Original-Cin Q&A: Jackie Chan filmmaking partner Stanley Tong talks about their bond, and the Vanguard stunt that almost killed the action star
Apparently, they just can’t quit each other. Writer/director Stanley Tong and action star Jackie Chan - who’ve collaborated on films like Rumble in the Bronx, Supercop and Kung Fu Yoga - are back with their ninth joint effort, Vanguard.
The ambition action film shot in nine cities and five countries, including England, Dubai, India, Zambia and China. Vanguard follows members of the title organization, a covert security company, who are entrusted to protect an accountant who is the target of the world’s top mercenary assassins.
At 65, Chan is still doing his own stunts. But while shooting Vanguard, a water stunt almost cost him his life.
Our Bonnie Laufer spoke with writer/director Stanley Tong via ZOOM from Beijing to find out more.
Vanguard will be released in selected theatres and drive-ins across Canada and the U.S on November 20th.
Jackie Chan is a security expert facing off against professional assassins in Vanguard.
ORIGINAL-CIN: Stanley, this is your ninth collaboration with Jackie Chan. What is the secret to your long lasting working relationship?
STANLEY TONG: “I think it's important to note that we share the same birthday. (Laughs)
“Jackie is six years older than me, he is my older brother. We both started in this business as stuntmen, and then we both became actors, stunt coordinators, writers, directors, camera operators and producers. We were always on the same track and so we kind of speak the same language when we work together.
“We also both love Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, those like black-and-white action comedy hero films. We watch all of their films and it really gives us a lot of inspiration and inspires us to make action comedies with some heart.”
O.C. It must present a lot of pressure.
TONG: “It is quite difficult to work with Jackie. Not that Jackie is difficult to work with. But it's difficult to make a Jackie Chan kind of action-adventure-comedy genre, because we always have to come up with new action sequences.
PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN
“We are always on our toes, figuring out stunts and action that no other actors have done before. We have to take out the violence, because I want the audience to have fun and, after they get out of the theatre, to feel happy. We want them to have things to talk about instead of being in a bad mood or being upset.”
O.C. The film is quite ambitious, not only with the stunt work but the locations.
TONG: “We shot in five countries and nine cities. From London we went to Africa and then to the Middle East to an ancient fortress to save the hostage. Then it was off to Dubai for the decadence and for that fancy gold car. Plus crashing into the Dubai Mall presented its own set of challenges. (Laughs)
“I managed to come up with some new action sequences and some new locations that I never attempted before.”
O.C: Not only do we have Jackie Chan, but you've cast some new young action stars.One of your stars Yang Yang is already a sensation in China, but he is not known for his stunts. I understand that you trained him in martial arts yourself?
Stanley Tong
TONG: “Yes, I trained him myself and I also had my stunt team help out. Yang is a great dancer and he's a singer and he's an actor, but he’s not a martial artist so he doesn’t know how to fight.
“He’s a handsome young man who is poised to be a big movie star. And it was important to me to find someone who looks handsome and then train him to be an action star.
“It reminds me of 30 years ago when I saw Top Gun, and the first time I watched Tom Cruise, a young handsome sweet fellow with mesmerizing eyes and a beautiful smile. But he was not an action star at the time. He learned with every single one of his movies to push the limits and now he is an incredible action star.
“It's hard to find a young action star, but you can train them. I trained Michelle Yeoh back in 1986, and that turned out pretty well. (Laughs).
“For Vanguard, I did the same with Miya Muqi. I trained her to get her ready for car racing and motorcycle stunts because I wanted to have a female character like a Michelle Yeoh. So that's why it's why I spend time working with these young people, so that they will be the next generation of action stars.”
O.C: At 65 years of age, the fact that Jackie Chan is still doing movies like this completely blows my mind. Does having him do these stunts ever make you nervous? There was a close call on this film with a water stunt that almost cost him his life.
TONG: “I am always nervous, even knowing how good Jackie is at what he does. For Vanguard, I put him on a jet ski, which he can definitely operate. But I also knew that he's not very good in the water. But he is willing to try anything when it comes to making a film.
“This time I asked him to rehearse the stunt, because we needed to do the action near a waterfall so it would be a lot rougher. We needed to rehearse his skill and when the water kept coming one way and he had to avoid it by going another way. I had this feeling it was going to be tough.
“On the first attempt, the jet ski flipped over and Jackie fell underneath a huge rock and got stuck for almost a minute. The current was so heavy he could not free himself.
“The water team got to him under the water and were able to release him. I have never been more scared in my entire life. I was crying and I honestly could not stop my tears. We've been working together for 29 years and suddenly, the thought of him disappearing on me like this was inconceivable.
“Three of our stuntmen immediately jumped down to try and save the day. Our team on the speedboat managed to get him out. It was the worst minute of my life.”
O.C How was Jackie feeling about all of this? Did he just get up and go, ‘Okay, let's do it again,’ or did he actually take stock of what could have happened?
TONG: “He was scared. When was telling me what had happened to his own recollection I could see that he was scared.
“That day was the rehearsal, so all I was thinking was, ‘My God, I don't think I can shoot this sequence. We need to leave it out and move on with something else.’
“Later that night, when he came back to the hotel, we were talking about it again. After dinner he was drinking a coffee and when he went to pick up the coffee his hand was shaking uncontrollably.
“I repeatedly told him that we did not have to recreate this stunt, but he insisted that he could do it and prepared for it mentally. I respect him so much but I asked him again, so what do you think? He said, It's okay, I’ll just be more careful next time. That’s Jackie Chan!”