Dragon Blade

[GeneChing]

we missed trailer #2

[GeneChing]

I'm sure there will be reviews to follow, as soon as all the Asian reporters clear their CNY hangovers...

Updated: Thursday February 19, 2015 MYT 8:32:43 AM
EXCLUSIVE: When 'Dragon Blade' stars Jackie Chan, Choi Siwon are more famous than Hollywood actors


The cast members of Dragon Blade toss yee sang for good luck during the movie's promotional tour in Malaysia. Photos: KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

The stars of Chinese film Dragon Blade were in Kuala Lumpur recently to ‎talk about their movie.

It is a rare thing to hear Hollywood celebrities talk about how the size of an Asian star's popularity surpasses theirs.

Yet, that is exactly what Adrien Brody and John Cusack, who were in Kuala Lumpur last week to promote their film Dragon Blade, revealed to The Star Online Lifestyle. It seems like the film's stars Jackie Chan and Choi Siwon of K-pop supergroup SuperJunior ‎have been attracting legions of fans wherever they go during the promotional stint.


The cast of Dragon Blade (from left): John Cusack, Choi Siwon, Adrien Brody, Lin Peng, Jackie Chan and Mika Wang.

‎Find out what else the mixed blend of actors revealed to us in the exclusive video.



‎Reporting by: Nazlin Amirudin and Lee Chonghui

[GeneChing]

In the lead for CNY

Dragon Blade leads Lunar New Year box office

By Kevin Ma
Fri, 20 February 2015, 20:45 PM (HKT)
Box Office News

With eight new films opening, a single-day revenue record was set in China yesterday on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

With approximately 25.5% of all screenings nationwide, Daniel LEE 李仁港's Dragon Blade 天將雄師 topped the box office with approximately RMB117 million (US$18.7 million) on its opening day. The period action epic stars Jackie CHAN 成龍, John CUSACK and Adrien BRODY.

WONG Jing 王晶's From Vegas to Macau II 賭城風雲Ⅱ opened in second place. With approximately 15.6% of all screenings, the Bona Film Group Co Ltd 博納影業集團有限公司 release earned approximately RMB61.7 million (US$9.87 million) yesterday.

Last year, From Vegas to Macau 賭城風雲 opened with RMB24.4 million (US$3.90 million) on its opening day for a total of RMB524.63 million (US$86.8 million) during its theatrical run.

Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal 鍾馗伏魔　雪妖魔靈 was a close third place, earning approximately RMB61.6 million (US$9.85 million). Co-directed by ZHAO Tianyu 趙天宇 and cinematographer Peter PAU 鮑德熹, the fantasy adventure accounted for approximately 16.3% of all shows.

With approximately 14.34% of all screenings, reality show film Where Are We Going, Dad? 2 爸爸去哪兒２ opened in fourth place, earning approximately RMB42.8 million (US$6.85 million) on its opening day. Including previews last weekend, it has made a total of RMB45.6 million (US$7.29 million).

Last year, the first Where Are We Going, Dad? 爸爸去哪兒 opened with RMB89.1 million (US$14.2 million). It earned a total of RMB696.14 million (US$111 million) during its theatrical run.

After a week of preview screenings, Jean-Jacques ANNAUD's Wolf Totem 狼圖騰 officially opened yesterday. With approximately 10.1% of all screenings, the epic drama earned RMB31.9 million (US$5.09 million) yesterday for a total of RMB86.8 million (US$13.9 million).

Dragon Blade, Zhong Kui, Wolf Totem and From Vegas to Macau II were released in 3-D.

Total box office revenue for the day was approximately RMB330 million (US$52.8 million), setting a new record for single-day revenue in China. The previous record holder was the RMB279 million (US$44.6 million) revenue on Jun 28, 2014, when Transformers: Age of Extinction set a single-day record with RMB213 million (US$34 million)

Fawning over Jackie...and rightly so.

Cast of Dragon Blade on getting up close with Jackie Chan
Jocelyn Lee The New Paper Friday, Feb 20, 2015



Cast of Dragon Blade say what drew them to the East-meets-West period flick was their admiration for HK gongfu superstar Jackie Chan.

'He's the reason I took role'

With the Academy Awards just around the corner, US actor Adrien Brody will once again be feeling thankful.

In 2002, when he was just 29, he bagged the Best Actor Oscar for his role in Roman Polanski's The Pianist, becoming the only actor under 30 to do so.

Speaking to M in an interview last week, a relaxed and charming Brody, 41, said: "Every time the Oscars come around, I am reminded of my gratitude. You can see how difficult it is to determine why one performance is singled out over other really impeccable performances. That's a challenge there.

"To be able to receive that recognition as an artist is a remarkable thing, seeing how much energy you gave to that project. The chance of (winning) that is very slim and so many great actors do not achieve the recognition that they deserve."

The Hollywood star was in town last Tuesday, along with fellow US actor John Cusack, Hong Kong action superstar Jackie Chan and K-pop idol Choi Siwon, to promote their new blockbuster epic Dragon Blade, which opens here tomorrow.

In the US$65 million (S$88 million) movie helmed by Chinese director Daniel Lee, Brody plays Roman General Tiberius, an ambitious and ruthless conqueror.

Chan is Chinese commander Huo An, who fights Tiberius to prevent him from getting his way.

Said Brody of his character: "He is a typical villain. He's got ambition and vendettas and he has his eye for power. He's a necessary evil."

He said the main reason he accepted the role was the chance to work with Chan, 60.

"Jackie's outgoing nature is apparent. You can genuinely see his enthusiasm and his gentleness as a person. Getting to know him and becoming friends with him really gave me a chance to see the unending supply of energy he has.

MOTIVATED

"He is just so motivated, not just for work but for his charity endeavours, his knowledge of the film-making process and his attention to details. It's very interesting.

"I'm pretty detail-oriented as well, so when I encounter people with that sensibility, I feel good about it."

Brody also liked the idea of being part of an East-meets-West drama.

He recalled working in China with famed Chinese director Feng Xiaogang on the historical war film Back To 1942 in 2012.

"I realised I enjoyed being there, being a part of that movie was very special to me," he said,

"I am a world actor. There is this idea of Hollywood movies and then there is the idea of Chinese movies, but really it's a much more blurred line now."

Bringing up The Pianist, he continued: "It is a film that has the potential to be a world movie. It is based in Europe and I was the only American actor (in it). So I find myself in these scenarios and I encourage that.

"I am very nomadic and I like to explore different opportunities."

'I respect him as an actor'

Fans label K-pop idol Choi Siwon as the charming gentleman from A-list Korean boy band Super Junior.

But the 28-year-old shows a different side in Dragon Blade as Huo An's (Jackie Chan) subordinate Yin Po, a military guard whose loyalty sways with power.

He isn't worried his antagonist role will cause him to lose supporters, telling M in fluent English: "My fans, they don't care. That's why I like them.

"They don't confuse who I am with the roles I play. They will watch the movie and tell me I did well."

He laughed and added: "I'm always posting weird and funny things on Instagram. I am a very real guy. My fans like it, maybe that's why they are weird like me too."

WORKING WITH CHAN

Choi said he enjoyed working on Dragon Blade as he respects Jackie Chan a lot and had "always wanted to work with him".

But the pop star, who has acted in several movies and TV dramas such as Poseidon (2011) and Athena: Goddess Of War (2010), is aiming for Hollywood next.

However, he has a set of criteria when it comes to choosing scripts.

"Hollywood movies usually do not give Asian guys a good role.

"I hope to be able to change it slowly. I want to film a romantic movie with an American actress in the future. I want to play the lead role."

Choi recalled asking people in the US and Europe who their favourite actor in Asia is, and the answer he got was the usual "Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chow Yun Fat".

He said: "No one mentioned any Korean actors and I feel challenged. It makes me want to represent Korea in the future.

'I grew up watching his movies'

No matter what critics say, US actor John Cusack does not think that signing up for Dragon Blade is a step-down from doing Hollywood films.

The 48-year-old told M: "That's bulls***. That's a very American-centric view of the world. There's a whole world out there, and some of the best and most innovative directors in the world are coming out of Asia now.

"The idea that this is a step-down is almost laughable. It's a great adventure to come to Asia. It's very interesting to me, getting to work with artists from different cultures."

In Dragon Blade, Cusack plays Roman General Lucius, a warrior who is forced to flee his own country and later befriends Chinese commander Huo An (Jackie Chan).

FAN OF CHAN

Cusack is a fan of Chan's, and it showed during our interview.

"I grew up watching Jackie Chan movies. He has a certain distinctive style of acting, directing and writing, and he is so innovative with his stunts and action," he said.

"Jackie has such a sweet persona. He is constantly asking if I am tired, if I need a stuntman. He wasn't being competitive, he just wanted to know if I wanted to keep going or go home."

In Dragon Blade, there is an intense fight scene between Cusack and Chan.

He said: "Jackie is one of the greatest stunt choreographers that ever lived so I was in good hands.

"The only problem with action scenes is that your body can only stay warmed up for so long... As long as you keep going and stay loose, it's okay.

"Sometimes, after a while in the Gobi Desert where we were filming, my body may tighten up and I may pull my muscles. I just needed to drink a lot of water and remember to stretch.

jocelee@sph.com.sg

[GeneChing]

Saw Brody at the Oscars. Grand Budapest Hotel did surprisingly well. I totally predicted Birdman ftw.

Published: Sunday February 22, 2015 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Sunday February 22, 2015 MYT 9:28:53 AM
EXCLUSIVE: Jackie Chan, Adrien Brody, John Cusack and Choi Siwon talk about Dragon Blade
by michael cheang


Mark of a legend: Jackie Chan's charisma and ability to just draw peoples’ attention, is one that extends to the film set as well, which impressed even seasoned actors like Adrien Brody and John Cusack.

The actors were in KL to promote the new East meets West martial arts war epic.

ABOUT a minute into our exclusive interview, a look of annoyance flashed across Jackie Chan’s face, and he stood up irritably to shout, “Oi oi, behind! Shh! Action! Rolling! Quiet on the set!”

And just like that, the entire room went silent.

“See, that’s what it’s like making a movie with him,” John Cusack promptly quipped.

It says a lot about the respect people have for the recently honoured Datuk Jackie Chan that even in a room with a Hollywood heavyweight, a Best Actor Oscar winner, and a Super Junior, his presence and stature just overshadow everyone else.

Chan was in town last week to promote his new movie Dragon Blade along with John Cusack, Adrien Brody, Choi Siwon, and actresses Lin Peng and Mika Wang.


Gong Hee Fa Cai: The stars of Dragon Blade (from left) Choi Siwon, Adrien Brody, Jackie Chan, John Cusack, Lin Peng and Mika Wang at the press conference in KL. Photo: KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

Directed by Daniel Lee, Dragon Blade is a martial arts epic set in ancient China, with Chan starring as Huo An, the leader of the Protection Squad entrusted with guarding the famous Silk Road.

Wrongly accused of treason, he is sentenced to the Wild Geese Gate city in the middle of the Gobi Desert. While serving his sentence, a legion of Roman soldiers led by General Lucius (Cusack) tries to storm and takeover the city in search of food and shelter.

After a quick skirmish, Huo An and Lucius eventually become friends. Huo An learns that Lucius is protecting a young prince and they are on the run from the evil General Tiberius (Brody).

The movie also stars Choi as Huo An’s trusted lieutenant Yin Po, Wang as his wife Xiuqing, and Lin as Cold Moon, the daughter of the Huns desert tribe.

A film seven years in the making, Dragon Blade is the most expensive Chinese film ever made, with a budget of US$65mil (RM231mil) and a 700-strong international cast and crew.

Centre of attention

During the press conference at the Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, the veteran action star had the entire room hanging on his every word. That charisma, and the ability to just draw people’s attention, is one that extends to the film set as well, which impressed both Brody and Cusack.

“I’ve worked with people who are tyrants, who make sure that things flow, and have control over everybody. What’s wonderful about Jackie is he does this with grace. People just gravitate towards him,” said Brody.


Chan as Huo An, the leader of the Protection Squad entrusted with guarding the famous Silk Road of China. Photos: The Star/GSC

“What was most impressive was Jackie’s ability to rein things in and keep momentum going. That’s very hard to do on a film set in general, but on a movie of this magnitude with this many moving pieces, it’s even harder. But somehow Jackie exudes this sense of responsibility which makes people wake up and focus, and that’s really wonderful.”

Cusack added that Chan understands what it takes to get the best out of his crew. “When you’re on a set with Jackie, you don’t want to be anywhere else. Everybody there is there to make a movie – no one is looking on their phones or focused somewhere else,” said the 48-year-old actor who has worked on films like High Fidelity and 2012.

“He’s an actor, and he understands what it takes to make something good, and then he gives you the optimal environment to make something good!”


Brody plays the power-hungry General Tiberius, who is out to kill Cusack’s Lucius.

For Brody, it was the chance to work with one of his lifelong idols. “John has a lot of experience with martial arts, I do too, and we grew up loving the genre and Jackie’s work. Here we were transported to China on this epic grand film, interacting with him in a major way, and with a huge martial arts component. We were kids in a candy store!” the 41-year-old New Yorker shared with a laugh.

Likewise Choi – who, at 28, is the youngest of the four men, and a member of super-popular K-Pop group Super Junior – was also familiar with Chan’s movies. “He’s my generation’s hero. We all grew up watching his movies,” he said, while paying tribute to the two Hollywood stars as well. “I also got to work with these two awesome movie stars ... I was really glad to work with them and had a good experience. I hope to do it again!”

Jackie’s way

The entire time his three co-stars were gushing about how great it was to be working with their idol, Jackie Chan, the man himself was sitting quietly, soaking up the praises quietly and humbly.

It begged the question – how do you deal with the pressure of having everyone around you constantly telling you how great you are, and wanting to work with you all the time?

“Can I speak Mandarin? Because when I speak Mandarin they can’t understand! Of course, in front of reporters and me, they would have to praise me more!” said the 61-year-old star, laughing and pointing at his co-stars.

On a more serious note, Chan continued in Mandarin: “All these years I’ve been making movies, I’ve always held true to my principles. When I make a movie, I give it everything – blood, sweat, tears ... only then can I face the audience and myself.


K-Pop superstar Choi portrays Huo An’s trusted lieutenant Yin Po.

“When I was at the peak of my career, I could have gone to get some easy money. I didn’t do that. When I was a big star in Asia, Hollywood offered me a lot of money to play villains – Michael Douglas offered me US$5mil to be a villain in Black Rain (1989) – but I refused. (Sylvester) Stallone offered me a good bad guy role as a drug dealer ... I also refused. It’s hard, but you have to stick to your principles,” he said.

The fruits of this resolute stand, he said, is this respect that he gets from everyone now, though he still seems uncomfortable with all that acclaim.

“Everyone seems to want to make films with me. Some say that they want to make a film with me at least once in their lifetime. I always wonder, ‘why me?’” he said, with a resigned sigh. “I guess everyone has their own dreams. Even I have people I dream of working with – Steven Spielberg, George Lucas.”

Clash of cultures

Having worked both in Asia and Hollywood, Chan is well aware of the differences that exist between these filmmaking cultures. During an interview I had with him back in 2003 for Golden Medallion, he mentioned that in Hong Kong, he is always involved in almost all aspects of the film, but in Hollywood, where he is not, everything is so very comfortable that he gets irritated when he has nothing much to do.

“If the director is slow, and the crew is slow, then you are also slow,” said Chan. “But when you see the director on the set calling ‘Hurry up! Move on!’, then they would work faster!”


Cusack’s role as the exiled Roman general Lucius is both tragic and commanding at the same time.

Even though they would be a lot more familiar with the Hollywood way of working, Cusack and Brody had no problems adapting to the rigors of filming in Asia, on top of the fact that Dragon Blade was filmed in the middle of the Gobi Desert at Dunhuang and Aksai in the West of China, under extreme weather conditions, with temperatures sometimes going up to 50°C.

“Any good actor would want to work fast. No one wants to sit around and do nothing!” said Cusack. “You can just give me a little stool to sit on with some water in the desert... it doesn’t matter – you just want to feel your heart pumping and get into it!”

Brody agreed, adding that it’s not typical of independent filmmaking to be lounging around doing nothing. “You just don’t have the resources to take your time. You’re always struggling to make time day after day so the pressure is on for everyone,” he said.

For Cusack, filming Dragon Blade was more of an adventure than a job. “Jackie’s movies all have a sense of adventure that is contagious ... come on, he jumps off bridges onto hovercrafts!” said Cusack.

“As an actor, when you make films, you want to have an adventure too. So, coming to the Gobi Desert to make this movie with the eagles and the horses, doing fight scenes with the best fight choreographer around... it was totally insane, but it was pretty fun!”

Dragon Blade is currently playing in cinemas nationwide.

[GeneChing]

Still no word on a U.S. release. Meanwhile, Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal is releasing this Friday in America.

Jackie Chan’s ‘Dragon Blade’ Scores $55 Million to Head China’s New Year Box Office


February 23, 2015 | 05:38PM PT
Patrick Frater
Asia Bureau Chief

Jackie Chan once again proved his box office mettle in China, while new releases took the top seven box office places over the important Chinese New Year period.

“Dragon Blade,” in which Chan stars with Adrien Brody and John Cusack, and which was produced by Chan’s Sparkle Roll Media company, emerged on top with a beefy $54.8 million in four days (Thursday to Sunday, Feb. 19-22).

That was 26% of the $210 million combined top 10 box office over the week of Feb. 16-22.

Like its rivals, “Dragon Blade” chose to release on the first day of this year’s Chinese New Year holiday. Distributors include Easter Mordor and Huayi Bros. Financial backers for the reportedly $65 million production include Alibaba Pictures Group and its Yulebao fan funding operation.

It beat “The Man From Macau II,” a sequel to last year’s hit Chow Yun-fat-starring Hong Kong-style gambling comedy “The Man From Macau” (aka “From Vegas to Macau”), directed by Wong Jing. Distributed by Bona Film Group, the picture earned $43.1 million in four days.

In third place was 3D fantasy “Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal,” produced on a budget of some $30 million. The film was co-directed by “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s” Oscar-winning cinematographer Peter Pau and Zhao Tianyu. Distributors include Enlight Pictures and state-owned Huaxia Distribution.

In fourth was Jean-Jacques Annaud’s “Wolf Totem,” a $38 million Franco-Chinese adaptation of a bestselling novel that mixes up wildlife and painful modern history of the Cultural Revolution. Distributed and financed by China Film Group, and also presented in 3D, it managed a tepid $24.8 million in its four days of official release. But including previews, its cume stands at a more acceptable $32.3 million.

“Where Are We Going Dad 2,” a sequel to last year’s surprise hit “Where Are We Going Dad,” earned $20.7 million and fifth place for distributor LeVision Pictures. The bigscreen adaptation of a TV reality show that sees celebrity parents doing silly things with their kids is scorned by some as barely a movie, but it proved solid family entertainment for the holiday period.

Seventh place belonged to “Emperor’s Holiday’s,” a more creative adaptation of the same “Where Are We Going, Dad” TV series. It earned $8.95 million for Tianjin Bona and Huaxia.

Splitting the pair and taking sixth place was “Triumph in the Skies,” a movie version of a popular Hong Kong TV series about couples in the airline business. It earned $12.7 million in four days for distributors Media Asia and Enlight.

In eighth was the previous week’s top film, romance “Somewhere Only We Know,” which earned $6.31 million over the holidays. It did well to jump the holiday crush and has a cume that now stands at $44.3 million after 13 days.

Likewise “Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part I” earned a modest $4.03 million on the week, but has a cume of $36.0 million after 15 days.

Bringing up 10th place was “Boonie Bears: Mystical Winter,” which squeezed out $3.82 million, for a cumulative score of $44 million after 25 days.

The top films will likely continue to cannibalize each other over the next week, though word of mouth will help some more than others and a reordering of the chart seems likely – “Wolf Totem” and “Dragon Blade” currently get the highest viewer ratings on popular movie website Douban.

They will also be joined by competition from Hollywood in the animated form of “Big Hero 6,” which releases on Saturday, Feb. 28. Other Hollywood releases coming up include another family-friendly title, “Paddington,” on March 5. The Wachowski siblings’ “Jupiter Ascending,” which flopped badly in North America, may find some solace from Chinese audiences, who are warm to big vfx movies. It releases on March 6.

[GeneChing]

Jackie's still got it.

Dragon Blade tops CNY box office in China

By Kevin Ma

Thu, 26 February 2015, 10:30 AM (HKT)

Box Office News
After taking the number position on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday with its huge opening, period action epic Dragon Blade 天將雄師 (pictured) held the top of the box office over the seven-day holiday.

In its first six days, the Daniel LEE 李仁港 film earned RMB451 million (US$72.1 million) from approximately 10.1 million admissions. Starring Jackie CHAN 成龍, John CUSACK and Adrien BRODY, the film accounted for approximately 22.7% of all screenings nationwide during the holiday.

The next most successful films of the holiday were WONG Jing 王晶's From Vegas to Macau II 賭城風雲Ⅱ and Jean-Jacques ANNAUD's Wolf Totem 狼圖騰. The two films were the only releases to increase in revenue on each day of the entire holiday period.

After opening with RMB61.7 million (US$9.86 million) last Thursday, From Vegas to Macau II earned RMB417 million (US$66.6 million) from approximately 10.1 million admissions for a second-place finish over the six-day holiday. The action comedy accounted for approximately 18.1% of all screenings.

Last year, the first From Vegas to Macau 賭城風雲 made RMB182 million (US$29.1 million) over the new year holiday. It earned a total of RMB525 million (US$86.8 million) during its theatrical run.

Despite a soft opening last Thursday, Wolf Totem remained strong over the holiday with RMB243 million (US$38.8 million) from approximately 6.02 million admissions over six days. Including the gross from a week of early previews, the 3-D drama – which accounted for approximately 11.8% of all screenings — has made RMB298 million (US$47.5 million) in total.

3-D fantasy adventure Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal 鍾馗伏魔　雪妖魔靈 opened in third place, earning RMB263 million (US$42 million) from approximately 6.38 million admissions. The ZHAO Tianyu 趙天宇 and Peter PAU 鮑德熹 film accounted for approximately 15.3% of all screenings.

Where Are We Going, Dad? 2 爸爸去哪兒２, the second feature-length version of the popular reality show, opened in fifth place. With approximately 13.7% of all screenings, the film made RMB167 million (US$26.7 million) from approximately 4.37 million admissions.

Last year, the first Where Are We Going, Dad? 爸爸去哪兒 earned RMB474 million (US$75.7 million) during the holiday. It earned a total of RMB696 million (US$111 million) during its theatrical run.

Triumph in the Skies 衝上雲霄, the feature-length continuation of the Hong Kong television series, earned RMB105 million (US$16.8 million) from approximately 2.85 million admissions. The romantic drama accounted for approximately 9.18% of all screenings.

Emperor's Holidays 爸爸的假期 – a comedy starring the cast of Where Are We Going, Dad's first season and film – opened in seventh place. With approximately 6.68% of all screenings, the WANG Yuelun 王岳倫 film earned RMB74.5 million (US$11.9 million) from approximately 2.01 million admissions. It is the only major holiday release to not pass the RMB100 million (US$16.0 million) mark.

Opening on Saturday, Legend of a Rabbit: The Martial of Fire 兔俠之青黎傳說 earned RMB4.5 million (US$719,000) from approximately 131,000 admissions over four days.

[GeneChing]

'Dragon Blade' ('Tian Jiang Xiong Shi'): Film Review
11:11 AM PST 2/26/2015 by Clarence Tsui


Courtesy of Intercontinental Film Distributors

The Bottom Line
A small victory, given the restrictive context of mainstream Chinese cinema

Opens
Feb. 19 (China)

Director
Daniel Lee

Cast
Jackie Chan, John Cusack, Adrien Brody, Lin Peng

Jackie Chan and John Cusack play English-speaking warriors fighting a common enemy in China's western hinterlands more than two millenniums ago

Beyond its fantastic premise of a Hun-Chinese fighter befriending a Roman warrior in English in Central Asia in 48 BC, Daniel Lee’s Dragon Blade is perhaps one of the more measured Jackie Chan blockbusters to have emerged in recent years. While the star’s acrobatic action sequences remain eye-catching as ever, the film’s narrative also positions Chan in between his wildly swinging registers of po-faced drama (Shinjuku Incident or The Karate Kid) and passé cops-and-robbers comedy (the Rush Hour films, Chinese Zodiac).

Lee (14 Blades, White Vengeance) and his mostly Hong Kong-originated crew have helped prevent Chan (who is also producer and action director here) from falling back on convenient caricatures of himself and his slap-happy shtick. Exerting significant control over the film – from a screenplay filled with modern resonance to very effective production design – Lee just barely manages to overcome the jarring problem posed by its (mugging) American cast.

Having set China’s box office ablaze over the Lunar New Year holidays – with its takings at US$72.2 million as the week-long festivities, which began on Feb. 19, draw to a close – Dragon Blade should play well with action-film genre enthusiasts and the still-prevalent pockets of Chan fans worldwide. With Nicolas Cage having set a very bad recent precedent with his catastrophic Crusader-in-China car-crash Outcast, however, international distributors might think twice before playing up the film’s Hollywood presence.

In the film, Cusack plays Lucius, a Roman general fleeing eastwards to protect his young ward, Publius (British-Chinese child star Jozef Waite), from falling victim to a coup at home. Standing between him and China is the Yanmen Gate, a Wild West-like border outpost where Huo An (Chan) and his troupe of peacekeepers (translated as “Silk Road Protection Squad” in English subtitles) have been sent on forced-labor exile after being framed for a gold smuggling scam.

Noting the physical frailty of Lucius’ troops, Huo elects to open the gates to the invaders – an invitation which leads to feel-good friendships, not just between Lucius and Huo, but also the myriad ethnic minorities working within the city and across the region. It’s a united stand that comes in handy when the tyrant finally arrives, attempting a geopolitical power-grab that reaches far beyond the throne in Rome.

The film, according to on-screen text, is “inspired by true events." Lee might be pointing to the documented westward travels of Han Dynasty emissary Ban Chao. But one can sense the Canadian-educated Lee reflecting on more contemporary and international concerns than ancient Chinese history; his villains’ pronounced master plan is to invade and occupy a resource-heavy foreign land under the pretext of pursuing a fugitive. In addition, there’s the presence of the Parthian Empire – the historical precursor to Persia and then Iran – as a force of good, a rebuke of the cultural representations found in the 300 films, for example.

Somehow, all these statements are made without the film falling into the jingoism which Chan himself is prone to these days. Given the context of a national cinema slipping fast toward high-budget, low-quality sensationalism, Lee and his team have scored a small victory within the constraints imposed on them by their star’s power, as well as the censorship and public tastes of mainland China.

Opens: Feb. 19 (China)
Production companies: A Visualizer production in collaboration with Fable House, in a presentation by Sparkle Roll Media, Huayi Brothers, Shanghai Film Group
Cast: Jackie Chan, John Cusack, Adrien Brody, Lin Peng
Director: Daniel Lee
Screenwriter: Daniel Lee
Producers: Jackie Chan, Susanna Tsang
Executive producers: Jackie Chan, Wang Zhongjin, Ren Zhonglun, Zhou Moufei
Director of photography: Tony Cheung
Art directors: Daniel Lee, Thomas Chong
Costume designer: Thomas Chong
Editor: Yau Chi-wai
Casting: Zheng Caijing
Music: Alvin Lai
International Sales: Golden Network Asia
In Mandarin and English

No rating; 127 minutes

A small victory? $72.1 million the first week ain't that small...

At least THR didn't pan it, which bodes well as THR reviews go.

[GeneChing]

Jackie Chan Touts Success of 'Dragon Blade,' Declares His Patriotism


Courtesy of Intercontinental Film Distributors

by Clifford Coonan
2/27/2015 4:50am PST

Hong Kong action legend Jackie Chan celebrated the success of his latest historical action movie Dragon Blade, which this week passed the $80 million threshold in China, and responded to accusations of nationalism by saying he was a proud patriot.

Chan stars as the commander of the Protectorate of the Western Regions who teams up with Lucius to protect China's borders and sovereignty, which has prompted accusations that Chan is playing the patriotic card in the hunt for box-office success.

"I have always been a patriot. Is it wrong? If people are cursed for being a patriot, please curse me," Chan told M1905, the official web site of state broadcaster CCTV’s movie channel CCTV6. "Seven years ago, I wanted to do this film. I didn’t make the film because the government policy wants to protect the Silk Road. I am ahead of them. I hope chairman Xi (Jinping) gets to watch this film."

Dragon Blade was the big winner of the Lunar New Year holiday to welcome the Year of the Goat, taking $72 million in its first six days in the country.

Starring Chan, Cusack and Brody and directed by Daniel Lee, Dragon Blade is based on a story about a missing legion of Roman soldiers that traveled into China in 48 BC. The cast also includes South Korea's Choi Si-won, member of the K-pop band Super Junior, who previously appeared in Battle of Wits.

Cusack plays Lucius, a Roman general who led a legion of 1,000 soldiers into Han Dynasty China. Brody plays Tiberius, who after assassinating Rome's Consul Crassus chases after Lucius with a force of 100,000 soldiers.

Chan was speaking at an event in Beijing to celebrate Dragon Blade passing the 500 million yuan ($80 million) mark. Chan went on to say that he doesn't care about box office or online promotion. "I don’t understand e-commerce. After I finish shooting, it's finished," he said.

Chan recently welcomed his son Jaycee home from jail by giving him a haircut. Jaycee Chan's long locks seemed to have survived his six months in jail after being convicted of drugs charges, having been caught up in the government's aggressive anti-narcotics campaign.

I'm dying to see this, but still no word on a U.S. release

[GeneChing]

Here lies the next question - "Already slated for a U.S. release..." When?

Film Review: ‘Dragon Blade’



February 26, 2015 | 04:14PM PT
An unparalleled meeting of Eastern and Western talent, writer-director Daniel Lee's historical blockbuster is entertainment on a grand scale.
Maggie Lee
@maggiesama

A sumptuously realized war epic about Romans getting embroiled in Chinese military and architectural shenanigans on the Silk Road, “Dragon Blade” plays as recklessly with classical history as “300” did, but is far less butch and bloody, treating East-West friction with as much ambassadorial goodwill as an UNESCO fund-raising ball. Toplined by Jackie Chan, with John Cusack and Adrien Brody chipping in substantial screen time, the $65 million megahit flexes China’s Brobdingnagian filmmaking muscle and sees Hong Kong helmer-scribe Daniel Lee stepping up from a uneven portfolio to execute a colossal entertainment with solid technique and terrific storytelling smarts. Already slated for a U.S. release, the pic grossed $54.8 million domestically in four days, making it champion of the Chinese New Year blockbuster coliseum. International play may be less impressive, but the film will still be profitable on ancillary.

Touted as the first Chinese film to feature Romans as its main topic, “Dragon Blade” doesn’t exactly fit the sword-and-sandal mold; like its more facetious Japanese predecessor, “Thermae Romae,” the film filters classical civilization through the cultural perspective of Asians. The local family audience, despite having watched their fair share of gladiator movies, have never seen those genre conventions mashed up with Chinese martial arts and battle maneuvers. Nor have they seen many solely Chinese-produced films with such extensive participation from Hollywood stars, other than perhaps Zhang Yimou’s Christian Bale starrer, “The Flowers of War.” Add in a few exotic ethnic tribes who were once powerful invaders but are now yoked to Chinese sovereignty, and mainland audiences get an entertainment on par with a major studio blockbuster, infused with a hefty dose of national pride.

In a corny prologue set in 2015, two archaeologists (Vanness Wu, Karena Lam) discover the lost city of Regum, built by Romans during a fabled expedition to China. We are then transported back to 48 B.C., when China was under the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, with 36 tribal nations vying for dominance at the country’s northwestern border. Huo An, a Hun orphaned during a skirmish, was adopted and raised by Han Chinese general Huo Qubing (William Feng Shaofeng), who taught him ideals of racial harmony; now (played by Chan), he tries with difficulty to maintain order as captain of the Silk Road Protection Squad.

While arbitrating a dispute, he inadvertently lifts the veil of warrior Cold Moon (Lin Peng), who now considers herself his betrothed by folk law. That Huo is already married to Xiuqing (Mika Wang), a gentle Uyghur teacher of Chinese, is less of an issue than his being framed for smuggling, which leads to him being exiled to Wild Goose Gate to help repair a fort city. Upon his arrival, he’s besieged by a renegade Roman legion under Gen. Lucius (Cusack), who has fled the capital with a blind boy, Publius (Joey Jozef). An unexpected sandstorm brings the road-weary soldiers under Huo’s wing. In return for his hospitality, they help reconstruct the city in 15 days. However, Publius’ brother, the Consul Tiberius (Brody), is marching toward them with an 100,000-strong army.

Just as he turned history upside down in his “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon” and “White Vengeance,” Lee again dispenses almost entirely with accuracy. (Gen. Huo Qubing massacred Huns rather than spreading the gospel of peace, while Brody’s Tiberius is nothing like the emperor who reigned from 14-37 A.D.) Fortunately, the writer-director has overcome his tendency to weave florid plots that quickly run out of steam, here forging a coherent narrative that’s strong on physical and emotional drive. Yau Chi-wai’s editing has a brisk Hollywood tempo, while the packed screenplay ensures there’s always a duel, rumble or chase scene in between wordy lulls. The action choreography by Chan and frequent collaborator He Jun may not beat Chan’s death-defying acrobatics, but still achieve an exciting interplay of kung fu and gladiator fighting, mixing Asian nomadic cavalry movements with Roman infantry formations.

Ultimately, what gives “Dragon Blade” an edge over all Chan vehicles since 2009’s “Shinjuku Incident” is the drama — whether it’s the patriotic Lucius and humanist Huo finding common ground as exiles while also sharing codes of honor, or an episode of Roman architectural ingenuity which has the exhilarating momentum of an Amish barn-raising scene. Notwithstanding Huo’s constant advocacy of peace, some critical viewers may detect a tone of cultural chauvinism in the film’s patronizing attitude toward Occidentals (“You’re trained to kill, we’re trained to keep peace,” Huo says to Lucius), and its representation of ethnic minorities as belligerent, fractious primitives in need of Han Chinese civilization.

Chan has continued to peddle a nice-guy image ever since, well, “Mr. Nice Guy,” but thanks to the tight pacing, the actor’s weakness for sententious preaching onscreen is limited to terse platitudes (“Turn foe to friend,” “War kills families”) while displaying more energy than he did in his frazzled turn in “Police Story 2013.” Saddled with an undemanding heroic role, Cusack nonetheless displays an earnest zeal in the combat sequences and strikes up a genuinely warm affinity with Jozef.

As if trying to overcompensate for Tiberius’ garden-variety treachery, Brody seethes, glowers and recites his lines as though rehearsing for a production of “I, Claudius” at the Old Vic. Despite the only brief scenes allocated to female characters, Lin shines through with an assertive and indomitable air, especially when showing off her archery skills. Her Moon’s unshakeable belief that Huo is hers makes her a laughingstock at first, but as she repeatedly comes to his aid, she matures into the story’s most touchingly drawn figure.

The 3D conversion, done with an on-set stereographer throughout the shoot, is unobtrusive but not outstanding. Tech credits are otherwise accomplished, with Lee’s longtime partners delivering career-best efforts. Taking charge of production design, as per his last few films, the director makes sure the generous budget is right up there onscreen, both in the main mise-en-scene of Regum, and in the smaller but no less meticulously detailed sets, like Huo’s village or a prison chamber.

Tony Cheung’s sweeping widescreen lensing conveys the seemingly infinite span of the desert, while capturing the imposing scale of Roman tools and buildings with a deep sense of perspective. Compositions in the mass combat scenes, however, are often untidy and unfocused. Composer Henry Lai provides enlivening percussion during the action sequences, plus effective contrasts between classical music and plangent Shanxi folk tunes. Thomas Chong’s costume designs feature a dazzling array of ethnic attire, making each tribe instantly distinguishable. The Chinese title translates to “Celestial General, Heroic Army.”
Film Review: 'Dragon Blade'
Reviewed at UA KK Mall, Shenzhen, China. Feb. 24, 2015. Running time: 126 MIN. (Original title: "Tian jiang xiong shi")
Production
(Hong Kong-China) A SFC Film Distribution Co. (in China) release of a Sparkle Roll Media, Huayi Brothers Media, Shanghai Film Group Co., Sparkle Roll Culture & Entertainment Development presentation of a Visualizer production in association with Home Media and Entertainment Fund, Shenzhen Tencent Video Culture Communication, China Film & TV Capital, Alibaba (China) Co., Lu Le Bao. (International sales: Golden Network Asia, Hong Kong.) Produced by Jackie Chan, Susanna Tsang. Executive producers, Jackie Chan, Wang Zhongjun, Ren Zhonglun, Zhou Maofei. Co-producers, Aie Yan, Chang Bin, Wang Sen, Li Shoujing, Zhang Liangwu. Co-executive producers, Qi Jianhong, Wei Jie, Sun Zhonghuai.
Crew
Directed, written by Daniel Lee. Camera (color, widescreen, HD), Tony Cheung; editor, Yau Chi-wai; music, Henry Lai; production designer, Daniel Lee; art director, Eddy Wong; set decorator, Ge Yinan; costume designer, Thomas Chong; sound (Dolby 5.1, 7.1), Phyllis Cheng, Steve Burgess; visual effects, Digital Idea, Run Studio; action director, Jackie Chan; stunt coordinators, He Jun, JC Stunt Team; line producers, Sam Shia, Along Sun, Qian Jianping; associate producers, Bernard Yang, Helen Li, Tony Cao, Ding Yong; assistant director, Nicky Shih.
With
Jackie Chan, John Cusack, Adrian Brody, Joey Jozef, Lin Peng, Mika Wang, Choi Si-won, Xiao Yang, Wang Taili, Sammy Hung, Steve Yoo, Vanness Wu, Karena Lam, William Feng Shaofeng, Lorie Pester, Sharni Vinson. (Mandarin, English, Hun, White Indian, Uyghur, Kusan, Saklar, Turkic dialogue)

[GeneChing]

...but now, given this film's box office success, I must say to Brody 'well played'.

Adrien Brody Scores In China, Fosters Global Ambitions With Local Partners
by Ali Jaafar
March 4, 2015 7:58am



EXCLUSIVE: With seemingly all of Hollywood eager to get a piece of the increasingly lucrative Chinese pie to help fuel their global ambitions, Adrien Brody has succeeded in doing just that by embracing the local biz. The Oscar-winning actor-turned-producer is currently riding high at the Chinese box office, thanks to a starring role opposite Jackie Chan and John Cusack in the epic Dragon Blade. The film, which opened at No. 1 during the Chinese New Year celebrations, is close to grossing more than $100 million after only two weeks of release.

Dragon Blade‘s success is even more noteworthy for coming the same month box revenues in China exceeded those in the U.S. for the first time ever. In February, the U.S. box office grossed $640 million compared to China’s $650 million — albeit the latter figure was boosted by a host of Chinese New Year releases.

The success is no accident for Brody, who fought hard for the role. Already well-versed in Chinese culture, and having worked with renowned Chinese filmmaker Xiaogang Feng on the 2012 drama Back To 1942, Brody set out to get Chan’s attention, using his newfound connections in the Middle Kingdom to get him in the same room as the diminutive superstar.

“I feel a deep connection to Asia,” Brody tells Deadline. “I’ve been able to develop close friendships with a core group of extremely talented filmmakers and financiers, who have opened many doors.”

The result is that Brody is now at the helm of a well-capitalized company, Fable House. Brody, who shot five films in 2014 including passion project Manhattan Nocturne on which Fable House is involved, has big ambitions for the company. “We have access to an enormous amount of financing if it appeals to my partners’ sensibilities,” says Brody. “A lot is going to transpire following the success of Dragon Blade.”

Fable House will naturally look to projects with global appeal as well as Chinese elements although that will not be a restriction on the company, rather a guiding light. The company is staffing up in both the U.S. and China and expects to announce its first slate shortly.

[GeneChing]

5 Things: China's No. 1 Movie Dragon Blade Stars Adrien Brody and John Cusack
By Alex Heigl
@alex_heigl
updated 03/04/2015 AT 02:05 PM EST
•originally published 03/04/2015 AT 12:55 PM EST



China's box-office gross in February was $650 million, which is (a) a lot; and (b) significant because it beat the U.S.'s gross for the first time ever, by $10 million.

And the No. 1 film in China? A little historical epic called Dragon Blade that's grossed over $100 million after only two weeks of release.

But Dragon Blade isn't just any historical epic: It stars Jackie Chan, Adrien Brody and John Cusack as Roman soldiers in China. Here's a quick primer to the film.

1. It's a Passion Project for Brody


Adrien Brody in Dragon Blade

Brody worked with Chinese filmmaker Xiaogang Feng in 2012 on the drama Back to 1942, and he set his sights on working with Chan next. "I feel a deep connection to Asia," Brody told Deadline. "I've been able to develop close friendships with a core group of extremely talented filmmakers and financiers, who have opened many doors."

2. It's Inspired by a True Story


Jackie Chan in Dragon Blade

The film is inspired by the story of a missing Roman legion that supposedly wound up in China during the the Han Dynasty, seeking control of the Silk Road trade route. Variety does note that the film "plays as recklessly with classical history as 300 did," though, so don't expect a history lesson.

continued next post

[GeneChing]

Actually I just posted this because I wanted to post the Siwon vid

3. It's Got a Variety of International Celebrities



Besides Cusack, Brody and Chan, the film also stars Choi Si-won, member of the South Korean K-pop band Super Junior. He was previously on the silver screen in Battle of Wits. It also stars the Chopsticks Brothers.

4. It's Been a Work in Progress


John Cusack in Dragon Blade

Chan had wanted to put Dragon Blade together for seven years, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "I didn't make the film because the government policy wants to protect the Silk Road."

"I am ahead of them," he added. "I hope chairman Xi [Jinping] gets to watch this film."

5. It Will Be Coming Stateside
Variety adds that the film is already slated for a U.S. release, though no one seems to be able to churn up a specific date.

Also because I wanted to reaffirm that I'm not the only one who can't find a U.S. release date.

[GeneChing]

I'm still ruminating over Dragon Blade. It's very Jackie Chan, especially if you've kept up with his more recent efforts like Chinese Zodiac or Little Big Soldier. He has distinctive style of storytelling that is complex and interwoven that leads to some great moments, but has a strange rhythm, more akin to the tempo of Bollywood film than Hollywood. It doesn't lend itself well to American audiences. I was thoroughly engaged by Dragon Blade, but I'm so biased. Jackie has been entertaining me for nearly four decades now. At some point in every one of his films, he always delivers for me, even the horrible ones. I wouldn't recommend to many however, because the style of film-making will be to alien for most, and that will just get written off as lousy, especially because of the nature of the story. Nevertheless, Dragon Blade has several surprisingly poignant, even poetic, moments, stand-out scenes amongst the action and overdone melodrama. A few scenes have really stuck with me, not because it was a great fight or anything, more so because the film reached an emotional point that was touching despite so many absurd plot issues. Maybe that's just me, my admiration for Jackie, messing with my perspective on it.

This film is utterly massive in scope. Set on the Silk Road, there are eye-popping panoramic vistas (and some mediocre CGI that probably looks better in 3D). The money was spent on lavish costumes - the armor is to die for. Of course, there's some absurdity in the idea that anyone would wear full battle armor in the scorching desert while moving refrigerator-sized stones to rebuild a city wall, but the armor is so cool looking, we'll just overlook that. There also are some impressive set pieces, but I'd have to see it on the big screen to see where the sets really end and the CGI begins. I will try to see this on the big screen if possible. This is not a humorous film. It gets a little preachy with its moral stance about how different people can come together. Large portions are in English. There's a lot of music too. John Cusack really shines as the Roman General. The more I think about Cusack, the more I admire his body of work. After his surprisingly enjoyable fight with Benny the Jet in Grosse Pointe Blank, he does a serviceable sword fight with Jackie (but the armor covers a multitude of stuntman sins). Adrian Brody hams it up as the villain. He's actually not in it that much until the end. Siwon is pretty good too. His role isn't big, but neither is it dismissible. The film is book-ended by a modern day story arc where a couple of archeologists are seeking the ruins of an ancient city (the setting of the film) that is entire superfluous and I hope that is cut when it is released in America (still no word on when that might happen but it is supposed to get a theatrical release).

As for the action, it's enjoyable. Lots of sword fights. For Jackie, it's nothing new choreographically or stunt speaking. In fact, he even recycles a few moves like the catch-the-falling-babe-by-copping-a-double-feel that he did with Michelle Yeoh in Supercop as well as the keep-adversarial-swordsmen-from-drawing-juggling-act from Young Master. There are no long uncut action pieces, but the dialog of the fight is clever and agile, signature Jackie choreography. Remarkably, the best action piece is an archery sequence, which leads me to think Jackie is poaching from K-flicks as they have done so many thrilling archery battles. The final battle is huge, like Lord of the Rings huge, but with live actors instead of CGI orcs. It gets super sanguineous, but not that gory - no entrails, but lots of blood spitting, arterial sprays and one hand chopped off. A lot of characters die in the end.

It's not a must-see film for martial arts aficionados. Nor is it some major cross-over film for China, even with Cusack and Brody. But if you're a Jackie fan like me, or if you're fascinated with what's happening in Chinese film (like me), you must see this.

[GeneChing]

Just an excuse to ttt this in hopes that there's news of a U.S. release...

Jackie Chan period epic to open Udine

By Kevin Ma
Thu, 09 April 2015, 09:45 AM (HKT)
Festival News

The 17th Far East Film Festival (24 Apr – 2 May 2015) in Udine, Italy, one of Europe's largest Asian film events, will screen over sixty feature films at its 2015 edition later this month.

The event opens with the international festival premiere of Dragon Blade 天將雄師. The period epic — about exiled Chinese soldiers partnering with Roman soldiers to protect China's borders — stars Jackie CHAN 成龍, John CUSACK and Adrien BRODY.

The festival's closing film is TSUI Hark 徐克's The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D 智取威虎山, a period action-adventure in which Communist soldiers infiltrate and raid a bandit group's mountain base. It stars ZHANG Hanyu 張涵予, Tony LEUNG Ka-fai 梁家輝 and LIN Gengxin 林更新. The festival will screen the 2-D version of the film.

Five other films will have their international festival premiere in Italy: Parasyte: Part 1 寄生獣 ＰＡＲＴ１ from Japan, Miss Granny 重返２０歲 from China and, from South Korea, gangster epic Gangnam Blues 강남 １９７０, romance thriller My Ordinary Love Story 내 연애의 기억 and palace drama The Royal Tailor 상의원.

This year's lineup includes 13 international premieres, including Hong Kong thriller Helios 赤盜, Chinese romance The Old Cinderella 脫軌時代, Japanese boxing drama 100 Yen Love 百円の恋, Japanese alien invasion sequel Parasyte: Part 2 寄生獣 ＰＡＲＴ２ and Yubari award-winning comedy Make Room メイクルーム.

(One year ago, the festival's audience prize went to The Eternal 0 永遠の０ (2013), the period drama by YAMAZAKI Takashi 山崎貴, director of this year's Parasyte films. The Korean-language Miss Granny 수상한 그녀 also screened last year.)

25 films will have their European premiere, including China road movie The Continent 後會無期, Vietnamese horror Hollow Đoạt Hồn and Cambodian youth drama The Last Reel. It is the first time that a Cambodian film has screened at the Italian festival.

The programme includes a six-film retrospective dedicated to Hong Kong martial arts films from the 1970s and 1980s. The festival will also screen two restored classics, China's Two Stage Sisters 舞台姐妹 (1964) and samurai drama The Tragedy of Bushido 武士道無残 (1960) from Japan.

On the evening before the festival begins, on 23 Apr, organisers are hosting a special concert event featuring Joe HISAISHI 久石譲. The Japanese composer is best known internationally for his collaborations with KITANO Takeshi 北野武 and MIYAZAKI Hayao 宮崎駿.

[GeneChing]

Some rehash as Jackie gives the same interviews in English, but a few new morsels.

Jackie Chan on Why Hollywood Isn't Producing Good Martial Arts Films Anymore
By Tara Karajica | Indiewire April 28, 2015 at 1:36PM
The world's best known martial arts star spoke to Indiewire in Udine, Italy about his new film "Dragon Blade" and his wish to be the Asian Robert De Niro, but also about his preoccupation for his legacy and the transformation of action films.


Jackie Chan at the Far East Festival
Far East Festival Jackie Chan at the Far East Festival

The Hong Kong actor, director, producer, martial arts stunt choreographer and star of "Drunken Master," "Rush Hour," and "Shanghai Noon" attended the Far East Film Festival as one of its guests of honor and the recipient of the Living Legend Award. In honor of the achievement and as part of a retrospective of Hong Kong Martial Arts films, the festival screened some of the genre's most important films such as "The Young Master," "Once Upon a Time in China," "The Way of the Dragon," "Spooky Encounters," "Duel to the Death" and "Righting Wrongs" but also the international cut of his new hit, Daniel Lee's "Dragon Blade", that served as well as the festival's opener and that also stars John Cusack and Adrien Brody.

You have an exceptional career as an actor. You started it as a stuntman, doing combat scenes and karate. Lately, however, your films are much more philosophical and have an educational aspect that highlights a peaceful China. Can you talk about that?

Before, I wanted to make money… But later on, in 2000, I changed. I changed my character because I am not young anymore and also because I don't want to always make "Rush Hour," "Rush Hour 2," and "Rush Hour 3"… I am tired. I want to change myself. I want to be a true actor. I want to be like the Asian Robert De Niro! Even this morning, I was walking around in the small town [of Udine] and you could see the children saying "Oh Jackie Chan!" Why can nobody see Robert De Niro in me? I wish that in ten years time people would say "Oh! Jackie Chan, he's a good actor!" I want to be a true actor because for an action star, life is very, very short. So, that is the reason why, for the last 15 years, I have tried to change myself. I want my audience to know that I am the actor who can fight and not the fighter who can act. Also, why am I always making Chinese films? Well, because it's the only thing I know! This is the only thing I can do so I do the best I can to promote my own country and my own culture. That's what I'm doing!

You worked on "Dragon Blade" for seven years. Can you talk about the genesis of the project and its filmmaking process?

I had heard of Daniel Lee although I had never met him before. My cameraman thought I should meet him and because I trust my cameraman, I called Daniel up and – because in Hong Kong everybody calls me "Big Brother" – I said, "Daniel, I am the Big Brother, Jackie Chan" and he said "Haaa... the Jackie Chan?" I said, "Yes!" and he went, "What can I do for you?" and I said, "I want to meet you, I want to know you". I said, "Where are you?" and I drove to his office and we talked about finding something special. So, a month later, he called me up to do another Kung Fu cops story but I told him that I had heard of this story. So, we did a lot of research and decided to do it.

And, for the filmmaking process, because we needed Romans and don't have enough Caucasians in China, we had to go all over China to look for students in International Schools to hire them. The shooting was hard, the hours were long and we had to walk to the Gobi desert because we couldn't drive because of the tire marks because of all the aerial shots. We also invited the press to the desert to take a look at how we were making the movie. I asked the director at times, "Why aren't we using the green screen today? We are wasting about a hundred-twenty buses every single day!" and he said, "No! I want the real feeling, the people's feeling!" Then, I realized that only two directors had made their films in the Gobi desert! The first one is Daniel Lee and the second is also Daniel Lee! Nobody else! He just loves the desert! When the sand storm would come and everybody would hide, he would just sit there in his director's chair with loud music on…. Lalalaaaa [Chan sings] He was just so happy! He enjoyed it so much!

As the director of choreography on the film, can you talk about how you devised and executed the fight scenes?

Well, before we started shooting, I asked the director what kind of style we wanted. We wanted everything to be real. The Roman fighting is very tough, very strong and there are not too many tricks. But in China, there's a lot of flying. It's a different kind of fighting. Also, we didn't want to use special effects and flying around like in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." I don't think the audience likes this kind of things. But, right now, there are too many movies; modern movies, period movies in which everybody is flying around… it's ridiculous! So, I said that we had to make a realistic movie. Nobody can jump and fly from one horse to another! Nobody can jump and fly from one roof to another! So, when you see "Dragon Blade," everything you see is real! We just wanted something humanly possible. Something that everybody can do but actually not everybody can do; only a stunt guy or me or some people who trained can do it! But, you believe it!

In that sense, in this digital world where technology prevails, do you think there is still space and future for the real thing, for stunts like yours and the purity of the gestures of martial arts?

I think, slowly, slowly, the real action's gone. Really. Because, now we still have a few people who do the real stunts, the real action like Hong Bang, like me, like Sammo Hung and others. But, when these people are gone, when we retire, I think it's going to be difficult because the real action is really, really difficult! But, in America they're so good! They're so clever! They can use special effects and computer graphics to make everybody become an action star. Even you can be an action in America! But, I wanted to do this kind of things when I was young. We didn't have money and we had to do the real stunts. We had to jump from one building to the other… I cracked my feet, I broke my finger, I broke everything. But, when I made money, I had money to do special effects but the audience didn't like it! They wanted to see Jackie Chan hurt himself! They wanted to see Jackie Chan do the real thing. They just don't like to see Jackie do Superman. Spiderman is so easy, right? I want to do it! Directors hire me! But, no director wants to hire me to do this kind of thing. They want me to do "Rush Hour," "Rush Hour 2" and "Rush Hour 3." They still want me to do this kind of things but I think that after Sammo Hung, these guys and me… after we retire, the young generations will slowly change because they have already learned how to use special effects, how to use the tricks. Poor me! I will continue to do that for another five years I think, and then after five years, adios. Then, I'll do a romance film!

continued next post