Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 60 [The Fifth Generation Started a Bad Beginning] Please Read
“Haha, Yishu, you just…haha, that’s so funny.”

On the way back to the hotel, Gong Li thought of Li Yishu's funny expression before and couldn't help laughing again.

"Sister Gong Li, is it that funny?"

Li Yishu was also a little helpless because of Gong Li's sudden smile.

He admitted that this joke was indeed funny the first time he saw it.

But after a long time, it's just like that. At least he is immune to it.

"No, it's not... it's you. It's your expression that makes me want to laugh."

"."

"No, you can't laugh anymore."

Gong Li almost laughed out of breath. She patted her chest and took a few deep breaths before she calmed down and said, "It seems like making a comedy is quite fun. If I have a chance in the future, I will definitely give it a try."

"No! Don't do that! Sister Gong Li, listen to me, don't ever act in a comedy in the future. You're really not suitable for it."

Li Yishu instantly remembered the movie "A Chinese Odyssey" starring Gong Li, which was really out of place. It is no wonder that Gong Li almost never made a comedy movie again later.

Although the previous film "God of Gamblers 2" was also a nonsensical comedy gambling film, Gong Li's image is still that of a lady from a noble family.

Besides, except for the somewhat nonsensical character played by Stephen Chow, the other actors in the whole drama acted like a normal movie.

Judging from the funny points of the supporting characters, they are actually not as good as the later "A Chinese Odyssey: Part One - Fragrance".

The peerless and admired Pomegranate Sister; the ambitious but incompetent but incompetent butler Wu Zhuangyuan; the smiling and half-crazy Madam Hua of the Hua Mansion, and Zhu Zhishan...

and many more.

Even without rewatching the movie, Lee Yi-su can still think of the funny moments of these people.

It is precisely because almost all the characters in this movie are funny and nonsensical that Qiuxiang, played by Gong Li, seems to have a hard time fitting into that atmosphere.

It’s not that Gong Li’s acting is bad, it’s just that she is not used to the style of nonsensical comedy films.

Later, she acted in the Hong Kong film "The New Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Part Two: The Child-Fairy of Tianshan", in which she played the Child-Fairy of Tianshan, Wu Xingyun, and was equally beautiful and brilliant.

"real or fake?"

Hearing what Li Yishu said, Gong Li said suspiciously: "I feel like I acted pretty well just now."

"That's because our scene wasn't performed with nonsensical comedy."

Li Yishu shook her head and said, "Sister Gong Li, watch a few more nonsensical movies and you'll know if you're suitable for it."

"A Stephen Chow movie?"

"Well, most of his films are nonsense."

"I felt that the movie "God of Gamblers 2" we worked on before was pretty good."

"That movie isn't completely nonsensical. His previous movies include Love in the City and Fight Back to School. You can check them out."

These two movies were released in July and October this year, and Gong Li has not seen them yet.

But after seeing Li Yishu say that, she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go buy some video tapes later."

"Sister Gong Li, are you going back tomorrow?" Li Yishu was relieved to see that she agreed. Although there might be one less wonderful "A Chinese Odyssey: Part One", she still didn't want Sister Gong Li to take on such an incompatible film.

Gong Li nodded and said, "Well, I have to go back tomorrow. Director Zhang has a new idea for a movie."

"New movie? What movie?" Li Yishu raised her eyebrows. Could it be the movie "Qiu Ju Goes to Court"?

"I don't know the details yet, but Director Zhang said it seems to be adapted from a novel, and it's about a lawsuit, right? Anyway, he's not in a good condition right now, so it's hard to say whether he can shoot it."

Gong Li wasn't quite sure either, because Director Zhang hadn't finalized it yet.

After all, who made Zhang Yimou's two recent films, "Ju Dou" and "Raise the Red Lantern", fail to be released in China, even though they won awards abroad.

But Zhang Yimou’s current situation is not very good and he is being fiercely criticized by public opinion.

Some people accused him of deliberately making films that degrade and vilify the domestic image and taking them overseas to please foreign film festivals, so that he could win these major awards.

A positive example that is the opposite of Zhang Yimou is Li Yishu.

Putting aside the fact that his first film won a major overseas award, what people care about most is that this film he shot not only tells the story of traditional father-son love, but also about the efforts of domestic grassroots public officials to serve the people. It can be said to be an educational film.

In other words, it is a film that showcases the domestic style, rather than films like "Ju Dou" and "Raise the Red Lantern" that maliciously vilify and belittle China.

The 90s was not an era when public intellectuals were everywhere. Many people actually did not like Zhang Yimou's films, simply because they somewhat vilified the image of China.

Li Yishu had, of course, read and heard about the various criticisms in the newspapers, but she did not expect that the incident was so serious that it even caused problems for Zhang Yimou's new film.

It is undeniable that these films by Zhang Yimou were well-made and of contemporary significance, but they set a bad precedent, causing almost all of the sixth generation of directors to shoot realistic themes, and all of them became underground directors.

They are trying to reflect reality, but that is not so great. The reason why they like to make movies is because foreigners like to watch them, they can win awards abroad, and they can make a lot of money by selling the copyright.

The nature of art films is diverse, including family, love, friendship... all kinds of them.

The essence of art films is to arouse emotional resonance among the audience.

But look at the films made by the sixth generation directors…except for a few that can resonate with the public, most of them are just for their own enjoyment. Who watches the plot when watching the Summer Palace? Aren’t they all watching for that?

It's not as good as "A Brighter Summer Day" directed by Jiang Wen, which is fun to watch as well as the plot.

This also led to the fact that before the era of domestic blockbusters began, there was almost no sixth-generation director in China who had truly become famous, and all of them were making banned films.

Movie fans buy pirated discs and never fast forward, for fear of missing those few seconds of exciting footage.

It was only with the emergence of Ning Hao that the sixth generation of directors were able to put on a fig leaf.

Early the next morning, Gong Li decided to return to the mainland.

Because Zhang Yimou called last night and said that the film project had been approved, and she, as the actress in charge, had to go back and prepare.

The specific start time of shooting is estimated to be either this month or next month.

Before leaving, Gong Li said, "Don't worry, Yishu, I will ask Director Zhang to shoot quickly."

Li Yishu shook her head and said, "It's okay, Sister Gong Li. Farewell My Concubine will not start filming until March next year. I guess Director Zhang should have finished filming by then."

Zhang Yimou is quite fast at filming, and he remembered that "Qiu Ju Goes to Court" was mainly a winter scene, so he estimated that it should be completed this winter.

After watching Gong Li enter the passage, Li Yishu sighed, "What a pity! I haven't even started to experience the joy of Director Chen. Next year, there will be two directors who have won the only Golden Lion Award in the mainland."

He remembered this movie, which successfully helped Zhang Yimou win the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival.

The countdown to the only director experience card for the Mainland Golden Lion Award has begun.

"Director Li, what do you mean by 'a pity'?" Amy next to him was a little curious. She didn't hear it clearly just now, but she seemed to have heard the word 'a pity'.

"Nothing much. How are the preparations going in Japan?"

"It's almost done. They said Director Li is welcome to come over anytime. However, as for the actor, Izumi Sakai still refused, even though she likes the story very much."

"let it go."

Li Yishu didn't care about Sakai Izumi's refusal and just asked, "What's the lowest price for the house in Repulse Bay?"

"He said the minimum is 800 million."

"That's it."

Li Yishu shook her head and said it was still too expensive. She would wait until the Asian financial crisis in 97 to buy it.

(End of this chapter)