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NEWS ITEMS November 2006
Nov 30: The International Press Academy (200 entertainment journalists) announced their nominees for Golden Satellite awards tonight. "Curse of the Golden Flower" received two nominations: Zhao Xiaoding for Cinematography, and Yee Chung Man for Costume Design. "Miami Vice" also received a nomination: William Goldenberg for Editing. From Variety: "NBC Universal will pocket close to $60 million on the sale of a batch of theatricals to cable, led by USA's pickup of 'The Break-Up,' 'Inside Man' and 'Miami Vice' and TNT/TBS' purchase of 'You, Me and Dupree' and 'The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.' Nov 29: Gong Li accepted interviews yesterday in NYC during her "Curse of the Golden Flower" promotional tour. The January issue of Asiance magazine will include their interview and photos; China News Service published a photo from their interview. Li said during another interview that "The Story of Qiu Ju" is her favorite of the films she has made because it presented a very natural slice of life and is "the real thing". She also likes "Raise The Red Lantern" very much and appreciates Zhang Yimou's directorial style. When not working on a film, Li said she tries to keep in shape, and enjoys playing badminton and ping-pong. Two more "For Your Consideration" ads for CotGF have been published in trade magazines and can be viewed on the Oscar Watch site. GO
Nov 27: From a review of "Curse of the Golden Flower" in the Epoch Times: "Unlike Yimou's two prior films based on traditional martial arts, Hero and House of Flying Daggers, this third action film, director Yimou states, 'is quite different because it is more an amalgamation of a melodrama as well as an action film. That's something I very consciously wanted to do.' ... Gong Li, named China's Greta Garbo, is beautiful and elegant in her role of the Empress; a difficult role to play, but splendidly performed... The outstanding acting, exceptional photography by Zhao Xiaoding, beautifully choreographed action scenes, elegant set designs by Huo Tingxiao, and traditional ceremonial formality, makes the Curse of the Golden Flower a true masterpiece." Review "Miami Vice" has crossed the $100 million mark in overseas earnings. From The Hollywood Reporter: "Thanks to a final run in China, where it has been grossing an estimated $1 million per week, Universal's "Miami Vice" has achieved an international cume of $100.2 million." Total overseas plus domestic is $163.7 million. Zap2it.com is holding a contest to win the director's cut of the "Miami Vice" DVD. Enter Nov 26: Li is included on Variety's list of awards contenders: "It's usually the guys who get all the attention. But an abundance of strong perfs by women this year -- including Annette Bening in 'Running With Scissors,' Penelope Cruz in 'Volver,' Judi Dench in 'Notes on a Scandal,' Gong Li in 'The Curse of the Golden Flower,' Helen Mirren in 'The Queen,' Meryl Streep in 'Prada,' Kate Winslet in 'Little Children,' Renee Zellweger in 'Miss Potter,' Cate Blanchett in 'The Good German,' Naomi Watts in 'The Painted Veil' -- are making the actress category the race to watch." Article The "Miami Vice" DVD is the Sunday Mirror's DVD of the Week: "The Story: Undercover Miami Vice detectives James Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) infiltrate a drug-smuggling cartel, but the lines between right and wrong become blurred, with Crockett falling for Isabella (Gong Li), the lover of a ruthless drug baron. The Extras include a behind-the-scenes making-of featurette and a look at the locations used in the film. The Verdict: Michael Mann's beautifully shot big-screen version of the classic TV crime series is action-packed and relentlessly stylish. This is marvelously moody drama." Nov 25: Anticipating the upcoming release of the "Miami Vice" DVD, more nice words for Li's work from Stephanie Zacharek of Salon magazine: "Li vests Isabella with something like imperious vulnerability - she's ice-cold and meltingly tender at the same time. Crockett seduces her - it's part of the plan - but it's no surprise when his calculated wooing turns into the real thing, which puts himself, his partner and the whole operation in jeopardy. Farrell and Gong make their characters' tentative courtship feel believable and significant. Even with the limp dialogue Mann sometimes gives them, the two actors create a miniature universe of unlikely romance that's strong enough to cradle them both." Nov 24: Additional info from "Vitesse98" about the "Miami Vice" DVD: "To his credit, the first thing Mann says on his commentary track is that he doesn't consider this a 'director's cut' as billed, and that the theatrical cut was his director's cut. He goes on to say he doesn't consider it an extended cut, either, so much as an alternate cut (completed a month and a half after opening day, he claims)." Nov 23: Drew McWeeny reviews the "Miami Vice" DVD for Ain't It Cool News: "When Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Isabella (Gong Li) run away to Havana for a lost weekend, Mann takes his time with it. He gives it even more room to breathe in the director's cut, and I like the additions. These two both know that their relationship will not work. It will not end well. I don't think they have any illusions at all. That's what makes it so poignant. I think Gong Li's work is great in the film, and very touching. When she's conducting business, she plays the hard exterior well, but when she's alone with Crockett in her home in Cuba and she's showing him the photo of her mother, she's so vulnerable, so young. And Mann adds more reaction for her at the end, when she realizes that Crockett's a cop, really allowing her to play the betrayal." More A member of the public relations team for "Hannibal Rising" contacted me. She says that "a teaser trailer is in the process of being created" and will be up on the distributor's website soon. Worldwide release dates are currently being confirmed, along with a promotional tour by the cast members, and the pr rep says she will keep me updated. Apparently, we won't be seeing any promotion for the film until the novel is released on December 5. Nov 22: The U.S. poster for "Curse of the Golden Flower" has been revealed - View! There is an opportunity for those in the Los Angeles area to attend a free preview screening of CotGF on Monday, November 27 at 7:30pm. Theatre: Laemmle 5 Sunset (West Hollywood), 8000 Sunset Blvd. The screening is hosted by Creative Screenwriting. RSVP via this link. Nov 21: "Curse of the Golden Flower" co-stars Li Man and Qin Junjie were interviewed recently about their work on the film. Li Man said that Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li were very kind and "very much looked after" her. Qin Junjie, who plays Gong Li's younger son, was concerned about how he should address her, and chose "the queen mother". He said Li joked around a lot on set, causing a lot of laughter at her remarks. From Box Office Mojo's "Around The World Roundup" report: "Miami Vice is close to $100 million [overseas], and its final country, China, where it debuted two weekends ago, is about to push it past the milestone. The cop drama has $3 million thus far there, though the top draws in its $98.8 million current tally are the U.K. ($14 million), France ($11.9 million) and Germany ($9.6 million)."
"Miami Vice" box office update from The Hollywood Reporter: $99 million overseas. Adding the domestic total - $63.5 million - the film has earned $162.5 million worldwide to date. Nov 19: From the Philadelphia Enquirer: "Here's a look at some of the season's highlights… Curse of the Golden Flower -- From the director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers comes this Tang Dynasty martial-arts epic, a widescreen, flying-ninjas melodrama with Asian megastars Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li as an estranged emperor and empress, dealing with clandestine love affairs and coups d'etat. It's the most expensive film ever made in China, and, by all accounts, one of the most sumptuous. (Dec. 22)" Nov 18: Download/Save the new "Curse of the Golden Flower" theatrical trailer (Quicktime) by right clicking on this link… Download Trailer Nov 17: New "Curse of the Golden Flower" trailer! (Thanks, Cocoa) Watch! Excerpts from a positive review of "Curse of the Golden Flower" at Twitch Film (thanks to Cocoa): "Zhang Yimou's third entry into the wuxia genre, Curse of the Golden Flower, is his most accomplished. Sumptuous as embroidered brocade… Its elegance is not only in its production design, but in the stark lines of its dark story: a brooding meditation on the corrosive heart of gold. Underneath the veneer of China's most expensive movie to date is an economy of tragedy to rival Shakespeare." More A Chow Yun-Fat fan attended the Variety Series screening of CotGF on Monday, and wrote about the experience on his blog. "Someone asked [Gong Li] if she wanted to get into directing or screenwriting since she's pretty much won just about every award there is in acting, and she was all, no, I love acting. I just want to continue to do my best and work with great people. Chow Yun-Fat kissed her hand and started singing 'So Happy Together' - it was terribly cute." (Thanks to NewPath) Nov 16: From The Hollywood Reporter's deputy film editor, Anne Thompson, via her Risky Biz blog: "The trades have weighed in on China's submission for the Oscar, Curse of the Golden Flower, Zhang Yimou's latest, which enjoyably pits the mighty Gong Li against powerful rival Chow Yun Fat. Although this lavish royal melodrama is unlikely to be a critics' darling (Screen International's Mike Goodridge likes it best), it's one of Zhang's most spectacular entertainments, and as the most expensive movie ever made in China - it cost $45 million - it's a visual feast complete with swooping assassins on aerial wires and rivers of blood. When I spoke to Zhang on the closing night of the AFI Fest, he admitted that not only were the 10,000 yellow chrysanthemums real, but that most of the thousands of warrior extras were too - he tried not to rely on too many digital enhancements, he said."
Holly Herrick, who attended the AFI Fest, offers her opinion on "Curse of the Golden Flower": "I was also in total awe of the grace of that film: the rare attention to crafting every last detail of every shot, the 100% success of the performances, the sheer beauty of every inch of the palace and everything else. I'm gushing, I know - but the high budget, high profile Chinese film achieves something that we can't seem to do in America anymore, which is to create suspenseful epic dramas about war and adventure that contain a well of intellectual questions and construct challenging, multi-faceted and deeply complicated characters. Go see this film!" Thanks to Meggieli for this link to four video reports from the Sunday night premiere of CotGF. Watch
The official "Curse of the Golden Flower" U.S. site has been updated. GO Thanks to Charlotte of ChowOfHongKong.com for this link to another video taken at the premiere in Hollywood Sunday night: Watch Nov 13: Thanks to NewPath for this link to video of the premiere last night: Watch Reviews of "Curse of the Golden Flower" in the three main trade papers are divided - negatives in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, but a strong positive from Mike Goodridge of Screen Daily. "The pleasure is all in the malicious relish of the performances, most notably from the magnificent Gong Li who quivers, sobs and heaves her way through the high drama, her bosom collapsing out of her jewel-encrusted bustier, her head bedecked in elaborate jewels and hairdos. One minute warmly embracing her children, the next plotting against her husband with icy vengeance in her eyes, the next tearfully gulping down a poison which she knows is driving her insane, Gong is a spectacle in herself. She is matched by Chow Yun Fat, impressively imperious as the slightly demented emperor, and Liu Ye, who is effectively tortured as the unhappy oldest son." Read Review From MonkeyPeaches.com and "Mighty Ganesha", who saw a screening of CotGF in NYC: "This is a film that will be held up as a benchmark of artistic achievement in motion pictures for years to come… Gong Li - who radiates a regal presence while standing around doing nothing - has found a role that takes that sublime poise, tears it into shreds and throws it back together again. Her Empress is equal parts Lady Macbeth, Phaedra, and Madame Mao, yet somehow you actually feel great sympathy for this glorious monster. It is a credit to Yimou's skill in bringing out amazing and unexpected performance in his actors that you see Chow Yun Fat as you have never seen him before. His Emperor is all pride, cunning, and ruthlessness. Yimou takes Chow's world-famous beatific smile and gives it a completely new and unexpected meaning." Read Review I was fortunate to attend the CotGF premiere last night at the AFI Fest, watch the film and attend the after party. I was blessed to have had the opportunity to meet with Gong Li right after the screening. She is as lovely and gracious as one could hope. Descriptions of the event are posted on our forum. Nov 12: "Curse of the Golden Flower" closes the AFI Fest tonight, and director Zhang Yimou spoke with an festival journalist. "It is my honor to have my film's world premiere in AFI. Showing it to the professionals to start with could be a challenge. I've always been interested in tragic women under superpower suppression. This story is adapted from a very famous Chinese opera. The Queen (Gong Li) is full of conflict and struggle. It is very tragic. Past experiences are more related to hardship. There's a Chinese saying: Hardship is the source of art. Maybe that has some reason. Opposite to the hardship, my films are full of bright and beautiful colors. I like the contrast. I hope the audience will focus on the characters' fate and the implied significance - apart from the beautiful colors." Nov 11: Another celeb admirer - From the New Straits Times: "Chermaine Poo has many strings to her bow. Beauty queen, she was Miss Malaysia 2005... and now she's making a name for herself as an actress. She will soon appear in Ang Lee's 'Lust, Caution'. Q: Who is your favourite actor/actress? A: Gong Li because she is fabulous." Nov 10: Two new "Curse of the Golden Flower" posters will be placed in Hong Kong movie theaters this weekend. One is a Chow Yun-Fat / Jay Chou combo; the other is CYF / Gong Li. I found one of the posters at Sina.com; thanks to NewPath for other image.
Nov 9: Thanks to my friend Clemato of "Kate The Great" fan site for alerting me to a feature article about "Curse of the Golden Flower" that is included in the December issue of Premiere magazine. It includes a full-page photo of Li as the Empress, along with a brief article about the film. Clemato kindly scanned the article for us:
Michael saw a screening of "Curse of the Golden Flower" and writes on his blog, TheMovieReport.com: "What rich drama it is, following the various romantic, familial, and political intrigue lurking in the imperial palace. Sporting a long, grey-peppered wig and beard, Chow Yun-Fat is virtually unrecognizable as the Emperor, but his singular presence and effortless gravitas is unmistakable - and the film is unthinkable without it. After all these years apart, the Zhang/Gong magic is stronger than ever [with] her vividly etched emotion... (I'm resigned to being insanely pissed that Sony Pictures Classics will undoubtedly half-ass a Gong Best Actress nod push in favor of the inexplicably hyped-up Penelope Cruz campaign.) But the real star again is Zhang, who serves up a sumptuous sensory feast with spectacular set pieces and - crucially - the story, characters, and connection to back it up." Nov 8: According to a Taiwan newspaper report, there has been confusion about the content of the "Curse of the Golden Flower" poster on display at the AFI Fest. The poster includes the image of a man in golden armor facing a palace. Apparently, folks are mistaking the character that Jay Chou plays for Chow Yun-Fat. Meanwhile, a staff person for the U.S. distributor says that members of the media and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (who present the Golden Globe awards) have expressed a lot of interest in meeting with Gong Li as she promotes the film. Nov 7: Gong Li is on Time magazine's list of 60 Years of Asian Heroes. "For six decades, Time has chronicled the triumphs and travails of Asia. In this special anniversary issue, we pay tribute to the remarkable men and women who have shaped these times." Time film critic Richard Corliss writes: "Gong Li - Her on-screen charisma gave the world an icon of Chinese resolve… When she was just 21 she overthrew the stereotype of the meek and compliant Chinese female for a new type: the insolent, independent woman. That glare, that stare - it says she will not be broken, and if you try, it's you who will end up in pieces. Assertive and alluring, she has given Chinese cinema guts and, without half trying, sex appeal." Read Article Nov 6: The awards section of the Sony Pictures Classics site was updated late yesterday with the addition of AMPAS/Guild screening dates for "Curse of the Golden Flower". "For Your Consideration" screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and London, between November 8 and January 4. Schedule Nov 5: Audience reaction to "Miami Vice" in China has been mixed, as it has elsewhere in the world. Audience members feel the plot is quite ordinary, but most are very satisfied with Li's performance and feel she is the film's biggest asset. One theater manager in Nanjing told a yangtse.com reporter, "This piece screened for three days, and the box office has surpassed other movies screened during the same time. This is all Gong Li's credit." A Daocheng theatre manager told a reporter that while the first few screening days were work days, the booking rate compared to other movies screening at the same time was quite good, and he believed he would see strong business this weekend. Most audience members were between 25 and 40 years old. 35-year-old Mr. Qin said that he has always liked Gong Li, and thinks she is the domestic actress that has the most strength. Others commented that Li's role in MV is very different, her performance is bold and intense, and she hasn't disappointed the audience. Nov 4: Articles have been published all week about Li's interviews to promote the "Miami Vice" release in China. Reporters' impressions of her: She is not like other mainland actresses, her standard spoken Chinese has a Shandong taste that she doesn't try to cover up, and is not the affected Hong Kong tone. She smiles a lot and seems indifferent to personal gains and losses. "She sat opposite me calm and relaxed with a sincerity and a smiling face." She was "real", unlike some stars who have become good at "putting on a show". She easily responded to the questions and said that being 40 is not a problem, age doesn't matter, and the important thing is to "have a good heart". She also stated, "Language is not a problem, it is just a challenge." Although she doesn't feel she is fluent enough in English now to present her views at a news conference, conversational English isn't a problem in daily life. Another person who is captivated: Li Xueging, China's top male model, spoke about working with Li on a photo shoot years ago. He happened to post a couple of photos on his blog a few days ago, and a reporter contacted him for more info. The reporter notes that Li Xueging didn't try to hide his admiration for Li. He said that when he worked with her, she was "noble, mystical, solemn, and beautiful". Four years ago, a fashion magazine invited her to do a photo shoot, and Li Xueqing was chosen to appear in the photos with her. He said that at the time of the shoot, he was a little embarrassed. "At that time with her so near, I was shocked, didn't dare to get too close, didn't dare breathe." But she actually pulled him close, saying that otherwise there would be no way to have a lover's feeling. He said her dancing ability is "really very good, the dance jumps [were done] extremely well, especially enchanting!" He said that he is very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Li, and it has enabled him to become better at his work. He says that he has seen "Miami Vice". "No wonder the director has waited for her for 10 years. Gong Li's appearance makes all other stars lose their ray." He wrote on his blog, "welcome back, goddess, you are forever the best!" Thanks to NewPath for this info from articles in the Chinese media: Li said that she had returned to Beijing from Shandong, her hometown, just before the October 29 interviews. Her mother has been hospitalized for some time, and Li and her brothers take turns staying at the hospital to help care for her. Li said the doctors and nurses are great and take very good care of her mom. Li also said that she has realized even more the importance of taking care of one's health. "If you have to stay in bed because of illness, how can you love your family? What can you do for them?" Li said that whenever her friends visit her mom, she asks them to have a checkup. "Since we are at the hospital, just go next door to have a checkup." Nov 3: "Miami Vice" in China… A survey after a screening reveals that a majority of audience members feel that Gong Li's performance was outstanding and that she can handle any role. Comments: "We hope that she will continue to get a few large roles and so enhance China's acting reputation abroad." "She is the pride of China." "Among China's actresses, there can be no substitute." Nov 2: The buzz is starting for Li's "Curse of the Golden Flower" performance! From Gold Derby leader Tom O'Neil's blog: "Sony Pictures Classics is so impressed with the final cut of 'Curse of the Golden Flower' that the studio has officially decided to launch a Oscar best-actress campaign for Gong Li and to promote Zhang Yimou for best director." SPC co-president Michael Barker said, "They're now working together at their peak of their talents. They've created a film of great dramatic tension and visual splendor. We're really excited." Read Article China Times reviews "Miami Vice", and praises Li's work: "Playing an Asian Cuban mistress of the drug baron, Gong has to play it sexy, cool and dead smart. She does it all, mostly without saying a word. A simple facial expression or a piercing gaze is enough. Although the controversial sex scenes are shortened for the Chinese cinema, the editing does not distract from her on-screen sexual magnetism. Sparks fly between Gong and Farrell creating a believable chemistry, which is one of the highlights of the film." Read Review Nov 1: Universal Studios issued a press release this afternoon that includes more info about the extras on the R1 DVD that will be in stores December 5. Read Press Release Thanks to NewPath for a link to a video clip on sohu.com, a lovely montage of moments from Li's interview on Monday. Watch clip There is a mention of "Curse of the Golden Flower" in an L.A. Times article about the AFI Film Festival: "The film, which is having its worldwide premiere at AFI, is a much-anticipated reunion between director Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern) and his muse and former lover, the Chinese superstar Gong Li. 'You often see it referred to as the most expensive film ever made, and when you see how astonishing the film is to look at, you can't believe your eyes,' says festival director Christian Gaines, giddily describing visual effects involving hundreds of thousands of troops." From a Variety article, "Screeners Back in Action": "The heavy season for mailings begins around Thanksgiving. Studios traditionally wait for a film to play in theaters for a few weeks before sending screeners, which means voters can expect screeners of December launches late in the month or even early January… Sony Pictures Classics will mail "Volver," "Friends With Money" and "Curse of the Golden Flower".
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Nov
28: A premiere screening of "Curse of the Golden Flower" was
held last night in New York. From Roger Friedman's 
Nov
20: I posted on our forum photos of Li taken during the "Curse of
the Golden Flower" photo call at the Regent Beverly Wilshire
on Nov 13. 
Nov
15: Yesterday afternoon, I posted on our forum small pics of Li, Yimou
and Yun-Fat at the Variety Series screening Monday night. 
