Stephan Chow's Journey to the West: Conquering Demons

[GeneChing]

Stephen Chow Has Started Working On A NEW CHINESE ODYSSEY (http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/07/stephen-chow-has-started-working-on-a-new-chinese-odyssey.php)
by Hugo Ozman, July 18, 2011 10:03 AM
Action, Asia, Comedy, Drama

Long before Stephen Chow came to fame in the West with SHAOLIN SOCCER and KUNG FU HUSTLE, he was already a superstar in Asia for many years and starred in many classic films. His 1994 films A CHINESE ODYSSEY PART ONE: PANDORA'S BOX and PART TWO: CINDERELLA were two of his early classics. Loosely based on the famous Chinese novel A Journey to the West, the films tell the story of the Monkey King travelling with his friends to the west to acquire sutras from India.

Now news has come that Chow has already started shooting A NEW CHINESE ODYSSEY. He is co-directing the film with Kwok Chi-kin (GALLANTS' director), while also acting as the film's producer and screenwriter.

According to reports, Chow was originally planning to play a master monk, but now is likely going to reprise his role as the Monkey King (on the request of the film's investors). Anthony Wong will be playing the role of the master monk instead, while Taiwanese pop star Show Luo will be playing Pigsy. The gorgeous Shu Qi will be starring as the film's heroine.

I think this news is most interesting not only because Stephen Chow is now making a new film and reprising an old role, but of the fact that Donnie Yen is also playing the Monkey King in his upcoming new film (titled THE MONKEY KING).
Been wondering what Chow was up to next. Never saw CO1. I really should...

[GeneChing]

Posted: Tue., Nov. 1, 2011, 5:26am PT
Village Roadshow sets up shingle in China
Company to co-produce Zhang Ziyi starrer 'Lucky Star' (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045373?refCatId=13)
By Clifford Coonan

Village Roadshow is the latest international shingle to enter the booming China market with the launch of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Asia, a platform for Chinese production and distribution.

Its slate is headed by romantic comedy "My Lucky Star," produced by and starring Chinese thesp Zhang Ziyi. VREG Asia and Dadi Media will jointly finance and co-produce the pic, which will be helmed by Dennie Gordon.

The slate also includes Stephen Chow's "Journey to the West," a version of the Monkey King legend. Chow will helm, produce and write "Journey," while Bingo Group, VREG Asia and Edko Films are jointly financing and co-producing.

VREG Asia's topper will be former Warner Bros. China exec Ellen Eliasoph, who has 25 years' experience in the region, with Ming "Beaver" Kwei as executive VP of development and production, and Lizhi Chen as VP of marketing and distribution.

"Having worked with China's filmmakers and film companies for many years in a joint effort to develop the film market, I am gratified to witness China's growing emergence as a major player in the global film industry, and delighted to be a part of it," said Eliasoph, who worked on Warner Bros.' "Turn Left, Turn Right," "The Painted Veil" and "Crazy Stone."

"VREG Asia will propel this trend forward by working closely with China's filmmakers, helping them tell their stories, and working to bring their films to an ever-widening audience around the world."

VREG Asia has also formed strategic alliances with Australian vfx and animation studio Animal Logic; Cimarron Group, an entertainment marketing group with offices in Beijing and Los Angeles, and research and marketing information company Screen Engine. Hopefully this means Chow's Journey will get decent U.S. distribution.

[doug maverick]

i think he has a deal with sony so im sure itll be shown here....even thou they were ****ed at him for not doing KFH2 and green hornet(sony was the distributor on it) chow is still good money in the US.

[BakShaolinEC]

**** I wish the DVD place on Elizabeth street was still open in NYC. i don't have anywhere to really go to get imported DVD's anymore.

[doug maverick]

**** I wish the DVD place on Elizabeth street was still open in NYC. i don't have anywhere to really go to get imported DVD's anymore.

i wanted to cry man...the one on mott is closed to...there are others tho, cant remember the street names...next time im in chinatown ill post them...but there is also places on 14th street that carry imports but they are like 14 bucks a pop.

[GeneChing]

24 May 2012 - 07H31
'Monkey' to go West again as cinema power shifts East (http://www.france24.com/en/20120524-monkey-go-west-again-cinema-power-shifts-east)

AFP - Generations of Chinese grew up under the spell cast by Wu Cheng'en's "Journey to the West", the 16th Century adventure epic which is the subject of two major upcoming film adaptations.

Hopes are that the tale will continue to leave audiences spellbound, with shooting now wrapped on actor and director Stephen Chow's version of the tale and another starring "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" star Chow Yun-fat.

Lauded as one of China's "Four Great Classical Novels", it has inspired operas, including one penned by acclaimed British rocker Damon Albarn, a string of cinema hits dating back to the 1940s and a popular online game.

"'Journey to the West' is a story full of imagination," Chow told AFP.

"The plot is beyond any other fantasy," added the Hong Kong-based star, who is one of China's biggest box office draws with films including "Shaolin Soccer" (2001) and "Kung Fu Hustle" (2004).

As China's rapidly expanding film industry continues to break new commercial ground, Chinese filmmakers are increasingly looking to literary adaptations for their inspiration -- with "Journey to the West" a time-honoured favourite.

Chow is putting final touches to his 110 million yuan ($17.3 million) adaptation, whose working title is "Journey to the West" and stars Chinese actors Wen Zhang and Shu Qi. It will be the third time he has used it as source material for a film.

It will come up against another version featuring heavyweights Chow Yun-fat and Donnie Yen in the Soi Cheang-directed 3D epic "The Monkey King", costing an estimated 400 million yuan and which is also in post-production.

Chow's fascination with the ancient text was first fuelled 30 years ago when he watched a grainy, black-and-white Cantonese film version of the tale in his local cinema house.

"I think the reason it is still relevant nowadays -- and people still find it attractive -- is all down to its imagination. Until now I still don't see it being surpassed."

It is the sheer scale of the source material available in the original text that has Chow returning to those pages once again.

"The story is so creative. Yet it is so orderly arranged and structured. On the one hand the creative process is just as free as a bird but on the other hand the framework of the story is very well organized. This is very unique."

The story is based on the legend of the monk Xuanzang's journey to India during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to retrieve sacred texts.

The monk is ordered on this quest towards spiritual enlightenment by Buddha and is placed under the protection of three disciples -- Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), Zhu Bajie (the pig), and Sha Wujing (the water buffalo) -- who are making up for past sins as well as a dragon prince who comes in the form of a horse.

The story first started to appear on the big screen in the 1940s and has since been used as the basis for such hits as "Monkey Goes West" (1966) and the Jet Li-starring "The Forbidden Kingdom" (2008) as well as Chow's own "A Chinese Odyssey" parts one and two (1994).

It has also been retold in a number of television productions -- most notably the Japanese series "Saiyuki" from the 1970s, which was then dubbed and screened around the world.

More recently the tale was the basis of the acclaimed opera "Monkey: Journey to the West", put together by Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn and Chinese stage director Chen Shi-zheng.

It has also surfaced in the Nickelodeon multi-player game "Monkey Quest", which the company last month claimed was the "fastest-growing virtual world for kids" with 10 million registered users in its first year.

Kat Yeung, distribution executive at Filmko Films which is co-producing rival movie "The Monkey King" along with Mandarin Films, believes the lessons learned along the way by those characters still resonate centuries on.

She says her company is putting a very modern spin on how the tale is told. "3D technology can show the 'Journey to the West' like it has never been seen before," she said.

"We want to take this story international, not only to Chinese territories, and we think "The Monkey King" will be just the first episode. There are lots of chapters in the books with independent stories that can be told."

Both productions are underway at a time when China is cementing its status as a cinema powerhouse.

Box office takings surged 30 percent on-year in 2011, eclipsing those in North America. Beijing-based group Wanda is set to become the world's biggest cinema operator by sales with its $2.6 billion purchase of US firm AMC Entertainment.

With the government-enforced quota of just 20 international films allowed in for screening each year still in place, it's an industry in need of productions and ideas, with "Journey to the West" seen as rich source for inspiration.

Hong Kong-based film critic and historian Paul Fonoroff also believes its enduring success comes down to its universal themes.

"It's a tale that has something for everybody: fantasy, adventure, cartoonish characters for the kids, an allegorical subtext for the adults, underlying themes of Buddhist enlightenment for the more spiritually inclined, and plenty of sex or at least sexual innuendo, depending on how the filmmakers want to play it," he explains.

"The story's themes are timeless and have a resonance regardless of one's cultural background -- think Wizard of Oz multiplied a thousand times. And with characters like a monkey, pig, a dragon, it's not only loads of fun but -- equally important for 21st Century filmmakers -- it's a synergistic marketing dream."

Both "Journey to the West" and "The Monkey King" are scheduled for release in 2013. I really must see Chinese Odyssey 1&2 before next year.

[GeneChing]

Stephen Chow To Return as the Monkey King! (http://ninhaochina.tumblr.com/post/7603076257/stephen-chow-to-return-as-the-monkey-king)

Big entertainment news — popular Chinese film star and director Stephen Chow is currently shooting scenes for his next motion picture, and it will be for another “Journey to the West” story!

Chow has not been seen on camera ever since “CJ7” (2008) or as it is known in Chinese, “长江七号” (pinyin: Cháng Jiāng Qī Hào) the title of which which is a pun upon the Shenzhou 5 and Shenzhou 6 Chinese-manned space missions. Furthermore, Chow’s future projects have always been shrouded in secrecy, leading to speculation and rumor. Chow’s name has been attached to such projects as “The Green Hornet” (2011) before dropping out and being replaced by Jay Chou, Kung Fu Hustle 2, King of Comedy 2, and Tai Chi, a rumored English-language remake of Bruce Lee’s “Way of the Dragon” (1972).

The new Journey to the West movie is entitled “西游记之除魔传奇” (Xī Yóu Jì Zhī Chú Mó Chuánqí) which loosely translates to “Journey to the West (Part III): The Legend of the Monster Slayer”. It is currently being secretly shot on a soundstage.

Chow had previously portrayed the Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong (孙悟空; Sūnwùkōng), in the films “A Chinese Odyssey: Pandora’s Box”(1994) and “A Chinese Odyssey: Cinderella” (1994).
I'll change the thread title to “西游记之除魔传奇” (Xī Yóu Jì Zhī Chú Mó Chuánqí) “Journey to the West (Part III): The Legend of the Monster Slayer” at some later date perhaps. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

Chinavision takes Chow's Journey (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/chinavision-takes-chows-journey)
By Patrick Frater
Thu, 20 September 2012, 14:15 PM (HKT)
Production News

ChinaVision Media Group Ltd 文化中國傳播集團, the stockmarket-listed investment vehicle of Chinese film entrepreneur DONG Ping 董平, has boarded Journey to the West 除魔傳奇, the upcoming picture by superstar Stephen CHOW 周星馳 (pictured).

Chinavision also announced an agreement with Chow (described in documents as Mr Chiau) to be involved in a further five Chow movies. It said it had obtained "an option to invest in the production of 5 motion pictures in which Mr. Chiau would play a significant role as filmmaker, producer, director, script writer, protagonist or other leading role within seven years from the date of the agreement."

Chinavision is to pay RMB38 million ($6.0 million) for half of the stake in the film previously owned by Chow's Bingo Group Holdings Ltd 比高集團有限公司. That will give Chinavision "a 30% equity share of the rights to produce, market and distribute [Odyssey] on a worldwide basis".

The film, which pegs Chow as screenwriter, executive producer and co-director (with Derek KWOK 郭子健) is notable as the first title for five years with Chow in a directing role. It is also likely to be the first movie to reach the market from the new Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Asia stable.

A spokesman for VREA told Film Business Asia that the Chinavision acquisition dilutes Chow and Bingo's positions in Odyssey, but leaves unaltered the rights and positions of co-investors VREA and Edko.

Two nights ago it emerged that ChinaVision may also co-finance Police Story 2013, to be directed by DING Sheng 丁晟 and star Jackie CHAN 成龍, in which Wanda Media Co Ltd 萬達影視傳媒有限公司 will also co-invest. It's all about Wanda now...

[GeneChing]

It's just easier that way for now, until they come up with a title that sticks.

Stephen Chow's Journey To The West Second Teaser - BleedingCool.com (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQeBjctS7ww)


Stephen Chow unveils new Monkey King epic (http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2012-11/21/content_27184906.htm)
By Zhang Rui
China.org.cn, November 21, 2012

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20121121/001372a9ae271216c2441f.jpg

Hong Kong comedian and director Stephen Chow announced on Tuesday in Beijing that his new epic "Journey to the West" is set to hit Chinese screen during the 2013 Spring Festival holiday season.

A first short teaser was unveiled at the press conference, along with the official movie poster. The "Kung Fu Hustle" director said that he didn't take on any acting in this film and focused on the directing aspect of the production.

"I can't afford myself because my remuneration is too high," Chow joked. But the film's producer Wang Zhonglei, boss of Huayi Brothers Media, said it was Chow himself who had asked not to let him act, because Chow only wanted to be the best director he could possibly be.

Chow, once the most popular comedian in all of China, didn't elaborate on any of the movie's plots, but did reveal there is definitely a love story somewhere in there.

Chow has previously spoken of his plans to create the most spectacular domestic special effects film ever to be produced in China in order to match Hollywood blockbuster standards, though the concept teaser shown to the press was not that impressive. Chow explained that it is still a work-in-progress and doesn't deem it necessary to disclose the film's final version just yet.

Although shooting wrapped a year ago, there was a long period of post-production due to the large proportion of computer generated special effects involving creatures and supernatural elements.

"We have a 500-member special effects team, "Chow said, "a home-made special effects film can still be on par with the Hollywood ones; the key to making that happen lies in the creative ideas." Wang also revealed that he has seen the unfinished version, which is full of oriental fantasies and stretches far beyond human imagination.

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20121121/001372a9ae271216c27021.jpg
Stephen Chow and Wang Zhonglei meet the press in Beijing, Nov. 21, 2012. [China.org.cn]

The Chow-styled humor will also be present in this film. Wang said audiences are in for a good laugh from beginning to the end.

A sequel to the Monkey King saga is highly possible, Chow said, "It will be such a waste if the story were to end here." Even the title gives a hint as it reads "Journey to the West: Fell Monsters Chapter", implying there will be more chapters. "'Journey to the West' is a most fascinating novel to dig into," Wang added, "Stephen Chow carries his version in his heart, and he is the best director to take the novel from its pages to the big screen."

According to previous reports, Derek Kwok is co-directing and the cast includes Shu Qi, Huang Bo, Wen Zhang and Show Lo.

Lauded as one of China's "Four Great Classical Novels," "Journey to the West" has inspired operas, a string of cinema hits dating back to the 1940s, cartoons and popular online games.

It will be the third time Stephen Chow has used it as material for a film. He once played the lead of Monkey King Sun Wukong in a pair of 1994 films "A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box" and "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella," directed by Jeffrey Lau, which are loosely based on the Chinese classic and combine slapstick comedy, Kung Fu adventure and a love story. "A Chinese Odyssey" films became a cult classic among young adults on Chinese mainland.

It will vie against another film adaption version of "Journey to the West" to be screened next year, featuring heavyweights Chow Yun-fat and Donnie Yen in the Cheang Pou-Soi directed 3D epic "The Monkey King," costing an estimated 400 million yuan (US$64.16 million) and which is currently also in post-production.

[GeneChing]

Worth it just to see Shu Qi. ;)

Get Behind The Scenes Of Stephen Chow's JOURNEY TO THE WEST (http://twitchfilm.com/2012/12/get-behind-the-scenes-of-stephen-chows-journey-to-the-west.html)
Al Young
http://twitchfilm.com/assets_c/2012/12/DSC_0008-thumb-630xauto-35725.jpg
Huayi Bros have released a making-of video for Stephen Chow's Journey to the West with Chow giving direction to Shu Qi on acting a comedic performance. Its amusing to see him get animated but unfortunately, he will be applying his "Mo lei tau" humor mostly behind the camera rather than infront of it since its been reported earlier that he will only take a minor role so he can concentrate on directing.

You'll find the making-of video (No English subtitles) embedded below. The fantasy comedy arrives in during the Spring Festival in 2013.

周星驰新片《西游降魔篇》片场探秘 舒淇文章黄渤奉献颠覆性表演 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYUbf2PkgAw)

[GeneChing]

I can see why these were released within weeks of each other around Chinese New Year. Part Two starts right where Part One ends and then jumps 500 years prior to Part One. These films are very confusing that way, so if you're looking for a sensible story arc (and why you would do that with Chow's films is questionable) these aren't for you. You could actually watch Part Two first as technically speaking, that is the prequel. If you are only planning to watch one of these, I'd watch Two as it is a better film, IMO. Also, you really need to be familiar with Journey to the West (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50181) or it won't make a lick of sense. Like Forbidden Kingdom (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42599), these films are based heavily upon that epic tale, although the story itself is new, completely outside of the traditional narrative. But unlike FK, there is no attempt to explain the characters at all. It's just assumed you know who the Pigsy, Sandy, Bull King, the Spider Demon, et. al. are already.

I get the English titles now - Pandora & Cinderella - they are painfully bad translations but I can see how they arrived at them.

A Chinese Odyssey Part One - Pandora's Box (1995 西遊記101回月光寶盒)
This was enjoyable although not very coherent. Chow's hijinks are funny, including SPOILER a repeated schtick about Chow's **** catching fire and having to be stomped out, which I have to confess got me to giggle END SPOILER. It's all long before CGI but the wire work and cheesey effects aren't that distracting, just a little dated. The martial arts are typical for fant-ASIA fare of the day - lots of flying about but it works surprisingly well, even now, given the subject matter. The connection to Monkey is slim beyond the Demons.

A Chinese Odyssey Part Two - Cinderella (1995 西遊記完結篇仙履奇緣)
This one was the better of the two films as it includes more of the characters from Monkey. It also makes the first film make a lot more sense. Chow's inspiration from Looney Toons is readily apparent, even with a classic bomb-with-burning-fuse-resulting-in-an-ash-faced-villain gag. Sanzhang as a bore was hysterical. The 'only you' song in prison was just wacky, so Stephan Chow. Overall, I liked his interpretation of the quest quartet. That was really missing for me in the first film. I started to get the female immortals mixed up, SPOILER which of course, got worse when they all changed bodies END SPOILER but it kept me entertained.

I confess I have a soft spot for Chow's Mo Lei Tau humor. At some point in every film, he always gets a smile out of me. Chow is the only one who would imagine giving Monkey a Bruce Lee 'wataaah!' That's just wickedly funny.

I'm eager to see his next take on this.

[JamesC]

Thanks for the review.

Shaolin Soccer is STILL one of my favorites. The scene where they sing the Shaolin song in the bar makes me laugh every single time. I even dragged my wife to see Kung Fu Hustle to the theatre when it came out.

I may have to watch CO.

[ghostexorcist]

Thanks for the review.

Shaolin Soccer is STILL one of my favorites. The scene where they sing the Shaolin song in the bar makes me laugh every single time. [...]

I've watched that scene so many times that I actually remembered the song. I find myself singing it sometimes. It always brings a smile to my face.

[GeneChing]

HK celebrity Stephen Chow to advise CCP on Kung Fu choreography (http://shanghaiist.com/2013/01/15/stephen-chow.php)
By Beth Main

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/shang_shanghaiist/stephen-chow.jpg

... no not really, he is going to advise them on politics.

Stephen Chow the 51 year old Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director, producer and most importantly star of Kung Fu Hustle has been appointed to Guangdong's Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Committee... but he isn't actually a Communist.

He has been included as one of 281 members from Hong Kong and Macau in a 'special invitation' sector that makes up part of the 978 strong committee. The movie star is affiliated with the Zhigongdang of China (one of the eight parties in China that aren't the CCP) but since the CPPCC is a political advisory body, which is dominated by the CCP anyway, he isn't likely to be writing new laws any time soon.

978 members were adopted into the body during a provincial meeting in Guangzhou on Monday. Chow won't be the only celebrity cast member, and he will be joined by actor Kent Tong Chun-yip, and presenters Sally Wu and Ma Dingsheng, who have served on the committee before. His participation is set to increase media coverage of the Committee for the next five years.

While many will question whether celebrities are qualified to advise politicians they can rest assured that Chow meets the CPPCC criter

What could a 978 member committee every accomplish? I've been on committees with less than a dozen people and the only thing we could agree on was when the meeting was over. :rolleyes:


'Kung Fu Hustle' Star Stephen Chow Appointed to China's Top Political Advisory Body (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kung-fu-hustle-star-stephen-412580)
8:28 PM PST 1/14/2013 by Clarence Tsuihttp://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2013/01/chow.jpg
Getty Images
The comedian-director -- whose new film, "JTTW," is released next month -- will serve on one of the provincial arms of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

HONG KONG – With his comeback movie just a month away from hitting Chinese cineplexes, Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s pedigree was given a major boost Monday with his appointment to the Chinese government’s top political advisory body.

The Hong Kong comedian-director -- whose latest film, JTTW, is slated for release in his hometown Feb. 7 before opening across China on Feb. 10 -- was among the 978 delegates named to sit on the Guangdong provincial committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. His five-year tenure begins in January 2014, when he is expected to attend his first meeting in Guangzhou.

Having kept his public appearances to a minimum in recent years – his most recent production was CJ7, the 2008 film which he starred in and directed – Chow surprised many last year when he called a press conference to endorse the candidacy of Henry Tang Ying-yen in Hong Kong’s Chief Executive elections. Before that, the actor was not known for making public stances beyond show business matters.

Tang, a businessman who served as Hong Kong’s chief secretary for administration, eventually lost to Leung Chun-ying in a bitterly contested race, with his campaign undermined by revelations of an extramarital affair and also an illegally built basement in his mansion.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, the CCPCC is largely an advisory body and was established by the Chinese Communist Party as a “united front” institution aimed at bringing non-party individuals into the establishment.

While largely ceremonial, a place on the CCPCC is highly sought after as it signifies a level of officially sanctioned social standing in China – something that could facilitate the office-holders’ professional career in the country. Among the directors and actors who have served the institution in recent years are Zhang Yimou and Gong Li, who were appointees on the national level of the CCPCC.

It remains to be seen what Chow’s level of participation will be. In the past, celebrity delegates have been reproached for not attending their annual meetings. Gong, for example, was subjected to much criticism in the Chinese media in 2008 for not turning up for meetings two years in a row, with officials forced to concede that such absence has become “a problem.”

JTTW -- on which Chow serves as co-director (with Derek Kwok), screenwriter and producer -- is a new take on the Journey to the West legend about the adventures of a mischievous Monkey King, which the Hong Kong star himself played in a series of hit films (named A Chinese Odyssey) in the 1990s. The film stars mainland Chinese actor Wen Zhang (The Sorcerer and the White Snake, Love is Not Blind) as the primate spirit in a case also featuring Shu Qi (Three Times, The Transporter), Anthony Wong Chau-sang (Infernal Affairs, The Painted Veil) and Huang Bo (Crazy Stone, Lost in Thailand).

[GeneChing]

Chinese only. no subs.

《西游》喜剧篇爆笑指数满血 周氏喜剧风格重回人间 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk0FdO1sQOE)

《西游降魔篇》最新特辑导演篇 周星驰教舒淇打怪兽 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogcc3AGit0Y)

舒淇演唱周星驰《西游除魔篇》主题曲——《一生所爱》 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2--Cs0JIw)

I just realized Chu Chi Ling (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=944) is in this. Cool!

[GeneChing]

In HD w/subs
周星馳《西遊．降魔篇》台灣版完整正式預告片(1080P HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_bzZh2JoQg)

[GeneChing]

I always used to look forward to Jackie's new flick on Chinese New Year. Good to see Chow step up and put something out for the holiday again.

Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons (http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-latest/journey-to-the-west-conquering-the-demons/5051372.article?blocktitle=Latest-Reviews&contentID=1479)
4 February, 2013 | By Edmund Lee
Dirs: Stephen Chow, Derek Kwok. China. 2013. 110mins

http://www.screendaily.com/pictures/586xAny/1/5/3/1166153_Journey-to-the-West-1.jpg
A glorious return to form after the slightly underwhelming CJ7 (2008) and his first ever directorial effort in which he doesn’t also play the lead role, Stephen Chow’s Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons is a thoroughly entertaining action comedy that suggests, a la Woody Allen, a promising new life behind the screen for the actor-director, who found an eager international audience with 2001’s Shaolin Soccer and 2004’s Kung Fu Hustle after having established himself as Hong Kong’s most iconic comedian since the early 1990s.

As is frequently the case for the recent Stephen Chow movies, violence and gore are used occasionally to comical effects.

Those who’re worrying that Chow is on an irreversible retreat into self-congratulatory mode could be in for a surprise: as someone whose image is synonymous with his oeuvre, the actor isn’t even making a notable cameo appearance in his latest film. Serving up a delirious blend of monster movie, romantic comedy and martial arts fantasy, this inventive new take on the classical novel Journey To The West also marks a long-awaited return to the material by Chow, who previously starred as the Monkey King in director Jeff Lau’s now-classic two-part adaptation A Chinese Odyssey (1995).

Clearly structured – and titled – as the first film of a potential movie series, Conquering The Demons opens in mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore on February 7, as well as Taiwan on the following day, to coincide with the Chinese New Year holidays. While international sales should be less affected by the actor’s conspicuous onscreen absence, it remains to be seen if Chinese viewers will respond with the same enthusiasm they showed the Chow-starring comedies of the past.

Although the film is billed as “a Stephen Chow film” that is “produced, directed and written by” him, it is noteworthy that Chow, as a producer, only took up his directorial duties – and the head billing – midway through the production. Conquering The Demons is in fact co-directed by Derek Kwok (Gallants), who was initially the sole director – even if his name doesn’t currently appear in the opening credits.

While the film is still peppered with small and unpretentiously bizarre touches of humour that are unquestionably Chow’s own, the introduction of a new creative voice may have contributed to the refreshing dramatic focus here. Unlike seemingly every other movie in Chow’s acting career, which almost always features a bratty anti-hero battling against his underdog status, the protagonist of Conquering The Demons is surprisingly not the spotlight-hogging Monkey King – whose ironically unimpressive image is unveiled at the movie’s final showdown as an awkwardly hilarious sight gag – but a younger Xuan Zang before he makes the titular pilgrimage.

Played by Chinese actor Wen Zhang (Love Is Not Blind, The Sorcerer And The White Snake) with an endearing balance of determination and humility, the lead role of Xuan Zang barely possesses the bigger-than-life personality that typically defines Chow’s leading roles. As a demon-hunter with minimal martial arts skills, the character is guided only by an unwavering belief in the inherent goodness of every evil being: he strives to awaken the demons’ sense of innocence by singing from his treasured book of 300 Nursery Rhymes.

Aided by the original character Miss Duan (Shu Qi), a beautiful yet totally fierce fellow demon-hunter who’s fallen hopelessly in love with him, Xuan Zang spends the duration of the film consecutively conquering the three demons that will eventually become his famed disciples: a fish demon (which inspires a few Piranha-like sequences), a pig demon (whose exceedingly ugly look leads to a couple of very gross kisses) and a monkey demon aka the Monkey King. With an expected reference to A Chinese Odyssey’s most famous lines, Xuan Zang becomes a Buddhist monk and finally learns of the significance of ‘greater love’ through his love interest.

As is frequently the case for the recent Stephen Chow movies, violence and gore are used occasionally to comical effects; a malfunctioning blood-splashing device used by a character provides some of the movie’s funniest gags. And though the computer-generated demons, often in the guises of giant animals, are not at their most realistic, they do feel very much at home in a fantasy movie as wacky as Conquering the Demons.

Production companies: Bingo Movie Development Ltd, Village Roadshow Pictures Asia Ltd, Chinavision Media Group Ltd, Edko Films Ltd, Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, China Film Co Ltd

Co-producer: Wang Zhonglei

Executive producers: Stephen Chow, Ellen Eliasoph, Dong Ping, Bill Kong, Wang Zhongjun, Han Sanping

Screenplay: Derek Kwok, Huo Xin, Wang Yun, Fung Chih-chiang, Lu Zheng-yu, Lee Sheung-ching, Ivy Kong

Cinematography: Choi Sung-fai

Editor: Chan Chi-wai

Production designer: Bruce Yu

Action choreographer: Ku Huen-chiu

Music: Raymond Wong

Main cast: Shu Qi, Wen Zhang, Huang Bo, Show Lo, Lee Sheung-ching, Chiu Chi-ling, Chrissie Chau

[GeneChing]

Nevertheless, I'd love to see this in 3D of course. That made all the difference with FS@DG (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57723).

February 06, 2013 08:00 ET
LA-Based Venture 3D Uses Signiant Media Shuttle™ for Accelerated Delivery of Massive 3D Movie Files (http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/la-based-venture-3d-uses-signiant-media-shuttle-accelerated-delivery-massive-3d-movie-1753675.htm)

Ease and Flexibility of Cloud-Based Solution Facilitates Production of Upcoming Feature Film

BURLINGTON, MA--(Marketwire - Feb 6, 2013) - Signiant, the market leader in intelligent file movement software for media and entertainment, today announced that Venture 3D, a stereoscopic 3D conversion production company based in Los Angeles, is using its Media Shuttle™ hybrid SaaS file transfer solution to facilitate collaboration with partners in Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul and Korea on an upcoming feature film. Built for workflows that demand fast, reliable delivery of massive files, and IT management features typically associated with more expensive solutions, Media Shuttle is allowing Venture 3D to dramatically broaden its business base in the Asia-Pacific region.

Known for its conversion work on "Titanic 3D" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," Venture 3D is using Media Shuttle to deliver the film "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," directed by Stephen Chow of "Shaolin Soccer" and "Kung Fu Hustle" fame. Venture 3D's business success on the project requires the ability to move massive files -- sometimes 200-300 GB in a single transfer -- to multiple entities across Asia. As such the company required a solution that would give their global partners access to large files without the administrative constraints of FTP. In addition Venture 3D needed ultimate control over who is accessing clients' high-value-assets, for how long, and to set limits on their permission to files.

"What we needed was a tall order -- the ability to transfer large files quickly, access them anywhere, control and track file access and not be limited by the size of the file or the number of people that could access those files," said Todd Cogan, SVP, Operations, Venture 3D. "Using Media Shuttle we are able to go outside of our circle of local partners to expand our business in Asia, while making the workflow process extremely easy for our clients. Solutions we have used in the past made content delivery laborious and cost intensive but with Media Shuttle we are able to move content efficiently and affordably."

Exchanging digital assets of this size and frequency can be complex and Venture 3D needed its delivery solution to be both reliable and effortless for its production partners. Media Shuttle's onboard checkpoint restart feature automatically retries or resumes transfers if they are interrupted for any reason, and email notifications alert users when content is delivered. The system's graphical dashboard gives Venture 3D complete visibility into all file transfer activity, including average transfer rate, file size and speed.

"The notification feature was a great selling point for us as it takes the onus off the client and makes Venture 3D a desirable collaboration partner," Cogan continued. "Media Shuttle gives us the freedom to work with partners of our choosing and allows us to work globally regardless of location and file size. Additionally, we can now work with the multiple offices of our partners in the region -- essentially anyone who needs to partner with us -- easily without delays or limitations."

The newest addition to Signiant's portfolio of accelerated file transfer solutions, Media Shuttle provides an effective alternative to FTP and public file sharing solutions -- without associated file size constraints or security risks. Media Shuttle's hybrid SaaS architecture lets users access fast file transfer capabilities through a simple interface in the cloud while maintaining the file cache within the secure control of their own network. Unlike other solutions, Media Shuttle gives IT the power to determine where content is stored -- on private networks or in the cloud -- and how network resources should be allocated for maximum enterprise efficiency. A flexible subscription-based pricing model makes Media Shuttle the ideal solution for project-based initiatives or enterprises looking to scale for demand.

"Venture 3D is leading the fast-growing market of 3D conversion and with Media Shuttle we are able to stay on the cutting-edge by having the most sophisticated solutions available to ourselves and our partners," said Cogan. "Being able to defy the constraints of file size and distance and instead focus on creative collaboration we are able to perfect our specialty and in turn, advance the industry."

About Signiant
Used by the world's top content creators and distributors, Signiant is the market leader in intelligent file movement software for the media and entertainment industry. The company's powerful software suite optimizes existing enterprise network infrastructure and media technologies to ensure secure digital media exchanges, workflow efficiency and superior user experiences. Headquartered in Burlington, MA, with offices around the world, today Signiant connects tens of thousands of media professionals in more than 50 countries. For more information, visit www.signiant.com.

[GeneChing]

I doubt this will get any US 3D distribution. But we can hope...


Journey to the West conquers China (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/journey-to-the-west-conquers-china)
By Stephen Cremin
Mon, 11 February 2013, 17:15 PM (HKT)

According to its Mainland distributor, Stephen CHOW 周星馳's 3-D Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 除魔傳奇 has broken the opening day box office record for a local film in China, taking RMB76.5 million (US$12.3 million) yesterday on 1.86 million admissions.

The preliminary number was reported by distributor Huayi Brothers Media Corporation 華誼兄弟傳媒股份有限公司 on its Weibo account, which also announced that cinema admissions for all films reached 2.60 million yesterday. Reliable numbers are still one week away, after the Chinese New Year holidays.

The previous Chinese-language record holder was Huayi's own Painted Skin: The Resurrection 畫皮Ⅱ, taking an estimated RMB70.0 million (US$11.2 million) last summer. The overall record holder remains Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) with approximately RMB100 million on opening day.

Journey opened day-and-date with the star-packed Better and Better 越來越好之村晚 — codirected by ZHANG Yibai 張一白 and XIE Dongshen 謝東燊 — andZHU Shimao 朱時茂's romance Love Retake 愛情不ＮＧ. The two films made an estimated RMB7.2 million (US$1.15 million) and RMB1.3 million (US$208,000) respectively.

According to Huayi, third-ranked yesterday was Cloud Atlas, securing RMB6.8 million (US$1.09 million). Fourth- and fifth-ranked were Skyfall and Hotel Deluxe 百星酒店 with RMB4.3 million (US$738,000) and RMB4.3 million (US$689,000) respectively.

Journey had a relatively disappointing opening day in Hong Kong and Taiwan on Thurday, 7 Feb. In Hong Kong, it took HK$990,000 (US$128,000) on 78 screens. In Taipei, it was third-placed, taking NT$1.36 million (US$45,700) in 21 cinemas. Over the weekend, it is believed to have fallen to fifth place in Taipei.

Today, Journey, which stars WEN Zhang 文章, SHU Qi 舒淇 and HUANG Bo 黃渤, has a 41.6% share of all screenings in China, as its competitors are pushed aside. Leste CHEN 陳正道's romantic comedy Say Yes! １０１次求婚, also starring Huang, opens in Mainland cinemas tomorrow.

[GeneChing]

We shouldn't forget what Chow did to Cecilia Cheung in SS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286112/) (the cornrowed mustached player - wtf?) Mok already has unflattering teeth. I've always thought Chow had some issues with women...:rolleyes:

I'm prepared to be ugly, says Shu Qi (http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20130209-401250.html)
By Boon Chan
The Straits Times
Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013
http://news.asiaone.com/A1MEDIA/news/02Feb13/20130209.172956_reuters_shuqi.jpg
For an actress, getting the lead role in a Stephen Chow Sing Chi movie is a big deal. It means joining a select club that includes Karen Mok, Vicki Zhao and Athena Chu, a group nicknamed the Sing girls.

Their roles in the Hong Kong funnyman and film-maker's comedies were a springboard to greater fame and popularity - but often at a price. They were often made to look outrageously hideous. In The God Of Cookery (1996), Mok sported awful teeth and an unflattering mop. In Shaolin Football (2001), Zhao's pretty face was buried underneath a score of synthetic scars.

So when Taiwan's Shu Qi, 36, signed on for the fantasy adventure Journey To The West, a prequel to the well-known classic tale of the same name, she was prepared for a negative makeover.

"Once you accept his movie, you have to be prepared to be made ugly and I was actually looking forward to it," she says in Mandarin to the media at Hong Kong's Festival Walk mall on Wednesday night before the film's gala premiere there.

Dressed in a Felipe Oliveira Baptista outfit, a one-piece which playfully mixes solid blue and zebra print, Shu is every inch the elegant sophisticate. It is a far cry from her role in the movie, which is currently showing in Singapore: a rough-around-the-edges demon hunter Miss Duan whose face is smudged with dirt and whose hair is wildly messy.

It was a look she found to be fashionable, given that unkempt is in, she says in jest.

"It saved a lot of make-up and hair time. The stylist just took dust and mud and mucked about with it."

Certainly, Shu seems to have got off very lightly compared to previous Sing girls Mok and Zhao.

Is it favouritism or is Chow getting soft with age?

Neither, says Chow, 50, in protest: "Look at Miss Shu. How could you possibly make her ugly? I've already tried my best. I bet with you that you cannot do it."

But did he not manage to transform Mok and Zhao, neither of them laggards in the beauty department, into spectacularly ugly specimens?

He shoots back with a laugh: "Oh, them I could."

On a more serious note, he adds that Zhao, for example, was not truly ugly, either. He says: "Even though I made her look like that, her innate spirit was still beautiful."

Such talk of inner beauty seems at odds with the man best known as a pioneer of Hong Kong's "mo lei tau", or nonsensical, comedy, which is akin to the absurdist humour of Britain's Monty Python.

In conversation, however, his humour is more restrained and deadpan.

And on a film set, according to his cast, he is meticulous and methodical.

Even though Chow does not act in it, there are traces of him everywhere, from China actor Wen Zhang's expressive turn as the good-hearted demon hunter Xuanzang to sexy starlet Chrissie Chau's sinuous dance. She plays a demon hunter who is Shu's lone female follower.

Chau, 27, recalls that Chow would "personally demonstrate everything, including the dance" and adds that he did it better.

So it is no empty boast when Chow claims: "I was very focused on my role as director so, in a way, every role is me. I put my soul into every character, so you can see my style in each of them."

He adds: "I think every actor is a shadow of me - plus his own special characteristics."

Journey To The West is a departure for Chow as he is not acting in a film he wrote, produced and directed.

But he does not think this significant. For him, it all starts with the script rather than "what role I want for myself". Only when he is satisfied with the screenplay does he start thinking about casting, and then he would simply approach whoever he thought was "most suitable".

"I'm very good, I'm not selfish. If I were a little more selfish, I would go 'Hey, I'll take on this as well', can make more money this way you know," says a deadpan Chow, who is togged out in an ensemble of black peaked cap, black zip-up hoodie, black jeans and grey New Balance sneakers.

He started out in television shows in the 1980s and later shot to stardom with the gambling comedy All For The Winner (1990). He began directing in 1994 with the action comedy From Beijing With Love and would often wear several hats, including producer and screenwriter, in his later projects.

Some of his biggest hits and best-known works include the Fight Back To School series (1991-1993), The God Of Cookery, King Of Comedy (1999), Shaolin Football (2001) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004). His last film was the sci-fi comedy CJ7 (2008), in which he acted, directed and wrote.

The two-part A Chinese Odyssey (1994), his loose adaptation of the Journey To The West classic folk tale, is a cult favourite in China, despite it being a box-office flop. Many mainland Chinese movie fans watched it on bootlegged copies and can even quote lines from the movie.

A pivotal scene in it had Chow saying that he would love someone for 10,000 years. The classic line of dialogue gets a twist in the new movie, Journey To The West, as Shu says it is better to love now than to wait 10,000 years.

Chow says that he has watched the current film "several thousand times" and he would still get moved and cry every single time.

He muses: "Time is now more precious than ever so, say, I want to invite Miss Shu to a meal, I should do it now rather than wait till next week or next month. Now is important because you don't know what's going to happen to the world tomorrow."

Still, one does not buy a ticket to a Stephen Chow movie for only the tears to flow - laughs are expected, even demanded. Naturally, the film-maker delivers.

In one flirtatious exchange with China actor Huang Bo, who plays the crafty Monkey King Sun Wukong, Shu had her comic capacity tested to its limit. On film, it looks like an NG scene - a no-good or ruined outtake - that Chow used anyway because of its sheer energy.

Shu reveals: "There was no NG but the scene was too long. It was so funny that Chow just didn't yell 'cut'. But I was laughing so hard that my stomach was hurting, and I couldn't continue acting."

Shu is often cast as the emotionally fragile urbanite in dramas such as A Beautiful Life (2011) and If You Are The One 2 (2010). Asked about the difficulty of making this film and her response is immediate: "Rhythm."

She says: "For art films, you get to go along with your emotions. But in Chow's comedies, he has his unique rhythm. You need to 'shoufang' (rein in and let go) suddenly and that was a pretty big challenge."

Waiting around on set for filming to start was no laughing matter either.

Chow was constantly rewriting the dialogue even while shooting and, once, she had to wait 10 hours to do a scene. She recalls: "I slept and woke, woke and slept in the dressing room. Waiting is the tiring part."

She "could not bear to punish him" though, as he is "even more tired than me".

Still, Shu had high praise for her director for opening her eyes to comedy. She says: "I discovered that comedy is another world. And it would have been very difficult for me without Chow's direction. Hand the same script to any other director and he might not have the same ideas and that's where Chow is special."

[GeneChing]

Check out our latest web pub: Visiting the Home of the Monkey King (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1084)by Gregory Brundage


10 February 2013| last updated at 08:56PM
Cinema: Humour saves the Journey (http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/sunday-life-times/cinema-humour-saves-the-journey-1.215813)
By LOONG WAI TING | loongwaiting@nstp.com.my

HELMED by directors Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer) and Derek Kok (Gallants and Frozen), Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons sees Chow’s return to the big screen after his slightly disappointing movie, CJ7, in 2008.

Chow, who found international fame after his successful 2001’s Shaolin Soccer and then 2004’s Kung Fu Hustle, continues to impress in his latest effects-driven movie about the legendary pilgrimage of a Buddhist monk Xuan Zang and his three disciples — Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing.

But the movie is not without its flaws. While trying hard to keep to the original storyline of Xuan Zang and his disciples’ journey to India to obtain sacred Buddhist texts, Chow seems to have something else on his mind. In his version, the world is plagued by demons who cause terrible suffering to mankind. Guided by his belief of sacrificing himself for a greater cause, young demon catcher Xuan Zang (Wen) risks his life to catch the water demon, pig demon and Monkey King (Huang Bo).

He makes them his disciples and reforms them. The monk then discovers the true meaning of Greater Love when he meets another demon slayer, Miss Duan (Shu Qi).

In this blend of delirious comedy, romance and martial arts, Chow never once makes an appearance (not even a cameo) in this movie as he did in Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer and CJ7. He last played Monkey King, Sun Wukong in Jeffrey Lau’s two-part adaptation movie A Chinese Odyssey (1994).

But his absence in the movie should not stop his fans from catching the movie, a Chinese New Year attraction. However, whether they will like this as much as his previous comedies remains to be seen.

The movie is peppered almost shamelessly with flawed computer-generated images. The transition from scene-to-scene isn’t as smooth as one would have hoped. Attentive audiences will have no problem in spotting the many mistakes and unrealistic computer-generated demons.

The overall acting is enjoyable. Shu Qi’s Miss Duan is a joy to watch. Her witty performance is natural, despite some flaws in her Cantonese pronunciation. All the other actors seem to be having great fun bringing their characters to life.
Conquering The Demons is enjoyable because of the humour the actors pull off with deadpan expressions.

NOW SHOWING

JOURNEY TO THE WEST: CONQUERING THE DEMONS (Cantonese)
Directed by Stephen Chow and Derek Kok
Starring Shu Qi, Show Luo, Wen Zhang, Huang Bo, Chrissie Chau
Duration 110 minutes
Rating PG13

http://www.nst.com.my/polopoly_fs/1.215816.1360414562!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_454/image.jpg
Before becoming a monk, Xuan Zang (Wen Zhang) was a demon catcher.

[GeneChing]

John McClane beats out Sun Wukong in HK...:(

Hollywood maintains grip on HK CNY (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/hollywood-maintains-grip-on-hk-cny)
By Stephen Cremin
Thu, 14 February 2013, 15:55 PM (HKT)
http://www.filmbiz.asia/media/BAhbB1sHOgZmSSIpMjAxMy8wMi8xMy8yMy8zNi8xOC8zMDgvZG llX2hhcmQuanBnBjoGRVRbCDoGcDoKdGh1bWJJIg01MDB4MTAw MAY7BlQ?suffix=.jpg&sha=c73289cb

For the second year in a row, a Hollywood film has taken the most money over the Chinese New Year holidays in Hong Kong.

This year's box office winner was A Good Day to Die Hard, taking HK$12.0 million (US$1.55 million) over the four-day holiday period. One year ago, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2011) took HK$14.2 million (US$1.83 million).

According to Hong Kong's Motion Picture Industry Association Ltd (MPIA) 香港電影協會, the holiday box office was 6.34% down on 2012 figures, from HK$47.1 million (US$6.07 million) to HK$44.1 million (US$5.68 million).

Second-placed this year was Stephen CHOW 周星馳's Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 除魔傳奇 with HK$10.5 million (US$1.35 million). It has now taken HK$15.8 million (US$2.04 million) after seven days on release.

Runner ups included I Love Hong Kong 2013 ２０１３我愛ＨＫ恭囍發財 and Hotel Deluxe 百星酒店 on HK$8.11 (US$1.05 million) and HK$6.36 (US$820,000) respectively over the four day holiday period.

In fifth and sixth place were Hotel Transylvania and animation The Mythical Ark: Adventures in Love & Happiness 喜羊羊與灰太狼之喜氣羊羊過蛇年 with HK$3.02 million (US$389,000) and HK$483,000 (US$62,300) respectively.


Although figures are not yet available for Taiwan, early estimates suggest that the latest episode in the Die Hard franchise was also the number one film at the Taipei box office. However, local comedy David Loman 大尾鱸鰻 may have won nationwide.

In China, Journey to the West is the undisputed box office leader, and has likely crossed RMB300 million (US$48.1 million) after four-and-a-half days in cinemas. It's main competition on Valentine's Day today is romantic comedy Say Yes! １０１次求婚 which opened strongly on RMB13.6 million (US$2.18 million) on Tuesday.

[GeneChing]

Journey breaks China single-day BO record (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/journey-breaks-china-single-day-bo-record)
By Stephen Cremin
Fri, 15 February 2013, 17:55 PM (HKT)
http://www.filmbiz.asia/media/BAhbB1sHOgZmSSI0MjAxMy8wMi8xNS8wMS80NS8yOS82Nzgvam 91cm5leV90b190aGVfd2VzdC5qcGcGOgZFVFsIOgZwOgp0aHVt YkkiDTUwMHgxMDAwBjsGVA?suffix=.jpg&sha=fb6ba3d5

Stephen CHOW 周星馳's Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 除魔傳奇 broke single-day box office records in China yesterday, taking between RMB116 million (US$18.6 million) and RMB122 million (US$19.6 million) on Valentine's Day.

The previous record holder was Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) with RMB112 million (US$18.0 million) on a single day on release in July 2011. Michael Bay's film ended its run with RMB1.11 billion (US$178 million) in China.

After five days in cinemas, it is already the tenth highest grossing Chinese-language film of all time in China. It will likely overtake If You are the One II 非誠勿擾Ⅱ (2010) and The Founding of a Republic 建國大業 (2009) today to be eighth-placed.

The three-highest grossing Chinese-language films at the Mainland box office were all released in the past twelve months. Chow's film has no major competition until the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey next Friday.

Also performing strongly is Leste CHEN 陳正道's romantic comedy Say Yes! １０１次求婚, taking approximately RMB44 million (US$7.1 million) yesterday. In three days, it has grossed approximately RMB73 million (US$11.7 million).

Say Yes!, a feature film adaptation of Fuji Television Network Inc フジテレビジョン's television drama 101st Marriage Proposal １０１回目のプロポーズ (1991), stars LIN Chi-ling 林志玲 opposite HUANG Bo 黃渤. Huang also co-stars in Journey to the West and Lost in Thailand 人再囧途之泰囧, China's biggest domestic hit.



ALL-TIME CHINA BOX OFFICE (CHINESE-LANGUAGE FILMS ONLY)

1.Lost in Thailand (人再囧途之泰囧) — RMB1.25b (US$200m)
2. CZ12 (十二生肖) — RMB869m (US$139m)
3. Painted Skin: The Resurrection (畫皮Ⅱ) — RMB727m (US$116m)
4. Let the Bullets Fly (讓子彈飛) — RMB674m (US$108m)
5. Aftershock (唐山大地震) — RMB665m (US$107m)
6. The Flowers of War (金陵十三釵) — RMB597m (US$95.6m)
7. Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (龍門飛甲) — RMB543m (US$86.9m)
8. If You are the One II (非誠勿擾Ⅱ) — RMB483m (US$77.3m)
9. The Founding of a Republic (建國大業) — RMB420m (US$67.3m)
10. Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (除魔傳奇) — RMB417m (US$66.8m)
I've seen 6 out of the top 10. Soon to be 7 when I manage to get a gander at this flick.

[JamesC]

Just realized Kwok was co-director. Awesome. Gallants is an all-time favorite.

[GeneChing]

Who will post that first forum member review?

February 20, 2013, 7:21 PM
‘Journey to the West’ Conquers Chinese Box Office (http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013/02/20/journey-to-the-west-conquers-chinese-box-office/)

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-WK457_0220JJ_G_20130220042659.jpg
MediAdvertising (HK) Ltd
Stephen Chow’s ‘Journey to the West’ is breaking Chinese box-office records.

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-WK462_0220JJ_D_20130220051320.jpg
MediAdvertising (HK) Ltd.
A scene from the movie

Just weeks after “Lost in Thailand” broke box-office records to become China’s highest-grossing movie ever, a new blockbuster is giving the low-budget comedy hit a run for its money.

As of Tuesday, “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons” pulled in 762.3 million yuan ($122.1 million) since opening on Feb. 10, according to media-research firm EntGroup Inc. It still has a long way to go before reaching the 1.26 billion yuan earned by “Lost in Thailand,” but the Hollywood Reporter predicted this week that “Journey to the West” would soon march past “Lost in Thailand” to become China’s highest-earning domestically produced movie.

“Journey to the West” is the creation of director-writer Stephen Chow, best known for “Shaolin Soccer,” “Kung Fu Hustle” and dozens of other hits. (Mr. Chow, a popular comedic actor, doesn’t appear in “Journey to the West.”) The 3-D movie, based on the classic Ming Dynasty novel “Journey to the West,” follows the adventures of a young demon-catcher. Audiences have responded enthusiastically to Mr. Chow’s potent mix of action, comedy, terror, romance, and a trio of popular stars: Shu Qi, Wen Zhang and Huang Bo.

The movie has already set some records. Its opening-day take was 81.7 million yuan, breaking the 70-million-yuan record of “Painted Skin: The Resurrection” for a domestic movie. The Hollywood blockbuster “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” remains the opening-day champ with 102 million yuan. But last week “Journey to the West” claimed the title of largest single-day gross (on Feb. 14) of 123 million yuan for all films — domestic and foreign — surpassing the previous one-day record of 114 million yuan set in 2011 for the third installment of the “Transformers” franchise.

[ShaolinDan]

Ok. I got this one. :)

You've got to take my review with a grain of salt though because I have a serious hang-up about works of literature being butchered in order to make blockbuster movies--I know it's necessary, but it still bothers me.

Anyway, it's not a bad movie, but it's not a great movie either. Probably much more enjoyable to watch in 3D, but really I didn't find anything memorable or special about the movie.

It made me laugh a few times, and there were a few surprises in it, and even one or two somewhat profound moments, but not nearly enough for a movie over two hours long.

The action is all fantasy wuxia style which is appropriate to the subject, though I found it totally over the top even for 'Journey to the West.' Still probably was fun to watch in 3D.

The changes for the sake of the movies box office success are what really bothered me--Xuan Zhang is not supposed to be brave and handsome...Could complain more, but anyway that's what happens in movies.

IMO it's a kind of fun movie, but offers absolutely nothing special. Sorry. :o

[ghostexorcist]

I found a place to watch it online. I'll let you know what I thought about it when I get a chance. I'm studying for midterms right now.

[ghostexorcist]

I found a place to watch it online. I'll let you know what I thought about it when I get a chance. I'm studying for midterms right now.

I just finished watching it. Shaolindan hit the nail on the head; this movie lacks something that Stephen Chow's previous movies had. It's too serious to be a comedy and too funny to be a drama. It is extremely slow and, as Dan mentioned, it butchers the hell out of the original story. Don't get me wrong, I thought some of the changes they made were a fresh take on an old subject. For instance, they initially portray Sun Wukong as a balding middle-aged man dressed in tattered clothes. When he first appears, he gives off a very eerie "I've been down in this hole for so long that I've lost my mind" sort of vibe. One of the few funny scenes involved Wukong flirting with a female character and giving her dance lessons. There is just something hilarious about one of the most powerful beings in the universe trying to get into a girl's pants. There were a few characters that the kung fu crowd will like, such as the guy (Xing Yu) who channels animal spirits while fighting with demons. When he fights using tiger style, for example, a giant tiger appears behind him. The ending is, I feel, the best part of the movie. I won't give anything away, but just know Sun Wukong reminds us of why he is such a bad ass, and the Buddha reminds us that an enlightened mind wins over brute strength.

I give it a 2 out of 5. This could have been much better than it was.

[GeneChing]

The changes for the sake of the movies box office success are what really bothered me--Xuan Zhang is not supposed to be brave and handsome... Did you see Chinese Odyssey? Xuan Zhang was a droning bore in that one - played so for comic relief.


this movie lacks something that Stephen Chow's previous movies had. Indeed. Might that have been Stephen Chow?

Haven't seen this yet myself. It's in the queue tho. Thanks guys!

Meanwhile...

Special Effects Team To Blame For Asura’s Wrath Plagiarism, Say People Blamed for Plagiarism (http://kotaku.com/5986639/young-boy-spends-five-years-writing-online-text-adventure)
Eric Jou

Stephen Chow's latest box office offering, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, is slated by the Chinese press to rake in billions of yuan by the time its run is over. However one thing is still causing problems for Chow: the allegations that his movie stole assets from a video game.

Chow, the director, who has acted in gems like Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, is seen like something of a comedy god in China. He's been given the honorific of "ye 爷," which is often given to elders or people of high esteem such as nobles. Last week we reported that various Chinese press spotted scenes in Chow's Journey which had ripped off Capcom's Asura's Wrath.

A Mr. Wei speaking on behalf of Chow's camp came out and said, "The plagiarizing has nothing to do with Chow and our people, the special effects and everything regarding the graphics were done by the effects company, please direct your questions towards them."

Wei's comments seem to skirt the issue of whether Chow was involved at all, but Tencent was quick on the uptake. They report that in a previous interview with the co-director of the movie, Derek Kwok, Kwok said that the duo has seen Asura's Wrath and that they're "fans of animation, so long as the animation is good, we are fine."

Kwok's comments seem to contradict what's coming from of Chow's people. In that same interview, Kwok also made a point about how Chow couldn't have been implicated in any wrongdoing, going so far as saying "Chow is a busy person."

Kotaku has reached out to both Capcom and Chow. Capcom has declined to comment and Chow's camp has not returned a comment at all.

[ghostexorcist]

Did you see Chinese Odyssey? Xuan Zhang was a droning bore in that one - played so for comic relief.

They didn't really butcher the novel; they just inserted a storyline into the main storyline. A good example is the Supplement of the Journey to the West (1641). This brief novel describes a story that is inserted in between chapters 61 and 62 of the original. It has time travel just like A Chinese Odyssey.


Indeed. Might that have been Stephen Chow?

Haven't seen this yet myself. It's in the queue tho. Thanks guys!

I knew from your posts that he wouldn't be in it. That was certainly disappointing. I think you will see what I mean, though, when you watch it. Even if he had been a character, I don't think it would have seemed like one of his projects. Normally, his movies are funnier and faster paced. However, I will say Chrissie Chau, who plays one of Shu Qi's underlings, is smoking hot! An example:

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/1734/chrissiechau21.jpg

[ghostexorcist]

Meanwhile...

Wow, check this page out for a side-by-side comparison of the video game in question and Chow's film (SPOILER). It's undeniable.

http://www.martialartsmoviejunkie.com/2013/02/18/did-journe-to-the-west-steal-a-scene/

[ghostexorcist]

You guys can can watch it here:

http://osemtv.com/watch_video.php?v=82H89H3K3SD7#_

[GeneChing]

See also in the article Stephen Chow Signs Deal for 'Journey to the West' Theme Park in our Chinese Theme Parks thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1214739#post1214739).


Local films score at BO around Asia (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/local-films-score-at-bo-around-asia)
By Patrick Frater and Stephen Cremin
Thu, 28 February 2013, 11:59 AM (HKT)
http://www.filmbiz.asia/media/BAhbB1sHOgZmSSI~MjAxMy8wMi8yNy8yMC8xMi8xMy81NDQvU2 h1X1FpX2luX0pvdXJuZXlfRDREMFoyWjBLV1g2LmpwZwY6BkVU Wwg6BnA6CnRodW1iSSINNTAweDEwMDAGOwZU?suffix=.jpg&sha=3e6eaf25
Asian films put in some strong – and sometimes surprising – performances at the box office around the region.

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 除魔傳奇 (pictured), Stephen CHOW 周星馳's historical fantasy, continued its remarkable journey at the Chinese BO, by adding a further RMB335 million (US$53.7 million) last week. That gives it a cumulative total to 24 Feb of RMB993 million (US$160 million). Newcomer The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey scored RMB115 million (US$18.5 million) over three days at the weekend. Local romantic comedy Say Yes! １０１次求婚 had taken RMB170 million (US$27.3 million) by Sunday night. Cloud Atlas, which has significant Chinese, Hong Kong and Singaporean investment, nudged its total up to RMB165 million (US$26.5 million). It is now expected to overtake its $27 million North American total.

In Singapore Ah Boys to Men 2 新兵正傳Ⅱ topped the local box office chart for the fourth successive week. That took its cumulative total to S$7.08 million (US$5.72 million) in 26 days and improved its record as the biggest Singaporean film of all time. It score now also makes it the tenth highest grossing film of any nationality in Singapore, behind Spiderman III on S$7.83 million (US$6.32 million). Distributor Clover Films Pte Ltd estimates that ABTM2 will finish its run on S$7.5 million (US$6.06 million). The highest grossing film of all time in Singapore was last year's The Avengers on S$13.73 million (US$11.1 million).

In South Korea, the top two chart positions are taken by local films, New World 신세계 and Miracle in Cell No. 7 ７번방의 선물; both are financed and distributed by indie firm Next Entertainment World. New World managed ticket sales of 1.04 million in its first five days on release. But it is Miracle that has really rocked the chart. Released on 23 Jan, it has become only the eighth local film to sell more than 10 million tickets in the modern era. By 26 Feb it had scored 10.4 million admissions, for a box office total of ￦74.5 billion ($69.3 million). Directed by LEE Hwan-kyung 이환경 on a budget of ￦3.8 billion (US$3.5 million), it is the tale of how a man-child's 6-year-old daughter is snaked into his cell after he is falsely imprisoned.

In Taiwan, David Loman has crossed NT$100 million (US3.37 million) at the Taipei box office. By Sunday night, the Chinese New Year comedy had taken NT$111 million (US$3.73 million), and is estimated to have made three times that nationwide. Other local films released over the holidays had disappointing box office, including Step Back to Glory 志氣 with NT$10.9 million (US$366,000) and Get Together 逗陣ㄟ with NT$7.25 million (US$244,000). Still on release, Ang LEE 李安's Life of Pi had taken NT$220 million (US$7.41 million) by Sunday night.

In Vietnam, 3-D costume-action film The Lady Assassin Mỹ nhân kế broke records as the number one local film of all time, with ₫52 billion (US$2.49 million) by 17 Feb, smashing the ₫42 billion (US$2.00 million) record of gangster comedy Big Boss Long ruồi (2011). On Valentine's Day, it broke single-day records with ₫5.5 billion (US$263,000). It had no major competition in local cinemas until 22 Feb when Journey to the West, Beautiful Creatures, Broken City and The Last Stand opened.

[GeneChing]

'Journey to the West' Passes $160 Million at Chinese Box Office (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/journey-west-passes-160-million-424222)
6:35 AM PST 2/25/2013 by Clarence Tsui

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2013/02/journey_to_the_west.jpg
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2013 H
Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s fantastical comedy becomes the second Chinese film in as many months to hit 10-digit local earnings at home, with its quest to top "Avatar's" record takings of 1.38 billion yuan possibly hindered by the release of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."

HONG KONG – Another month, another record-breaker. Less than two months after Lost in Thailand became the first Chinese production to take more than 1 billion yuan ($160.3 million) at the local box-office, Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons did the same – and in fewer days than the previous record-holder.

According to figures released on the state-backed China Film News blog, Journey to the West generated 330 million yuan ($52.9 million) from Feb. 18-24, bringing its total box-office earnings to 983 million yuan ($157.6 million) up until Sunday. Averaging daily takings of 65.5 million yuan, the film would easily have crossed the 1 billion yuan threshold on Monday, thus sealing its standing as the second highest-grossing local production ever in mainland China.

With Chow still traveling around the country to promote the film, Journey is expected to continue its challenge to beat the local-production record set by Lost in Thailand last month (1.26 billion yuan/$202 million) and then the all-time Chinese box-office mark of James Cameron’s Avatar (1.38 billion yuan/$221.2 million, from Jan./Feb. 2010). By earning 122 million yuan ($19.6 million) on Feb. 14, Journey has already broken the single-day ticket-sales record set by Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 2011 (116 million yuan/$18.6 million).

Whether Chow's film could fulfill that quest hinges on its ability to withstand the challenge of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which has performed remarkably since its Feb. 22 opening, taking in 115 million yuan ($18.4 million) in just three days. There’s also Jean Valjean and Fantine to take care of, with Les Miserables – the profile of which has certainly risen again with Anne Hathaway’s Oscar win and the ensemble performance at the awards ceremony on Sunday – opening in the country on Feb. 28.

Where Bilbo Baggins has thrived, Tom Cruise has withered, however. Up until Feb. 24, Jack Reacher has just taken 80 million yuan ($12.8 million) – a situation which would possibly leave its Chinese total earnings trailing that of Cloud Atlas, which has now accumulated 170 million yuan ($27.3 million) in the territory.

But Monkey hits an obstacle...:(


Stephen Chow, China's Huayi Brothers in Dispute Over 'Journey to the West' Profits (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-chow-chinas-huayi-brothers-425054)
12:54 AM PST 2/28/2013 by Clarence Tsui
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2013/01/chow.jpg
Stephen Chow - P 2013
Getty Images
The Hong Kong director and mainland Chinese film studio are locked in a war of words over the distribution of earnings for the blockbuster.

HONG KONG – As Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons continues its record-breaking march towards becoming the top-grossing domestic production ever released in China, a parallel drama is unfolding online, as the film’s producer-director and his mainland Chinese partner engage in an escalating battle over how the spoils are to be shared.

For the past week, Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s Bingo Group and the Beijing-based Huayi Brothers studio have issued separate notices contesting how Journey’s net profits are to be divided. The main sticking point is whether Huayi is an investor in the production, or merely the Chinese distributor of the film -- if the latter, the studio's take will be considerably less.

The saga began on Feb. 5, when an entry in Huayi CEO Wang Zhonglei’s blog stated how his company is contracted to receive the biggest share of Journey’s net profits -- a comment followed two days later by an official notice claiming the studio to be an investor as well as the mainland Chinese distributor of the film. This claim contrasted sharply with Bingo’s announcement last Nov., which did not name Huayi among the project’s four financing parties.

As Journey broke the 1-billion-yuan ($160 million) threshold on Monday, Huayi issued another notice stating the company should receive pre-tax profits of $31.5 (196 million yuan) from the film. Bingo responded in the evening with an online notice saying that Huayi would receive 12 percent of the film’s net profits as distributors plus an additional share of box-office dividends, while the investors -- excluding Huayi Brothers -- may “actually obtain approximately 70 percent of the net income calculated from distribution of the film in mainland China.”

After Bingo’s missive dismissing Huayi’s claims of being an investor, Wang fought back with yet another post the next day claiming it should be his company, under an agreement struck with Bingo and their partners, which is to receive 70 to 90 percent of the film’s net takings after the deduction of the distribution fee -- an amount which would translate to total earnings from $43 million (270 million yuan) to $57 million (356 million yuan) if the film is to surpass 1.2 billion yuan ($192 million) in ticket sales, as many analysts predict.

Speaking to the Apple Daily newspaper on Wednesday, Chow declined to comment on his conflict with Huayi, saying his company is already dealing with the matter. The potentially disintegrating relationship between Chow and Wang is startling, given how the pair regularly appeared together at promotional events for Journey before the film opened.

Huayi has been pursuing better financial returns in 2013 after the disappointing performance of Feng Xiaogang’s historical drama Back to 1942 in 2012. Made with a budget of $33.7 million (210 million yuan), the film only took $58 million (364 million yuan) during its Nov.-Dec. run, losing out not just to Ang Lee’s Life of Pi but also actor-turned-director Xu Zheng’s comedy Lost in Thailand, which has since gone on to gross $202 million (1.26 billion yuan), becoming China's highest-grossing domestic production ever.

[GeneChing]

Stephen Chow's Blockbuster continues box office conquest (http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90782/8153823.html)
(Xinhua)
11:03, March 05, 2013
(Source: CRI Online)

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/mediafile/201303/05/F201303051314074648153571.jpg
"Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," a period adventure comedy created by writer-director Stephen Chow, had raked in more than 1.1 billion yuan (176.7 million U.S. dollars) as of Sunday, the film's production company announced.

The film took in 80 million yuan when it debuted on Feb. 10, the biggest opening ever for a domestic film. It pulled in a combined 1.08 billion yuan throughout February, the Huayi Bros. Media Group said.

Chow's 3-D action comedy, based on the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West," follows the adventures of a young demon hunter.

China's current box office record is held by "Lost in Thailand," a low-budget comedy that has earned more than 1.26 billion yuan since it debuted last December. However, many believe Chow's movie will break that record before it leaves theaters. Still haven't seen this or LiT.

[GeneChing]

Talk about academic snobbery...:p

Monkey Man (http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/766658.shtml)
Global Times | 2013-3-7 19:38:02
By Jonny Clement Brown

http://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2011/71604ec5-cb22-4f32-85ea-96895bb4bce5.jpeg
Monkey in all its reincarnations, including Huang Bo as Sun Wukong, aka the Monkey King, in Stephen Chow's latest adaptation Photos: CFP

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http://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2011/b46a8ce6-4383-46c6-9d24-56e0fc5689c8.jpeg

According to statistics from the state-backed China Film News blog, just two weeks after its release, the Stephen Chow directed and produced Journey to the West: Conquering Demons (Chow's third film interpretation of the 16th-century classic Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en) broke all manner of Chinese box office records by surpassing an unprecedented 1 billion yuan ($160 million).

Official figures on Sina Weibo state that within the first 15 days of its February 10 release, the film had been played 435,620 times throughout the nation and seen by an estimated 24.8 million.

Less than two months after previous local box office champion Lost in Thailand became the first Chinese production to take in more than 1 billion yuan, the enduring story of a young monk traveling west to India at the request of Buddha seems to still strum an emotional chord within the local consciousness.

With Chow - the star and man at the helm of some of China's most successfully exported comedy capers (Shaolin Soccer in 2001 and Kung Fu Hustle in 2004) - reportedly signing on for a 25 percent stake in a 173-acre Journey to the West theme park in Wuzhen (just outside Shanghai) as well as the impending release of The Monkey King starring Donnie Yen this July (yet another re-interpretation of the classic novel), it seems everyone has gone bananas for the Monkey King. Not to mention that one of Spain's finest directors, Guillermo Del Torro, is purported to be working on a Hollywood adaptation of Wu Cheng'en's novel.

"It's a story about austerities. About how human beings achieve perfection through austerity. It's a book full of wisdom," says Li An'gang, professor of Chinese classical literature at Yuncheng University, Shanxi Province. "The monkey character represents our minds, which can transform 72 times, travel 9,000 kilometers and change size in the blink of an eye."

If anyone should know about how to relate the appeal of the main protagonist - ostensibly a talking primate - to modern world dwellers, it's professor Li. He's been lecturing on the book for more than 30 years. Li states that the appeal of Monkey for Chinese people is simple: "It's a story about how to enlighten your mind. So everyone, not only Chinese, can find something for themselves within. No matter where they are from, those who know growth will come to understand this book."

However, despite the astronomical takings at the box office for Conquering Demons, not everyone found peace and wisdom in Chow's Monty Python-esque and somewhat trippy-slacker re-imagining of the tale.

"I would never recommend this movie to my friends," says University of Science and Technology Beijing graduate student Heaven Wang, 25. "I probably will never understand the success of this movie. It's haphazard and lacks consistency. I didn't get the humor and it was a bit too scary for children and those with heart conditions," she said. Wang is not the only person Metro Beijing interviewed who thought little of Chow's interpretation. But Li didn't have too many expectations for Chow's version and all its special effects.

"It's quite clear from the title that this was going to be a spoof of monkey movies from the past," says Li. "Clearly, people of this generation like these kinds of movies and the box office figures show that." Li calls Chow's efforts "spirited," but hopes for a more serious film adaptation in the future.

"I couldn't care less if there is an upcoming movie starring Donnie Yen," Wang says. "The story has been exhausted completely. I don't know how it will do at the box office, but I know I will never go to see that movie."

[GeneChing]

Film Review: ‘Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons’ (http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/film-review-journey-to-the-west-conquering-the-demons-1200006468/)
03.10.13 | 05:48PM PT
Richard Kuipers

http://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/journeytothewest.jpg?w=490&h=276&crop=1

Visuals are more dazzling than the storytelling in “Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.” A qualified return to form for Hong Kong hitmaker Stephen Chow (“Kung Fu Hustle) after mushy sci-fier “CJ7,” this mostly entertaining action-fantasy-comedy about a demon hunter soars when pyrotechnics take centerstage, but is less successful when the focus switches to words. Nevertheless, “Journey” has gone bananas since its Feb. 7 domestic release and looks certain to crack the $200 million mark and overtake “Lost in Thailand” as the highest grossing Chinese movie. Commercial potential beyond Chinese-speaking auds appears limited. North American release details are pending.

The pic is the umpteenth movie inspired by Wu Cheng-er’s classic 16th century novel “Journey to the West.” The source material about the arrival of Buddhism in China provided the basis for “A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora’s Box” and “A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella,” domestic hits starring Chow as the mischievous Monkey King.

With Derek Kwok (“Gallants”) credited as associate director, “Journey” follows a simple pattern of elaborate set-pieces followed by brief pauses for reflection and explanation, not all of which are entirely compelling or convincing.

The first spectacular sequence shows young demon hunter Xuanzang (Wen Zhang) arriving in a fishing village during a gory, “Jaws”-like attack by the fearsome Water Demon. Chow’s knack for mixing suspense and slapstick is impressively displayed as Xuanzang leaps about rickety walkways and see-sawing bridges resembling the board game “Mouse Trap” before rescuing a baby just inches from becoming the creature’s next meal.

In one of several new ideas brought to the old tale by Chow, Kwok and six other credited writers, sensitive Xuanzang reads nursery rhymes to demons in the hope they will reject the dark side and join him as allies in the quest for spiritual enlightenment. His belief is that these beasties were once good-natured humans that suffered terrible injustice, and a lilting lullaby is all it takes to undo the damage. Watched by villagers as his technique restores the Water Demon to his previous human form as Sand Monk (Lee Sheung-ching), Xuanzang’s moment of glory is stolen by the sudden arrival of Duan (Shu Qi, “If You Are the One”), a feisty femme demon hunter with radically different ideas on creature control and a flair for showbiz that the nerdy Xuanzang lacks.

Duan invites herself on Xuanzang’s missions to challenge and change other demons — pig K.L. Hog (Chen Bing-qiang) and Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King (Huang Bo), an especially tricky customer who’s served 500 years of solitary confinement in a remote cave on orders from Buddha himself. While sequences such as Duan using her “Infinite Flying Rings” to disintegrate Hog’s minions at his restaurant-cum slaughterhouse are filled with razzle-dazzle CGI and exciting 3D effects, talk-based segs between showpieces too often lack the nimble scripting and heartwarming charm that distinguishes Chow’s best work, like 2001’s “Shaolin Soccer.”

The main problem is Duan’s wildly enthusiastic attempts to woo Xuanzang despite his avowed devotion to “a greater love” than what she’s offering. Pushing the opposites-attract notion a bit too far, Duan’s repeated declarations of passion for Xuanzang never ring true, and it remains a mystery why she finds him so irresistible. An early sequence showing Duan and her sexy comrade (Chrissie Chau) conspiring to activate Xuanzang’s libido produces chuckles, but variations on the theme prove far less mirthful.

Although Chow does not appear in the movie, his acting style and screen persona are writ large on the main cast. Shu is dynamite as the all-action Duan, Huang amuses as the eccentric Monkey King, and Taiwanese singer Show Lo scores big laughs as Prince Important, a narcissistic rival demon hunter with an entourage of soon-to-be-superannuated female sidekicks.

Where the helmer’s touch works least is the central role of Xuanzang. Mainland thesp Wen does nothing particularly wrong, but his perf as the nervous greenhorn feels Chow-lite, and his narrowly written character is less lovable than he ought to be. It doesn’t help that Wen sports a ghastly “finger-in-the-light-socket” hairdo more fit for a costume party than a serious young seeker of spiritual fulfillment.

The pic is beautifully designed and photographed in predominantly rich earthy tones by lenser Choi Sung-fai (“Flying Swords of Dragon Gate”). The orchestral score by regular Chow collaborator Raymond Wong adds plenty of punch to action sequences, but is slightly overused in the dramatic passages. The rest of the technical work is first class. Things conclude with a set-up for a sequel.

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

Sai yau: hong mor pin

(Hong Kong-China)

Reviewed at Hoyts Tea Tree Plaza Cinemas, Adelaide, March 4, 2013. Running time: 110 MIN.

An Edko Films (in Hong Kong), Huayi Brothers Media (in China) release of a Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, Chinavision Media Group, Bingo Movie Development, Edko Films production. (International sales: Bingo, Hong Kong.) Produced by Wang Zhongjun, Stephen Chow, Ellen R. Eliasoph, Han Sanping, Dong Ping, Bill Kong. Executive Producer, Chow.

Directed by Stephen Chow. Associate director, Derek Kwok. Screenplay, Chow, Kwok, Huo Xin, Wang Yun, Fung Chih-chiang, Lu Zheng-yu, Lee Sheung-ching, Ivy Kong. Camera (color, widescreen, HD, 3D), Choi Sung-fai; editor, Chan Chi-wai; music, Raymond Wong; production designer, Bruce Yu; art director, Eric Lam; costume designer, Lee Pik-kwan; sound (Dolby Atmos), Zhu Yanfeng; visual effects supervisor, Ken Law; visual effects, Macrograph, Different Digital Design; action choreographer, Ku Huen-chiu; line producer, Ivy Kong; associate producer, Alice Chow; assistant directors, Leung Kwok-fai, Keith Chan Cheung-kei, Ng Ka-pui; second unit camera, Gao Hu.

With: Shu Qi, Wen Zhang, Huang Bo, Show Lo, Lee Sheung-ching, Chen Bing-qiang, Cheng Si-han, Xing Yu, Lu Zheng-yu, Chiu Chi-ling, Yang Di, Chrissie Chau, Ge Hang-yu, Fung Ming-hun, Yeung Lun.

(Mandarin dialogue)
BTW, has anyone seen Lost in Thailand?

[GeneChing]

The title of this post is a Shu Qi reference (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=481). Get it? ;)

Village Roadshow Asia's film nears China's box office record (http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/village-roadshow-asias-film-nears-chinas-box-office-record/story-e6frfmq9-1226611947111)
Neala Johnson, Movie Reporter
News Limited Network
April 03, 2013 6:46PM

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Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, film

A scene from Village Roadshow Asia's co-production, 'Journey To The West: Conquering the Demons'', which is close to breaking box office records in China.

CHINA looks set to crown a new box office king - and the power behind the throne is an Australian company.

Village Roadshow is well known at home for its cinema chain, theme parks and Hollywood movie co-productions including The Matrix, Happy Feet and Baz Luhrmann’s forthcoming The Great Gatsby.

Now Village Roadshow Pictures Asia, a Beijing-based division of the company founded in 2011, has found wild success with its first local co-production in China, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons.

With total box office in China of $191.9 million (1.245 billion yuan), Journey to the West is close to surpassing last year’s hit Lost in Thailand ($194.2 million) as the highest-grossing Chinese-made film in the country’s history.

Greg Basser, CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, told News Limited the movie "has exceeded expectations". But he added the company was not getting carried away with the result.

"We have a philosophy in China of what I call 'crawl, walk, run' - we're taking a very cautious approach there" Basser said. "It's not really going to change our operations."

Journey to the West is an action, fantasy and comedy concoction directed by filmmaker and action star Stephen Chow, and based on the same novel that inspired 1970s-80s TV favourite Monkey.

Village Roadshow has a 30 per cent stake in the film, which cost around $19 million to make.

Back in February, its opening-week gross of $89.4 million set a record for China (knocking off Titanic). It also pulled in $18.8 million on a single day, beating the previous record set by Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Its run at the box office is slowing, however, as it fell out of the Top 10 for the first time last week.

"It’s probably got another two to three weeks in theatres, so maybe yes, maybe no," said Basser of its chances of becoming the No.1 local film. "Either way, we’re very happy with the outcome."

Currently, Journey to the West is the third biggest film of all time in China overall, behind Lost in Thailand and Avatar ($214.3 million).

The Australian media company's success has Hollywood studios taking note. Revenue from the Chinese movie market has doubled in the past four years and is predicted to match the US by 2017.

Industry reports put takings at the Chinese box office overall up more than 40 per cent year-on-year. Cinemagoers are also increasingly choosing local titles over foreign imports.

"There’s something like nine screens a day opening in China and it just so happens local product this year is running at 70 per cent of the box office," said Basser. "When you’re in a marketplace that’s growing so rapidly, the rising water basically seems to pull everything up."

While some of the major studios have dipped their toe into the market by co-producing both English and Chinese-language films (Paramount yesterday announced it will partner with Chinese companies to make the fourth Transformers movie), Village Roadshow has set itself apart by focusing solely on locally-made Mandarin and Cantonese-language productions.

The company's presence in China with multiplex operations since the mid-1990s appears to have given it a prime vantage point to observe the rapidly-growing market.

"If you look to places like Korea and Japan, local productions make up more than 50 per cent of the box office," said Basser. "We saw similar stuff happening in China and realised that market was going to be a very significant market, not just in the region but globally.

"We thought the opportunity would be to work with the indigenous side of the industry, because we’re already working in the global part through our partnership with Warner Bros.

"Village Roadshow Pictures Asia is firmly focused on China and films for that local market, but what we hope to learn is how to mould the pictures to be more popular outside of China."

Village Roadshow followed up Journey to the West with a more modest hit, the $30.9 million-grossing romance Say Yes!

Its next big Chinese release is Man of Tai Chi in late June - directed by and starring, oddly enough, Keanu Reeves.

"We’re looking at another three or four films going into production this year," said Basser.

"The goal is six-to-eight films a year. We're in this market for the long-term and we see great prospects. And it's certainly nice to start off the way we have."

The Asian venture has been good news for Village Roadshow Ltd's ASX share price. After sitting below $3.50 last September, it peaked above $5 in March and was $4.86 at close on Wednesday.

[Scott R. Brown]

It was cute, but not great.

[SimonM]

Whatchootalkinabout?

I laughed so hard I nearly hurt myself. The monkey king himself was basically dead-on perfect.

[Scott R. Brown]

Whatchootalkinabout?

I laughed so hard I nearly hurt myself. The monkey king himself was basically dead-on perfect.

I was disconcerted with the death of the child at the beginning. He was lucky I finished watching the movie after that. There was no plot necessity for killing a child as far as I am concerned and I don't watch anything where they kill children as a matter of principle.

The rest was corny and entertaining, but below expectations, to me, for a Stephen Chow film. It was certainly funny. But I expected more.

[GeneChing]

...if it's still making money at the box office, why bother ending the run? :confused:

Chinese Box Office: "Journey to the West" Run Extended So It Can Break "Lost in Thailand"'s Record (http://www.movieswithbutter.com/blogs/chinese-box-office-journey-west-run-extended-so-it-can-break-lost-thailands-record-470929)
Posted 9:57 AM March 14th, 2013 by Senh Duong
http://www.movieswithbutter.com/sites/default/files/images/journey_to_the_west.preview.jpg
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

In my previous Chinese box office report, I wrote that Stephen Chow's "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" would get close, but not beat "Lost in Thailand" for the record of highest-grossing Chinese film of all time. Huayi Brothers, the company behind "Journey to the West," apparently agrees with me. Originally slated to end its run by the end of this week, they're extending its engagement until April 7th, which should be enough time for it to capture the all-time crown.

Meanwhile, the fantasy-comedy topped the charts for the fifth consecutive week, grossing $10M and extended its total to $191.5M. It needs to make another $10M or more in the next month to surpass "Lost in Thailand."

Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" repeated at second with $8.3M, bringing its total to a solid $45.5M after three weeks. Worldwide, the fantasy film has taken in more than $1B.

Occupying the third spot with a decent $6.7M after four days is the debut of "Upside Down, " a big budget sci-fi/romance starring Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess. With a budget of $50M and only getting a limited release in the U.S., I don't think it'll make back its cost.

Another debut landed in fourth place. Wong Jing’s “Princess and Seven Kung Fu Masters,” an action-comedy featuring Sammo Hung and Bruce Leung, took in a decent $4.5M in three days. The trailer looks just as silly as the title.
“Les Miserables” raked in $3.7M for the fifth spot. In ten days, it has taken in an underwhelming $7.7M.

Rounding out the top ten are “Stolen” ($3.2M, $6M total), “Dredd” ($1.8M, $4.4M), “Fall in Love” ($1.1M), “Say Yes” ($0.9M, $31.2M), and “The Iron Lady” ($0.6M). “Say Yes” looks like it’ll end its run with about $32M, another huge hit for Huang Bo. Meryl Streep’s Oscar-winning “The Iron Lady” bombed pretty hard in China.

Next week, Bruce Willis will try to get a bailout from China with “A Good Day to Die Hard” since it underwhelmed in the U.S. Unless it does gangbusters in China, I doubt there’ll be a six installment as promised by Willis. The latest “Die Hard” did $63.3M after a month in the U.S. and will probably end its run there with less than $70M, the lowest grossing film of the franchise. The previous entry, “Live Free or Die Hard,” did $134.5M in 2007.

[GeneChing]

Stephen Chow's film fails to break record (http://www.china.org.cn/arts/2013-04/10/content_28500808.htm)
CRI, April 10, 2013

http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20130410/001372a9ae2712cf3bc201.jpg
Actor Wen Zhang plays the leading role in Stephen Chow's adventure comedy "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons". [Photo: douban.com]

Stephen Chow's adventure comedy "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons" has concluded its theatrical run, and has become the second best-selling Chinese movie of all time.

The movie has raked in 1.245 billion yuan (about US$200 million) through its screening.

Chow's 3-D action comedy, based on the classic Chinese novel "Journey to the West", follows the adventures of a young demon hunter.

The film took in 80 million yuan when it debuted on February 10, the biggest opening ever for a domestic film.

However, the movie failed to break the total box office record held by Xu Zheng's "Lost in Thailand".

"Lost in Thailand", a low-budget comedy which debuted in December, has earned more than 1.26 billion yuan. Shy 15 million yuan (almost $2.5 million USD) :(

[GeneChing]

Read Chiu Chi Ling on JOURNEY TO THE WEST: CONQUERING DEMONS (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1095) by Gene Ching with Kevin Ho.

[GeneChing]

Magnet (http://magnetreleasing.com/journeytothewest/) is doing a limited release of JttW in the U.S. on March 7. I saw the listing and thought it was that other Monkey movie (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58025-Monkey-King-IMAX-3D-featuring-Donnie-Yen)...:(


Opening (http://www.magpictures.com/dates.aspx?id=9d7cd02e-1860-4ef5-a872-43ba9ef54967)
3/7/2014
Columbus, OH: Gateway Film Center 8
Tempe, AZ: Valley Art 1 Theatre
Vancouver, WA: Kiggins Theater

3/28/2014
Seattle, WA: Grand Illusion Cinema


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3JzljB3zQg

[GeneChing]

Magnolia has expanded the limited release.

Opening (http://www.magpictures.com/dates.aspx?id=9d7cd02e-1860-4ef5-a872-43ba9ef54967)

3/7/2014
Albuquerque, NM: Guild
Cleveland, OH: Capitol Theatre
Columbus, OH: Gateway Film Center 8
New York, NY: Cinema Village
Monterey Park, CA: AMC Atlantic Times Square 14
Tempe, AZ: Valley Art 1 Theatre
Vancouver, WA: Kiggins Theater

3/20/2014
Gainesville, FL: The Wooly

3/21/2014
Santa Fe, NM: CCA Cinematheque
Tucson, AZ: The Loft Cinema

3/28/2014
Eugene, OR: Bijou Metro
Lake Worth, FL: Lake Worth Playhouse
Seattle, WA: Grand Illusion Cinema

[GeneChing]

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for JOURNEY TO THE WEST ON BLU-RAY DISC (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/sweepstakes-JOURNEY-TO-THE-WEST.php)! Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 05/29/14. Good luck everyone!

[GeneChing]

See our Journey-to-the-West-Blu-Ray-Disc-winners (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?67703-Journey-to-the-West-Blu-Ray-Disc-winners) thread.

[David Jamieson]

Just watched it.
It's pretty good. Funny too.
Anyone else seen this?
Am I late for the parade again?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2017561/

[GeneChing]

Stephen Chow sues Huayi for missing bonus

http://www.filmbiz.asia/media/BAhbB1sHOgZmSSI0MjAxNS8wNC8xNC8wMC8wMi80Mi84MzUvam 91cm5leV90b190aGVfd2VzdC5qcGcGOgZFVFsIOgZwOgp0aHVt YkkiDTUwMHgxMDAwBjsGVA?suffix=.jpg&sha=1a054594

By Kevin Ma

Tue, 14 April 2015, 15:05 PM (HKT)
Policy/Legal News

A company owned by Stephen CHOW 周星馳 has filed a lawsuit against Huayi Brothers Media Corporation 華誼兄弟傳媒股份有限公司 in the Beijing No.3 Intermediate People's Court, seeking RMB94.3 million (US$15.2 million) from the success of Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 西游　降魔篇 (2013).

Filed by Chow's 崴盈投資有限公司 (a subsidiary of his Bingo Group Holdings Ltd 比高集團有限公司), the company and Huayi signed a co-production agreement in 2012 for the fantasy comedy. The contract included two supplemental agreements including additional terms.

Initially struck verbally between Chow and Huayi president Dennis WANG 王中軍, the second supplemental agreement stated that Chow's company would receive a bonus if Huayi earns more than RMB500 million (US$80.4 million) from the film. The fantasy comedy grossed RMB1.25 billion (US$201 million) at the China box office.

According to a statement made to investors, Bingo Group says that it should have received RMB180 million (US$29 million) under the terms of the second supplemental agreement, but it has only received RMB86 million (US$13.8 million) thus far.

Huayi Brothers told local media that the second supplemental agreement was never signed by both sides and therefore not legally admissible. In addition, the company says that its own share of the film's revenue after taxes, distributor's fee, marketing cost and minimum guarantee is nowhere near RMB500 million. Therefore, even if the agreement is legal, Huayi is not legally obligated to pay the bonus.



Been curious what Chow has been up to lately...:rolleyes: