01/13/06 Zhang's movie has a new name. CRI Exclusive By Li Rui - Chinese director Zhang Yimou is preparing
to begin shooting his latest movie "The City of Golden Armor". It is a new work following the hit drama film "Riding
Alone For Thousands of Miles" .
The new movie is inspired by the modern Chinese play "Thunderstorm," a classic from famous playwright Cao
Yu . Before planning this movie, Zhang Yimou made a name for himself with "Red Sorghum" and "To Live" . Both
these previous films were also based on classic works.
Producer Zhang Weiping has revealed that the story of his new movie is set in the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907).
The theme involves a power struggle between the emperor, the empress and a general. There will be several
large war scenes which will be shot with tens of thousands of extras – real people rather than computer
graphics. The script has been planned over three years, and during this time the group of creators has been
changed three times. Zhang Yimou says this is the most satisfying of all the dramatic works he has created.
Together with leading actors Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li , Zhang Yimou will start filming in February. The location
will be Chongqing Wulong Sky Hole, a place of interest in southwest China.
"The City of Golden Armor" will be wrapped up at the end of year, to hit Chinese screens before 2007. The
producer says the budget is about US$ 44.6 million, making it the most expensive Chinese movie production to
date. They intend to earn big for this movie, not only in box office revenue but also in praise from audiences and
critics.
12/19/05 Mokey Peaches has more pictures of the set for Autumn Remembrance and reports that the
"Shooting will take place exclusively inside the sector called "Ming and Qing Palaces", which contains full-scale
replica of major buildings of Beijing's the Forbidden City. Beijing's Forbidden City was the imperial resident
during the Ming and Qing Dynasty (AD 1368 - 1911) and the story of Autumn Remembrance is supposed to take
place in Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 907)." Pics here Feb. 18 and 23..
12/16/05 Dark Horizons and other news sites have reported that the filming for Autumn Remembrance in
Hengdian World Studios, in southeast China's Zhejiang province will be in March and April not the February we
have heard previously. Gong Li they report is still not a sure thing for the part opposite Chow Yun-Fat. No doubt
CYF although he may not be filming, will be working on his role in the movie before that date.
11/18/05 Set of a Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 907) post is secretly being built at a place called "Heavenly Pit", near
China's southwestern city of Chongqing. (Monkey Peaches) The movie is still said to begin filming in February.
11/15/05 CRI Exclusive by Shen Min - Famed Chinese art-house director Zhang Yimou was absent from China's
Oscars, the annual Golden Rooster and Full Blossom Film Festival, on Saturday in order to prepare for his third
martial art film with Chow Yun-Fat. The director secretly arrived in Hong Kong to talk with Hollywood star, Chow
Yun-Fat, about their new martial-arts film, Autumn Remembrance, which also features leading star Gong Li. Set
in China's Tang Dynasty, the film will feature the fierce battles and wars between an emperor and empress.
Talks of Chinese actor, Liu Ye, is also taking place about his role in the film, which is slated to begin shooting in
February next year. (Pictures from Netease Forum)
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