[2015.03.06] NO RETIREMENT FOR JACKIE CHAN AS LONG AS HE CAN MOVE

Jackie Chan says that he thinks about death sometimes.

Jackie Chan tells Jaycee Chan to treat him well in life instead of after death, like he did with his father (center)

Jackie Chan and a Roman legion in DRAGON BLADE

A sandstorm halts production on DRAGON BLADE 

At age 62 Jackie Chan says that he will still risk his life

ARMOR OF GOD

NEW POLICE STORY

SHINJUKU INCIDENT was not a box office hit but it was so well made that it was still memorable to Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan prefers MIRACLE over POLICE STORY

Jackie Chan cannot see a third film for DRUNKEN MASTER

Jackie Chan never thinks about retirement because he really loves film
courtesy of on.cc

Jackie Chan's new film DRAGON BLADE has been scheduled for a release this month in Hong Kong. This film opened first in the Mainland and already accumulated over 600 million yuan RMB. 7 years of planning and the 400 million budget should more or less put pressure on the box office performance, but Jackie Chan could not care less.

"Actually I don't have much pressure when I make movies now, I really don't much care about the performance. From over 70 million before to now this film reaching 500 million in only a few days of release, this record conceivably will be maintained for awhile. Yet two years from now, the Mainland will become the world's top box office, then the big screen numbers will rise to 40,000 and my cinemas will go from 25 now to over 30. This current record to me doesn't mean much, we have to make some movies to compete with other nations. Even if the production can't catch up to 1 on 1, we still have to give people the impression that we can rival Hollywood."

"I wouldn't be after the box office like when I was young, when I even fought (Sammo) Hung Kam Bo and Karl Maka. After I won I went to the U.S. to fight Stallone, but I was no match for their big productions. At my age why do I still have to fight? Now I feel making a good film is more important than the box office, I want to put my heart into a film that will endure. I want every one to be a classic. Like SHINJUKU INCIDENT (SUN SHOOK SI GEIN), the box office might not be great but I did great. I already felt that it was very memorable. DRAGON BLADE had both word of mouth and box office, win win of course is good. Actually another hundred million to me doesn't mean much now, if I lose I will make it back with the next one. If I lose a few more, I just won't invest myself. I will just be an actor and take a salary for a movie."

"Now I have eight movies waiting for me. Earlier when I made POLICE STORY 2013 I already asked Tong Kwai Lai to work on KUNG, while working on DRAGON I asked the screen writer to work on the next film. CZ12 2 will also have a lot of action, but I might be 64 or 65 when its production begins. Hollywood MGM also wanted to make a Shanghai story. I also have RUSH HOUR 4. These are all movies that I like. A good script is hard to come back, I won't let go."

Jackie Chan said that he now can work on subjects that he likes and talked about his future film plans. "Next month I will work on the (Stanley) Tong Kwai Lai directed KUNG FU YOGA. We will go to India and work with a film company there. I don't just work with Hollywood, I have to open my eyes to the world. The investment will be enormous. At the same time I also asked DRAGON BLADE's director (Daniel) Lee Yan Kong to prepare for another film. Retirement? No such thing. As long as I can move I move. Hollywood's Clint Eastwood is still active in the film industry at age 84, Stallone is still fighting at age 68!"

Although he has already "landed" (in the 60s), Jackie Chan was not worried about physical problems. "I don't see myself retiring in the next 5 years, but I really am very, very scared. Actually I would always ask myself when I would retire, when would be the best time to retire. Why did I sudden say CZ12 would be my last big action film? Because of the injury last time, I really don't hope to spend the rest of my life in a wheel chair. I would think if I unfortunately fall again, would I really to die to retire? Or do I have to have a movie with zero box office to retire? I really don't know, so I don't think about it. As long as I have offers I keep working. Ah Giu (Joan Lin) has never asked me to rest. I always sent her photos, to show her how hard I am working. Yet she only replied, 'You enjoy it'."

Jackie Chan did not feel that he was a Lunar New Year film box office champion guarantee. He explained, "Some films made even more, like (Vicki) Zhao Wei's SO YOUNG that made several hundred million with only a budget of a little more than ten million. Now there is no box office to speak of, it's not the era when everyone wanted to become a hundred million yuan director. Now 300 million is already considered death! Some films could made over 1 billion, but you wouldn't remember what kind of films they were. Feng Xiaogang worked so hard on 1942 but only made 300 million. He was so upset that he went to make IF YOU ARE THE ONE and made 700 million. However he would never mention this film. His office only had the 1942 poster; now when I make movies I don't look at money, if I did it for money I would have made RUSH HOUR 4 a long time ago. Now I would only make a movie when I have a good script, I hope to be able to make going like with the POLICE STORY series. Some films can have sequels, but some can't; like DRUNKEN MASTER, I can't see a third film."

Recently Jackie Chan, Hollywood stars John Cusack and Adrien Brody worked together on DRAGON BLADE. Actually when Jackie Chan and Lee Yan Kong discussed the script, he was drawn to the story's "turning enemies into friends, co-existing for peace" theme. Thus he was willing to raise US$ 60 million for the production. H will invest any bonus into his next film. Jackie Chan had nothing but praise for his Hollywood co-stars, saying that Adrien Brody could not be more evil. Even off camera he was still in character. As for John Cusack, Jackie Chan could not imagine that a crying scene would stump him. "In one scene I shot him with an arrow. Because of angles it was shot in parts. The director wanted me to cry to a certain level, and had to repeat it several times. John Cusack was on the set, it would be very awkward if I couldn't cry. He knew and asked if he could helped me with anything. Then he acted with me behind the camera, basically playing his own role. In the end my emotions came immediately. He really is amazing!"

Jackie Chan pointed out that his most recognized representative work had to be POLICE STORY, but he liked MIRACLE (KEI JIK). Jackie Chan said, "Whether costumes or prop, not a single detail was overlooked. Only one shot was done in 7 days. At the time many people guest starred, but many are already dead. Sooner or later even I would be dead, but I already am OK with death. No one is ore OK with it than me. When Father was at the hospital, I told him that after he died I wouldn't visit his grave. I wouldn't want to waste time in traffic jam. I also wouldn't burn any offering to him. I wouldn't want to waste money and ruin the environment. At the time Father agreed, saying that I already treated him very well now and I wouldn't need to go. I immediately to Cho Ming (Jaycee Chan), however I treat his grandpa is the way he should treat me! I told him not to visit (my grave), just treat me a little better is enough now."

Speaking of death, Jackie Chan said that he had no taboo. He even had thoughts about whether he would be better off dead. He said, "Look at the stars of the past, when they passed from old age they just passed. Yet like (Anita) Mui Yim Fong and (Leslie) Cheung Kwok Wing, they suddenly left and suddenly became legends. Thus I would constantly think about why I should retire, how I should die. However I have made films for 45 years, people are still watching despite how old I am. It is almost a miracle, even I feel ashamed. If I really died from a car crash or plane crash, I would have no regret. I can answer to myself, and I have done a lot of good for the nation, the earth and mankind." Some said that last year was his birth sign year so nothing went his way, but he was not too superstitious. Jackie Chan said, "Actually the response to my CONCERT FOR PEACE was great, only afterward my son got into trouble, my cinematographer died, then my half sister also passed away, and Yao Beina who was originally scheduled to sing my film theme song also died. However everything has been great so far after the New Year." Did he feel that he could tough out any obstacle in life? He had reservations. "Don't say that, everyday has different changes. It's very hard to say what else will come charging (at me)."

Lately Jackie Chan has been called the "Patriotic Actor". He has publicly admitted that he was patriotic. Although he stated that not every film subject would revolve around patriotism, he absolutely was not afraid of being labeled "patriotic actor". He said, "Actually everyone can check the history. 40 years ago when I made THE YOUNG MASTER (SI DAI CHOOK MA) it was already about patriotism. Why only now am I labeled a patriot? Also, shouldn't we be patriotic? So what if I am patriotic?" Mainland netizens also chose his shampoo commercial as the trendiest secondary creative work. He did not mind. "I didn't think about it when I made it. I talked fast and turned two words into 'Duang'. After so many years what storm haven't I seen, you can make fun of me, you can say I drop dead and it's no big deal. I want to thank them, and I wouldn't be scared off from making another commercial."

He admitted that after 45 years in film, he indeed had some regrets. Now he has none. He said, "I once wanted to make 'Overload of Chu', but as long as someone already made it I wouldn't make it. Before if someone made it before, I wanted to make it better than his. Now I wouldn't. I have my own road. I can make what others can't, you can ask me to make certain subjects and I can't, I wouldn't. All the movies that I make now are very meaningful, word of mouth is the most important. However in the end I will definitely try a pure drama. Will Smith has already given me a script. Although it will take half a year, it can be made at any time. I only hope that Will Smith will be able to personally direct."