Casting Update


Chen Kaige had some remarks about it recently:

http://www.chinesemirror.com/newsblog/2007/05/index.html#entry-34455416

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Why is there 'controversy' surrounding Leon Lai being cast? Forgive my ignorance on the subject, as I am not familiar with the actor. I do think he bares a striking resemblence to Mei Lanfang, though.




Baba mi Ogun modupue

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It may be due to Leon Lai not being a mainland Chinese person. But, I honestly don't know. It's just a guess.

"Sell crazy some place else. We're all stocked up here." -Melvin Udall

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hmmmm......I wonder if that could be it?




Baba mi Ogun modupue

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actually Leon Lai is a mainland Chinese...he is born in beijing...and I think chen Kaige chose him because he has that kind of intellect kind of feeling and he has a softer figure than other male actor in addition he can speak chinese very well..and sometimes those actor that look very macho ...they can't really take this character because this character acts as a woman during the play...

i think he is going to do a great job...i think he really suits this character..

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I was also puzzled about that when I read it, but the Chinese news article definitely used the term for "controversial," so I translated it that way. It might be because he's not a mainlander, but I really don't know for sure.

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Apparently shooting is scheduled to begin July 1. Couple more cast-related items from the Chinese press:

http://www.chinesemirror.com/newsblog/2007/06/index.html#entry-34951166

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Zhang Ziyi will play in this movie

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Are you serious? Say it ain't so! Zhang Ziyi is so overhyped, IMO. I'm really looking forward to this movie so her appearing in it won't stop me from seeing it but I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed.




Baba mi Ogun modupue

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"Overhyped"? Why? Because she has ***earned*** awards and
***won*** audiences around the world, and you, for whatever personal
reason, can't stand it?



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Um.....so I'm not a fan of Zhang Ziyi and think she's entirely overrated. Why does it have to be a "personal" thing? I just don't think she's a very good actress.

Yes, she's won awards and been cast in some big budget films that have been released in the US. That doesn't mean that she will be every single person's cup of tea and that, my friend, you will just have to accept.



Baba mi Ogun modupue

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[deleted]

But allow me to correct you first- I didn't say you were getting personal with me.

You said:

"Overhyped"? Why? Because she has ***earned*** awards and
***won*** audiences around the world, and you, for whatever personal
reason, can't stand it?


And I replied asking you why my dislike for Zhang Ziyi as an actress was assumed by you to be a personal thing. Perhaps you should brush up on your reading comprehension.







Baba mi Ogun modupue

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[deleted]

Baba mi Ogun modupue

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wow...drama...

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[deleted]

"'Overhyped'? Why? Because she has ***earned*** awards . . . ."

Unfortunately, many awards are little more than the industry flattering itself. And too often the decisons are based upon the politics of money.

I do think, though, that Ziyi is an excellent actress. She has been cast -- not by herself -- in part to show off her beauty, and as a fairly reliable box-office draw. As example, in several of her films ("Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" -- at which time she was largely an unknown -- "House of Flying Daggers," "Memoirs of a Geisha") there is an inevitable "bathing" scene which is most likely intended to stimulate the male audience's imagination.

As well, as she is trained also in dance, there tend to be scenes with her dancing -- which actually isn't out of place or to be dismissed as "hype," as choreographed martial arts scenes (this view given also by Michelle Yeoh, who trained in ballet, and in martial arts) in film are essentially dance. Ziyi expressly says that she isn't trained in martial arts, so she (instead) uses dance moves.

There are three videos of Ziyi dancing (two while still at Beijing Dance Academy, one of which is huge fun, one an award-winning performance of "The Peacock Dance" from 1994) on helloziyi.us.com.

And as made clear in commentary and interviews, she can't be slighted as concerns the amount of work she puts in to meet the requirements of the character she is playing during the filming. "House of Flying Daggers" is an example.

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"Zhang Ziyi is so overhyped, IMO."

Really? Then see "The Road Home," in which her's is an essentially solo performance.

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I think she's a beautiful actress. She hasn't been given the best roles in the world all the time but that's not her fault. There are lots of bomb pictures out there, if you'll notice.

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