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Mike Leeder’s Action Digest #23: The news-stories you’ve missed…

He’s back. Mike Leeder brings another action digest round-up of the news-stories from the world of eastern action that you may have overlooked in the last few weeks…


WongWong Jing’s The Invincible 12: A Dirty Dozen..?

Wong Jing is without a doubt the most prolific and successful Writer/Director/Producerx in the history of Hong Kong Cinema. His output includes a range of projects that includes God of Gamblers with , Stephen Chow’s subsequent God of Gamblers sequels/spin off, Jackie Chan’s City Hunter, Jet Li’s High Risk, Naked Killer, Naked Weapon and Naked Soldier, Once Upon a Time in Shanghai, the insanely successful From Vegas to Macau series and so much more.

The Invincible 12 (also known as the Dirty Dozen) was originally announced two years ago – and set to be Wong Jing’s hundredth film as a director . It was to be an action packed HK$300 million action packed blockbuster filled with pretty girls, tons of action and a sensational cast of leading men drawn from the many that Wong has worked with over the years. According to early reports it would include Chow Yun-fatt, , , Huang Xioa-ming, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Ekin Cheng, Daniel Wu, Shawn Yue, Nicholas Tse and Tony Leung with filming set to begin in June 2016.

Wong Jing recently confirmed he still intends to make the movie and now plans to bring , Andy Lau and Chow Yun-fatt together in a tribute to classic Hong Kong Cinema. But while – importantly – none of those actors have yet been officially confirmed for the movie, Wong did make one thing very clear;  “There will be Chow Yun Fat, without him, I would not shoot.

Wong is currently producing the 70s set crime thriller Chasing the Dragon, starring Donnie Yen and Andy Lau, which will begin shooting shortly.


Rush Hour trilogy on blu-rayRush Hour Trilogy gets blu-ray release…

While there’s been talk of a potential fourth installment in the Rush Hour franchise for some time. Even during the time that the more recent Rush Hour TV series was going into production, Jackie Chan and the film’s producers were still talking of the possibility of another film sequel or a possible cinematic reboot. Unfortunately the series tried too hard to copy the original film to the detriment of all those involved, giving them no room to bring their own spin on the concept,and the series was drawn to a close within 13 episodes.

But now, at least the existing Rush Hour trilogy itself is hitting blu-ray in a new boxed set, containing all three films with a wealth of special features including: An audio commentary by director Brett Ratner on the first two films, trailers, interviews, various ‘Behind the Scenes’ featurettes looking at the cast, crew, stunts, locations and more plus a fourth disc with Brett Ratner’s own reflections on the franchise.

It’s amazing to think that it’s nearly 20 years since the first hit the screen, (originally beginning life as a project for Chan and Bad Boys star Martin Lawrence… which would have seen them as mismatched security guards who give chase to robbers through the chaos of the Los Angeles traffic grid lock during, yes, Rush Hour, hence the title!). To  many die-hard fans the films were something of a disappointment, Chan himself has often spoken of his puzzlement at the films success, feeling the films didn’t showcase his action or personality, and yet did so well, while the first two films broke box office records and the third did solid business around the world.

Time and traffic will tell if any more new Rush Hours gets momentum…

 


Conan LeeConan Lee: From MIA to MMA…

American Chinese martial arts hero Conan Lee (Birth-name: Lloyd Hutchinson) made of a hell of a debut in Seasonal Films’ Ninja in the Dragons Den, produced by Ng See-yuen (who had previously made Jackie Chan a star with Snake in the Eagles Shadow & Drunken Master). Directed by Corey Yuen (Above The Law, The Transporter), the film showcased Conan’s incredible physicality opposite Japan’s Hiriyuki Sanada (protege of Sonny Chiba and star of films ranging from from Roaring Fire to The Last Samurai), and Korean superkicker Hwang Jan-lee. The film was a huge box office success across Asia, but following ‘creative differences’ between Lee and Ng, Conan returned to the States clocking up appearances a a stuntman and supporting actor in the likes of Maxie with Glenn Close, Armed Response, and the cult classics Big Trouble in Little China, Eliminators and Gymkata!

Lee returned to Hong Kong signed to a multi-picture deal with Cinema City, who then reintroduced him to audiences by partnering him with Chow Yun-fatt in the blockbuster Tiger on the Beat. But despite its success, issues arose on Lee’s subsequent movie Aces Go Places 5: The Teracotta Hit, and a life threatening accident on Tiger on the Beat 2 once more threw Lee’s career off-course. He signed a multi-picture deal with low budget director/producer Philip Ko (Ko Fei) and starred in the potboilers Cyprus Tigers with Simon Yam. After clashing with Ko on Fury in Red, his character is killed off half way through the movie – he was loaned out to finish his contract for the comedy Scheming Wonders. He would also appear in Prince of the Sun opposite Cynthia Rothrock and the swashbuckling King of the Sea before returning Stateside again, where he worked on various lower budget projects .Corey Yuen gave him another opportunity to shine as Jet Li’s brother in Lethal Weapon 4, although his scenes were cut from the finished film. According to Lee, the scenes were cut due to him overshadowing Jet Li and Lee has never really done himself any favours in regards to the way he presents himself through interviews, as per http://www.easternfilmfans.co.uk/?p=562

Now after several years away from the industry taking care of his mother, Lee has announced his return to the screen as leading actor, scriptwriter and director for the action drama MMA in which he plays ‘international action star Conan Lee who is more than willing to put his career on hold to care for his ailing mother. He sees the sacrifice as a simple gesture of gratitude, happy to give back to the woman who gave him everything.’

Some websites are speculating the title is a play on both MMA and MAMA, and production is scheduled to start in late September. In spite of our encounters with Lee (which left us more than a little disappointed) we’d love to see him step up and deliver on the potential he has shown when he wants to focus.

Here’s an a sample of what Conan is capable of…


Mrs KMrs K: Hui Yin-hong bids action films a Long Kiss Goodnight…

She will always be best known as Shaw Brothers‘ premier fighting female, but Hui Yin-hong has come a long way since My Young Auntie, Lady is the Boss etc. She’s proven herself repeatedly as a dramatic actress and has often told of the pain and hardship a life of action has given her, and spoken of hanging up her fighting shoes once and for all.

But she’s been (reluctantly?) drawn back into action as the star of the upcoming Mrs K, which looks set to be a riff on Renny Harlin’s The Long Kiss Goodnight. It’s a Hong Kong/Malaysian co-production, which tells of a woman (Hui) whose quiet suburban life is shattered when her past catches up with her. To protect her husband and daughter, she is forced to draw upon skills she hoped she would never have to use again.

The film also stars Simon Yam (Killers Romance, SPL), and Wu Bai (Time & Tide) and directors Fruit Chan (Made in Hong Kong) and Kirk Wong (The Big Hit, Rock N’Roll Cop) also appear alongside Malaysia’s Faizal Hussain & Dain Said.

There’s no trailer yet, but here’s a glimpse of Hui in action to remind us of what she’s capable of:

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