Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this this episode -- our most super-sized episode yet -- we welcome writers Rebecca Sun and Frankie Huang to talk about Disney's live action adaptation of Mulan. We discuss The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of the film, as well as how we'd adapt the tale differently.
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
'Mulan' to Premiere on Disney Plus
After months of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the live-action Mulan is finally getting a release next month, bypassing theaters altogether and going straight to Disney Plus. Mulan will debut September 4 on the streaming service, but it'll cost subscribers a hefty "premiere access" rental fee of $29.99. With the world currently on fire, and nobody reasonably headed to movie theaters anytime soon, this will be an interest test case for the future of moviegoing. So... will you pay thirty bucks to watch Mulan at home?
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Safe From Hate
Responding to sharp rise in violence and harassment targeting Asian Americans in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, "Safe From Hate" is a new initiative giving away free personal safety alarms to Asian Americans in New York City's Chinatown. The initial launch, happening the morning of Saturday, August 15, will give away up to 600 alarms to pre-registered seniors over 60 years of age residing at Confucius Plaza. "Safe From Hate" was created by Gilbert Chan and Barbara Yau, two longtime friends who were fueled by a motivation to protect Asian Americans who have been targeted in recent racist attacks. Find out more here.
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Lifetime is Finally Making an Asian American Christmas Movie
Lifetime's 2020 slate for their "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" holiday programming will include A Sugar & Spice Holiday, the cable network's first holiday movie centered on a Chinese American family. Jennifer Liao is set to direct with Eirene Donohue writing. Casting is currently underway, with production set to begin this month. The official description: "Suzie, a rising young architect, returns to her small hometown in Maine for Christmas where, her Chinese American family runs the local Lobster Bar. Following the loss of her beloved grandmother who was a legendary baker in their community, Suzie is guilted into following in her grandmother's footsteps by entering the local gingerbread house competition. Teaming up with an old high school friend Billy, who grew up to be a catch, Suzie must find the right recipes and mix of sugar and spice to win the competition and perhaps find some love in the process."
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Could This Be a Casting Call for Shang-Chi?
This week in Sydney, where production is about to resume for Marvel's Shang-Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings, folks spotted a possible casting call for the movie, looking for Chinese men and woman with "archery skills." The full flyer posted here, reads: "Extras casting, Film in Sydney, Archery, Chinese Men & Women 18+. Archery Skills: not required to shoot an arrow. Knowledge of how to use a bow is required." Hey, Australian readers, maybe that's you! If you know how to hold a bow and look good doing it, you could maybe possibly maybe be an extra in Shang-Chi.
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A Thousand Cuts A Thousand Cuts is a powerful new film about the attacks on the free press in the Philippines. Directed by Ramona Diaz, the film focuses on journalist Maria Ressa and her attempts to fight back and defend press freedom in the country from the authoritarian regime of President Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa places the tools of the free press -- and her freedom -- on the line in defense of truth and democracy. A Thousand Cuts opens Friday in virtual cinemas nationwide. For more information, go here
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
So yeah, this happened.
This Mulan poster, spotted in Pasadena, California, was defaced with graffiti. If you can't make it out, that's a mask spray-painted on her face and the words "TOXIC. MADE IN WUHAN." Yes, I know there are people boycotting this movie because of Liu Yifei's remarks in support of Hong Kong police. This is not about that.
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Asian Man Harassed and Spat On in Coronavirus-Related Hate Crime
In New York, an Asian man traveling through Penn Station was spat on, harassed and yelled at by a stranger who accused him of being infected with the coronavirus. Abraham Choi says he was in a bathroom when a man spit on his head from behind, then told him, "You Chinese fuck. All of you should die and all of you have the Chinese virus." On top of all that, when he went to police officer inside the station to report it, the cop told him spitting on someone isn't a crime. Which is a flat-out not true.
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Chinese Student at UNM Subject of Racist Prank
An Asian student at the University of New Mexico was recently targeted with a racist coronavirus prank when someone covered the door of his campus apartment with plastic and posted a sign that said, "Caution, Keep Out, Quarantine." Shuyuan Ye, an international student from China, initially thought the quarantine was real, then realized it was a prank. So he filed a police report and moved the fuck out of there, because who wants to deal with this shit. University officials were reportedly unable to identify the person who carried out the prank, "so they provided education to those living in the dorm." Oh yay.
In these days of anxiety, I wanted to find a way to continue to share some of the music that gives me comfort. The first of my #SongsOfComfort: Dvořák – "Going Home”
Comfort Me, Yo-Yo Ma
Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma offers some comfort for our troubled times, via Dvorak's "Goin' Home": "In these days of anxiety, I wanted to find a way to continue to share some of the music that gives me comfort."
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
Asian Man Assaulted, Told "Fuck You, Chinese Coronavirus"
In New York, police have released surveillance footage of a teen who is wanted for attacking an Asian man in the Upper East Side in a coronavirus-inspired hate crime. The 59-year-old victim was walking in East Harlem on Tuesday evening when a teenager approached the him from behind and kicked him the back, knocking him to the ground. The teen reportedly told the man to go back to his country and yelled "Fuck you, Chinese coronavirus."
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'Mulan' Release Delayed in Wake of Coronavirus
In a move I'm surprised wasn't announced sooner, Disney has postponed the theatrical release of Mulan amid growing concerns over coronavirus. The live-action remake -- starring Liu Yifei and directed by Niki Caro -- was slated to debut in North American theaters on March 27. Now it's delayed indefinitely.
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'Fast & Furious 9' Release Pushed Back a Year Due to Coronavirus
It looks like we'll have to wait a lot longer for Justice for Han. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Universal has pushed back the theatrical release of Fast 9 to next year. The latest installment of the auto action franchise, directed by Justin Lin, will now open globally in April 2021 and in the U.S. on April 2.
A Shang-Chi Comic for Summer, Ahead of the Hero's Marvel Film
Next February, the superhero Shang-Chi will become part of the extended Marvel Studios film universe when Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings arrives in theaters. Before that, though, the character, a martial arts expert, will have a five-issue comic book series beginning in June from Marvel Entertainment, written by award-winning graphic novelist and cartoonist Gene Luen Yang.
No Appetite for Ignorance
"Enough is enough! I pledge to stand up against the public stigmatization of Chinese and other populations that are suffering from harmful stereotypes in light of COVID-19 misinformation and rumors. I'm ready to support local Asian-owned businesses by patronizing them and sharing the facts about COVID-19."
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Coronavirus fears show how 'Model Minority' Becomes the 'Yellow Peril'
"During disease outbreaks, attacks on marginalized groups are not an exception, but the norm. This racism and xenophobia is additionally stoked by discourse that casts the bodies and behaviors of Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans as suspicious and even at fault for spreading disease. While viruses and other pathogens do not discriminate between hosts based on race, ethnicity, nationality or immigration status -- stigma and misinformation certainly do."
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Asian Student Alleges Discrimination at School Over Coronavirus Concerns
A 13-year-old Vietnamese American student says he was was singled out by his teacher -- and ultimately forced to transfer classes -- after coughing in his honors science class, amid concerns about the coronavirus. The student, eighth-grader Dylan Muriano, said his teacher sent him to the nurse's office in early February after he coughed as a result of swallowing water. Muriano said that the unnamed teacher refused to answer when he asked whether it was because he is Asian.
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No, This Was Not a "Coronavirus-Related Hate Crime." But Damn.
A man is clinging to life after he was stabbed more than a dozen times in a bloody Brooklyn attack on Saturday night. Police sources initially said the attack was investigated as a possible "coronavirus-related hate crime" because both men were wearing surgical masks, but officials later said there was "absolutely no nexus between the attack and the coronavirus."
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'Mulan': First Reactions from the Premiere
Disney's live action remake of Mulan, starring Liu Yifei, had its world premiere on Monday night at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood -- the first time the film has been screened for the public. The first reactions are rolling in.
Let's get down to business, the new Mulan trailer is here. Disney just released the full trailer for the upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1998 animated feature, and it promises lots of swords, sorcery and swooshy hair.
The trailer offers a bigger glimpse of film's take on the mythic Chinese woman warrior. Liu Yifei stars as Hua Mulan, the dutiful daughter who disguises herself as a male soldier to take her father's place in China's army against invading forces. As fans have figured out by now, this Mulan appears to be more of a straight-ahead adventure epic, dropping the musical numbers and zany sidekicks for battle scenes and kung fu.
We also get significant first looks at some of the major characters, including Gong Li as the sorceress Xian Lang (who appears to possess the ability to transform into a hawk), Jason Scott Lee as the villainous Bori Khan, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Ron Yuan as Sergeant Qiang, Jet Li as The Emperor.
Disney drops the first teaser trailer for the live-action remake of 'Mulan.'
This is a proper teaser trailer. Disney has dropped the first look at its upcoming live-action remake of Mulan, based on the tale of China's legendary woman warrior. Let me just say, if you want to get me excited about this Mulan movie I've been a little skeptical about up to now, this is how you do it. Sign me up.
The film tells the story of Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, who steps in to take the place of her ailing father when the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. The epic journey will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation... and a proud father.
The trailer reveals familiar beats of the animated film, while offering the scale and scope of a period war epic. You've got our heroine expected to be a dutiful daughter and marry her match, juxtaposed against scenes of Mulan riding a horse, wielding a sword, doing gung fu flippity flips, scaling rooftops and shooting off a shitload of arrows. All while maintaining the glorious curls in her hair.
Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, will play the title role.
From The Hollywood Reporter: After a yearlong worldwide search, Mulan has been found.
Chinese actress Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, is set to star as the title woman warrior in Disney's live-action adaptation of the classic Chinese tale.
A team of casting directors visited five continents and saw nearly 1,000 candidates for the role, which requires credible martial arts skills, the ability to speak English and the most ineffable requirement of all: star quality. In deference to cultural accuracy, the studio focused on locating an ethnically Chinese young woman to play Hua Mulan, who disguised herself as a man to take her father's army conscription in fifth-century China.
Producers assure fans that the film will be "culturally authentic."
The Mulan remake has found its director. Niki Caro, who broke through with the 2002 Maori family drama Whale Rider, will helm Disney's live-action retelling of the legendary Chinese female warrior.
The studio was originally looking for an Asian director for the project, meeting with Ang, who passed due to scheduling issues, and Chinese director Jiang Wen (who is probably best known right now for playing Baze Malbus in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).
According to folklore, Hua Mulan was a woman warrior who disguised herself as a man and took her aging father's place to fight on behalf of her family in the army, defending China from invaders. Disney released a hit animated version of the story in 1998. The remake is said to be a blend of the legend and the animated film.
Chinese kids perform a pretty faithful re-creation of "Honor To Us All."
Leaked! Here is footage from the upcoming live action remake of Mulan. Just kidding. I'm not exactly sure what this is, but it features a bunch of Chinese kids performing a pretty faithful re-creation of the "Honor to Us All" number from Disney's 1998 animated feature Mulan. According to a Facebook comment, it's from a show called Little Actors and Actresses, in which kids perform their own takes on classic movies and TV shows.
I am writing this 19 hours since my open letter was shared on the Angry Asian Man blog as a closing statement to the revolution we've made today, and to congratulate our community for this tremendous feat of solidarity.
Disney has officially responded, as seen in this Vanity Fair article:
Though the article disparagingly writes off my words as "rumors," it admits that Disney does not deny that the spec script contains what I described. I, and many others who have read the script, know it to be true -- the spec script is problematic in its depiction of a white male hero who serves as Mulan's love interest, helps fight her battles, and ultimately is the one who defeats the enemy of China. That was the script that Disney bought, which, even as a "jumping-off point," is unacceptable. Disney now publicly states that the male lead will be Chinese and that the script is being rewritten. So let's hold them to it. It's as much as an apology we can expect from a company as large as this, but is much appreciated nonetheless.
A white merchant's business brings him to the heart of a legendary Asian conflict -- he unwittingly helps save the day while winning the heart of the Asian female. Am I describing the plotline of the Netflix series Marco Polo? No. I'm describing the spec script that Disney bought for its live-action feature film, The Legend of Mulan, which is projected for release in 2018.
As an Asian American person in the industry, I am furious after reading this script. I am writing this letter anonymously so all the fans anticipating this remake will know how problematic it is in its current form. We must urge the creators of Disney's live-action Mulan to reconsider the story before the film goes into production.
The 1998 Disney animated classic focused on Mulan's transition from being a young girl failing to fit the mold of a perfect daughter and wife to a heroine whose brave acts ultimately save ancient China. Her determination allows her to rise above the gender expectations of her culture and become the one who brings "honor to us all." Hers is essentially an Asian American tale because it fused Asian characters and culture with a coming-of-age hero's journey that resonated with American audiences.
So why does the script for the live-action remake feature a white male lead?
Photographer re-creates Disney's animated take on the legendary woman warrior.
Last week marked the anniversary of the release of Disney's 1998 animated feature Mulan, based on the Chinese myth of the legendary woman warrior. To celebrate, the Disney Parks Blog posted a series of images by Disney photographer Ryan Wendler featuring Mulan disguised as Ping at the Walt Disney World Resort.
In the film, Mulan disguises herself as a male soldier to take her father's place in the Imperial Army in the fight against the Huns. It's been a while since I've been to Disneyland, but I'm told that "Mulan" can be seen in real-life at the Disney parks, but usually in "princess" garb. Honestly, she looks waaaay cooler in warrior mode.
The studio has bought a script based on the legendary Chinese woman warrior.
Well. This is some interesting movie news. On the heels of the box office success of its live-action Cinderella retelling, Disney has announced that it is developing a live-action version of Mulan.
Disney has reportedly bought a script by Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek, based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, the female warrior fans know and love from the studio's 1998 animated feature Mulan.
Musical parody mashes up Disney songs and a galaxy far, far away
Have you ever watched the Star Wars movies -- the original trilogy, not the prequels, heretic -- got really excited with those awesome space battles, blasters and Jedi duels... but felt disappointed because there was just not enough singing in a galaxy far, far away? Then you'll probably get a kick out of Star Wars: The Musical.
