MOVIE NEWS
CHARLIE CHAN
Lucy Liu (right) has spoken about a movie she has in development about Charlie Chan,
the famous Chinese detective. Liu: "It's been five years, and it's been
progressing slowly. By the time I do it, I may be like the grandfather in
Charlie Chan. I'll be like 88 years old and I'll have 17 grandchildren."
"I had very little knowledge of Charlie Chan, because I didn't even know it
was on television. I just thought it was a movie. It was actually a series
that was on television, and I started reading about it and realized that it
was based on this real person, Chong Apana, this detective in Hawaii, and he
was a complete badass."
"First of all, he didn't look anything like the Charlie Chan they
represented, and he actually was Asian. Secondly, he was incredibly sinewy.
At the time, there was a lot of opium trading, which is obviously illegal,
and he was the only person who was allowed to carry a whip on the force,
like a real whip. He retired and a year later, he died."
"This is somebody whose entire life is his work, but he was just like a
badass! But he was represented differently, like he spoke with fortune
cookie like language, and was very affable and friendly, and it was just a
very different way of doing it. I like having the idea of the history behind
it and also knowing where it went. Because for the entertainment, I think
they felt that it had to be represented in a certain way."
FARCE OF THE PENGUINS
'HINKFilm' has set a late-summer release for Farce Of The Penguins, a parody
of the successful documentary March Of The Penguins - to be narrated by
Samuel L. Jackson.
The spoof will depict penguin survival and mating rituals against the story
of one bird's search for love while on a 70-mile trek with hedonistic
buddies obsessed with getting laid.
Bob Saget will voice the lovestruck penguin protag, with Lewis Black,
Mo'Nique and Tracy Morgan as the other leads. Supporting penguins will be
voiced by Jason Alexander, James Belushi, Jason Biggs, Dane Cook, Harvey
Fierstein, Whoopi Goldberg, Gilbert Gottfried, Norm Macdonald, Carlos
Mencia, Alyson Hannigan, Jamie Kennedy, Jon Lovitz, Adam Duritz, John Stamos
and Dave Coulier, among others.
WATCHMEN
Well, despite Alan Moore distancing himself from the adaptation, V For
Vendetta appears to be the first Moore-penned movie adaptation that hasn't
been a crushing disappointment. Still not perfect, but it kept the spirit
and visuals pretty intact. So, how about a decent Watchmen adaptation -
finally?
'Aint't It Cool News' recently revealed that Zack Snyder (Dawn Of The Dead)
has thrown his name into the arena with the studio, which could be taken
seriously if his upcoming adaptation of another comic-book property, Frank
Miller's 300, goes well.
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