Jade Warrior

[jari]

check this out!


http://www.jadewarrior.net/

[jari]

some updates made to the site.

[GeneChing]

Hey Jari,
Tell us more about the people involved in this project. I don't know anything about Finnish cinema at all. I recognize Zhang Jingchu from Seven Swords (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37299), but that's it. Is there a U.S. release date?

[BlueTravesty]

Indeed, I think this movie looks pretty cool. A film with a mixture of Finnish and Chinese culture sounds intriguing to say the least. And as with most things, the addition of Kung Fu can only make it better.

[jari]

Gene,


Thanks for your interest!


The project is ja oint venture productionwise, filmed in Finland, Estonia and China. It started out as a studentproject(!) at Tampere Polytechnic where the first-time director, AJ Annila, and most of the crew studyied.

Many people are still amazed that this movie ever got made....A Finnish kung fu flick...?...mixing Finnish and Chinese folklore...?....:)


The martial arts director for this film is Yu Yan Kai. Mr Yu lives in Stockhom, Sweden, where he has his own kung fu school. He has studyied at the Bejing Opera Scchool and has acted in films suchs as "Tai Chi Master" and "Fong Sai Yuk".


My personal involvement in the film is minimal. I helpped Mr Yu in communicating with the actors and the Finnish stunt team. He speaks fluent Swedish as do I.


Our head instructor for the Helsinki Tang Lang school, Paavo Sjöblom, was part of the stunt team and instrumental in assisting to teach the fight choreography to the cast and stunt team. He even got a small role in the film...:cool:



I think contacting the Finnish production company, www.blindspot.fi, could be a good way to gain more accurate info. I´m sure they are happy to answer any questions. Mr Yu is also a very open person and I´m sure he could be available for a interview.


www.tanglang.fi/en (http://www.tanglang.fi/en/)
www.jadewarrior.net
www.blindspot.fi


-j-

[GeneChing]

Has it already been released in Finland? How is it being received? I find the Finland angle really intriguing.

[jari]

The Finnish premiere is on 10/13/06. So we are still only antisipating the reactions. The film will be shown in Toronto next month during the Toronto International Film Festival.

Unfortunately I do not know if it will be distributed to the States.


-j-

[Su Lin]

I watched a great film last night,

It's a Finnish/Chinese epic based on the Finnish myth of the Kalevala .It was pretty confusing but looked stunning and was pretty interesting.I love listening to Finnish,even though I don't speak it.

I'm always fascinated by films based on mythology and this was no exception.Had some nice looking sword fights,I wouldn't call it a martial arts epic though as there wasn't quite enough fighting for that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Warrior_%28film%29

[jethro]

REALLY. I am a big Lord of the Rings geek and I have always been fascinated by the Kalevala. I will have to see it.

[Su Lin]

Ahhhh cool! I hadn't heard much about it before,it was a Finnish friend who lent me the film. You really should watch it and report back.

I am working backwards and hope to read more about it.Was reading last night about it being partly inspiration for Tolkien's writing.

[jethro]

I am having some trouble finding it on the net, but I will let you know when I see it.

[doug maverick]

a few of my friends were on the stunt crew for his movie i heard it was pretty cool.

[Zenshiite]

Looks great....

[GeneChing]

Is this getting theatrical release across the pond? I'm assuming you saw it on DVD since it was lent to you...

[Su Lin]

Oops didn't see the original thread!

I think my Finnish pal bought it over in the UK, not sure about in the US though. I thought the Finnish angle was fascinating! Am hoping my friend will tell me something about the mythology.

I found myself just listening to the dialogue as I find Finnish a lovely language to listen to!

[Lucas]

Just watched this last night. very interesting movie. i like the myth and lore in it...as well as the back and forth of languages. it turns out to be mostly a very tragic love story. pretty old world and traditional style. one of the few cross culture kungfu films ive seen that i didnt dislike...the action could have been better but it wasnt garbage.

[GeneChing]

I enjoyed it, but as you all know, I'm easily amused as long as there's a sword fight. It was innovative as kung fu flicks go, somewhat Euro-artsy, somewhat homage to the genre, definitely a refreshing twist. The Euro-art aspect is a little ponderous (like WTF was up with that rubber duck?!?) The freaky thing was that it starred the same actress that was in Aftershock - Zhang Jingchu - which by strange coincidence I had just watched the night before. Zhang is now on my radar as an intriguing Chinese actress just based on these two roles.

It claims to be a confluence between Finnish & Chinese myth. I don't know anything about Finnish myth, so that could have been just made up. They kept citing some legend, kalamata or something (that's not it tho; that's an olive) but maybe it would have made more sense if I knew more about that. Maybe it was just made up for the sake of the film. Don't know, don't really care. As much as I love myth, I'm not going to go chasing down Fin legend just on account of this. As for the Chinese myth, well, there really wasn't anything referenced.

The film plays two story arcs, one in modern Finland and another in ancient China. There's a bit of the ol' Kwai Chang issue with a Fin in ancient China but we won't dwell on that. The interwoven story arcs are complex, yet I'm sure there was some dangling loose ends, but in the end, you don't really feel the need to sort them. It wraps up almost completely satisfactorily, except the lingering issue of WTF it was all about. Kalamata olives and the apocalypse? Eh, that didn't matter so much. The protagonist is tossed into this hallucinogenic myth, and it was more fun to share his 'WTF is going on here?' perspective.

The fights were a lot of wire work and CGI - very comic book - and enjoyable. Yes, there's a sword fight - sword vs. chopsticks even! There's also a switch fight. Most important, there's a sledgehammer fight. I love sledgehammer fights. Those are way up there, like chainsaw fights.

If interested, I'd recommend you check it out on your own, just because it's got some delightful weirdness.