John Cusack, reading Discover magazine and packing heat are not going to help you get into China.
Harvey Weinstein is doing a tour of Asia! No, not just because it’s a fun thing to do for wealthy film execs. Actually, PageSix is reporting that the Weinstein Co. film Shanghai has had its permit revoked by the Chinese government, and now the studio is in search of a new location.
(I know, it’s Page Six, which does mean it’s possible that Harvey just ordered in Vietnamese food instead of Chinese one night, but trust me, this sounds plausible. Stay with me, folks.)
The Weinstein Co. had been planning to shoot Shanghai, which they describe as an “Asian Casablanca” (ummm, probably not a good idea to compare yourself with one of the great Hollywood classics), in the city of its title. The pic, which stars John Cusack, along with Asian stars Gong Li, Ken Watanabe, and Chow-Yun Fat, is about “an American in Japanese-occupied Shanghai during World War II investigating the death of a friend.” But that plan has to change. As Weinstein explained:
“After spending three months in Shanghai doing pre-production, China decided they didn’t want us there. They took our permit away.”
Apparently, Focus Features’ racy Lust, Caution has caused problems for other international films that planned to shoot in China, with six other permits supposedly being pulled as well. Lust, Caution can’t even be shown in China due to its sexually explicit content (well, shown in theaters…look for it on bootleg DVDs everywhere). Good to know the Chinese government is so moral. Yes, glad to know the important things are being taken care of. Lust, Caution star Tang Wei has been blacklisted in China; her co-star Tony Leung has apparently managed to escape censure and can still get work. This is either due to a reserve of good credit from Leung’s long career, or almost laughably blatant sexism. Probably some of both.
The Weinstein Co. searched other locations in Asia and now looks likely to shoot Shanghai in Thailand. Producer Mike Medavoy isn’t letting the change of venue cause any hard feelings, though:
“We have the greatest respect for China, and ‘Shanghai’ will look to capture and celebrate this great country.”
Wow! Why so magnanimous, Mike? Is it because you were born in Shanghai and have a soft spot in your heart for China? Or because the Weinstein Co. has raised $285 million for the purpose of making films in China using local actors (first film from that effort is the Jet Li-Jackie Chan starrer Forbidden Kingdom)? Probably a little of the former, and a lot of the latter. The Weinstein Co. and anyone involved with them can’t afford to really fight back, complain about or otherwise call out the Chinese Government. They’re too heavily invested.
And what else is on their Asian initiative docket? Sit down and pour yourself a drink–a remake of the 1956 Kurosawa classic The Seven Samurai, with Philip Noyce reportedly in talks to direct. Do we really need this? Do we? Sure, The Magnificent Seven worked out great and can stand alone, but a remake of Kurosawa’s film? Why? I just don’t see the point. What would you do so differently that this new remake could stand on its own? If you don’t do something drastically different, then why set yourself up for a comparison where you’ll inevitably come out the lesser of the two? I wish I still had that April Fool’s joke possibility to work with.
I Love You…there I said it. I have 54 John Cusack movies. I love every one. What I wanted to tell him was and I know he doesn’t want to talk about this. I just wanted to say that here where I live, in a very small town. When a boy/girlfriend break up, we do not see, speak, or wave to the other one anymore after that. It is like you never knew them at all. And what’s really weird is that when they get a new girl, they intentionally show up where you are at to like show you they are with someone else. It’s really bizarre. I just wanted to say that I think it is admirable that it appears like you can still have a friendship after the break up. or at least say” hi, how are you?”