Mike:...Looking back at the film (DM2) two years later, are you happy with it?

Jackie: Not really...I am not 100% satisfied with the film. If from the beginning I had been the director myself, it would have been a better film and very different in style to the released one...I invide Lau
Chia-liang direct. He is very good director...I wasn't always in China during the early part of filming...I had very high expectations of Lau Chia-liang, so later when I saw the footage I was disappointed and thought that the film would not do too well at the box office and the audiences would be very disappointed. But, I respect Lau Chia-liang so I did not say anything and we continued filming.You know that we were making the film for the Hong Kong Stuntman's Association (HKSA), but when the members of the HKSA Board of Directors see the film, they are shocked, they say that there is no way they can release the film as it is....So they (HKSA board) sat down with Lau Chia-liang and told him that they were not satisfied with the film, but it's not like they were firing him...

Mike: It's strange, because certain elements of the Hong Kong press and some Western Magazines/writers tried to accuse you of firing him, pushing him off the set.

Jackie: No, it was the decision of the HKSA, not me. They asked me to take over...Lau Chia-liang had shot over 9000 feet of film by the time he finished. I cut 4000 and reshot...I know that Lau Chia-liang is not happy with the HKSA decision, but it's not my fault... ...after I finished the re-shoots on Drunken Master 2, and showed it to the HKSA, they gave me a standing ovation. I am very happy that they and the audience
are happy with the film.

 Mike: Fireman's Story is one project that I know you have been wanting to do for a very long time....The film was to feature little fighting, a lot of drama and emotion and some incredibe fire stunts...Peter Pau and your former assistant director P'ng Kialed ...both told me how the special effects crew from Backdraft were attached to the project and that several incredible fire sequences had been planned. What is the status of the film?

Jackie: I'll make it one day! I promise! You know we have already spent several million HK$ on the film's
pre-production. I first had the idea a long time ago, and when I saw Ron Howard's movie I know that we could do the special effects we needed, but it will be bigger than Backdraft. Then just when we are ready to
begin production, ATV (Hong Kong's second TV channel) made a drama series Flame about the firemen. So I put the film on the backburner. I know that one day I will make it...

Mike:...What about your Eastern Western?

Jackie: (Laughing) This one is coming too!

Mike: I know that for this project...Willie told us that it would be your next project after DM2 and that he was worried about you shaving your head for the role. What happened?

Jackie: (Shrugs shoulders) I don't know? It's going to be made though, you know I had the idea for Rumble In The Bronx several years ago. So many times I get ready to start one of these films and then something happens and I end up doing another project.

Mike: Do you ever find it strange that despite you being Jackie Chan, and our position in the film industry you can't always make the films you want to?

Jackie: The whole film industry is very strange! (laughing) I know some of the prblems, for my Eastern
Western the script isn't finalized. And if we make this film, we will have to film it in the U.S. and deal with so many unions and things. will be using a lot of Americans for cast and crew, they won't work like a Hong Kong crew and just take ten minutes for lunch, they have set times for everything and I can't afford to be like in Hong Kong and spend three months doing the ending. Even when we filmed in Canada, the crew is very good but as soon as it's time for lunch, everybody stops! In Hong Kong, the crew will sometimes work and eat at the same time. For this movie, I have to make a very good plan and schedule or else I will be in a lot of trouble when we are filming, but wait and see Mike, one day you will get to see all these movies!

Mike: When I was at your birthday party in April 1994, you and Samo Hung seemed to reconcile after some years
of disagreements. Then at the Hong Kong Film Awards, you, Samo and Yuen Biao reunited to present a lifetime
achievement award to Golden Harvest founder Raymong Chow, and at the Hong Kong Stuntman's Association
Ball, the three of you seemed to be getting along fine. As a team, the three of you made some great films together, Dragons Forever, Wheels on Meals, Project A, etc. And I know that a lot of people including myself would very much love to see another triple-header from the three of you. What are the chances?

Jackie: (Laughing) It's going to happen again! Soon! Samo, Biao and me are more than friends; we are like brothers. But when we were all together at Golden Harvest, because I was very involved with my projects I couldn't always spend time with them. I don't always have the time to do films with them, even when I want to. So while their faces seem happy when they see me, I
think inside they aren't always happy with me. Then when they both left Golden Harvest, I missed them and try and get the three of us back together again. But I can't do it all myself. They have to make the effort too. I can't make them be my friends again. As I've said, they are just like my brothers. I love and respect them like my brothers. And now we are talking about some projects to work together on soon. I gave one script to Samo and he will direct me soon.

Mike: When I've spoken to your fellow classmate, Yuen Wah ( Bruce Lee's stuntdouble in Enter the Dragon) about his lifelong relationship with you, Samo and Biao, he describes it as a brotherhood, just like a family and that just like any family, sometimes people disagree and have arguments.

Jackie: He is right! We're all human, sometimes we get angry with each other but not forever. Eventually we start talking again. We have known each other for so long, but we don't always want to or have to talk to each other. There is rivalry between us, expecially between Samo and me because we both always want to be the leader. Samo always treats me like I'm still this
little boy from when we were at Opera school together, he is my big brother, I respect him and I just want him to respect me, too.

Mike: If you don't mind, can we talk a little about the man behind the myth? The real Jackie Chan. You're very much a role model and public figure, a spokesman for Aids Concern, the Royal Hong Kong Police Force uses your Police Story thene tune in its recruitment ads, you're the tourist ambassador for Hong Kong. Do you find that because of your position in the public eye, you have to be that bit more responsible?

Jackie: You know that I don't ask for any of these things. People observe the way I behave and then ask me to assume these duties...I'm like a goodwill ambassador...I feel very proud when people refer to me as a role model or think highly of me, so I try harder to be responsible and not let people down.
...
Mike: Jackie, you are held in very high regard by many noted American actors and directors such as Michael Douglas, Oliver Stone and especially Sylvester Stallone, who not only borrowed the bus stunt from Police Story for his Tango & Cash, but also name-checked you in Demolition Man. The rumors relating to the two of you working together are getting stronger and stronger. Will the two of you be teaming up for a forthcoming project?

Jackie: We hope so. I have been a fan of Sylvester Stallone since the first Rocky movie...I feel happy and honored to have him as a friend. We're just waiting for the right script, he knows the Western market far better than I do, so I said to him that if
he finds a script that is good for u, then we'll do it. I think it will be a very good combination if we work together.

Mike:...How do you feel when people re-use your action scenes and stunts for their movies?

Jackie:I feel very happy and very proud. You see when I first started out, I was influenced by a lot of people....Now people are turning the tables on me, they are copying us. I am happy that my work is good enough for them to want to copy it, I feel very
flattered.

Mike: I know that you damaged your ankle quite badly during the making ofRumble in the Bronx. What happened?

Jackie: It was a pretty easy stunt. (laughing) For some reason I always seem to get hurt doing the easy stunts!...When I'm doing a big stunt I'm more careful, but the stunt in Rumble when I broke two bones was pretty small I jumped from a bridge onto the deck of a hovercraft. When I landed I was falling forward and would have banged my head on the cabin, so I turned as
I landed. But the deck of the hovercraft is covered in non-slip material, so while my body turned, my ankle didn't (laughing)! Go see the movie, it is much easier to see than to talk about it!
...
Mike: Do you have any messages for your fans worldwide?

Jackie: Thank you very much for all your support and your friendship. I am very happy that you like me and appreciate your support. I hope you continue to support me and enjoy my films, I hope that we can all meet sometime. All the best!

The End

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