神话

[Ian_Lee]

神话 scored big in the Box Office during the debutting weekend in both Mainland and Hong Kong.

Moreover, 神话 has established many "first":

(1) The first time that Jackie Chan fell in love in the movie;

(2) The first time that Jackie Chan acted as a general in armor of the Jin Dynasty;

(3) The first time that Jackie Chan interacted with Korean and Indian actresses.

Interestingly now even a cinema in Shanghai is showing the Cantonese version of the movie with Chinese and English subtitles!

[bhchao]

I'm going to watch it not because of Jackie Chan, but because of Kim Hee Sun.

[Song You Shen]

I was just about to post something on this. I was wondering if anyone has seen this yet, it looks like it could be good. It almost reminds me of a glorified version of "Dr. Wai and the Immortal Words" (Jet Li). It looks like it could be good, but I've never seen Jackie in a serious movie like this. Interesting.

Youshen

[Ian_Lee]

The theme song "Endless Love" co-sung by Jackie Chan and Kim Hee Sun appears only in the Cantonese version.

[roddy]

Watched this in the cinema, left halfway. Not a big Jackie fan at the best of times, but I thought this one was particularly weak.

[bhchao]

Did Jackie Chan ever die in any of his films? The only American action hero who I believe never died in any of his films is Harrison Ford.

Read: http://politics.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051007/ennew_afp/afpentertainmentfilmskoreafestivalchan_051007121615

Kim Hee Sun looks gorgeous in that picture with Jackie Chan. I am starting to view Jackie Chan as 風流 for singing a duet with Kim Hee Sun, and posing with her at the Pusan Film Festival.

[Ian_Lee]

Bhchao:

Jackie Chan died in the beginning of the movie Medallion (2003) but resurrected right away.

However, the first time a girl died in his movie was the Accidental Spy (2001).

My favorite Jackie Chan movie is Wheels on the Meal (1984) but so far cannot find any VCD of this movie.

The biggest blunder of Jackie Chan is of course the US$110 million Disney production Around the World in 80 Days (2003). Even in his home turf -- hong Kong, this film just grossed a miserable HK$1.33 million.

After this movie, Jackie made up his mind to quit Hollywood and returned to Asia.

[bhchao]

Like Roddy, I am not a big Jackie fan either (prefer someone who is a little more serious in their acting)

The one Jackie film I did enjoy was Rush Hour, with Chris Tucker. They had great chemistry and the movie was very charming and humorous.

Frankly the only other time I am interested in Jackie's films is due to the presence of his female co-star opposite, like Michelle Yeoh, Claire Forlani (liked her a lot in Meet Joe Black), or in this case Kim.

[Ian_Lee]

Bhchao:

I think you are too Americanized.

If you read Jackie Chan's interview, he hated the two Rush Hour film to the gut albeit Rush Hour II is one of the top 50 top grossing films in Box Office history.

Why does Jackie hate it? Because he said those humors in the movies can only be understood by BROTHERS while nobody in Asia can appreciate it. Moreover, there are too many restrictions in Hollywood production and his fighting scenes are always cut without a reason.

Then why did he try Hollywood for two times? Jackie tried just to prove himself. In early '80s, he already performed there but was only given neligibile role.

So in 1995, he made "Rumble in the Bronx" with Stanley Tony and cracked open the US market. Box Office wise, no other Chinese actors/actresses can surpass Jackie in Hollywood.

But finally he made up his mind to come back to Hong Kong. Jackie said that in Hong Kong, he is like "fish in the water".

And Jackie never even considered applying for a Green Card. So is Chow Yun Fat who made into Hollywood.

So when some Asian American magazines classified Jackie with Jet Li and Joan Chen as Asian Americans, (why do these magazines always think that any Asians who make it in US must dream of becoming Americans?) they have made a big mistake.

Jackie is from head to toe a Hong Kong boy.

[bhchao]

Well let's not equate liking Jackie Chan's films with being American. I am sure there are many people in Asia who do not appreciate Jackie's film antics.

Why do I not like Jackie Chan's films in general? Because he makes martial arts look like a comedic joke. I would much prefer to watch the Beijing-born Jet Li display his wushu fighting style or the American-born Bruce Lee onscreen.

Those two take their craft seriously and it shows onscreen, not like Jackie Chan who turns martial arts into a joke onscreen.

[Ian_Lee]

Bhchao:

Now you misinterpret Jackie Chan.

Unlike Jet Li or Bruce Lee, Jackie is not an expert in martial art. And as far as I recall, Jackie never bragged that he is.

Jackie was sent to a Beijing opera school in his childhood when his parents migrated to Australia to work as cook. (Lately Jackie's autobiographed film revealed that his father was actually the bodyguard of Chiang Kai Shek!) In '60s, Hong Kong was more impoverished than today's Harbin. When Jackie was in that opera school, he had to do all the chores in addition to learning somersault etc as well as being physically abused by his master.

So what Jackie performed in the movie is actually what you watch in the Beijing opera (modern version) plus cinematography+editing!

Why do you think that is real Kung Fu?

And except Bruce Lee, real Kung Fu fighting does not necessarily look gorgeous in the movie! Just compare the movies Jet Li made before and after he came to HK!

[bhchao]

That still does not change my perception that Jackie Chan is downright annoying onscreen and offscreen

Jet Li has class, grace and style, both onscreen and offscreen..

Bruce Lee was awe-inspiring.

Jackie Chan has neither of these qualities IMO

I once read an interview that featured Michelle Yeoh. The interviewer asked her if she could choose between two men, Jackie Chan or Pierce Brosnan, who would she choose? She replied she would definitely go for Brosnan since Jackie Chan had a chauvinistic attitude that women in action flicks should stay by the sidelines and look pretty, rather than take part in the action.

[Ian_Lee]

Bhchao:

You are fully entitled to your personal subjective opinion about Jackie Chan. Absolutely no argument.

But Box Office wise, Jackie Chan is more successful than either Bruce Lee and Jet Li.

Jackie's highest grossing film "Rush Hour II" netted US$130 million in US Box Office while Jet Li's best grossing film "Romeo must die" only netted US$50 million plus.

Bruce Lee's influence is persvasive only after his sudden death. His last unfinished film was only a Class B production by Warner Brothers.

But regarding who has class, I am afraid Jackie has some attributes that Li doesn't have:

(1) To preserve the positive image of Chinese in Hollywood, Jackie vowed never to play a bad guy or stereotyed Chinese in Hollywood production. So far he kept his promise. But Jet Li didn't hestitate to play bad guy. In "Lethal Weapon 4", Li played henchman of Chinese drug lord.

(2) Jackie vowed never to act in any Triad movie. And he did keep his promise.

(3) Jackie vowed never to overplay violence so that his movies can be watchable by teenages and kids. With the exception of "Police Story II", I would say Jackie's movies are suitable for the whole family. But almost all of Jet Li's movies are stained excessively with blood.

Well, what is wrong with Jackie assigning secondary roles to all the female actresses in his movies? They are still lining up to try to get a role in his movie.

Of course, in Jackie's personal life, it is well known that other than his Taiwanese wife, HK/Japanese/Korean/Taiwanese actresses and even Zhang Ziyi tried to have romance with him. So? It is only his wife's problem.

P.S. Michelle Yeoh knows more about ballet than Kung Fu. Before she came from Malaysia to marry Dickson Poon in HK, she was the Beauty Pageant Queen and a ballet dancer.