Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 310 Meeting Johnnie To

For two consecutive questions, Zhang Chen's answers were basically compliments, which was completely different from his usual style.

This made the reporters quite disappointed.

When they saw Zhang Chen, they thought they could make big news, but Zhang Chen's answer was so standard, not "Zhang Chen" at all.
But Zhang Chen wasn't lying. What he just said was basically what was in his heart.

The reporters were unwilling to give up and continued to ask: "Then how would you rate a commercial film like "Underworld"?"

Hearing the reporter's words, Zhang Chen suddenly stretched out a finger and waved it: "No, no, no, you are wrong. "Underworld" is not a commercial film. In fact, I think it is more like an art film."

?

"Underworld"?
Is it an art film?

The reporters all thought they had misheard. Zhang Chen continued, "The film 'Underworld' follows a realistic approach. It is not like 'Young and Dangerous' which depicts the underworld as a martial arts world filled with grudges and hatred. The individual's life experience, growth process, and emotional entanglements are all downplayed as much as possible, and basically all the attention is focused on the power struggles within the gangs.

This is a very standard technique for art films. Generally speaking, commercial films use romantic legends to create dreams for the audience, while art films present reality directly for the audience to watch. "

Listening to Zhang Chen's speech, the reporters below looked at each other in bewilderment.

Why do I feel like what he said makes sense?

Zhang Chen ignored their thoughts and continued: "Speaking of the scenes, "Underworld" is completely different from the traditional Hong Kong movies with their explosive gunfights and gorgeous fights. There was not even a single gunshot from the beginning to the end.

They can chop with knives, hit with tree trunks, and smash with stones. Compared with similar films, the pictures and sound effects can be described as dull and realistic, with clear distinctions between the strong and the weak, and immediate decisions of victory and defeat. There is no such exhilarating feeling of fighting for three hundred rounds, nor is there the miracle of being able to fight back and turn defeat into victory after being stabbed several times.

Even when a gunfight breaks out, the camera only watches from a distance, without any close-ups of weapons, actions, or expressions. It seems that this is just the normal state of survival for the underworld, and there is no need for the audience to experience the excitement.

There is a scene where Big D puts a person in a wooden cage and rolls him down a hill repeatedly. From the visual and auditory effects, it is impossible to perceive the pain of the victim, but this silent cruelty is even more frightening.

There are no car chase scenes in the film. On the contrary, everyone drives very steadily.

There is a scene where Le Shao picks up Da D after he is released from prison and they negotiate in the car. Their car is in the front, followed by a long line of cars. Each car drives very slowly and brakes calmly one by one to stop at traffic lights.

On the surface, everything seemed peaceful, but after listening to their brief conversation, one could sense the tense atmosphere.

These scenes, which are arranged with an objective standpoint and calm camera, are the embodiment of the realistic style of art films. "

Zhang Chen was like a scholar, explaining "Underworld" layer by layer to the reporters.

At this moment, not only the reporters, but even some of the audience who had just left the theater stopped what they were doing and stood aside to listen quietly.

Although they didn't know who Zhang Chen was, they could tell from his posture that he was not an ordinary person.

They just watched "Underworld" and thought it was good, but they couldn't explain why it was good.

But after hearing what Zhang Chen said, everyone suddenly understood, and many people even gained something else.

After hearing Zhang Chen's interpretation, I realized that there were still so many things I didn't understand.

“From the perspective of the characters, if people watch Underworld with a heroic sentiment, they will definitely be disappointed.

Since the protagonists are gangsters, there can be no "good guys" in the traditional sense. They are either vicious and cruel, or sinister and cunning. Only in Feiji can we see the image of an upright and straightforward young man.

In fact, previous Hong Kong gangster films have misled the audience into thinking that the underworld is full of good men who value friendship over profit. When we see these flesh-and-blood, vivid and full-bodied men, we can't help but replace ourselves with the protagonists and feel the ups and downs of emotions and fate.

But everyone actually knows that it’s all fake.

We all live in Hong Kong and know what real societies are like and what the people in them are like.

Whether it is Le Shao or Da D, if any one of them becomes the "boss", it is entirely a result of success or failure. It is difficult to investigate the inevitability of this using moral and ethical viewpoints such as right and wrong, good and evil.

The image of Le Shao is well-created, the director shoots it well, and the actors perform well. For a long time, Le Shao gives people a calm and honest feeling, until the end when people discover that he is actually a hypocrite like Yue Buqun.

This kind of character creation is very successful.

Corresponding to him is Big D, a powder keg, one moving and one still, forming a sharp contrast. "

"But this play doesn't have a female lead..." someone said in the chaos.

Zhang Chen didn't find the person to talk to, but he still answered: "You are right, some people may think that the lack of a heroine in this film is a big failure, but I think the lack of a heroine is the most commendable aspect of this film.

"Underworld" is not about brotherhood or chivalry, but a gangster epic and a history of power struggle. Such a movie does not need love, nor should women occupy too much space. "

After Zhang Chen finished speaking, the scene suddenly became quiet.

"Okay, we agreed on three questions. I have answered them all. Now we have to leave. Please leave quickly and don't affect the normal operation of the theater..."

In China, people would usually disperse when Zhang Chen said this, but this group of Hong Kong paparazzi obviously didn't plan to do that. "You haven't said how many points you'd give?" Someone still insisted.

Zhang Chen scratched his head: "It's not appropriate to give a score, but if I have to rank it, I think "Election" is the best of all Hong Kong gangster films. It's not an exaggeration to say that it is the "Godfather" of the East."

This is Zhang Chen’s true thought, but there is one more thing he didn’t say. This is probably the last elegy of Hong Kong gangster films.

The gangs are doomed to decline, and gangster movies will follow them.

People still watch it now because he is right next to the audience and gangster culture is part of Hong Kong life.

In another dozen years or so, as the economy takes off, gangs, which are shameful things, will gradually be eliminated. The young people who grow up at that time will not even have contact with gangs, so the appeal of gang culture to them will naturally weaken, and in the end it will be better than nothing.

Zhang Chen thinks that the best gangster movies in Asia are probably "Election", "Election 2", and "Infernal Affairs 2".

In addition, if I have to choose another one, "New World" is also good.

You read it right, it is Infernal Affairs 2. Infernal Affairs 1 and 3 are police and gangster films, but 2 is considered a gangster film.

Some people think that "Infernal Affairs" is the best part of the trilogy, but Zhang Chen disagrees. He thinks "Infernal Affairs 2" is the best one.

1 and 3 are good, but not as good as 2.
Just like the "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" trilogy, they are all very good and classics, but they are not as good as "The Deer and the Cauldron".

Because the latter has gone beyond the traditional scope of martial arts and looks at the world of martial arts from a broader and more realistic perspective.

These are the pinnacle of Asian gangster films. Many viewers who are fascinated by gangster culture will probably revisit these four movies every once in a while.

After saying this, Zhang Chen didn't stay any longer. He pulled Zhongli Ti and left quickly.

He was afraid that it would be too late and he still couldn't leave. These paparazzi won't play by the rules.

The two of them quickly ran towards the parking lot. Zhang Chen held Zhongli Ti's arm, but he didn't notice that the latter's eyes were shining.

Zhongli Ti's heart was not at peace at all.

Zhang Chen was able to interpret so many things just by watching a movie, otherwise he must be a billionaire director.

She recalled what Boss Yang had said to her...

The paparazzi had a similar reaction to hers. By the time they remembered what to ask again, the two had already run away.

Some people are regretting it, while others are wondering why Zhang Chen, the director of "Taken", is singing praises for his competitor "Underworld"?
Zhang Chen certainly wasn't singing praises for "Underworld". In fact, he didn't really care about it at all.

How much is the Hong Kong box office?

If he didn't have other things to do, there would be no need for him to come here specially.

The car started and took them away.

In the car, Zhongli Ti was thinking about her own little thoughts, but Zhang Chen was thinking about other things.

My Cantonese is really poor.

Speak slowly. I think you can understand a few of the commonly used ones by guessing, but not the others.

This is so inconvenient.

For example, the two people now both have Asian faces, but one is not fluent in Cantonese and the other is not fluent in Mandarin, so they can only communicate in English.

Well, it’s still early now, should we find a place to learn Cantonese from Zhongli Ti?
This seems like a good idea.

Feeling the heat in Zhang Chen's eyes, Zhongli Ti reacted immediately. Her whole body blossomed like a flower, and her smile had two + signs on it.

"Director Zhang, what you just said is so good. I haven't heard enough. Can we find a quiet place so you can tell me more..."

Before Zhang Chen could say anything, Zhongli Ti had already made his request.

What else is there to consider? Good morning~
He is not afraid that Zhongli Ti will get entangled with him or anything. A wise man does not fall in love. I am not responsible for any pregnancy.

……

In the hotel, Zhang Chen took Teacher Zhong to learn Cantonese and experienced Teacher Zhong's sharp tongue.

Teacher Zhong went to the bathroom to rinse his mouth, while Zhang Chen received another call from Boss Yang.

Boss Yang's voice on the phone was full of joking: "Director Zhang, have you rested well? If you have, let's have dinner together tonight. I have arranged an appointment with Director Johnnie To for you. In addition, everyone knows about what happened in the afternoon, and I was just thinking of thanking you in person."

(End of this chapter)