Jackie Chan hopes to wow Chinese
Martial arts star Jackie Chan is to release a film in China in an attempt to appeal to an untapped market of cinema goers.
Chan made his name in Hollywood with such pictures as “Rush Hour” with Chris Tucker and “Shanghai Noon” with Owen Wilson.
However, he admits his films have not fared well in China.
This is part of the reason he is promoting and releasing his latest movie, The Medallion, in Beijing and not in Tinseltown.
“It is simply hard to cater to both western and eastern tastes at the same time,” he says.
“I came to do the premiere in Beijing not because the plot caters more to the Chinese audience, but that I see there is a growing, big film market in China.”
Kung fu blockbuster
The Medallion, which cost $35 million to make, is another of his kung fu-style action pictures and sees him obtaining supernatural powers after a good deed, the paper said.
It teams him with British comic Lee Evans and was shot mainly in Hong Kong in cooperation with Chinese directors.
Despite his action hero image, in real life, Asia’s hottest star says he is meek and superstitious.
“I have never tried riding on a rollercoaster for fun, being afraid of any accidents, just in case.”
Breaking bones
But all this changes when the martial arts stunt star gets on set.
“Once I enter the movie site I am ready to do any move by myself. I have no fear at all because I know that the camera records everything,” he told the Beijing Weekend newspaper.
“It does not matter to me if my arms or legs are broken then.”