There is a new martial arts movie coming from Malaysia following the 2008 release of C. L. Hor’s KINTA 1881. Beginning May 26th, production began on FIST OF DRAGON, local writer-director Michael Chuah Ghiap-hun’s first action movie, based on a script he completed last year and featuring the filmmaker himself in the lead.
Budgeted at US$1 million, FIST OF DRAGON is a contemporary actioner about a man named Li (Chuah) who travels from China to a small town in Malaysia to help his financially-imperiled uncle. Li discovers that his uncle is in trouble with local mobsters. When he decides to teach them a lesson, Li incurs the wrath of the triads who threaten the entire town.
Fiona Xie and Henry Thia, both Singaporean actors, co-star along with Chinese actress Wang Xiao-chen (LEGEND OF CONDOR HEROES).
FIST OF DRAGON is a co-production between Singapore’s Fusian Media and China’s Desen International Media in association with Malaysia’s Evo Pictures.
Chuah’s previous directorial effort was on SEED OF DARKNESS (trailer), an atmospheric horror film that was released in Malaysia in 2006 by Columbia Pictures. Despite this, Chuah says his first love is for actioners.
“When I was young I loved to watch movies by Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, in which the protagonist is always very heroic and stands up for the weak,” explains Chuah.
“I feel that nowadays we are getting less of that kind of movie because Jet Li is not as active and Jackie Chan is in Hollywood making a lot of cops-and-robbers films.
“There is no longer the heroic Chinese icon that was previously portrayed by them. I really miss the ’90s when I would go to the cinemas and watch movies like WONG FEI HUNG (aka ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA) and FONG SAI YUK, as well as other Jet Li-type heroic characters.”
The majority of the film’s assets are being directed towards producing action sequences. Because skilled screen fighters are rare in Malaysia, Chuah auditioned fresh talent and put them through months of intensive martial arts training with his Evo Stunt Team. When contractual conflicts forced the original leading man to quit just prior to the start of production, Chuah stepped into the role.
Chuah has been practicing martial arts since the age of nine. He later joined the Chin Woo Athletic Association, the same association founded by Huo Yuan-jia, as depicted in the Jet Li movie FEARLESS. Chuah became state representative for his native Kuala Lumpur in wushu meets.
Three years ago, Chuah founded the Evo Stunt Team to provide stunt work for commercials and movies in Malaysia.
FIST OF DRAGON is set for release in March of 2010 in China, Singapore and Malaysia.
Source: The Star Online
Tags: Fist of Dragon (2010), Michael Chuah, upcoming
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