Producer Bill Kong’s Blood
The renowned producer Bill Kong gave a friendly and informative interview about his new film Blood: The Last Vampire. The conversation took place over the phone, from Hong Kong! He is obviously super busy but was able to fit in a great conversation with Asiance Magazine not only about the recent film Blood (and the film’s beautiful actresses) but also his role as producer of such epic films as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero and his upcoming projects, which includes working with Zhang Yimou, director of the Beijing Summer Olympics. It is exciting to see what other films will unfold!
Blood: The Last Vampire is an action film based on the original Japanese Animé series.
‘On the surface, Saya is a stunning 16-year old girl, but that youthful exterior hides the
tormented soul of a 400 year-old “halfling”. Born to a human father and a vampire mother, she has for centuries been a loner, obsessed with using her samurai skills to rid the world of vampires, all the while knowing that she herself can survive only on blood like those she hunts. When she is sent to an American military base in Tokyo by the clandestine organization for whom she works, Saya immediately senses that this may be her opportunity to finally destroy Onigen, the evil patriarch of all vampires. Using her superhuman strength and her sword, she begins to rid the base of its evil infestation in a series of spectacular and elaborate showdowns. However, it is not until she forms her first human friendship in centuries with the young daughter of the base’s general that Saya learns her greatest power over Onigen may well be her ability to make a human connection…’
‘Bill Kong is an Academy Award nominee, and won BAFTA and Independent Spirit Awards as producer of Ang Lee’s martial arts epic, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which won 4 Academy Awards and 2 Golden Globe Awards. From there, Kong has worked with many acclaimed directors to produce global hits and such all time martial arts favorites including Zhang Yimou-directed Academy Award and Gold Globe nominated Hero, Curse of the Golden Flower and Fearless. His recent works include the international blockbuster Lust, Caution by Ang Lee.’
ASIANCE: How did you begin working originally in film as a producer?
Bill Kong: I started working professionally in the early days. One of my earliest films was the film Blue Kite in 1991 and then the next one I worked on was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Then I went on to produce Hero, House of Flying Daggers and worked with Jet Li on Fearless. Then, two years ago I started working on Blood: The Last Vampire.
ASIANCE: How was the experience of producing the recent Blood: The Last Vampire?
Bill Kong: This is my first sort of English language film for me. So I think it is very important and a very important learning experience for me. It is a whole new learning experience and I have enjoyed working tremendously with the French director Chris Nahon and the French producers, the American crew and also the Korean and Chinese cast and crews. It has been really enjoyable to work with the team.
I think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was a main one that Asian American women enjoyed.
ASIANCE: We would love to hear what it was like to work with the amazing actresses Gianna (who plays the main character Saya, main picture) and the famous Koyuki, who plays the demon Onigen!
Bill Kong: Our actress Gianna {Jeon Ji-hyun}is known as one of the most beautiful actresses in Asia. And Konoki is one of the best and has become one of the ‘beautiful women’ in Asia. Her face is everywhere. It is such a perfect, beautiful. They do many of the cosmetic commercials in Asia, so you can imagine we have two of the most beautiful faces in Asia right now in the film. And Koyuki is such a classy actress and very great. She’s very professional and easy to work with. She was easy to work with. She had to be on a wire and high line in scenes and was one of the most enjoyable actresses to work with.
ASIANCE: The film of course had many themes in vampire or Oni action (demons in Japanese mythology. Can you talk about the intent and meanings?
Bill Kong: Since it is an adaptation from Anime, we took the story from an original anime and tried very hard to be faithful to the publication. So I don’t think that we added too much of our own themes behind it. So I think that is the comment on that!
ASIANCE: It seems to be a film that is empowering for women, as the heroes in the film!
Bill Kong: Yes, very, very true!
ASIANCE: What are your next projects?
Bill Kong: Right now I’m working on two projects. One is with the with the action choreographer Yuen Wo Ping. He was the action choreographer for The Matrix and Kill Bill, also Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I’m working on a martial-arts epic with him called True Legend. At the same time I’m working on a film with the director of Hero, Zhang Yimou. He had stopped working for two years and was working as the main director of The Summer Olympics in Beijing but is now working on a new film and I am doing that with him.
ASIANCE: Amazing! Thank you so much! Is there anything you would like to add for Asiance readers?
Bill Kong: Oh yes, I will certainly continue to make movies and films that I hope will please the Asian American women in America. You know, Shannon, I think Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was a main one that Asian American women enjoyed.
ASIANCE: Oh, of course! I was hoping to be able to ask more about your experience with that amazing film.
Bill Kong: Yes! It was a gamble at that time because no one would give us the money to make that movie. We had to mortgage our houses to make that movie! So it took a while but it was such a fun thing to do and a great experience.
ASIANCE: Thank you so much!
Bill Kong: Thank you.
It is great to have another Hong Kong Producer out there wanting to try out new idea. Unfortunately, it is same old boring wire gag, same old boring visual effect. Everything same old from the trailer!
Mr. Kong doesn’t seem to brake away the tradition of Hong Kong Chinese movie, speaking in English doesn’t mean a foreign film or Hollywood picture. Having 2 of the most beautiful women in Asian doesn’t guarantee box office either.
What really make sense is Mr. Bill Kong should support new talents for there are so many out there wanting to brake away. Forget the same fight coordinator, same Hero. Time for a change. One can’t eat the same food everyday. Stay away from the same bunch that has been sucking up since Crouch Tiger. New faces, new talent, new technology. Most of all new audience.