Iceman 冰封俠

[GeneChing]

I called China's 3D wave back in my Chollywood Rising column a year ago in our Jan/Feb 2011 issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=936). My subtitle for that installment was From Venice to 3D.

Donnie Yen's ICEMAN COMETH heads China 3D slate (http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/11/donnie-yens-iceman-cometh-heads-china-3d-slate.php)
by James Marsh, November 22, 2011 4:15 AM

China 3D Group, the company behind Hong Kong's most successful film of 2011, 3D SEX AND ZEN: EXTREME ECSTASY, has revealed to Twitch their slate of films for the coming twelve months, and they've got some pretty entertaining looking projects in the pipeline.

First up is NATURAL BORN CRAZY LOVERS, a romantic comedy starring Cheung Chi Lam (KIDNAP, THE 1ST SEVENTH NIGHT) and Annie Liu (EXODUS). The film is to be directed by Patrick Kong, who has enjoyed a string of modest hits in the last couple of years, including MARRIAGE TO A LIAR and LOVE IS THE ONLY ANSWER and is set to start filming on 15 February 2012.

The second film to go into production is easily the most exciting of the three: a 3D remake of the Yuen Biao/Yuen Wah action flick THE ICEMAN COMETH, with Donnie Yen in the lead role. In this new version, Donnie plays the captain of the Imperial Guard during the Ming Dynasty. When he is wrongly accused of murder and colluding with the enemy, his fellow guardsmen go after him, only for their monumental battle to see all three buried under an avalanche for 300 years. Discovered by a wealthy philanthropist, the frozen soldiers are transported back to Hong Kong for study, only to thaw out and escape. Donnie finds shelter with a drunk and emotionally jaded bar promoter on Halloween night, and over time she helps him integrate into 21st Century society. Meanwhile, the other guardsmen have ideas of their own - one is still determined to track down Donnie and bring him to justice, while the other decides to make a name for himself in modern-day Hong Kong.

http://twitchfilm.com/news/3D%20Iceman%20Cometh%20.jpg
While the other parts have yet to be cast, the most intriguing element of this production is that Donnie Yen will also direct, in a unique partnership with Raymond Yip Wai Man (BRUCE LEE MY BROTHER, THE WARLORDS) and 3D SEX AND ZEN's Christopher Sun. While it is unclear at the moment exactly how duties will be divided up between the three directors it appears that Donnie will be in charge of more than simply choreographing the film's martial arts. Stephen Shiu Sr. was one of the producers of the original 1989 film and will serve as Chief Producer on the remake, alongside Peggy Lee Gam Man (BEAST STALKER, DETECTIVE DEE). ICEMAN COMETH 3D will begin production on 20 February 2012.

China 3D Group's third project is ripped right from Hong Kong's headlines, albeit one of the more bizarre stories to grace the city this year. BAUHINIA HEROINE 3D is inspired by the story of a mysterious - and probably slightly crazy - woman who descended on some of the city's poorest neighbourhoods, dispensing cash, food and other essential sundries to the residents. What captured the public's eye, however, was that this good natured civilian chose to perform her feats of charity while dressed up like a superhero. While keeping her identity a secret, the "Hong Kong Bauhinia" has revealed that she was inspired by movies such as KICK-ASS to act on the gross injustices she sees in the city, choosing to dress up like a character from the 1960s film BLACK ROSE while dishing out cash.

The film version is set to star Hong Kong's favourite beauty, Chrissie Chau as the titular heroine, and something tells me she'll be doing more than handing out food to grateful pensioners in this 3D action film, directed by regular Johnnie To collaborator Law Wing Cheong (PUNISHED). I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see Chrissie embarking in ome ass kicking and crime fighting while wearing a suitably revealing costume. We will probably have to wait a year or so until we find out, however, as shooting isn't scheduled to begin until June 2012, looking at a 2013 release.

[GeneChing]

EXCLUSIVE: Donnie Yen wants Fan Bing Bing for 3D ICEMAN COMETH (http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/11/exclusive-donnie-wants-fan-bing-bing-for-3d-iceman-cometh.php)
by James Marsh, November 24, 2011 12:18 AM
http://twitchfilm.com/news/bingbing-fan-photo-1d1d1.jpg
Twitch has learned that Mainland actress Fan Bing Bing is in final negotiations to take the female lead opposite Donnie Yen in China 3D Agency's upcoming remake 3D ICEMAN COMETH. The project, to be shot in 3D and co-directed by Donnie Yen, Raymond Yip and Christopher Sun, is due to start filming in February next year and apparently it was Donnie himself who went after his BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS co-star to play the Hong Kong girl who helps his Ming Dynasty Imperial Guard adjust to life in the 21st Century.

Fan is not only one of China's most beautiful actresses but she has shown a wonderfully diverse range in films like He Ping's underrated WHEAT, to breakout festival hit BUDDHA MOUNTAIN, on which she also served as a producer. While part of me does lament the fact that a mainland actress is being cast in the role rather than one of Hong Kong's own female thesps, there is no denying Fan will be an incredible asset to the production.

We have also learned that Cheung Chi Lam, already cast as the romantic lead in Patrick Kong's NATURAL BORN CRAZY KILLERS, has joined the production as the second of the three frozen warriors, and that the film's producers are looking for "a mainland actor" to fill the third role. I'm trying to remember the original. I have to see that again.

[GeneChing]

Donnie Yen's new movie begins filming (http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/donnie-yens-movie-begins-filming-034900377.html)
By Syahida Kamarudin | From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo! Newsroom – Mon, Dec 24, 2012 11:49
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24 Dec – "Ip Man" actor Donnie Yen has finally begin filming for his latest action movie, "The Iceman Cometh 3D" in Hong Kong.

Popular Asians reported that after the initial rumours that the movie will not be realised at all, producer Wong Kin Sun and director Law Wing Cheong were able to get the production going.

It was also revealed that the HKD 200 million-budgeted movie utilizes the same filming technology as Hollywood's "The Hobbit" and "The Amazing Spider-man", with the 3D cameras dubbed as the most expensive piece of equipment ever used in movies.

Scheduled for a mid or late 2013 release, "The Iceman Cometh 3D" is a remake of Yuen Biao's movie "The Iceman Cometh" (1989). Donnie plays an imperial guard from the Ming Dynasty who is caught in an avalanche and buried for centuries with his rival (played by Wang Baoqiang) until he was discovered several decades later. While their bodies are being shipped to Hong Kong for further analysis, they are accidentally revived, and their rivalry continues.

The movie also stars Simon Yam, Eva Huang, Mark Wu, Ava Yu, Shi Yongli, and Jacqueline Chong. Looks promising. China is so 3D crazy.

[GeneChing]

"The Iceman Cometh 3D" slow to film (http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/iceman-cometh-3d-slow-film-070100200.html)
From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo! NewsroomBy Syahida Kamarudin | From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo! Newsroom – 10 hours ago
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"The Iceman Cometh 3D" slow to film

4 Mar – It has been nearly four months since Donnie Yen's action flick "The Iceman Cometh 3D" began filming, but it seems that not much has been done.

As reported on Popular Asians website, Donnie's co-star, Eva Huang compared Donnie to Wong Kar Wai, exclaiming, "We haven't filmed much. I don't even know when we're going to be done. I feel like I'm doing a Wong Kar Wai film!"

The actress stated, "A significant amount of scenes have to be filmed in Beijing but the crew is not even near to completing the Hong Kong scenes. And some previous scenes that were filmed in the Tsing Ma Bridge and Central also had to be re-shot."

The actress stated that with the film's current shooting pace, the film may end up exceeding its initial HKD100 million production budget.

Justifying the delay, the "Ip Man" actor, who also serves as the film's action choreographer revealed to the media, "The crew had just completed a seven-minute fight scene that took ten days to film. The director and I have high demands and that is why the scene took so long to film."

"The Iceman Cometh 3D" is a loose remake of the 1989 film of the same name, which starred Yuen Biao, Maggie Cheung and Yuen Wah.

In the 2013 version, Donnie plays a Ming Dynasty general who accidentally travelled to the future while on the run from a royal guard, (played by Wang Baoqiang). Both Donnie and Baoqiang's character end up in present-day Hong Kong, where Donnie meets Eva Huang's character.

The comedy action film is directed by Law Wing Cheong and produced by Wong Kin Sun.
The WKW film comment is funny in context of the GM (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53227).

[doug maverick]

considering they are filmming in 3d, im not surprised. filming in 3D triples the time of the production and you're talking about fight scenes? forget it.. its going to be at least 6-7months. took cameron years to shoot avatar. this is why most american productions opt for post pro conversion.

[GeneChing]

Festival de Cannes - From 15th to 26th May 2013 (http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en.html)


"Iceman" joins Cannes Film Festival (http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/iceman-joins-cannes-film-festival-082800976.html)
From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo! Newsroom By Syahida Kamarudin – 8 hours ago

25 Apr – "The Iceman Cometh 3D" has yet to conclude filming but it was recently revealed that there are plans for the movie to be showcased at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

According to Jayne Stars website, "The Iceman Cometh 3D" will hold its press conference for the movie at the Cannes Film Festival along with the release of their first film trailer.

Sources stated that there will also be a beach reception where guests are invited to party together with Donnie Yen and Eva Huang. Vaudeville performances will be one of the few entertainments held at the reception, making it a grand Chinese affair.

The venue of the launch party will also be transformed into a wine cellar with many Caucasians dressed in the same armour Donnie wore in the film.

It was reported that the total budgeted cost for the Cannes promotion comes up to HKD500,000.

The amount is not a surprise for the movie production as it has already exceeded its earlier budget due to high production costs that was used for massive destructive scenes as well as delayed filming. However, 30 percent of its HKD200 million cost have already been recouped when it received good distribution sales at the recent Hong Kong industry trade show, FILMART.

[GeneChing]

Follow the link for the gallery.

Photo Gallery for Donnie Yen's ICEMAN COMETH 3D (http://twitchfilm.com/2013/04/photo-gallery-for-donnie-yens-iceman-cometh-3d.html)
Hugo Ozman
http://twitchfilm.com/assets_c/2013/04/Iceman%20Cometh%203D%20Poster-thumb-300xauto-38208.jpg

Donnie Yen is currently shooting his new film Iceman Cometh 3D, which is a remake of Yuen Biao and Yuen Wah's 1989 action flick. The story spans from China's Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) to modern day Hong Kong. It is being shot in 3D and easily one of Donnie's most ambitious projects to date.

The production has not been easy; however, as difficulties such as the failure to get government approval to film some scenes on Tsing Ma Bridge and challenges associated with shooting in 3D have led to a prolonged shoot and escalating production costs, with some reports saying the budget of the film has already doubled from what was initially planned.

It appears that the part that is based in Hong Kong has finally been completed, and the production team has now moved to China's Baekdu Mountain (aka Changbai Mountain) to film the Ming Dynasty part, which will include some large scale action scenes in the snow fields.

Movie stills and production photographs are being released during various stages of the film's production, and they have been compiled into one large photo gallery here for your viewing pleasure.

[GeneChing]

Follow the link for more pix.

Donnie Yen films new movie on top of 1,800m tall mountain (http://www.lollipop.sg//stomp/lollipop/the_newsroom/1764510/entry_to_mountain_restricted_to_donnie_yens_new_mo vie.html)
http://static.stomp.com.sg/site/servlet/linkableblob/stomp/1764510/thumbnail/entry_to_mountain_restricted_to_donnie_yens_new_mo vie-thumbnail.jpg
During the production of a movie in which Donnie Yen stars in, The Iceman Cometh in 3D, access to the location in which it was shot in, Changbai Mountain, was shut off to outsiders.

According to an article in 88 News, Changbai Mountain is a tourist attraction in mainland China.

Donnie Yen had said that the mountain was very hard to be get to, and he spends about two hours just to get up and down the mountain.

500 extras and 50 horses took part in the production on top of the 1600m tall mountain at an icy -18°C.

[GeneChing]

Our boys (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1230097#post1230097) are working it at Cannes...:cool:

Cannes 2013: Donnie Yen Interview – Iceman Cometh, A Sequel and Turning Down The Expendables (http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/donnie-yen-interview/)
May 19, 2013 By Craig Skinner Leave a Comment

With thirty years working in film and a number of highly successful martial arts movies under his belt Donnie Yen has been at various times an actor, director, producer, action choreographer and even medal winning martial artist.

Yen was in Cannes to promote his upcoming film Iceman Cometh 3D and I was lucky enough to speak to him about the film, action filmmaking and much more.

On the Iceman Cometh.

It’s obviously quite straightforward. It’s basically a story about this Ming Dynasty warrior travelling years later to modern Hong Kong. It’s a very straightforward, entertaining action film. Of course, with romance and a sense of humour. A black sense of humour. So hopefully this film can bring a lot of joy and entertainment to audiences.

On 3D and the challenges faced in shooting in 3D.

It’s my second 3D movie. I’ve done a movie called Monkey King which is about to come out the end of the year. That’s actually my first 3D movie. It’s very difficult to adapt, especially with action. I’ve been doing action films for so long. There’s a certain sophistication in bringing the best action onto screen but with certain requirements of 3D, equipment and cameras, certain logistics, elements… there’s a real give and take. You really have to adapt your style. In the beginning it was quite difficult.

I’ll give you an example. The 3D cameras are quite heavy and there are certain restrictions with angles. But in the world of action filmmakers angles are a very crucial element in order to bring out the dynamic action itself. One example is that you cannot place the [3D] camera all the way down on the ground. If you want a really low angle to really bring out the heroic dynamics of their particular movements the camera will not allow you to place it at the lowest point. Certain areas like that you have to make these adjustments.

On why we haven’t seen him yet in The Expendables.

…Actually, they asked me. I was honoured that they asked me to be an Expendable [in the second film] but I didn’t find the role too challenging. And also because of my tight schedule… If they ask me again and if the compensation is interesting enough then maybe I’ll definitely be more excited about it.

On the way in which comedy and action travels.

I think one advantage that we have with action movies is that obviously the physical performance is an international language. So therefore, there’s not a language barrier. So when you are involved with bringing the comedy elements into the physical performance I believe that all countries can understand. There are not really local jokes, for example. That requires a particular regional or cultural understanding to understand it.

Choosing the particular fighting styles for his characters.

As a veteran filmmaker, as someone who has been making action films for a very long time, I’ve spent a lot of time understanding the character back stories before I choose what style. Now I don’t even have to think about what style because once the character is properly in place the style should come automatically. For example, if I’m playing a policeman I would not be thinking about flying up two stories high. So that already sets a tone for what type of style in that movie. In a movie like Iceman, where the character is from 400 years ago and he’s an ancient warrior, it expands the world of creativity for me. In terms of choreographing these movements.

Regarding a sequel to Iceman Cometh 3D.

…Actually we will have a sequel. I can tell you that much.

[GeneChing]

The Iceman Cometh 3D Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Donnie Yen Movie HD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_D61DRNtCk)

[GeneChing]

And the Iceman Cometh Again. :rolleyes:

ICEMAN 3D Has Too Much Donnie! Martial Arts Epic To Be Split Into Two Films (http://twitchfilm.com/2013/06/iceman-3d-has-too-much-donnie-martial-arts-epic-to-be-split-into-two-films.html)
James Marsh, Asian Editor

http://twitchfilm.com/assets_c/2013/06/iceman3d-thumb-630xauto-39306.jpg
Iceman 3D, Law Wing Cheong's big budget remake of Clarence Fok's 1989 film The Iceman Cometh has been in the headlines pretty much non-stop since production began, with stories of extensive re-shoots, a ballooning budget and even problems filming on location in Hong Kong slowing things down. Now news arrives that the time-travelling martial arts epic, which stars Donnie Yen as a Ming era warrior thawed out in modern day Hong Kong, will be not one film, but two.

Twitch has learned from a source within the production that the current edit of Iceman 3D is somewhere in the region of 3.5 hours long, and rather than dump the extra footage to get the film down to a more audience-friendly two hours, producers have opted to cut it in half, releasing Part 1 this Christmas and Part 2 at Chinese New Year 2014.

With the film's budget apparently now double what was originally intended, this seems like a smart way of maximising Iceman's chances of turning a profit at the box office. The film has already been sold internationally to Well Go USA, and now has the potential to double its ticket and home video sales. Look out for an official announcement soon.

[GeneChing]

Donnie Yen to battle Daniel Wu and Nick Cheung (http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/donnie-yen-battle-daniel-wu-nick-cheung-034000919.html)
From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo NewsroomBy Heidi Hsia | From Cinema Online Exclusively for Yahoo Newsroom – 13 hours ago

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6 Mar – Triumphant against "From Vegas to Macau" at the mainland box office with his epic adventure, "The Monkey King", Donnie Yen is set to compete in another box office race on Easter, this time around against Nick Cheung and Daniel Wu's new movie.

According to Oriental Daily, Emperor Motion Pictures had recently scheduled the release date for the Nick Cheung and Daniel Wu starrer, "That Demon Within", for the Easter holiday, which coincides with Donnie Yen's big budget film, "The Iceman Cometh 3D".

However, while 'the strongest man in the universe' is set to battle 'the unbeatable', it was revealed that Stephen Shiu Jr.'s production of "Delete Lover", a romantic comedy starring Wong Cho Lam and Ivana Wong, has postponed its release until May as to not clash with the titles.

Meanwhile, "That Demon Within" reportedly has been acquired for release in the U.S. and Canada, which will be simultaneous with its release date in Hong Kong.
Interesting that TDW scored a simultaneous HK & NA release. That one is barely on my radar.

[GeneChing]

...and it got a thrashing by a romcom. :o

I'm updating the title from The Iceman Cometh, which was a horrible title.


Iceman frozen by Classmate at China B.O. (http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/iceman-frozen-by-classmate-at-china-bo)
By Kevin Ma
Mon, 28 April 2014, 22:25 PM (HKT)
Box Office News

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Donnie YEN 甄子丹's 3-D Iceman 冰封俠 was no match for 2-D youth romance My Old Classmate 同桌的妳 at the China box office over the weekend.

Co-produced by Taiwan's Star Ritz Productions Co Ltd 群星瑞智國際藝能有限公司 and China's Beijing Asian Union Culture & Media Investment Ltd 北京中聯華盟文化傳媒投資有限公司, the Frant GWO 郭帆 youth romance made RMB107 million (US$17.1 million) from approximately 3.24 million admissions on its first three days in cinemas. The film accounted for approximately 25.6% of all screenings on opening day Friday, but that number rose to 30.2% on Sunday.

This is the best opening weekend for co-star ZHOU Dongyu 周冬雨, who made her acting debut in ZHANG Yimou 張藝謀's Under the Hawthorn Tree 山楂樹之戀 (2010). The romantic drama opened with RMB45 million (US$7.2 million) and ended its theatrical run with RMB148 million (US$23.7 million).

My Old Classmate shares the same Chinese title as a popular song by musician and TV personality GAO Xiaosong 高曉松, who also produced the film. It is distributed by Beijing Enlight Pictures Co Ltd 北京光線影業有限公司, China's leading distributor in the first quarter of 2014.

Distributed by LeVision Pictures, LAW Wing-cheong 羅永昌's 3-D Iceman, co-produced by star Yen, made RMB69.6 million (US$11.1 million) from approximately 1.88 million admissions in three days. On Sunday, it made less half the box office of Classmate as its share of screens dropped from 31.9% to 28.7%.

Last year, Special ID 特殊身份 – also produced by and starring Yen – opened with RMB66.5 million (US$10.6 million) for a final box office total of RMB155 million (US$24.8 million). The second part of Iceman is set for theatrical release in October.

In its third weekend, 20th Century Fox Animation's Rio 2 dropped to third place. With an additional RMB29.2 million (US$4.67 million) over the weekend, the 3-D animated comedy has made RMB198 million (US$31.6 million) in 17 days. China is now the top-grossing international territory for the film.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier dropped to fourth place, making RMB26.6 million (US$4.25 million) in its fourth weekend for a current gross of RMB671 milion (US$107 million) after 24 days on release.

With a week-on-week drop of 68%, Dante LAM 林超賢's That Demon Within 魔警 made RMB16 million (US$2.56 million) in its second weekend. After 10 days in cinemas, the psychological thriller has made RMB97.6 million (US$15.6 million).

Entering cinemas on 29 Apr in time for the three-day Labour Day holiday is Leste CHEN 陳正道's The Great Hypnotist 催眠大師. The Wanda Media Co Ltd 萬達影視傳媒有限公司 release stars XU Zheng 徐崢 and Karen MOK 莫文蔚 as a renowned hypnotist and his mysterious new patient.

There will be early previews of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on 30 Apr, but the film doesn't officially open until 4 May, after the holiday.


In Hong Kong, That Demon Within was the top film for the second consecutive weekend, making an additional HK$3.34 million (US$430,000) from 41 locations. After 10 days on release, the Emperor Motion Pictures 英皇電影 release has made HK$14.2 million (US$1.83 million).

Hollywood comedy The Other Woman was the top new film, making a total of HK$2.96 million (US$382,000) from 34 locations in its first four days in cinemas and last weekend's early previews.

Yen's Iceman was originally set for release in Hong Kong over the extended Easter weekend. However, distributor China 3D Digital Entertainment Ltd 中國３Ｄ數碼娛樂有限公司 abruptly postponed its official release to last Friday in order to comply with the day-and-date release agreement as stipulated by the film's China distributors.

In its first three days of official release, Iceman – released in 2-D and 3-D in Hong Kong – made just HK$918,000 (US$118,000) from 31 locations. Including the eight days of preview shows, Iceman has made a total of HK$4.22 million (US$545,000).

From 36 locations, Special ID opened with HK$3.01 million (US$388,000) and made a total of HK$8.00 million (US$1.03 million).

In their first four days, Japanese sci-fi horror Bilocation バイロケーション and Aubrey LAM 林愛華's The Truth About Beauty 整容日記 made HK$533,000 (US$68,700) and HK$154,000 (US$19,900) from 12 locations each.


Scoring the biggest opening weekend of the year in Taiwan, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 made NT$46.1 million (US$1.52 million) on its first five days in Taipei cinemas. Sony Pictures reported that the superhero sequel made a total of NT$125 million (US$4.13 million) nationwide.

In 2012, the original The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) film opened with NT$36.9 million (NT$1.22 million) in Taipei and an estimated NT$108 million (US$3.57 million) nationwide.

The only new local film this weekend was Mazu Procession 媽祖迺臺灣, starring and co-directed by musician-actor Richie REN 任賢齊. The documentary made NT$460,000 (US$15,200) from 20 screens in Taipei.

[GeneChing]

I have a copy of this sitting at home on top of my DVD player. It's been there for weeks. Still haven't gotten around to it. Been busy and the reviews have been tepid.

Iceman (https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/iceman)
Coming Soon

https://cdn.amctheatres.com/titles/images/Poster/Standard/1343_iceman-poster_55CC.jpg

Synopsis

An imperial guard and his three traitorous childhood friends ordered to hunt him down get accidentally buried and kept frozen in time. 400 years later passes and they are defrosted continuing the battle they left behind.

Release Date
September 19, 2014

[GeneChing]

For WellGo's site: (http://wellgousa.com/theatrical/iceman#showtimes)

USA
Sep 19, 2014
LOS ANGELES / SAN DIEGO
AMC Atlantic Time Square
450 N Atlantic Blvd
Monterey Park, CA 91754

NEW YORK CITY
Empire 25
234 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

SAN FRANCISCO / BAY AREA
AMC Mercado 20
3111 Mission College Blvd
Santa Clara, CA 95054

Four Star
2200 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94121

SEATTLE
AMC Pacific Place 11
600 Pine St #400
Seattle, WA 98101

HAWAII
Consolidated Theatres Pearlridge West 16
98-1005 Moanalua Rd
Aiea, HI 96701




Iceman: Donnie Yen on CGI Martial Arts (http://www.craveonline.com/film/interviews/759793-iceman-donnie-yen-cgi-martial-arts)
Martial arts superstar Donnie Yen describes how he’s adapting his fight choreography to fit CGI backgrounds and the changing landscape of action cinema.
September 15th, 2014 Fred Topel

When I went to the Cannes Film Festival last year, Donnie Yen was in France at the Cannes Market drumming up business for his upcoming film Iceman. Now Iceman is being released in the States by Well-Go on September 19, but the film had not been completed yet at the time Yen made appearances for foreign distributors. I got to sit down with Yen, with whom I’d spoken many times by phone, but the international festival and market finally brought us together in person. Yen plays a Ming Dynasty warrior frozen in ice and thawed out in modern day Hong Kong. International releases of the movie were in 3D, but the film had not even been produced yet at the time we spoke.

CraveOnline: How were you able to push your choreography further than before in Iceman?

Donnie Yen: I wouldn’t say further than before, but different from before because first of all, every film should be different. Simply different story lines, but also I look for differences in every one of my films. Iceman is a combination of choreography and 3D and the story background. It should bring something fresh to the audience. I know it will bring something fresh in films that I’ve done before. I’ve never done a film where you can travel through time and in 3D.

Does it slow you down at all to wait for 3D and visual effects?

In the beginning. This is not the first time I’ve done green screen effects. Actually, I did a movie called Monkey King and it’s much more demanding, because every shot was in green screen. So I was educated into being patient shooting green screen. This one is fine.

We haven’t seen Monkey King yet. Is that like Avatar where the entire world is created digitally?

Entire world is green screen, so that was very difficult for me because in the beginning, it was really hard to act when you’re acting with nothing. With that type of experience I had, I spent four months shooting Monkey King and now Iceman. In Iceman, only certain shots were green screen. The majority of the sets were either built or real.

For Monkey King, can you do anything you want in a fight scene, and the computers can put that anywhere?

No, we tried to choreograph like any type of [film], at least my flavor anyway. I always try to do my action as real as possible, whether they are in a more realistic story background, cop/criminal/gangster movies to Iceman. I try to inject real martial arts into film, so even with Monkey King, of course the world of Monkey King is mythological. At the same time, when you actually make contact in scenes with physical combat, I try to make sure the person is really making contact, not just flying around and doing nothing.

I remember seeing a Yuen Biao movie called The Iceman Cometh. Is your Iceman a remake of that?

The original concept, the idea is a remake but the storyline is completely different. I think the filmmaker is trying to capitalize on it but at the end of the day, they realized they don’t really need to. The film was made 20 years ago and most of the young audience today don’t remember that film. So they decided to create something completely new and fresh.

You’ve been doing mostly historical movies since SPL and Flash Point. Is Iceman a way to blend the historical with the modern day?

No, actually last year I did a movie called Special ID. I have three movies launched at this festival: Iceman, Special ID and Last of the Best [now Kung Fu Jungle]. Special ID are the same category as SPL and Flash Point. Cop [movies] blending a lot of MMA action choreography in the film. Last of the Best is with Teddy Chan, another friend of mine. So this year I have a lot of films.

Are you feeling competition from the Thai and Indonesian film industry?

I wouldn’t say competition, but I think if anything I feel motivated because I feel that the market is growing. So therefore, everyone is making action/martial arts films. I do think that Hong Kong or Chinese action film makers now I call it, are still very influential to other countries. Very clearly American films have been influenced heavily by Chinese martial arts films. Korean, Japanese, a lot of my assistant and students that have been with me for many years, some of them were Japanese. They went back to Japan and really created a whole following and injected a lot of vision into their industry. So I do feel honor, as you mentioned the Indonesian and Thai [films], I like to think of them as a good influence, and now it’s motivating me to be even more creative. You’ve got to have good sportsmanship. You’ve got to have competition. I call it healthy competition.

That’s what I’m talking about. What do you see in The Raid or Ong Bak that makes you think, “Wow, I’ve got to top that?”

It gives me a lot of good feelings. Everyone is stepping up so therefore I’ve got to do something more fresh, more new. There’s many ways of being more innovative and more new. It doesn’t mean if you can jump off a two story building, let me jump off three stories. Filmmaking, especially martial arts filmmaking today, there’s just too many elements required in order to make better martial arts movies. I try to be a little more sophisticated because the audience itself is a lot more sophisticated than 30, 40 years ago.

Their martial arts looks so different, and you’ve incorporated different styles like MMA yourself. Do you see anything in Silat or Muay Thai that you feel you can incorporate in your own?

Absolutely, that’s why there’s MMA. MMA itself is incorporated from a lot of different martial arts styles. As a martial artist, I enjoy researching different martial arts styles and I practice many different martial arts styles. For me, there’s a great enjoyment for me to see other martial arts styles. Don’t forget that it’s not the style. It’s the person who performs the style who brings out a different flavor. A Thai actor, if they’re doing Thai boxing, they’re so different from maybe a Chinese actor doing Thai boxing or a western actor doing Thai boxing. I think it’s the person or the actor that are making differences.

What I’m getting at is will we see you use your knees and elbows more?

Yes. Let me watch their films first and I’ll be the judge of that, and I’ll try to do something different too to compensate for that.

Have you seen The Grandmaster?

Of course I’ve seen the trailer but I have not seen the movie.

Did you get any read from the trailer on how different a take on Ip Man The Grandmaster will be than your Ip Man films?

I think it’s very different. I think it’s very Wong Kar Wai. His world, the way he sees things, like any other influential filmmaker he put a lot of his own identity into the film. Unfortunately I haven’t seen the film yet.

I know we’re waiting to see if you make a third Ip Man, but they did a prequel, Ip Man: The Legend Begins. Did they need your permission?

Unfortunately, we don’t have that kind of copyright. If Robert Downey, Jr. has the rights to Iron Man, I don’t have those rights [to Ip Man]. What’s a blessing is I think the audience does recognize who they like to see. I think the success of Ip Man 1 and 2, these two films I have to say are probably among my most influential films. I think the audience would like to see me continue and reprise that role, but not anytime soon for me. I want to wait a few more years. When the time is right and I feel I have a certain type of stimulation to continue to play that role and bring something new to the audience, then I’ll decide to do it again.

Fred Topel is a staff writer at CraveOnline and the man behind Best Episode Ever and The Shelf Space Awards. Follow him on Twitter at @FredTopel.

[GeneChing]

'Iceman' takes the heat out of Donnie Yen's performance (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-iceman-movie-review-20140919-story.html)
http://www.trbimg.com/img-541b7cfc/turbine/la-et-mn-iceman-movie-review-20140919-001/750/750x422
A scene from the movie "Iceman." (Well Go USA Entertainment)
By Charles Solomon

'Iceman,' with Donnie Yen as Ming Dynasty imperial bodyguard unfrozen after 400 years, is an overwrought mess
'Iceman's' endless big battle has motorcycles, horses, helicopters, explosions, halberds, chains, screams

Simultaneously overblown and underdeveloped, "Iceman" fails equally at showcasing the talent of its star and resolving its baroque plot.

Ho Ying (Donnie Yen), a Ming Dynasty imperial bodyguard, is delivering the Golden Wheel of Time, a sort of Ramayana-based Wayback Machine, to the emperor in 1621. Falsely accused of treason, he defies his would-be captors and ends up buried in the snow with three vengeful brothers.

The quartet re-emerges in 2013 in high-tech cryogenic shipping containers, apparently at the order of an immortality-obsessed North Korean dictator.

Accidentally dumped in Hong Kong, Ying falls in with May (Eva Huang), a gold-digging bar hostess. Ho Ying can do everything — killing policemen with thrown pencils, curing May's mother's Alzheimer's by readjusting her yin-yang balance. He suavely wins May's heart without even trying.

The film stumbles along less gracefully, lurching from overwrought action sequences (including one involving super-charged intestinal gas) to dull stretches of exposition. Eventually it reaches a seemingly endless climactic battle sequence that includes a motorcycle chase, a horseback chase, car crashes, helicopters, explosions and, of course, fights with swords, shields, halberds, chains and screams.

The audience has no idea of how the soldiers were found, why they're alive after 400 years in the ice, if the Golden Wheel of Time actually works, or why the North Koreans aren't looking for their missing Ming warriors.

Although it can't have been easy, director Law Wing-cheong manages to defuse Yen's charismatic skill as a martial artist. Ho Ying can't even wink in real time, and the overused shifts from slow motion to speeded-up action to CG-enhanced leaps, flips and spins bleaches the authenticity and excitement out of Yen's moves.

------------

"Iceman."

MPAA rating: R for violence, language, sexual reference.

Running time: 1 hour, 44 minutes.



Out of the Freezer and Into the Fight Ring (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/movies/in-iceman-ming-dynasty-foes-awaken-in-the-future.html)
In ‘Iceman,’ Ming Dynasty Foes Awaken in the Future
By ANDY WEBSTER SEPT. 18, 2014

http://static01.nyt.com/images/2014/09/19/arts/19ICEMAN/ICEMAN-master675.jpg
Donnie Yen in "Iceman." Credit Well Go USA

ICEMAN
Opens on Friday
Directed by Law Wing-cheong
In Mandarin and Cantonese, with English subtitles
1 hour 44 minutes

The plot doesn’t entirely cohere in Law Wing-cheong’s antic martial-arts extravaganza “Iceman,” but you sure can see the budget on screen.

The premise — the noble warrior Ho Ying (Donnie Yen) is frozen for centuries, then revived in present-day Hong Kong along with his three enemies from the Ming dynasty — has a vague through line. (The film is a very loose remake of a cult Hong Kong hit from the 1980s.) But it’s really just an excuse to stage a seemingly nonstop procession of flamboyant set pieces: a nightclub melee illuminated by pastel neon; ancient armies assembled in a vast snowscape; a spectacular brawl involving a chain, an ax, a helicopter and hurtling automobiles on the Tsing Ma Bridge.

Mr. Law, who has worked with the Hong Kong auteur Johnnie To as an assistant director and editor, fills the moments between action sequences with some fish-out-of-water jokes (“The Terminator” is mentioned) and strained, sentimental romance (Eva Huang has a thanklessly ditsy role). But the delirious blend of over-the-top wire work and comedy recalls the To classic “The Heroic Trio,” and a sense of brash, goofy invention prevails.

Best of all, Mr. Law doesn’t skimp on wide-screen compositions; this is one movie designed for the theater, not the couch.

“Iceman” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Obscene language and cartoonish fisticuffs.

I did see this after all and will have a forum review later...

[GeneChing]

I actually saw this weeks ago but I put off posting a review just to give it's U.S. release some breathing room.

I'm going to open with a SPOILER: Q: When you are a defrosted medieval warrior with superhuman powers, and you are trapped in a bathroom, surrounded by several dozen SWAT cops with machine guns and tear gas launchers, how do you escape? A: Crap in the toilet and somehow make it to explode so big that it covers the SWAT cops with crap, sends the toilet flying into the air and covers your escape. END SPOILER

I know it's poor form to even drop spoilers but that spoiler was the centerpiece of the film - a bloated travesty of Chinese filmmaking which, in a nutshell, explains why Chinese cinema can't cross over to the U.S. quite yet. Iceman is a remake of an '89 flick awkwardly titled horribly in English Iceman Cometh with Yuen Biao, Maggie Cheung, Yuen Wah and Yuen Tak. That was a decent B Kung Fu flick. It was, of course, a Kung Fu spin on the '84 Timothy Hutton flick Iceman about defrosting a neanderthal. The Kung Fu spin is that it's a medieval Chinese Kung Fu master. It's a great concept really - lots of reason to have crazy fight scenes and comic pratfalls. And in this new version, a over-budgeted 3D spectacular that was shown at Cannes, Donnie Yen stars as the defrostee. It was so big, it pulled a 3-4 Musketeers and had to be split into 2 parts (part 1 was 2013, part 2 is forthcoming). It stars some other big names beyond Donnie: Wang Baoqiang, who was in Lost in Thailand (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57225-Chollywood-rising&p=1222221#post1222221) and is starting to really grow on me as a great funnyman, Eva Huang from Kung Fu Hustle (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?28036-KUNG-FU-HUSTLE-Stephen-Chow-s-latest-Kung-Fu-Flick)and Sorcerer and the White Snake (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58509-The-Sorcerer-and-the-White-Snake-(It-s-Love)), and one of my all-time fav HK actors, the truly awesome Simon Yam. There's some good fights - major wirework and CGI but decent. There's sword fights. There's a lot of random story arcs. There's some peeing scenes where we discover that medieval warriors pee like firehoses. It's much in the wake of Stephen Chow with it's mo lei tau humor, but that humor is inserted obliquely, jarringly. Such is the nature of HK film nowadays. They laugh at silly crap. Crap that blows up toilets. I confess I saw it without English subs, so it got a little hard to follow, and there's a part of me that thinks I should see it with subs just to get some explanation as my Mandarin is pretty weak lately, but then again, I suspect it won't help.

[GeneChing]

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for 'BEST OF DONNIE YEN' PRIZE PACK (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/sweepstakes-best-of-donnie-yen.php) including 5 Donnie Yen films on Blu-Ray™: IP MAN (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52218-Ip-Man-starring-Donnie-Yen), IP MAN 2 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56421-Ip-Man-2), ICEMAN (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?62460-Iceman-冰封俠), FLASH POINT (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?38795-Spl?), & LEGEND OF THE FIST (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?55650-Legend-of-the-Fist-The-Return-of-Chen-Zhen)!!! Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 4/16/15.

[GeneChing]

See our KUNG FU KILLER: ‘BEST OF DONNIE YEN’ PRIZE PACK winners (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68626-KUNG-FU-KILLER-%91BEST-OF-DONNIE-YEN%92-PRIZE-PACK-winners) thread.

[GeneChing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx_dXsMQg8o

THREADS
First film: Iceman 冰封俠 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?62460-Iceman-%26%2320912%3B%26%2323553%3B%26%2320448%3B)
Sequel: Iceman: The Time Traveler 冰封侠：时空行者 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71014-Iceman-The-Time-Traveler-%E5%86%B0%E5%B0%81%E4%BE%A0%EF%BC%9A%E6%97%B6%E7%A 9%BA%E8%A1%8C%E8%80%85)

[GeneChing]

Donnie Yen makes legal strike against makers of terrible Iceman film (https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2018/11/18/donnie-yen-makes-legal-strike-against-makers-of-terrible-iceman-film/)
ASEAN PLUS
Sunday, 18 Nov 2018
10:06 AM MYT
by elaine yau

https://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2018/11/16/05/44/donnieyenmakeslegalstrikeagainstmakersofterribleic emanfilm.ashx/?w=620&h=413&crop=1&hash=20C52B64D1050812D4432ABF00A396AFE69275B9

Action superstar Donnie Yen has taken legal action against his latest film’s official blog host, saying its accusations against him have damaged his reputation.

In a legal letter released by a Beijing law firm on November 13, Yen took issue with the official blog host of Iceman: The Time Traveler (aka The Frozen Hero II) for releasing an article on Weibo that panned Yen for changing script dialogue at will, refusing to do reshoots and wear wigs, being imperious, and interfering with the work of production crew. The article was released on November 3.

“Through Weibo and social forums, the untrue sayings [in the Weibo article] were widely spread around … and have led to adverse effects in society, have severely harmed Donnie Yen’s reputation, and have caused much distress for Yen, his family, working partners and fans,” Yen’s legal letter read.

The dispute can be traced to the poor performance of Iceman: The Time Traveler, released in China on November 2. As of November 15 the movie had earned 34 million yuan (US$4.9 million) at the China box office, a blatant flop when movies boasting similarly stellar cast can easily take in hundreds of millions of yuan in ticket sales in the first week of release.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx_dXsMQg8o

The blog post apologised to director Raymond Yip Wai-man and scriptwriter Manfred Wong for the film’s poor performance and absolved them from blame.

“Using his rich experience in [making action movies], Donnie Yen always interferes with the work of the action director … Manfred Wong had done a lot of historical research on the Ming dynasty [the period in which the film is set], but Yen changed the dialogue related to the historical background on location and refused to do a re-shoot. This is a complete disrespect of history,” the post read.

“He uttered the ignorant dialogue ‘The Ming dynasty is going to end in 10 years’ during the Tianqi reign [which is historically incorrect as the Ming dynasty ended later],” it added.

https://cdn2.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/11/16/bfbf7bb6-e8ee-11e8-bfde-9434090d4df7_1320x770_123557.jpg
Donnie Yen in a still from Iceman: The Time Traveler.

The article also complained that Yen did not help with promoting the film after shooting finished.

“From filming to post-production and completion, Iceman: The Time Traveler is through-and-through Donnie Yen’s work. We kept making compromises in the hope that he, like he exercised full control over its production, would spare no efforts in cooperating with its promotion,” the post read.

“However, his attitude did an about-turn after the film release date was set, and he used all kinds of reasons to delay his participation in promotional programmes … He said during public occasions that he will be doomed when the movie is out. In media interviews, he washed his hands of the film … What are the concepts of contractual obligation and professional ethics to him?”

Iceman: The Time Traveler is the sequel to Iceman (2014), which also starred Yen in the lead role. It cost about 220 million yuan to make but took in only about 180 million yuan at the box office while scoring only 3.6 out of 10 on the Chinese movie-rating site Douban.

The movie was made in 2013 … If he has committed the behaviour portrayed by the production company … why did they choose to make the accusations when the film is in the cinema?
Letter from Donnie Yen’s legal team
Set in the Ming dynasty, the first Iceman film follows the adventures of four brocade-clad imperial secret police being transported to the modern age. Its lacklustre performance was compounded by poor online reviews which said the movie’s plot was nonsensical and the performances by Chinese comedian Wang Baoqiang and female lead Eva Huang Shengyi were unimpressive.

Yip and Wong, two veteran filmmakers from Hong Kong, were drafted for the sequel in an attempt to salvage the tainted reputation of the series. The blog post explained the rationale for making a sequel in spite of the lukewarm public response to the first.

“When we invested in the first Iceman film … we made a big investment but the quality was not good. We had expected the [poor] results before its release. In order to recoup the losses and restore the company’s reputation, we used the best scriptwriter and director to make the second one. To ensure continuity, we also invited the same crew from the first one to participate,” it read.

“Unexpectedly, the decision became the culprit for the present [hapless] situation [regarding the sequel]. As the scriptwriter for the Young and Dangerous film series, Manfred Wong’s scriptwriting standard is widely acknowledged. After the script for Iceman: The Time Traveler was finished, we were full of confidence … however, after Mr Yen came on board, everything became uncontrollable.”

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/11/16/5ad729e2-e8ee-11e8-bfde-9434090d4df7_1320x770_123557.jpgNina Paw and Donnie Yen in a still from Iceman: The Time Traveler.

https://cdn3.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/images/methode/2018/11/16/ee51d0ec-e8ed-11e8-bfde-9434090d4df7_1320x770_123557.jpgDonnie Yen in a still from Iceman: The Time Traveler.

Picking up where Iceman left off, the sequel sees the Ming dynasty hero played by Yen going back to that era and waging battles against villains in the imperial court and foreign invaders. It is rated 2.7 out of 10 on Douban.

Yen’s legal letter said the production company shifted all responsibility for the sequel’s poor performance to him.

“The movie was made in 2013. The parties involved had a smooth collaboration. For the past five years since the completion of the shooting, Mr Donnie Yen has never received any accusations regarding the movie. If he has committed the behaviour portrayed by the production company, why didn’t they raise the accusations [before] and why did they choose to make the accusations when the film is in the cinema?” the letter read.

“He never took part in any editing work. [The Weibo post says that] he deleted scenes of various actors to highlight his status as the absolute main character and that the deletions led the film to run only 87 minutes with a scattershot plot … [This] is sheer fiction,” it added.

The publicity generated by the war of words between the film’s production company and main actor failed to boost the sequel’s box office takings, with its takings during the second week of release well down on the already unimpressive first-week figures.




THREADS
First film: Iceman 冰封俠 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?62460-Iceman-%26%2320912%3B%26%2323553%3B%26%2320448%3B)
Sequel: Iceman: The Time Traveler 冰封侠：时空行者 (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71014-Iceman-The-Time-Traveler-%E5%86%B0%E5%B0%81%E4%BE%A0%EF%BC%9A%E6%97%B6%E7%A 9%BA%E8%A1%8C%E8%80%85)