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NEWS ITEMS February 2007
Feb 28: "Hannibal Rising" director Peter Webber and lead actor Gaspard Ulliel attended a press conference today in Tokyo to promote the film. "Hannibal Rising" opens in Japan March 31. As I reported previously, a new 35mm print of the Zhang Yimou/Gong Li masterpiece "Raise The Red Lantern" will be screened at the Film Forum. Rob Nelson writes about the film for the Village Voice and describes it as "the most esteemed movie by the best-known filmmaker that mainland China has ever produced." He feels that it is "somehow appropriate that the movie hasn't been allowed to reveal itself fully for 15 years, thanks to a series of smudged video transfers; the 35mm print opening at Film Forum this week has been restored from the negative." Feb 27: Daniel Thomas of KFCCinema.com reviews the "Curse of the Golden Flower" Region 3 DVD, released Feb 14. Excerpts: "The actors that have been chosen to portray this family are, suitably, cinematic royalty… For Gong, the role of the Empress, a tragic victim, is one that she inhabits comfortably (if that's not a contradiction). As the film's central character, the Empress, in Gong's hands, evokes sympathy on one hand but, ultimately, her fight-back shows that she can turn the screw, just as well as the Emperor… Despite the occasionally outlandish qualities of every aspect of the film, it works… The 16:9 anamorphic presentation of the film shows off the lavish spectacle of the film in an amazing fashion." Feb 26: Sina entertainment news conducted a poll to determine the top ten stars who inspire men's fantasies. Lin Zhi Ling placed first, Gong Li placed second. Also in the top ten are Zhu Yin, Rosamund Kwan, Xu Jinglei, Shu Qi, Liu Yifei, Zhang Jin Ying, Yang Lan, and CCTV news anchor Haixia. Gong Li was the favorite among men aged 40-60. Feb 25: CriEnglish.com reports that "Curse of the Golden Flower" costume designer Yee Chung Man will attend the Academy Awards ceremony today. He is nominated for an Oscar for his designs. A spokesperson at New Pictures distribution company stated that Yee is the lone representative from the film attending the ceremony. Feb 24: The Zhang Yimou/Gong Li masterpiece, "Raise The Red Lantern" (new 35mm print), will be screened at the Film Forum March 2-15. Tickets are available online. Film Forum is located at 209 W Houston Street, between 6th Avenue & Varick, in New York City. Feb 23: Thanks to Sam for this info: "There's a big article about Gong Li in the French movie magazine Studio. The article is mainly based on pictures of Curse of the Golden Flower (about 4 pages) and there's also a poster with Gong Li as the empress." Feb 22: From Tony Chung of geekwhat.com: Aspiring actress Chyna Chuu notified him "that she will be in the Oscars on TV this coming Sunday! She'll be modeling Gong Li's costume from the film 'Curse of the Golden Flower' and will be walking out on stage for the Best Costume Design nominees." Congrats to Chyna. Feb 21: A gala screening of "Hannibal Rising" was held last night in Prague. The movie was filmed at Barrandov Studios in Prague, and many locals appeared as extras. Lead actor Gaspard Ulliel and director Peter Webber attended the screening. Reviews of "Hannibal Rising" are still being published, and most are still negative overall. Betsy Sherman, however, wrote a positive review for The Arts Fuse: "It's a handsome and involving macabre drama, with a pathos that tempers the horror-movie shocks. Scripted by Harris, the film was directed by Peter Webber, and features fine performances not only from Ulliel, but also from supporting players Gong Li and Rhys Ifans." Feb 20: The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films announced nominations for the 33rd annual Saturn Awards today. "Curse of the Golden Flower" is nominated for Best International Film, along with "Apocalypto", "Fearless", "The Host", "Letters From Iwo Jima", and "Pan's Labyrinth". Winners will be announced on May 10. Feb 19: Box office update - "Hannibal Rising" is estimated to have earned $5.5 million Friday thru Sunday. It has taken in $22.1 million after 10 days of release. Feb 18: Gong Xi Fa Cai / Gong Hei Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year! From the Variety article, "Costume Designers Pick Flower": "Chung Man Yee won for excellence in a period film for 'Curse of the Golden Flower' at the Costume Designers Guild Awards. 'Pan's Labyrinth's' Lala Huete claimed the prize for fantasy film, while Consolata Boyle won the award of excellence in contemporary film for her work with 'The Queen'… The event was held on Saturday night at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel." From The Hollywood Reporter: "'Casino Royale', 'Curse of the Golden Flower' and 'Pan's Labyrinth' were the winners in three feature-film categories [contemporary, period and fantasy] of the Art Directors Guild's Excellence in Production Design Awards on Saturday night... The awards were presented at the art directors' 11th annual awards gala, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills." Congrats to CotGF production designer Huo Tingxiao. Feb 17: Thanks to Cocoa for this link to a video interview with "Hannibal Rising" co-star Dominic West. Voice-over: "Gong Li plays Lady Murasaki, a relative by marriage to Hannibal, who takes him in when his killing spree begins, seducing Dominic's detective to keep him safe, a quality he liked very much playing out on screen." West: "And so every scene I get with her, we're flirting outrageously with each other, and she's really turning on the seduction. And it really works (laughs). She has more erotic charge than I think any actress that I have ever met." Feb 16: Yesterday, nominations for the Chinese Film Awards were announced. Gong Li received a nomination for Best Actress for her performance in "Curse of the Golden Flower". About the awards (thanks, NewPath): They are sponsored by a major newspaper; the jury consists of critics, directors and journalists from Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Taiwan. Three lists of nominees (3 in each category), representing the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, are submitted. It was reported by China News that "Gong Li is a heavyweight, and there is no way to ignore her performance that won over the judges." Feb 15: "Curse of the Golden Flower" box office update: As of Sunday, the film has earned $54,682,063 in the U.S. and Asia. It will be released in theaters in the U.K. and Europe throughout March and April. The biggest domestic box office hit of all time in China, "Curse of The Golden Flower" was released on R3 DVD yesterday. Feb 14: Excerpt from "Gong Li: Style and Substance", a retrospective of her career by James Mudge for YesAsia.com: "Wherever you go in the world today, it's hard to avoid seeing Gong Li's face. The mainland China actress has now all but achieved world domination, having not only won the hearts of audiences at home and the admiration of the notoriously fickle film critics of Europe, but also conquering the Hollywood box office… She is one of the few actresses in the world for whom the oft-quoted epithet 'more than just a pretty face' is truly appropriate… As one of the few actresses who is versatile, talented, and indeed respected enough to work in almost any country in the world, audiences everywhere can expect to see even more of Gong Li in the years to come." Read Article "Hannibal Rising" box office update: The domestic weekend (Feb 9-11) final per Variety is $13,051,650. It opened at Number One in Australia ($795,731 in its first four days), was Number Four in the U.K. ($1.8 million), and pulled in a strong $2.9 million in Italy. Feb 13: Watch Gong Li's new commercial ad for Midea (thanks, NewPath and Muzi). Flash Player is required to view the video. Miki Turner of MSNBC feels that Gong Li "should have been nominated" for a Best Actress Oscar for her work in "Curse of the Golden Flower". Turner writes, "I think that the one performance that was totally overlooked this year was Gong Li's turn as an empress having an illicit affair with her stepson the prince in Curse of the Golden Flower. Li was flawless as the wife of a cruel and conniving emperor who used his wife's own servants to slowly poison her. But methinks that most voters probably didn't see this film... She's a first-rate talent. She'll get her nod some day." (thanks to "person") Feb 12: A gala premiere of "Hannibal Rising" will be held in Prague on the 20th. From ABC Prague: "A few days ago American cinemas showed the premiere of a new film about cannibal Hannibal Lecter. The film mapping the youth of Hannibal was mainly filmed in the Czech Republic and many Czech actors and extras play in it. The gala premiere will take place in Prague's cinema Village on 20th February. People can expect the director of the film, Peter Webber, who directed also Girl with a Pearl Earring, then the main character who is interpreted by Gaspard Ulliel known from A Very Long Engagement." Jonathan Romney of The Independent (UK) blames Li's agent for her participation in "Hannibal Rising": "The one truly noteworthy feature of 'Hannibal Rising' is the surreal combination of Rhys Ifans and the erstwhile goddess of Chinese art cinema, Gong Li. La divine Gong looks pretty rueful throughout, and her agent may well be next in line for decapitation, but Director of Photography Ben Davis's camera loves her almost as much as Zhang Yimou's once did." Feb 11: Weekend estimates are up at Box Office Mojo. "Hannibal Rising" is forecast to take in $13.35 million Friday - Sunday on 3,003 screens for a solid but disappointing $4,445 per screen average. "Actuals" will be available Monday afternoon. David Poland of Movie City News blames the marketing: "Throw out the issue of whether the movie is good. Opening weekend has nothing to do with quality, now in the text message age, same as ever. But whatever they were going for – a sexy young Hannibal? – was not sold very well. It was as though they just threw it out there, expecting the character to sell the movie for them. Word has it that MGM is about to make some big changes to their so-far unevolved marketing system." Feb 10: "Forty-One and Fabulous" - Lisa Johnson of FilmStew.com includes Gong Li's remarks on health and beauty that were made during a recent press conference. Lisa writes, "Whether she's dressed up or dressed down, you can't help but notice that she is the essence of feminine pulchritude. I wondered if she was just born that way, the unwitting beneficiary of great genes. I had to ask about her beauty secrets, hoping there would be something I could incorporate into my own regimen." More Feb 9: "Hannibal Rising" director Peter Webber spoke about working with Gong Li during an interview with Barry Wurst of FirstShowing.Net: "I worship at the altar of Gong Li [laughs]. That's all I can say! She's not only one of the most beautiful women in the world, she's not only one of the best actresses one could hope to work with, she's also incredibly smart. If you are a smart actor, then you are a challenging actor, because they never let you get away with anything as a director. They want to know their character inside and out. You have to be prepared to answer every query of theirs. They're tough to work with but it can be rewarding. She found depths in that character that really weren't on the page and she was able to come up with a very enigmatic, very stylized and fascinating performance. It's a tricky role, to tell you the truth, because its quite nebulous, in a way. We spent a lot of time working together. She was doing Miami Vice, so I flew over a few times to Miami, spent time going over the script with her in great, great detail, covering all these things: the ins-and-outs. When it came to shooting, she was relatively straight-forward. We'd had the big discussion. We'd had the big debates, it was just a matter of practicalities. It was a fantastic experience. I know everyone says that all the time, but in this case, it really - I'm English and we don't gush that much and, in this case, I'm prepared to gush." Feb 8: Ed Douglas of ComingSoon.net forecasts the weekend's box office receipts, and predicts that "Hannibal Rising" will take in $16.8 million on 2,900 screens. Gitesh Pandya of Box Office Guru predicts $15 million Friday-Sunday. A couple of positive reviews -- Jeff Simon for the Buffalo News: "Playing Lady Murasaki, the Japanese aunt/stepmother/tutor/lover whom Harris named after the primal Japanese novelist, is Gong Li, the Chinese actress who is one of the most beautiful film actresses in the world and one of the most haunting… The script is nothing if not fast, tight and glowing with that weird, horrific black light… This is a horror thriller about Old Europe with uncommon intelligence and atmospheric terror." By Jason Koebler for the Diamond Back Online: "Ulliel isn't the only effective actor in the film; Gong Li plays Lady Murasaki very well, and the sexual tension between Hannibal and his aunt the entire movie is gross but entrancing. Murasaki is constantly covering for Hannibal's murders, and Lecter appreciates her in a way no nephew should… There is an engaging story of a man gone undeniably, understandably wrong beneath all the blood and gore." By Staci Layne Wilson for Horror.com "Truly a grand-guignol gothic revenge-western, Hannibal Rising is sumptuous cinematic experience. Director Peter Webber creates art in nearly every shot, without sparing we horror fans any of the gory details. Gaspard Ulliel, while he looks nothing like the more mature Hopkins Hannibal, is cheeky indeed – he has got the languid grace, quippy tongue, and cold killing style we all know and love down-pat. Li is appropriately mysterious in her 40s femme fatale wardrobe." Feb 7: Watch Gong Li's latest L'Oreal commercial (Flash player required). Positive review (4 out of 5 stars) of "Hannibal Rising" from Betsy Pickle for Scripps News: "Ulliel morphs convincingly into a recognizable version of the future Hannibal, and his complicated relationship with his aunt is poignant… Gong and West hold up their end of the aesthetic bargain and bring resonance to the brief descriptions of their wartime sufferings… The movie gets off track occasionally… Yet 'Hannibal Rising' is better than most would have expected. Webber does a great job of blending the drama and pathos of Hannibal's experiences…" Mark Beirne of YourMovies.com.au writes: "Thanks to Peter Webber's beautiful direction, Ben Davis's lush cinematography, an improved screenplay from Harris himself and some terrific performances, 'Hannibal Rising' is an entertaining movie that earns its place in the Lecter saga." Editors at Maxim Magazine (UK) rate "Hannibal Rising" three out of five stars: "It's a tiny bit clichéd and not as masterfully handled as 'Silence Of The Lambs' (obviously), but it's still dark, harrowing and sadistically entertaining." Feb 6: From an interview with "Hannibal Rising" producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis: Q: "Is it your idea or Peter's [director's] idea to cast Gong Li?" Dino: "It was mine. I am in love with Gong Li." Martha: "We are in love with Gong Li. Absolutely." Dino: "How beautiful! But the quality of Gong Li – not because she's beautiful – because even with no dialogue with this expression and this face, she takes the audience. What is the answer? She's unique." The majority of early reviews of "Hannibal Rising" are negative. It seems that some critics simply feel that another film about Hannibal Lecter should not have been made. There have been, however, a few favorable comments. From a French Associated Press review: "Without approaching the best of the series, which was Silence of the Lambs, this Hannibal still mixes traditional suspense and psychological ambiance, while avoiding depending too much on gory images… In this somber setting, the sublime Gong Li brings her radiant beauty and her subtle playing." From Empire Online: "Gong Li is welcome as Hannibal's Japanese aunt-in-law/mentor, Gaspard Ulliel isn't a bad young Lecter and Webber's direction is intermittently classy." Feb 5: Movies Online has up the complete interview with Gong Li from the recent Los Angeles press conference to promote "Hannibal Rising". Excerpt: "What's important to me in considering this part was that I saw Lady Murasaki trying to stop that kind of violence throughout the film. It's something she's trying to prevent. She doesn't want Hannibal to commit these vicious and cruel acts. She does try to stop him, but in the end nothing can stop him from committing all these brutal acts. But for me, it was important initially, when I was reading the script that I saw that this was my part, that in fact, she's trying to stop these things. It's a very important thing for me when I was considering taking on this role." From Gaspard Ulliel's interview: "[Gong Li's] a very pretty lady and very cheerful and very nice in real life. And on set she has this kind of Asian way of working, you know, very concentrated all the time, very serious, and she is not that talkative. But this was very helpful for me. And also she's very generous. She gives a lot to her partners during the scene and this is nice also for a young actor like me. It was a very nice experience… She understands pretty much everything we say in English but sometimes she needed her interpreter to express herself but that was okay." Feb 4: I uploaded two segments featuring Gong Li from a "Hannibal Rising - Behind The Scenes" program. Please do not upload to other servers (such as You Tube). Thanks to Cocoa for this link to an interview with Li done in November in NYC. Excerpt: "I'd like to do something like a black comedy, not something that's just for laughs. In fact, I think it's harder to make a comedy, than a tragedy or a drama, so for me that would be a challenge. I would be very interested in that." Feb 3: During a video interview, "Hannibal Rising" star Gaspard Ulliel described the relationship between Hannibal and Lady Murasaki. "Their relationship is really strange. It's a mixture of different feelings. Sometimes, she's like his mother, sometimes she's more like a lover, or a mistress. And I think sometimes it's even a bit insane. So, obviously, all those different happenings in his early life influence his later behavior in his killing addiction." He was asked, "What was the stunning Gong Li like?" Gaspard: "Even the smallest scenes, like really casual scenes, she's always bringing something new, and really lots of sensitivity and lots of emotion, every time. It's a bit surprising. So, it's great to work with her." From an interview with "Hannibal Rising" director Peter Webber: "Gong Li is the Julia Roberts of Asia, basically. I mean, she is the biggest female star. I have been aware of her work for years because she did a lot of work with a director whose stuff I really admire, Zhang Yimou. So, having read the script and then finding out that she was available for the role, that was just a very, very exciting moment, the chance of working with her. You know, English is not her first language, nor is it her second or third language. So, she was always accompanied by a translator. You know, there were those kind of technical, practical problems to get over. But the thing about Gong Li that is so fantastic is she can say more with a glance than most people can with pages and pages of dialogue. It is not a dialogue-heavy role. She's incredibly talented, she's incredibly beautiful. And I am the world's biggest fan." The folks at Box Office Prophets forecast the prospects for "Hannibal Rising". "Now Lecter's 'origins' as a psychopath and serial killer are explored in 'Hannibal Rising', which takes a look at a young Hannibal circa World War II. It sounds very interesting, and the best case possible upper limit for 'Hannibal Rising' would seem to be 'Red Dragon'… There will be enough curious people out there to make this one a mild hit. Opening weekend: $18 million." More on the Oscar-nominated costumes on display through April 5 at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in downtown L.A.: "The Curse of the Golden Flower display features the emperor's more than 50-pound, dragon-encrusted gold armor and the empress' multi-layered gown fashioned from layers of copper fabric. A colorful background screen reminiscent of Tang Dynasty Chinese art complements the costumes. 'I think, oh my God, these poor actors having to wear these insane costumes and then move around in them and perform, have it come out of their eyes, make us believe it - that is such a gift,' said FIDM costume historian Kevin Jones." Feb 2: Bernhard Warner writes for Variety: "ROME -- Legendary Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis says he sees yet more life in the Hannibal Lecter series as the fourth installment, 'Hannibal Rising', made its world premiere on Friday in the Eternal City. 'The future of Hannibal is still strong. There are many aspects still to be told. Including, we see, for the first time with him, a love interest in Lady Murasaki,' the 87-year-old producer said on the sidelines of a press conference to introduce the blood-soaked thriller… The $75 million picture... will hit screens on Feb. 7 in Paris, Feb. 8 in Australia and Feb. 9 in all other major markets except Japan, Germany and Spain." A "Hannibal Rising" photo call was held today at the Hotel De Russie in Rome. Gaspard Ulliel, Peter Webber, Martha and Dino De Laurentiis represented the film; Gong Li was not there. From Media News Daily: "CBS has closed the selling of the Super Bowl to advertisers with a number of last-minute deals… The Weinstein Co., the new movie company from Harvey and Bob Weinstein, will buy a fourth-quarter spot for the upcoming 'Hannibal Rising', according to industry executives. The movie is set to release Feb. 9, five days after the Super Bowl." Feb 1: Gong Li has received a Best Actress nomination for her performance in "Curse of the Golden Flower" at the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards. CotGF received the most nominations (14) in the categories: Film, Director, Actress, Actor, Supporting Actor (2), Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume/Make-up Design, Action Choreography, Sound Design, Visual Effects, Original Score, and Original Song. Competing with Li in the Best Actress category are: Angelina Lee ("Re-Cycle"), Isabella Leong ("Isabella"), Rene Liu ("Happy Birthday"), and Teresa Mo ("Men Suddenly in Black"). Read More Last night, Gong Li attended the "Hannibal Rising" New York City premiere at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square and the party at the Providence nightclub. HR star Gaspard Ulliel, director Peter Webber, and producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis also attended. ->Photo album
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