Tony, John Woo and Takeshi Kaneshiro in " Bokura no Jid

[anny]

Tony, John Woo and Takeshi Kaneshiro shot interview at The Peninsula Tokyo for Fuji network TV program"Bokura no Jidai".
I found this TV program in YouTube.

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=-RI94SsXCJs&feature=PlayList&p=9FB78AADC031B467&index=0&playnext=1
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=ogsEe3J0qMM&feature=PlayList&p=9FB78AADC031B467&index=1
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxq0cophzHg&feature=PlayList&p=9FB78AADC031B467&index=2

[Eri]

Thank you anny for the link.

This is very interesting program.
Mixture of Japanese Cantonese and Mandarin.

I will translate when I got time.

[anny]

Thank you, Eri.
I'm looking forward to reading your translation.

anny

[Safran]

Dear anny and eri !
I thank you very much too and I´m looking forward your translation - whenever possible.
Of course I couldn´t understand anything, but had the impression the 3 movie-giants were very relaxed and are good connected with each other -a congruous conversation.
Bye

[Yuka]

Thank you for posting you tube !
I wish they didn't dub Tony's voice in Japanese....
I liked the part where he talked about his marriage

[anny]

They were relaxed very much and talked happily.
But when they talked about movies, they were very earnest.
I felt the passion that they had for movies.

anny

[Eri]

The title of of this program "Bokurano Jidai" means "Our Generation". Usually 3 people in the same generation talk about their experiences, but this time specially 3 people involved with the movie "Red Cliff" are talking about themselves and their ideas about movies.
I translated the conversation based on the Japanese subtitles and dubbed sound in Japanese, (and as I know it is always not so easy to find suitable words in one language to another) so there might be some mistakes or misunderstanding.
You can hear the original sound in the background, so if you can understand Cantonese or Mandarin and think of more suitable translations, please feel free to add any comments.

T: Tony
J: John Woo
K: Takeshi Kaneshiro

Part 1

Introducing Takeshi Kaneshiro's movies.

Narration : Takeshi Kaneshiro can speak 5 languages (Japanese Taiwanese Mandarin English and Cantonese, I think) and had been working in different places like Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Japan. He is an international actor in Asia.

K: The first time I worked with him, I couldn't see him straight into his eyes. Standing in front of him and acting, I felt awkward and I didn't know why.

Narration : The actor who has the eyes which made Kaneshiro feel awkward is Tony Leung. He won the best actor award in Cannes for Wong Ka Wai's "In the Mood for Love" and was the leading role of "Lust Caution" which won the best award at Venice last year.

Introducing Tony's movies.

Narration : And the director who both of them respect is John Woo.

Introducing John Woo's movies.

Narration : John Woo, whose movies "A Better Tomorrow" was very much valued in Hong Kong and later moved his base to Hollywood to do lots of big projects there.

Tonight, three talented man from Asia are coming off the screen and talking freely.

T: You and Takeshi, how did you meet at the first time ?

J: I met him in Tokyo at the first time.

K: Yes, in Tokyo. I remember he invited me for a dinner when he visited Tokyo for "Face Off" promotion. I didn't know why, but he invited me. I was also working in Tokyo at the time. I was very surprised by this invitation, and because I wanted to see him as I am his fan myself, I went out for the dinner. I didn't know what to say. At the end of the dinner, he asked me "What kind of movies are you interested in doing ?" I answered "Comedy", and he laughed, then my manager who was sitting next me pinched my thigh and whispered "Say action movie !".
That was how we met at the first time.

When I first met Tony san, I was a singer and promoting my record. Tony san was also a singer and just released a new album and he did promotion at the same place. At that time it was very interesting. Tony san was wearing skirt for this promotion.

J: Around that time, I had already moved to the US.

T: Had you moved to the US already then ?

J: So I didn't know Tony was singing.

K: Just after that, or around that time, we were both working on "Chung King Express". We were in the same movie but we didn't have any scene together in that. So actually we worked together much later in "Confession of Pain".
At first I was very nervous, I couldn't see straight into his eyes when I was acting in front of him. I didn't know why I felt awkward.
Tony san is also very shy off the camera, but when he is acting, he is into the role very much and his feeling is so strong, maybe that's because of that.

J: I also remember when we first met. We were both very nervous.

K: I was nervous, but how could a great director like you be nervous ?

J: I was more nervous than you. I was very excited to see you and I had been watching your movies and looking at your photos before and thought "He is very handsome and talented, also very lively and sophisticated. I really want to see him".
So when you said "Comedy", I imagined actors like Peter O'Toole, Gregory Peck, and Cary Grant. These actors are very lively and sophisticated.

T: How about your first impression of me ? Was it when I was working in your movie ?

J: Yes, at that time.

T: My first impression of you was when I watched "A Better Tomorrow" on the opening day. I didn't know what it's like, but after watching it that evening, I thought "How interesting ! Who is John Woo ?". I hadn't seen your movies before so it was the first time I watched your movie. It was really great. After that, I personally was getting know you when I was on your movie.

Narration: When they were shooting the movie "Hard Boiled", a small piece of glass got into Tony's eye and he was nearly blinded.

J: I found out about it later, but you got a small piece of glass in your eye when we were shooting a big gunfire scene. Your eye was bleeding and you couldn't see for a week after that, but you continued to take that scene.

T: It was only a few days.

J: I was moved very much that time. As an actor you had sacrificed yourself for the movie.

T: At that time, you were already a great director and I couldn't stop you. I knew that the scene needed a whole day's preparation, so I thought I should continue and finish that scene even if I would faint. Anyway, we had to do it again on another day, if we couldn't, so I felt I should continue if it was up to me.

[Eri]

Part 2

Narration: The three of them, international movie makers, but when they started, they came from three different ways.

J: Takeshi, why did you become an actor ?

K: Why I became an actor ? When I was about 15 or 16, I was scouted on the street to have a camera test to be a model for CM. I didn't have so much pocket money and I wanted to buy a motor bike, so I thought "give it a try".
At first, I was an Idol singer, so released some records, did singing and dancing. It was quite common at that time, to be an actor after releasing some records and getting some popularity. So I tried acting. That was a start.
My first movie was "Wonder Girls" and I was only appearing at 3 scenes, and the last scene, I was already killed and beheaded so I was just a head on stand. Anthony Wong wanted to have my head, so he killed me and kept my head. I didn't move at all and Anthony kissed me. That was my first movie.

Although it was not so nice at the first time, I decided to work as an actor seriously. Because I wasn't trained to be an actor, I didn't know how to act or how to control my feelings. I could only find out about these from experiences.

T: I think most of actors pass the audition, or just happen to be in this business. I am not an exception, but I was young and tried anything. The job I was doing then didn't have much prospect, so when I got the chance, I felt I should go for it. At that time, I sometimes felt I would be doing the same thing even after 10 years later. Then I got the chance to to go to the training course for actors. Even after entering the course, I couldn't find any objective, but I thought acting wasn't so bad.
It's expressing my own feelings. Because I don't talk much and keep all the things inside myself, I didn't know how to express my feeling in daily life. After I started acting, I could release my tension and pressure thru acting. This made me feel better. I didn't think about becoming a good actor. It was just fine by me if it was enjoyable every time.

J: I also didn't want to be a director. I wanted to be a Priest.

K: What ?

J: As I am a Catholic and studied at a Monastery school to become a Priest. But my class mate told me that because I like movies, music and paintings, I am too artistic to become a Priest. They knew that I wouldn't be a good Priest and told me to study arts in stead. So I thought if I can be an editor or a cameraman, I would be satisfied. I didn't think I could be a director. In 60's movie industry, unless you know someone in the business, those students like me who studied theory of movie making didn't have a chance to be a director.
I did direct my first movie when I was 26 years old. I was one of the youngest dorectors at the time, so I was very lucky.

Narration: John Woo moved to Holywood and continued to do prominent works, but Tony and Takeshi stay in Asia even though they are fluent in English, Why do they choose to stay in Asia ?

T: Don't you think that the Asian movies influenced world movies a lot in last 10 years or so ?

J: I think it is both ways. I think actors in Hong Kong or Taiwan are quite often influenced by movies made in Western world.
Specially actors in Hong Kong are very flexible and the way to express feelings, like using eye movement and mood to show their feelings inside them.

T: I think we need to inspire Western movies by creating a new way of expression. But actor's ability to influence is quite limited. Not as big as director's. There is a limitation for actors. For example, directors moved to Western world from Asia can make a movie in his way, but Chinese actors cannot use their ability to the maximum in the movies in the Western world. They don't create a story specially for an asian actor. Even if they do, they don't see from Chinese people's point of view. Although I don't say there isn't any, probably as few as only one in hundred. On the other hand, it is same for Hong Kong movies, usually don't use Western actors for the main roles.

K: I think a good point in working in Asia is that even if you are working in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, it is much easier to work with than working with Western actors. I also think it is more fun and free. There aren't strict rules. It is not like "You should do in this way". I don't know exactly, but I guess there are more strict rules in Western movie industry and you have to follow these rules.

J: I think in Hollywood, some producers are very objective, even if they like Asian actors like Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro or Jacky Chen, Chow Yun Fat, and respected them, they still have preconception. They can't get away from the stereotype images. In old Hollywood movies, Japanese or Chinese always have a long moustache and when they are appearing on the screen, you can hear typical Chinese music with the sound of Gong in the background. (laugh)
This is the mater of the image. Still I think there are lots of similarities between Asian actors and Western actors, so I can work with them happily. I worked with Nicolas Cage just like I worked with Tony Leung.

T: There is a big restriction on the subject, but Asian movies influenced a lot on other countries movies. For Example, how many times Akira Kurosawa's movies were contributed to the other countries' movies ? After Kurosawa, John Woo, Wong Ka Wai, etc. More recently "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" by Ang Lee or "Infernal Affair" were also influenced and inspired them.

[Eri]

Part 3

J: My life has been very lucky.I had a chance to move to Hollywood and made some Hollywood movies. At the time I was offered to work in Hollywood, I decided to go there by two reasons. One is for my work and another was for my family.
I had been making movies in Hong Kong for a long time, and I wanted to learn something new. For my family, I thought the children's education was very important. I also like a quiet life. I like going back to home to do some cooking, walking and thinking in quiet environment.

T: You mean simple life ?

J: Simpler is better.

T: I also like a simple life.

J: That's why I like American life style. So I moved to the US for myself and my family. Also to have a quiet environment to do something for myself or thinking. I think it is very good thing for me.

T: As an actor as well, I have changed a lot this year specially after I got married. I was just a young lad before but now I am a husband and feel like I am a man. I used to think the marriage doesn't make any difference, because we were together for 18 years, but it made a difference. My way of thinking changed, and I feel stronger responsibility. So even as an actor, I entered the new stage. I think I can do more matured, man like character than before. Not childish ones.

J: You change even more when you have a child.

T: That's not happened yet, but I think I will change then.

J: It is a good thing to change.

T: Yes, I think so. I feel more like a man now.

J: You are like Chau Yu in "Red Cliff" now.

Introducing "Red cliff"

T: Was the "Red Cliff" the hardest one to shoot for you ?

J: Yes, it was.

T: I think in your previous movies, you didn't use so many people and cameras.

J: I used 13 cameras at maximum when I shoot "Wind Talkers", we needed two days for rehearsal, and setting 200 to 300 explosive took about a week for shooting a big battle scene. That was a very big scale scene, but not as big as "Red Cliff".

T: So much bigger ?

J: As you know, we did shoot when the weather wasn't good. We did in the hottest time and the coldest time.
There were some people injured as well.

K: It wasn't as hard as others for me, because I was Hung Ming who did not fight. I wanted to act him as a noble and sophisticated man, but I didn't want to do that only by movement by something else, and I thought that was the reason to do this role for me.
When I saw Tony and you, specially Tony, it looked very hard. Getting up at 4 or 5 every morning waiting for make-up and wearing an armer.

T: Now I can say it was not a big deal. Every time when I am working on movie, it is very hard, but once finished, I forget them all. If I recall how I felt then, "Wa, it is too hot. I don't need the money. I pay you back the money if I can leave now".
(Laugh) But when I finished I felt like it wasn't so hard.

J: I think Takeshi is too modest.

K: No, I am not.

J: Yes, I know that your role is not easy, one of the most difficult roles. I was moved when I saw you preparing a lot to do this role and reading a lot of reference books about Hung Ming.

K: But you have to read about all those characters, and I have to do the research on only one person. That's different.

J: I wasn't expected you did that. I know a lot of actors are well prepared, but you did a lot on very small details like how to move the fan. I am sure it wasn't easy to do.

K: At that time, I thought all the movement was very important for that role, but I wasn't sure even something like how to turn back. Then you told us to relax and act lively. I thought that was very important thing for the movie. That's why it was made like the audiences are now watching. If you didn't say that, I would just memorized the script in old Chinese and couldn't say those properly, also didn't know how to behave. As I knew he was a very famous character and I didn't know how I can act him perfectly. So you made Hung Ming and Chau Yu's relationship like that helped me a lot.

[katwoman64]

Hi Eri,
Thank you very much!
I've seen the show. It is interesting to see Tony when he speaks his own language. He is more lively. However, he is an observer, not a speaker. He listen carefully, thinks a bit, then says something meaningful and proper. Interesting personality. There was also that small bit of Lust, Caution in wich he goes wit Tang W. to the jewelers and he poses a hand on the small of her back. I didn't remember, but that is a typical gesture that a man does to claim thata a woman is, or is going to be, his. A signal for other men, the woman itself and, most of all, hew himself. Reassuring.
John Woo seems like the wise Yoda, and before of your translation I imagined him talking like, "Danger there is much of. Come for you the dark side will...". He also has a professor attitude (my impressions are about their body attitude, not what they were saying), and is evident that he is used to give directions. The three of them are obviously used to be in front of a camera, so they were relaxed and very true.
Takeshi comes out as a very outspoken, easygoing personality. I think that he is handomness on legs, with dimples to top it all. But I also espect from him performances Tony's like, that didn't happen so far. So I'm looking forward to watch this Red Cliff. By the way, who is his hairdresser? Does he hate him? And before you start telling me bad words, I just say that I have the same haircut. Mine is better, of course!
Dear Eri, thanks again
Devilish Kat

[Yuka]

Thank you Eri san,
This is definitely a tough translation !!!!
Switching 3 languages in a short period of time.
I felt really strange when I heard Tony’s dubbed voice in Japanse “Wakazou” for “a lad”
But when it is translated into English it doesn’t sound strange at all.
It’s nice to see three of them without interviewer.

Yuka

[Eri]

Thanks for your comment, katwoman64.

I don't know who is Takeshi's hairdresser, but I guess some Japanese models are having that kind of hair style deliberately. It might be a left over from his model days. Or because of the Japanese stylist's image of him. (He is not the same when he is in Taiwan and Japan.)

Hi, Yuka.

As I wrote, I am not completely sure if the Japanese translation is all right, so in the process of changing from Chinese-Japanese-English, the nuance of the words might have changed. It is always so much better to understand original language and that's why I am learning Cantonese.


By the way, I got the impression that John Woo and Tony's conversation sometimes slipped off (because John Woo couldn't understand what Tony really wanted to say).
I guessed that's the exact reason why John Woo is happy to stay in Hollywood but Tony is not going there, besides the reasons Tony mentioned.

[Eri]

In the recent interview in Beijing, Tony said "He had asked one of his favorite writers in New York to write script for him, and this project still continues. He is not in hurry to take a movie in the US."

http://www.singtao.com/archive/fullstory.asp?andor=or&year1=2008&month1=11&day1=8&year2=2008&month2=11&day2=8&category=f&id=20081108f05&keyword1=&keyword2=

(Tony met him in New York)
http://www.tonyleung.info/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3051&highlight=york

Lawrence Block's site (Read FAQs. He is so humorous.)
http://www.lawrenceblock.com/index_flash.htm

As Tony always says, he is not willing to take any uninspiring role offered in Hollywood. He would like to make a movie that can show a new way of expression and inspire others. I thought he really wanted to explain that to John Woo in this program, and would prepare to be a producer himself for doing that in the future.

[summertime]

Thank you for that very lengthy translation Eri

Such a dizzying array of languages LOL

Tony spoke Cantonese.

John Woo spoke about 2/3 Cantonese - either talking to Tony one-on-one or addressing Tony and Takeshi; and about 1/3 Mandarin - either one-on-one with Takeshi or talking to them both.

Takeshi started off in Japanese, but then spoke Mandarin most of the time - there was also a tiny bit of Cantonese.

[Eri]

Hello summertime

Do you understand what they said in original sound ?

I think they were talking in 3 different languages with simultaneous interpreter at first, but then they decided it was easier to talk directly, using Cantonese and Mandarin.

It is also strange but sometimes original sound with subtitles and sometimes dubbed in Japanese. I don't know why.