Toby Russell Interview

[Chen Zhen]

www.hkcinemagic.com/en/pa...219&page=1 (http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/page.asp?aid=219&page=1)

very interesting read...he sheds a lot of fascinating info about Robert Tai and the HK/taiwanese film industry in general.

[Frank Lakatos]

Hooooo that was an interesting interview, and it gave me a newfound respect for Robert Tai's movies! Maybe they could give old Wanchaitransient an interview and that would be a real treat! We have to get more of these guys out here and pick their brains.

Frank

[The Running Man]

Never understood his fascination in Larry Lee.

[drunkenmantis13]

That was a great read, thanks Chen!

[Chinatown Kid]

Larry Lee was supposedly a very high ranking Black Belt but to me he never seemed to have much charisma and came off as rather dull, about the best he ever looked to me was in Black Belt Karate. Billy Chong was also in that film but played a minor character. Chong has 100 times more charisma than Larry though. :\

[morgoth]

good info on Godfrey Ho. Thanks for the link Chen Zhen.

[Robert Ian Teller]

Some of the stuff on Robert Tai was fascinating, I thought his claims about Ching Siu Tung ripping him off were a bit wonky. But this Russel interview seems to confirm some of it.

[Chen Zhen]

tai is an arrogant man. he was never bound to go far with his "my way or the highway" attitude, hence why he has been absent from the scene for years.

[Robert Ian Teller]

Yeah it's a shame really, in a historical context his stuff is pretty amazing. Given the time and money (minus the attitude) he would of probably had the chance to make greater films.

[Chen Zhen]

agreed. tai was always consistent with his fight choreography, he was real good, but i think his ego got the best of him. despite how good his stuff was, it doesnt give him the right to belittle the likes of Ching Siu Tung, Yuen Woo Ping, and other directors who are successful today. id hate to think that Trinity Goes East was the best post-oldskool work hes capable of.

[VonHumboldtFleischer]

Nice interview, thanks for the link. It's a shame Russell isn't more of a talker, really. Despite being someone with an awful lot of knowledge and experience to share, he's always reluctant and almost tongue-tied whenever he's being interviewed or doing a commentary.

Robert Tai has been making grandiose claims about his contribution to kung fu cinema for as long as I can remember. In the Eastern Heroes video magazine (vol. 2, I believe), he basically asserts that he invented wirework. You can't fault his SB work, though.

I have to admit, I like Larry Lee. He has an unassuming charm; I think he would have been terrific playing lighter, more comic roles.

[Atomic Mystery Monster]

-Bruce Le is in jail and yet George Tan is free as a bird? I guess there really isn't any justice in the world.

-Speaking of which, how the hell can Toby Russell consider a guy who's repeatedly stolen transfers from him and has hurt the martial arts scene as a friend?

-Godfrey Ho isn't teaching at the Hong Kong film academy anymore? Crap; I can only hope that he's gotten back into directing...

[Chinatown Kid]

Ole Georgie Tan, yep he's right up there with Ric in the Kung Fu Hall of Shame ain't he! ;)