Andy Lau

[skylee]

I think Tam is "always 25". Because he says so, everybody older 25 now always stays 25.

[Ian_Lee]

Even Andy Lau is so popular in Mainland China, I was stunned to hear the news that Lau was forbidden to learn the famous technique of Sichuan Opera -- Face Change.

Face Change is actually mask change performed by the Sichuan Opera actos. The best opera master can change the mask over a dozen times in a minute without any traces.

Moreover, that technique will vanish because only a few old masters still know such trick.

For the sake of learning this technique, Lau kowtowed to an 80+ years old master and had him as his instructor. But all his effort was in vain when the Provincial Cultural Bureau stepped in.

The reason given by the Provincial Cultural Bureau was really funny:

"Face Change" is a national treasure and cannot be propagated outside China.

But at the time Lau tried to learn it, it was already post-1997 and Lau is undoubtedly a Chinese national

[Lu]

I really don't see why people think Andy Lau is sexy or even handsome. I don't hate him with a burning hatred, like JT, but he just doesn't have a handsome face. Tony Leung has much more weidao.

[Ian_Lee]

But the problem with Tony Leung is that he cannot be good guy as well as bad guy.

Andy Lau can be.

That is the type of guy many girls like: They think that they can "tame" him and transform him from a bad guy to good guy.

[CBC]

To me he is never a great actor.

The moment Zhang Yimou chose him acting in Hero I felt something wrong with this director. It turned out Hero was really a very commercial film.

That's my impression about this actor. He might be popular, but really not a great actor. In this sense he is a bit like Brad Pitt and I feel his acting is no better than Brad Pitt.

I'm always critical.

[Ian_Lee]

Andy Lau was just selected as 中国电影百年形象大使

And three of his movies 1983年的《投奔怒海》、1990年的《阿飞正传》和2002年的《无间道》were chosen into "One Hundred Chinese Movies".

Read:

http://www.grrb.com.cn/news/news_detail.asp?news_id=216254&type_id=25

[Lu]

Ian Lee, that is a very interesting explanation about why girls like Andy Lau. Didn't think of that before.

[bhchao]

Andy Lau is in Pusan for the film festival there. He expressed his desire for a screen quota in Hong Kong during an interview with the Korea Times.

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200610/kt2006101515464811690.htm

[Ian_Lee]

Another view from Taiwan on Andy Lau:

http://editorland.chinatimes.com/peng/archive/2006/10/16/2621.html

在華人演藝界，「劉德華」是個值得尊敬的特別人物，也是個絕無僅有的典型，因為他所做的事，不獨獨在於創造個人表演事業的一波波高峰，更在於他願意大量、正面、積極地運用自己的影響力，讓自己的「天王」地位有機會成就他人；劉德華既是幕前的、也是幕後的；既是舞台上的主角、也可以是主角們的舞台；既是遙遠的巨星，也是鄰家的大哥。

前兩天，南韓釜山電影節頒發「 2006年度最有貢獻電影人大獎」給劉德華，因為他推動「亞洲新星導」計畫，提供給新導演發揮的機會，影展認為，劉德華對促進亞洲電影業的發展很有貢獻。這次釜山電影節的閉幕片就是他這項計畫所支持的中國新銳導演寧浩所拍的《瘋狂的石頭》，這部以 300 萬人民幣所拍的小成本電影已在中國掀起狂熱，票房衝破 2000 萬人民幣，火紅的程度據說連總理溫家寶都趕忙一看。.......................

[Koneko]

By the way, is he still unmarried?

K.

[geraldc]

Continuing the original theme

For some reason I'd say Anthony Wong was more of a Michael Caine than Andy Lau

Chow Yun Fat = Sean Connery

Andy Lau = I was going to say Al Pacino, but that's just not right, so I'd say Ben Affleck, pretty boy, who's sometimes good, but is in a lot of dross

Tony Leung = Ewan McGregor

Stephen Chow = Jim Carrey only funny

Eric Tsang = Joe Pesci

[zhwj]

I'd put Andy Lau there with Tom Cruise, though I guess Michael Caine is a reasonable comparison from a previous generation:

1) Immense popularity;

2) The both look somewhat menacing when they smile, especially as they have gotten older;

3) Not the greatest of actors, but when there's a role that calls for a certain dark intensity, they can pull it off (See Lau's 暗战, for example). Jokey stuff, too;

4) Hits mixed in among memorable flops and forgettable dreck, although Andy has made far more films than Tom;

5) Umm...their long bachelorhood has given rise to certain rumors...?

So maybe now that Cruise has gone off the rails, this is not such a good comparison, but then Lau has been heavy into Buddhism of late, and wants to use his music to spread his message. Not as freaky as Cruise's stuff, though.

Also:

Wang Gang = China's William Shatner.

[in_lab]

In Hong Kong, EVERY top actor has actor has been in a number of totally forgettable films. Often dozens of them.

I like GeraldC's comparisons, but I can't think of any good comparison for Anthony Wong. I think he's too original. His attitude is more rock star than actor. Gene Simmons comes to mind, but that's still way off.

[Ian_Lee]

Andy Lau looks like Marlon Brando in his new film "Protege" -- a ruthless albeit low profile drug lord, a diabetes patient, a responsible father,.....etc.

Looks like Lau will be the favorite among judge panels in Golden Horse and HK film awards next year.

P.S. Does anyone notice that even after singing numerous Mandarin songs, Lau still don't use his original voice in the Mandarin version movies?

[skylee]

I watched "Protege" today and I liked it a lot. I don't particularly like the director Mr Yee but in this film there are Andy Lau, Daniel Wu and Louis Koo and they make the film attractive. Wu plays the title role, the "protege", and he is very good. Lau is also very good. Koo plays well but I don't think his role is as demanding as the other two (he has less screen time).

I think the film is well worth watching. If you don't like the main actors, there is still a very cute little girl who saves Wu from falling at the end of the film.

Does anyone notice that even after singing numerous Mandarin songs, Lau still don't use his original voice in the Mandarin version movies?

Isn't it his own voice in 墨攻? And also in 十面埋伏?

[sammel1985]

i like andy lau's songs, i think he as an extraordianry voice. i would say he is one of my all time favourite singers and an excellant actor and all my chinese friend seem to love him....

[Ian_Lee]

Lau used his original voice in 天下无贼 (Mandarin version) and was widely criticized. I watched the Mandarin trailer of Protege and found out that it is not Lau's voice.

Lau is better than Chow Yun Fat. In the "Curse", Chow's Mandarin can't really show he is a king. IMO Chow's English improves much faster than his Mandarin.

[doumeizhen]

I'm a big fan. (And very concerned about this marriage question. I've even heard that he has a child. )

Either way, I quite enjoyed his recent film: 墨攻 (?)

Also loved: Magic Kitchen

And I think everyone should see an AIDS informational video made by? him and several HK actors.

And, for those who are confused on the matter: He is very handsome. And considerate. I saw a clip of his holding his numerous awards at a recent awards show while wearing a surgical mask so as to not infect other people with his cold.

How can you not love the man?

[skylee]

That AIDS video is fairly interesting.

[zhwj]

Were there separate Hong Kong and Mainland versions of the AIDS short? I remember catching it when it premiered on Mainland TV a few years back.

Also, is Andy Lau (a) always sick, or is he (B) paranoid of illness? I've seen him at a number of televised things wearing his mask. It seems like it started around SARS, but I could be wrong.