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 |  Subject: STEPHEN MAUNDER interview for BoLo-Yeung.com  Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:13 pm | |
| [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]STEPHEN MAUNDER is one of Canada’s more prolific feature film writers, with many produced screenplays, including The Veteran and the Tiger Claws trilogy.Stephen is well versed in virtually every aspect of film production, serving as Director on two Tiger Claws movies and as Associate Producer on the feature films Tiger Claws, Expect No Mercy,TC 2000 and Operation Golden Phoenix. A specialist in action/adventure, Stephen also enjoys writing in other genres including comedy, family, suspense and drama.Recently produced projects include The Veteran, Lost Warrior:Left Behind and Shadows in Paradise. Other contracted projects are in development and a few new scripts are also now available for option. Stephen, you are a Director on two "Tiger Claws"movies and Associate Producer on the feature films "Tiger Claws","TC 2000" , "Expect No Mercy",and "Operation Golden Phoenix". How did your career start?
Black Pearls aka Fearless Tiger was the first feature film which I had the opportunity to exercise my creative skills.
You have 20 years experience in Kung Fu. When did you start training in martial arts?
Stephen Maunder: Early 80's in Toronto's Chinatown. It was a small club with approximately 90% Chinese people. I learned as much about Kung-Fu as I did about the role it plays in the community.The people there are justifiably proud and protective of "their" art, so you have to earn their respect.
You have worked with the legendary Bolo Yeung in several movies. Tell us some of the experiences you've had with him on the set.
Bolo is an icon in the martial arts world and it's always a thrill to work with him.What alot of people don't know is that he has a great sense of humor. He used to crack me up with impressions of Brando or his singing. I recall choreographing a fight scene on Tiger Claws between Bolo and Sifu Mo Chow. The scene called for a standing fight and Bolo said, "Anyone can punch and kick, make it different and the audience will remember it." He then suggested the fight scene happen while sitting on the floor. It worked.
Bolo's breakthrough role is Chong Li in Bloodsport. What you think about this movie?
Bloodsport is the single most important martial arts movie since "Enter the Dragon".It revitalized a martial arts movie industry that had long since grown stale. Prior to it, Chuck Norris had ruledfor a decade with his karate action, but it was frequently being incorporated into a military context with films like the Missing in Action series or Delta Force.They were good films but didn't have the Chinese mystique that Bloodsport had. Bloodsport made no apologies for being a martial arts movie and gave the audience exactly what they wanted.
Bolo stars in Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter. Can you tell about your work in the action movie?
Not much really, I was hired to write some additional dialogue scenes after the principal action had already been completed. Sorry.
Are you still in contact with Bolo?
Yes. Bolo and I maintain a good friendship and we hope to be working together again soon.
Do you feel the advent of the special effects has diminished the real action in films?
Yes and No. When I see Tom Cruise caught in a missile blast and thrown sideways into the windows of a parked car, I say yes it diminishes the experience because it was to extreme in the contextof reality. On the other hand, without digital SFX we wouldn't have been able to enjoy the classic battles in The Matrix, Crouching Tiger or the great work Stephen Chow did with Kung-Fu Hustle.
What is your new movie project?
Shadows in Paradise is an action film set in the middle-east starring Mark Dacascos, Armand Assante, Tom Sizemore, Danny Trejo and others. Principal photography is complete and I m very excited about what I've seen so far.Thanks for the interview. I wish you continued success with the Bolo website.
Thank you so much.
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