Kong box office for the next three years with martial arts flicks. Now, making a big-screen comeback in director Peter Chan Ho Sun's Wu Xia 17 years after he last acted, he plays a fearsome shadowy figure called The Master. In life, there appears to be something indomitable about the 68-year-old Jiangsu-born actor as well. Not long after he attended the Cannes Film Festival in May for the first time as Wu Xia was being screened out of competition, he was felled by a stroke. He reportedly lost strength on the left side of his body and even his speech was affected. Speaking over the telephone recently from Taiwan where he is living, Wang sounds brisk and energetic. He says, perhaps with the slightest hint of a slur: "I can walk, climb the stairs and drive. At first, my tongue was swollen but since you can understand me now, it means I'm doing better." In contrast to his menacing turn in Wu Xia, Wang is affable and polite, asking how he should address this reporter. He is now undergoing physiotherapy, and does hand and leg exercises every day and some light weight-lifting. The doctor had recommended doing 200 lifts but Wang tries for "600 to 1,000". His quick recovery is perhaps a combination of having a strong will and being relatively fit in the first place. Over the decades, he has kept up a regimen which includes exercising for 30 minutes every morning, such as running, and doing 100 sit-ups after waking and before going to bed. During his convalescence, Chan visited him. Wang says: "He told me not to worry about doing publicity for the film and that my health was more important. But as actors, that's part of our job. As long as I can walk and climb stairs, it's not a problem for me to accommodate press interviews." One imagines that it would have been difficult for Wang to return to acting after a 17-year absence from the movies, but he says: "Not at all. I was happy to return to acting. It was not that I had stopped acting, it was just that no one came knocking." The last film he did was The Beheaded 1000 (1994). More than that, given the plum role and the director attached to the project – "I've seen more than 90% of his films" – Wang, who is a businessman, offered to sign on for Wu Xia for just a dollar. He says: "When I was popular, I was the top-earning actor, so how do they decide what to pay me now? So I said: 'Just give me a red packet with one dollar.'" Of course, he got "a lot more" than one dollar though Wang declined to reveal the exact amount. Neither did he quibble over his villain role, the kind he used to defeat as a hero in his heyday. "It's not important whether the role is a hero or a villain but whether it gives you a chance to shine. It's all still acting." In an action-filled movie like Wu Xia, a lot more than acting is required, not least an endless reserve of stamina. The final showdown between him and Yen probably made him thankful that he had been doing his sit-ups and running all these years. He recalls: "We fought for a week. It was raining outside the hut, so we had to have two firetrucks hosing water down on us. The mud underfoot was about 30cm deep and people kept getting stuck in it." The veteran deserves much praise not just for surviving the arduous shoot, but also for pulling his weight in one of the most thrilling kung fu scenes in a movie in recent memory. Even more impressive is the fact that his screen nemesis is Yen, currently one of the top action stars in Asia, for whom he is all praise. "I've made so many films, his skills are the best. He lived up to his reputation as he's fast, accurate and deadly," says Wang. Wang himself is no slouch as he was trained in karate and was also a swimming champion. In his old films, he executed as many of his own stunts as possible "out of respect for audiences and fans." In his time, he was often compared to Bruce Lee who had his movie breakthrough with Fists Of Fury in 1971. But to the regret of martial arts fans everywhere, they never crossed paths on celluloid. If their paths had crossed, he adds, the question of who was superior would have depended on how a director made the film and how a scriptwriter wrote it. Wang and Lee were alike in another respect: making the pages of tabloids. Wang's first wife, actress Lin Tsui, was nine years older than him and their marriage crumbled in 1975 amid allegations of wife-beating. His second marriage, to air stewardess Wang Kai-chen, ended with him publicly humiliating her and her lover when he surprised them with a confrontation – with reporters and police in tow. He hints at this when he says: "I was young and got into more trouble then and I constantly got into the society pages." This, he says, was why his relationship with 1970s top romance star Lin Ching-hsia did not work out. He admits: "I was not worthy of her and we were together only for a very short time, about half a year. Congratulations to her for marrying so well." Even more colourful than his love life were his connections to the secret societies and a murder charge, of which he was acquitted, in 1981. Wang says: "Every society has a bright side and a dark side. I joined the gangs as lots of things were on the boundaries of the law at the time. Sometimes, even the law could not govern these affairs and it was left to the gangs to dispense justice." Looking back now, he says resolutely: "I've never had any regrets. I only look forward, not backwards. You learn from your mistakes and improve." What the future holds is the possibility of more films from him. He has had verbal offers after making Wu Xia and says he would continue to act, depending on his health. "As an actor, I want to try all kinds of roles but I can't ignore what the audience wants. I would probably continue to focus on action films." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network Wu Xia is playing in Malaysian cinemas. Rise of the swordsman Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search.> The One-Armed Swordsman (1967): Wang Yu played this titular role that launched him into superstardom. It was the first Hong Kong film to earn HK$1mil at the local box office and it was also the top-grossing film there in 1967. > The Golden Swallow (1968): This Chang Cheh flick paired Wang with other top action stars Cheng Pei-pei and Lo Lieh. With a love triangle added to the wuxia plot, it became the top-grossing film in Hong Kong in 1968. > Return Of The One-Armed Swordsman (1969): The sequel had Wang reprising his role as Fang Gang and was the top-grossing film in Hong Kong in 1969. > The Chinese Boxer (1970): Wang wrote, directed and starred in this flick which pitted him against a Japanese karate expert. He broke his contract with Shaw Brothers after this film, the top-grossing movie in Hong Kong in 1970. > Killer Meteors (1976): Wang is the Killer Weapon who stops a villain from terrorising a small town. The film stars a pre-Drunken Master (1978) Jackie Chan as the baddie. > Shanghai 13 (1984): Wang's last film with Chang, the godfather of Hong Kong cinema, pits patriots against traitors in 1920s Shanghai. This is the precursor to Teddy Chan's Bodyguards And Assassins (2009). |
| Posted: 25 Jul 2011 03:07 PM PDT China's Tian Liang goes from sportsman to funnyman in action comedy I Love Wing Chun. FOR handsome Chinese Olympic diver-turned-actor Tian Liang, acting was a natural progression, and due to his sports background, action scenes were right up his alley. As the hero in action comedy I Love Wing Chun, Tian inevitably had lots of fight scenes showcasing the said martial arts, made popular by Chinese icon Bruce Lee and his master Ip Man. To ensure a realistic portrayal of kung fu action, Wing Chun master Guy Lai Ying Jau (one of the original disciples of Ip Man) was engaged as the martial arts action consultant on the movie set. Lai reportedly praised Tian on his physical prowess and commented that he was a fast learner. So, was Wing Chun difficult to learn? "It was alright. Poses like the one you see in the movie posters are really quite easy. It took me just a minute to get it right," quipped Tian pointing to the movie poster. "However, I've got to admit that the fight sequences are definitely more challenging. But I'm confident that I managed to do justice to Wing Chun in the movie," Tian, who is from Chongqing, offered in an interview held at Genting Highlands last Friday. Tian, with nine Hong Kong artistes and a bunch of local artistes, were at the resort to meet fans. While the movie combines action and comedy, Tian conceded that his portrayal of a country boy mostly comprised action while the others provided the comedy. "Maybe I don't get to do much comedy in this movie, but in reality, I hope to present a more humorous character," he said, flashing his disarming smile. Filming for the first time in Malaysia in places like Malacca and Klang. Tian was thankful for the warm reception from easy-going local artistes. While the action sequences did not pose much of a challenge to Tian, the Mandarin-speaking star admitted to being a bit lost among the Cantonese-speaking crowd on the movie set. "When they spoke a bit slower, I could actually understand some of what was being said. Fortunately, I could refer to the Cantonese dialogue in the script to stay on top of things," Tian continued. While I Love Wing Chun is not Tian's first movie, it is the strapping young man's first leading role and his first action movie. Married with a three-year-old daughter, the 32-year-old had a cameo as a water deity in romantic comedy Fantastic Waterbabes (2010). He can also be seen in romantic tear-jerker A Beautiful Life, currently screening in local cinemas, in which he plays an autistic guy who falls for a pretty deaf-mute. He has also starred in a number of TV series in China: the fashion-themed Unbeatable, the costumed romance Cowherd And Weaving Maiden and military revolutionary Lei Feng. After taking on various projects of the comedy and romance genre, Tian said he looks forward to more serious themes for his future projects and admitted to being partial to action. "Variety will help boost my career as a performer. Also, action movies are really quite demanding and require some months of training before filming commences," added the former sportsman, who is familiar with long hours of training to perfect his routines. In the movie, he plays Ah Wing, a naive young man brought up in the countryside by his kindly foster parents Uncle Chun (Yuen Wah) and Auntie Chun (Yuen Qiu), who teach him Wing Chun without him realising it. It turns out that Ah Wing's father was friends with kung fu master Uncle Chun and the wealthy Datuk Ang (Natalis Chan). Just before the sickly old man passed away, he entrusted Ah Wing to his friends, bidding Uncle Chun to protect his son and Ang to support him financially. When he turns 18, Ang sends for him and a young lawyer named Ng Hou Mun (Law Kwun Fung) is dispatched to fetch him. Assuming it would be a fun trip, the playful young man brings along a group of mischievous friends. Mayhem ensues when the entourage end up on Wing Chun Street, where things are not what they seem. Filmed entirely here, I Love Wing Chun even transformed an especially colourful stretch of stores in Malacca into Wing Chun Street. For the curious, the three-sided Wing Chun mahjong table prop featured in the movie can be seen on display at three cinemas: TGV Kepong, TGV Cheras Selatan and Cathay Cineplexes e@Curve in the Klang Valley. Directed by Lex Choi, the movie was initially a modest project that grew by leaps and bounds and got so much bigger than he expected as it gathered extended cameos and guest performances from countless Asian celebrities. Joining Tian were Hong Kong actors like Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Natalis Chan Pak Cheung, Law Kwun Fung, Elvina Kong, Nelson Cheung, Gill Mohinderpaul Singh (known as Kiu Bo Bo), Brian Burell, Lau Yee Tat and Matt Yeung Ming. Local actors include Gan Mei Yan, Calvin Yee, Allen Tee, Zoee Tan, Shawn Lee, Amber Chia, Soo Wincci, Cindy Chen, Vinx Lim, Jeff Chin, Royce Tan, Vivian Tok, Phoebe Yap, Alan Yun and Lai Ming. Even "US president Barack Obama" made an appearance in the movie as a skilled Wing Chun exponent played by Ilham Anas, the Obama look-alike from Jakarta, Indonesia. I Love Wing Chun opens in local cinemas this Thursday. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Scheming to get ahead in Perfect Rivals Posted: 25 Jul 2011 03:06 PM PDT Irene Ang and Ha Yu end up becoming Perfect Rivals in their first collaboration. WHAT happens when two former lovers turn into bitter enemies? Why, they become Perfect Rivals, of course. Inspired by an urban legend in Singapore about the rivalry of two bak gua (barbecued meat jerky) stores, Perfect Rivals is a romantic comedy about two feuding families who have operated their businesses next to each other for 28 years. The perfect rivals – Chen Hao (Ha Yu) and Zhen Mei Mei (Irene Ang) – are constantly scheming to get ahead of each other in their bak gua business. Chen is a traditional businessman who uses age-old methods to make his Hao Han bak gua. On the other hand, Zhen is a contemporary businesswoman who employs modern mass production methods to package and market her Mei Mei bak gua products. Chen has two sons, Xiao Ma and Xiao Hu. Elder son Xiao Ma (Stanly Hsu) is a happy-go-lucky young man with the mentality of a kid and imagines he is Superman. The younger Xiao Hu (Josh Lai) is a ladies' man who works as a tour guide and spends half his time in a drunken stupor to numb the pain of losing his mother. Zhen has two daughters, Zhen Zhen and Yuan Yuan. Elder daughter Zhen Zhen (Pamelyn Chee) is an acid-tongued lass who has had every part of her body cosmetically altered. Younger daughter Yuan Yuan (Mindee Ong) is a playful girl who has just returned from furthering her studies overseas. Also part of the Zhen household is Charlie (Alvin Wong), a quirky fellow who practically worships the ground Zhen walks on and will do anything to protect her interests. To win in the next bak gua competition, Zhen disguises Yuan Yuan as a boy named Teh See to spy on Chen and steal his secret recipe. But, Yuan Yuan falls for Xiao Hu the moment she sets eyes on him. And, so begins the cat-and-mouse game as the truth behind the rivalry unfolds. Filmed in Penang last year, the movie was directed by Han Yew Kwang, who co-wrote the screenplay with Sam Loh and Ting Soo Yun. The Singaporean comedy is the first film from A.I. Pictures, a subsidiary of FLY Entertainment founded by Ang. The movie also has the support of the Singapore Film Commission and has also received funding from the Media Development Authority under the International Film Fund. The light-hearted-flick is chiefly in Mandarin with a bit of English and Chinese dialects like Cantonese and Hokkien and there are amusing cameos by Hong Kong's Michelle Yim, and Singapore's Marcus Chin and Alaric Tay. In Kuala Lumpur last Wednesday to launch the movie were its main cast members: Hong Kong's Ha Yu, Singapore's Irene Ang, Mindee Ong and Pamelyn Chee, Taiwan's Stanly Hsu, and Malaysia's Josh Lai and Alvin Wong. The main topics of discussion during the press conference revolved around the intimate scenes between the two couples – the mature couple Chen and Zhen as well as the young couple Xiao Hu and Teh See (Yuan Yuan in disguise). Playing Phua Chu Kang's wife Rosie for more than 10 years, Ang revealed she never had to do any kissing scenes with Gurmit Singh. "In Phua Chu Kang, we'd just get behind the sofa and start casting out articles of clothing. But, for Perfect Rivals, the director declared that we had to do it for real," shared Ang, who revealed that both hurriedly got some chewing gum to freshen their breath. The "kissing" scene in question saw them trying to hide a live mouse in their mouths and passing it to and fro to avoid being caught by a health inspector. When probed, the two revealed it was a genuine rodent, but Ang stressed: "No rats were harmed in the filming of Perfect Rivals!" Even veteran TVB actor Ha Yu, 62, admitted that smooching scenes between a mature couple caught in a love-hate relationship was quite a challenge for him, as most viewers would much rather watch the young ones lock lips. "Basically, the story is about love in all its forms as we deal with the different relationships in our lives. With the two lads, I feel they are like my sons as my own boys are not with me now. "And as people say, daughters are a man's lovers in their past lives, so the relationship with the two lasses are special in their own way. The relationship with Irene, on the other hand, has to be dealt with kids' gloves as viewers may not be so comfortable with scenes of passion between a mature couple. We had to take a lot into consideration but I must say that Irene's lips are really soft!" Ha Yu continued cheekily. Another stumbling block was the language. "It's the first time I'm filming entirely in Mandarin so I must apologise for my poor command of the language. There are so many words I don't even know how to read. I had to spend all night doing research and homework after shooting wrapped for the day. For me, Perfect Rivals was like taking a class in Mandarin!" lamented Ang, who is also the movie's executive producer. "Initially, I thought I wouldn't look too bad as Ha Yu is from Hong Kong where they speak Cantonese. But, when we read the script together for the first time, I realised I was in trouble." Little did she know that Ha Yu was born in China, specifically Guangzhou, and only moved to Hong Kong at age 16. "I learnt my Mandarin while I was schooling in China. In Hong Kong, I hosted my first few shows in Mandarin before I moved on to Cantonese serials," clarified Ha Yu, who recently won best actor at TVB's 41st Anniversary Awards for his role in Moonlight Resonance. The Hong Kong actor, on his part, kept fluffing his Hokkien lines which required more retakes than he had ever experienced in all his years of filming. Perfect Rivals opens in local cinemas nationwide on Thursday. Related Story: |
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