In what very well may prove to be a career killing movie the Dragonball live action adaptation has lured another poor sucker into its web. Hailed HK movie icon Chow Yun-fat has joined the cast and play the role of Master Roshi, the martial arts master who trains the main character Goku.
Say it isn't so, Chow.
I cannot really blame him. I'm sure the pay will be fantastic and after all the great work he has done he should recieve a big paycheck. I don't believe he can tarnish his reputation the way other HK talent has, i.e Woo, Chan. The American Film System destroys all talent it gets its hands on.
So it will be like Bulletproof Monk but with kamehamehas? :)
Actually I still hope this may turn out to be fun. Bad of course, but fun in a guilty-pleasure kind of way. We'll see.
I'm hoping that his project with johnnie To comes before this, so at least i still can see him do one more decent role before destroying all my good memories of good ol Inspector Tequila.
Pleae keep in mind that Chow has earned more for BPM(a garbage film IMO), than he had for ABT, ABT2, KILLER and HARD BOILED-combined. A man has got to eat, and a FEAST he deserves. Get off his back-let him accept the money he deserves. There is nothing he can do that will take away from his legendary work...NOTHING. Keep in mind that he had some "lower quality" "knock-offs" during his high period. He is THE actor that brought HK cinema to the International market.
He (Chow) did not pass up 'Red Cliffs', he was more or less fired from it. If you read before, he was suppose to be asking too much $$ and he can not speak Mandrian, which 'Red Cliffs' was being filmed in.
YES, a man has to eat, but not to the point of putting a bullet in his head (career)by doing DB.
I am a huge fan of Chow and I hope he does not get his career washed away by doing DZ.
He already did bulletproof monk. If that didn't ruin him then I think he'll be safe with Dragonball.
When I said pass up, I really meant squander. It seems Chow deliberately put himself in a position to get fired but thats up for debate.
I thought CYF had to speak Mandarin for "CTHD"? I seem to remember that was a complaint, but I didn't notice any flubbed lines - not that I would.
I don't even like or really care about Dragon Ball, but Stephen Chow producing a Ben Ramsey-written script with James Wong from X-FILES and SPACE ABOVE AND BEYOND directing and Chow Yun-Fat in a major role is going to get the benefit of the doubt from me. There's too many other more worthy targets for my hate for me to go aiming it at a bunch of people whose work I tend to mostly like. I don't care if it's Dragon Ball XP Professional or what have you.
Actually, if you watch some of Chow Yun Fat's earlier, less "well known to North America" movies, he played characters that are quite similar to Master Roshi. The dude has some serious acting range.