Two Cannes quickies and nerd paradise.

By Alison Willmore on 05/19/2006

Dave Kehr, managing to break Cannes news from afar, writes that:

A source close to the production of Johnnie To's "Election 2," which is screening out of competition in Cannes, tells me that mainland Chinese security forces confiscated and burned the promotional brochures that had been prepared for the film’s Croisette launch. The apparent reason: To's "director’s statement," in which he draws a parallel between the fictional Triad power struggle he depicts and Chinese politics.

Kehr includes an excerpt of To's director's statement; Grady Hendrix at Kaiju Shakedown, following up on the story, offers a PDF of the brochure in question.

Please, distributor somewhere, pick up this film. Hey, it's violent! That's a marketing hook! Kids love the violence!

Out on the wires, Reuter's Bob Tourtellotte reports on Lou Ye's "Summer Palace" press conference. The film was premiered without the approval of Chinese censors, which could prove seriously problematic for any plans for a theatrical release there.

"I will agree to remove any of the scenes they want," Lou told reporters at the Cannes film festival.

"I would do just about anything to ensure the film can be seen in China. That is very important," he added later, speaking through an interpreter.

Meanwhile, here at IFC News, Matt Singer files a thoughtful report on E3.

Clearly, the appeal of becoming your favorite movie star is a major selling point for the industry. You can become Al Pacino in a new game based on "Scarface" (one which imagines what might have happened if Tony Montana had survived the film's final slaughter), or play as Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean" or fly as Brandon Routh's Superman in "Superman Returns: The Video Game." But if, as some video game creators suggested, games could ultimately replace movies in the hearts of Americans seeking entertainment, the symbiotic relationship between the two is less one-dimensional than some expressed. Basing your game on a movie or movie stars (like the original property "The Wheelman" starring Vin Diesel) gives you an instant sales pitch, not to mention an air of artistic legitimacy that numerous people I interviewed were quick to play up. But if video games replace movies, who will star in these video games and what will they be based on?

We don't know if he knows about this yet, but there's also a video of Matt at E3 singing a wicked karaoke duet to "Take On Me" up on YouTube. You might have to wash your eyes off afterward, but...enjoy!

+ Chinese Crackdown in Cannes (DaveKehr.com)
+ ELECTION 2 BROCHURES BURNED (KaijuShakedown.com)
+ Chinese director may cut film to satisfy censors (Reuters)
+ GEEK'S GUIDE: The Film Geek Achieves Nerd Nirvana at E3 (IFC News)
+ IFC Host Matt Singer Sings "Take On Me" (YouTube)