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By Kristin Lootens
Director, producer, writer, and international star Stephen Chow talks about his latest action-comedy Shaolin Soccer , which hits American theaters this summer. Q: How did you come up with the idea for this script—to combine soccer and Kung Fu? A: Well to make an action Kung Fu film is always my dream and what's always in my mind is-how can you make it new and make it different from the many others. Using Kung Fu to combine with any other element is the one of the main topic we're always thinking abut. And I think soccer fit with the martial art because in a soccer game that—if you think of the soccer player—they use every part of the body. They use the head, and they use the hand, and the body, and they kick, so I think soccer is just perfect with Kung Fu. Q: I've read that you usually cast your friends in your movies. Did you do the same for Shaolin Soccer ? Did you use any real soccer players? A: The Shaolin brothers in the film are mostly untrained newcomers; actually they are people from the office! So they are NOT soccer players. The fat guy is my scriptwriter, the stockbroker guy is my production manager and the goalkeeper was the dance instructor for the 「Michael Jackson」 dance number before I recruited him to play a Bruce Lee look-alike goalie. (It was perfect because we had to put him in the Game of Death costume and the goalie is the one who can wear a special uniform). In terms of finding talent, I try to bring out the funniest thing I notice about them during casting, if it made us laugh at the casting, it will also do on the big screen. Q: Did you play soccer prior to this movie? A: I don't really play but I watch the game everyday on the TV so— I myself—I'm not a soccer player but I—of course, I can kick the ball, but (laughs) I'm not qualified for that. I played a long time ago when I was student in primary school and I play soccer for like a year. That's it. Q: How long did you train before you started filming? A: One year, but I was not really focused on the skill to play soccer—but training to shape up your body. you can have—like you fit enough to handle it and more like flexibility of your body. Q: I understand you do your own voiceover work—how and when did you learn to speak English? A: This is first time and it's very difficult, but Miramax sent me an instructor to correct my pronunciations during the dubbing. Q: I want to talk about the technology you used—How did you create the scene where the soccer ball turns into a flame and then a tiger (what kind of special effects were used)? A: The company that worked on all the great CG was "Centro Digital Pictures Ltd.", they are the leading effects house in Hong Kong. Recently they did work on Zhang Yimou's Hero . They won Best Visual Effects with the film. We needed to show the devastating power of a flying soccer ball so it's only with CG can it be possible. Actually the "over the top" CG and kinetic soccer moves were an inspiration that came from a classic Japanese anime called "Captain Tsubasa". The animation was very big in Hong Kong over ten years ago when it sweeped kids of all ages and even adults loved it. It has a cult following in Europe as well. But it was only possible with pen and ink back then, now with the advent of CGI, it can really be done....(the idea of combining it with Kung Fu was in my head for many years but we had to wait for the CG technology to mature). The scene is trying to emphasize the power of the ball and it's so powerful. So to go like a flash, like a rocket and end up becoming an animal is just a way to express this power. Of course, with the special effects involved that makes it funny and powerful. Q: Were you in the process when they were editing? A: Yeah—everything done is under my idea. I don't think this soccer movie can be done like ten years ago without special effects. Q: What are some of the other techniques or tricks do you use while shooting —were there – A: Wires? Yeah, of course. I think something—nowadays technology and also the traditional way to do the stunt, like a lot of wire and very good action director, Ching Siu-Tung, and the special effects—it's all a combination. He was the same action director as The Hero —you know, the Chinese martial art film. Q: Do you think people are drawn to the movie because of the martial arts aspect or because it's a comedy, because soccer is popular, or because of the love story— A: All of that. You've given a perfect answer. Some people just like it because it's soccer and some people just like the comedy, and some people like special effect, and some people like the drama. I read a lot of critics in Asia that they think it is not only a comedy but also a drama. And you find I don't know how to say in English—I'm sorry—you just—after you watch a movie, then you—it's some kind of feeling— like a long time ago, after watching a movie, I was full of energy and I just wanted to go learn Kung-fu—you know I kicking and punching, you know. A feeling like that. It's something. Some kind of thing like when you explode. After you watch a movie and you're full of energy and you so confident of yourself and you think you can make it. That you can solve any problems. Q: Are there any films in particular that made you want to make comedies? A: Yeah but I want you to understand that in Hong Kong, there is a lot of film and movies showing every night—after midnight, after hours and a lot of show, which is movie form the past. Like from the 60's or 70's. And there is a lot of great actors and a lot of great acting. And a lot of comedy and comedians from them. So—of course, in Hong Kong—everybody know who they are but I'm afraid that it's hard to tell you which one and which movie and who it is that I admire all the time—but I just want to tell you—I watch a lot old movies, traditional old movie. Q: What films have influenced your career? A: It was all the classic Cantonese films of the 40s and 50s, much like Hollywood Classical Cinema. These black and white movies would be played in late late night when I grew up (and even now), a lot of them portrayed sort of the working class romance and comedy, performed by some of the greatest actors we ever had. Q: Do you aspire to make movies in America? A: I would love to do that. I've never tried before. My theory—my point is I would go for ANYTHING that I have never done before. Like this. Q: Is there anyone you would love to work with? A: I want to work with Steven Spielberg, all time favorite. And of course, the director of Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis). I think he is great director. And also of course, Tom Hanks, he's a great actor. And Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro is so well known by all Asian people. There's a lot. Q: What is your favorite aspect of directing? A: I just love it, I just love it. I just like it. I don't know why. I think it's—I don't know why. Sometimes you just can't explain —you just like it. I was—I'm an actor. A long time ago, I still remember one day that I just. I was just acting as normal, but I was just asking about the camera—what is the position, what is the camera location, then the director told me that it is not- it something more than an actor should know about. And the director told me 『you are asking me something about the directing role. Because where is the camera is not something that should concern you.' But I just wanted to know, and I don't know why, but from that time, they told me that you are—you—the thing that I am potential for a director. But I don't know why—I just want to know where is the camera and why don't you put it right here? Is it better than right there? It's all the questions—just kept on running through my mind. So then I just directed on my own. I make a decision that the camera right here and camera right there. Q: So you like having the decision? A: Yep. Q: Which director encouraged you? A: Actually, his name is Jeff Lau—one of the very good directors for comedy in Hong Kong, I think. And he is the first one to tell me about my directing role and he's the first one to encourage me to go for it. And he told me 『you are someone more than an actor—why don't you just go for directing.」 He's the one—Jeff. I worked with him a number of pictures but it was an early point in my career when I did " God of Gamblers II " when Jeff started to encourage me about directing. Q: I like the romance between Sing and Mui in the film. Do you enjoy playing a romantic role? A: Yes, very much so. Thank you, thank you. Thanks for mentioning that. I'd like to tell you people loved the movie because of the romance. But I'm not sure about that—so I don't dare tell you what I think— but if you ask me for that—and you give me more confidence to talk about the love scenes—the romance scenes—I don't understand —I act as a comedian right now—because I'm handsome and I'm so romantic, and I just don't understand why people when they see me—What's so funny? (laughing) I don't understand why people, especially in Hong Kong and China and Asia, why they—how they find me funny. And why they all laugh when they see me—I don't understand. Q: Why they think you're funny in romantic roles or funny in general? A: Yeah—they just laugh, they just laugh. When people feel and laughing without reason, you feel good actually. Is it something wrong with my face or attitude? I think I'm normal. But it's not true. It's not true, I don't think I'm handsome. It's a joke. Don't write it down o.k. I'm just a normal person. And I don't think I have the traditional comedian—especially in China and Asia and they just look funny. They look funny Q: Asian comedians look funny? A: Yeah—the traditional regular comedians—they all look funny. You know it's funny—like fat or lean or—it's a specific image for the comedian. Always—like that—especially in Asia. But I think I'm just normal. I don't find myself that funny. No, actually, I don't think at all. But I just don't understand— how funny? What's the funny thing that I have? And also—the way I make film—the way I make movie—- it's not like, you know, usuallypeople separate those two—comedy and drama. Q: Separate romance and comedy? A: Yeah. comedy or a drama—you know. Either way—it is comedy and is a drama. But for me—the line between those two styles is blurred. It's not clear at all. In fact, when I make my own movie, I don't think it of it as a comedy or a drama. Like I don't need to make it funny because it's a comedy or I don't –I just go for it. Like maybe sometime—it could be touching, but sometime it could be like making people laugh—at the same time. So if you ask me—I don't look upon my own work as a comedy. It's just a story and you'll laugh and maybe you'll be touched. Ad maybe you cry for that—I'm so happy to make you cry if I can. Q: There are many websites out there that call you the 「cutest」 actor/comedian in China—what do you think about that? A: It's very cute. (laughs) Q: How do you feel about that? A: Well I think it's cool. Q: There must be a lot of female fans. A: I wish (laughs)
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