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SINGAPORE: Jackie Chan is one hell of a funny guy. But then again, we all know that, judging from the many a happy hour people spend watching his comedic antics and guffawing at his wisecracks in his kung fu shows.
The Hong Kong movie star kicked off his Shinjuku Incident press conference tickling reporters' funny bones by giving fellow actor Daniel Wu an on-the-spot Mandarin coaching lesson after the latter mispronounced “courage” as “egg”.
He then proceeded to, with flamboyant gestures, explain the difference between filming in Asia and filming in Hollywood.
“In both shows (Shinjuku Incident and Rush Hour), we had to film in the sewage water. Difference is, the Hollywood producers spent weeks cleaning the water and then threw in fresh rubbish disguised as real rubbish just before filming. They even warmed the water! So when we weren’t pretending to be very cold for the camera, we were like ahhhh...” he said in Mandarin, sliding down in his seat with an exaggerated content facial expression of indulging at a spa.
“But when we were filming in Japan, director Derek Yee threw us into the actual sewage water. It was so smelly and freezing cold!"
He also described meeting the Japanese mafia, known locally as the yakuza, when he went to Japan to get a “feel” of the place and attain permission to film on location.
“Some friends made some arrangements for me and when I reach there, I was greeted by a whole mass of people in black suits, who bowed to me in unison. Wow, I could have been like the mafia leader!" He said, amused.
But amid all the laughter, the 54-year-old actor is serious about one thing: he wants to stop taking on his signature role of the Chinese hero who kicks bad thugs’ butt.
“What, do people really expect Rush Hour 1, 2, 3, 4... 10? Shanghai Knights, Noon, Dawn? I can’t continue filming action films forever, especially since I’m getting older. I know that I have to try to break out of the mould.
“When people look at a show with Jackie Chan, they immediately think, ah, kungfu! Ah, funny show! But hopefully if people, fans, can accept this latest show (Shinjuku Incident) then I will know that I can finally take on other roles.”
“Oh, but in case this show doesn’t work, I have a backup,” he hurried to add. “My next movie at the end of this year is a funny movie with lots of action and fighting.”
Chan and Wu’s latest movie, Shinjuku Incident, is about Chinese migrant communities in Tokyo, where as minorities, they are shunned by the mainstream Japanese society and often hounded by the yakuza.
Chan plays Steelhead, a repairman from China who travels illegally to Japan to look for his girlfriend. Steelhead struggles to make a living but unwittingly pits himself against the yakuza.
Sounds much like yet another Jackie Chan versus the underworld action-packed, fist-flying film? No. In fact, this will be Chan’s breakthrough role with minimal fighting.
“For me, this time the emotive parts of the show were the most difficult because I had to decide when I should cry and when I shouldn’t, I had to carefully plan my facial expressions and emotions. This is after all, a very serious show. I also had to prepare myself to play the bad guy – a first for me and fans may not be prepared to accept my new role – and kill somebody in the show.
Despite his desire to take on other roles, the heroism that fans have come to associate with him is still evident in the actor. He will continue trying to, well, save the world using his movies.
He spent more time at the press conference indignantly telling reporters about the role of films and the current state of the world, than promoting his movie.
“This story about the Shinjuku Incident, (the discrimination) doesn’t just happen in Japan. It happens everywhere – Australia, Canada, the US, even Hong Kong and China.
“When I was young, I was under the impression that all Japanese were bad people, all Germans were bad people, and the Russians were bad people. I was terrified of people from these countries. I learnt that these people were bad people from movies... which was then I realised the power of films, the impact they have on people.
“So in my movies, I make sure there are good Chinese and bad Chinese, and good Westerners and bad Westerners. I really try to create this message in my movies: that in the end, we’re just one kind of people - earthlings.
“Some Chinese have chided me for accepting Hollywood roles as they stereotype Asians. But we Asians also stereotype the Westerners in our films because here, they are also minorities. I do believe we can all be more generous and gracious, stop overreacting at tiny things because the world now is in a terrible, terrible state.
“When you are standing on the moon and looking back on earth, earth is just a tiny ball and we should all learn how to live together harmoniously. We’re all merely human beings and maybe race and nationality shouldn’t be more important than that.”
Fans of Chan’s kung fu films needn’t be too disappointed that the action star wants a change of acting direction. Apart from another typical Jackie Chan comedy coming up at the end of the year, the actor also told Channelnewsasia.com he will still consider action films from Hollywood.
“Asians in Hollywood are much stereotyped because we are minorities there. There isn’t a story about us that most of the audience there can relate to. It’s the same as for Westerners in Asia. In Hollywood, I can only do action films.
“So of course I will still take up these kind of films in Hollywood! One, because there’s a huge audience, and two, there’s good money involved!
Shinjuku Incident will be shown in cinemas across the island from April 2. The movie is rated NC16 for scenes of violence.
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