It’s been a long time coming for Wong Kar-Wai’s perennially delayed martial arts epic “The Grandmaster,” but it’s finally hitting the big screen. In advance of its Chinese premiere next month, a brand new poster and behind-the-scenes documentary have have hit the web.
The most interesting and informative of the new material is the documentary “The Road To The Grandmaster”, which is sadly only available in untranslated Cantonese. The documentary, which apparently covers the research that went into the film, contains a lot of interviews and demonstrations with what we assume are either old martial arts masters or disciples of Ip Man (played by Tony Leung in the film) and visits to various locations (Ip Man’s old haunts?). So unless one of our Chinese readers are kind enough to provide translations for the entire 18 minutes of the video, it seems we’re stuck with trying to use non-verbal cues to understand what’s going on. We'll make the most of it.
What doesn’t need translation is the new striking and powerful poster from the film. Also awesome is the English tagline: “In martial arts there is no right or wrong; only the last man standing.” Kar-Wai’s “The Grandmaster” hits theaters in China on December 18th, with news of a release in the Western world hopefully imminent. [FirstShowing/Wongkarwai]
A short pt. 2. More to come!: Hong Kong during 1960-1970 period, the streets are full of Chinese Martial art schools. This also is the goal image of the grandmaster, like one street for one story. Keep investigating, will find out these masters are from northern, southern different parts of China. Now Director Wong's ambition extends from one street to one section period of times. He is always curious about Chinese Kung Fu, like the secret of spirit involved with that martial arts, wants to produce the newest version Kung Fu film. He goes thru researching a lot of historical source like pictures and books. After many years of effort, he strives to create an authentic Kung Fu film. He still has to go deep into its origin, its ROOTS. He starts from Hong Kong and keeps going up, up up to Ming Kuo. That time a lot of famous masters were from northern China. Ming Kuo is the golden age of Chinese Martial arts. From Jing Wu school to Chung Hwa Kung Fu school, including Central Government Martial art school, and then Double Gwang provinces Kung Fu schools, the development is continuous….
OK, my parents have worked long and hard on this translation for you all. Here's part 1:
Director WKW's 1st historical Kung Fu film, Grandmaster
It is really a difficult problem to describe fully Chinese Martial Arts, it involves the costumes to portray the Ming Kuo dynasty. Kung fu should be genuine without the digital artifacts. It should describe the genuine physical talents. Nowadays those genuine aspects do not exist anymore. This kind of work will take long persistence. But I am willing to continue, as this kind of project is my favorite.
This period started 1996. That time I am working on the film. æ¥å ä¹æ³. One day while I was in Argentine train station, I saw two posters in a newspaper stand which attracted my attention. One is Chairman Mao, and the other is Bruce Lee. This stand usually has the articles for the young people, not for older people interested in historical items. Those youngsters, one is an idol, and the other is hero. Director Wong is wondering why this hero has such an attraction to the audience, he has watched the Bruce Lee films since he was a little boy. He cannot believe why after 20 yrs. after his death, still attracting the audience. He is thinking about making a film for Bruce Lee, but a lot of films about him have already been produced. What kind of person is the master of Bruce Lee, who could produce a Kung Fu hero like Bruce? Then I went to HK, I saw on TV Master Yeh Wont in a film which was taken 3 days before his death. Most strange thing in that film is he suddenly hesitate in his Kung fu performance, may be due to tiredness or forgetfulness about his Kung fu. That time I have no idea why he hesitates. Later on I understand that there is a saying in Kung fu world: You have to light a candle while you are still living, so that people will gather around that light, so that his martial art talent will keep going on. If he can produce a man like Bruce Lee, he will be a great master of Kung fu world. Why? Because he is not only Kung fu master, but also he can generate another Kung fu star as Bruce Lee, better than himself. A lot of Kung fu masters want his followers to replicate all his movements, but this Master Yeh Wont allows his followers creativity to even exceed his own talents.
OK, MOSTLY in Mandarin. A little Cantonese in there
btw, this is actually all in Mandarin not Cantonese. My Mandarin is a little rusty or else I would gladly translate. Maybe if I can find some time I will soon.
Can someone please translate.