I just read the article in the Study Room about the planned remake of Charlie Chan starring Russel Wong. I think that the article was written in 1997. What ever became of the project? I saw a picture of Russel Wong at the following link:
http://us.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0315297/Ss/0315297/B-4554.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Wong,%20Russell
Did any of you see the movie Twisted? He played the part of Lieutenant Tong. If you did, what did you think of him? Could he play Charlie Chan's grandson?
To the best of my knowledge, that project simply died in the pre-production phase.
There have been more recent rumors about Oriental actress Lucy Liu having bought the rights for a film in which she would play a female Charlie Chan.
Lucy Liu was in Kill Bill which tells you all you need to know about how a modern Chan movie would turn out. (I myself have not seen Kill Bill due to the violence and adult content it contains.)
About the only good thing to come out of a remake is that it would generate further interest in the character which would perhaps finally pressure Fox into releasing the films commercially.
As may be the case with the "Charlie Chan" movie project that Lucy Liu has supposedly been pursuing, it could just be that there were too many obstacles to overcome just due to the mere mention of those two words so deaeded by today's PC Hollywood types: "Charlie Chan." I would bet the honorable farm that every group of "activists" has one ear to the wall of every Hollywood executive office regarding the venerable but maligned detective.
This is a shame. However, I sometimes shudder when I think of what type of "Charlie Chan" film would be produced in this day of vile language, lurid, sex-filled plots, explosions, and computerized "enhancements." I still think that a good film, at least based on the honored detective that so many of us love, could be produced if the proper care and restraint were used. Some time ago, I even sent a letter to Ms. Liu through her agency expressing my thoughts on this very thing, but, of course, I don't know if she even saw it...
Regarding Mr. Wong and the movie you mentioned, I have never seen it. Judging by the picture that you offered, however, he seems that he could make a fine Chan grandson to me!
