Red lovers: years of burning passion
Source: Author: Gray 07-03- 17 03:44:53
An exciting summer day
There has never been a memory of a summer as vivid and clear as 1998. It's like an old flashlight suddenly shining brightly in generate's head. In an instant, the news about the movie The Red Lover spread all over the world. At that time, even people who were not interested in movies knew that there was a revolutionary romantic film in which Hong Kong stars played actors. Even though Titanic sank gorgeously in the cinema and many tears and emotions were consumed by boys and girls, The Red Lover still attracted everyone's attention and triggered waves of discussions about Hong Kong actors, American screenwriters and directors of revolutionary descendants.
At that time, the Internet became more and more popular, and more and more people were keen to communicate through the Internet, including Leslie Cheung fans from various countries and regions who spoke different languages. Foreign and Hong Kong and Taiwan fans who have not been baptized by the consistent pattern of mainland revolutionary films are full of expectations for the role of Kim, and think that it is a novelty and challenge for him to play such a mainland with a clear political stance and full of feelings for children for the first time; As a child, we have seen the heroic image of invincible, humble and unshakable on the screen countless times, both physically and emotionally dedicated to the motherland and the people, but we have to worry a little more: whether he grew up in Hong Kong and received British education can grasp the feeling and positioning of a hero?
Although he has been filming for 20 years, at that time we couldn't find any previous characters to refer to. Song Zijie? It's too immature Xu Wenqiang? That's so cool. Song Danping? Too literary. Cheng Dieyi? That's paranoia. Twelve missing? Really ... does he know anything about politics? ! He Baorong? You, you, you, are joking again. I am in a hurry with you. ..... Besides, in our minds, who is a member of * * *, who is not heavy-eyed, with a Chinese face, dressed in plain homespun yellow clothes and a pair of cloth shoes at the foot? It doesn't feel like putting him in this dress.
At that time, mainland reports were in full swing, and the response of Hong Kong, Taiwan and foreign countries was inevitably slow, so mainland fans shared news reports online from time to time. A makeup photo is enough to surprise everyone and discuss it for a long time.
I still remember the first time I saw Kim, it was on the cover of Popular Movie. He wore a shabby but neat cotton gown and a long scarf, and half knelt in the rain to listen to the heroine's bulging abdomen. At this glance, I have accepted the role wholeheartedly. This man has nothing to do with Hong Kong star Leslie Cheung. His hair was wet with rain and hung on his forehead. His face is full of sadness and pity. He is an old scholar with rich feelings and persistent beliefs. In fact, many of our older revolutionaries are like this, right? They received a good education and a good family background, gave up a stable life for their ideals and beliefs, joined the revolutionary torrent and became pioneers and leaders of the new China. Who said * * * member must be heavy-eyed, with a Chinese character face, wearing plain homespun yellow clothes and a pair of cloth shoes at his feet?
At that time, it seemed that the average temperature of the whole summer had risen because of this film, so I walked around the streets in such a hot summer and enjoyed every bit of coverage about this film. Open the magazine at the newsstand-ah! It's his head, accompanied by countless interviews and reports about the red lover. I saw the advertisement in the bookstore-yeah! Crazy English released the soundtrack of The Red Lover. It is said that this film is 80% English dialogue. See the poster in front of the cinema-yeah! The poster is three or four stories high, and Leslie Cheung's side face accounts for two-thirds. You need to look up to see them ... even when you turn on the TV at home, you can see the trailers rolling on the six major movie channels in the central government from time to time. Is that the first time CCTV has shown a movie trailer? I still remember Jin, wearing a plain robe and a long scarf, walking out of the burning ruins with a suitcase; I remember him standing on the locomotive and giving a speech to the students, with firm eyes and confident expression; I remember that he was crazy and convulsed to the ground; I remember him saying goodbye to his lover in the heavy rain. ...
"If I can't live proudly, then I choose to die."
On August 28th, The Red Lover premiered in China, pushing the red tide that burned all summer to a climax.
In order to cooperate with the promotion of films in China, Leslie Cheung, who seldom participates in film promotion, also came to the mainland to participate in various interviews and premiere ceremonies in various cities, and also boarded CCTV to participate in talk shows. Just as The Red Lover has created an image of * * * that is quite different from everyone's mind, Leslie Cheung's several appearances have completely subverted the weak impression he left on the mainland people because of films such as Farewell My Concubine: his actions are vigorous, his personality is frank, and his interview is witty, which has made journalists gain a lot and given many mainland media who have never had access to him before.
I still remember that at the premiere in Beijing, he naturally became the focus of media attention, and everyone rushed to ask him questions. He said, "Don't always ask me. The people in our crew are all excellent. You should ask them more. " He asked Ye Dandan, who plays his daughter, to recite a poem for everyone. Xiao Dandan seems ready, but he still can't recite fluently. Many people laughed. He stopped laughing and kept looking at her with encouraging eyes. Maybe it's time to ask Mei Ting the next question. He quietly handed the microphone to Mei Ting around him, and offered to hold her bouquet for Mei Ting, indicating that Mei Ting was ready to answer. When answering the lottery question for the first time, the host asked an audience what the three films directed by Ye Daying were. After speaking two films, the audience froze and watched the silence. He stood up and said, "Do you want me to do something to remind you?" Then inhale and exhale exaggeratedly ... The audience remembered: "It's panting!" "The reporter interviewed him and asked him why Ye Daying played with him. He smiled: "I am free. "The reporter said," Everyone says this movie is really good. " He said, "Then I want to congratulate Director Ye. " ……
I live in a small and medium-sized city, so I didn't have a premiere, but there is still one thing worth looking forward to, that is, a cinema in the city introduced the first Dolby surround sound in Northeast China, which made me lucky enough to enjoy an audio-visual feast with my ears and eyes. Although my heart was completely moved by the plot at that time, in retrospect, I still remember the scene of Kim and parting. It seems to be raining around me. I am like a ghost with nowhere to go in the rain, watching him and her silently. Where will you go?
The cinemas were all full that day-it was a grand occasion that you can only see when you watch Titanic. The audience accepted the image of being the leader of * * *, and even applauded when Kim gave a speech to the crowd. Off-screen, I watched him calmly stand on the locomotive, with humorous words and so inflammatory. I can't help thinking that in that long revolutionary history, I don't know how many young people were impressed by such leaders with personal charm and career passion, so as to follow their beliefs and embark on this revolutionary road. Kim's revolutionary work is not reflected in the film. After all, he is seriously ill, and his main task is to recuperate rather than work. But he still laid maps everywhere in the house, cared about the progress of the revolution, skillfully used the pen of American doctor Payne, and made positive publicity for the Red Army in foreign newspapers. No matter in front of the enemy or in front of the disease, I will not forgive others: "If I can't live proudly, then I choose to die!" " "
Just as he fell in love with Kim, Payne fell in love with a mysterious and beautiful China girl. She is so gentle, so affectionate, engaged in such dangerous work, but she likes this place willingly and fearlessly. To be fair, Payne is a lovely young American, but you and I both know that Kim is different. He has been integrated with the revolution and has become Qiu Qiu's belief and strength. This kind of feeling even goes beyond love and revolutionary friendship, and it is a kind of piety that people can't wait to burn. So when we watched Payne kneeling in the rain, we were forced at first, and then we cried and said, "I love you!" " Go to Qiu Qiu. I can only sigh for him. In front of him, Kim's eyes were clear and calm, even with a hint of pity. He just said, "You dare not shoot." That kind of ridicule and awe-inspiring righteousness made Qiu Qiu's eyes, the eyes of the audience, shine with admiration and admiration.
The affection for Kim is not selfish, but in her bones, she is a qualified revolutionary. The mediocre idea of being with her lover is not her ultimate ideal. What she hopes to do is to work together with her lover for the victory of the revolution. Therefore, she did not hesitate to shoot and kill her biological father, hoping to catch the "big fish" of Jin and go to prison as a pregnant woman. Jin, who is protected, knows that his life is dying. Even if Qiu Qiu is just his comrade-in-arms, is he more valuable than his young and loyal comrade-in-arms? More importantly, from the letter left by Qiu Qiu, he understood how Qiu Qiu always loved him deeply, and how he endured the helplessness and pain that he mistook for his dead wife ... Kim did the last and only thing he could do: trade his life for the child in her belly.
Meeting in the heavy rain is the only memory that makes people feel wet and cold in that hot summer. Off-screen, we all know that their love for each other has surpassed life, and we also know that this separation is the separation of life and death. But no matter how much you give up, no matter how much you cry, you can't extend that last hug for more than a moment. Such a rainy day, such a parting, is colder than death. Qiu Qiu, whom Payne met in prison, had empty eyes.
Thanks to the director, he kindly abandoned the scenes of gold being punished and tortured, such as tiger bench and pepper water, which he originally planned to shoot, and only hinted at the suffering of gold with blood-stained prison clothes and feet scratched by shackles. This is the oldest style in all Leslie Cheung's films, but it left a deep impression on me, perhaps because his expression was so calm, so relaxed, so ... he died. Knowing that death is just around the corner. Now that all the people you care about have been arranged, dying is like going home. With a gunshot, his chain danced to the sky like an eagle he will never forget. At the same time, a cry broke through the bleak atmosphere: he and her child were born.
When Payne took his children on the road to celebrate the victory of the revolution, he seemed to see Kim dancing in the crowd. At that moment, he finally understood the true romance between them. They integrate their passion into history, and their loyalty to each other and their career makes them worth remembering forever.
Different * * * members
As for why Yanjin was invited, it was not for hype as the media speculated. Director Ye Daying told us:
I didn't want Yanjin at first. What I wanted to reflect at that time was the early image of * * *, who could speak English, had a cultural temperament and felt indifferent to material things. Considering the characteristics brought by the family background of the characters, it is easier to find them in overseas Chinese, but even harder to find them in mainland China-party member, in his forties, generally belongs to the image that he is not afraid of suffering and not afraid of death, which is rather rough. In terms of cultural temperament, what really expresses personality and spirit from the heart is not as delicate as the actors outside-so he took the script to his friends in Hong Kong and asked them to find it.
John Lone was first considered, but when we heard that John Lone's style was particularly great, we were frightened. When I arrived in Hong Kong, I didn't expect many friends in the Hong Kong film industry to agree that Leslie Cheung is very suitable and he can act. My mind has always been his image in Farewell My Concubine and Romantic Moon, and I have never considered him at all. Later, when I was having dinner and chatting with Leslie Cheung, I had a feeling that the role must be his. He is also in his forties, and his age is just right. He not only has the feeling of vicissitudes of life, but also has a calm look in his eyes, that is to say, there is no material desire that contemporary people often reveal. When I told him a story, his eyes changed slightly, and his concern for people and emotions appeared, which was felt and moved by his heart, so that you could feel it at once. His surface is soft, but behind it is a rare tenacity. He is the best actor I have ever seen.
At first, many people were worried about Leslie Cheung's competence. After the filming, everyone said: Who can play this role except Leslie Cheung! Leslie Cheung himself is very picky about English. He is studying in England. His English should be the best among us, but he is definitely the most accurate. When shooting the long shot he told his wife, Leslie Cheung practiced his lines first, and then said that he would shoot. He asked me, "What do you want me to do?" I said, "I can't shed tears anyway, but I must shed tears." He said, "Don't worry." He can really play that kind of "can't stand it" drama, and he can find every subtle feeling. When he played it back, he said I could do better.
Leslie Cheung has his own understanding of this role. He didn't want to play the role of "Gao Daquan" in the eyes of the public, but wanted to show the audience a different red romantic revolutionary in the new era. In his eyes, * * * people should have the calm and mighty demeanor like Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping, and have the ideal and infectious personality like John Woo. Therefore, his interpretation of gold is elegant in temperament and delicate in emotion. He not only has the courage to be fearless in times of crisis, but also has a flexible and agile mind.
After the film was released, the media gave different comments on the plot of The Red Lover, but no one raised specific objections to Leslie Cheung's acting skills. Comments are nothing more than questioning how a Hong Kong star who grew up in a colony interprets the revolution. Just like when Farewell My Concubine started shooting, some people questioned how a sexy young idol played a famous Peking Opera actor in old Beijing. But the famous actor Zhang Ruifang said, "I'm party member, 1938, an old man who joined the party, Yanjin. I can accept it. " Sun Daolin, who once played Li Xia, an underground party member, in "Never Gone Radio", also said: "The gold played is different from mine, but it is also the image of an underground gang." The evaluation of these two "red actors" of the older generation is much more pertinent and valuable than the abuse trained and edified by many old revolutionary films.
Leslie Cheung in the eyes of other actors
Speaking of the shortcomings of The Red Lover, I personally think that the performance of the extras in the film is really a failure. No matter when listening to Jin's speech or when the People's Liberation Army enters the city, you can see that some people's faces are completely absent, some look around, and some even snicker. This is an oversight and regret in film production.
At that time, most of the extras came from schools, and some of my friends once wrote some precious words, recalling the time of filming with Leslie Cheung. The general impression is that this person is modest, generous, lively and likes to joke. Kim gave a speech on the motorcycle. During the rehearsal, Leslie Cheung read "indomitable" as "indomitable". After being corrected, he modestly read aloud in various tones: "Perseverance! Perseverance! " Also asked the audience: "Is this right?" Halfway through the rehearsal, he deliberately tampered with his lines and said, "Their names are the Red Army!" Said, "Their names are Flying Tigers!" It attracted the laughter of the audience. -A Hong Kong actor actually knows the story of "Flying Tigers", which shows that he has a good knowledge of * * * *.
When shooting the scene, it took a long time because the scene was large and there were many actors. Everyone was tired and hungry, and the extras were noisy. At this time, Leslie Cheung picked up the horn and made a sincere speech: "I know everyone is hungry, aren't they?" Then let's work harder, take this shot well, and then we can go to dinner! Now let's try again, shall we? "Everyone cheered, and this scene was finally filmed successfully. At that time, many extras began to like him. What is even more impressive is the scene of dancing yangko at the end of the film. After learning to dance yangko quickly, he unexpectedly taught everyone to dance ballet on the spot. ...
Mei Ting, the heroine who works with Leslie Cheung, is only 23 years old and has no experience of performing on the big screen. She is very nervous to play opposite a heavyweight actor like Leslie Cheung, and often relies on Leslie Cheung's patient guidance. There is a plot in the film that Kim has a seizure. Qiu Qiu took off his coat and rubbed his back with coarse salt particles to awaken his consciousness. Results Due to Mei Ting's nervousness and excessive exertion, Leslie Cheung's back was rubbed and bleeding, and was stimulated by salt particles. The pain can be imagined. Mei Ting was so scared that she began to cry. Under Leslie Cheung's repeated comfort, she relaxed and continued filming. Mei Ting won the Best Actress Award at Cairo Film Festival for her role as Qiu Qiu. Since then, her screen career has been smooth sailing. Leslie Cheung has always regarded her as a good friend. Once invited her to her own concert, invited her to her own home for dinner, and gave her a set of her own music album selection.
Todd babcock, an American actor who plays Dr Payne in the film, is also impressed by Leslie Cheung. In his later memoirs, he described many details of his coexistence with Leslie Cheung, such as their first meeting:
Leslie, dressed in a black, turtle neck and dark coat, sat gracefully and maturely on the sofa. I walked around the room with a clumsy posture and a smile. His English is a very accurate British accent, which makes him look more noble and polite. He carefully asked some questions and experiences about the film, told me what he thought of the script, and we sat down to watch the film together. I am like an immature child, hoping to impress my brother and constantly comment on everything. Soon, Bob told me that I was extremely naive and nervous that night, but I thought I was relaxed and articulate. Of course, I finally agreed with Bob.
The first scene of Ted and cooperation is that Payne goes to Kim's apartment for medical treatment, tears off Kim's clothes and checks his condition. I don't know whether it is nervousness or inexperience. Ted reached out to grab the clothes. Leslie Cheung already felt something was wrong: "Wait ... you've never torn clothes before ..." So Leslie Cheung grabbed his hand, helped him pose in front of the camera, and told him not to worry, just tear it hard. Ted said half jokingly, "I tore that dress well." I regard it as a souvenir of my friendship with Leslie. "
After that, I became friends with his assistant and manager. You will naturally find that everyone around Leslie is like his family. They worked with Leslie for a long time. They were friendly and took care of me. ..... Only Leslie can speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English at the same time on the set, so he can help me communicate with the director and screenwriter. He also helped the crew a lot, because he brought his own photographer from Hong Kong, and the photographer took pictures during the rehearsal for publicity, which is definitely better than we were extremely tired after filming and had to stay and continue taking pictures ... His voice was always calm when shooting, but during the rehearsal.
When all the work was solved, we shared a very happy time. When I saw him at the party, he shaved off his beard for this role and wore elegant clothes, as if he were ten years younger. Leslie loved the whole party. We ate a lot of food and fresh lobster, drank white wine and red wine, took countless photos, sang karaoke and laughed nonstop ... everyone liked it. ...
Always remember
For Leslie Cheung, the actor in The Red Lover is an important role in his acting career. For China's films, The Red Lover is also a significant work. Under the fierce attack of Titanic, it still made a box office of 25 million yuan, which kept the last position for the domestic films of that year. The reasons for its success, such as publicity first, peripheral product development, and integration with international practices, have also been carried forward since then, and have been used for reference and played by more and more domestic blockbusters.
The successful creation of the image of Jin has not only had a far-reaching impact at home, but also reversed the negative impression of foreign public on members of * * *, such as rigidity, lack of education and inhumanity. The word * * * is gradually accepted by them with the elegance of Jin and his own style. In 2000, Leslie Cheung held a "Love" concert tour in Japan. During the performance, fragments of several films were shown. When Jin of The Red Lover appeared on the screen, he said, "At this moment, there are a group of tenacious fighters who are sticking to their beliefs, ideals and doctrines. Their name is-"the Japanese audience at the venue actually agreed with one voice in skilled Mandarin.
In 2003, when I was studying in the United States, I showed my American friends several films starring Leslie Cheung. What moved him most was the red lover: "I didn't expect * * * to be like this. I didn't think of that before. They are also human beings, cultured and ambitious. The burning passion for life is touching in any era, any country and region ... you really should make this movie.
In 2006, the Hong Kong International Film Festival took The Red Lover as the opening film, paying tribute to this classic work eight years ago: "The Red Lover shocked the whole film circle in the year of its release, which triggered a series of discussions on the concept of' red' and' revolutionary' consciousness. ..... The play is not only well-made, artistically expressive, but also rich in plot and excellent in performance ... "Mei Ting, the heroine, was invited to Hong Kong to attend the opening ceremony of the film festival, but it is a pity that the hero of the film has been unable to meet his needs.
Unforgettable Time is the English name given to The Red Lover by Leslie Cheung himself. That era, that era, I believe that all those who have experienced and been touched will remember it. Whether it is passion, emotion, expectation of never coming again or unforgettable memories, they will be deeply rooted in our hearts. Every moment when we suddenly look back, we will remember that there are a pair of firm and steady footprints in the noise.