Eddie Peng is grateful that he encountered the script of "Dog Formation " when he was forty years old. Perhaps it was only at this age that he could be so emotionally involved in "Dog Formation". The film won the Un Certain Regard Best Film Award and the "Dog Palme d'Or Jury Award" at this year's 77th Cannes International Film Festival, and will be released domestically on June 15.
Peng Yuyan said that making this movie gave him the opportunity to examine his past forty years, "The world is just a grain of sand. We may be busy every day, but we don't know what we are busy with. In an environment like the Gobi Desert, human beings It's really small, just a grain of sand in the Gobi. What you think is important may not be that important. "
"This movie gave me the opportunity to explore human nature and understand myself better."
The movie "Dog" "Array" sets the story in a small town in the northwest. This is director Guan Hu's return to animal-themed creation after 15 years after " bullfighting ". In the film, Erlang, played by Peng Yuyan, was imprisoned for manslaughter. After being paroled, he returned to his hometown, but had difficulty integrating into society. Forced to make a living, Erlang joined the dog hunting team. Due to an unexpected car accident, Erlang rescued a black dog, and the fate of the two was connected. Two incompatible souls resonate in each other's most lonely moments, redeem each other, and become inseparable life partners.
The story of Erlang and Black Dog in the movie aroused the empathy of many viewers. Although people and dogs "do not understand each other in words", they have "connected minds". Some viewers said, "Erlang is a maverick and marginalized person, just like in the movie "The dogs are wild and bloody," Jia Zhangke commented, "Humans and dogs warm each other in the desolate land of the northwest, and the burst of vitality is touching." Director Guan Hu also said in the interview, "There is something in the human body." The animal nature contained in it is particularly valuable. We lost it as we grew up. The bloody nature that Erlang should have been inspired by this black dog." When
got the script of "Dog Formation", Peng Yuyan said that he had already. I havenât been filming for nearly two years. âThe epidemic made me want to do something different, spend more time with my family, and experience a different life. My world view and outlook on life have changed. At this time, I met this very Excellent script, I felt it very much when I watched it, I hope to have a different experience, so I have to do this, there is no reason to refuse." Peng Yuyan deeply resonated with Erlang in
. "Returning to my hometown after ten years, Erlang's world is no longer the same. For other people, time in this world has been passing by, but for Erlang, it has been lost for many years. When I read the script, I would Think about it, what has this character gone through before? I donât have a few lines in the film, but there are a lot of scenes with dogs. For me, this is a very attractive role. It gives me the opportunity to explore human nature and at the same time, I can understand myself better."
Peng Yuyan said frankly that if he had seen such a script a few years ago, he might not feel as much as he does now, "But when I encountered this drama at the age of almost 40, I felt that it resonated very much. Many times, life is not something I can decide. How do I make changes or find my own place? The process is inevitably confusing and painful. Jiro in the movie is also in the same situation. He is struggling to break through himself, or to find his place in this world. Position in the world. What else can he do for this society, what can he do for his family, and what can he do for himself? He is at a big crossroads and doesnât know what to do. "
Peng Yuyan said that it was easy for him to substitute when he read the script. , if there is a certain fit between himself and the character, it will give him a strong desire to create. "I think the play "Dog Formation" will definitely give me a lot of energy and allow me to transform again. Moreover, Guan Hu is a director I admire very much. I like his works very much and have always hoped to have the opportunity to cooperate with him."
dedicated Peng Yuyan gave the most subversive performance since his career in the movie
Peng Yuyan gave the most subversive performance since his career in the movie. He frankly admitted that Erlang is a type of role that he has never played before. As usual, he did a lot of work on the character.
The first thing is the change in appearance. "The story of "Dog Formation" mainly took place in Jiuquan and Yumen, Gansu Province in 2008. I didn't look like people in that environment. During that period, I drank a lot of coffee and tea and used gargle. Instead of brushing my teeth, I made my teeth yellow and tanned, which also reduced some workload for the makeup artist. Because the ultraviolet rays there are stronger, people's skin color will be redder and darker, so I tanned myself. They all came out, and his scalp was sunburned. He shaved off his hair very short and made his body stronger, but he won't be as thin as in " Tropical Past " because the character Jiro is not in an unhealthy state. On the contrary, he comes from a place where life is very regular. The bad thing about him is that his brain has not adapted to the current era. He has been away from his hometown for ten years and has been out of tune with the times. During the filming process, I felt that Erlang's state was out of tune. It looks more and more like that dog. I like my look in "Dogs" very much."
In order to film "Dogs", Peng Yuyan also learned motorcycle stunts, "I have filmed a lot of riding before." For the motorcycle scene, I have never practiced stunts. This time I have to ride a motorcycle up stairs and fly. After all, Erlang is a champion stuntman, so I still have to practice tail-driving, riding stairs, and rushing down before flying. I went up and then landed. I fell quite hard during this process. Daily training will consume a lot of energy."
Peng Yuyan laughed and said that it is difficult to learn motorcycle stunts, "Because the old motorcycles are very heavy, and they have to grasp the oil. It's very stable. I wear protective gear when practicing, but not when filming, so it's actually very dangerous. You really shouldn't practice on your own without professional guidance. All of our motorcycle riding scenes are shot in real life. I really like this kind of challenge. Like when I was burned or hung on a helicopter when I was filming " Emergency Rescue ", I just had to fight for my life and survive. Because of those previous movies, I had good physical training. , but motorcycle stunts are not purely physical. Sometimes those stunts are really impossible because they require body memory and brain access. You can do it today, but you may not be able to do it tomorrow. If you have good physical strength, you can practice it after work. I kept falling, and there would be shadows and pain, so I didnât dare to practice anymore. I hit my instep and toes several times, and I took X-rays several times because everyone was worried about my injuries. Now, Iâm riding. Motorcycling has also become my hobby, just like riding a bicycle before. "
"I didn't adopt Xiao Xin, but he adopted me."
A very important part of "Dog Formation" is getting along with dogs, Peng Yuyan said before starting the movie. I went to learn dog training and developed relationships with more than a dozen black dogs. "At that time, there were many dogs on the crew, and the animals were uncontrollable during filming, so I had to develop a good relationship with each dog. During filming, many scenes were shot in one shot. After all, there are not many editing parts, so we will rehearse with the dogs many times in advance. I think the dogs know what we are talking about and what we want them to do when we are filming. Each dog has its own personality. , even though they are exactly the same color, their eyes are different. There were a dozen dogs in total, and I remember every one of them. We have been training and cultivating our relationship for a long time. We have eating scenes, bathing scenes, sleeping scenes, biting me scenes, and licking me scenes. To a certain extent, the dog is the real starring role in this drama. "
Peng Yuyan spent more than four months with these dogs. There was a scene in the play where Erlang was bitten. Therefore, Peng Yuyan had to be bitten by dogs many times during the audition. "In one audition, I didn't wear protective gear. A dog habitually came up to bite my leg, and I was bitten before I could get out of the way. Sometimes it bites me when it's unhappy, so I simply stop hiding and let it bite. Of course, it's protected by protective gear, but it still hurts. Because the dog will not let go after biting, even if you wear protective gear, you will still be bitten and bruised. Without protective gear, I probably wouldnât have been able to take the second shot, but gradually I bit more and more, and I got used to it and wasnât afraid anymore. Dog biting is a very normal and instinctive behavior. How can you ask an animal to lose its animality?The play "Dogs" is quite philosophical. Although I don't have many lines, the scenes with animals can show a lot of human parts. Dogs are like people to a certain extent, they just don't talk. Dogs know whether you are afraid or uneasy. They use their eyes to communicate and their sense of smell to identify and judge what this person has experienced. Perhaps because a dog has no language, its senses become clearer and it remembers the smell of you. It can feel what mood you are in, or whether you like dogs or not. I believe that dogs can feel a person's energy, and each person's color is different in their eyes. "
"Xiao Xin", the actor of the black dog in "Dogs", also won the "Jury Award" from the Dog Golden Palm Organizing Committee at this year's Cannes Film Festival. After the filming was finalized, Peng Yuyan also adopted Xiao Xin said, "The three dogs I have now, one is Xiao Xin from "Dogs", and the other two are puppies born from the pregnant dogs in the show. These three dogs have been with me to this day. "
Xiao Xin is the dog who has played the most opposite roles with Peng Yuyan. "On the first day I went there, he could sleep next to me for 20 minutes without being scared. He was the only one who could sit next to me while I was taking a shower. Dogs acting together. Xiao Xin is very well-behaved. He doesn't bark, but he is very smart. Every time he looks at me, I know that his eyes are thinking and there are subtexts in his eyes. Xiao Xin is really good at acting, very spiritual, and has her own ideas, but she just can't speak them out. In addition, there are two adopted puppies, one male and one female. The female will want to convey some thoughts when looking at people, while the male is a little more reserved, but he is also very cute and has his own personality. "
Raising a dog has changed Peng Yuyan's daily life. He gets up at 6 o'clock, develops the habit of walking the dog three times a day, and personally takes care of the dog's daily life. Even most of his luggage when he went to Cannes to attend the film festival belonged to the dog. Related supplies. Peng Yuyan said that filming "Dog Formation" with Xiao Xin changed his understanding of acting, and raising a dog changed his outlook on life and values. Xiao Xin is now more than three years old, and his relationship with Peng Yuyan. The tacit understanding with Xiao Xin became deeper and deeper, and Xiao Xinâs pure, direct, and all-out expression also made Peng Yuyan pay more attention to the present moment of life and cherish every moment with him. He said frankly, âIt was not me who adopted Xiao Xin, but him. Adopted me. "
This was the most unknown shooting experience. There were many moments of helplessness, vulnerability and even fear.
Despite a lot of preparation work, Peng Yuyan said with a smile that when he arrived at the scene, he found that it was different from what he had imagined. "I can't predict the dog." How to perform, so you must overturn your previous preparations, be completely immersed in the moment and give an intuitive response. During this process, there were many moments of helplessness, vulnerability and even fear, because I didnât know whether the performance was accurate. The only thing that helped me believe in myself was the dogs who acted opposite me. They were the most real. "
director Guan Hu did not want to see any trace of acting in Peng Yuyan. Peng Yuyan said: "He wanted to shoot a real person in life. For me, this is the most unknown shooting experience. I can only believe in the reaction of the animals I played opposite. This movie changed my brain's understanding of acting to some extent and gave me a completely different perception of acting. "
Peng Yuyan likes Guan Hu's "Bullfighting" and "killing" very much. "When I watched the movie, I felt that the actors in it were tortured. I also wanted to be tortured when I was filming "Dog Formation". As an actor in such an environment, the whole state will be different. I don't need to change too much on my own, because the cold and wind in the northwest will naturally make me feel like living there. I always like unknown things. This time, I did not make any deliberate design for the character. The director and I both hope to pursue the most real and life-like performance, putting aside language and performing with eyes and body.
"Dog Formation" is the movie with the fewest lines that Peng Yuyan has ever filmed. He admitted that it added difficulty to the performance, "Because the physical body needs to be strengthened, especially many long shots and close-ups, which are actually very difficult." Difficult things.When there is a camera, I feel like I need to give something, and I realize that someone is watching, which is definitely different from not having a camera. Therefore, when the camera is far away, it is easier for me to perform more relaxedly, but it is not allowed to be too relaxed. It is difficult to find that balance point. Moreover, the director found many local amateurs to act with us. If I designed my performance, the effect would be very strange. "
I live a life without mobile phone signal and devote myself purely to creation
This is Peng Yuyan's first time to cooperate with Director Guan Hu, and he feels very honored. "My role may be the inner world of Director Guan Hu, and what the director wants to do. A medium is needed to talk to the world, and I complete this dialogue through performance. The director has very high requirements for the control of works and details, but he still gives me a lot of freedom to create. It was really not easy for the team to shoot such a difficult art work in such a harsh environment. I am very grateful for this experience. A group of us worked together to create such works. For four or five months, we lived without mobile phone signals and purely devoted ourselves to creation. For me, it is a rare thing in life. experience. "
Peng Yuyan praised Guan Hu for knowing how to act and being good at acting. "The director seems to like filming animals and likes to challenge himself. He knew exactly what he was going to do, and he didnât want to use the camera for even a second longer. If the actor didnât do something right, he wouldnât use it. The director made me feel very at ease. I was a little scared at first, but he took great care of the actors and gave us a very comfortable environment to perform. Moreover, he would make everything around him meet his standards, which was very special. I think itâs great for directors who ask for it. The director didn't have many settings for me, because my character didn't have lines and didn't have many actions. He would be more strict with actors who have lines. "
Peng Yuyan laughed and said that his scene with the dog was shot eighty or ninety times in one scene. "The director said it broke the record of Huang Bo teacher and cow. In fact, I basically have to shoot thirty or forty scenes for every scene with a dog. The feeling at the end of this film is that I will never shoot scenes with animals again, haha.
Director Guan Hu hopes that Peng Yuyan is real enough and life-like enough, "I think it's very good. I tell myself that every shot should be like the first time. How can I keep myself in the first time every time?" State, this is really the hardest. Therefore, I will make each one a little different, depending on which one the director likes. Sometimes itâs more fun, sometimes I add a little bit of movement, and it gradually becomes more natural and more relaxed. Itâs actually a good exercise to choose which one the director likes. Because sometimes three or four takes are shot for a scene, and the director says itâs good after the first take. But for me, if I shoot thirty takes, of course I have the opportunity to use thirty different performances, then it depends on whether I can Being able to think of thirty performances is actually a big challenge. Moreover, the dog's performance is different every time, so I can't design it. Every time I act with a dog, I will react directly to what it does, so acting with a dog may be the most natural. If it kisses me or bites me, my most instinctive reaction will make the director happy, and what the audience will see will be a true reaction. "
tries to give himself a little more variety instead of doing what he is good at.
The role of Erlang is very different from Peng Yuyan's character, but Peng Yuyan said that he has always liked such contrasting roles, "I was not a gymnast before. , just shoot " roll it!" Ashin ăPractice yourself like that. Of course I am very different from Erlang. In fact, whether it is a movie that is more literary or artistic, or a sports inspirational movie or a police movie, I try to make myself more diverse, rather than choosing to do what I am good at. I hope that every You can try any type. Director Guan Hu came to me this time. The director thought he could change me like this, so I would just try my best to meet the director's requirements."
Talking about the "distance" between the character and himself, Peng Yuyan said: "Maybe I look very different from the character, but I think what's interesting is that everyone doesn't necessarily know what kind of personality I am. Through interviews or The me I know from other channels is to a certain extent the 'Eddie Peng' I am playing. The real me has many sides, and maybe the real me is hidden in my character. "Every movie that
has filmed has also become a part of Peng Yuyan's own life. "Whether it is the skills I learned or the friends I made, such as my cycling friends or mma coaches, they will become a part of my future life. For example, I got a dolphin trainer's license because of filming. Although I usually don't think about it, when I go to Ocean Park, I will suddenly recall that experience. I met these dogs during the filming of "Dog Formation" this time, and I wanted to extend my relationship with dogs into my life, so I adopted Xiao Xin. "
Peng Yuyan believes that the happy thing about being an actor is that he has images to help him record his life. "If you don't remember many things, it will seem like they don't exist. But I am lucky to have images to record. I will remember what I did in which year. When I received "Dog Formation", I thought that meeting a character like Erlang at this time must have some meaning and allow me to gain something in the future. I think this is a gift. "
When I turned 40, Peng Yuyan said that his state of mind when filming "Dogs" was different from before, "As I grow older, I also experience more things." This play is about magical reality and is the story of a frustrated man rediscovering himself. Many of my ideas have changed during the epidemic. When I meet this character, I can convey my understanding of the world. For example, Erlangâs confusion in facing the new world, his fragility and confusion, are also my feelings. feelings about the external world. Whether it is the director or me, we are willing to devote ourselves to creating a work of art that may not be so commercial. We are willing to take risks to do this. We have the same courage as Erlang. â
Text/Photo provided by our reporter Zhang Jia
/Xiaoxuan
(Beijing Youth Daily)
