Stranglehold receives a great review

By Matt SingerIFC News
Imagine Las Vegas, with the fairer half of the population replaced by dudes in Hawaiian shirts and beards, and you have a sense of the atmosphere at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3. The latest trend seems to be skipping the movie and simply taking film talent and making a stand-alone game. The best example of this phenomenon at E3 was John Woo's video-game-only sequel to his classic "Hard-Boiled," "Stranglehold". Players take control of Chow Yun Fat's unstoppable cop Tequila, as he takes down the bad guys with an assortment of moves — balletic leaps and spins, double-handgun assaults, special attacks replete with flying doves — straight out of the John Woo playbook.
Creators of all these sorts of games said the same thing: movies are wonderful, but they are, to their core, a passive medium. Video games are interactive. If the thrill of a movie like "Hard-Boiled" is connected to our identification with its hero, then what does it do to our brain to get to control the hero? Before we interviewed the game's creators I got a chance to play a demo of the game, and if there is a cooler video game experience, I have yet to see it.

In Beijing Chow Yun-Fat views photos

Recently in Beijing CYF showed his continual interest in photography by making time to visit an exhibition of photos at an International Center. Always more centered on photography in black and white than color, he studies the art of photography as much as he can seeking advice from those such as this master photographer. - ent.sina.com

First picture of Chow Yun-Fat in Pirates of the Caribbean sequel

The first picture to appear with Chow Yun-Fat as the pirate Captain Sao Feng in Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Here shown in a picture taken with a fan, bald and with scars CYF will play a villainous pirate in the 3rd POTC which will be released May of 2007.

Chow Yun-Fat/John Woo movie to be remade

With the remaking of Chow Yun-Fat's TV series The Bund, the new play remake of the CYF film Love in a Fallen City, and now the remake of A Better Tomorrow is like the closing of an era. Perhaps it is more like a compliment to these 3 Chow Yun-Fat classics that they would want to make them again. Whatever, it brings back special memories of the movies and TV series that mean a great deal to CYF fans:

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong director
John Woo's cult classic "A Better Tomorrow" is to be re-made by a South Korean director, the new film's distribution company said.
Production is due to start next year for the new version of the multi-award winning 1986 film, which launched the career of Hollywood star Chow Yun-fat.
"We are thrilled and honoured to have acquired the rights to remake one of the most prestigious films in Hong Kong's history," said Park Hyung-Jun, head of production company Fingerprint Pictures and producer of the romantic comedy "My Boyfriend is Type B".
Fingerprint, which has bought the rights to the film which swept Asian box offices in the 1980s, is recruiting Korean scriptwriters and director for the planned production in 2007.
STAR Group, whose subsidiary Fortune Star sold the remake rights, declined to disclose details of the lead stars and budget.
"We will keep the original synopsis the same, by and large, and we will see how to adapt it to suit the taste of the Korean audience as well as those outside Korea," said a STAR spokeswoman.
"A Better Tomorrow" tells the story of a reforming ex-gangster who tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother. - Yahoo News

Bob and Harvey Weinstein to build the largest library of Asian cinema in North America

The Weinstein brothers who have not always been appreciated for their handling of Asian films for the American market, and Quentin Tarantino who Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo fans might not forget some insulting remarks he once made about them, have joined to promote Asian films:

NEW YORK, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing their passionate dedication to bringing Asian films to American audiences, Bob and Harvey Weinstein are proud to announce the unveiling of Dragon Dynasty, the dynamic new label under which all The Weinstein Company's Asian titles will be released, including "Ong Bak 2," "The Protector" (aka "Tom Yum Goong"), "Born to Fight," "SPL," "Seven Swords," and "Dragon Squad," as well as a package of high profile titles, which was licensed from Fortune Star Entertainment: the distribution division of News Corporation's STAR Group which owns the world's largest contemporary Chinese language feature film library.
The 43 Fortune Star titles, together with a special collection of 50 classic Shaw Brothers' movies and a number of independent acquisitions, including John Woo's seminal productions, "The Killer," "Hardboiled," "Bullet in the Head," and "A Better Tomorrow 1 & 2," combine to make The Weinstein Company the leader in Asian Cinema in North America.

Quentin Tarantino, who is well recognized for his passionate interest and broad knowledge of Asian cinema, will actively work with the Weinsteins in all aspects of brand development for Dragon Dynasty.

Fortune Star Entertainment is the feature film and television programming, production, and distribution division of STAR, Asia's leading media and entertainment company. Fortune Star distributes the world's largest contemporary Chinese language feature film library, including over 600 titles featuring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, and renowned filmmakers John Woo, Yuen Woo Ping and Ronny Yu. Fortune Star also distributes STAR's television library of over 20,000 hours of top-rated Indian and Chinese programming. Fortune Star produces feature films and high- definition movies and will be developing new content businesses including wireless platform. Some of the titles acquired for Dragon Dynasty from Fortune Star includes "Police Story," "Police Story 2," "Crime Story," starring Jackie Chan, "Royal Tramp 1" and "Royal Tramp 2," starring Stephen Chow ("Shaolin Soccer," "Kung Fu Hustle"), "Millionaires Express," starring Sammo Hung (from the television show "Martial Law"), "Righting Wrongs / Above the Law," directed by acclaimed action-director Corey Yuen, and "Love Asia," Fortune Star produced with and starring Maggie Q ("Mission Impossible 3"). - Yahoo News

Chow Yun-Fat on list of the 50 most beautiful people

It's another list of beautiful people, courtesy of the entertainment editors at The Beijing News. Gong Li is victorious this year, followed by Super Girl Li Yuchun, actresses Zhou Xun and Zhang Ziyi, and up-and-comer Mike Ho.
In the introduction to the rankings, the editors note that they limited their pool to the entertainment industry. Last year's list made at least a token effort to acknowledge people outside the music, film, and TV industries by including a few writers and athletes, but this year the celebrities are exclusively singers and actors.
One other requirement was that candidates had to be active in the industry, providing one possible reason why last year's winner, Maggie Cheung, is nowhere to be found. Of course, like other "who's hot" lists, the exercise is essentially arbitrary - how else to explain the absence for yet another year of Karen Mok, or the disapperance of last year's #7, Xu Jinglei?
There are lots of newish faces, however, so it's at least worth looking over as a partial guide to trendy celebrities. A translated list follows with links to online resources.
Names by which the celebrities are known in English have been included whenever possible. Additions or corrections can be sent to joel (at) danwei .dot. org.
1 Gong Li (巩俐)
2 Li Yuchun: Super Girl. (李宇春)
3 Zhou Xun: This year's ubiquitous domestic actress. (周迅)
4 Zhang Ziyi: This year's ubiquitous international actress. (章子怡)
5 Mike Ho: Hot young actor from Taiwan. (贺军翔)
6 Wang Han: Hunan TV host and actor. (汪涵)
7 Shu Qi (舒淇)
8 Huang Xiaoming: Return of the Condor Heroes actor. (黄晓明)
9 Sun Li: TV actress, blind peasant girl in Fearless. (孙丽)
10 Jacky Xue: Actor, talent show winner. (薛之谦)
11 Fan Bingbing: Scandal-plagued sex symbol. (犯冰冰)
12 Vicky Zhao: Box office poison. (赵薇)
13 Rainie Yang: Four in Love member. (杨丞琳)
14 Shawn Yue: Hong Kong film actor. (余文乐)
15 Deng Chao: Mainland film and stage actor. (邓超)
16 Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武)
17 Liang Luoshi: Mainland actress. (梁洛施)
18 Kristy Zhang: aka "Baby" Zhang - former Super Girl runner-up turned singer and actress. (张含韵)
19 Jay Chou (周杰伦)
20 Fiona Xue: Singer. (薛凯琪)
21 Little S: Taiwan television personality. Pregnancy last year closely followed in the media. (小S)
22 Sam Junjun: Another young idol from Taiwan. (君君)
23 Donny Yen: Swordplay actor. (甄子丹)
24 Lin Zhiling: Model who fell off a horse. (林志玲)
25 Louis Koo (古天乐)
26 Liu Yifei: Return of the Condor Heroes Dragon Girl. (刘亦菲)
27 Chow Yun-fat (周润发)
28 Zhou Huimin: Subbed in as host when Little S went on maternity leave. (周慧敏)
29 Sun Honglei (孙红雷)
30 Anthony Wong: Passionate singer. (黄耀明)
31 Cecilia Cheung (张柏芝)
32 Joe Cheng: Meteor Garden actor; last year's screwball comedy It Started With A Kiss put him back on top. (郑元畅)
33 Annie Liu: Mob boss in Ah Sou. (刘心悠)
34 Tony Leung Ka-fai (梁家辉)
35 Nicholas Tse: Former bad-boy star is growing up. (谢霆锋)
36 Ashin: Singer from Taiwan. (阿信)
37 Zhang Jingchu: Actress in Peacock, Seven Swords etc. (张静初)
38 Daniel Wu (吴彦祖)
39 Liu Ye (刘烨)
40 Li Bingbing (李冰冰)
41 Ariel Chen: Actress in It Started With A Kiss. (陈依晨)
42 Vic Zhou: Actor in Meteor Garden and other teen soaps. Widely-covered romance with Big S. (周渝民)

43 Gao Yuanyuan: Well-regarded actress. (高圆圆)
44 Stanley Huang: Former LA Boyz member, current HK pop star. (黄立行 )
45 Zheng Jun: Mainland rock star. (郑钧)
46 Andy Lau (刘德华)
47 Cecilia Han: Shanghai-graduated singer, actress. (韩雪)
48 Tony Leung Chiu-wai (梁朝伟)
49 Chen Kun: Hairdresser. (陈坤)
50 Gigi Chiu Nga-chi: Classic TV actress. Acted opposite Chow Yun-fat in 1982's Shanghai Bund. (赵雅芝)

As shown on danwei.org

Michelle Yeoh no longer to play Hua Mulan

(Michelle Yeoh at the US premiere of "Memoirs of A Geisha" / Reuters Photo)

UPDATED 06/01/06 The story of making Hua Mulan is getting more confused than ever. Although the story is not about CYF, he was closely connected to the movie as is a member of his management team Terence Chang. Here is the latest from Monkey Peaches:

Variety reports that a previously little known Chinese studio Meridian Pictures Group, owned by Shanghai textiles tycoon David Dong, just reached a deal with Terence Chang, a long-term partner of John Woo, about jointly producing a feature film about Hua Mulan. The report implies that the partnership now owns the script written by Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon writer Wang Hui-Ling. Newspaper The Beijing News reports The Weinstein Company has already signed up as a co-producer of the heroine project. Michelle Yeoh and her ex-boyfriend Thomas Chung once planned to shoot a movie about Hua Mulan and commissioned Wang to pen the script. Also according to The Beijing News, Wang confirms that her script has been sold to Meridian, with help from Yeoh, but Thomas Chung, who has partnered with Beijing-based studio Huayi Brothers to produce a separate Hua Mulan project, claims he still owns the copyright of the script. President of Huayi Brothers Wang Zhong Lei told The Beijing News that they would try to solve the copyright dispute and might consider to merge two Hua Mulan projects into one. The Variety story also mentions Hollywood producer Barrie M. Osborne has agreed to produce Meridian's biggest-budget project, Princess of Loulan (misspelled as 'Luolan"). Meridian has also been contracted to produced three or four Johnnie To movies over six years, starting in 2007.

Source: MichelleYeoh.info via KFC Cinema
"Variety" has reported that Michelle Yeoh has abandoned plans to star in a live action film of Hua Mulan, but instead will be one of the executive producers, sharing credits with Terence Chang, John Woo's long-time producer and business partner, and David Dong, who runs "Meridian Pictures Group", a Shanghai-based company.
The film budget is about $20 million and it is aimed for a late 2007 release. Taiwanese "UDN" reporter spoke with Michelle at Cannes recently about the "Variety" report on Hua Mulan.
Michelle said the crew members will include Peter Pau as cinematographer and Tim Yip as the art director, both of whom worked with Michelle on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. A director has yet to be decided on.
Yeoh did say, though, that there is a possibility she may play the role of Hua Mulan's master - a skilled martial artist and a nun - in the film.
Chow Yun Fat has long been rumored to be the top candidate for the male lead, but nothing has been confirmed. As appeared in CRIENGLISH

NOTE: Years ago when Michelle wanted Chow Yun-Fat to be with her in Hua Mulan he was not accepting any roles in movies made in Asia. It is a big disappointment for CYF and Michelle Yeoh fans that the opportunity is no longer there.

Stanley Tong to make movie on Nanking

UPDATED FULL STORY from Monkey Peaches:

During an interview with Hong Kong's Oriental Daily and The Sun, director Stanley Tong said he would direct an ambitious Nanjing (Nanking) Massacre project titled The Diary (literal) with his China International Media Group Corp. He said the mainland Chinese authority had approved the US$40 million project, which would be backed by investors from Germany, the US, Japan and the mainland China. The story of The Diary is focused on a group of foreign nationals documenting the massacre on photos, diaries and films. The proposed cast includes Chow Yun-Fat, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau and Japanese actress Norika Fujiwara, who worked in Tong's China Strike Force a few years ago. Stanley Tong would like Maggie Cheung to play Principal Wu of Jinling Women's Middle School, a hiding place for thousands of refugees during the massacre and Norika Fujiwara to play a nurse who served in the Japanese army. Tong said he had been preparing for the project for five years and intended to release it by December 13, 2007, the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the massacre, during which tens of thousands of Chinese slaughtered by the invading Japanese troops. Stanley Tong has also been pushing for a Hua Mulan project for many years and no one else has made commitment to the project. Also according to IMDB, Tong is currently negotiating for the director's seat of Fear Effect, based on the same name PlayStation game.

The is another Nanjing Massacre project now in preproduction pushed Viridian Entertainment and Nanjing-based Nanjing Culture Industry Group. Writer producer William J. MacDonald's cast wish list contains the names of Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi.

Related story:
Hollywood to Tell a Rape of Nanking Story (MonkeyPeaches Exclusive) April 1, 2006

Chow Yun-Fat attends the premiere of The Da Vinci Code in Beijing

UPDATED Source: CCTV.com
05-22-2006 13:28
That cinematic center of controversy, "The Da Vinci Code" has finally come to moviehouses worldwide. And at the Beijing premiere, famous film couples turned up for the conference, as if under secret arrangement.
One pair of stars was actor Huang Lei and wife Sun Li. They've just welcomed their first baby, a daughter, and looked appropriately happy.
Singer Sun Nan also brought his better half, Mai Hongmei, once a hot entertainment item herself. It's so rare to catch them together in public, that they nearly stole the spotlight.
But the champion couple of the day was undoubtedly actor Chow Yun-Fat and wife. Still busy shooting "The City of Golden Armor" for Zhang Yimou, Chow took time off especially for the "Da Vinci" premiere. Chow Yun-Fat said, "I still have five days of work left. After that, I'll take a break, and improve my Mandarin."
From hot novel to hot movie, "The Da Vinci Code" has caused a tidal wave of controversy. What's all the fuss about? Why not head to the cinema and find out?

On May 17th the opening of The DaVinci Code was held in Beijing. CYF and his wife Jasmine attended the event. CRIENGLISH: "The controversial movie directed by Ron Howard and adapted from Dan Brown’s megaseller book, had met with protests around the world before hitting the big screen. 　　
The Beijing premiere ceremony was held at the Junyue Hotel, where the Oriental New Century theatre is located. To increase publicity for the movie, Beijing premiere organizers had designed a code-breaking game related to the content of the movie.Celebrities such as Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat, director Lu Chuan, and actor Huang Lei were invited to the premiere."

Video with download Thanks to Bund in The Yin and Yang of Chow Yun-Fat Forum

Pictures

A new view of Chinese masculinity

Comments on a article in the Financial Times yesterday about representations of Chinese masculinity by Kathryn on the La Creme D' Asie Forum. "Dr Koh had written a PHD thesis exploring such representations of Chinese masculinity and made the point that in contrast to past more 'effeminate' portrayals in Asian cinema, subsequently such figures as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Tony Leung have created a new Chinese variety of masculinity, which finds sympathy on an international level. It's true- Chow Yun-Fat has presented a refreshing contrast to the stereotype Hollywood male by showing us much more of his own personality and style of masculinity, whether it is adhering to the classic John Woo sacred themes of male friendship, loyalty and chivalry, or even on a comic level. Chow Yun Fat as a Hong Kong heart throb still didn't spend all his screen time seducing women (this element is there!), but shows us higher aims, often saving others instead. More often than not he loses the girl by the end of the film, or sacrifices her to his best mate! This is just so different to the Hollywood industry where the male usually gets the girl. It's just a pity that when he had his chance to make a Hollywood film, he only gave the West some more awful bullet ballet when he had something so different to offer." Credit to: Dr. Koh, Financial Express.com

Are we about to see Chow Yun-Fat die again?

Li Mu Bai died in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Nick Chen died in The Corruptor, and the monk with no name might as well have died as by the end of Bulletproof Monk he was looking very close to it. Now reports from the set of Curse of the Golden Flower it looks like CYF as the Emperor will be dying again. Nothing new for Chow Yun-Fat as I can remember in plenty of his old Hong Kong movies he died. An important man from Hengdian corp. was visiting the set and CYF resurrected himself in a way that gave Zhang Yimou a laugh.

Chow Yun-Fat as Tequila in Hard Boiled

UPDATED 05/15/06 Back in March of 2006 Kaiju Shakedown had this post: "A sharp-eyed reader forwarded me the link to a story in Apple Daily, Hong Kong's premiere tabloid-style newspaper (think the New York Post in Chinese) that claims Johnnie To will be directing Chow Yun-fat in the Hollywood remake of John Woo's HARD BOILED.
Apparently, the remake rights have been purchased by a US company who signed Chow on to repeat his performance. They then tried to get John Woo on board to direct, but Woo declined saying that he didn't want to remake his own movie. Chow then recommended that they contact Johnnie To who agreed to direct.
Although this is still at the "rumor" stage, apparently both To and Chow confirmed the story to Apple Daily with To saying that the story would be different from the original but that it would still be called HARD-BOILED. An American actor will play the Tony Leung Chiu-wai role. Production will begin in May 2007."

The success of the collaboration of Woo and CYF on Stranglehold the action video game may encourage the continuation of the character Tequila in a new Hardboiled. The video game seems to be getting good press after the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles recently.

Yahoo video games has several downloads of videos pertaining to Stranglehold: Stranglehold official movie, official trailer, video feature 1 (Woo talks about the game and CYF), David Zukor interview, official trailer 2, developer interview. Worth watching. My Photo slideshow 34 pictures of Stranglehold.

Ground-breaking technology in Stranglehold

All guns are blasting away publicizing John Woo's Stranglehold action video game!
May 10, 2006 - You've come a long long way baby:
Experience exhilarating 3rd person next-gen action as you continue the story of John Woo's influential action film, Hard Boiled starring Chow Yun-Fat. Run into danger with both fists full of lead and take down the organized crime bosses who stepped over the line when they took your family. Stop at nothing as you destroy the entire world around you to get them back. You are a desperate man following your own rules; honor thy family; do what's right; fear no man.
Features:
Signature Cinematic Action: Stranglehold allows gamers to play a John Woodirected action blockbuster movie. Dual-wielding, stunt-laden gunplay combined with massive destructible environments ensures that Stranglehold will be a true tour-de-force. The environmental interactivity and two-fisted gunplay all come online, bringing the experience to a whole new level.
Amazing Gameplay & Stunts: Gamers will experience smooth flowing gameplay, such as running up railings, swinging on chandeliers and leaping onto moving objects, all without interrupting intense gun battles.
Blockbuster Hollywood Talent: Featuring the cinematic flare of acclaimed action director John Woo, Stranglehold will also benefit from Woo's direction on storyline, camera placement and cutscenes. Starring international action-star Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila, the game's cast is also comprised of other A-list Hollywood talent.
Ground-Breaking Technology:
Environments As Weapons: Using the Massive D physics engine, bring the world down on your enemies, carve your own realistic path of destruction through environments and maneuver through unique piles of debris which persist in the environment.
Intense Cinematic Gun Battles: Engage the enemy in Tequila Time by targeting and firing in real-time while the world dramatically slows and enjoy the exhilaration of running up railings, swinging from chandeliers, and leaping onto moving objects - all without complex controls.
Unreal 3.0 And Havok: Using a highly modified version of the Unreal 3.0 engine integrated with the Havok physics system, Stranglehold will breath new life into game environments and characters with stunning graphics. Incredible "Rock'n Roll" physics make it possible for everything in the world to be destructible and interactive, allowing for an ever changing battle ground depending on how players approach different situations. Game Information: Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system, PC Ship Date: Winter 2006 Genre: 3rd Person Action/Adventure Publisher: Midway - IGN

New Stranglehold ad

From gamedaily.com: "Well, it's one day before the big Sony PlayStation 3 press conference unfolds in their headquarters in Culver City, but the push for the PS3 is already beginning with an elaborate ad campaign in and around the Los Angeles Convention Center, deep within the heart of the city." The ad for John Woo's collaboration with Chow Yun-Fat Stranglehold shows a shooter firing in a very large pool of blood. But of course, that was what their movies were all about action, bullets, and blood.

"Midway Unveils High Powered Lineup For 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo"

LONDON May 4, 2006 Unveiling one of the most diversified and high powered lineups in company history, Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, announced its product portfolio to be shown at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), May 10-12 in Los Angeles. This year's lineup showcases proven brands such as Blitz: The League, Unreal Tournament: 2007 and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, and exciting new properties such as John Woo Presents Stranglehold, kid's properties like The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, highend PC titles such as The Lord of the Rings, Online: Shadows of Angmar along with full support for both handheld and next generation game systems.

John Woo Presents Stranglehold (PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, PC Winter 2006) Experience exhilarating, next gen action for the PS3, Xbox 360 videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC, as you continue the story of Inspector Tequila from John Woo's influential action film Hard Boiled starring Chow Yun-Fat. Run into danger with both fists full of lead and take down the organized crime bosses who stepped over the line when they took your family. Stop at nothing as you destroy the entire world around you to get them back. You are a desperate man following your own rules; honor thy family; do what's right; fear no man. This title has not yet been concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America. gigamesindustry.biz