USA: FILM DIRECTOR QUENTIN TARANTINO ATTENDS FILM PREMIERE OF LATEST MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE " IRON MONKEY"

Record ID: 392089

  • Title: USA: FILM DIRECTOR QUENTIN TARANTINO ATTENDS FILM PREMIERE OF LATEST MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE " IRON MONKEY"
  • Date: 8th October 2001
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 8) (REUTERS) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) QUENTIN TARANTINO SAYING "Iron Monkey is a literary character but the little boy in the movie, the character of the little boy, is a character named Wong Fei-Hong who is a real person and he's probably the biggest hero in China. He's considered to be the greatest martial artist who ever
  • Embargoed: 23rd October 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAELDAMCWV5PDP9PBJVGNQH8HN7
  • Story Text: Five years after becoming a huge hit in markets throughout Asia, director Yuen Wo Ping, the action choreographer behind "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," brings his martial arts hit "Iron Monkey" to the United States. Kung Fu enthusiast Quentin Tarantino, who is presenting the film for Miramax, attended its American premiere on Wednesday, October 10.
    Tarantino's role as a presenter of the film stems from the fact that he was instrumental in bringing "Iron Monkey" to America. He used his good relationship with Miramax, the company that released his hits "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown," to convince them to put some money and energy into updating and adjusting the film in order to make it work for American audiences.
    Tarantino says very little about the film has changed from its 1996 original form. The English subtitles have been cleaned up and made more clear, and some of the action sequences have been slightly trimmed in order to win the movie a PG-13, which will allow younger audiences to enjoy it.
    Tarantino says all changes on the film, including a new musical score, were made with the approval and oversight of the original director Yuen Wo Ping. He's best known in the United States as an action choreographer, having worked in that capacity on the hits "The Matrix" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
    "Iron Monkey" is widely regarded as one of the best Hong Kong martial arts films of all times. It tells the story of a Chinese folk hero named Iron Monkey who challenges governmental corruption and fights 18th century Chinese warlords in order to give hope to the poor and oppressed.
    Although the Iron Monkey, played by Yu Rong-Guang, is the hero of this film, many Chinese audiences are more interested in the little boy in the movie, who was actually played by a little girl, Tsang Sze-Man. Her character Wong Fei-Hong is a real person who is considered one of the greatest martial artists China has ever known. His real life exploits and adventures have been well-chronicled in the cinema. Jet Li portrayed him in the "Once Upon a Time in China" film series.
    In this movie, he's a little boy, being coached and trained in the ancient martial arts by his father Wong Kei-Ying, played by Donnie Yen. In that way, "Iron Monkey"
    serves as a precursor to much of Hong Kong cinema history.
    For American audiences, who have never had a chance to see "Iron Monkey" on the big screen, this re-release is calculated to capitalize on the martial arts craze currently sweeping the nation. In addition to "The Matrix" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," Tarantino also cites the influence of the recent "Charlie's Angels" film for making the genre so popular.
    "Iron Monkey" opens in theatres throughout the United States on Friday, October 12.
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