I was watching the behind the scenes and it seemed like Nicholas has a problem with Hollywood. He kept voicing how "great" Hong Kong action is (2 times), and I agree, but what is with the negativity towards them? Thoughts?
shareYou know I noticed that too! I think its because its so hard for them break into Hollywood, a little grudge thing I think. Thats to bad for Nicholas Im a huge fan of his work and I would love for him to make to Hollywood one of these days.
"HOWL TO THE MOON FOR A NEW WERWOLF FOR SUPERNATURAL!"
I'd love to see Nic act in english as well, but I'm against him going to Hollywood! Just look what it did for Jackie Chan and Jet Li. They are typecast, stereotyped Kung Fu entertainers. They are treated like a novelty, not as an actor.
Jackie could never have made a film like New Police Story in Hollywood.
I mean, if someone would actually write a good script and allow Nic to use his great acting ability then, fine, I'll be the first in line to see it, but somehow I doubt that's gonna happen.
I think its because its so hard for them break into Hollywood, a little grudge thing I think
I think Nic has a point though.
Don't get me wrong, I like a bit of a good popcorn flick myself, but that's pretty much the problem I think. Everyone in the world knows American movies, no matter how silly or stupid they are. Everyone knows who Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell are. Are they good actors? No. Are their movies memorable? No.
Ask anyone outside of Asia who Francis Ng or Eric Tsang are and nobody will know. And those are amazing actors. If a Chinese movie is bad, then all the world will critisise and say, ah see, another *beep* Chinese movie. If it's good then it's almost treated as an exception.
I think Hong Kong actions is far superior to Hollywood action, because it mainly involves the actual actors who are willing to do something for their salary and not have a stuntman do it for them. So what if Tom Cruise can motorcycle and shoot a gun at the same time? Big deal, Nicholas can get hit by a bus, smash over two cars and crash on the floor, and he can do it HIMSELF! I have the highest respect for Hong Kong actors, they LIVE their roles.
And they don't get appreciation for it.
I agree, there is that language barrier, english spoken films are just more accesible across the world (hell, I myself would have a hard time understanding dear Mr Tse without english subtitles!) BUT I think Nic is angry about retarded films like American Pie and Mission Impossible raking in lots of money and audience, while he, and Shawn Yue, and Daniel Wu, and all those other good young HK actors REALLY deliver one movie after the other and still won't get the recognition they deserve.
That's my opinion.
I think LadyLintu makes a really good point.
sharenow, i used to hate nic tse but i think he's became more mature than before and his acting is better too. I think he's one of the better HK actors who were born in the 80's.
@Lady
You wanna know why Jackie and Jet Li were typecasted as Kung Fu/martial artists entertainers? cause that's all they can do. Jackie Chan's return to HK with New Police Story still had him being a cop who knows Kung Fu. Jet Li played a martial artist in Fearless and Hero. I heard at one point, Jackie wanted to do more drama but after watching his acting in NPS, trying to cry, it was so fake and laughable at best.
And nice one for picking out two actors from Hollywood and say how much Hollywood sucks as a result of them.
I totally disagree about kung fu being ALL Jet & Jackie can do---check out HEART OF THE DRAGON and CRIME STORY, for which Jackie won a award for his dramatic acting----he's very good in both, in fact, he spends more time acting than fighting in the former film. Jet Li also gave very good dramatic performances in SWORDSMAN II,MY FATHER IS A HERO (aka THE ENFORCER) and FEARLESS, as well as HERO. Both of them are very good dramatic actors--the problem is that very few of their dramatic films have been shown here in the U.S., so most people only know them for their kung fu films. Also check out Jet in UNLEASHED, where he gives another heck of a performance that dosen't rely only on his fighting skills to keep you watching.
Anyway, I think Nic Tse's hot, and it's nice to see him all grown up (I always thought he could act--and he's always been a very good actor,from day one) and still making good films. I loved INVISIBLE TARGET, and would love to purchase it first chance I get. A shame that he hasn't been tapped by Hollywood, since I saw in an interview that he speaks perfect English, as well as doing his own stunts.
Oh, and about foreign actors making it here in the U.S.---funny how as soon as European actors learn English and come to Hollywood,they usually blow up pretty quick sometimes---I think it's definitely some racism involved,because near lily-white Hollywood still can't see Asians or Asian-American characters in a film as flesh-and-blood human beings worth telling good stories about (hell,they still feel that way about African-Americans and other people of color in films) plus they can't see Asians doing anything but kung-fu, so that's why it's been harder for younger HK stars to break into Hollywood. Honestly, as long as they're making great films like IT in HK, why even bother. They can go ahead and try, though.
What exactly did Nicholas say or do that was negative towards Hollywood? I have not seen the behind the scenes stuff so I really have no idea and your only reason stated above was that he twice talked good about Hong Kong action.
I prefer they stay out of Hollywood. I don't think they need to even bother. People the world over see their movies anyway. I'm actually just about the purchase this right now as I type this...
Hollywood always try to cash in on something and they're still doing it with movies from Asia. Funny how they never try to recreate the action classics simply cos they can't. And I agree with comments about pratts like Tom Cruise who get all this attention for doing his own stunts. What does he really do? Its not hard to jump in front of green screens on wires!
Anyway, what really irks me about the way American movies companies do with Asian movies, mainly the ones I've seen for HK stuff etc is the artwork. Infernal Affairs anyone? Its like they try to make those movies look crap or something. At least here in the UK were get proper artwork that at least resembles the movie itself!...
Hong Kong actors should just stay in H.Kong. and vice versa for Hollywood as well. HKong actors will do great in their own movies and I like HKong movies. It's like a trademark for them....
sharei most definately prefer Hk movies over hollywood. i live in the US in illinois nad ill tell you i own over 250 movies most from HK, some hollywood films ( but they have HK fight directors), some from japan nad thailand. i just prefer it over american films when it xcomes to action and creation of the action.
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i think hollywood movies has more diversity. hong kong movies are pretty much the same
shareNot having seen the interview in question, I couldn't really speak on it specifically, but I have a feeling that it's Hollywood's entire approach to filmmaking.
After John Woo broke in to the American market, a whole lot of directors like Ringo Lam, Kirk Che-Wong and Tsui Hark came over here. With the exception of Woo and Hark, not a single one of them have directed more than one American film. The reason: the Hollywood mentality.
They bring over directors like Woo and others to breathe new life into their tired cliches, but yet they won't actually let them do what they were hired to do. A perfect example is "Hard Target." If John Woo had made that film in Hong Kong, he probably would have had nowhere near the problems he had with censors that he had in the US.
On top of that, they want to have them direct projects that completely waste their talents--like "Paycheck."
Quite frankly, if I was a Hong Kong filmmaker, I wouldn't want to work here either.
"You know what? I wish one of the voices in your head would just tell you to shut the hell up!"
Ringo Lam directed three Van Damme film, while Tsui Hark did two. The problems they are only asked to direct action films. One of the few incident where a Hong Kong director didn't direct an action film, was Andrew Lau with the terrible Richard Gere film The Flock. South Korean direct seems to be really in know, with a lot of them having Hollywood films lined up.
Wasn't it Van Damme that brought John Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam to Hollywood, and only Woo kept making non-Van Damme films.
I also know a few Steven Seagel films have been directed by Hong Kong directors like Belly of the Beast.
Also didn't Corey Yuen co-direct The Transporter, and then diree.cted DOA: Dead or Alive?
Edit: I forgot Ronny Yu. He made several horror films like Bride Of Chucky and Freddy vs. Jason, and also The 51st State.