Pou-Soi Cheang: IMAX 3D makes a better 'Monkey King'

Film director Pou-Soi Cheang attends the premiere of IMAX 3D version of the Chinese film "The Monkey King: Havoc in the Heavenly Palace" in Beijing on Saturday on January 25th. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Zhao Pingping]

The IMAX 3D version of the Chinese film "The Monkey King: Havoc in the Heavenly Palace" premiered in Beijing on Saturday on January 25th.

Film director Pou-Soi Cheang, producer Liu Xiaoguang and actor Hai Yitian attended the premiere.

The film is adapted from the first of eight chapters of the classical Chinese novel "Journey to the West" written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. The film mainly tells the story of the Monkey King (played by Donnie Yen) who is determined to be a celestial being, as he tries to learn the skill of making the dead come back to life and rebels against the Jade Emperor of Heaven after being seduced by demons.

Talking to CRI, Cheang expressed his gratitude to IMAX and his excitement towards his new film. He said, "It should present a different visual effect to audiences. Just now, we mentioned that 3D effects make audiences feel as if there is no screen. With IMAX, the effects are better. It makes the audience more involved in the film. What's more I want to express my thanks to IMAX for truly presenting my original imaginations and all the pictures. I am really moved that when I was busy with the post-production of the film and wasn't able to go to the U.S., my fellow colleagues adjusted each scene of film with IMAX. He told me that it felt totally different and what you wanted to see have been realized in IMAX 3D. So I'm excited and hope movie goers could spend a bit more money to see the IMAX 3D version of the film. "

The film stars Donnie Yen, Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat, Peter Ho, Hai Yitian and Xia Zitong. Yen plays the leading role of Monkey King and Chow plays the role of the Jade Emperor. Commenting on the two famous film stars, film director Cheung said they did an amazing job.

"Maybe the Jade Emperor played by Chow Yun-fat is different from the one you imagined. But that role features characteristics of Chow. If another actor played the role, I would not be able to imagine it like this. This time he just holds a sword and becomes a huge dragon. At the time of filming I was not sure about the final effect but it turned out to be great. The two merge into a whole. I thank him a lot. As for Donnie Yen, I could feel his efforts when making the film every day. Every time I saw him act, I knew what I am filming is about the Monkey King. He makes feel as if he was the Monkey King."

Films or TV series about the Monkey King have been made many times before. Liu Xiaoguang, producer of the film "told the press that thanks to modern technology, the visual effects are much better in their new film.

"To make it straight, the most difficult thing when presenting the image of Monkey King is to separate him from gravity. Before, actors turned somersaults and later they adopted rope wire. The film 'The Monkey King: Havoc in the Heavenly Palace,' actually makes use of modern digital picture technology and separates actors be from gravity."

The film is to hit screens on January 31st in China and many other countries and regions.