TIGER ON THE BEAT 2. Fail?Flipping through the HK movie section @ Amoeba Music in The Haight I came across this used copy of the cool Danny Lee Sau-yin and Conan Lee Yuen-ba actioner TIGER ON THE BEAT 2. A savvy enough employee added a nice post-it to the dvd cover. Obviously referring to the infamous 'missed' stunt and long slo-mo fall of co-star Conan Lee Yuen-ba. While 'fail' might be a strong word, I think that Lee not 'pulling off the stunt' is what makes the film more memorable than it otherwise would have been. It was a happy accident for the film and HK cinema fans. Maybe not so much so for Mr. Lee. But it was defiantly not a fail. Anyway, I found this little note hysterical and laughed out loud in the middle of the store. I then proceeded to buy it. I already have the film in a few different formats but this was just priceless. $6 for a post-it. Hahaha
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If you have no clue what I am talking about, below is the infamous scene involving the wonderful Conan Lee Yuen-ba and the fortunate/unfortunate missed stunt. Ouch!
LOL... I hope the guy who wrote that note finds this post someday!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's an awesome "failure", plus the way they worked it into the film was pretty cool too.
haha Yeah, Dave. The best post it note ever!
ReplyDeleteI have actually spoken to Conan, the REAL Conan, through Facebook. We have exchanged a few messages as we have both lived in Queens, NY. He is a very nice man and actually quite energetic about his life and career in cinema. With a bit of a language barrier (typing anyway) some of his language might come off as pompous. He speaks very highly of himself, but in a 'chinglish' way. I find it quite amusing actually.
I remembering reading that "failed stunt put Conan in a coma and it took several weeks for him to recover. After seeing the actually film, I cringed when I watched it because they show it from 2 different angles in slow motion. Gotta love Hong Kong films, a guy may have ended up in the hospital, but the director got the shot. Even without that stunt I still found it to be a highly entertaining movie that could have only been made in the 80's and 90's HK film industry.
ReplyDeleteKung Fu magazine printed an article about him in the mid to late 90's and part of what they attritubed to his rise and fall in the Hong Kong film industry, was he had a very large ego and directors we're having problems working with him. The article was written after he had come back to the US and directed a straight to video action film film "Carjack" which was featured prominently in the article. The writer noted that Conan still talked highly of himself and that his troubles in Hong Kong hadn't done much to humble him.
I have yet to see a copy of "Carjack" or find someone else who has, I am curious if the film is any good or if Conan was just blowing smoke.
Hey chowyunpat! I commented about Conan before your comment. I spoke with him through email and he does come off as sounding too cool for school. I just think it's a language barrier thing? It's difficult to tell through a written message. He does seem to be a very confident....VERY confident person and I can definately see how that can come off as self indulgent and ego driven in person.
ReplyDeleteIf you are on facebook, friend request him. he will be more than happy to talk to you, i'm sure.
Wish I had that Kung Fu magazine article, because it pretty much reinforced what you said about him. I was too cheap to buy it though I just read it at the magazine stand. That article said it was his ego that destroyed his Hong Kong film career, but according to wikipedia it was due to his mother's ailing health and the time and resources he devoted to taking care of her was the reason for his exit. I'd like to think that this was the real reason he had left the film industry because its a very noble and selfless reason. I'd like to think the best of a person, especially someone I don't really know.
ReplyDeleteIts a shame Conan Lee disappeared from HK films, I thought he was a real talent which was evident when watching Ninja in the Dragon's Den and the first Tiger on The Beat. I might just request him that would be kind of cool.