In the field of Chinese dramas, there is a theme that haunts people, and that is costume dramas.
It goes without saying that dramas such as " Kangxi Dynasty " and "Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty" are classics that will be passed down forever. However, costume dramas also experienced a period of obscurity and reached the stage of "Bu Bu Jing Xin" and "The Legend of Zhen Huan" in word-of-mouth Gradually reverse.
It was only in the past two years that the ratings of "Brilliant Star" and "One Thought of Guanshan" achieved a real recovery, and people finally felt the charm of classic costume dramas again.
It is a pity that several works this year have not been able to meet the standards of the above-mentioned dramas, but it can be clearly seen that the audience's enthusiasm for this type of subject matter has not diminished at all. The upcoming drama " Celebrating More Than Years 2" has been urged over and over again.
is, after all, a costume drama produced by CCTV. It has been highly praised for its quality and acting skills. The fact that it has been extended to the second part is enough to show its potential to be a hit.
However, the show has not been released yet. The audience has waited for Taochang's new work " Xuanwumen ". The cumulative views have exceeded 67 million. I have been following 36 episodes. I would like to say that the ceiling of costume dramas has been refreshed. !
enters the play: offering jade and pomegranate, twists and turns, this play tells the destiny of a generation
"Xuanwumen" tells the story of the late Qing Dynasty, Li Tianshun ( Ren Zhongren)'s father spent many years carving a jade symbol that symbolizes the fate of the country. Pomegranate, dedicated to the Empress Dowager Cixi ( Siqin Gaowa ). Dynasties changed. In order to protect this jade pomegranate, which symbolizes the prosperity of the country, Li Tianshun, with the help of his neighbors, launched a fierce struggle against the evil forces...
I have watched too many costume historical dramas, and the most important thing is: it tastes right! The play uses three highlights to make people immersed in it at once.
The first highlight: the breath of the times
The story opens with the camera showing outside the dense forest city in the 24th year of Guangxu's reign. Under the heavy rain, the soldiers held up their shields to defend against the unexpected assassins. During the fight, the knife was used. , crossbows, muskets, and artillery all went into battle. It's like you can smell the smell of earth and gunpowder in the air.
And what they escorted was the "dragon eye" jade pomegranate that symbolized the prosperity of the country. The camera flashed across the long street of the palace, with ministers kneeling on both sides and prostrating, and a large group of palace maids escorting the Empress Dowager Cixi back to the palace. This scene was magnificent.
As the camera progressed, the audience saw the Empress Dowager Cixi sitting in the sedan chair. Just one glance made people feel cold, and a very thick picture unfolded.
It is not difficult to see that "Xuanwumen" is full of sincerity in the design of the Taoism and the scenes.
Looking around, every detail reflects the sense of age. With just one opening, the costume drama is officially served.
The second highlight: rich conflicts
The story of a costume drama must be both slow and turbulent. Appropriate conflicts are the key to improving the perception of the plot. And this new work adds a lot of dramatic scenes to the plot.
For example, the jade and pomegranates were stolen, and the Queen Mother was furious and wanted to kill Li Tianshun. Fortunately, Belle's Lord Pu Lanting (Wang Zijian) dealt with it. After investigation, it was revealed that it was actually the eunuch from the palace who came to lure the tiger away from the mountain and kill Li Tianshun. After Tianshun left, he stole the jade pomegranate. As a result, just when the palace was about to be searched, a young eunuch died and a jade pomegranate was found in his room.
But the truth is not the case. There is indeed a thief in the palace, but this thief is the eunuch in charge of the Queen Mother. Seeing Lafayette ordering eunuchs to search one by one, he seemed calm on the surface, but his eyes were full of calculations.
But after the facts were "found out", Li Tianshun was not happy. He was framed for stealing treasure and almost died, but the eunuch who framed him was not punished. Li Tianshun knelt at the palace gate unwillingly, and was taken out by the guards for breaking into the palace. This matter reached the ears of the Queen Mother, who directly punished him to work as a mason in Xiling.
Perhaps from today's perspective, this plot conflict is not that strong, but in that era of strict class, it was very courageous to dare to kneel at the palace gate and indicate that you wanted to see the Queen Mother.
The third highlight: Little people and the big era
When watching costume dramas, you should not just look at the story itself, but also the historical background behind the story.
Since 1898, Chinese society has been undergoing changes. Under the Xuanwu sect, all living beings are in various situations, from the Reform Movement of 1898 to the warlord separatism and the Anti-Japanese War. In the face of bandits seeking national treasures, every choice of a small person may affect the fate of his life. This is also the charm of costume historical dramas.
It can be said that "Xuanwumen" is an excellent costume drama with a classic taste, full of atmosphere, ups and downs of the plot, and rich group of characters. Where does this extraordinary phenomenon go from here? It is undoubtedly the biggest highlight of the subsequent plot.
takes on the heavy responsibility, and Siqin Gaowa has a good supporting cast.
Historical costume dramas are inseparable from a strong cast. If the acting skills are not up to standard, no matter how good the script is, it will be useless. And "Xuanwumen" is so ruthless, with a group of talented actors sitting on the stage, making the characters stand upright every minute.
No. 1, Siqin Gaowa
As a powerful actor, Siqin Gaowa's strength should not be underestimated. In dramas such as "The Mansion" and "Kangxi Dynasty", she has impressed the audience with her calm and profound performances. It left a deep impression.
In this new drama, Siqin Gaowa transforms into the Empress Dowager Cixi, and this noble and luxurious dress is directly endowed with aura on her body. In the face of various disputes, Siqin Gaowa was able to respond calmly and unhurriedly, portraying the image of the graceful and luxurious Queen Mother in a very delicate way. Only an old drama star like her can take on such a heavy role.
is second, Ren Zhong
Ren Zhong is a powerful golden supporting actor. Whether it is a period drama like " That Year the Flowers Bloomed and the Moon Was Full " or a commercial drama such as "The Wind Blowing Pinellia", he can The character is well interpreted and his strength cannot be underestimated.
This is the first time that he has taken on the leading role. In the new drama, he does not need to perform deliberately. He has a face with a sense of age, coupled with his unique stubborn aura, where he stands, he carries a Not giving in to fate, it was the right choice for Li Tianshun to give him the role.
The third place, Tong Lei
The powerful actress Tong Lei is a familiar face in costume dramas in recent years. The most representative role is the gentle and dignified Queen Xuan in "The Star".
In the new work, Tong Lei transforms into a gentle and quiet girl next door. Her simple dress makes her look more elegant. She is unanimously called "Sai Xiang Fei" by the street, which shows how beautiful she is. He speaks softly and tenderly, and every subtle expression brings out the character's vitality.
In addition, this drama also invited powerful Mesozoic actors such as Wang Zijian, Li Yixiao, Li Chengru, Zhang Fengyi, and Li Jinrong. It is definitely a pleasure to watch the drama between them.
Conclusion
Are there any shortcomings in "Xuanwumen"? Of course there is.
Due to the long release period, some plots of "Xuanwumen", which started filming in 2017, are indeed old-fashioned, which is understandable, but we cannot judge TV series six or seven years ago with today's eyes.
From the core point of view, this drama is already far ahead of other current domestic dramas. On the one hand,
has a clever narrative technique and bids farewell to the old problem of forced sensationalism. Link by link, it can be said that there are no loopholes in logic, and the details are handled very well.
On the other hand, the mission group portraits are very good. Every character has flesh and blood, and not every character has only hateful aspects.
Coupled with the careful restoration of Fu Huadao and the actors' acting skills, this drama is already a rare and thoughtful costume drama nowadays, and it is worthy of the audience to stay in front of the TV to catch up with updates.
