Wu Jing says the fingerprints of Hong Kong action cinema are still on every wuxia film made today, including his own.
Speaking with Variety at the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest), where he received the festival’s Excellent Achievement in Film Award, the actor-producer reflected on Hong Kong cinema’s enduring influence while celebrating a special screening of “Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert.”
Directed by legendary Hong Kong action choreographer Yuen Woo-ping and adapted from Xu Xianzhe’s martial arts comic, the film was released during this year’s Lunar New Year holiday, grossing $215 million, and drew an enthusiastic response at the MIFFest screening.
“There are more than 3,000 shots across exactly 125 minutes and 48 seconds,” Wu said during the post-screening Q&A. “I remember every minute of it, even every sound.”
Asked whether he was satisfied with the finished film, Wu saied his feelings changed throughout the production process. “From the day we wrapped until the film was released, the score in my mind kept going up and down,” he says. “In the end, I give it no score, because once a film is released, it no longer belongs to me.”
