Shi - The Motion Picture Update

[BillyTucci]

"Screenplay" is complete.  Kevin B. sent the draft over to me and I made my corrections and edits.  He'll look it over tonight and send it to me for my final edit in the morning.

A friend of mine walked out of "Memoirs of a Geisha" said it was boring and that Hollywood would have made the same film in 1936 with their never ending cliche's and  perceptions of the Japanese.

Oh well.

[Achilles]

I have read nothing but solid reviews for Memoirs of a Geisha. I am confident that the two Chinese actresses and the one Malay actress will do great. I was reading a poll at a Japanese website and most people think they are great. More flack seemed to be coming from the Chinese who have turned on Ziyi and Li for portraying what they call "Japanese Whores". But as Ricky Nelson said himself, "You can't please everyone, you have to please yourself."

Nice to hear the Shi script is done. How about the casting? Are they still leaning towards Ziyi as Shi or have they opened the game up again?

[BillyTucci]

Here's another scene that I wrote.  It has been altered for our first draft and I also threw in a little joke, but let me know what you think...

[BillyTucci]

Ana pushes herself away from the doorsill and after a chaotic moment of silent sprinting down and behind the stairway makes her way back up to the room.
All that is left in the room with Yoshitora are the two ashigaru, swinging their kusari-gama chains.  As the men menacingly crowd the old lion, Ana silently saunters through the doorway.
ANA
(casually)
Hey.
The men turn just as Ana's leaps -- SMASHING her scissoring kick up into their chins and knocking them out cold to the floor.  She closes the door, locking all inside the darkness.
YOSHITORA
(smiling)
Impressive.  See you haven't forgotten everything.
ANA
You can say I've had some experience with kusari-gama.
YOSHITORA
I can see that.
ANA
(struggling to free him)
she apologizes. She is humbled by this, and distraught, feeling guilty for having put him in this position. These are just notes
YOSHITORA
More notes for Yoshi He explains... this is beyond anything he prepared her for. There is a way out. She can return to Japan for refuge with her uncle, where she can rejuvenate her powers. Ana doesn't want to leave him. He explains, she has to save herself. She is the only hope, and the way to win is to bide her time. Live to fight another day. And then...
Suddenly Ana grabs the kusari and LEAPS to the ceiling a second before two sets of chain blades SMASH through the door slicing inches on either side of the seated Yoshitora.  
With her blades dug firmly into the walls above, Ana flips down the chains and spirals through the door -- knocking it off the hinges and into the attacking ashigaru outside.
As if in a 3-D movie, a chained blade CRASHES through to hook the SKYLIGHT panes that frame the multiple levels of the warehouse stairway that is now a battleground.
PULLING DOWN through the breaking glass we follow the chained blade to Ana, spinning, dodging and countering the attacking ashigaru's deadly kusari crisscrossing the stair levels.
This is Ana all on her own, and she's kicking ass -- obvious to have picked up a trick or two from her guardian angels.
As if part of the action ourselves, we watch her work the chains and claustrophobic confines of the stairway like a black widow would her webbing -- and the ashigaru, her prey.
As the battle descends through the center of steps and angles so do we.  Oblivious to our intrusion, Ana whirls and pirouettes off steps and bannisters and into the men as if it were a violent ballet whose music sings of chain and blade.  
Three jump down past us and onto the warrior woman and all fall.  In mid air Ana disposes of each one before landing cat-like at the bottom, only to take out another.
While she fights the last of the ashigaru, our descent PICKS UP SPEED closing in on the woman who looks up just as we --
SLAM DOWN UPON HER --
Again and again, we slam, pummel, and strike the broken woman.  Blood splatters from her mouth, nose and head to stain the colorless linoleum flooring.
Her wind knocked out, Ana vainly struggles in our death grip while we FAST ASCEND SKYWARD back towards the shattered skylight.  In our blurred wake, the ashigaru bow their heads to our shadow wickedly forming into that of a monstrous bird of prey.
As we pull our limp quarry out through the skylight and into the night air of Manhattan, a desperate Yoshitora SCREAMS for his granddaughter.

[BillyTucci]

EXT. SKIES ABOVE NEW YORK CITY - CONTINUOUS
The creature's grip tears through the exposed flesh of Ana's thighs as it streaks towards the illuminated spans of Brooklyn Bridge.
HE'S GOING TO SMASH HER INTO ITS COLOSSAL STONE BATTLEMENTS.  
But the monster pulls the upside down woman inches above the riser's massive flood lights, harmlessly singeing the long wisps of her black mane.
As the winged monster clears the bridge spans he loosens his taloned grip and releases Ana!
Who SCREAMS, while helplessly spiralling down back down to the black earth below like a flailing Icarus.
The ground below swells with whitecaps -- THE EAST RIVER -- where the helpless woman GEYSERS into its frigid waters like with the force of a falling missile.
EXT. EAST RIVER - NEW YORK - CONTINUOUS
Guided by moonbeams, Ana's body gently descends through the  chilled murkiness of the slow moving river.
The waters grow darker as her fallen corpus stirs the bottom filled with sand, kelp, crustaceans, and... the Ukiyo's asshole attorney VAUGHN -- an English-to-Japanese dictionary casually stuffed in his suit pocket.
The current plows her past the slain lawyer to her final rest atop the soft sea bed.  Bathed in glimmering moonbeams, Ana has never looked so beautiful, as if sleeping in everlasting blissful peace.
Suddenly the lights begins to swirl and move -- then we realize it is not the moonbeams at all but rather, GHOSTS.
Down they glide, led by Shiro, Genji, and the loving aurora of Nishiko at last reunited with her long lost daughter.  
All told, almost two dozen solemn sohei -- of flowing cowls and glistening armor form a ethereal cocoon of light around the fallen sprite, as if welcoming one of their own.
The spectres begin to lift the fallen woman, the last of their kind towards the surface.
One by one, angelic sohei hands gently pass Ana along, freeing her from the river's black depths.  Higher and higher, she rises to the welcoming lights of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Suddenly Ana's eyes blink WIDE open.  
Rays of light born from warrior deities rise from the water like powdery columns of mist.  Forming a incandescent ring that guides the woman from the chilling blackness of the deep.
She breaks through the surface GASPING for air. The warmth of her body steaming against the frigid river waters.
Her face pale and blued from the cold and moonlight, a sodden, but fierce Ana makes her way to the shoreline.
And as the spectacular New York City skyline burns the horizon behind her, Ana leaves the river.  Her armored army of angels dutifully following in ranks.
FALLEN ICARUS IS REBORN.

[sllamky01]

maybe it is me but when I read these last 2 post I was not transformed into the story like I have been for the other post. like I said maybe it is me.

I think I will go push some snow around and then come back and read this again

[sllamky01]

Ok it must have been me I cleared my head and re read this and I still think Billy is the master.  I think what was throwing me off was jumping right into the middle of a fight. not knowing what happened to get to that point.  but by the time I finished rereading it I was holding my breath till Ana got to shore. great job Billy

[dawnsawaking]

Scott,

I agree with you.  It is brilliant so far and I can't wait till it hits the screen!!  T.J. and I were talking about getting as many commissions done now before Billy hits it big with the movie and then we won't be able to afford it anymore.. :D

[sllamky01]

Scott,

I agree with you.  It is brilliant so far and I can't wait till it hits the screen!!  T.J. and I were talking about getting as many commissions done now before Billy hits it big with the movie and then we won't be able to afford it anymore.. :D

I cant wait till next seasons cons I think your on to something here about getting as many commissions now.

[BillyTucci]

Would you guys like to see more?

As of the first draft, of which I learned in the final week of writing is that Mimi wants Ana to be biracial like the comic book.  However, since I didn't have knowledge of this till I was on the last two scenes, we really didn't go into that in the screenplay.  Hmmm.  Mimi explained its for casting so I suppose that maybe, she's not thinking of Ziyi anymore.  I'm not sure, but am afraid to ask.

I love the idea of a biracial character who tries to hide her Asian side (through curly, colored hair -- dare I say even, contact lenses?) not because she wants to seem more white (which is a good herring) but because she's tormented by these ghosts.  I wrote a beautiful scene where, just before the  final battle, (in which she doesn't believe she'll survive) she strips herself of the curls, hair dye, contacts and honestly embraces her true heritage and self.  But of course that's not in the first draft but will in the revision.

Also, if Arashi must be a Tengu (in this draft) I want him to be 1,000 years old and will push for this very strongly as well.  I plan on going out to L.A. in January so we'll see how it all turns out in our next meetings.

[sllamky01]

Yes I still want more.

When is the projected time for the start of shooting or is that still so far off.  and how long must we wait before we see it on the big screen?

[sllamky01]

As far as Ana being biracial I guess I never knew that she was not going to be. Every time I thought of Ziyi I just could not see her as Ana.  Now I know why. I was thinking how are they going to make her look biracial

[suryanijan]

As a multiracial, I have to warn you of a saying the "pure blooded" Asians like to throw at us.  

If you are Asian, and you try to pretend to be white or sometimes even if you are bi-, tri-, or multiracial, they will call you a banana (for the paler Asians) or a coconut (for the darker Asians).  It means someone who is white underneath the colour of their skin.

Among the Malays .. and by the way, Michelle Yeoh is Malaysian, not a Malay ... they even have a saying, "Mamah (for Indians)/Cheena (for Chinese)/Jipun (for Japanese)/etc kenna snow."  Essentially, it means an Asian with a cascade of snow on top of him/her so they can pretend to be white.

My point is that it does not matter in Europe or in the US.  But if you ever want this movie to make it to Asia, you should be aware of the cultural sensitivities involved.  What works in your region could be incredibly insulting in ours.

Sorry but there has been a bit of racial uprisings in our side of the world recently which does not look like it will lessen anytime soon.  Have to cancel some travel plans because I look too "white" to be safe and too Asian (oh, too Arab too apparently) not to be harassed racially at the moment.  So I am a little touchy about the subject.

Maybe Mimi should try to study a bit more about the Asian culture before she tries to depict it in any way or form.

[jsniderfamily]

I hope there is room for extras in the movie.
Maybe some of the folks on the forum could participate that way - BruceInColorado is an example of a fan getting to be in a comic-centric movie.

As an extra, what would you be????
Maybe a guard, or restaurant worker, or gardener, or cab driver or nerds in a comic book store reading SHI????  Where are my old glasses with the bridge taped up when I need them?

[BillyTucci]

Maybe Mimi should try to study a bit more about the Asian culture before she tries to depict it in any way or form.

That's the funniest thing I ever heard!  I'm still trying her to stop saying "nagiana"!
:(
I am going to take your notes to our next meeting.  I think I can use it to work in our favor and make Ana much more human.  Especially when she finally embraces her Asian side.  But I guess I getting ahead of myself here.  It's basically her call so why bother until we get to that point.

[BillyTucci]

I hope there is room for extras in the movie.
Maybe some of the folks on the forum could participate that way - BruceInColorado is an example of a fan getting to be in a comic-centric movie.

As an extra, what would you be????
Maybe a guard, or restaurant worker, or gardener, or cab driver or nerds in a comic book store reading SHI????  Where are my old glasses with the bridge taped up when I need them?

We are currently in talks with Red Wagon to do "Magnificent 7th Graders."  If it goes, I'm not sure if I can convince them to allow my directing of the movie.  However, I will be shooting to get financing for "Zombie-sama!" and I promise if I do, you will all be in it!

[The Frankster]

If i were in it I'm sure Billy would want me to dress like this.



"Frankamania will break those zombies in half"  ;D

[Achilles]

So Jaymee Ong should be cast as Shi. She would be perfect for the role as I mentioned before and I think Mimi should at least check her out since she wants to go bi-racial now in the casting dept.

[BillyTucci]

I know Sury hung out with Jaymee, see what she has to say.  There's an actress out there named Maggie Q who looks the part.  She has a nice elegance about her. Here's a pic:

[BillyTucci]

Looks wise, I think she's the best.   Got a call from Kevin yesterday saying that aside from a few changes, Mimi loved the script.  

[BillyTucci]

Okay, that's enough... ;D

[BillyTucci]

That's hilarious Sury!

[Nishiko]

As long as we're pimping favorites, my vote is still for Diana Lee Inosanto. An article about her background is here, including a segment on growing up around Bruce Lee and his son Brandon. Her IMDb profile is here, with her stuntwork listed first; her producer credits further down indicate this woman is no timid amateur. She's currently working on a movie called The Sensei, details about which can be found here. She has all the necessary martial arts skills and acting skills -- you wouldn't need to hire anyone to train her; just describe the choreography and she'll do it -- and could definitely look the part with little help from the makeup artists. For some reason, it's really hard to find decent pictures of the woman, but I do have the martial arts magazine she most recently had an article in, so I'll dig it up after work tonight and scan it for you.

A small picture of her holding a sword:



Here's a b/w headshot from her theatre company, Lodestone:



Here's a picture of an article from the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. You might find the name of the French magazine she was featured in quite interesting, Billy:

[sllamky01]

not knowing anything about making a movie now that the script is finished, what are the next steps to geting this on the big screen.

[Delvie]

She will. I'm just bustin' her balls