Jackie Chan to do Art of War
kuei...@hotmail.com
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/bpihw/20010528/en/chan_to_topline_h_k_art_of_war__1.html
(Non-Sunzi portions removed)
Chan to topline H.K. 'Art of War'
By Winnie Chung
HONG KONG (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Jackie Chan will star in two
big-budget projects for
Hong Kong-based producer-distributor Golden Harvest, one of which,
"Sun Tzu's Art of War," is
expected to be the most expensive Hong Kong movie ever made.
Chan estimates that "Art of War," to be filmed in Mandarin, will
cost HK$546 million-HK$624 million
($70 million-$80 million).
[SNIP]
"Art of War," based on the famous military treatise, will follow.
Chinese warrior Sun Tzu's aphoristic
essays, written more than 2,000 years ago, attempt to formulate a
rational basis for the planning and
conduct of military operations. The book is still in print and often
used as a guide to business dealings.
Chan, speaking at a celebratory dinner Friday for his latest Hong
Kong release, Golden Harvest's "The
Accidental Spy," said he expects to use "1 (million)-2 million"
extras for the war scenes in "Art of
War."
"We want to do it without the help of computer effects," Chan said.
"I hope that the results will rival
computer-effects scenes in Hollywood movies."
Chan said he chose the project because "I wanted to do something
Chinese and find a story that
people would understand. I've come to know that almost everyone has
heard of the treatise."
The two films are expected to be produced within the next two years,
Chan said.
Budgets for most Hong Kong productions are well below HK$50 million
($6.4 million).
Although "Condor 3" will be smaller than "Art of War," "it will
still be a big production," Chan said.
[SNIP]
[end quoted]
There have been at least two other attempts at the Art of War. The
recent Wesley Snipes vehicle was pathetic and its attempt at tying
into the Art of War was laughable.
There was also a 1980's version which was mostly about Sun Pin (Sun
Bin) and had the hero, with no legs, team up with another kung-fu
fight with no arms, etc. and designated its postures with terms from
Sunzi.
I hope Chan gets it right.
Bjorn Olson
(article snipped)
>
>There have been at least two other attempts at the Art of War. The
>recent Wesley Snipes vehicle was pathetic and its attempt at tying
>into the Art of War was laughable.
>
>There was also a 1980's version which was mostly about Sun Pin (Sun
>Bin) and had the hero, with no legs, team up with another kung-fu
>fight with no arms, etc. and designated its postures with terms from
>Sunzi.
>
>I hope Chan gets it right.
This sounds like a super-ambitious project, and it's obviously
something Jackie's wanted to get off the ground for a while. Does the
$80m. price tag sound insanely high to anyone- especially for a Hong
Kong movie?
I'm really looking forward to it myself, but I wonder if mainstream
American audiences (which this pic is obviously aiming for) will be
able to accept Jackie as a serious actor. The prescedent has been
set, but CROUCHING TIGERS only come 'round every so often.
Thoughts?
Bjorn Olson
bemy...@freeze.com
"I think I'd rather be mistaken for
a dead guy than a killer."
Wyvern
wrote:
Jeez, here we go - when will people stop quoting publicity releases
verbatim. ESPECIALLY Jackie Chan's. Not that I don't love the guy
but he does have a tendency to go over the top a bit.
An example:
> Chan, speaking at a celebratory dinner Friday for his latest Hong
> Kong release, Golden Harvest's "The
> Accidental Spy," said he expects to use "1 (million)-2 million"
> extras for the war scenes in "Art of
> War."
>
> "We want to do it without the help of computer effects," Chan said.
> "I hope that the results will rival
> computer-effects scenes in Hollywood movies."
OK, folks, using a million people is absurd.
1) You couldn't SEE a million people onscreen. Any more than
a couple of thousand and they all become a blur (think of what
the shot of a crowd in a baseball stadium looks like).
2) The cost of using 1 million extras (yes, even in China) would
be prohibitive. You'd have to PAY each one, CLOTHE each one,
FEED each one and organize a massive network of people just
to move them around. This ain't Sammo doing a quick chase
scene with the J.C. stunt team.
Etc, etc, etc. Of course, I expect the diehards will come out
in defense of Jackie, so I'll just go off and watch 'Battlefield
Earth 2" starring Chow Yun Fat (after I see Michelle Yeoh
in the new 'Star Wars").
W.
Jeff Coleman
I have to admit I haven't read it, but does Sun Tzu's THE ART OF WAR have a
plot? The press release talked about being authentic to the book and all,
but I had always been under the impression that it was theory and
instruction rather than story...
It's not like you could do a movie version of the Tao Te Ching, you know?
Jeff
"Wyvern" <wyv...@lair.org> wrote in message
news:wyvern-291108....@news.supernews.com...
Ol' BattleMonkey
"Wyvern" <wyv...@lair.org> wrote in message news:wyvern-
> 2) The cost of using 1 million extras (yes, even in China) would
> be prohibitive. You'd have to PAY each one, CLOTHE each one,
> FEED each one and organize a massive network of people just
> to move them around. This ain't Sammo doing a quick chase
> scene with the J.C. stunt team.
Maybe a mistranslation, or just Jackie talking out his ass? I love the guy,
but I agree 1-2 million is a huge number of people. Hell, the differenece
between 1 or 2 million is also massive. You'd think they would be a little
more exact. There's a reason even the hugest old Hollywood epics trumpeted a
"cast of thousands." That's the absolute most you can use. It goes without
saying that it will be the most expensive movie in Hong kong history --
every Jackie Chan movie turns intot he most expensive movie in Hong Kong
history these days. I'd guess thousands of extras. Millions is utterly and
completely absurd.
> Etc, etc, etc. Of course, I expect the diehards will come out
> in defense of Jackie, so I'll just go off and watch 'Battlefield
> Earth 2" starring Chow Yun Fat (after I see Michelle Yeoh
> in the new 'Star Wars").
Dont' you mean Jet Li and Chow Yun-fat? They'll be the stars of the film,
which is going to be directed by Tsui Hark as soon as he finishes shooting
his musical children's film version of MAI THE PSYCHIC GIRL starring Winona
Ryder, which comes out around the same time as that Walter Hill remake of
THE KILLER starring Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere, and the Tom Hanks
remake of SHALL WE DANCE?
--Keith
--
-----
Keith Allison
Teleport City Webzine
Cult Movies, Cult Television, Cult Books, So On
http://www.teleport-city.com
A Better Chungking_Cash
> cost HK$546 million-HK$624 million
> ($70 million-$80 million).
In an interview with Leslie Cheung a few years back he hinted that
Golden Harvest prevented Chan from starring opposite him in "Farewell
My Concubine" because Chan is not as skilled with the Mandarin
langauge (among other things concerning the film).
As far as the budget goes: this should not be a problem for Chan who
has done several films with a hole in his pocket. It's Golden Harvest
that should be sweating.
> "We want to do it without the help of computer effects," Chan said.
> "I hope that the results will rival
> computer-effects scenes in Hollywood movies."
After the redundant use of CGI here in America, I hope a step back in
this direction of classic filmmaking will be a step in the right
direction.
> Chan said he chose the project because "I wanted to do something
> Chinese and find a story that
> people would understand. I've come to know that almost everyone has
> heard of the treatise."
"Shanghai Noon" was pathetic and the "Rush Hour 2" trailer looks like
dog vomit. Filmming back home may be just what Chan needs. Any word on
the general concensus for "The Accidental Spy" thus far?
> Although "Condor 3" will be smaller than "Art of War," "it will
> still be a big production," Chan said.
I didn't know "Condor 3" was still on. I haven't heard anything about
this or "Police Story V" in at least a year. I've enjoyed both of the
"Armour of God" films as well as being one of the few who has enjoyed
all four "Police Story" enteries, but after what I heard Chan had
planned for Part V--I hope "Art of War" replaced it permently.
> There have been at least two other attempts at the Art of War. The
> recent Wesley Snipes vehicle was pathetic and its attempt at tying
> into the Art of War was laughable.
Wesley Snipes has made so few enjoyable films. Action wise...none that
I can think of. I watched a portion of "Art of War" and decided it
wasn't worth watching entirely.
> There was also a 1980's version which was mostly about Sun Pin (Sun
> Bin) and had the hero, with no legs, team up with another kung-fu
> fight with no arms, etc. and designated its postures with terms from
> Sunzi.
"Crippled Advengers"...?
> I hope Chan gets it right.
So do I, sounds like there is a lot weighing in on these next two
projects.
harveyc
Ol' BattleMonkey <battle...@teleport-city.com> wrote in message
news:3WvR6.6048$S2.4...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
>
>
> Maybe a mistranslation, or just Jackie talking out his ass? I love the
guy,
> but I agree 1-2 million is a huge number of people.
Perhaps Jackie is mistranslating the Chinese word "wan," which means
ten-thousand.
hc
Murray Head
idea:production managers,Golden Harvest(who would pay for
everything),INSURANCE!
Obviously this is an exaggeration,of course it's easy for Jackie to
say he wants this and that,but then reality eventually hits in the
form of the things I mentioned above.
I find it very odd Jackie's thinking of doing a film like this,maybe
he finally realizes his body is too worn out.Because even during Crime
Story he was worried people wouldn't like a more dramatic Jackie.
Ol' BattleMonkey
news:908cd8ce.01053...@posting.google.com...
> I find it very odd Jackie's thinking of doing a film like this,maybe
> he finally realizes his body is too worn out.Because even during Crime
> Story he was worried people wouldn't like a more dramatic Jackie.
>
He was right, at the time. But I think he has eased fans old and new alike
into the realization that he isn't the same Jackie as he was in 1985, and
people are more accepting of a slowed down Jackie Chan, and even a more
dramatic Jackie if the film is well written (I thought CRIME STORY was
average and GORGEOUS was abysmal, but that had more to do with the insipid
story than my like or dislike of a Jackie that is not 100% action).
My concern would be that Jackie doesn't overstep himself. Big budget and
lots of extras are one thing. Expensive is one hting. Knowing how to use it
all is another. Jackie's never done an epic. He's done expensive films,
sure, but never a BEN HUR or an EMPEROR AND THE ASSASSIN. Epics are not easy
to make, and while Jackie is a seasoned vet in front of and behind the
camera, he better make sure he hires people with more experience for this
type of film. Of course, that's no reason not to try. After all, that's how
you get the experience in the first place.
Of course, Jackie also has a tendency to talk a lot about movies he is going
to make, even if nothing is actually lined up. People waited for his fireman
movie he kept talking about for so long that Johnny To got tired of waiting
and just made LIFELINE. For every five films Jackie says he is going to
make, he'll actually make one, which is fine. It's cool that he's always
dreaming up ideas. It's just that he should maybe not announce them until
after they're actually going to happen.
Jeff Coleman
"Evil Wizard Glick" <evilwiz...@moscowmail.com> wrote in message
news:kjteht0j4r52f74rm...@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 31 May 2001 18:17:42 GMT, "Jeff Coleman"
> <jcol...@NOSPAMhandofgod.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >I have to admit I haven't read it, but does Sun Tzu's THE ART OF WAR have
a
> >plot? The press release talked about being authentic to the book and
all,
> >but I had always been under the impression that it was theory and
> >instruction rather than story...
> >
> >It's not like you could do a movie version of the Tao Te Ching, you know?
> >
> >Jeff
>
Heh!
I guess I'll have to do some research of my own to find out whether THE ART
OF WAR has plot and characters...
Jeff
kuei...@hotmail.com
<jcol...@NOSPAMhandofgod.com> wrote:
>
>"Evil Wizard Glick" <evilwiz...@moscowmail.com> wrote in message
>news:kjteht0j4r52f74rm...@4ax.com...
>> On Thu, 31 May 2001 18:17:42 GMT, "Jeff Coleman"
>> <jcol...@NOSPAMhandofgod.com> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >I have to admit I haven't read it, but does Sun Tzu's THE ART OF WAR have
>a
>> >plot? The press release talked about being authentic to the book and
>all,
>> >but I had always been under the impression that it was theory and
>> >instruction rather than story...
>> >
>> >It's not like you could do a movie version of the Tao Te Ching, you know?
>> >
>> >Jeff
>>
>> Sure you could. It would be like My Dinner with Andre.
>
>Heh!
>
>I guess I'll have to do some research of my own to find out whether THE ART
>OF WAR has plot and characters...
>
>Jeff
>
The Art of War is a military instruction manual but there are stories
associated with Sunzi and with SunBin (his putative grandson) that
might make good cinema, such as Sunzi training the palace concubines,
Sun Bin being tricked and having his legs cut off, and his subsequent
revenge on the man who tricked him (he lured his army into a valley
and, knowing that the army would arrive there at night wrote on a tree
that his foe would die on that spot. His foe's lighting a torch to
see what was written was the signal for the ambush to be sprung).
The stories could be found in Sima Qian's history.
Wyvern
Evil Wizard Glick <evilwiz...@moscowmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 31 May 2001 11:27:08 -0400, Wyvern <wyv...@lair.org> wrote:
>
> I thought CYF was doing the cartoon voice of the Travolta character?
>
No, he's playing Admiral Yamamoto in the sequel "Pearl Harbor 2 :
Back To Pearl". It must be true - I read it on the Internet !
W.
Jeff Coleman
<kuei...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3b179b43...@news4.sucknews.com...
> The Art of War is a military instruction manual but there are stories
> associated with Sunzi and with SunBin (his putative grandson) that
> might make good cinema, such as Sunzi training the palace concubines,
> Sun Bin being tricked and having his legs cut off, and his subsequent
> revenge on the man who tricked him (he lured his army into a valley
> and, knowing that the army would arrive there at night wrote on a tree
> that his foe would die on that spot. His foe's lighting a torch to
> see what was written was the signal for the ambush to be sprung).
>
> The stories could be found in Sima Qian's history.
Cool, thanks! That latter does sound like a great story!
Jeff
Wyvern
Jackie Chan Current Projects
1) The Highbinders - Dir: Gordon Chan (Reg. Hudlin dropped out)
STATUS: Uncertain - did the financing depart too ?
2) Shanghai Noon 2 (AKA: "Shanghai Knights") - shooting to start
in Feb.
3) The Art Of War - With a cast equal to 20% of the population
of Hong Kong
4) Hong Kong Superstars - currently in production.
5) Who Want's To Be A Millionaire - Special Asian Celeb edition
with Maggie Cheung, Chow Yun Fatt, Anthony Wong, etc.
6) Jackie Chan "Firefighter" Project
7) Curse Of The Jade Scorpion 2 - Starts Summer 2002
starring Dan Ackroyd & Helen Hunt
8) The musical version of "Wuthering Heights" (Current
Title - "The Full Bronte"
Any more ???
W.