Going to the movies to laugh is a holiday tradition for the
Chinese lunar New Year, and hesui pian or the New Year's movies
have become a genre in themselves. A famed director takes a risk
with a war film.
War flick challenges comic menus
Hesui pian or "movies celebrating the New Year" usually feature
star-studded casts in tales that are light-hearted, satirical and
heartwarming. Nothing too complex, dark or weighty for Christmas,
New Year and the Chinese lunar New Year, which falls on February 7
next year.
This year there's plenty on tap that fits the bill for
relaxation, and a departure from standard light-hearted fare - a
provocative Chinese civil war battle mystery by veteran film maker
Feng Xiaogang.
Feng is a legend in the hesui pian genre. His 1997 comedy "Part
A Part B" was a hit in China and established a style of hesui pian.
Then came "Be There Or Be Square," "A Sigh," "Big Shot's Funeral,"
"Cell Phone" and "A World without Thieves" in successive years.
But this year, Feng's offering "Assembly" won't provide much
relaxation or a break from black comedies of the year. The film is
Feng's first war epic - about the set-up slaughter of a People's
Liberation Army company during the civil war - and the surviving
captain's post-war quest to find out why all his men died.
The film follows on the heels of Peter Chan's "The Warlords" and
together the two Chinese blockbusters, both featuring big war
scenes and focusing on brotherhood, have raised the curtain for new
year's pictures.
Some moviegoers, especially women, complain that the bloody
scenes that depict the cruelty of war are too stressing: they want
fun and relaxation.
"It seems that film producers squeeze their schedule into this
season only to reap higher profits," says Ding Ying, a middle
school teacher. "Such (violent) films run counter to the peaceful
holiday ambience."
Fortunately, cinemagoers like Ding will have other choices.
Hong Kong film maker Wong Kar-wai's "My Blueberry Nights" hit
mainland screens on Saturday, one day after the debut of Ah Gan's
hilarious picture "Big Movie 2." Mainland director Wang Guangli's
"Dangerous Games" will be released next Friday.
The new year's pictures for January and February will include
"CJ7," a sci-fi aliens fantasy by Hong Kong "comedy king" Stephen
Chow, as well as a basketball film "Kung Fu Dunk" that stars
Taiwanese singer-actor Jay Chou.
Wu Hehu, deputy director of Shanghai United Cinema Lines, the
city's largest cinema chain, says most of the new year's movies are
more artistic and of higher quality than previous years' fare.
Though Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and Chen Kaige's "The Promise" were
box office hits, they were strongly criticized by fans and movie
critics for their weak story lines.
But Wu predicts that "Assembly" and "The Warlords" will succeed
with the critics and at the box office.
Director Feng, whose name alone is considered a box-office
guarantee, says it is a big departure and an adventure in his
career to shoot a blockbuster without big-name stars.
"What I want to prove is that an appealing story line weighs
more than a star-studded cast," says Feng. "This moving and
masculine film may subvert the stereotype about new year's
pictures."
Much of the 80 million yuan (US$11 million) budget financed the
huge battle scenes while only one million yuan went to the
cast.
Set during of China's civil war, the movie is a true story
adapted from Yang Jinyuan's novel "Guansi." It centers on Captain
Gu Zidi and his valiant Ninth Company.
Gu's mission is to quickly occupy an advantageous position to
prevent the advance of the enemy, in support of the main PLA force.
His orders are to retreat only when assembly bugle is sounded. But
the captain hears no call. The tiny, under-equipped company fights
on till the last man, Captain Gu.
The story then shifts forward to 1955 when China entered a
period of peaceful development.
Gu is on a quest to discover the truth about that fatal combat
mission and restore the honor of 47 comrades who died for China's
national liberation.
The war scenes reflect influences from Steven Spielberg's
"Saving Private Ryan" and the South Korean film "Tae Guk Gi: The
Brotherhood of War." However, "Assembly" and Feng's former comedies
share a common concern with issues of individual identity and
humanity.
"The characters are not born heroes," says Zhang Hanyu, who
plays the leading role of Gu Zidi. "Many of them are ordinary
people who make extraordinary decisions at the critical moment.
These heroes are more human and real."
Producer Wang Zhonglei expects the film will take more than 200
million yuan at the box office nationally. Feng is also optimistic
and hopes the film will appeal to audiences, particularly young
people.
"Nowadays people have a wider definition of hesui pian," Feng
says. "This genre is not only for fun, but also for moving and and
heartwarming moments. 'Assembly' is a new attempt to diversity the
screening offerings."
(Shanghai Daily December 26, 2007)