Hong Kong Entertainment: The King of Kung Fu

Why did Yang Ye choose to film the red classic "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy"?

In fact, the main reason... is to experiment with technology.

He made this movie just for the plot of "Yang Zirong going up the mountain to fight the tiger".

Typical dumplings made just for a dish of vinegar.

In the Xu Ke version of "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy", the big tiger was made with CG. Today's CG technology is not so mature and it cannot be made.

It is also impossible to use a real tiger. Yang Ye is very strong, but not strong enough to fight a tiger in a single battle. He is not a tiger.

Even with a trainer, it is impossible for the animals to cooperate with filming.

Then we can only use the model + CG method and combine them together.

If we can make a tiger today, we can make a dinosaur tomorrow.

Some people might say, tigers are harder to make than dinosaurs, right?

Because everyone knows what a tiger looks like, so it's easy to be exposed. As for dinosaurs, no one has ever seen them anyway.

To be honest, we underestimated the physical special effects. In the movie "Wolf Totem", most of the wolves were made with models.

For example, if you want to shoot a scene of a wolf biting a horse, it is impossible to use a real wolf to bite the horse.

How to shoot it? The horse is real, but the wolf is fake.

Put a belt inside the fake wolf's belly and wrap the belt around the real horse's body.

Then let the horse run, and have someone hit the horse from behind, making it feel like a wolf is biting the horse while it runs.

Then provoke the horse to kick the fake wolf.

The final shot looked just like the real thing.

In the past, the special effects of Chinese films were too backward, and they were just following behind Hollywood. After filming The Wandering Earth 2, Guo Fan said happily: "We have reached the level of Hollywood in 2005."

You see, industry professionals will tell you that there is a 20-year gap in level.

Yang Ye's Ziqi Company has been established for so many years and has recruited many professional talents, including master craftsmen like eighth-level workers.

Nowadays, labor in the mainland is cheap, but the technical level is very high. For example, it is easy to recruit some artists.

In terms of special effects makeup, we are already very advanced. The special effects of "Terminator 2" are obvious to all. The next step is to make simulation special effects.

Movie special effects can be divided into two categories. One is the computer special effects, CGI, that everyone often hears about.

Another type is physical special effects, which are real and can be touched by hands.

Computer technology has become more and more advanced in later generations, and many running animals and so on are made with computer special effects, but those related to the actors are still made with physical special effects.

Ziqi Company is not only developing computer special effects, but also physical special effects. It needs to do both well.

……

Since Yang Ye still had two other projects to work on, "Enemy at the Gates" and "Mojin: The Legend", "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy" had to be postponed.

But this is just right. In two years it will be the 40th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and releasing the film then will be even more appropriate.

When the people from the Film Association heard that Yang Ye wanted to use the latest technology to shoot "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy", they were a little confused at first. How could a Hong Konger like him and be interested in the red model operas?
In fact, each of the Eight Model Operas can be regarded as a classic. They were new branches of Peking Opera and ballet created by a large number of outstanding Peking Opera actors and playwrights during a special period when most traditional operas could not be performed, with the efforts of the national literary and art circles.

Of course, due to the particularity of that period, the works and characters were inevitably too stereotyped, resulting in some plots being too stiff and the characters not being fully fleshed out.

The later Xu version of "Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy" is a new adaptation of an old play, following the routine of Hollywood genre films. It has an extremely smooth rhythm, is highly entertaining and watchable, and gives people a sense of déjà vu of a superhero invading a red classic.

The only problem is... the modern drama part is too redundant, and Han Geng's part can be cut completely.

The two endings were also very dragged out, which was understandable because it was done for the purpose of approval.

What Xu Ke really wanted to film was the second ending, but that ending was too much of an "anti-Japanese drama".

If we were to shoot now, it wouldn't matter, because the late 80s to the s were the most open and free era in China's history, and Yang Ye could have fun without restraint.

Yang Ye just brought up this matter. Next, the Film Association will report this matter to the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. Only with the approval of the higher authorities can the matter be finalized.

After things are finalized, each department can mobilize human and material resources to cooperate with the filming.

……

Early in the morning, Yang Ye was practicing martial arts on the balcony with his bare chest when the doorbell rang.

When Yang Ye opened the door, she saw Gong Li standing outside in a white dress.

Gong Li saw Yang Ye's bare upper body and felt a little embarrassed. She blushed and said, "Mr. Yang, good morning!"

Yang Ye smiled and said, "Xiao Li, you're here so early?"

Gong Li said shyly, "I agreed to come and accompany you to school today. I was afraid of delaying things, so I came early."

"Come in first!" After Gong Li entered the room, Yang Ye poured her a glass of water and said, "Sit down for a while. I'll finish this set of boxing."

"Ok!"

Yang Ye must exercise every day, so he ignored Gong Li and just went to the balcony to do boxing and lift weights.

Gong Li had nothing to do, so she rested her chin on her hand and watched Yang Ye practice martial arts with great interest.

Yang Ye has been practicing martial arts for many years, and he is strong and powerful.

It was morning now, and the orange-red sunlight shone into the room. Gong Li looked against the light and saw drops of sweat sliding down Yang Ye's muscular body like pearls.

What a strong man! Gong Li looked at him and suddenly her heart started beating like a deer. She couldn't help but be fascinated.

Yang Ye didn't realize that Gong Li had fallen for his "beauty trap". After boxing and lifting weights, he returned to the room from the balcony and asked, "Did you have breakfast?"

"not yet!"

"Then I'll call them and ask them to send up two breakfasts!"

Yang Ye made a phone call and said, "I'll take a shower first."

"Ok!"

Yang Ye took a shower and changed his clothes. The waiter had already brought breakfast.

The Six Nations Hotel provides a Western-style breakfast. Yang Ye doesn’t really like it, but Gong Li enjoys it.

The two of them were eating and chatting casually. Yang Ye suddenly asked, "Xiao Li, I found that you look a lot like someone."

Gong Li smiled and said, "Does she look like Yamaguchi Baihui?"

"Hey, you know?"

"More than one person said so. When Blood Ties was broadcast, I was still in middle school, and some people came to school to see me because they heard that I looked like Yamaguchi Momoe. Later, when I went to college, I happened to catch up with the release of Fist of Fury, and my classmates at school also said so. Some time ago, Director Zhang met me and said the same thing. Mr. Yang, do I really look like her?"

Yang Ye put down his knife and fork, carefully studied Gong Li's face for a while, and said, "Actually... not really. Those who say you look alike have never seen Bai Hui in person. They have only seen her on TV and in movies. From some angles, your temperaments are indeed somewhat similar."

After hearing what Yang Ye said, Gong Li felt a little relieved. Among the people she knew, Yang Ye was the only one who had met Yamaguchi Baihui, so her words could be said to be very authoritative.

Gong Li actually doesn’t like people saying that she looks like Yamaguchi Momoe, because she feels that if she does that, she’ll become a substitute for someone else, and she wants to be herself.

"I heard that Yamaguchi Baihui is your lover, is it true?"

Yang Ye was stunned: "Why are you asking about my family affairs?"

"Oh, sorry, I... was just curious and couldn't help asking."

"It's true, Baihui is my wife. But please don't tell anyone, because I don't like people talking about my family affairs."

"I understand. I won't say anything."

"Speaking of which, Director Zhang did have a good eye for choosing you to be the heroine of Red Sorghum. Do you know why Bai Hui became so popular?"

Gong Li shook her head: "I don't know!"

Yang Ye started to show off, he said: "The Japanese have an aesthetic trend called the beauty of mono no aware.

Simply put, we Chinese like the flourishing of flowers on branches, but the Japanese prefer the sad beauty of cherry blossoms falling.

It may be because the string of islands is located in an earthquake zone, and the special geographical environment and frequent natural disasters make them deeply feel that life is fragile and good times are fleeting.

Like falling cherry blossoms, red maples and fireworks, when they reach their ultimate beauty, it means they will be fleeting in the next second, and there is a kind of poignant beauty of living towards death.

This aesthetic concept of beauty in sorrow has not only influenced Japanese works of art, but also permeated the Japanese aesthetic of people.

There is always a hint of melancholy between Baihui's brows, giving people a feeling of sorrow. She is the beauty who best fits the Japanese aesthetic of sad characters.

That's why she is called "Goddess of Cherry Blossoms" and "Sakura of Snow Country" by the Japanese. Baihui herself is actually deeply influenced by this kind of thought.

So she would resolutely retire at the age of 20, at the peak of her career, return to her family, and leave without leaving any trace of her achievements and fame.

After hearing this, Gong Li couldn't help but sigh: "So that's how it is, she is really amazing, if it were me, I wouldn't be able to do it."

Yang Ye continued: "Zhang Yimou's aesthetic concept is deeply influenced by the Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, and he also highly respects the beauty of mono no aware.

Your temperament is somewhat similar to Baihui, and there is a hint of sadness between your eyebrows.

This kind of temperament will have a unique and clear beauty under the camera. For filming, it is one in a million and can only be encountered by chance.

Xiaoli, you are very lucky. You have a natural face for movies and you have chosen the path of movies appropriately. Work hard. In time, you may become famous all over the world!"

……

Illustration: The beauty of mono no aware in "Hero" is also one of the reasons why this movie was able to create a box office miracle in Japan.

Actually, the scene that turns all red later is more suitable, but... maybe the system thinks that all red is too bloody? It will not be approved! I don’t understand o(╯□╰)o(End of this chapter)