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True Legend
Chinese Title: Su Qi-Er (Beggar Su)(Post Production)
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Release Date: 2009
Language: Mandarin Chinese Production Companies: Shanghai Film Group, Beijing New Times Film Culture and Development, Edko Management, Focus Features Intl. Producers: Zhang Zhenyan, Bill Kong Director: Yuen Woo-Ping Screenplay: Christine To Chi-Long Cinematography: Zhao Xiaoding Action Director: Yuen Woo-Ping Art Director: Huo Tingxiao Costume Design: Hai Chung Man (aka Yee Chung Man) Editing: Wenbers Li Tung-Chuen Category: Martial Arts / Drama / Historical Country: China Filming: August 2008 - January 2009 in Mainland China |
Cast:
(surnames are in color)
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 Michelle Yeoh |
 Vincent Zhao |
 Zhou Xun |
 Jay Chou |
 Guo Xiaodong |
 Will Liu |
True Legend / Su Qi-Er News:
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(06/17/09) Teaser trailer of True Legend: Official site YouTube (01:05)
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Michelle's Sister Yu - picking herbs
(video scans. click to enlarge)
(01/20/09) On January 18th, "Sina" reporters visited the filming set of True Legend at the China Movie & TV Industry Zone in Huairou County, Beijing. On the day of the set visit, they filmed a challenge match between Vincent Zhao and a westerner, and also a scene with Vincent Zhao and Zhou Xun. Zhao said in the film he fights from the beginning to the end. It was Zhou Xun's first day shooting on the Beijing set and her last day on the project. The production has moved to Beijing since the end of October and it is expected to wrap up soon.
Video: interview with Vincent Zhao and Zhou Xun ([05:59, in Mandarin Chinese)
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ring of the martial arts challenge. the man with cap in (3) is director Yuen Woo-Ping
Vincent Zhao's Beggar Su and wife Yuan Ying (Zhou Xun)
("Sina" photos. click to enlarge)
(12/11/08) The production company organized a media set visit on December 11th. Cung Le, Vietnamese American Strikeforce middleweight champion, has joned the cast. Reporters were allowed to watch the filming of a fight between Cung Le and Vincent Zhao. Filming of True Legend has been continuing in Huairou County, Beijing.
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(1-3) Vincent Zhao and Cung Le (4) Cung Le showing his winning belt to reporters
(5) (L to R) Guo Xiaodong, Vincent Zhao, Cung Le, ?
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(click to enlarge. photos from "Sina", "Sohu" and "163")
(11/19/08) Filming of True Legend has been taking place at the China Movie & TV Industry Zone in Huairou County, Beijing. On November 18th the production company organized a press set visit. Reporters were allowed to witness the filming of a scene between Vincent Zhao and Jay Chou. Reportedly Jay Chou's character, Wu Shen (God of Martial Arts), appears only as an illusion of Beggar Su (Vincent Zhao) when Su fell into a stage of "cultivation insanity".
Video: Jay Chou and Vincent Zhao on set (03:27, in Mandarin)
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(1-3) filming a scene with Beggar Su and God of Martial Arts
(4) Yuen Woo-Ping (middle) directing a fight sequence (5) director Yuen Woo-Ping
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(1) Vincent Zhao (L) and Jay Chou on set (2) Vincent Zhao as Beggar Su (3) Vincent Zhao (L) and double
(4) Jay Chou (R) and his double (5-7) singer Jay Chou as a martial artist
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(1-4) a village set, the largest indoor film set in Chinese film history, is being built in Huairou
(click to enlarge. photos from "QQ" and "The First")
(11/03/08) The production team left Anhui Province on October 24 and has moved to Beijing. A press conference was held on November 2nd in Beijing, officially announcing the production. Director Yuen Woo-Ping, Jay Chou, Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, and Guo Xiaodong were in attendance.
True Legend will tell the story of Chinese martial arts master Su Can (aka So Chan), a wealthy man of the Qing Dynasty obsessed with Kung Fu, who fell from grace to become a beggar after he and his family became the victims of conspiracies. He later transformed himself into a martial arts master, patriot and folk hero, honoured as the "King of Beggars".
Taiwanese singer/actor Jay Chou has joined the filming in Beijing. Chou will play a skilled martial arts master who taught Su Can. The cast also includes Michelle and Hong Kong veteran martial arts actor Gordon Liu.
Related reports:
Edko lines up stellar cast for Yuen Woo-ping's True Legend
Matrix choreographer takes the director's chair
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(1-2) (L to R) Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun, director Yuen Woo-Ping, Jay Chou and Guo Xiaodong at the press conference
(3) Vincent Zhao, Yuen Woo-Ping, Jay Chou and Guo Xiaodong ("MTime" and "Sohu" photos. click to enlarge)
(11/02/08) More set photos from Huangshan, Anhui Province. ("Baidu" and "Nanba"photos. click to enlage)
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(1) Zhou Zun with 12 year old actor Sun Hanwen on set (2) Vincent Zhao (left) and Sun Hanwen (right)
(3) Filming in Nanping Village, Yi County, Anhui Province. The actress in white was Zhou Xun
(4-5) Film set at Nanping
(10/21/08) During a recent interview, actor Vincent Zhao said that the English title of the film will be True Legend. And the Chinese working title, Su Qi-Er, may be changed later. Production in Huangshan is moving to Beijing soon. There have been open casting calls for supporting roles and extras, from 16 to 40 years old, for a Beijing shoot at the end of the month.
Below are some set photos from Huangshan. A winery set has been built in a quiet area of Qinglulin (Lovers' Forest), Yi County, Anhui Province.
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(1-3) Vincent Zhao and Zhou Xun on the winery set (4) locals watching the shoots
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the winery set (click to enlarge)
(10/06/08) The production of Su Qi-Er has been taking place in the Huangshan Mountain (aka Mount Huang or Yellow Mountain) area, Anhui Province. In late September they filmed at the famous scenic spots Paiyunting Pavilion and Danxiafeng Peak, as well as surrounding towns including Xidi and Hongcun Ancient Village and Qiankou Town (which is known as the "Museum of Dwelling Houses of Ming"). Huangshan is one of China's most popular tourist places. Filming in Huangshan will continue until later of the month before moving to the China Movie & TV Industry Zone in Huairou County, Beijing. The production is expected to last until January.
Set photos from Huangshan (click to enlarge):
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(1-3) a film set built at Daguling, Meixi, Yi County (4-5) filming at Danxiafeng Peak, Sept. 25
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a sequence with Will Liu and newcomer, martial arts actress Jiang Luxia was filmed in Xidi
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(1) Qing soldiers (2-4) Qing Dynasty street scenes (5) carrying a dummy
(6) Yuen Cheung-Yan, action choreographer/trainer, Yuen Woo-Ping's brother, also seen on set
(09/24/08) The production of Su Qi-Er has moved to Anhui Province after having finished filming in Beijing and Shanxi.
A bulk of the film production will be taking place in Yi County, Anhui Province in Eastern China. It was where certain scenes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were filmed, such as the beginning of the film, the bamboo forest, and Yu Shu Lien's security compound. Ancient villages in Yi County are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The production company has been building some film sets there for the past several months.
Actress Zhou Xun said in a recent interview that she won't have any action scenes in the film.
(09/15/08) After ten days in Miyun County, Beijing, the production moved to the Hukou Waterfall at Yellow River, Shanxi Province on September 9th.
Michelle was on the Beijing filming set with Vincent Zhao and Zhou Xun for several days. According to "Sina"'s report, her scenes in Beijing were completed in early September and she left the set while Vincent Zhao and Zhou Xun continued at the location for a few more days. Vincent Zhao, Zhou Xun and Will Liu were seen at the Hukou set. Unconfirmed reports said Michelle was there too.
Here are some photos from a film set at Longyunshan Mountain, Miyun County, Beijing, September 2008:
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(1-3) a two-level wooden house was built on the top of the mountain
(4-5) Vincent Zhao and Zhou Xun on set
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(1) wired stunt (Michelle's character) (2-3) filming on Longyunshan Mountain
Photos from film set at Hukou Waterfall of Yellow River, Shanxi Province, September 2008:
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a deck was built above the waterfall
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(1) Vincent Zhao on set (2-6) warriors and soldiers
(click to enlarge. photos from "Sina", "HHHK" and various Chinese websites)
(09/10/08) Without any publicity, director Yuen Woo-Ping's new martial arts film, "Su Qi-Er" (Chinese title), started shooting secretly on August 28 in a beautiful mountain region in a suburb of Beijing.
Su Qi-Er (literally "Beggar Su") is a nickname of Su Can (aka Su Hua Chi, So Chan, Beggar So), who is a legendary Cantonese heroic figure. The name of Su Can, together with the name of Wong Fei Hung (the central figure from Jet Li's Once Upon a Time in China), are among "The Ten Tigers of Canton" - a group of ten of the top Chinese martial arts masters in Canton (Guangdong) towards the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). The folktales of the hero Su Qi-Er have been featured in numerous Hong Kong films and TV series.
Martial arts actor Vincent Zhao (aka Chiu Man-Cheuk or Zhao Wenzhuo) (Green Snake, Once Upon a Time in China V) will star as Su Can. Chinese actress Zhou Xun (Suzhou River, Perhaps Love) stars as Su's wife. Michelle's character, Sister Yu, is a heroine who lives in seclusion on a mountain. Reportedly at one part of the film story she saves the dying Su. Chinese actor Guo Xiaodong (Warlords) and Will Liu, Taiwanese singer and composer, are also among the cast. Rumor said Taiwanese singer/actor Jay Chou may have a supporting role but it has not been confirmed.
Su Qi-Er will be Yuen Woo-Ping's return as a film director after 12 years. From the late 70s to 1996, Yuen directed many Hong Kong martial films including Wing Chun (starring Michelle and Donnie Yen, 1994), Tai Chi Master (starring Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, 1993), and Iron Monkey (starring Donnie Yen, 1993). During recent years he has been working as a martial arts/action choreographer and his work included Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix, Kill Bill, Kung Fu Hustle, Fearless and The Forbidden Kingdom (starring Jet Li and Jackie Chan, 2008).
The art director of the film will be Huo Tingxiao whose previous work include Chinese language films The Emperor and the Assassin, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Wing Chun. The film script was written by Hong Kong scriptwriter To Chi-Long (Fearless, Jiang Hu). The project was submitted to Chinese authority for approval in May and has obtained a shooting permit after some requested modifications.
Link:
True Legend Director's Site
( page created: 09/10/08, last modified: 06/17/09 )