Say Yes to life, just like Jim Carey

There are times in life when you need to laugh out loud. And when you have finished laughing, you suddenly realise there's something to be learnt from the hilarious situation.

I found that out when Jim Carrey and I had a rib-ticklin' time in the darkened hall of the cineplex near my home. Yes Man is one of the funniest movies in recent years.

Carey is known as "rubber face" in parts of Hollywood. Even though he's not an American and is actually a Canadian, he's definitely one of the best movie imports in the past two decades.

I have enjoyed Carrey's Bruce Almighty in the past. It made my day whenever I think of God and then Carrey (in that order).

With Yes Man, there's an underlying message. Most of us lead sedentary lives. We couldn't care less about the happenings around us. Most of the time, we don't have time to consider other options in life.

It would be great if we give in to our whims and fancies now and then. However, most of us are afraid to. We think our friends will consider us crazy. Our family may disown us, and we may just regret our actions.

Yes Man is basically about a man who decides one day to say "yes" to all and any challenges that come his way. Once he has made that life-altering decision, he went on to try bungee jumping, attend wacky parties and giving loans to all dubious bank customers.

Suddenly his life began to careen off the usual run-of-the-mill tracks. Along the way, he encounter strange and sometimes wonderful people.

His boss gives him a raise and promotion due to his spontaneity and as bank officer Carl Allen, he even manages to find the love of his life in Allison.

There were times in my life when I too found walking down the road less travelled daunting but on those rare occasions when I tried trudging down the unknown path, I had some interesting experiences.

So Yes Man did bring back a bucketful of feel-good sensations. After watching this movie, I reminded myself that I must say yes to some offbeat but reasonable challenges in life.

I am glad this movie showed up when it did. Very often, we lead very mundane and dull lives. We grow into adulthood and allow others to convince us that being a non-conformist is bad for our health.

Then somehow after entering the portal of matrimony, we convinced ourselves that we have to be careful all the time because we are now "family men".

This movie tells us in a hilarious way that we could live life to the fullest and have a whale of a time when we let our hair down. In other words, we must learn to let go and let the fun in.

I say a big "yes" to this movie. I am grateful it has jolted my sense of inertia that has got a lockdown on my life. Thank you Jim Carrey for the reminder.

Okay, let get off the road and drive straight down that country road and smell the wild flowers, if they are any.

Just grab those balls of fury

It's nice to sometimes come across a senseless, wacky and out-of-the-ordinary movie fare that offers nothing but fun, laughter and hilarious situations.

I am talking of Balls of Fury. If not for a couple of famous names and faces like Christopher Walken and Maggie Q, I would have given this film a pass.

But like all armchair movie critics of little significance, I made a pit-stop at this cinema hall for a brief glimpse into the window of incredible laughs.

I wasn't disappointed. Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler) is a ping-pong has-been who prefers to forget the good old days. One day, a FBI agent of equally dubious repute, Rodriguez (George Lopez) came a-visiting to recruit him to flush out a fiend who had eliminated Randy's dad with extreme prejudice.

From the moment Randy accepted the dangerous assignment, it was a roller coaster of laughs.

Nobody in his right mind is expected to take the movie seriously but you will be pleased to know that there's a smattering of familiar faces popping up on the screen now and then; people like Jason Scott Lee and James Hong.

If you want to know who is James Hong, then you haven't been sitting in front of the TV long enough. Mr Hong is that familiar looking chinaman who has appeared in countless TV shows over the decades. He's not particularly famous but his face is rather familiar in an insignificant way.

Maggie Q is sexy without being salacious or wicked. She's fun and has that kind of Eastern charm that most men, Oriental and Occidental, find rather attractive.
This 90-minute show probably wasn't a dramatic box office hit but I am sure it did make a commendable pile of cash at video rentals.

Most weekenders who have nothing better to do will rent this video on a lonely Saturday afternoon. I have caught this show in its re-run on Astro at least twice.
Each time, it came across as something like you want to view over and over again.

Perhaps it's just me but I find some of the comedic plots too insane to ignore. Christopher Walken was a small time tour de force back in the good old days. I was referring to the Deer Hunter that came out a generation ago.

These days, Walken find it personally satisfying to play roles in movies like Hairspray and Balls of Fury, and he's doing a good job at it too. Good for you, Walken!

You are in absolutely no danger of going into hysterics in praising this movie but you certainly won't want to watch it alone. See Balls of Fury who also have funny bones in their body.

Buy a couple of packets of pistachios, cashew nuts and macadamia buts and gallons of beverages and then turn on the DVD to see Balls of Fury.

Laughter is free. Laugh as if there's no tomorrow. For all of us, one day, tomorrow may never come. Think about it. Meanwhile, just laugh.

Love follows the scent of three women

Producer/director Tsui Hark who is better known for producing movies like Swordsman, Once Upon A Time in China and Seven Swords has ignited a trail of aromatic pheromone that has triggered packs of men and women catching its scent and following it.

After having sniffed it, they have either got lost or may have continued to walk in a daze.

All About Women is the story of three women who are a mixture of bohemian, oddball and corporate types. It is amazing that the entire plot was born on the cradle of pheromone. Pheromone is a chemical substance secreted by animals, including humans regardless of gender, that normally sparks sexual attraction.

On such a premise, the plot is born and before long, becomes quite convoluted that the ordinary movie goer may struggle to keep up with its pace.

Tsui Hark's brand of humour in this instance is fired simultaneously in several directions. Even though it is a romantic comedy of the slightly weird kind, it manages to draw some feeble sniggers from the audience.

However, Tsui Hark shares the credit of writing the screenplay with Korean director Kwak Jae-yong. One wonders what these two men were up to when they conjured the story in their minds.

There's an allusion that links All About Women to that Korean hit movie My Sassy Girl. Those who watch this movie can arrive at their own conclusion.

The focus of the show is on Tang Lu (Kitty Zhang Yugi), a beautiful, top-notch corporate powerhouse who has everyone running to her office when she barks an order. However, she doesn't hold a high opinion of men because she believes intelligence is the key to happiness, until one day a pheromone bullet went right up her nose.

Fan Fan (Zhou Xun) on the other hand is a dedicated lab rat who one day discovers that the secret of a woman's sexual success lies in a substance that will bring down any man to his knees. Thus, begins her experiments and the consequences that later leads to the intertwining of three women's lives.

The third party involved is Tie Ling (Kwai Lun-mei) who is an unusual specimen of a woman because she boxes in her spare time, turns rocker at night and has a handsome boyfriend that's the figment of her imagination.

If this movie wasn't so ambitious, it would have succeed magnificently from the word "go". But Tsui Hark may have momentarily forgotten that All About Women is not all about swordplay where battlefield melee adds to the attraction.

Numerous sexual tension filled scenes were deliberately exaggerated in their effects. That technique could have scored if it had been a novelty, except that it has been overused in countless films.

It would be unfair to Tsui Hark who is regarded as somewhat of a legend in Hong Kong if the conclusion is drawn that he has fumbled and fallen flat on his face.

All About Women does have its moments. They were far and few between but nonetheless they were there at unexpected moments. It wasn't a total washout.

I won't venture to say that this movie rates a "must-see". It would be more accurate to say "see it if you so wish and have some hours to kill".

Apart of Kitty Zhang who instantly draws any hot-blooded man's attention with her stunning looks, Zhou Xun and Kwai merely make up the numbers in the show. Since this movie is written, produced and directed by men, it is assumed that it also caters to men. So we get to decide where the axe falls.

This pheromone scented film is not designed to be intellectually stimulating but it seems to make a valiant attempt at arousing our physical senses in a season of Hong-Kong-no-hit-movies.

The limpid conclusion of All About Women makes one almost regret leaving Cecelia Ahern's The Gift lying unread at the bottom drawer. May be Tsui Hark will have better luck next time. We all know he can do much better.

Fire and steel mark Quantum of Solace

WHO could resist the temptation of watching the latest James Bond movie? I could. I have been doing it for years. I am not one of those diehard Bond fans.

Since Sean Connery "left M's Office", I am quite oblivious to the fact that there have been a series of Bonds gracing the screen over the decades. But recently, I yielded to temptation by walking into the cinema and watched Quantum of Solace.

I recalled reading in the newspaper that an overseas movie critic has said that unlike the previous Bond movies, Quantum of Solace was found wanting in the electronic gadgets category and a trifle shy in the sexy girls department.

After nearly two hours (106 minutes to be exact) of coming face to face with Daniel Craig, I found that comment to be true. While Craig as the latest Bond is a very physical guy, there was a notable absence of Nasa-type electronic devices to impress the non-science guys like me. That's not like James Bond at all!

To compound the thorny and stereotyped issue, the Bond girls were very much less than sexy.

Whoever heard of a James Bond movie that scores a low rating on girls? That wouldn't be a British spy flick of Bond calibre. Olga Kurylenko who starred as Camille in Quantum of Solace is probably one of the least sexy Bond girls in recent decades.

Ogla came across as an Eurasian damsel, not exactly in distress. In fact, she gave Bond a run for the money as far as fights are concerned. She could even turn dangerous turns in a street car chase.

I caught that Hollywood One On One on Astro that showed Olga commenting how she trained for months on fighting techniques. Well, there was little of all that training on screen.

I guess when you have grown up on a steady diet of martial arts type actresses a la Hong Kong, anybody would come to expect much more from fighting women.

On that matter, just look at Michelle Yeoh. When she acted in those Hong Kong movie, she was more than a match for a lot of guys on the screen who were attacking her. And she could really fight. In Hong Kong, either you stay really fighting fit or you take out a big insurance policy on physical injuries.

Most Bond girls would come across as "drop-dead gorgeous" or "beautiful but lethal". Olga was neither. In fact, in one scene, the director deliberately exposed her back and reveal the burnt scars on her back. I guess the cinema colour wasn't that great because I thought she had a bad case of ringworm.

It was only when the movie progressed that I realised that those "spots" on her back were the result of a childhood tragedy that involved her family.

The plot in Quantum of Solace is a bit weak. We are made to understand that it is the continuation of Craig's first Bond outing in Casino Royale.

Bond's arch-nemesis Dominic Greene (Mathieu Amalric) came across more as a psychopath than a ruthless villain. They really don't make Bond villains like they used to. These days, Bond villains looked like my benign next-door neighbour.

On the plus side, Quantum of Solace tried to make up for its shortfalls with lots of action. From start to finish, there is an endless stream of action scenes that involved Craig jumping from one window ledge to the next. That jumping scene reminded me of Jason Bourne in Bourne Supremacy.

Then there was that scene where one of Bond's paramour was killed and coated with black oil from head to toe. She was naked of course. It was reminiscent of Goldfinger when Sean Connery starred in it.

Director Marc Forster tried his best to make it a watchable Bond but I believed he tried a bit too hard and forgot the essence of Bond. All successful Bond movies must have that edge that defies explanation.

It must have that sense of suspence and sexual tension that force all men to ogle at the girls with undesirable intentions.

Of course, there must be those special tools that make James Bond stand head and shoulders above the rest of the super spies.

So without further ado, I give Quantum of Solace a four out of 10 rating. But if you are Bond fanatic, you would probably find this film satisfactory without bursting a capilliary.

Love and war over the Red Cliff

JOHN WOO needs no introduction in the Chinese cinema industry. Better known as the man behind some of Hong Kong's most successful gangster movies in the 1980s, Woo is also credited with having turned his favourite actor Chow Yun-fatt into a legend.

With Red Cliff II, Woo finally got the opportunity to make one of China's most popular stories, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, into a big screen epic drama.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms has been done before. The most famous one in distant memory starred the late actress Lin Dai in 1958 where she won the Best Actress award.

Chinese literature students will tell you that Red Cliff is only a small part of the long and exciting tale of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It is as much about the culture and traditions of third century Middle Kingdom (China) as it is about military strategies.

So one is tempted to see if this movie has succeeded in transplanting the nuances and depth of the novel onto the big screen. Curiosity will no doubt be also focused on the many facets of a convoluted storyline with many twists and turns.

Those who have a deep interest in the Chinese art of war will obviously have read Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a military text, after digesting the contents of other novel entitled The Water Margin.

However, Red Cliff II, due to the length of its plot, has been split into two parts. The first part was released in July last year. In total, Red Cliff and Red Cliff II are about four hours long.

For audiences outside Asia, Red Cliff comes as a single length feature. Red Cliff takes the credit for being the most expensive Asian movie to date. Its budget was US$80 million (RM272 million).

For non-Chinese viewers, Red Cliff is basically about ambitious Prime Minister Cao Cao, the Emperor's uncle Liu Bei, military strategist Zhuge Liang, Viceroy Zhou Yu and warlord Sun Quan. Adding colour to this epic drama are numerous historical figures like Zhao Zilong and generals Zhang Fei and Quan Yu.

Quan Yu is a much revered figure even today. He is considered the "God of War" and figure of this famous general adorns the altar of many a Chinese home and police stations in modern Hong Kong.

The central figure in Red Cliff II is talented Tony Leung who recently received worldwide attention for his role in Ang Lee's Lust, Caution. However, his character as viceroy Zhou Yu is at odds with his previous roles as a brooding spy or a tacturn husband. Perhaps some people may not be able to reconcile Leung with his character as a wily and intelligent politician and man of war.

The man who stands tall and commanding among the cast of thousands and a legion of famous names is Zhang Fengyi. Zhang is one of China's most celebrated actors who made a name for himself in Chen Kaige's Farewell, My Concubine (1993).

Playing Premier Cao Cao puts the spotlight on Zhang throughout the movie and it was a joy watching an actor who's a master at tis craft.

Takeshi Kaneshiro as Zhuge Liang has acquitted himself well. As a young military advisor to Zhou Yu, Kaneshiro's handsome looks helps bring a certain charm to an otherwise series of sombre war discussions among the various warlords.

Zhuge remains till today as one of the most admired strategists of ancient China.

Zhuge's unique brand of war strategems has earned him much respect and won him great fame throughout the ages. Kaneshiro does not disappoint in his portrayal of his favourite childhood hero Zhuge Liang. He has a personal interest in the character and it shows in his acting.

A face that most people will find it hard to ignore is Xiao Qiao, the wife of Zhou Yu. Played by Taiwan's most recognised face Lin Chiling, Xiao Qiao is what Chinese firmly believe in life as well as in literature that a beautiful woman can bring a general to his knees.

Xiao Qiao attained notoriety for having a face that "sank two thousand ships" as opposed to Helen of Troy's face that "launched a thousand ships". In her first feature film, Chiling went under the tutelage of three Beijing acting coaches.

Even though her maiden efforts will not earn her critical acclaim, Chiling will nevertheless be much appreciated for her very distracting but enchanting demeanour.

Red Cliff II also boasts some of the most beautiful rustic scenes inside China. Director John Woo has spared little expense in locating the right places for important scenes.

The battle scenes were of course not as elaborate and sophisticated as those in Lord of the Rings but for Red Cliff, they plainly suffice. We understand the CGI limitations with regard to Asian movies which usually don't have the mega budgets like some Hollywood films.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that this movie will appeal more to Asian audiences than those in the West. The theme and the familiar stories revolving around the Romance of the Three Kingdoms have a special appeal to the Chinese community across the region.

John Woo has done a fine job of turning a complicated story into a watchable film. Yes, he has taken great liberties in interpreting some of the facts of the story but then this story is 1,800 years old and the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel by Luo Guanzhong was only published in the 13th century, so like most tales born of misty conditions, the truth of the matter is subjective.

In this case, it was handiwork of John Woo and three other writers.

Wang Yu's a pretty cool dude

THERE'S one name in the Hong Kong cinematic world that raises eye-brows among
the Chinese baby boomers - Wang Yu. In the 1960s, Wang Zheng-quan (later Jimmy
Wang Yu) could outpunch, outkick and outfight any opponent in the Shaw Brothers
martial arts films.


Wang Yu shot to fame with The One-Armed Swordsman in 1967. The Chinese name for
that film, Dubei Dao, still rings a bell in most video shops. Ask any video shop
proprietor for this film and chances are you will get a knowing look. Born March
28, 1943, in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province of China, Wang Yu was also known by other
names like Wong Yu-lung and Wang Yue.


With a lean and wiry physique, the actor had few equals as a martial arts actor
in Southeast Asia some 40 years ago. Before he joined Shaw Brothers in 1963,
Wang Yu was a Hong Kong swimming champion as well as a racing car enthusiast.
During his stint with the House of Shaw, the Chinese actor teamed up with famous
sword-fighting director Chang Cheh.


He acted in The Golden Swallow with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon actress Cheng
Pei-Pei in 1968. If One Armed Swordsman was the move that launched Wang Yu's
acting career, then The Chinese Boxer (1970) was the film that sealed his fame
in the realm of Chinese films.


The Chinese Boxer is credited with being the first Hong Kong martial arts film
that kickstarted unarmed combat genre, mainly kung fu. The film also triggered a
phenomenon that filled the ranks of many Chinese martial arts associations
across Southeast Asia. Chinese youths in their bid to emulate their screen hero,
Wang Yu took to punching sandbags and reading up on Shaolin kungfu history.


Adult Chinese males who were in their teens in that era would recall that the
lean, slightly mean and stoic look was the persona that best described those
Chinese youths who sometimes recklessly expressed themselves with their fists
and legs, much to their own detriment. Controversy dogged Wang Yu's heels after
the fame that exploded with The Chinese Boxer.


As teenagers, my friends and I were fascinated with Wang Yu's screen persona.
Long before the grunge look became the vogue, Wang Yu was already exhibiting it
in his swordsman and boxer movies. Cinema audiences were thoroughly thrilled and
fascinated by his more-than-occasional unshaven appearance. It gave the actor
that much applauded sinister look. I believe women would label that as "the
mysterious, moody and dangerous" appearance.


There were times when the sword of an opponent would knock off his "goondu"
(knotted hair) and the aftermath was Wang Yu in all his on-screen long-haired
splendour. Those were the days when long hair was in. Could be the time of
memories of the Woodstock gathering still hadn't faded away. Whatever it was,
Wang Yu with his long dark hair and unshaven face gave the women the thrills and
young men the chills. We all lapped it up.


I now recall vaguely that I had once suggested to my mum that perhaps I would
look "good" with long hair and I cited Wang Yu's example. My mum told me that
she couldn't afford to have such a "famous person" staying in her house so I
might have to think of an alternative accomodation. And I, being all of about 12
years ago, decided that I would thoroughly be satisfied with my own ridiculously
short hair and staying in my humble abode afterall, when I found out quite
quickly that I would never be accustomed to sleeping under some "pokok kelapa".


The years that followed saw Wang Yu broke his contract with Shaw Brothers and
was promptly slapped with a law suit. The legal tussle which ended in Shaw's
favour led to Wang Yu being banned from making films in Hong Kong. The tall,
handsome actor who had by then gained a fair measure of fame looked to Taiwan
for better career prospects. He linked up with Golden Harvest Productions and
other independent film outfits.


His subsequent films were mostly done in Taiwan. With the success of The Chinese
Boxer, Wang Yu stood unchallenged for a better part of a decade as the Chinese
actor with the most formidable fists and legs. His fame spread throughout
Southeast Asia and remained so until the arrival of Bruce Lee in 1971 with The
Big Boss.


Wang Yu's private life was reportedly as colourful as his fighting film roles.
In 1969, Wang Yu married actress Lin Tsui who was nine years his senior but not
before conducting a scandalous affair with a well-known actress who was then
married to director Qin Jan. Qin Jan hanged himself before a divorce took place.


The actress, who was also known as Lam Chui or Lin Cui, was one of the more
famous names in the Hong Kong film industry in the 50s and 60s. She dropped out
of the film scene almost immediately after her marriage. Matrimony turned out to
be a tumultuous affair for Wang Yu and Lin. Amid allegations of wife-beating,
the marriage crumbled in 1975. Lin migrated to the US in 1977.


She died in 1995 after an asthma attack. Lin's brother is Kenneth Tsang who's
also an actor. Wang Yu later remarried. This time to air hostess Kai-cheng. This
marriage too proved to be a stormy relationship. They separated in 1997.
Kai-cheng filed for divorce and Wang Yu balked. Probably in frustration,
Kai-cheng started an affair with a young businessman. Wang Yu got wind of it.


Accompanied by reporters and police, Wang Yu surprised the couple at their
lodging and publicly exposed his wife. Satisfied with the public humiliation
heaped on the couple, Wang Yu then dropped Kai-cheng. There were other serious
problems in the actor's life. In 1981, he faced a murder charge in Taiwan.
However, the charge didn't stick due to lack of evidence.


Wang Yu's involvement in public brawls also made the headlines from time to
time. But there's a positive side to his character that's seldom mentioned. In
the late 70s, a young actor was trying to make a break in films and somehow he
got into a misunderstanding with veteran director Lo Wei. Initially, the issue
could not be settled.


The young actor sought the help of Wang Yu. Wang Yu settled the matter to the
satisfaction of both parties. Years later, the actor repaid the favour with his
role in Wang Yu's film Island of Fire. (1990) That actor is Jackie Chan. Wang Yu
starred in several notable films like Return of The Chinese Boxer (1975), Temple
of the Red Lotus (1965) and Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976).


With the advent of the 70s, Wang Yu's star began to eclipse with the entry of
new actors like Ti Lung, David Chiang and especially Bruce Lee. In 1986, Sammo
Hung cast Wang Yu as the father of the famous Chinese martial arts hero Wong Fei
Hung. In the years that followed, Wang Yu kept a low profile.


He made a rare public appearance at the funeral of his old friend and mentor,
Chang Cheh, in 2002. Even though Wang Yu left an indelible mark on the Chinese
film martial arts scene, in truth he was never the accomplished martial arts
artiste which his films made him out to be.


It was actually the camera angle and the clever film editing that gave Wang Yu
the aura of invincibility in the fighting arena. Real martial arts exponents who
later became actors like Bruce Lee and Jet Li would have "put him in their
pockets", so to speak.


Still, credit belongs to Wang Yu for paving the way for other unforgettable
Chinese kung fu films that came after he had left the centre stage.

His name rightly belongs with the others who had carved their names on the hallowed halls
of the once thriving Hong Kong film industry when kung fu films held sway from
Kowloon to the Singapore.

Cheng Pei Pei cuts down the competition

CHENG Pei Pei can be considered the forerunner of women martial arts exponents
who made an impact in the Eastern cinema. Born on January 1, 1946, in China,
Cheng acted in 45 movies before she finally called it a day.


In the riotous decade that was the 60s, Cheng held sway as the most prominent
swordswoman in the Shaw Brothers' stable of actors and actresses. Her training
in dancing helped her immensely in acquiring some martial arts skills that were
essential for her roles in the movie industry.


Her career in acting began after she graduated from the Southern Screen
Experimental Theatre in 1963. She joined Shaw Brothers soon after and was
received minor parts in music and drama films. Before long, fate intervened and
a relatively unknown director (then) name King Hu cast her in his movie Come
Drink With Me.


King Hu was considered to be one of those avant garde directors who had been
credited with changing the face of Hong Kong martial arts movies. In Come Drink
With Me (1966), Cheng Pei Pei became an overnight sensation. Today, it is
considered by many as a cult movie in which Cheng as a newcomer to an action
movie held her own firmly against actors who were more experienced than her.


Her role in Come Drink With Me was in the character nicknamed Golden Swallow. I
remember this movie particularly well because it left such an impact on a close
friend of mine that he could still recall quite vividly some of the scenes in
the film. Apparently the inn and temple scenes were quite remarkable. The DVD
and VCD versions of Come Drink With Me are much sought after.


Shaw Brothers later recast her in a lead role in a subsequent movie called
Golden Swallow (1968). But this time, the director was Chang Cheh. Cheng Pei Pei
stood out among her Chinese contemporaries because of her graceful movements in
action scenes and her forceful on-screen personality that often left an
indelible mark on movie-goers. The fact that she was actually quite fetching in
her 20s did help young men to retain some beautiful memories of a very talented
young Hong Kong actress.


Some of the other action movies in which Cheng played prominent roles were Kung
Fu Girl, Flying Dagger, Jade Raksha, Whiplash and Shadow Whip. By the middle of
1970s, the sun began to set on Cheng Pei Pei's acting career.


Through the years and well into the next decade (80s), there was a trickle of
movies which she starred in but perhaps family considerations weighed in heavily
against her pursuing the movie career further. For a while back in the 80s, she
had a cooking show in America.



Cheng did make occasional appearances in some movies like Painted Faces (1988)
and Flirting Scholar (1993). Her biggest comeback movie was Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon (2000) in which she played Chow Yun Fatt's deadly adversary.
Michelle Yeoh was the other main character in the movie.


In 2002, Cheng Pei Pei produced and starred in a film entitled Flying Dragon,
Leaping Tiger. It was probably not her most memorable performance because I have
neither heard of it nor have my friends seen it.


Her latest movie is one called The Counting House. According to the grapevine,
Cheng's daughter has recently decided to follow in her mother's footsteps -
acting.

Audrey Hepburn - a timeless beauty

ALMOST everybody loves and adores Audrey Hepburn. Many young girls want to be
just like her when they grow up.

Some young men wish to marry a woman who personifies Audrey Hepburn.


Now what is this mysterious and nearly mystical allure that is Miss Hepburn.

Some of that regal bearing that others see so clearly in her comes perhaps from
her mother Baroness Ella van Heemstra, a Dutch aristocrat. Her mother's
bloodline can be traced to English and French kings. Her father, an Anglo-Irish
banker, is John Victor Hepburn-Ruston.


Audrey Hepburn's admirers have been known to describe her as "the most beautiful
woman of all time". In the American Film Industry list, she has been named the
third greatest female star of all time.


Audrey adored her father. When he left the family, Audrey was devastated.

She described that as the "most traumatic moment of her life". In later years,
she managed to track down her dad, gave him financial assistance and wrote the
kind of letters that only a loving daughter would write.


During the Second World War, Audrey danced ballet to collect money for the Dutch
underground resistance. Life was very difficult in Arnhem where the Allied
forces had been dropping bombs.

Audrey suffered a great deal and her frailty only added to her problems.


Audrey was trained since childhood in ballet but her trainers thought she was
too tall to be a professional ballerina because she was 5' 7". In her first
major acting performance, she played a ballet dancer.

The movie was "The Secret People".


Around 1952, she acted opposite Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. Peck who had a
soft spot for her requested that Audrey was given equal billing as him, even
though she was a newcomer.

For that movie, she won the 1953 Academy Best Actress Award.


Audrey's first husband was actor Mel Ferrer. Second husband was Italian
psychiatrist Dr Andrea Dotti. She has two sons: Sean in 1960 (by Ferrer) and
Luca in 1970 (by Dotti).


Audrey Hepburn died of cancer on January 20, 1993, in Switzerland. She was
buried there.


For me, Audrey Hepburn represents everything that is good about women.

She exudes a gentle charm and exhibited a certain kindness in her film roles
that truly reflected her character in real life. Sometimes, in about 100 years,
there comes a film star that touches the hearts and minds of audiences
worldwide. Audrey Hepburn was that kind of person.


AUDREY HEPBURN was an actress that many of today's young actresses look up to
and want to emulate. Her acting accolades are found in unforgettable movies like
Sabrina, Roman Holday with Gregory Peck, Breakfast at Tiffany's with George
Peppard and Wait Until Dark (1967).

Hepburn's femininty was what set her apart from her contemporaries during the
1950s.

However, there was one movie which she starred in that was claimed to be one of
best but was almost never in the limelight.
This movie is The Nun's Story released in 1959.

It involves a young girl by the name of Gabrielle van der Mal who entered the
convent to become Sister Luke.
Director Frank Zinnemann goes behind the seldom entered sanctuary of an
imaginary convent and tells the tense tale of a young woman who struggles to
find her faith in serving God and her desires to serve mankind in the sometimes
cruel world.
There was some talk of adverse public reaction to the way the life of a nun was
treated by Hollywood.

But Zinnemann was careful to portray Sister Luke as a person who was as much as
she was a faithful servant of God, she too was a young woman who was filled with
passions and desires of a person her age and gender.
In the end, it was a story well told by an excellent director.

Honestly, it was fair to the holy order and to the character whom Audrey Hepburn
played most magnificently. Later, Hepburn said The Nun's Story was one of her
two favourite movies.

The other being Funny Face (19570 Fred Astaire.
To appreciate The Nun's Story, it would be good if the viewer is not averse to
watch a movie with a religious theme. Audrey Hepburn captures the essence of a
nun trying desperately to find her true calling in life, even as she adorns the
habit of the sisters.


The prayers, the penance and the conversations with God will find receptive
audience among people of the Christian faith.

Director Zinnemann had done a marvellous job of capturing the essence of the
human spirit in thoes of spiritual quest.


The Nun's Story is in spirit true to its message when it was screened as it is
today. Modern generations will no doubt find it shares a kindred spirit with
Audrey Hepburn in her soul-stirring role as a nun who tries to find answers to
assuage her restless soul.


This movie gets more than two thumbs-up. It receives a silent prayer of praise
and a muted amen.

Ti Lung fights his way to the top!

Among the whole Hong Kong academy of actors, there was one who has a big influence on my life when I was in my growing years. This man is Ti Lung.


Ti Lung is not exactly the greatest actor ever to come out of Hong Kong. In
fact, by Hong Kong standards, he's mediocre but there was something about his
persona that I like very much. In my pre-teen and teen years, going to the
movies was a big thing for me.


In those days, RTM was mainly in black and white and when the ordinary Joe wants
to "escape" into another world, he would inadvertently choose the cinema. The
trouble was I was always walking around "poket kosong" (impoverished). So those
few times when I was able to watch a movie or two, it was usually memorable.


In the 70s, the Shaw Brothers of Hong Kong was the top dog of the eastern film
world. And in the midst of all this were that dynamic duo, Ti Lung and David
Chiang. Before every young boy wanted to be like Bruce Lee, I had already made
up my mind that I wanted to be like Ti Lung.


There was something about Ti Lung that had a kinship with me. Hey, I may not be
as tall as him or as muscular but it was something that I had aspired to. In my
mind, Ti Lung was a warrior on the exterior but in his heart he was always a
gentleman. I had this ambition that I could be like that.


When the lights are dimmed inside the cinema and the wheels of the film machine
are turning, a person can literally be anything he wants. When you are 10 and
below, it all begins with a dream and it is actually the greatest adventure one
could have for the price of one cinema ticket.


Over the years, I have followed Ti Lung's career, not like a bloodhound but
intermittently when his name slipped into the gossip columns of magazines or
newspapers. I am glad he's still there, hanging on and occasionally making a
name for himself.


I noticed he hasn't changed much, personality-wise. He's still that gentleman
whom I had perceived him to be. Yes, he has his ups and downs but generally he's
doing better than expected. I am glad I have not been wrong in choosing him as
my hero and role model. A lot of people want to be Albert Einstein, Gandhi,
Bruce Lee, John Wayne, Thomas Edison or even Genghiz Khan, but I was that
day-dreamer of a kid who was rooting for Ti Lung.


Below is Ti Lung's story - my cinema hero.


When you hear the name David Chiang, you tend to conjure the image of another
guy as well - Ti Lung. However, in Hong Kong, David Chiang had a bigger share of
the spotlight. Both guys were the favourites of director Chang Cheh at the
height of their fame in the 70s.


Since David was undisputedly the better actor, he always played the hero. Ti
Lung was that regular side-kick who jumped in and helped demolish the rest of
the opponents when David got into trouble in a fight. Standing at more than
183cm, Ti Lung had a physical presence on screen that was undeniable. His
handsome looks enhanced his muscular body which directors of his early films
never failed to exploit.


So the slightest shoulder or body injury in a scene called for the immediate
shedding of the shirt or period costume which Ti Lung was wearing. Ti Lung was
born on our National Day (Aug 31) in 1946 in Guangdong, China. His real name is
Tam Furong (in pinyin). His early years saw him studying in Hong Kong's Eton
School.


After graduation, he did a stint in the tailoring line. His friends must have
seen his potential as an actor, so Ti Lung auditioned for a part in Chang Cheh's
movie Dead End. He soon signed a contract with Shaw Brothers. As Tam Furong, the
young man would not have attracted much media attention, so he was given the new
name of Ti Lung which means "Dragon Ti" in Mandarin. However, there was another
side to the name.


Probably tongue-in-cheek, in Cantonese, "Ti Lung" sounds like "De Lon", as in
Alain Delon. Some quick-thinking Hong Kong producer must have figured that it
would be a wise move to capitalise on that French actor's fame in the 70s. Shaw
Brothers has its own training school for actors who didn't have the necessary
fighting skills.


So Ti Lung quickly learnt a number of convincing moves in sword-fighting and use
of the Shaolin long pole. Besides weapons, Ti Lung also studied under a Wing
Chun master. Shortly after he joined Shaw Brothers, Ti Lung teamed up with David
Chiang. Together, the fighting duo made about a dozen movies over a period of
three years.


These were Vengeance (1970), Heroic Ones (1970), Duel of Fists (1971), Duel of
Iron Fist (1971), New One-Armed Swordsman (1971), Deadly Duo (1972) and Angry
Guests (1972). Critics have described Ti Lung as being magnificent in scenes
where he was seriously wounded or died. They even said that "suffering superbly
remained a permanent staple of his screen persona".


I recall that in one film (probably Heroic Ones), Ti Lung wielded a silver
spear. In the last scene where he dies after suffering some deadly cuts, he
overturned his spear, stuck it to the ground and leant on it and died. That
memorable scene gave new meaning to the phrase "died standing".


In 1972, Ti Lung acted in two more notable films with David Chiang - Blood
Brothers and The Water Margin. With the advent of Bruce Lee, Ti Lung and David
Chiang began to take a backseat to the new cinema sensation from the US. Ti Lung
soon parted ways with David Chiang.


Rumour at that time had it that David was peeved when Ti Lung got the bigger
role in director Lee Hanxiang's The Express Dowager in 1974. Because of his
association with director Chang Cheh whom he regarded as his mentor, Ti Lung
continued to act in his films which were filmed in Taiwan. Some of these were
Five Shaolin Masters (1975) and Shaolin Temple (1976).


In the second half of the 70s, Ti Lung worked with other directors like Sun
Chong (Avenging Eagle, Kung Fu Instructor, Deadly Breaking Sword) and Chor Yuen
(Magic Blade, Sentimental Swordsman, The Jade Tiger, Clans of Intrigue). In the
1980s, Shaw Brothers' winning streak came to an end. With that, Ti Lung's career
also plummeted. Actors like Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung began to rule the screen.


In 1984, Shaw Brothers shut down its film-making facilities. It was a bad time
for Ti Lung. Exiled into limbo, it was rumoured that Ti Lung took to the bottle.
Then in 1986, one of Chang Cheh's former assistant directors called on Ti Lung
to act in A Better Tomorrow (Ying Hung Boon Sik). It was a smash and Ti Lung's
film career was back on track. The following year, Ti Lung was in the sequel
Better Tomorrow II.


His career was now on firm ground. With a receding hairline and qualifying for
senior citizen status, Ti Lung took on more mature roles in the late 90s
onwards. Some of his films during this period were Drunken Master II, The Kid,
High Q and Paramount Hotel.


Ti Lung has been married to To Man Ming for over 30 years. They have a son Shaun
Tam Jun-Yin who is following his father's footsteps. Ti Lung is one of the few
Hong Kong actors who has pursued his acting career well into the new century.
Along the way, he has picked up a few prestigious awards.

He has acted in 98
films stretching from 1969 to 2005. As an actor, his reputation is rock solid.

A big hand for David Chiang, please

The first time I saw David Chiang on the big screen, I asked my friend who was
sitting next to me in that old cinema in Ipoh, "who's that skinny guy?" My
attention was actually drawn more to his side-kick Ti Lung whom I admired
deeply.


Boys my age (about 10) back then tended to love those muscle-bound guys who more
often than not projected our inner desire to look macho like them, and David
Chiang didn't feature anywhere near my Wish List.


David's Chinese name is Chiang Da Wei. Born in China, on June 29, 1947, David
continues to act up till today. His current involvement in the acting industry
is mainly confined to TV series where he normally plays the role of a wise
senior citizen or someone who has walked the talk. In reality, he has.


Chiang started in martial arts movie career in 1966 when renowned Hong Kong
director Chang Cheh hired him as a stuntman for the movie Golden Swallow.


He however had had some experience in acting when as a teenager he played minor
roles in films like Street Boys and The Kingdom and The Beauty (starring Lin
Dai).


In 1968, Chiang shot to prominence in his lead role in The New One-Armed
Swordsman. His association with director Chang Cheh spanned almost two decades.


However, David Chiang is best known for his partnership in Hong Kong movies with
Ti Lung, that strapling chap I mentioned earlier. Ti Lung tended to make Chiang
look a little effeminate but Chiang's acting tended to supersede that of Ti
Lung's.


In 1970, David Chiang earned himself a sterling reputation in The Wandering
Swordsman. This was followed by Vengeance which bagged him the Best Actor Award
in the Asian Film Festival.


In the 70s, Chiang and Ti Lung paired up for about a dozen of the Blood Brothers
series. These were Duel of Fists, The Anonymous Heroes, The Duel, Heroic Ones
and The Singing Killer.


Once during one of David Chiang's shows, I told my friend, "that guy better
don't take off his shirt because I think the audience won't be able to tolerate
the sight of his splendid Chinese spare ribs!" Director Chang Cheh had wisely
neglected to instruct Chiang to take off his shirt, unlike Ti Lung who often
went "topless" and encouraged boys like me to try our luck with dumb-bells and
other weights.


In late 1960s, the Blood Brothers faced an insurmountable odd. It came in the
form of Bruce Lee who literally blew the competition away. If audiences up till
then were impressed with Ti Lung and Chiang, they were literally left breathless
by Bruce Lee's real punches and deadly kicks.


Director Chang Cheh recognised the death knell of his successful run and quickly
made a graceful exit while director Lo Wei (The Big Boss) took over and basked
in the lime light.


When his successes with Shaw Brothers and Chang Cheh ended, Chiang went solo and
tried his hand at directing. His debut effort The Drug Addict was a major flop.


In the second half of the 70s, Chiang teamed up with Wang Yu (The Chinese Boxer)
to set up a Taiwan based film company. Coincidentally, their first joint venture
movie was called One Armed Swordsmen.


Chiang continued to be involved with some free-lance work in the meantime, and
he changed his name to Gareth Lo. Don't ask me why he found that name so
attractive. Anyway, he finally decided John Keung suited him more.


Many people don't know that John was actually Chiang's original name. David was
his adopted screen name. And Keung was the Cantonese spelling for Chiang. So the
mystery of John Keung is now solved.


In the late eighties and early nineties, David Chiang was involved primarily in
directing comedies. All in all, Chiang acted in more than 75 movies. With Chang
Cheh, he acted in about 30 films.



Today, David Chiang stays in Vancouver, Canada. He is married to Maggie Lee
Lam-Lam. The couple have two daughters and one son.


Professionally, he is deemed not as successful as his old movie partner Ti Lung
but it is undeniable that Chiang has stamped his mark in Hong Kong and in other
Southeast Asian countries rather emphatically back in the 70s.


He's a good actor who exploited every opportunity that came his way and
continues to earn a decent living playing supporting roles in TV serials from
time to time.


One thing hasn't changed, he still keeps his shirt on.