From Now On

March 31, 2008

Miss you Much Leslie concert at the Coliseum - Tomorrow marks the fifth anniversary of Leslie's demise. Leslie's group of good friends will be supporting the memorial event. They will sing some classic Leslie songs as a tribute to his memory. There will be Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung, Karen Mok, Joyce Cheng, Grasshopper, Deanie Ip, Anita Yuen, Chilam Cheung, Elisa Chan, Anthony Wong and others.
Out of the entire group of guest performer, Tony announced his fear to sing in public. He admitted that he is willing to sacrifice a lot of cells to sing "Wind Continues to Blow." Grasshopper is painstaking preparing a list of classic Leslie fast songs. They will be bringing back Leslie's classic dance moves on stage. Jacky will sing "Chase," "Four Seasons," and other songs. He sighed that a lot of good friends have passed away these few years. He feels lonely and starts to avoid seeing people.
"Miss you Much Leslie" concert will feature a group of stars to remember the legendary idol, Leslie. Florence Chan expressed that another concert date was added because of the overwhelming response. There are some problems with Tony and Anita's schedule so they will only perform on April 1st. Anthony Wong will perform at tonight's concert only. Florence is especially thankful of Tony and says: "He said that he feels a lot of pressure when he sings and he is nervous. But I heard Tony sang three years ago at a Leslie memorial concert. Tony sang "Afortime Love" and it was very touching. I tried very hard to invite him and am grateful because he is putting pressure on himself."
There will be three stages and a bridge. Deanie Ip will kick off the concert and she will sing "Star" and "Favorite Love" at the two concerts. After she finishes singing, the bridge will break. It will symbolize the separation of people. Florence says: "The performances will be about the same for both nights. Footage directed by different directors will be shown on the stage. A 7 x 7 feet red kite will be placed in the Hong Kong Coliseum. This way the fans can write down their messages to Leslie. It would be burnt as a gift to Leslie." Yesterday afternoon, several singers made their way to the Hong Kong Coliseum to rehearse. Florence, Grasshopper, Joyce and Karen went to the blessing ceremony around 3:30 PM.
Yesterday afternoon at 4:50 PM, Tony rushed into the Hong Kong Coliseum for rehearsal. He stayed for one hour before he left. Tony said: "It is more nerve wrecking than filming a movie. But it is a meaningful memorial to a friend so it is worth it." Tony joked that each time he sang he will lose a lot of cells. He doesn't sing karaoke often and the last time he sang was three years ago. He said: "A couple of days ago, I was in Shanghai for a function and I practiced singing when I had time off. I felt that my singing was bad but I will try my best to convey my feeling." He chose to sing "Wind Continues to Blow" because it's a good song to listen and it would be easy for him. Tony said: "It's a chance to remember Leslie. We are good friends and I remember how we spent our days in Argentina filming a movie. I also remember the gatherings and parties we had with a group of friends. Leslie loves a lively and cheerful atmosphere. I prefer to be quiet." Would you ask your girlfriend Carina Lau to sing a duet with you? Tony said: "I don't do the inviting. Carina doesn't often sing. I would enjoy it." A magazine reports that Carina is pregnant. Tony expressed that he doesn't need to give a response to a gossip magazine article and it wasn't true.
Jacky will sing "Chase" and "Four Seasons." He will also sing a duet with Elisa Chan. He admitted that he doesn't feel pressured but he knows that Tony is nervous. Lately Tony has been calling him and Jacky said: "I feel that Tony sings well. There is no problem." Do you miss Leslie? Jacky said: "Jim Wong once said that Leslie was an art piece. You don't miss a part of him but him. Leslie is a very good person. It's very unfortunate that he passed away." The reporter asked about Florence's other friends like Lydia Shum who also passed away. There is a lot of stress. Jacky feels that the world has changed after his friends passed away. It is a strange feeling. He feels very lonely. He doesn't have a driving force anymore and he doesn't want to see people. But he isn't avoiding reality but needs time to adjust. Jacky said: "I don't need to see a doctor. I will solve the problems and adjust slowly by myself. My home is my refuge. I take care of my children so I am busy 24 hours a day. I don't think about other things. In comparison, Mrs. Chan is very frustrated and I act like a psychologist to her."
Grasshopper will perform a series of fast songs like "Monica," "Stand Up," and others. They have been rehearsing since three weeks ago. They will show off Leslie's dance move. Remus Choi will do a solo rendition of "For Your Heart Only." All three of them said that Leslie was the perfect person. They will order new clothes to be made and hope that Leslie's fans will enjoy it.
GiGi Leung will sing "Sweet Whisper" and "I Do" which are love songs. She admitted that she doesn't feel pressured. Leslie was charismatic and had a unique style on stage. People get a special feeling when he was on stage performing. People should learn from his attitude and not feel pressured. GiGi said: "Near the end of the concert, people will feel sad. I will use a positive attitude to commemorate this irreplaceable and legendary singer." - Source: http://www.leslie-cheung.net/

Newspapers and websites coverage of the day and of the activities held in Hong Kong to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Leslie's passing: MingPao 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5, Oriental Daily 1 - 2 - 3, TakungPao 1 - 2, The Sun 1 - 2 - 3, WenWeiPo 1 - 2, SingTao, SingPao, South China Morning Post. A nice article on ChinaDaily.

On the Avenue of Stars, '1827 Days of Missing Leslie' by Red Mission:

Mr Lam Jik talked about Leslie at 9th 'In Reminiscence of Leslie's Artistic life' Seminar organized by Gor Gor's Website. He said that April 1st should be Leslie's Day. Professor Nathalia Chan launched her book 'Butterfly of Forbidden Colors: The Artistic Image of Leslie Cheung'.

Red Mission 'Leslie in Concerts ~ Encore 2008 (A prelude to Leslie Music Exhibition)'

April 1, 2008

IN LOVING MEMORY OF MR LESLIE CHEUNG

Rain fails to dampen memories of 'Gor Gor' - The rain and chilly weather failed to deter fans of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing who gathered in Central and outside the Cultural Centre yesterday to remember the Canto-pop star who died five years ago. Fans from around the world laid flowers on a section of Ice House Street outside the Mandarin Oriental hotel, from which Cheung jumped to his death on April 1, 2003. He was affectionately known as Gor Gor, which means older brother in Cantonese. More flowers are also expected to fill the tribute area at Madame Tussauds, where fans were also allowed to lay flowers around Cheung's wax statue. A museum representative said that half of the area had been filled with flowers and more were expected today. More than 2,000 fans gathered outside the Cultural Centre where "Live Moments", an event screening footage of Cheung, was being held. Footage included a 1977 clip of him singing American Pie at a contest. The first of two memorial concerts, "Miss You Much Leslie", was held last night at the Coliseum. Cheung's friends, including Canto-pop stars Jacky Cheung Hok-yau and Karen Mok Man-wai, paid tribute to the late star. Actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai also sang one of Cheung's classics. The second concert will be held tonight. Written by Vivienne Chow - Source: South China Morning Post.

A Sea of Flowers for Mr Leslie Cheung at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, at the Madame Tussauds Museum and Kadoorie Hill, not to mention flowers sent at the Coliseum. Florence Chan even asked fans to not send flowers any more, but to save money to buy the souvenirs for charity purpose.

My flowers for Leslie sent to his house on Kadoorie Hill and to Madame Tussauds Museum:

Leslie Legacy Association Candlelight Vigil at the Podium of the Jardine House, facing the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at 6.41 pm, over 300 people attended. Many thanks from the heart to all!

Oriental Daily reported as follows: On April 1, 2003 it is 5 years since Leslie's passing. Fans who came from Japan, HK and many parts of the world gathered for praying and give a floral tribute for Leslie for the fifth anniversary yesterday. The place looked like a sea of flowers. It presented a grand sight. The bouquet of a large heart-shaped white roses which was written as "Leslie Forever" attracted an eyes among those flowers. Last night, in drizzling rain, over 300 fans gathered at the square of the front of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel despite rain. And they carried out a memorial service of Leslie. Each fan with a white candle offered a white rose. Quite a lot of fans offered flowers while weeping. It provoked deep sadness to people. The time, 6:41 that Leslie departed 5 years ago, all of fans offered one minute silent prayer. Rain stopped in this moment. After they sang Leslie's song 'Wind Continues To Blow' together,  rain started again. The spokesman of the ceremony said that Leslie in heaven took care of fans to avoid getting wet same as on 2004. Many thanks to Ka for the translation.

'Miss You Much Leslie Concert' organised by Florence Chan at the Coliseum on March 31 and April 1st 2008

The press conference after the concert on April 1st

The souvenirs of the concert. They can be bought at 'Miss You Much Leslie' Official Website

Red Mission "Journey through Leslie Cheung's Music World" Exhibition and EMAX Memorial Program:

JACKIE'S VIDEO - The video has been mentioned on The Sun!!

Newspapers and websites coverage of the day and of the activities held in Hong Kong to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Leslie's passing: Ming Pao 1 - 2, TakungPao, WenWeiPo 1 - 2 - 3, SingPao, SingTao, Oriental Daily 1 - 2, South China Morning Post, AppleDaily. Much more on Ent.Sina, Red Forum and LeslieTong.com.

April 2, 2008

Newspapers and websites coverage of the day and of the activities held in Hong Kong to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Leslie's passing: WenWeiPo 1 - 2 - 3, Ming Pao 1 - 2 - 3 - 4, SingTao, SingPao, Oriental Daily 1 - 2, The Sun 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5, The Sun, AppleDaily.

April 3, 2008

News on WenWeiPo 1 - 2, Oriental Daily 1 - 2, The Sun 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 and Apple Daily.

April 4, 2007

News on WenWeiPo 1 - 2, Oriental Daily 1 - 2 - 3, The Sun 1 - 2 - 3, MingPao, SingTao and Apple Daily: Eason Chan and another singer would have liked to sing at 'Miss You Much Leslie' concert.

April 6, 2007

News about EMAX event on MingPao and WenWeiPo. More pictures about the events in HK on LeslieTong.com. An interesting article dedicated to Leslie written by Grady Hendrix on VarietyAsia.

April 9, 2008

Joyce Cheng, Florence Chan and her son and relatives of Roman Tam had erected 3 altars in the Po Fook Hill cemetery in Shatin, Hong Kong; Lydia Shum's altar is in the middle with the altars of Roman Tam and Leslie on either side of hers. Po Fook Hill graveyard welcomes anyone to visit. No reservation is needed and no entrance fees will be charged. Visitors with no relatives or friends buried inside can also come. It is located in Shatin, Hong Kong. It is adjacent to Shatin MTR Station. The walking distance from Shatin station is about 5 to 10 minutes. Just exit from Exit B of Shatin MTR Station and head to the direction of Grand Central Plaza. Source: MingPao - The Sun - Oriental Daily - Wen Wei Po - Sing Tao. Many thanks to Simie!

April 25, 2008

Winnie Hsin's post in her blog about 'Miss You Much Leslie's concert.

Five years flew by so quickly! - Thank you, Mrs Chan, for organising this concert on the fifth anniversary of Leslie's passing so that Leslie's fans and those who miss him can come together to remember him. It was the end of 1996 to the beginning of 1997, the hotel was the same and so was the performing venue; at that time I was so happy taking part in the 20 performances of Gor Gor's concert in Hong Kong. Everyday it was like going to work; around 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. I would arrive at the Coliseum to have my make-up done for the evening's performance. Such was my routine during my one-month stay in Hong Kong. This time, I stayed at the same hotel; the venue was again the Coliseum but... the significance was completely different. Looking back , I am very contented with those few short years of my destiny shared with Leslie, for they provided me with a life time of reminiscences of which I treasure very much.

The rehearsal for the group performance was on the afternoon of 31st March. As we looked at the lyrics and sang. my heart was filled with mixed emotions. Abruptly I turned my head around and looked at the giant screen behind me. There he was, such a handsome man, dressed in a white suit with well-groomed shiny hair; a uniquely gorgeous-looking man. I could no longer conceal my emotions; within a few seconds, I had tears streaming down my face; ruining my make-up. Hurriedly I went to hide; I felt very disgraceful. It was a good thing that I released my emotions because my performance for that evening and the next went smoothly without any shedding of tears on stage.

Source: Winnie Hsin's Blog - many thanks to Simie!

'Ashes of Time Redux' will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2008 - Cannes Film Festival has shown a lot of interest in the re-edited version of 'Ashes of Time'; the film will be given a special screening at this year's film festival. In an unprecedented move, the authorities have invited the director and leading actor and actress, Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Carina Lau to grace the red carpet. Renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, at the invitation of Wong Kar Wai will be responsible for film's music score. In an interview, Wong Kar Wai revealed that the Redux version will contain many never-before-seen extended scenes. New special effects have also been added to plump out the 'Redux'. To this end, WKW has specially sought out the services of BUF which is regarded as one of the most innovative visual effects companies in the world. Some of their well-known projects include films such as 'Matrix', 'Spiderman' and 'Harry Potter'. 'Ashes of Time Redux' will be released in Europe and America for public screenings. Meanwhile the possibility of releasing the film in Asia is currently being studied. Source: AppleDaily - LeslieTong.com 1 - 2, Cannes Film Festival; many thanks to Simie!

May 15, 2008

'Ashes of TIme Redux' to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival 2008 - Leslie will be at Cannes Film Festival again: see more news from Apple Daily and Oriental Daily on LeslieTong. More on CCTV.com and Cannes Film Festival website 1 - 2.

May 19, 2008

Carina Lau, Tony Leung cherish the fond memory of Leslie Cheung in Cannes promotion of 'Ashes of Time Redux' - Carina Lau, Tony Leung and Charlie Yeung led by director Wong Kar Wai arrived in Cannes to attend the world premiere of Wong's re-edited film, 'Ashes of Time Redux' on 18th May. In a meeting with the local media, Carina Lau, Tony Leung and Charlie Yeung expressed in unison that this film evokes fond memories of Leslie Cheung for each of them. WKW revealed that it had been a challenging 4 years for him to re-edit and re-score his 1994 wuxia classic, 'Ashes of Time'. Carina Lau sighed with sadness as she recalls how events had turned out in the course of the last 10 years; the demise of Leslie Cheung and Brigitte Lin's retirement from the movie world.  Tony Leung also expressed similar feelings. He said, "This film brings back fond memories of Leslie Cheung. In fact watching 'Happy Together' also brings back memories of my time spent with Gor Gor in Argentina". As for Charlie Yeung who was a young starlet at that time when she filmed 'Ashes of Time', the film also evoked memories of Gor Gor's counsel. She said, "Gor Gor advised me that an actor must have dignity; a person must be humble. These words of Gor Gor paved a good foundation in my life; enabling me to withstand hardships in the world of showbiz, they helped me a great deal." Touching on her experience when making this film, she indicated that she was a newbie at that time while Gor Gor was already a megastar but he was happy and willing to lead the newcomers with his advice and guidance. "There were occasions when he did not have to work but he would still come in specially to rehearse the script with me. Sometimes we would play a game of badminton or a round of chess. He also played mah-jong on the film set; I sat beside him helping him to collect the winnings. These memories really made me miss him dearly." There are not many differences between the older version and the new re-edited film. 'Ashes of Time Redux' comes with a more powerful music score and a more intensified colour scheme. Scenes of Gor Gor's sword-fighting battle have been inserted during the credit roll towards the end of the film. WKW indicated that there will be a special screening of the film to raise funds for the Sichuan Earthquake victims when 'Ashes of Time Redux' is scheduled to premiere at the Shanghai Film Festival next month. Source: Oriental Daily on LeslieTong.com - many thanks to Simie! More news on LeslieTong 1 - 2, ScreenDaily, GreenCine.com, The New Your Times See the trailer on You Tube.

Mary and Richard Corliss wrote on TimeAsia: National cinemas have different Golden Ages. For Hong Kong, it was the decade from the mid-'80s to the mid-'90s, when directors like Tsui Hark and John Woo were revitalizing the crime film, and when young Wong Kar-wai was revolutionizing the misty romance. At the time, Hong Kong also had perhaps the world's greatest roster of glamorous stars, and prominent among them were Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, the two Tony Leungs, Jacky Cheung, Carina Lau and Charlie Young. All of them are in Wong's 1994 martial-arts reverie Ashes of Time, which had a special screening last night in a version revised by the director. Leslie Cheung is a killer-for-hire who runs an inn in a remote part of China. The other stars come by to engage his services or to hide from those ready to kill them. The film — shot by that picture-taker and mood-maker of genius, Christopher Doyle — is essentially a series of gigantic closeups of these beautiful faces. Lau's face holds do much emotion, she can break you heart just by being photographed; Maggie Cheung has never looked more ravishing than in her long, pensive scene here; the planes of Tony Leung Ka-fei's visage have the drama of great modern architecture. Leslie Cheung, wise, pouty, ever dangerously alert, binds this poetic, episodic film. A suicide at 46, in 2003, Leslie will live forever in glorious films like this one, which I'm happy to say is being released for U.S. theatrical distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. In Ashes of Time, Leslie Cheung says, the root of men's problems is memory." Yet memory is the root of identity for many of us, and for some of the best films at Cannes... Source: TimeAsia.

June 21, 2008

Winnie Hsin during her 2006 concert remembered Leslie. Winnie wept uncontrollably on the first night of her concert performance when she performed her duet with Leslie. Then on the second night, this is what she said. "A very good friend of mine once promised me that if ever I should hold my own concert, he would definitely be present to give me his support so today I still reserve the role of my special guest especially for him."

Winnie then performed 'Deep Embrace', her duet with Leslie. Mid-way through the song, the following words flashed across the screen.

After the song finished, Winnie had this to say: "Actually today when I decide to sing this song with Gor Gor, strangely enough, last night I dreamt of him again (she smiled sweetly at this juncture but right after this her voice choked with emotions). He said to me, "When you sing with me, you mustn't cry." I have done it today, Gor Gor. (she turned aside to weep, then regaining her composure she said...). Let's give our applause and our thanks to our everlasting superstar, Cheung Kwok Wing!"

You can watch the video here or on LeslieTong.com. Many thanks to Simie! Pictures from Tom.com. More recent news about Winnie on the forum.

June 23, 2008

The premiere of "Ashes of Time Redux' has been held in Shanghai. The income will go for charity for victims of the earthquake in China. Leslie's fans attended and show they great support to GorGor! Source: LeslieTong.com 1 - 2.

News about donations in the name of Leslie for the victims of the earthquake in China organized by Red Mission here.

July 7, 2008

On August 8, 2008 John Woo's 'A Better Tomorrow' will be screened again on theatre in Seul. Source: LeslieTong.com where you can also see a picture of the poster.

July 8, 2008

On the official website of 'Miss you much, Leslie' concert, Florence Chan has clarified that the memorial concert dedicated to Leslie on September 12, 2008 won't be held on Shanghai stadium. It will be held at Chonqing stadium, in Mainland China, in order to support charity for victims of the earthquake in China. More details will be officialy announced later. She invited the fans to not believe rumors. Admission tickets sale, souvenirs sale and so on will be officialy announced later. Source: http://ileslie.hk/tc/latest_news.html.

July 25, 2008

Ming Pao reported that Florence Chan has confirmed that the 912 memorial concert will be held in the Chongqing Olympic Sports Center on Sept 12 with proceeds from the concert going towards helping the restoration of Sichuan province that was affected by the earthquake.  There could be a slight difference in the line-up of the performing artists from the April 1st concert.  By all accounts it seems that Tony Leung Chiu Wai has agreed in advance to once again perform 'The Wind Continues To Blow' at the concert.  Originally Florence Chan wanted to hold the concert in Sichuan but due to the current restoration work being carried out over there at the moment and also safety concerns, she then decided to hold it in Chongquing. In recognition of the tireless and selfless spirit of  all the frontline medical personnel that had provided aid during the disaster Florence Chan hopes to invite them to come and enjoy the concert. Changing the venue to Chongqing is mainly due to the fact that the Hong Kong Coliseum is undergoing renovations during this time and there was no other venue big enough to hold the memorial concert in H.K. Tentatively she has revealed that Jacky Cheung, Joyce Cheng, Karen Mok and Tony Leung Chiu Wai are among some of the performing guests. She did not wish to list the names of the other artists at this moment until the artists' names have been finalised.  Tony Leung has said  that he is happy and willing to perform again if it is for Leslie Cheung.  Florence also revealed that it she had to confirm the concert venue for the 912 concert because in recent days, there are some people in the Mainland who are trying to take advantage of the unclear circumstances and take profit by selling tickets on the Internet for a 'memorial' concert supposedly to be held in Shanghai. Hence she had to make this early announcement to prevent the audience from being deceived by these unscrupulous people. Source: LeslieTong.com - many thanks to Simie! More about the concert: http://ileslie.hk/tc/latest_news.html.

July 28, 2008

Today Ming Pao reported on Winnie Hsin's concert in Genting Highlands in Malaysia. Once again, she could not control her emotions when she sang 'Deep Embrace' with the video of Leslie on the big screen. She wept so much that she could not continue with her song. Source and picture: LeslieTong.com - many thanks to Simie!

August 28, 2008

In recent days, Jacky Cheung is busy preparing for the Leslie Cheung Memorial Concert to be held in Chungqing on September 12th.   In accepting an interview with reporters, Jacky Cheung revealed for the very first time, "Actually all of you don't know about this but Mr Leslie Cheung and I still have a musical that was never completed; this is a regret of a lifetime." The strong bond of friendship between Jacky Cheung and Leslie Cheung blossomed during the filming of 'Days of Being Wild'.  Leslie Cheung greatly admired Jacky Cheung's singing  while Jacky Cheung in turn was envious of Leslie Cheung's artistic talents.  Just like two brothers, they both shared a mutual appreciation for one another. "He was a person who pursued perfection."  Touching on his friendship with Leslie Cheung, Jacky Cheung appeared downcast. "Actually Leslie Cheung and I had a musical that was never completed.  At that time, we wanted to do a musical about the story of two actors; of how they compete with each other in their music and love.  Who would have thought that this would instead become a regret of a lifetime?" Source: LeslieTong.com - many thanks to Simie!

Florence Chan talked about the forthcoming concert in Chungqing in a recent radio interview. She revealed that some of the guests include Chilam Cheung, The Grasshoppers, Joyce Cheng, Dicky Cheung, Patrick Tam, Nadia Chan and Winnie Hsin with Jacky Cheung as art director.  Part of the proceeds will go towards the restoration of the city of Chengdu. Many thanks to Simie!

September 12, 2008

Dear Leslie, Happy 52th Birthday!

Since I'm in Hong Kong, you will be able to find more news and pictures about my holiday soon. So stay tuned on the Pillow!

September 13, 2008

In Party Mood Singing the Birthday Song at the Avenue of Stars - Yesterday was Leslie Cheung's 52nd birthday; although it has been 5 years since Leslie Cheung left the world but the love of his friends and fans has not diminished. His ex-manager, Florence Chan, gathered together a group of Gor Gor's good friends that included Jacky Cheung, Chilam Cheung, and The Grasshoppers for the 'Miss You Much Leslie' Memorial concert in Chongqing to celebrate Gor Gor's birthday. Together with an audience of 40,000 they traveled down memory lane reliving all the classic hits of Gor Gor.

Fans in Hong Kong also held various activities to celebrate his birthday. On the eve of Gor Gor's birthday, more than a hundred fans welcomed in his 52nd birthday at the stroke of midnight at the Avenue of Stars. A birthday party was held later in the evening. With all these activities, Gor Gor certainly was not lonely on his birthday. Leslie Cheung's birthday activities commenced the night before with the gathering of fans from Hong Kong, Beijing, Japan, Singapore and Korea at the Avenue of Stars in Tsimshatsui. Cakes, mooncakes, flowers and some little presents were placed on his star.

As midnight approached, they crowded around the star to begin the countdown together.  At the stroke of twelve, they wished Gor Gor a very happy birthday and sang the birthday song in Chinese and English. Over a hundred fans then continue to sing the songs, 'Moving On Together' and 'The Moon Represents My Heart'. At this juncture, the special celebration attracted many tourists who formed a curious circle of onlookers around the group. Some fans indicated that this was a spontaneous activity. Following the death of Leslie Cheung in 2003, they always gather together at his star to remember him on his birthday each year.  Gor Gor has departed for 5 years but because it was his birthday celebration therefore the atmosphere was not particularly sorrowful. Last night a group of 300 fans held another gathering with the theme, 'Leslie Cheung Fashion Tour' which was a birthday banquet comprising of 30 tables. Local Hong Kong fans as well as overseas fans from different parts of the world such as Japan and Korea, assembled together to remember Gor Gor. In the hearts of the fans, Gor Gor was a fashion icon. Hence with this theme in mind, fans came together to once again savour Gor Gor's impeccable fashion sense.

Gor Gor is not only in the hearts of his fans but also on their faces. Some Japanese female fans creatively decorated their faces with Leslie Cheung face stickers. At the venue there were souvenirs like Leslie Cheung enviro bags and desk calendars on sale which went for HK$280 and HK$120 respectively. As fans entered the venue, there was a whiteboard on the wall at the front entrance for them to pin up their favourite photo of Leslie Cheung for all to enjoy. The whiteboard of photos became the grand prize for the evening's activity. According to the organiser, Ms Lam, video footage of Gor Gor's different images was screened as part of the evening's programme. In addition there was also a competition in which fans dressed up to imitate an image of Leslie Cheung. Source: Ming Pao Daily - LeslieTong.com. many thanks to Simie!

On Leslie's birthday fans brough flowers to his house in Kadoorie Avenue and to Madame Tussaud's wax museum at the Peak.

Leslie's 52th Birthday has been celebrated also in Beijing. See report and pictures on LeslieTong.com.

Jackie & Joyce to perform in Leslie's 5th year death anniversary - It would have been Leslie Cheung's 52nd birthday on 12th. His previous manager Mrs. Chan Shuk Fun was organizing a charity concert to commemorate his 5th year death anniversary. The concert will be held in Chongqing Olympic Sport Centre which has 40,000 seats. The concert is called "Miss You Much Leslie". The stage design and the lighting would be different from the last concert. This time the bridge would be a complete bridge, meaning there is contact with Leslie. New comers Dicky Cheung, Patrick Tam and William So use 'Past Love' as the theme. They will be singing Leslie's songs. The other guests include Deanie Yip, Julian Cheung, Joyce Cheng, Wang Hui, Winnie Hsin and The Grass Hoppers will also be performing. They want to spend the night with Leslie through his music. Jacky Cheung is in charge of the artistic effects of the concert. He pays attention to every minor details.

Mrs. Chan was hoping even if the fans can not make it to the concert, they can pay their respect to him at Po Sim Hall situated at Po Fook Hill in Sha Tin, Hong Kong. Mrs. Chan reckoned this year's concert would be the last charity concert to commemorate Leslie's death. She has specially designed a recycle green bag for sale. The remaining proceed will go to charity. She is also putting together the April 1st , the 5th year anniversary "Miss You Much Leslie" concert into DVD, adding on a CD (limited to 2000 copies) as well as a little booklet. So that Leslie's fan can keep as momentum. Source: MingPao - Translator: dragon888 at http://www.asianvn.com. More news on the official website: http://ileslie.hk/tc/.

Visit Winnie Hsin's blog here. More news in Chinese and pictures about Leslie's 52th Birthday on LeslieTong.com.

JACKIE'S SPECIAL VIDEO FOR LESLIE'S BIRTHDAY here!!!!!

October 3, 2008

Florence Chan celebrated the 33rd anniversary of her marriage - On October 1st, Florence Chan celebrated the 33rd anniversary if her marriage with her husband David with an evening banquet held in the ballroom of the Inter-Continental Hotel in HK. Mr Tong attended. Florence created a special photo album to be given to every guests in order to recollect memories of her and her husband's life. The sentence "Most hurts, most painful" was written beside Leslie's picture. Among guests: Jacky Cheung, Joyce Cheng, Anita Yuen, Chilam Cheung, Grasshopper. About the proceeds of "Miss you much Leslie" concerts, she announced that HK$ 1,000,000 went to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, while HK$ 290,000 went to the Children Cancer Fund in Hong Kong to continue Leslie's charitable spirit. Source: LeslieTong.com, Ming Pao, SingPao, WenWeiPo, Oriental Daily, The Sun 1 - 2.

I'm actually not sure about this translation. I 've made it on my own and everybody knows that I can't read Chinese so... I hope somebody can translate better soon!

I've finally updated the Pillow with my report about my trip to Hong Kong. Please visit: HONG KONG DREAMLAND 4

October 7, 2008

November 23, 2008

Leslie Cheung Music World Exhibition will be held by Red Mission Japan at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall Gallery in Yokohama (Japan) from December 17th to December 20th 2008. Here for more info.

Final Cast Toy Bank in Hong Kong just released the figurine "The Legend of Red" dedicated to Leslie Cheung. It's a limited edition of 500 models to commemorate and celebrate the legend of Hong Kong. More pictures, info and details on http://www.fc-toy.com/. The figurine is really beautiful!!!!

January 12, 2009

MOVIES ON THE MIND

Psychology and Films since Sigmund Freud

The Hong Kong Film Archive has great pleasure in organizing the fascinating cross-over exhibition and screening programme MOVIES ON THE MIND in collaboration with the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum for Film and Television in Berlin. One of their curators Ms Kristina Jaspers will be flying in to officiate at our opening on Dec 20. Ten films related to psychology, dreams or schizophrenia will be screened, accompanying a multi-media exhibition comprising nine subtopics. In January 2009, two seminars will be held, inviting a psychiatrist, film critics and filmmakers to talk about how film and psychology feed on each other.

Movies on the Mind

'INNER SENSES' will be screned on January 17, 2009 at 2.15 pm at Hong Kong Film Archive Cinema.

Screening Schedule

About INNER SENSES

If past ghosts can traverse time and space to haunt the present, so can mental delusion. Haunted by ghosts in an old apartment, Yan (Karena Lam) is forced by her family to see a psychiatrist (Leslie Cheung). The doctor cures her of childhood psychological trauma but then he himself begins to show the same symptoms. Being a psychiatrist makes it even harder for him to help himself, as supernatural visions follow him around...Is it more difficult to treat obsessions than serious illnesses? Veteran Tsui Siu-keung and newcomer Karena Lam both deliver compelling performances. The final scene on the rooftop is sadly uncanny - Leslie Cheung’s character gets over his obsessions in the film, but it’s a different ending for the actor in real life.

Psychology and Film since Sigmund Freud - THE EXHIBITION

In 1895 the Lumière brothers showed their first film and Sigmund Freud laid the cornerstone for psychoanalysis. In addition to this chronological parallel there are numerous structural and contextual interconnections between film and psychology. This exhibition comprises thematic installations that illustrate the complex 'relationships' between the analyst and the patient, the profiler and psychopath, as well as various psychic phenomena and their cinematic conversions.

Period: 20/12/2008 - 15/3/2009
Venue: Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong Film Archive

THE SEMINAR

January 23, 2009

Chen Kaige's movie "Forever Enthralled", dedicated to Mei Lan Fang, collected bad criticisms due to Leon Lai's performance. So Chen Kaige, his wife Chen Hong and Mei Lang Fang's son are promoting their film by telling lies and making offensive remarks about Leslie. First of all they told that they use dubs both for Leslie and Leon (trying to downgrade Leslie's performance in "Farewell to my concubine"), then the scriptwriter of the film Geling Yan was interviewed on Phoenix TV in China. She appeared with the host and another guest. The guest asked her why did they pick Leon Lai for the role of Mei. She answered saying that there were other candidates as well but one day after Leon came for the costume fitting and had his photo shoot, Chen Kaige came up to her with a photo (the TV screen then showed Leslie's photo in "Farewell to my concubine") and asked her if she knew who was in the photo. She said the person in the photo was extremely beautiful. She said that Leon Lai in a reverse role as a 'dan' is downright beautiful. They intentionally used Leslie's photo to show how Leon Lai was so beautiful in Beijing Opera costume!! When the photo came on the screen, the Chinese words read, "Meilanfang - Leon Lai's film image". Of course this caused a big protest among fans. Phoenix TV refused to pay attention to this protest, so fans wrote to the scriptwriter's blog and she deeply apologised to Leslie and also to Lai's fans telling that she didn't know which picture they showed on TV. Her husband contacted Phoenix TV and finally they officially apologised. In meantime all media in China and even AppleDaily in HK spreaded the news. He's now trying to demand for apologised from the China Film Corporation (i.e. producers of the film) because it seems that they provided the wrong picture, but of course his e-mails and faxes are all bounced back. So he wrote a letter and invited fans to do the same. Of course Chen Kaige and his wife are not very different from WKW. But the worst is Mei's son who, together with Chen's wife, openly declared that his father did not have sissy gestures nor was he a gay guy. Hence even if Leslie was alive, the Mei family would not have wanted Leslie to play the role of his father in this movie. We are waiting for public apologizes. This is such a shame!!!! More on the Forum.

February 4, 2009

Eleven Gay Historical Figures Worthy of the "Milk" Treatment
by Alonso Duralde

Whatever you think of 'Milk', there's no denying that the Oscar-nominated biopic is putting a long-overdue spotlight on the life of Harvey Milk, allowing much of the mainstream audience to learn about his singular achievements for the very first time. But why stop there? Now that Milk has proven that stirring gay life stories can appeal to more than just a gay audience, Hollywood should think about making movies about the following legends. We'll even help them decide which to make first by throwing in a rating of 1-5 Harveys for each story's eventual Oscar bait-ability. That should help land some big name stars.

Leslie Cheung

Who he was: One of Asia's only out superstars, Cheung was legendary in both the worlds of cinema (Farewell My Concubine, Ashes of Time) and music (he was considered one of the founding fathers of the Chinese 'Cantopop' movement). He spent the first part of his career denying reports regarding his sexuality before eventually saying he was bisexual; by the end of his career, the relatively homophobic Hong Kong press was accepting enough that his male lover was listed as a surviving spouse when Cheung committed suicide in 2003 after battling clinical depression.

Potential film plot points: Winning a televised singing competition at age 21 (he sang "American Pie") and being signed to his first record label . . . Cheung's booming pop music career in the late '80s, followed by film stardom in the 1990s in a variety of genres, from action to period drama to comedy (the latter category including He's a Woman, She's a Man, a farce in which Cheung's character falls for a woman pretending to be a boy . . . His decision to go public regarding his sexuality, and his tragic death.

Dream director: Wong Kar-Wai, whose many films with Cheung include the poignant gay romance Happy Together (1997).

Dream actor: Japanese superstar Tadanobu Asano.

Harveys: 2.5. Would probably have its strongest shot in the Best Foreign Film category, since Cheung is relatively unknown in the U.S.

Visit the website: www.afterelton.com

February 20, 2009

Florence Chan, together with Joyce Cheung, visited the three altars in the Po Fook Hill cemetery in Shatin, Hong Kong, dedicated to Leslie, Lydia and Roman Tam in the anniversary of Lydia's passing. More news and pictures on Leslietong.com.

February 25, 2009

In the article 'Muscles alone have never won over Chinese women' published on Chinadaily and dedicated to male beauty, Tou Jiangming, editor-in-chief of the Chinese edition of Esquire, pressed to choose a role model in male beauty, would pick Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, adding: "Cheung possessed a sunny disposition when young and a very sophisticated audacity when he came out of the closet. Leung gains more in finesse as he ripens into middle age." Read the whole article on the Forum.

February 26, 2009

From March 22 to April 13 2009 the HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will be held in Hong Kong.
http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/main.html
For all those who love the best of movies and Leslie Cheung there is the chance to watch
"Ashes of Time Redux" on March 30, 2009 at 7.15 pm
http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/film/detail/5/1092.html
"A Better Tomorrow" on March 25, 2009 at 12.30 pm
http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/film/detail/32/1001.html
"A Chinese Ghost Story" on March 27, 2009 at 12.30 pm
http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/film/detail/32/1006.html
Those who are so lucky to be in HK surely will enjoy these wonderful films on silver screen!

March 15, 2009

March 16, 2009

Leslie Cheung Memorial Film Festival in Seoul, South Korea - A film festival dedicated to Leslie will be held in Seoul at the Hollywood Dream Theatre and Cinema Festival from March 27th to April 23th in order to commemorate the 6th anniversary of his passing. The film festival will show Leslie's movies like 'Happy Together', 'Days of being wild', 'Phantom Lover', 'All's well the End's well', 'Bride with White Hair' , 'A better tomorrow' and 'A better tomorrow 2' - source LeslieTong.com - many thanks to Kyong.

Leslie Cheung Film Festival in Shanghai, China - A film festival dedicate to Leslie will be held in Shanghai at the Studio City China from March 30th to April 3rd in order to commemorate the 6th anniversary of his passing. The film festival will show Leslie's movies like 'Ashes of Time', 'A Time to Remember', 'Inner Senses', 'Farewell to My Concubine', 'Moonlight Express'. On March 27th 2009 Studio City China will screen 'Ashes of Time Redux'. More info: http://www.studiocitychina.com/.

March 20, 2009

A Tribute to Leslie Cheung's Creative Work by Red Mission - In his music, films and music videos, Mr. Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing had successfully projected himself as a performer-cum-producer. Through his creative works, Leslie communicates his unique perspective on aesthetic sensibility and artistic expression to the audience. However, while his showmanship is widely renowned and appreciated by many, his creativity and contribution to the realm of the local performing culture that he strived to establish were lesser known by the masses. It is on the above understanding that we are going to organize this year’s memorial event for Leslie.

'A Tribute to Leslie Cheung's Creative Work' - An Outdoor Broadcast Event
Date: 1 April 09
Time: 8:30pm to 10pm
Place: Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza (near the flight of steps on the Avenue of Stars)
Programme: The screening of a specially edited video documentary on the works produced and directed by Leslie during the course of his career. Special guest appearances in the video in reminiscence of Leslie will include certain former co-partners of Leslie.

'A Tribute to Leslie Cheung's Creative Work' - Exhibition on the Avenue of Stars
Date: 28th March 09 (Saturday) - 5th April 09 (Sunday)
Venue: Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui
Content: To coincide with the theme of this year's outdoor broadcast feature on the Avenue of Stars on 1st April, captioned photos on Leslie Cheung's creative works in music, movies and stage performances will be on display.

‘The Classic of Leslie Cheung's Stage Performances' at Madame Tussauds
Date: 29th March (Sunday) - 5th April (Sunday)
Venue: Madame Tussauds Hong Kong at the Peak - beside Leslie's wax figure
Note: The area for flowers display is located by the wax figure of Leslie. In the area, there will be a visual display set playing video clips of Leslie performing on stage. The short-listed entries of 'Multimedia Creativity Competition' will be also shown.

March 21, 2009

The ending shot was on Leslie Cheung - an excerpt from a recent interview with Wong Kar Wai on March 12, 2009.

Host: The last screen shot in the film was focussed on Leslie Cheung. What prompted you to do it?

WKW:  I believe that 'Ashes of Time' could be one of Leslie Cheung representative works. Nowadays the chances to have such a large scale screening of Leslie Cheung's movies in so many places are pretty uncommon; therefore I hope that through this screen shot, his fans and people who appreciate him will be able to have a last look at their idol on screen.

Host: Leslie worked with you several times. Actually as an actor, what were his special characteristics or was there anything that you especially appreciate about him?

WKW: Generally speaking, everybody mentions his talent... his appearance but I reckon beside these two points, my impression of Leslie Cheung is, he was strong in looks and talent... extremely hardworking, righeous and honorable man. If he promised to do something, he would get it done regardless... just like when we were in the desert at that time, he was the only person who stayed there from beginning to the end.

Source: Sina.com - LeslieTong.com. Many thanks to Simie for her translation.

March 22,1009

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR LESLIE BY LESLIE LEGACY ASSOCIATION
Venue: Connaught Garden, i.e. Podium of the Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong
Date: April 1st, 2009
Time: 6.15 pm (in time to be there at 6.41 pm)
Anyone with a heart for Leslie, bring your candle and be there to remember him... same time, same place.
If you’re not in Hong Kong, please, light up a candle for him wherever you are.

March 26, 2009

Tony Leung and Carina Lau reminisce Leslie Cheung through teary eyes - Tony Leung and Carina Lau arrived in Beijing yesterday to promote Wong Kar Wai's 'Ashes of Time Redux. The pair together with director Wong Kar Wai and cinematographer Christopher Doyle attended the press conference yesterday. When Leslie Cheung was mentioned, eyes were brimmed with silent tears. Maggie Cheung who is presently in America sent a fax to Wong Kar Wai. He revealed that Maggie Cheung wished to say something and that is "Leslie Cheung and 'Ashes of Time' will remain in my heart forever." Thus it can clearly be seen that the radiance of this superstar has definitely not been obliterated in everyone's mind. Carina Lau disclosed that the thing she cherished most about this film was Leslie Cheung; she recalls those moments of working together with him, she will never forget his smile, his perseverance and self-discipline towards work. Source: Ming Pao Daily - Leslietong.com. Many thanks to Simie.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Carina Lau earlier went to Beijing to promote 'Ashes Of Time Redux', which has been described as Wong Kar Wai's love letter to Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing in Heaven. Yesterday at the press conference, they along with director Wong Kar Wai and Christopher Doyle shed tears in silence when Gor Gor was mentioned. Maggie Cheung Man Yuk even sent a fax from the United States to Wong Kar Wai. He revealed that Cheung Man Yuk wanted to say, "Cheung Kwok Wing and 'Ashes Of Time' will forever be in my heart." Carina Lau also expressed that she missed Gor Gor the most in this film. Recalling her collaboration with him, she would never forget his smile and his professional persistence. Wong Kar Wai felt that in 'Ashes Of Time' was a shadow in which everyone's shadow could be found. It was not just a martial art film. Thus he looked forward to watching this film again today and how everyone's feeling would be. Source: HK Top Ten.

March 27, 2009

Leslie Cheung helps push Hong Kong films in South Korea - It is Leslie Cheung's 6th anniversary of his passing this year; coincidentally there is a promotion of Hong Kong films commencing today until 28th March in Korea. In remembrance of Gor Gor, the promotion kicks off with a Leslie Cheung Film Festival, screening Leslie's films. Commemorative activities begin tomorrow in Hong Kong including "A Tribute to Leslie Cheung's Creative Work". Tomorrow, 30th March, is the start of "Yesterday Once More – A Retrospect of Leslie Cheung's Classic Movies Series V" at the Golden Gateway Theatre. The movie, "Farewell My Concubine" will be screened on 31st March. Proceeds from the ticket sales of these two movie screenings minus the expenses will be donated to the Hong Kong Children's Cancer Foundation. Source: AppleDaily - Leslietong.com. Many thanks to Simie.

Commemorative activities in Hong Kong and Korea for Leslie Cheung's 6th death anniversary - It is the 6th anniversary of Leslie Cheung's passing this year; his fans from around the world have not forgotten him. Commemorative activities are being organized spontaneously; the first of such events in remembrance of Leslie is the "Leslie Cheung Film Festival" which runs from March 27 to April 23, organized by the Korean company, More In Group. The films to be screened at the film fest are "Happy Together", "The Phantom Love", "All’s Well Ends Well", "The Bride With White Hair", "Days of Being Wild", and "A Better Tomorrow 1 & 2". Commemorative activities in Hong Kong commence on March 28 which include "Yesterday Once More – A Retrospect of Leslie Cheungìs Classic Movies Series V", and an exhibition along the Avenue of Stars based on the theme of "A Tribute to Leslie Cheung's Creative Work". Captioned photos of Leslie Cheung's creative works in music, films and stage performances will be on display. On March 30, "Yesterday Once More – A Retrospect of Leslie Cheung's Classic Movies Series V" will take place at the Golden Gateway Theatre in Tsim Sha Tsui with the screening of "He's A Woman, She's A Man" and "Ashes of Time Redux" organized by the HKIFF. "Farewell My Concubine" will be screened on the second night. Source: Ming Pao Daily - Leslietong.com. Many thanks to Simie.

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong pays homage to Leslie Cheung for sixth year in a row - Housing the unofficial memorial for Hong Kong legend Leslie Cheung, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong together with loyal fans, will once again celebrate the super star’s life on the sixth anniversary of his passing. Special videos created by Leslie Cheung's Fan Club, Red Mission, as well as rare footage of Leslie performing in the seventies and eighties will share the stage with Leslie's wax figure. These videos will give guests a glimpse of Leslie's illustrious life and the super star's love of creativity and imagination. The videos will be available for viewing from March 29 to April 5, 2009. Adoring fans who wish to leave a tribute of flowers may do so during this time. Red Mission members who wish to pay their respects to Leslie at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong will receive a special admission rate of HK$100 per adult ticket, upon presentation of a valid membership card. This offer will run from March 23 until April 5, 2009. Source: Madame Tussauds Hong Kong - www.leslie-cheung.net.

This year is the sixth anniversary of Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing's passing. All over Hong Kong and Southeast Asia Wing fans have launched commemorations. The Korean company More In Group's general manager TJ Chung, Hong Kong partner Choi Lik and Dominic Yip Tak Wai will hold a "Leslie Cheung Memorial Film Festival" in Korea. 2009 is the 100th anniversary of Hong Kong cinema, More In Group starting with "Never ending story in HK" has been promoting Hong Kong movies in Korea, and with Gor Gor's as the first shot the first event is "Leslie Cheung Memorial Film Festival". The event will take place from March 27 to April 23 in Korea's Hollywood and DreamCinema theaters. Seven of Gor Gor's films including 'Happy Together', 'The Phantom Lover', 'All’s Well Ends Well', 'The Bride With White Hair', 'Days Of Being Wild', 'A Better Tomorrow' and its sequel will be featured. In Hong Kong, starting March 28 a series of commemorative activities will take place, including an Avenue of Stars memorial event. On March 30 at the Golden Harvest Movie Gateway City a Cheung Kwok Wing film retrospective series 5 will take place. A few attendees would receive film still postcards. The proceeds from the two screening will be donated to children's cancer fund. Source: HK Top Ten.

March 28, 2009

APA Top Ten: Leslie Cheung's Heartbreaker Roles by Winghei Kwok

In remembrance of Leslie Cheung on the sixth anniversary of his passing, APA recounts the top ten works that capture the irresistible heartbreaker persona that audiences came to love him for. Some think of him as tragic hero, some consider him the perfect lover, and some call him a sex icon. The chameleon singer, actor, and songwriter Leslie Cheung took on many roles throughout his career. With his boyish good looks and unique charm, Cheung successfully captured the hearts of countless women (and men) early on in his career as a singer, producing great hits like "Monica," "The Wind Continues Blowing," "Unwilling to Sleep." Cast often as a handsome but sometimes heartless rebel in film, the young Leslie Cheung was Prince Charming to many teenage girls in the 80s. Cheung became mostly known for his romantic hero roles in films such as "A Chinese Ghost Story", "Ashes of Time", Rouge, and The Bride with White Hair. He also ventured into comedy in "All's Well, Ends Well" and action in the much celebrated "Once a Thief" with Chow Yun Fat.
As the saying goes, life often imitates art. Leslie Cheung proved to be a romantic hero both onscreen and also in real life. When he held hands with his male partner of 10 years publicly, proudly and courageously, Hong Kong's conservative public miraculously embraced his personal life. Cheung, being fully out of the closet, found much more freedom in exploring androgyny and homosexuality in his films, and he fine-tuned his art of seduction to accommodate both sexes.
As an actor, singer and irresistably beautiful human being, Leslie Cheung excelled at breaking hearts in his movies. Hopelessly devoted one minute and ruthlessly cold the other, gentle and meek like a schoolboy one minute and aggressive like a madman in the next, his characters often left you wondering if his caresses were more menacing then his blows. On April 1, 2002, Leslie Cheung committed the most heartbreaking act of all: taking his own life and leaving his loved ones and fans in painful disbelief. On the sixth anniversary of his death, we recount the top ten heartbreaker roles he embodied, in film and through music. More info: Asia Pacific Arts - UCLA Asia Institute.

March 29, 2009

March 30, 2009

Commemoration of the 6th anniversary of Leslie's passing has started at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong. Fans can send flowers and enjoy videoclips of Leslie performing on stage from March 29th to April 5th, 2009. Many pictures on Ent.Sina and TungStar.

A wonderful article written by Anna Nguyen on The Traveller: "My love for Leslie Cheung". Don't miss it!!!! Another article on "Ashes of Time Redux" on China Daily.

"Ashes Of Time" premieres in Beijing - There's a special place saved by every movie buff deep down in their hearts for the Hong Kong film "Ashes of Time". The flick, directed by Hong Kong's Wong Kar Wai some 15 years ago, united a galaxy of big names including Tony Leung, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, and the late actor Leslie Cheung. To the elation of movie fans, a new re-edited version of the classic was just released across the country this week. Director Wong Kar Wai escorted with his wife and cast members Tony Leung and Carina Lau to press conference. They joined the audience in remembering how the movie came into being, and all the mixed feelings during and after the shooting. Many think that "Days of Being Wild", another picture directed by Wong Karwai, is the signature work of late actor Leslie Cheung, who committed suicide in 2004. But Wong doesn't agree with that. He says it is "Ashes of Time" that represents Cheung at his best. April 1st is the anniversary of Leslie Cheung's death. And cast members were in grief while talking about Cheung's passing. Actor Tony Leung said, "Almost all the cast members have changed a great deal over the years. Some have never played again; some said good-bye to the world; some went to other places to continue making films; and some got hitched up. Such a drastic change!" The newly edited version of "Ashes of Time" has a more powerful visual impact. The use of sharp contrasting colors add to the luster.And to help remember Leslie Cheung, the last frame of the movie is a picture of Cheung's face. Editor: Zhao Yanchen. Source: CCTV.

March 31, 2009

"Ashes of Time Redux" at HKIFF - "Ashes of Time Redux" was premiered yesterday night in HK at the HKIFF. Wong Kar Wai, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Carina Lau and Charlie Yeung where on the stage to introduce the movie to the audience (most of them were Leslie's fans). Ms Bak Suet Sin, Karen Mok and other celebrities attended. The free screening was dedicated to Leslie in the 6th anniversary of his passing. A special heart-shaped board was set up with the writing "In memory of Leslie Cheung" and videoclips with messages of few celebrities as Maggie Cheung, Faye Wong, Sandra Ng, Eric Tsang, Andy Lau, Alan Tam, Leon Lai, Louis Koo, Aaron kwok, Shu Qi, Gordon Chan, Christopher Doyle, Ti Lung, Cecilia Cheung and John Woo have been screened as well to remember Gor Gor. One of this video was edited by Wong Kar Wai. Especially Cecilia Cheung's message was touching, because her little son Lucas was with her and called out "GorGor". He definitely represents a new generation of fans! Irene Cheung also attended with a friend. News and pictures: MingPao on LeslieTong.com, AppleDaily on LeslieTong.com 1 & 2, The Sun, Oriental Daily, WenWeiPo, SingPao, TakungPao, Ent.Sina 1 & 2, LeslieTong.com.

The 33rd Annual Hong Kong International Film Festival's "Ashes of Time Redux" premiere took place at the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Center. Actors Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Carina Lau Ka Ling, Brigitte Lin (Lam Ching Ha), Charlie Yeung Choi Nei, director Wong Kar Wai and cinematographer Andrew Lau Wai Keung attended. At the event guests reminisced about their departed co-star Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing. The premiere not only witnessed this classic's new interpretation but also lit candles as a salute to Cheung Kwok Wing. At the event a two minute film was shown with Gor Gor's friends Maggie Cheung Man Yuk, Gong Li, Andy Lau Tak Wa, Faye Wong, Leon Lai Ming, Michelle Reis (Lee Ka Yun), Cherie Chung Chor Hung and others through words expressed their feelings for Gor Gor. Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi, Shu Qi, Sandra Ng Kwan Yu, Alan Tam Wing Lun and John Woo (Ng Yu Sum) also recorded videos. Pak Chi said, "I miss Gor Gor very much. I am already different, married and have a baby. I missed you very much, I am very happy to be able to share your work with my son." Pak Chi brought her son Lucas on camera and asked Lucas who starred in this film. Lucas cutely said, "Gor Gor." Brigitte Lin also spoke about Gor Gor on stage and expressed that her first collaboration with him was 'The Eagle Shooting Heroes'. Back then she and Gor Gor both lived in Wan Chai and rode a bus to the set. She recalled Gor Gor asking her, "Ching Ha, how are you?" Perhaps at the time she was very lonely in Hong Kong, after a few words she was in tears. Gor Gor said to her, "I would treat you very well." Thus they became good friends. She also remembered while shooting in a cave with Gor Gor, Gor Gor suffered a scorpion bite on his neck. Two Mainland workers brought venomous scorpion wine to treat his wound and he was fine. She honestly said that the shoot was very tough but now looking back it was very happy. The host asked her about her comeback rumors, she said, "I see people acting so well that I wanted to act too, but I am not ready psychologically yet." Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Carina Lau walked the red carpet with hand in hand. Tony expressed that every year around this time he would remember Gor Gor. He pointed out that Gor Gor was a very outstanding actor. Carina's impression of Gor Gor was deep. She expressed that Gor Gor was very mischievous and vain, but had a lot of expectation professionally. Tony also pointed out that Gor Gor treated his friends very well. Carina continued, "Gor Gor needed love, he was both strong but also fragile." Wong Kar Wai said that this film was 15 years old. 15 years ago he did not have so many resources, now it was much better. As for whether Gor Gor had more scenes, he expressed that he did not want to say more or less so the audience could watch for themselves. This film earlier was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He explained that because Gor Gor really wanted to go to Cannes, so he decided to start there and only now to return to Hong Kong. This way would be more meaningful. Charlie Yeung honestly said that she would never forget that her first film was with Wong Kar Wai and Cheung Kwok Wing. Gor Gor was a big star then and treated her like a child. Yet after work they would still play badminton together. When she saw Gor Gor's face, she felt very sad inside. Karen Mok Man Wai came in support. In another event Shu Qi said that she hoped to see joy and happiness on Gor Gor's face and for him to be forever handsome. Source: HK Top Ten.

Flowers for Leslie are already at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. See pictures on Ent.Sina. More news and pictures will be added soon.

Don’t miss JACKIE'S VIDEOCLIP dedicated to Leslie!!! It's soooo touching!

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