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Iron Man 3 [Photo: Marvel/Disney]

It is May and regardless of what the weatherman says, officially it is the start of the summer season for the Hollywood studios that distribute movies. Friday (May 3rd) was the North American opening of the summer blockbuster Iron Man 3.

What a blockbuster it already is, as of Monday (May 6), the movie has grossed $679 Million internationally. The movie debuts in China on May 1 and broke the all-time one day Chinese boxoffice record by earning $21.5 Million. The previous record was ‘The Avengers’ at $18 Million for that country.

The Iron Man 3 is a Disney/Marvel production starring Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, a comic book hero created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and others with a screenplay by Drew Pearce and director Shane Black. The rest of the cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Jon Favreau, Rebecca Hall etc.

Since Iron Man 3 also had a Chinese partner, Beijing’s DMG Entertainment, it was classified as a joint-production which should provide an easier entrance to the world’s second biggest movie market but still not officially a co-production which would enjoy certain screening and profit-sharing privileges for the American producers in China.

According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR) reporting from Hong Kong, the Chinese version included four extra minutes not seen anywhere in the world. The additional screening time is used for product placement for such Chinese consumer goods as Gu Li Duo milk-drinks and TCL cell phones. The localized Chinese version also contains cameos from top Chinese actor Wang Xueqi and actress Fan Bingbing with scenes shot inside China.

Iron Man creator Stan Lee was eyeing the Chinese market.

In Beijing last year, Stan Lee said he was working on a Chinese comic strip hero (similar to Iron Man) for the Chinese and international market. Imagine that, Stan Lee is 90 years old and still has China in his mind. You can’t be global and leave China out these days. He was in Vancouver recently attending a cosplay event. I planned to go and if possible talk to him but just didn’t have the time.

Many moviegoers are still unaware of the ever closer ties that Hollywood is forging with China which will ultimately change how movies are made and what everyone will be watching in the future.

Robert Downey Jr. went to Beijing to promote the launching of Iron Man 3 in China and he declared, “I am interested in all things Chinese.” The Hollywood mega-star doesn’t have a Twitter account in the U.S. yet he has an equivalent one in China called Sina Weibo and that’s where he tweeted that he also ‘live(s) a very Chinese life in America.’ I don’t exactly know what that means, although he was said to be into Chinese medicine and martial arts that kind of stuff.

Here is an interesting point though. For the Chinese audience, the villain’s name Mandarin (played by Sir Ben Kingsley) has been changed to Man Daren, in an attempt to soften the negative Chinese reference. It will be interesting to see how the Chinese audience reacts to this. On the other hand, I wonder if an American audience would feel offended if a Chinese movie had an evil character called Uncle Sam or Yankee Doodle? Just a thought.

Can Iron Man 3 hit the $1 Billion mark worldwide when all is said and done? That just might be within reach for this high-voltage summer tentpole.

Ray Van Eng is an award-winning Photographer, Screenwriter and Movie & TV Producer. One of his videos is currently on view at the Hava Nagila Exhibit, Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in Manhattan, New York, NY. from Sep 2012 to May 2013.

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One of the thorniest issues between China and Japan is the Nanking Massacre南京大屠杀that happened in 1937 during the Japanese invasion of China. The matter has never been properly addressed or settled and relationship between the two countries has been strained at best for more than 70 years.

Nanking (or pinyin: Nanjing) was the capital of China during the Second World War. It is estimated that about 300,000 civilians who lived there in late 1937 and early 1938 were brutally murdered by Japanese soldiers in that city alone. Elsewhere in China, there were also countless other victims (civilians and foreign and Chinese prisoners of war) that were slaughtered and or grossly mistreated by the Japanese troupes.

The Nanking Massacre, also known as The Rape of Nanking, remains one of the most horrific military acts of war against a civilian population during World War Two. Beyond the murders and looting, there were also tens of thousands of women and girls as young as 12 years old being dragged away from their homes and forced to be ‘Comfort Women’ to service the Japanese Army.

Up to this day, China feels that Japan has not publicly admitted any wrongdoings nor offered any genuine apology. For China, there is no closure. And in 2000, Japan published New History Textbook that were perceived by most scholars both inside and outside of Japan as an attempt by the Japanese right-wing conservative groups to whitewash or rewrite history of the Japanese wartime atrocities. The revisionist textbooks, although only used by a very small minority (less than 1%) of Japanese junior high schools, further aggravated the Chinese government.

Enters China’s most famous director Zhang Yimou 张艺谋 and his newly crafted movie, The Flowers of War 金陵十三钗.

VIDEO – The Flowers of War Trailer


The movie was based on The 13 Women of Nanjing by Shanghai writer Geling Yan严歌苓. The novel is about 13 prostitutes replacing a group of young girls who are hiding inside a church to avoid being captured and sent away to be sexual slaves.

Zhang Yimou’s new movie maybe one of the ways the Beijing government could use to force the Japanese to face up to the wartime atrocities that Japan has committed during the occupation of Nanjing.

Sure, many movies about The Nanking Massacre has been made before. In the last five years alone there have been Nanking (2007), The Truth about Nanjing (2007), City of Life and Death (2009), John Rabe (2009) etc. But this time it is being directed by China’s most internationally acclaimed filmmaker in the most expensive movie that the country has ever produced (with a budget of almost US$100Million). The WWII epic starring Christian Bale, one of the biggest Hollywood stars will compete for recognition in many of the biggest international film awards such as the Golden Globes and The Oscars.

Christian Bale was referred to Zhang Yimou by Steven Spielberg to star in The Flowers of War. Bale played a young boy in Spielberg’s 1987 Empire of The Sun, a movie set in the 1940s in Shanghai during the Japanese invasion of China.

In The Flowers of War, Christian Bale plays a similar real-life role as John Rabe, a Siemens businessman and Nazi sympathizer who witnessed the Nanking Massacre in 1937. Rabe actually wrote German dictator Adolph Hitler and asked the Führer to intervene with the Japanese to stop the horrific raping and killing that went on. With American missionaries such as Minnie Vautrin, John Magee and others, John Rabe helped save some 250,000 Chinese lives by establishing an international safety zone in Nanking. Rabe even opened up his own resident to shelter another few hundreds more. When the Japanese troupes wanted to enter Rabe’s premises, they were stopped at the door when the German engineer showed them his Nazi membership credentials. As a result of his actions, John Rabe was being dubbed as The Good Nazi of Nanking.

However, after the war, John Rabe became impoverished and lived in destitute. For years, the citizens of Nanking and the mayor sent food to support Rabe and his family even after his death in 1950. In 1997, China honored John Rabe as a national hero and moved his tombstone from Berlin to Nanjing.

The Flowers of War has a limited North America run initially. The movie opens in the U.S. on Dec. 21 in New York and Dec 23 in Los Angeles and San Francisco, enough to qualify for competition as The Best Foreign Language Film in the 84th Academy Awards (The Oscars) on Feb 26, 2012.

Photo: John Rabe’s former home in Nanjing during the war. [Credit: Wikipedia CC2.0]
Nanjing, China

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Life For Mile Facebook Page –

The day after the Rambo Bridge Final Take event has taken place on July 10, 2011, a demolition crew started to take down the bridge. Piece by piece this iconic Kawkawa Bridge as it was known to locals will be gone. So will a part of Hollywood history that lasted almost 30 years.

Rambo fans in the hundreds turned out to reminisce and enjoyed one last stroll along the wood and steel structure before it finally disappeared. The former Mayor of Hope was on hand and told people why didn’t the government paid fans the demolition fee which is $100,000 and let them turned that into a tourist attraction. Many who were there probably had the same thought. In the name of progress and in this case, structure soundness possibly leaned heavily against saving the bridge. After all, there is a new and modern concert span running across the same section of the river serving what the old one did.

Maybe Rambo fans didn’t want to forget this part of Hollywood history but the Hollywood crowd who were most connected had chosen to ignore it. None of the original actors such as Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehey and dozens of others didn’t bother to show up to lend show, except Stephen Chang, the BC actor who played VC Commander in the movie.

All is not lost though because Stephen Chang has a new movie in the works. It is titled Life For Mile. It is a movie about the Chinese and native Indians building the transcontinental railway that united Canada as a nation in the 1880s. Life For Mile will be out in 2012.

Life For Mile is based on a true story and a real-life character, Ming, a Chinese railroad worker who used Kung Fu to unite with the aboriginals and the Asians. Together they fought discrimination and mistreatment of the days and ultimately restored some degree of dignity for themselves. History books have forgotten Ming’s story until now. Life For Mile is projected to have a theatrical release date of summer 2012.

VIDEO – Life For Mile takes shape

Rambo Bridge – Kawkawa Lake Road, Hope, BC

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Life For Mile Facebook page

On July 10, 2011, the iconic wood and steel bridge in Hope, BC that was featured in the 1982 movie Rambo: First Blood bid an emotional farewell to movie fans in an event dubbed Rambo Bridge Final Take.

Many movie fans dressed up like Sylvester Stallone in Rambo and offered themselves up for a voluntary arrest and have their pictures taken by friends and family just to capture a piece of Hollywood movie history that will soon be gone forever. Because starting from the next day, the structure that was known as Kawkawa Bridge by locals was scheduled to be taken down piece by piece by a demolition crew.

Not all will be forgotten though. At least one man will have memory of the bridge etched forever on canvas by artist Mary Haymes who finished the work in 2003. He was seen cradling the artwork in his arms anxious to share with anyone about the painting.

On its last glory day of existence, the bridge was surrounded by hundreds of Rambo fans, some of whom came from as far away as Australia and England. Hope Mayor Laurie French reenacted the sheriff role that Brian Dennehy portrayed to the delight of many who stood by and watched.

Almost the entire cast of Rambo: First Blood which consists of Sylvester Stallone, Brian Dennehy, Richard Crenna, David Caruso etc. were a no-show. The only star that showed up was BC actor Stephen Chang who played VC Commander in the Vietnam vet turned unstable civilian flick.

Stephen Chang used the opportunity to sell some autographed copies and promoted his new movie Life For Mile, a feature film about the Chinese and aboriginal involvement in the construction of the transcontinental railway that united Canada as a nation in the 1880s. Life For Mile is executive produced by Stephen Chang and he will act in it. He is currently producing the movie with Producer/Screenwriter Ray Van Eng of V21 Media.

The Final Take event began at 11:00 AM with a Rambo look-a-like contest and later a helicopter fly-by over Coquihalla Canyon as demoed by Valley Helicopters. Props such as a 1980s police car, a jeep and an army vehicle were on display to beef up the presentation.

When the day’s activities were finished, a screening of Rambo: First Blood was shown at 3:00 PM at the Hope Cinema. Rambo fans paid $5.00 to catch the matinee show.

VIDEO –Rambo Bridge Final Take & New Movie ‘Life For Mile’

Kawkawa Lake Road, Hope, BC

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Just for fun, for the fans, we slapped together this quickie movie trailer for Life For Mile. Hope you guys like it!

Life For Mile is a Historic Drama/Western/Kung Fu/Mystery/Action/Comedy movie. It is based on the true-life story of the Chinese and Indian (First Nations) laborers who worked together in the construction of the transcontinental railway that united Canada as a nation in the 1880s.

Cultural content-wise, the movie is 50% Chinese and 50% First Nations. Western genre movies are often about cowboys or cowboys and Indians, but Life For Mile is different. This movie is about the true-life accounts of the Chinese and indians (First Nations) railroad workers who united together to go against their railway cowboy masters and ultimately restored some degree of dignities for themselves. Life For Mile is executive produced by Hollywood actor Stephen Chang. [Music by Kevin MacLeod.]

Life For Mile Facebook Fan Page

VIDEO – FOR FANS ONLY Life For Mile Movie Trailer

Shell Road, Richmond, BC

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A few nights ago, I watched the movie Bonnie & Clyde (1967) on TV again. Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Gene Hackman etc. Directed by Arthur Penn who also made Little Big Man (1970), an American Indian movie, that as a producer/writer of Life For Mile, I feel that I can derive inspiration or borrow some techniques from these two Hollywood films.

The last sequence in Bonnie & Clyde just before the crime couple is shot in a hail of bullets is so memorable to me. There is a very fast sequence of editing of the two looking into each other’s eyes. Those split seconds of shots (or montage, if you like) are so powerful that I remembered them very well throughout all these years since I first watched the movie in the mid-70s. Beautifully depicted is the moment when they realize what’s coming but can’t escape it. The fatality of it with no time left to say goodbye. So tragic and poetic.

Splicing it all together by hand first was Dede Allen, the three-time Oscar-nominated editor who executed it so well. Bonnie and Clyde is classic Hollywood moviemaking with the use of genres and superb film language articulation.

Working on the movie Life For Mile brings together many of the things that I learned in movies in the last 35+ years.

Here’s to Hollywood! And my tremendous respect I reserved for those who work in the industry, past and present.

Movie: Life For Mile Facebook page

Bonnie and Clyde

Little Big Man

NEWS RELEASE

VANCOUVER, May 27, 2011 For Immediate Release.

Rambo Bridge Final Take Celebration. WE NEED YOUR HELP!

On July 10, 2011, the bridge that Rambo got arrested on in FIRST BLOOD will be torn down. There are some good people and Rambo fans who want to save the bridge, yet unfortunately it will be demolished. But we’ll have a Final Take Celebration! EVERONE IS INVITED! We expect thousands of movie fans to show up!

Rambo First Blood is a 1982 production starring Sylvestor Stallone and Brian Dennehy. Actor and Kung Fu Grandmaster Steven Chang also appear as VC Commander in the movie and will be there to host the Final Take Celebration. The movie was made mostly in and around Hope, BC and the nearby Hell’s Gate.

The Rambo movie series have more than 36 million fans worldwide! So we are looking forward to seeing many of you there at the Final Take Celebration. On July 10, 2011, a re-creation of the Rambo bridge scene will be performed by actors for the audience. WE NEED YOUR HELP!

If you look or sound like Sylvestor Stallone or Brian Dennehy, send your resume & head shot to Richard Strobel We may have part for you. Please have the scene memorized for the audition. It will be a fun day for everyone, a great chance for two actors to also take part in the 30th anniversary party in Oct of 2012.

Rambo First Blood Bridge

Hell’s Gate Production is currently producing Life For Mile, a movie about the Chinese and Indian (First Nations) involvement in the construction of the transcontinental railway in the 1880s. Hollywood actor and Kung Fu Grandmaster Stephen Chang will lead a cast of Canadian, American, Chinese and First Nations actors in Life For Mile. Get the latest updates at the Life For Mile Facebook page.

Movie: Life For Mile is executive produced by Stephen Chang, a Kung Fu Grandmaster and Hollywood actor (VC Commander in First Blood ” Rambo “). Stephen starred in such movies as Double Happiness (1994 – 2 Genies ), International Rescue ( 1990 Hit ) Icarus (2010) and TV series such as The X-Files, Twilight Zone, Kung Fu – TLC ( 1996 Warner Bros.) Psych (2011), The Evidence (2006) and dozens of other productions.

Stephen Chang’s IMDB page

Web site: http://www.grandmasterchang.com

Follow Grandmaster Stephen Chang on Twitter http://twitter.com/RAMBO_VCCOMMAND.

For further information, contact Ray Van Eng at rayvaneng@hotmail.com or call (604) 354-7181.

In pre-production right now is Life For Mile, a dramatized movie based on real facts about the Chinese and Indian (First Nations) workers in the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway that united Canada as a nation in the 1880s.

Back then, thousands of Chinese laborers were brought in from China to help build this transcontinental railroad. Because the task was dangerous and safety hazards were many, the fatality of these Chinese workers was very high. Often, it was a Chinese that was assigned the task of placing dynamites deep inside the mountain to blow up rocks in order to dig through the tunnel. Many Chinese go in either didn’t come out or their lifeless bodies were carried out for a hasty burial. It was said that for each mile of railway that was constructed, one Chinese life was sacrificed. Hence the title of the movie ‘Life For Mile’.

Life For Mile is executive produced by well-known Hollywood actor Stephen Chang who will also play a leading role in the movie. He is also a grandmaster in Chinese Kung Fu. You might remember him as VC Commander in Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo, First Blood. Stephen also starred in such movies as Double Happiness (1994 – 2 Genies ), International Rescue ( 1990 Hit ) Icarus (2010) and TV series such as The X-Files, Twilight Zone, Kung Fu – TLC ( 1996 Warner Bros.) Psych (2011), The Evidence (2006) and dozens of other productions.

Currently, the ‘Life For Mile’ production is generating quite a bit of interest from various parties including the First Nations, Telefilm Canada and local and international investors. Anyone interest in following this project is welcome to join in the conversation and get updates from this ‘Life For Mile’ Facebook page

Stephen Chang’s IMDB page
Google Stephen Chang and you’ll get plenty of links as well.

Life For Mile is a Hell’s Gate Production movie.





Boston Bar, BC

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Vancouver Fashion Week VFW Fall/Winter 2011 (FW 2011) collection opened with some very impressive display of local clothing-design talents. One of the highlights of the evening featured on opening day (April 13, 2011) catwalk runway was Lace Embrace Atelier. Canadian designer Melanie Talkington started the company after graduating from Kwantlen Polytechnics University in 1997 and later worked in Los Angels, California to craft wardrobe and corsets for pin up and burlesque models Dita Von Tesse, Cathie Jung etc. and in the Warner Bros Hollywood movie production of Sucker Punch. Lace Embrace Atelier is still based in Vancouver Canada. The other designers at VFW FW 2011 first night runway included the exquisite work of Vancouver designers Patricia Fieldwalker and Valerio Moda and from Spain, Rosalita McGee.

VIDEO – Lace Embrace Atelier Corsets @ VFW FW 2011 Opening

Empire Landmark Hotel, 1400 Robson Street, Vancouver BC

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