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1982 was a turning point for the film career of Leslie Cheung . That year, a total of three works with different styles were released. "Lemon Coke" was released in March and his classic was released in November. "The Youth by Fire". This movie is too classic. There are many detailed analyses on the Internet, so we won't say much. This issue of "Half the Filmmaker" first discusses Leslie Cheung's little-known work-"Impact. 21", released in September of the same year.
"Impact 21" poster
Two years ago, the Hong Kong Film and Archive held a joint exhibition of Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui to commemorate the 15th anniversary of their death. Among them, Leslie Cheung was featured in "Impact. The role of "21" is described as a "James Dean" performance. One of Leslie Cheung’s classic roles is Xu Zai in "A Fei True Story", which must be reminiscent of Nicholas. Lei (Nicholas Ray)'s "Rebel Without a Cause" (Rebel Without a Cause, 1955) (Hong Kong translation "A Fei's Story"), also starred James Dean.
"Impact. 21" tells the story of several 21-year-old rebellious teenagers. This time the setting was moved from campus to the street, from acting as a student to acting as a race car driver. Leslie Cheung's later characteristics of many movie roles were developed from this movie.
"Impact 21" stills
discusses the degree of innovation, technical presentation and director's thinking. The same period "Young Fiery" is more classic, while "Impact. "21" is a wonderful movie in which you can see more of Leslie Cheung's performance. Compared with previous works, Leslie Cheung in "Impact. "21" has more personal performances, especially emotional scenes with his mother. In the
movie, Leslie Cheung was born in a middle-class single-parent family, but has a bad relationship with his mother. His mother loved him very much, but Leslie Cheung ignored him. Their relationship is reminiscent of the conflict between Xu Zai and Pan Dihua in "A Fei True Story". There is a scene about Leslie Cheung returning at night. His mother was nagging beside him. Then Leslie Cheung took a puff of cigarette and suddenly took off his clothes and left his underwear.
mentioned before that Leslie Cheung liked to use the body to act in the early days, and this time he used the body to send his mother away. Another story tells that his mother met a foreigner, but Leslie Cheung felt that the other person was not good, so he beat him and chased him away. That kind of love and hatred for her mother is like the prototype of Xu Zai.
"Impact 21" stills
"Impact. 21" The plot is messy and the characters are distributed strangely. Zhang is not visible in the first third of the movie, but it took more than ten minutes to allocate a strange match: the love line of a middle-aged man with an unflattering appearance and a fat girl They were played by Qian Yuesheng and He Huixian respectively. She originally wanted to get to know the car repairman played by the handsome boy Eddie, but then she stayed with another car repairman played by Qian Yuesheng. The paragraph
contains the element of the "first time" between men and women, saying that the fat girl broke, and Fengzi got married. But this branch line has nothing to do with the main line. On the other hand, the heroine Luyunna is not too involved, but she is a pair with the third actor Jia Sile. The two male protagonists Leslie Cheung and Eddie have no love line of their own, instead there are scenes of two heroes fighting a car. The
story eventually turned into a murder case, confronting the police in a supermarket, with the shadow of Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and finally everyone became hysterical. This scene was taken in a real supermarket, which is rare now.
"Impact 21" stills
director Chen Quan himself is an action director, so that the film focuses on the action scenes of the bucket truck, rather than the plot. One scene was very interesting. In general speed scenes, sports cars are the main body of the competition, but "Impact. "21" uses karting. The
karts are too small to have a collision effect in the movie, and shooting on the road is not good, but the director changed the competition to compete with each other under a large truck, and wanted to fight quickly to grab a rope under the car. Taking advantage of the size of the kart, crossing the left and right under the big truck creates a feeling of "dangerous game", which is different from other speed racing scenes. In addition to the speed, this paragraph is more intelligent.
"Drummer" poster
""Drummer" (1983) also uses youth as the theme, but the overall emotions and expressions are very different. The film depicts a hard-working boy pursuing the dream of becoming an excellent drummer. It seems dull, but there is no lack of detailed emotional exchanges between father and son, which is worth watching.
The director of "Drummer" Yang Quan is different from the directors of "Unemployed" and "Applause". The latter is the director of the New Wave and is considered to be the same generation as Leslie Cheung. Yang Quan was already a middle-aged man at the time. He had already started making movies in the Cantonese film era. He had participated in the production of "Seven Captures and Seven Perverts" (1970). He regarded Mo Kangshi as his mentor, and he has also followed Chu Yuan and other majors. director.
is an interesting perspective to look at young people nowadays with the eyes of middle-aged people in youth films. Leslie Cheung in "Drummer" is no longer an unruly and indulgent rebellious youth, but an agitated young man who often contradicts his father for the things he likes. This is an unprecedented image of Leslie Cheung. When filming this film, Leslie Cheung was very professional in order to play a good drummer. In fact, Hong Kong films used to have drummers as protagonists, but most of the actors did not do it in person.
"Drummer" stills
"Drummer" writes about Leslie Cheung's young people chasing dreams, and at the same time writes that his father Lu Dawei, entering middle age, struggles in the torrent of life, and the emotions of the middle father, father, and grandson are particularly delicate. Lu Dawei opposes his son's drumming, contrasted with the grandfather played by Wu Hui . Wu Hui's character is very cute, it is a buffer between the two.
Wu Hui believes that as a film screenwriter, Lu Dawei is also engaged in art work and his income is also unstable. He should understand his son's insistence. Generally, the elders criticize the behavior of young people from a high level, but Wu Hui can also make people reflect on the behavior of young people.
Another scene where Leslie Cheung was playing drums at home was complained by neighbors. Although Lu Dawei usually criticized his son, at this juncture, he defended his son: "This is art!" Although he scolded Leslie Cheung last time, he did his father before that. The role of protecting his son. This kind of plot is touching, because it is rare for elders to understand young people and stand on the young side.
Few people mention "Drummer" at present. One is the source of the film, and the other is that the topic of "Drummer" is far less than that of the movies released at the same time. The box office of "Drummer" was only 1.2 million Hong Kong dollars that year, while "Lemon Coke" had close to 3 million box office, and "First Time", which spilled blood, was three times the box office of "Drummer" with 3.7 million. In Hong Kong, movies that are said to be good at the box office are selling well, and "The First Time" (which will be mentioned later) is a collection of pornographic and violent plots, which can sell more money. Conversely, romance movies like "The Drummer" are not popular.
"Drummer" stills
One scene in the movie satirizes this phenomenon. Lu Dawei is an old-school director who believes that the film should focus on the relationship between people and drama conflicts, but the new-style director only focuses on the box office, thinking that it is necessary to add the common plots and selling points of current youth films in the film. There are some interesting designs in this scene. When Lu Dawei discussed the plot design of the script with the directors, the screen was cut from the scene of Leslie Cheung and Paul Zhong going camping and arguing with guests at the record shop.
and the other paragraph also has a similar technique. When Lu Dawei and the director became more and more intense, he interspersed the fragments of Leslie Cheung's drumming, and covered the content of the discussion with drums, so that the drums and the controversy were mixed together. Into a feeling of restlessness and irritability. This dialogue can be regarded as Director Yang’s self-confidence as an old-school director, sighing that the audience only appreciates superficial movies.
"Drummer" stills
Leslie Cheung and Zhou Xiulan There is a touch of affection. Unlike the previous youth films, the film focuses on growing confusion, not love. Here you can see Leslie Cheung as the male protagonist consciously becoming the center of the story, telling the story of young people wanting to work, fledgling in society, and the dismal end of love for art.
Leslie Cheung also apprentices in the film to learn art, played by Du Lisha's father Fernanda Carpio, he was criticized by self-righteous stars as soon as he appeared on the scene, explaining his disrespect for art workers. It’s not someone else who plays this star who doesn’t respect art. It’s the actor Chen Baixiang. Lin Zhenqiang said that as long as there is a performance by Chen Baixiang, it will become amateur and unprofessional. It seems that Director Yang "discovered" this earlier than Lin Zhenqiang The characteristics of an artist (to say that he is an actor is an insult to an actor).
"Drummer" stills zThe shooting and scene application of 5z
"Drummer" are very mature. The scene of Zhang practicing drums on the rooftop is impressive. The scene was shot in Jordan, and you could see the changes in Hong Kong. His brother is sitting on a red rubber stool, holding an umbrella for him in the rain, and practicing drums with him. Similar to the layout of "Applause", the film ended with a performance at the end, but it was more touching than the former, because Leslie Cheung was finally recognized by his family in this performance and witnessed his growth.
"The First Time" newspaper advertisement
The next two movies discussed are the rivals of Leslie Cheung and Weng Jingjing , "The First Time" and "Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl". Just by looking at the name, you would think that "The First Time" is about the first night of men and women, but it turns out not. The screenwriter is Chen Yunwen, full of Chen Yunwen's strange feelings. Director Yu Fengzhi is the producer of "I Want to Be an Official" (1976), and he also follows the path of strange love.
"The First Time" stills The structure and plot of the
movie are messy. Weng Jingjing had just come out of the girls' home, and Leslie Cheung was the son of a minibus driver and a bad boy. They were all young people who had lost hope in society and then met.
Zhang Guorong and Pan Hongbin went to the murder house to explore and found that a girl was about to give birth. Pan Hongbin suddenly fell in love with this unmarried mother. The movie is mixed with a lot of erotic, violent and dog-blooded scenes, such as Weng Jingjing’s friends and gangsters having sex scenes, close-ups of her unmarried mother's breasts while breastfeeding, etc.
And on the movie poster of "The First Time", Leslie Cheung slams Weng Jingjing and lifts Weng's thigh with his hands, very erotic. According to what Director Yang Quan said above, the reason why these movies are popular is because they add pornographic and violent elements.
"The First Time" stills
Friends who like to watch movie scenes can enjoy the scene taken in Xinning Building. Everyone's impression of Xinning Building is in "The True Colors of a Hero", the scene where Mark comes out of the building. Before this, there have been movies taken here. At present, Xinning Building has become Lee Garden Three. From the Victoria Park, walking on the footbridge and seeing the scene of the typhoon shelter, there is no chance now.
"Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl" poster
"Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl" was produced by Shaw Brothers and was released in December 1983. TVB had already aired the most well-known version of "The Legend of Condor Heroes" in October, starring Andy Lau and Chen Yulian. I don't know if this is a publicity. The movie "Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl" has not been discussed by many people, perhaps because the images of Andy Lau and Chen Yulian have been rooted in the hearts of the audience.
"Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl" stills
However, the casting of the movie, whether the protagonist Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl, or supporting roles such as Guo Jing and Li Mochou are very good. Andy Lau plays Yang Guotai deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the image is righteous, while Leslie Cheung is a bit slippery. Weng Jingjing’s actual age is younger than Leslie Cheung, but she plays a little dragon girl who is older than him.
Stills of "Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl"
In the play, Yang Guo also avoided calling Xiao Long Nu "aunt", but called her Xiao Long Nu; and Xiao Long Nu did not call him "Guo Er", she called him "Guo Zai". Obviously, it is deliberately avoiding the name of the TV version. What is more special is the image of Little Dragon Girl. She does not appear in a white dress, but in a royal blue robe with yellow silk and satin, and her makeup is beautiful. At that time, the image of the little dragon girl was a bit like a child, and the little dragon girl played by Weng Jingjing was the first breakthrough.
This may have affected subsequent works: for example, Wu Qianlian's Little Dragon Girl in Black and the Japanese anime version of Little Dragon Girl in Pink.
"Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl" stills
To comment on the plot of "Yang Guo and the Little Dragon Girl", we need to review the historical context of the adaptation of Jin Yong's novels in film and television works.
Luo Lelin was the first to play Yang, and Xie Xian was the second, but not many people have seen either version.
and Leslie Cheung's version is the first Yang Guo to perform in the style of an escape boy. In 90 minutes, no plot was added randomly, but plot was greatly reduced. The film deletes the plot of Guo's father cutting off Yang Guo's hand and meeting again after 16 years of separation. The film ends with a duel with King Golden Wheel. It is an adaptation that is not too messy and loyal to the original.
"Fate" poster
broke away from Leslie Cheung who was in the student stage, and filmed "Fate" in 1984, cooperating with Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui. This is Anita Mui’s first work.This film won the best supporting actress and was her first award for acting.
"Fate" stills
Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui Although it is the first performance, the image on the screen is more mature than Leslie Cheung.
Leslie Cheung plays a shy role in the play this time. The story tells that he met Maggie Cheung on the subway and fell in love with her at first sight. And Anita Mui is a wealthy girl who has nothing to do all day long. She wanders between Maggie Cheung and Leslie Cheung. She loves Leslie Cheung, teasing him, and sometimes helping him pursue Maggie Cheung.
"Fate" stills
"Behind the Yellow Line", the English title "Standing Behind the Yellow Line" Kaizong Mingyi is a story that happened on the subway. With familiar daily life scenes as the topic, the audience can be more engaged. Although the current image of the subway has become a nightmare for Hong Kong people, at that time Hong Kong people were full of longing for the subway. The
film uses the intricate structure of the subway to illustrate the entangled relationship between men and women, and launches a subway fate game, making full use of the subway as the center of gravity. However, once it leaves the subway station, the plot becomes chaotic, and Maggie Cheung is just a trophy for several male characters.
"Fate" stills
finally wrote Maggie Cheung and Leslie Cheung lingering on a split screen, contrasting with Anita Mui’s secret disappointment, but she didn’t write deep enough about Anita Mui’s emotions. Is Anita Mui willing to give up Leslie Cheung? Explanation?
And Anita Mui's role is also very strange. She often appears for no reason, and she has to match her ever-changing image with a peculiar appearance. The branch lines of the story are also very unfocused, which is a common ill of Hong Kong movies at that time.
"Fate" stills
Leslie Cheung's performance is more innocent this time, the previous works are around the "first time", and his role here is like a first love brother who knows nothing about love. In the middle and later part of the movie, he lives with Maggie Cheung. After a lingering night, Maggie Cheung chose to leave, while Leslie Cheung pulled the quilt aggrievedly like a girl, acting out the young man’s doubting mentality about relationships. Compared with Leslie Cheung's earlier performance in "Lemon Coke", which was partly coaxed and partly deceived and Zhou Xiulan staged the first time, the contrast of the performance was very large.
"Fate" stills
was shot on the subway, and the movie was also shot in many places in Hong Kong and Kowloon. Many scenic spots have been removed. In Hong Kong in the 1980s, horses were running and dancing. In this movie we can see the most glorious era in Hong Kong.
Like the New Oriental Palace nightclub visited by Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui, it was a place where the underworld and the rich went to play; the signal tower of Signal Hill and the red brick buildings are now historic monuments; the bars and record shops of Lan Kwai Fong, the neon lights under Harbour City, There are many billboards on the rooftops of Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. We can see the beauty of old Hong Kong here, but the current movies have lost the local life scenes, and these scenes can only be left in the previous generation. After public institutions are privatized, they can only shoot on the city bus, not on the KMB or subway. The
subway once allowed filming at Hong Kong Station. It was Wang Zulan’s "You Mili, I Love You!" "(2019), but only two hours of shooting time. The details of life disappeared before my eyes, and I couldn't record it with movies. Let's not say whether the plot of the movie is related to life, but there are a lot less scenic spots to record life.
"Fate" stills
The beautiful era also witnessed the rich and changeable ecology of the entertainment industry at that time. At that time, all new actors could become the leading actors and actresses. Like Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui, there were many opportunities to play. However, the current youth films have to add star roles to start shooting, because there are no resources to attract new people. Therefore, the film has no sense of youth and is out of touch with life.
"Love for You" poster
"Love for You" (1985) is similar to the setting of "Chasing Girls" (1981). Leslie Cheung once again plays a playboy. When he sees Li Lizhen on the street, he will be with her, and has a Once" element.
"Cheers" deliberately explores the psychology of girls after the "first time", but "Love for You" is just the "first time" as a movie gimmick.
Stills of "Love for You"
After Leslie Cheung and Li Lizhen finished, Li Lizhen was a little uneasy, and as soon as Leslie Cheung called, Li Lizhen forgave him immediately and did not go into further. It could have been used to further explore the relationship between men and women, but the movies have been skipped. "forThe plot of "You Love" is very vulgar, like kissing Li Lizhen on the street and watching her take a shower. Because the protagonist is Leslie Cheung, it doesn't feel so wretched, but these actions are essentially sexual crimes. The films produced by Xinyicheng are full of many male-dominated elements. Instead of discussing love, the film uses and consumes Li Lizhen's body.
"Love for You" stills
"Love for You" is well-produced as a whole, and also contains a lot of Hong Kong colors from the 1980s, such as the pool in Chater Garden, the neon tube at the opening of the film, the Cantonese song episode and so on. At this time, the routine of chasing girls in the 1980s has come to an end. Until 1997, "The Period of Love" was a bit close to the romance movies at that time. In contrast, there has been no such pure love movie in the past ten years.
Stills of "Love for You"
Leslie Cheung consciously wants to transform after shooting seven or eight years of youth films. After "Love for You", I took the filming of "The True Colors of a Hero", even if it's just the third actor. Since then, we have seen the other side of Leslie Cheung on the screen.
END
Author : half film person@电影文化中心
Typesetting: Gu Qianrui
