THOMAS PODVIN’S FREELANCE WORK
Freelance writer - translator - Editor

http://aventurinaking.blog.com/beijing/
Nineteen-year-old Aventurina King knows what it's like to experience rejection. Like most writers, she’s had work rejected by publishers and felt the frustration (and money concerns) that are part and parcel of a young writer's struggle for recognition.
Her New York-based blog (though the author resides in Beijing) provides a showcase for her work. And good work it is. King's unpretentious, sympathetic tales examine life in China, including the culture gap, changing lifestyles, food, entertainment and street life. Her witty and eloquent daily comments provide site visitors with a cool insight into life and the capital and, of course, a window of the French/American writer to attract a publisher.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

http://www.jitterbug.com/origins/index.html

This mini-site from the online entertainment magazine, Jitterbug Fantasia, explores the possible origins of Star Wars phenomena. Playfully compiled by Kristen Brennan, the site offers a selection of original material that may have inspired George Lucas to create the series, including the serial Flash Gordon, Kurosawa movies, the Lord of the Rings, Dune, 2001: Space Odyssey, Ben-Hur, The Wizard of Oz and so forth.
Brennan attempts to explain how Lucas borrowed from these diverse sources with "such intelligence, insight and compassion" to create his enormously successful series. Brennan isn't accusing Lucas of plagiarism, rather she offers an insightful look at the how the creative process works.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Belgium may be a small country, but it's big on talent. Like Benoit Franquet, a master of musical composition, who's delivered a 24-carat debut with "Zero Gold".
Immersed in classical music from an early age, Franquet has become one of the leader's of house and techno music. He's wrote a number of early club anthems at his own studio, including 'I'll Be Right Here" and "Angel". Later, he signed with the respected UK label Bedrock Music and released another hit single "Apollo Vibes" under the pseudonym Pole Folder. After 18 months in production, Franquet released his first full album of material, Zero Gold in May 2005 which was immediately boosted by DJs round the globe.
Distributed in China by Hinote Records, this release is far more that the usual sequencer sounds and beats. "Zero and Gold represent two human fears," says Franquet, "which characterize the main theme of the album. Human fears govern our acts more than our own desires."
Zero Gold is a mix of electronic music, pop, atmospheric melodies and the human voice. Several tracks ("Before It All Changes" and "Fall In Violet") are clearly influenced by film. "When I was younger," Franquet says, "I was composing for imaginary movies. This vision of the music is strong in me and this feeling came naturally during the creative process."
In the studio, Franquet starts with the drum track, later adding melody with a bass line and pads. Then he wraps the music with mental elements, "the mainstream melodic atmosphere is present but the psychedelic side makes it special, and allows listeners to feel the music on different levels."
And feel it you will. This CD is richly rewarding, whatever camp you're in.
Asks Franquet: "Is this a psychedelic pop album or a progressive electronic album. I let you choose."

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Shanghai Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

For a decade now, British clubbers have been dancing to the punkoid soul of duo Basement Jaxx. Make no mistake, when Brixton natives Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliff gig, they're hands on: hands on funky guitars, keyboards, drums, computer and decks. The wonder is that they could fit this explosion of good vibes and exhilarating energy, the essence of the Jaxx live experience, on one compilation.
the singles features 15 studio tracks culled from their three UK Top 5 albums: Remedy, Rooty and Kish Kash with all the big hit: "Romeo," "Red Alert," "Oh My Gosh," "Bingo Bango" plus their new single, "U Don't Know Me."
If we had to come up with one word to describe the Jaxx style, it would have to be "collage". The band's brand of audio-visual art, from CD covers to poster designs to website (check out basementjaxx.co.uk) combines, well, you name it. So does their music, a patchwork of soul, punk, Motown, electro, Latin funk, samba and house, not necessarily in that order. Adding to the monstrous assortment of beats are guest vocals by KeLe Le Roc, Lisa Kekaula and Glamma Kid among others.
2005 Grammy Award winners for Best Electronic/Dance Album Kish Kash, Basement Jaxx are currently touring the UK. Book your flight now!

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

This is not a Beatles tribute. But there's no denying that this Shanghai band of four is greatly influenced by Brit-pop.
Without trying to pigeonhole Crystal Butterfly (Shui Jin Die), pop is actually the best definition of their sensual brand of music. But pop with some range, from uplifting ballads ("Your Sky No Rain", "Float Down" in English), to light rock ("Judy's Too") and more sonic-laden tracks (hidden track "Fuzzy"). You'll find it all on this debut album.
So what makes this release especially Shanghaiese? Talent. A lot of bands in the city have similar influences and play in similar styles. What makes the Butterflies stand out is the ability to write catchy melodies that capture the listener on first hearing. There's nothing dark about Magical Mystery Tour. It is a feel-good record especially enjoyable in summer. The band's promised to release a second record called Fantasy Forest soon. Can't wait!

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

Grammy Award nominees The Crystal Method toured China last month and stopped in Shanghai for an impressive gig at La Fabrique.
The Las Vegas-based band has been mixing and sampling on the international electronic scene for a decade now. Community Service Volume 2 gathers a selection of break-beat tracks, along with new remixes of songs by The Doors, the Smashing Pumpkins and New Order. Experimental they are, and though less accessible than the Prodigy, the duo, Jordan and Kirkland, are certainly skilled with sequencers and beat boxes.
You probably won't play this American answer to the Chemical Brothers and Aphex Twin at home in your living room, but you'll be requesting them on the club floors.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

Some time in the late 90's, Aussie Kylie Minogue discovered that success rhymes with sex. And she's been flashing her pants ever since the release of the single "Spinning Around" in 2000 in the hope that her body will continue to sell music. It seems to work; tunes like "Can't get You Out Of My Head" and "In Your Eyes" received a lot of play in UK and in Australia. A lot of play. Her fit, sensual body appears to be a big marketing asset for admittedly catchy dance-pop melodies ("Slow").
Prior to 2000, in the mid-nineties, she was in her girl-next-door period (on the soap Neighbours) followed by a long dry spell. Indeed, at this time, who would have guessed that a girl dressed in casual attire singing boring dated tunes would ever get this big?
Those who value nostalgia will eke some pleasure from Ultimate Kylie, a two-CD release compiling her best, from "The Locomotion" to "Please Stay". One wonders what she will reveal next to keep the public satisfied.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

Think of J-pop and artists like Utada, Amuro or Hamasaki immediately come to mind. This is unfair. God's gift to Japanese pop is Hitomi Yaida. The voice of the 27-years old female singer (and composer, lyric writer, producer and mixer!) is heavenly, far from the high-pitched wobbles of the teen idols who overpopulate the archipelago.
More rock than pop (comparable to Nippon rock singer Shiina Ringo), Yaida (aka Yaiko in the UK) vibrato vocaling is wonderfully accompanied by distorted guitars and a solid base line on "My Sweet Darlin" and "I Am Here Saying Nothing." The musical chemistry is, in a word, perfect.
Singles Collection, released in China by EMI, is a good start to discover what Yaida calls "heart rock" or music that comes with a lot of soul. This is one of the best J-pop records released this year.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

Anybody already familiar with the story and the characters from the eponymous Japanese comics and video game might wonder if there's any point watching this uninspired HK blockbuster shot in Japan. Who cares? The film's investors, of course. The marketing tsunami preceding the release managed to brainwash moviegoers to go to cinemas in droves.
Uninspired though it is, the film does spark an interest in car racing. Directors Lau and Mak (Infernal Affairs) have framed, edited and photographed some gripping car stunts. The "D" in the title stands for drifting – a racing term where turns are negotiated at full speed while skidding on the rear wheels, a technique that is fortunately fully exploited here.
While the car stunts work, the directors downshift when it comes to characterization and storytelling. The insipid childish-love story, is like an overlong MTV spot, and the over-abundant visual effects (freeze frames and split screens) slow the pace down. The acting sucks too. Main drifter Jay Chou is monolithic in his own vehicle. Next to him, young bourgeois Edison Chen looks like Tom Hanks. And that's no compliment. Sure, kids and schoolgirls left the theater with big satisfied smiles, but this reviewer was itching for the exit.
A sequel has already been announced, Initial D 2: Duel in the Alps!

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

Uber cool Brad Pitt and ultra sexy Angelina Jolie star as professional killers in this action comedy inspired by The War of the Roses and True Lies.
On screen (and off?) the pair are fakes, that is to say they take on aliases to cover their tracks. After being set up, each of the couple discovers he/she has been living with a killer for five or six years; still neither lose his/her cool, make up or hairdo.
On paper, the plot and cast must have sounded like a winning combo. On screen, however, the sum of the parts is little more than a nicely-packaged farce that strains to entertain for 120 minutes.
Fresh and fun; forgettable and silly, the chemistry between Pitt and Jolie is the film's main asset and their rumored romance off screen was nothing if not a brilliant marketing coup.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue

The horror genre surpasses all others when it comes to sequels. This entry is the third in the cult Dawn of the Dead series, while House of Wax is merely a remake, though it could spark a series of its own.
Romero made Night of the Living Dead back in 1968, the first installment of his Dead trilogy. Ten years later, with Dawn of the Dead, a ground-breaking satire on American consumerism, he strengthened his status of horror master and leader of the living-dead sub-genre.
Surrounded by zombies, four escapees seek safety in a mall. In this empty materialists'haven, they create a microcosm of society confronting issues of survival, race, gender, law and government. The new order doesn't last long. After breaking their own rules, they must battle a gang of plunderers and face the ever-hungry living dead outside.
There aren't any zombies in the House of Wax. Though this slasher/horror film does drip with the influence of three thriller classics: Hitchcock's Psycho in the 60s, Halloween in the late 70s and Friday the 13th in the early 80s. All three, of course, featured a psychopath who graphically kills whomever's in his way. All three also helped push the genre into the mainstream.

We should also mention a fourth and obvious influence, the original House of Wax, starting the king of them all, Vincent Price. Sadly, the current House lacks the master's touch.
Like Price's work, the Dead trilogy, stands the test of time, especially the gory special effects (Tom Savini rules!). And without question, Dawn of the Dead is the entertaining, accessible and prophetic chapter of the lot. Question is, will the upcoming release, Land of the Dead, live up to the past?

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Exploring Chinese legends is a delightful and time-consuming process considering the huge number of myths. Lotus Lantern, a family blockbuster produced by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, features plenty of satisfying mythological material (folk heroes, gods, a fire lake, a lotus lantern and a dog eating the moon…)
The most-expensive animation feature ever made in China at USD 10 million, the film was four years in the making. It's likely that a good part of the budget went to the many Chinese stars involved in the post-production dubbing (Ning Jing and Jiang Wen) and those who contributed to the soundtrack (Coco Lee, Zhang Xinzhe and Liu Huan).
The movie's universal theme of filial love will appeal to viewers of all generations and origins. Shanshen Mu, a goddess whose only sin was to marry a human, is abducted by her brother, Erlang, the conservative god of heaven. Even with the help of the Earth god, the Monkey King, 7-year-old Xianchen still faces many challenges to rescue his mother.
The DVD version has optional language and subtitles in Chinese, English and Japanese and offers some good bonus material.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Film noir fell out of favor in France for much of the last two decades. However, recent movies such as Crimson Rivers, The Nest, Cash Truck and 36 Quai des Orfevres have proved that audiences are still willing to support the genre.
The latter is probably the best of its kind since Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo won worldwide acclaim as archetypical noir heroes. Indeed, it is so good that it may very well herald a new wave of French-action thrillers.
After a moderate success with his debut movie Gangster, director Olivier Marchal, a former French cop, has moved up to A-level production, with big stars (Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil) and a relatively big budget of USD 14.5 million.
As the title indicates (the address of the Paris Criminal Investigations Division), Marchal's film is rooted in reality. The director is a former cop and the plot of 36 Quai Des Orfèvres is based on the experiences of Dominique Loiseau (who co-wrote the script), a former member of the BRI (Brigade de Recherche et d'Intervention, the 'anti-gang' squad) in the mid-eighties.
This film was nominated for eight Césars, the French Oscar equivalent, and except for the story's inability to surprise, until the very end at least, 36 Quai des Orfèvres scores on every front. A gripping tribute to the genre and to the long tradition of French gangster movies that should be revived once and for all.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

If you liked Ocean's 11, you won't necessarily like the sequel. Of course, most sequels fail to equal the original and few surpass it. Ocean's 12 is no exception. Still, fans of the first caper movie, craving more of the same, will have to try hard to be amused. And in their interest, we offer a few tips.
1. Expect no more than two facial expressions from the star, George Clooney (a wink and a smirk), expect Brad Pitt to act the playboy and expect Julia Roberts to impersonate herself.
2. Switch off your brain. Do not try to make sense of the 'plot'. After this mental adjustment, you may relax and enjoy the movie, maybe even as much as the actors enjoyed making it (they enjoyed a paid vacation in various parts of globe).
3. Look out for French actor Vincent Cassel, who delivers an impressive performance as the Brazilian capoeira artist and provides the film's most exciting moment.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
August 2005 issue

Confucius, also known as Zhong Ni, is one of the most famous thinkers of all time. Born approximately 2,500 years ago, he spent most of his life as a student and teacher, a teacher who imparted knowledge to everyone, regardless of their social status or origins. A disciple of Lao Zi, the founder of Taoism and one of China's most influential philosophers, Confucius' words were recorded in a number of classis texts (Spring and Autumn Annals). As well as being a fearless fighter and magnanimous politician, he mastered the 'six skills' comprising ritual, music, archery, driving, reading/writing and arithmetic, and devoted his life to restoring the Rites of Zhou in order to bring political guidance and peace to his homeland.
This graphic novel reveals insights into ancient Chinese society and details the various stages of Confucius life. Who said that comic books only entertain? This work proves that they are a source of profound thought as well.

Legend of the Laughing Buddha and Confucius, Life of the Great Humanist are distributed in China by CNPIEC (86-10-65082324; Irj@cnpiec.com.cn)

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
Book courtesy Asiapac Books
August 2005 issue