RZA, ROTH, AND RUSSELL (CROWE?!) ARE HEADING TO SHANGHAI

The combination of talents on this project can only make it awesome.

I don't know how the RZA is going to turn out as a director, but I like the idea of making Russell Crowe a KUNG FU MASTER.
And the score should be tightttttttt.

Yeah, this sounds like a pretty great idea at least. I'm not even going to try to make a joke about how Crowe will fight off a ninja attack using phones like shurikens.

This stage of Crowe's career interests me. The Next Three Days looks like something he'd never star in eight years ago.

I have absolutely zero faith in a kung fu film directed by a rapper, and I long ago got burned out on "Tarantino/Roth" joints, but Russell Crowe in a kung fu movie? Where do I sign up? That is seriously exciting news. I just hope he's not playing a fucking desk bound detective or something. I want to see him shed the bulk and kick some butt

He's not just a rapper. He's the RZA.

That's all well and good, but being an 'RZA' =/= being a skilled director (much less one with a talent for shooting hand to hand combat, which few people can do well it seems)

Then stop thinking of him as a rapper and think of him as an established amateur kung-fu director who has since studied for years under the tutelage of one of the best directors in the world.

Few filmmakers rolled out of the womb and into the directing workplace, so why would spitting mad science make you particularly unqualified to become a director?

He's actually the* RZA. And it's not initials. When you bring it every day like the RZA, well, it only makes sense to capitalize your entire name.

It's nothing specifically against rapping. For the record, I have listened to hip hop before and some EMINEM and NWA tracks (along with others) are currently featured on my iPod.

With that said, I am always a little weary when it comes to under qualified directors tackling martial arts films. Usually what we see is a TV commercial director come in, a guy who made his name shooting pretty images, only to be utterly unable to edit or shoot a fight sequence in a coherent fashion

I didn't know about the tutelage under one of the 'best directors in the world', so hopefully that would help him. I don't want to see the movie turn out badly; Russell Crowe Fu is a sight I long to see. I just have reservations, though they're now somewhat alleviated by your statements, Renn

Not only will this not be the only thing the RZA has directed, it's not even his first martial arts movie either.

I practically got a boner when I thought you were talking about Kurt Russell, now there's just this weird tingly feeling, like I may be sort of turned on by something I've never been turned on by before, and it freaks me out a little.

I'm definitely interested though; hopefully he'll make a better director than someone like Rob Zombie.

I'm excited for RZA and think this could be something special. Hope that acting, martial arts choreography and directing stars align for this one.

If I can alleviate some more, Kate, Jim Jarmusch has worked with RZA on Ghost Dog & Coffee & Cigarettes (the segment with Bill Murray, if you recall), and they are reportedly good friends. In fact, here's an interview seegment with Jarmusch talking about RZA's efforts as a director (he has already produced a couple of shorts), he seems very positive about the man's skills: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6zSI6dybaU (segment about RZA's movies is around 6'22", but really the whole thing is worth watching cause it's Jarmusch, duh).

In another quote, he talks about RZA's encyclopedic knowledge of kungfu film:
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/i...n-wu-tang-clan
Quote: "(RZA) and GZA are like encyclopedias of martial-arts film. They don't just know every director and actor; they know who choreographed the fight scenes, who did the design, who did this and that."

Don't forget that Wu-Tang and their albums are like a compendium of martial arts movies. Everything from song titles & lyrics ('The Mysteries of Chessboxing'), music & dialog samples, to even the names of the band members (Ghostface Killa & Ol' Dirty Bastard) refer to obscure kungfu flicks.

So yeah, this ain't just 'a rapper' trying to dabble in directing. I think there's more to be excited about than just Crowe. He just elevates the whole thing to a new level of awesome.

I don't mind admitting I would watch the ever living shit out of this movie if and when it eventuates.

I can't believe RZA is getting disrespected in the thread. He's not some overnight manufactured pop sensation with delusions of grandeur, PK. He has as much credentials as anyone who did this and better than most.