Polanski's Presence at Rush Hour 3

Chief and I watched “Rush Hour 3” at Cinema 3 of the Glorietta Cinemas last Friday night, after I attended the 1st ever IMMAP Conference at Hotel Intercon.

These blogs are all about presence and in the third installment in the martial arts/action-adventure Rush Hour franchise starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, there is the surprise presence of Roman Polanski.

Yes, the acclaimed director Roman Polanski, who like me was born on the month of August. (August 18, 1933). He is an Academy Award winning film director, writer, actor, producer but now is also popular as an internationally wanted fugitive from law.

He directed such movies as Rosemary's Baby (1968) and Chinatown (1974). In 1969, his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by the Manson Family. In 1978, after pleading guilty to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a thirteen year old girl, Polanski fled to France, where he now resides. Polanski is unwilling to return to the US as he will definitely face arrest. He continues to worl and I believe the last movie I saw which he made his directorial presence felt was winning The Pianist (2002), which won honors during Cannes Film Festival.

In Rush Hour 3, which was released one day after my birthday, on August 10, 2007, Roman Polanski appears as a French police official who meets Chan and Tucker's characters at the airport and tortures them at their butts.

At the final scene, after escape Lee and Carter escape from the triad from the top of the Eiffel Tower. They usithe use a French flag as a parachute and float to safety. On the ground, they are confronted by Reynard (played by Max Von Sydow) who is holding Genevieve (played by Noemi Leonor) hostage.



Fortunately, another interesting character, George (played by Yvan Attal) arrives and shoots Reynard before he can harm anybody else. The police, led by Detective Revi (Polanski) arrive. Both Lee and Carter punch Detective Revi in the face and leave the scene dancing to War.