'Shanghai' comes to Beijing

At the China premiere of the Cusack/Chow/Li/Watanabe period epic.

One of the most memorable experiences of my as TWC Asian Vice-President was the production of the movie 'Shanghai'. I remember reading the original script, very early in my tenure, and thinking that it was far beyond anything else I was being given to look at. (I thought the same thing about the  Forbidden Kingdom screenplay; I guess a broken clock is right twice a day...)

Flash forward a couple of years, and this Shanghai-set 'Casablanca' style thriller went before the cameras, albeit in London and Thailand rather than at the originally planned Chinese studio and locations. I enjoyed my involvement with the project, much of which revolved around some casting choices and putting together the elements for the film's key 'fashion show' sequence. (You can read my on-set experiences in some earlier blogs.)

After the film wrapped, there was a long delay as we waited for it to be approved as a Chinese co-production, the terms of which would indicate that 'Shanghai' should be release in China first. I was very proud to when Harvey Weinstein graciously invited me to join him and the rest of the TWC team for the Beijing premiere. You don't always get such courtesies regarding the films on which you work. (I remember having to fight to get a ticket to 'The Medallion' premiere, and I wrote the ^&%$oing thing. Hmmm. Maybe that's why I wasn't invited...) .

TWC's co-production partners, Huayi Bros, gave the film a great launch. Stars John Cusack and Gong Li and producers Harvey Weinstein and James Wang were on hand for a press conference. (Director Mikael Hafstrom was tied up in Prague on his latest project and couldn't attend.)

I was lucky enough to attend the premiere with two lovely and lethal lady bodyguards: Rain Li, AKA The Girl With The Deadly Lens, and Anya Wu, AKA that girl from 'Naked Weapon' who wasn'tMaggie Q (I know she loves to be called that.)

The charming John Cusack and elegant Gong Li opened the show with some bon mots, and the film played very well indeed. Its one of the most wonderful looking films I've seen in a long time (Gong Li herself once said that our movie Shanghai looks more like her image of the city than the reality does!), and it features, alongside the always excellent Cusack, surely the greatest Asian cast ever assembled for an international movie? (Maybe Memoirs of a Geisha came close, but I think this is a better film...)

Afterwards, we emerged into the Beijing night, and, being the B-list players we are, Anya, Rain and I had to wait for a taxi to take us to the after party. And wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

Finally, we made it to the raucous after party, which was a much deserved celebration of all the hard work and inspiration that went into 'Shanghai'.

I hope all the AnD fans in the region will enjoy seeing the film earlier, and that American audiences will find it worth the wait, when it plays later this year.