Original title: "Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War": When Literature and Drama Meet in the Art of Light and Shadow
The documentary drama film "Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" is the first time a drama has tried to integrate the art of light and shadow, and combined it with the film presentation form to appear on the big screen. Its filming is based on stage performances and relies on the audio-visual vocabulary of movies to construct the three dimensions of drama, film and drama, breaks the boundaries of the stage, realizes the linkage of the two cultural carriers of drama and film, enriches the relationship between viewing and performance, and brings theater art to the world. to a larger audience.
The play is a rigorous review of the literary and artistic history of China’s Anti-Japanese War, and is presented in a dramatic form for the first time. As a documentary drama, "Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" is based on the historical facts of the 14 years from 1931 to 1945. It tells the story of representatives of many art categories such as literature, music, drama, film, art, opera and so on, divided into regions. The magnificent Anti-Japanese War story of sexual characters shows the overall style of literary and artistic creation during the Anti-Japanese War in an all-round and multi-angle manner. The play focuses on the selfless search process of famous literary and artistic figures during the Anti-Japanese War in pursuing the ideological, contemporary and national characteristics of art, showing their tenacity and extraordinary artistic creativity, and ultimately highlights that literature and art come from the people and literature and art are for the people. fundamental proposition.
The play reflects the tribute paid by contemporary literary and artistic workers to famous literary and artistic figures. "Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" brings together more than 40 young and middle-aged actors. They use different performance methods to show solid acting skills on the stage and create characters with rich personality. In the process of interpreting history and serving the people, they pay tribute to mankind in the revolutionary era. A tribute to the resilience of the spirit and the transformative power of art. There are dozens of characters in the play, including Lu Xun, Guo Moruo, Mao Dun, Ba Jin, Lao She, Cao Yu, Tian Han, Xia Yan, Ouyang Yuqian, Hong Shen, Nie Er, Xian Xinghai and many other famous literary and artistic figures. The stories are given full play in the film. One show. Every detail of the artistic expression on the stage is given a deep meaning, such as the perseverance in Lu Xun's eyes when looking into the distance, the worry on Lao She's face because of the broken mountains and rivers, the ill-fitting suit on Ba Jin's body, and Xian Xinghai's gray cloth military uniform. When these literary and artistic masters appeared on the stage, it seemed as if they had opened a historical photo album for the audience, vividly reproducing the image of literary and artistic warriors during the Anti-Japanese War. It not only conveys the spirit of the Anti-Japanese War, but also symbolizes the nation’s continuous self-improvement and cultural self-confidence.
"Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" keeps pace with the times in terms of artistic expression and constantly explores new forms of expression. The in-depth participation of multimedia in the play expands the narrative space and makes the expressive power of the play more three-dimensional and diverse. The rich stage elements not only serve as background, but also actively interact with the performers and organically integrate with the actors' performances, creating a dynamic interaction between the stage, screen and the audience, showing the scenes of war and making the audience feel like they are in the war. The literary and artistic scene of the era. The use of movie lenses not only does not destroy the realism of the live performance, but also magnifies the details of the stage. It fully reflects the director's concern for the current generation of young viewers of online streaming media and short videos. The non-linear narrative and smooth line combinations, Told calmly, quietly and eloquently, a majestic Chinese literary and artistic anti-war epic begins. The play combines installation images with drama to achieve an innovative interpretation of stage art. The dissemination of large-screen images injects new vitality into traditional dramas.
"Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" is an attempt to present drama art in the form of light and shadow art and film screening, providing actors with a rich space for expression. The use of the chorus in the play greatly enhances the solemnity of the work and enriches the audience's audio-visual experience. The actors and actresses' rich, melodious multi-part voices recited the historical context sonorously and forcefully or gently and calmly, making these words transcend the paper and screen and become flowing energy. Through this recitation, history is vividly presented to the audience.
These creative characteristics continue director Tian Qinxin’s historical view and individual responsibility as an intellectual since the 1997 drama "Broken Wrist", and also help the audience better understand that specific era.In terms of the performance of the characters, "Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" relies on the superb performances of the actors and the connection and switching of the stage scheduling to make the sense of history approach the audience very realistically and fill the entire audience, making the work no longer a simple indoctrination. , but allows the audience to resonate emotionally in an immersive viewing space. When Lu Xun called on people to fight against Japan on the big screen, the audience not only saw the image of a historical figure, but also felt the voice and determination of the people of that era. This innovation in expression makes dramatic films both pay homage to the past and remain current.
It can be said that the film and television presentation of the documentary drama "Literature and Art in the Anti-Japanese War" is a concentrated reflection of the achievements of the National Theater of China in recent years in its continuous exploration of new paths and new methods for the integration of art and technology. With new business formats, new programs, new creativity and new performance forms, it highlights the vigorous development of literature and art in the new era, provides the audience with a new artistic experience, and promotes the innovative development of drama art. (Author: Li Mingtao, professor of the Film and Television Department of the Central Academy of Drama)
"Guangming Daily" (page 16, April 24, 2024)
