I've seen JUST ONE LOOK and recently watched most of SUMMER BREEZE OF LOVE (as a prelude to considering whether to give a copy of it to my nieces or not). I saw the first hour of TWINS EFFECT a year or so ago and watched the first few minutes of TWINS EFFECT II when I checked out my new DVD of it last night. I don't know or recall offhand if any of these movies had songs by the Twins on the soundtrack. I was somewhat disappointed that SUMMER BREEZE OF LOVE wasn't a musical. Not that I had any reason to think it was, it's just that I'd like to see an actual musical starring the Twins. Not a concert video, but a movie with a storyline in which they either break into song from time to time or in which they play performers and we see them performing from time to time. (Kind of like Madonna's TRUTH OR DARE, which some consider a documentary but I consider a backstage musical, with Madonna giving the best film acting job she's ever done and one for which she should have been nominated for Best Actress for that year--but that's ANOTHER story.)

Have the Twins ever done a movie musical? Are there any in the works? Could they perhaps do a Hong Kong version of CHICAGO (but with new songs)? Jackie Chan did a Hong Kong version of A POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES and I seem to remember that Anita Mui sang in it. (Time to revisit that film--still one of my favorite Chans.)

Now that I think of it, why don't Hong Kong filmmakers do musicals anymore, like they did in the Shaw Bros. days (HONG KONG NOCTURNE and LES BELLES, anyone?)? Well, probably for the same reason Hollywood filmmakers don't make musicals much anymore, CHICAGO and MOULIN ROUGE notwithstanding. Still, given the huge number of pop stars making movies in HK, wouldn't a large-scale musical with an all-star cast be something for everybody? John Woo's always wanted to make a musical. Maybe this would be a good return-to-HK project for him.

And didn't someone do a post here recently about a new, upcoming Bollywood-style HK film? (I just went looking for it and couldn't find it.)

Just some thoughts.

Have the Twins ever done a movie musical?

It might help if they could sing!

It also might help if they could act.

There's a short musical number in PROTEGE DE LA ROSE NOIRE, done very toungue-in-cheek. The song sounds as if they might have sung it live, or in one recording, or anyway without the usual tone-manipulation that goes on with prefab pop bands these days. What surprised me was how truly awful they sounded. Very flat. While I disagree with Todd and think that both girls can act at least occasionally; I think Miles is on the money -- they can't sing.

-- Peter

Others here are probably more knowledgable about it and it's history, but Jacky Cheung's revival of SNOW WOLF LAKE is probably the closest thing to an Broadway-style musical that comes to my mind. It's currently touring the mainland and is slated for a global tour. Conceivably, it could be made into a film, too.

Recent pictures:
http://www1.10thnpc.org.cn/english/culture/116559.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2...tent_403659.htm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2...tent_403333.htm
And the storyline:
http://21stcentury.chinadaily.com.cn/article.php?sid=16883

If you ever manage to seen them perform their music (eg. on TV...I'm not suggesting anyone making the effort to see them live) you'll cringe with embarassment and scratch your head in wonder at the fact that people actually go out and buy their CD's...assuming that some people at least must do so. What's more their performance is also extremely poor. If it's not quite on the William Hung level it's not that far above it, and anywhere else in world they'd be laughed or jeered off-stage never to return.

I really can't comment on their acting. I don't think they can act but I see as little as possible of them as I can't get beyond the fact that I find just their very presence extremely irritating. Perhaps Gillian has been passable in the odd role...

Twins aren't alone though. The weekly HK music show Jade Solid Gold is a good way to sample the local commercial music scene and what's most interesting is that everyone sings live and a a result every week some top ten artist will be revealed to have no more singing ability than Twins.

i remember when Snow Wolf Lake was new back in 1996 and yet, i still wanted to see this musical. it's never toured in North America yet and Jacky Cheung refuses to have it recorded for overseas audiences.

From what I've gathered, it seems that cost is the main thing. Apparently, musicals cost quite a bit more than usual (extra/special sound equipment, costumes, set design, etc.?) than "regular" films. At any rate, about the only actual Hong Kong musical in the past 10 years or so appears to be NINTH HAPPINESS (Whose stars include Leslie Cheung, Wu Chien Lien and Kenny Bee). At the same time though, I'm sure we all can reel off names of Hong Kong movies with quite a bit of song (and dance) (E.g., A CHINESE ODYSSEY 2002 and its "chopstick song", HE'S A WOMAN, SHE'S A MAN, LOST AND FOUND, SHANGHAI BLUES, and -- this with the Twins in it -- FANTASIA).

Judging from their most recent films (i.e., BEYOND OUR KEN for Gillian and LEAVE ME ALONE for Charlene), it would seem that they're trying to go beyond their teenybopper image and acquire acting cred (maybe at the long term expanse of their musical Twins act).

That appears to be HIMALAYA SINGH -- Less a Bollywood-style HK movie than a Chinese New Year comedy in which Lau Ching Wan and co. go for an Indian "look" (Fingers crossed that it will *not* be incredibly racist, etc.... ).

Well...I've not seen them perform 'live' on TV but I've viewed -- and listened to -- sections of the DVD of their Ichiban concert. And, frankly, I found the visuals on offer more painful than the music! Which brings me to...

...the confession that I actually own a "Twins Amazing Album" CD :ph43r: (although it also has to be pointed out that it was *given* to me by a certain other Mobius regular!). And happen to like listening to a few songs on it (most notably the Cantonese song that also can be heard in JUST ONE LOOK along with -- yes, I admit it! -- their rendition of "Melody Fair" (And, again, yes, I actually do prefer it to the Bee Gees' original version))!

But what do I know since I also happen to own and like the one music album released by Carina Lau (who has latterly been quoted as saying that she doesn't plan to release any more since she doesn't want to inflict any more pain on the ears of people!)?! Furthermore, I'll admit to being inclined to be generous in my assessments since to quote from Stefan Hammond and Mike Wilkins' "Sex & Zen & A Bullet in the Head": "Cantonese, with its nine tones per written character, is tough to sing. Reproducing the tones for meaning -- while sticking to the melody -- caused Cantopop superstar Sally Yeh to say that "singing in Cantonese is like singing in prison"" (1996:257-258). :)

*Belatedly edited this post's obvious grammar and structural mistakes! Will respond to other posts later!

You just gave me an idea that thankfully no HK producer had (tho' I almost seriously wonder why)...a remake of MELODY with Twins in the Lester and Wild parts and Nic Tse in title role. Oh, the horror, the horror.

Listening to Twins certainly could qualify as being at least as bad and quite possibly worse than being shut away for a stretch! Pehaps they could play some role crime prevention or punishment?!

You can tell there's no FA Cup on TV here, eh Yvonne? :)

Yvonne, I knew you'd come through for me (and the Twins!). :D
I have some of the titles you mentioned, including FANTASIA, so I've got to put them ahead of the new Shaw Bros. stuff. And I should see JUST ONE LOOK again to hear their song, which, now that you reminded me of it, I recall liking also.
And now I'm curious enough to pick up NINTH HAPPINESS and CHINESE ODYSSEY 2002. SHANGHAI BLUES is hard to find, though, isn't it?

On the other hand, I did watch TWINS EFFECT II this morning (which I'm going to do a separate post on) and the final song seems to be the work of the Twins. It's not a very good song or performance. Which only bolsters the case of the naysayers.

Additional thoughts on the Twins.

What appeals to me about the Twins is subjective and has very little, probably nothing, to do with their talent (or lack of) as singers or actors. Simply put they make me smile and feel happy. They entertain me.

I haven't seen them 'live' on TV or in concert so can't say how I'd react to their singing badly but I do like the Ichiban Concert DVD. I love how almost over the top their costumes are, I enjoy them singing together and interacting with each other on stage.

Like Yvonne I like their rendition of Melody Fair & the Cantonese song from JUST ONE LOOK. Their acting showed promise in that movie- especially Gillian. Perhaps the ensemble acting in the movie kept Charlene from being 'too cute' as I sometimes find her.

I've watched most of their movies and while not the quality of JUST ONE LOOK I've found something appealing in each one.

I remember hearing a Twins concert on a fairly long bus trip in HK, but I couldn't see the screen so for the first 10 minutes or so I thought they must be broadcasting a "Worst HK Karaoke Singers!" program or something - so flat, out of tune and coarse sounding it's incredible anybody ever had the idea of promoting them as singers! A part of the show had them singing nursery rhymes with a bunch of small kids on stage with them, in a display of schmaltz that rivals anything I've seen in a Hollywood Christmas film :ph43r:

But, I can't deny they're cute and have infectious smiles - I had a Twins poster on my office wall, so that if I was having a bad day there'd always be something to brighten it up :) I think Gillian is a good actress too, with a promising career in that field ahead of her. I used to enjoy Charlene's sassiness, but lately she's been really annoying - her scene in NEW POLICE STORY made me cringe.

A part of the show had them singing nursery rhymes with a bunch of small kids

There's a Twins Wonderland karaoke series out where they sing nursery rhymes and children's songs. (ahem, Don't ask how I know.) :rolleyes:

Acting ability. Hmmm. Do they have it, or not? They are so cute. But perhaps it would help to recap careers since 2001. Each have appeared in about 15 movies in the past four years. A quick eval would be: a minus sign (-) = not up to any kind of acting standard, zero (0)= tolerable but unexceptional, a plus sign (+) = acting that actually adds a dimension to the film, as opposed to just filling breathing space.

The Twins, together:
Summer Breeze of Love (2002) -- Gillian +, Charlene 0
Just One Look (2002) -- Gillian +, Charlene +
The Twins Effect (2003) -- They were both sooo annoying -/-
The Death Curse (2003) -- I liked G's subdued character and C's tough one. +/+
Fantasia (2004) -- actually subdued their personalities for once, a good sign. +/+
Protégé de la Rose Noire (2004) good lord the pain -/-
Love on the Rocks (2004) Touching G, unrealistic C +/-
The Twins Effect II (2004) Haven't seen yet.

Charlene Choi alone:
Heroes in Love (2001) worst segment: -
Funeral March (2001) didn't see
My Wife is 18 (2002) somewhat painful 0
Diva - Ah Hey (2003) no. less fun than hanging with the usurers in Inferno. -
Good Times, Bed Times (2003) ok 0
Papa Loves You (2004) yes, she did good here, playing off Tony helped +
Hidden Heroes (2004) haven't seen
New Police Story (2004) haven't seen

Gillian Cheung alone:
U-Man (2002) this was Wong and Lee's movie all the way 0
If U Care... (2002) i don't care. -
Happy Go Lucky (2003) she was unconvincing as a blind girl, but the emotion was right. 0
Colour of the Truth (2003) funny, i don't even remember her part.
The Spy Dad (2003) unused, no reason to be in picture, forgettable, playing off Tony didn't help -
Moving Targets (2004) haven't seen.

Final results:
Charlene Choi: 4 +, 3 0, 5 -
Gillian Cheung: 5 +, 2 0, 4 -

So are they any good? Yes. But, they still fail more often than they succeed. The only HK actor and actress I can think of that might do worse in such a quick study would be Louis Koo and Miriam Yeung; but Koo has enough of a "pre-famous" filmography to offset the way he floats on his celebrity now.

Interestingly, Gillian comes off best when paired with Charlene (and shines in comparison). On their own, Charlene seems to do better than Gillian, who just seems to blend with the decor. Their best performances so far, at least that I've seen, are in JUST ONE LOOK, FANTASIA, and DEATH CURSE.

I'll try too!

The Twins, together:
Summer Breeze of Love (2002) -- Gillian 0, Charlene 0
Just One Look (2002) -- Gillian +, Charlene +
The Twins Effect (2003) -- I liked Gillian more, but Charlene's sassiness worked here+/+
The Death Curse (2003) -- 0/0
Fantasia (2004) -- +/+
Protégé de la Rose Noire (2004) -/-
The Twins Effect II (2004) Gillian 0, Charlene -

Charlene Choi alone:
Funeral March (2001) good performances from Charlene *and* Eason! +
New Police Story (2004) throttlable -

Gillian Cheung alone:
U-Man (2002) Quite liked her in this +
If U Care... (2002) Gillian came off better than others, but still no real thrill 0
Colour of the Truth (2003) Good role in great film +
The Spy Dad (2003) preferred that she was there than not, minor +
Moving Targets (2004) can't really remember G's role 0

Final results:
Charlene: 4 +, 2 0, 3 - = 1
Gillian: 6 +, 5 0, 1 - = 5

So I guess I still like both, but like Gillian more :)

The former 2 you mention are both very good, check them out.

Shanghai Blues I would also like to seek out. And anyone know what happened to the supposed release of DON'T PLAY WITH FIRE and WE'RE GOING TO EAT YOU? I saw BUTTEFLY MURDERS in the shops but not the other 2..... ????

Cheers,
Alex...

We're Going To Eat you came out - no sign of DPWF yet.