- Title: USA: PREMIERE OF NEW JODIE FOSTER FILM SET IN THAILAND ABOUT "ANNA AND THE KING"
- Date: 15th December 1999
- Summary: DIRECTOR ANDY TENNANT SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDY TENNANT SAYING "All the other versions of "Anna and the King" and "The King and I" were shot on a soundstage and this is the first movie version that actually takes you into Southeast Asia, shows you what it was really like. I mean it is one of the largest sets ever built. It's no soundstage."
- Embargoed: 30th December 1999 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA4O4NRQXDNP2YGXVPDU9RPOX7G
- Story Text: 20th Century Fox pulled out all the stops when they closed down Hollywood Boulevard and filled the street with Thai dancers and elephants.All to celebrate the World Premiere of the new Jodie Foster film "Anna and the King."
The story in "Anna and the King" has been told on the big screen twice before - in the 1946 film "Anna and the King of Siam" and the 1956 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The King and I." All three versions are based on the real life adventures of English schoolteacher Anna Leonowens who, in the 1860's traveled thousands of miles with her son to the east Asian kingdom of Siam, now Burma.
Unlike the most famous version of the story starring Yul Brunner, "Anna and the King" is not a musical.But it does tell of how Leonowens and her son tutor King Mongkut's fifty-eight children about the West and the ways of the world, while the children teach the young widow about life and love in the East.
Over time, Anna and the King share a growing connection.
Anna discovers that Mongkut is a true man of vision who is leading Siam to take its place among the nations of the modern world.At the same time, the King recognizes that Anna inspired him and his family.
While two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster plays Anna, the role of the King falls to Hong Kong native Chow Yun-Fat, who, until now, has been better known internationally for his action films.Also in the cast is Chinese actress Bai Ling, who most recently was seen playing opposite Richard Gere in the thriller "Red Corner."
The film is directed and co-written by Andy Tennant, who got his first taste making historical epics when he directed Drew Barrymore in the 16th century Cinderella story "Ever After." His other credits include the romantic comedy "Fools Rush In" with Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek and "It Takes Two," starring the Olsen twins and Kirstie Alley.
After scouting locations throughout Asia, Tennant and his massive team decided to shoot in Malaysia.Cameras rolled throughout the country, including Penang Port, the beaches and terrain of lush Langkawi Island, and the jungle villages surrounding southern Ipoh.
Thousand of extras and a virtual menagerie of animals were utilized in the film's many scenes of pageantry, providing all sorts of logistical nightmares.The biggest and most elaborate set built for the film was the King's enormous seven acre palace, which took 1300 people to construct and is believed to be the largest set constructed from scratch for a film since "Cleopatra."
In building the set, the crew went through seven thousand sheets of plywood, four thousand square meters of marble, five million nails, one hundred million staples and consumed forty-five thousand liters of bottled water as they worked in temperatures approaching 120 degrees.
There were a total of 19 elephants featured in the film, ranging in age from one to fifty-seven years old, all from Malaysia and all trained by industry veteran Rona Brown.
Brown and her team of 56 trainers worked for three months prior to shooting to prepare the animals.
"Anna and the King" opens in theaters throughout the United States on Friday, December 17. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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