Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Interview: Director Roger Spottiswoode Captures Spirit of China’s Past in ‘The Children of Huang Shi’

HollywoodChicago.com — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:32:49 -0700

CHICAGO – The second Chinese/Japanese war, which was a 1937 prelude to the great conflict of World War II, is notable today mostly because modern China rose from its ashes. Largely forgotten except for the survivors, it is a backdrop for “The Children of Huang Shi,” which is a new film from veteran director Roger Spottiswoode.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

HollywoodChicago.com recently interviewed Spottiswoode to speak about the challenges of Chinese location and period shooting along with his admiration for the real-life legacy of his main character: George Hogg.

“I thought George Hogg was a fascinating character. He was very young to come to China after having been through Japan,” Spottiswoode said. “He then becomes ingrained in China and bumps into these orphans. But he doesn’t necessarily want that life.”

“The Children of Huang Shi” director Roger Spottiswoode in Chicago on May 23, 2008.
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald, HollywoodChicago.com

Portrayed by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Hogg was part of a famous pacifist family. When he was 22 years old and after traveling through the U.S. and Japan, he worked as a reporter in China in 1938. He was caught in Shanghai at the apex of the war, which led to an orphanage full of abandoned children.

Chow Yun-Fat (left) as Jack Chen and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (right) as George Hogg in “The Children of Huang Shi”.
Photo credit: Zhu Jialei, Ming Productions for Sony Pictures Classics

“He could have gone back to England – back to the society he could fit into,” Spottiswoode related, “but in being stuck with these children, he made their lives his life. He stayed with it and changed their lives. There is a lot to be said that we all can make a difference if we choose to do so.”

Along with fellow westerner Lee Pearson (Radha Mitchell from “Melinda and Melinda”) – who is a self-taught medical practitioner – Hogg establishes a British-style school system in the orphanage and protects the children from the outside forces in the war. The film also features Chow Yun-Fat.

When these events catch up to and threaten the orphans, he packs them up for a several thousand-mile journey over the old Silk Road. “The Children of Huang Shi” is a period piece that’s filmed on location with a mostly Chinese crew. Spottiswoode related how an insider made a difference in finding the right look for 1930s China.

Guang Li (left) as Shi Kai and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (right) as George Hogg in “The Children of Huang Shi”.
Photo credit: Zhu Jialei, Ming Productions for Sony Pictures Classics

“Our art director, Xin Min Huang, worked on ‘Hero’ and ‘House of Flying Daggers’. He had been all over China,” Spottiswoode said.

RELATED IMAGE GALLERY
View our full, high-resolution “The Children of Huang Shi” image gallery.

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Read more film reviews from critic Patrick McDonald.

He added: “Finding the past is difficult in China because it got destroyed in the war and during the Cultural Revolution. But he helped us find these places. They were hard to find and they were very, very remote. Finding the past is very hard in China.”

Unfortunately, the film focuses on the love story between Pearson and Hogg, which diminishes the impact of the orphanage work and journey. There’s a feeling of skimming the surface of a true story that would be better served by being grittier or more challenging.

As well, the narrative deserves more than an obvious and improbable love story between two good-looking movie stars. That awareness seemed apparent as the director summed up his experience with the film.

“These kids – now grown – are still alive and still honor George Hogg,” Spottiswoode said. “He didn’t pick up a gun and he didn’t win a war, but he still did something extraordinarily good. I think it’s useful to remember that there is a way to change the world piece by piece. If you find something you can do, just do it. It will make a difference.”

“The Children of Huang Shi” opened on June 6, 2008. The film is playing at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema in Chicago, Landmark’s Renaissance Place Cinema in Highland Park, Ill. and Cinemark’s CinéArts in Evanston, Ill.

By PATRICK McDONALD
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
pat@hollywoodchicago.com

Top Five Irish Actors: The Old School, New School and Hollywood Dropouts

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:25:11 -0700

HOLLYWOOD – Silver Screen Indie Queen here with some post-St. Patty’s Day film buzz. What better way to start a column than with the Irish? There’s an industry list as long as my arm of actors with Irish American blood including James Cagney, John Cusack and Joan Cusack, Spencer Tracy and even Lindsay Lohan. As for the list of those Irish born and bred, though, now that’s a different story.

The mission of Rachel Faith – the Hollywood-based Silver Screen Indie Queen for HollywoodChicago.com – is to help avoid the “beige” film experience by providing easily accessible information on indie film, film festival favorites and must-see Hollywood classics. At the end of the day, it’s all about turning people onto new and different films using the Indie Queen’s film geekdom for good and not evil.

After doing a little legwork, I was able to come up with quite an impressive list. Represented we have the old school, the new school and the dropouts who are conquering Hollywood as we speak. So, enjoy this nicely rounded top five list of men who have the drawl and a lil’ shot of punk-rock mentality.

Cillian Murphy: July 30, 2003
Photo credit: IMDb

What better place to start than with my zombie-ass kickin’ No. 1. Ever since “28 Days Later,” we film geeks have paid attention. Indie roles like “Breakfast on Pluto” balanced out his million-dollar smashes like “Batman Begins”.

He’s creepy cute, has the chops and is one of my favorite actor period. Yes, he is no other than Cillian Murphy. Since most of you have seen the zombie and bat movies, step out of that comfort zone and queue up “Sunshine,” “Wind That Shakes the Barley,” and “Intermission”. Now that’s acting.

Pierce Brosnan: May 1, 2005
Jeff Vespa, WireImage.com

Whether he’s Remington Steele or 007, Pierce Brosnan seems to make aging gracefully his hobby. Any film you choose with Pierce he’ll be dapper, but if you want to see a Brosnan you’ve not seen in a while, check out Richard Shepard’s “The Matador”.

While this comedy was overlooked, the only one to blame is the marketing department because this movie made me laugh right off the couch. Think trigger-sloppy hitman beyond his prime with a tad bit of a drinking problem. Makes the victim feel a little more at peace, doesn’t it?

Bad boys Colin Farrell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers share the No. 3 spot for no other reason except there are too many seasoned thespians who can’t possibly be left out. While Colin does the mainstream thing deliciously, don’t miss “The New World” directed by Terence Malick where you see a much calmer and established actor.

On left: Jonathan Rhys Meyers on Jan. 16, 2006; On right: Colin Farrell on Sept. 2, 2007
Left image credit: Steve Granitz, WireImage.com; Right image credit: WireImage.com

Usually when one thinks of King Henry VIII, the piercing eyes of Jonathan Rhys Meyers don’t come to mind.

Colm Meaney: Jan. 28, 2002
Credit: Buena Vista Pictures

Once he stepped into those testosterone-filled boots in the hit series “The Tudors,” though, he has been winning hearts across the globe. I prefer “Velvet Goldmine” because it’s a daring and flawless performance. It seems like everyone has an indie nugget in their closet.

Next we have Colm Meaney. While some of you may not know him by name, you’d recognize that his mug of his anywhere.

You Trekkies will know him from the record 14 seasons of “Star Trek” he’s done, and still, he’s no stranger to the silver screen. He’s done everything from “Die Hard” to “Layer Cake” to Irish indie favorites “The Commitments” and “The Snapper”.

Peter O’Toole: Feb. 11, 2002
Credit: Columbia Pictures

Last but certainly not least we have Peter O’Toole. I hate that I left out important peeps like Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Rea and Gabriel Byrne who truly walk on water, but for the love of Pete: it’s freaking O’Toole!

Run – don’t walk – to your computer and put “The Lion in Winter” at the top of your Netflix queue. Also, make sure to include “Beckett” and this little movie called “Lawrence of Arabia”. Breathe… It’s going to be OK.

So that’s my list and I’m sticking to it. Even if you don’t agree with my order, you can’t disagree with some heavy-hitting talent that has come our way from the Emerald Isle.

Here’s the Indie Queen signing off until next Wednesday for part two on HollywoodChicago.com. Remember: If you don’t like what’s in the theatre, don’t suffer through! Your next favorite movie could be right there in your Netflix (or Blockbuster Online; we don’t show favoritism!) queue.

By RACHEL FAITH
Hollywood Correspondent
HollywoodChicago.com
rachel@hollywoodchicago.com