Entertainment: Is this how you play music?!

Chapter 414 Li Can has great wisdom, but he went too far.

The film's mood and pace slowed down slightly.

A question flashed through the mind of film critic Song Tao.

Does a tragic historical subject require additional musical embellishment?

Originally, when Song Tao learned that Li Can was composing the score for "Songgufeng", he was somewhat worried about whether a music producer like Li Can, who was very committed to personalized musical portrayal, could handle the score for a historically heavy film.

The question has now been answered.

Whether additional music is needed depends on how outrageous the subject matter is.

This defensive battle is extremely absurd in any war history.

Similar to other battles like the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, it almost pushed the limits of human fighting spirit and the cohesion of the army. With only seven out of a hundred men remaining, they still thought of fighting to the death with their positions, which is unimaginable in the history of warfare.

Even novels with this kind of plot point get criticized; it's like everyone's a superhero.

In this situation, music doesn't need to overemphasize its presence or relentlessly reinforce emotional elements; doing so in excess can backfire.

The worst thing is when the musical melody is too prominent; sometimes, being too catchy and captivating can actually be a problem.

But the music in the movie was truly perfect.

They even extensively use atonal music to create a tense and explosive atmosphere, while subtly concealing its memorability.

The skillful technique and composed design seem somewhat different from the abstract and outlandish Li Can in my mind.

Song Tao couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, mixed feelings) in his heart.

Li Can may be very abstract, but he definitely possesses great wisdom.

When it's inappropriate to be clever, he truly doesn't try to be clever at all.

Be able to distinguish between primary and secondary tasks, and be able to identify the appropriate venue.

The film continues.

The story of the battle has also taken a turn.

The consequence of the successful ambush was that Tommy was captured.

After being captured, Tommy, who was initially extremely anxious, was given water, food, and rest.

After an unknown period of time, Tommy woke up to find that his enemies numbered only one hundred, and of those who fought valiantly, only seven survived.

Meanwhile, Xing Guosheng, the younger brother who had gone to the rear to rest, was holding back tears as he bravely reported on the performance and battle process of everyone involved in the fight.

Originally, the superiors were concerned about Xing Guosheng's feelings.

But Xing Guosheng insisted on recording quickly.

In Xing Guosheng's view, every detail of these battles was a testament to the heroic fighting of his comrades.

The comrades who were recording the events had bloodshot eyes and couldn't bear to ask Xing Guosheng, who had just lost a comrade, questions; their voices were choked with emotion.

The audience gradually recalled scene after scene from before.

outside the house.

far away.

Tommy looked up.

They happened to witness Xing Guosheng entering and leaving.

Although uncertain, Tommy had a feeling that the man was the warrior he was fighting against.

Tommy's expression was complicated as he gave the other person a deep look, as if trying to etch his image into his mind.

Although the battle is over, the war is far from over.

Xing Guosheng was fully prepared, and the warriors who had been tempered by iron and blood stepped into the next battlefield.

Like a montage of montages flashing by for three seconds, it seems to foreshadow the passage of time.

In the dark night.

Some unknown battlefield.

Amidst the chaos of war, covered in mud and stained with blood, Xing Guosheng lay in the trench, pulling out a deformed chocolate wrapped in oil paper from his pocket.

Some moviegoers have already started to break down in tears.

The Battle of Songgu Peak was extremely stressful and exciting, leaving almost no time for rest or jokes.

This chocolate was the very supply that Xing Guoqiang had casually slipped into his pocket while looting weapons during the previous battle. During a lull in the fighting, when he tackled his younger brother to take cover, he slapped him to wake him up and stuffed the chocolate into his brother's pocket before returning to the fight.

The pace was too fast at the time, and it only flashed by.

The audience only thought that the soldiers were making the most of limited resources in a limited time, without realizing other issues.

But upon closer inspection, it seems there was an additional setup.

Amidst the flames of war, Xing Guosheng tossed a chocolate into his parched mouth.

"This is sweeter than sweet potato."

A ferocious smile appeared on his face, but he seemed to be crying as if he had remembered something.

He struggled to get up, seemingly talking to himself, or perhaps trying to encourage himself.

"This isn't as sweet as a sweet potato."

"."

He casually pulled over the ammunition boxes nearby, checking each of the few remaining bullets in his hand, and continuously loading them into the magazine.

Looking around, there were enemies and comrades, a scene of carnage and bloodshed.

I want to eat sweet potatoes.

"."

The next second, amidst the tears of the audience, the younger brother Xing Guosheng charged forward.

There wasn't any more intense fight scenes; it was just a scene transition, and the battle ended.

It's going to be another tough battle.

After a night of fighting.

It has already begun to show its potential.

When the camera panned to that spot, the audience was instantly shaken.

In the lower left corner is Xing Guosheng, leaning against the trench, dead but still holding his head high.

In the direction that the tightly closed eyes gaze, a red sun rises.

Died in the darkness, yet greeted by the rising sun.

The surrounding area in the early morning was bathed in a blood-red hue due to the sunlight.

The story has come to an end.

It still follows the dual-narrative structure of the beginning.

The two brothers never returned home. When the unfamiliar soldiers arrived with their medals and belongings, all the villagers received them together.

At this moment, the brothers' past is finally revealed.

If the story were presented first, followed by a fierce battle, it would seem more like shouting slogans. However, the film uses a post-narrative approach.

That was Xing Guosheng's voice.

"Grandma Wang's husband was also a soldier who died in the darkness before dawn. Sometimes you would see Grandma Wang wiping away tears, saying, 'Do you see? Everything is getting better. The children you protected have all grown up.'"

"Having our own land, being able to occasionally taste meat, and even knowing what white rice tastes like, life has really improved."

"My brother's leaving, I have to hurry and catch up!"

“I heard from my brother’s comrades that the lighthouse doesn’t want us to farm honestly. That won’t do. Our ancestors did it for us, and my brother and I have to do it so that our children can farm in peace! That’s probably what Grandpa Wang was thinking back then!”

The audience cried and then laughed, and laughed and then cried again.

The simple wish imbued the image of iron and blood on the battlefield with a touch of humanity.

Until that last sentence, which witnessed the warrior's growth and baptism.

"Neither a good life nor dignity can be begged for, but must be earned through fighting! I can see it, I can even see it already, that the future will be victorious and only brighter!"

The image faded out.

It's like crossing the world.

When news of the victory arrived, everything came to an end.

After the victory was announced, the scene shifted again.

Familiar music began to play.

That's San Francisco Bay.

Tommy is still alive.

After being captured, he even gained a few pounds.

After the war ended and he returned home, Tommy was a completely different person.

Why go to someone else's doorstep to fight?

Tommy understood everything.

After returning home, Tommy no longer felt honored by his former military service, and was even ashamed to mention it. He often became dejected.

Whether it was defeat or the purpose of the war, Tommy kept it hidden in the corner of his heart, only to be frequently awakened by nightmares, and could never forget it.

The lyrics of "San Francisco Bay" played in my ears.

But it seemed to carry a deeper irony.

"This is San Francisco, and it's busy from early morning."

"Drive away street performers, stolen cars, and stray dogs."

"Hehe, this is the San Francisco lifestyle."

The audience felt a chill run down their spines.

The presence of music finally becomes more prominent at this moment, bearing the irony that is difficult for spoken dialogue to convey in film art, and amplifying many inconveniently spoken implications and contrasts.

Song Tao was amazed by the perfect harmony between the beginning and the end.

There may be other highlights to come.

The movie "Songgu Peak" is a film about the Battle of Songgu Peak.

However, these are just minor extraneous extensions, such as flashbacks, without being overly elaborated on in the film, making the content of the movie seem to be more than just a blocking battle.

The scene then shifted back to the villagers' perspective.

That's how the world changes.

The martyrs' cemetery has been completed.

The village children who grew up listening to the brothers' stories have gradually grown up.

A young soldier dressed in a 70s military uniform came to the martyrs' cemetery, laid flowers and saluted.

The brothers' military medals are displayed in front of their grave.

"Uncle Qiang, Uncle Sheng! I'm on leave from the army, so I've come to see you both!"

There wasn't much music, and there wasn't much sentimentality.

Even after saluting, the young soldier turned around and walked away with resolute steps.

But as he turned to leave, the scene transitioned smoothly to the backs of a group of young soldiers marching in formation, with faint chorus music appearing. As the sound became clearer, the music also became more substantial.

The Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention

The transmission of beliefs reached a closed loop at this moment.

The movie ended with a powerful and resounding song.

Immediately, thunderous applause resounded throughout the screening center, lingering for a long time. Watching the credits flash by, everyone was deeply moved.

Song Tao was so emotional that he typed furiously with both hands, writing down his thoughts.

[Songgu Peak, but it's more than just Songgu Peak!]

What kind of belief and will can lead to victory in every battle and the creation of miracles?!

[A film without a single slogan, yet it tells us: What should a soldier fight for?]

This is the passing down of beliefs and ideals.

The credits have moved to the section with the background music.

Song Tao caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye and his gaze lingered on those two characters of the name.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, I continued writing.

[Li Can possesses keen wisdom, never resorting to sentimentality when it's inappropriate. His masterful control of the music's presence resonates throughout the film, creating a sense of brutality, realism, and tragedy. Compared to the often-absent sentimental scenes in war films, Li Can breaks with industry norms by choosing the powerful and inspiring "Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention" as the ending music, a truly remarkable choice.]

I think this is what the martyrs would have wanted to see. They didn't want to see us kneeling, they didn't want to see us grieving and shedding tears. What they always wanted to see was us rising up, carrying on the fighting spirit, building our homes, and enjoying happiness.

I haven't finished writing it yet.

Suddenly, the sound of a piano came from inside the movie theater.

The audience was stunned, and the applause stopped abruptly.

There was even a post-credits scene.

Those were bright red words.

This film is dedicated to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for their country.

Remember! Never forget!

And the title of the music.

As You Wish

When the female voice began to sing softly, and he only saw the words on the subtitles, Song Tao, who had been holding back his tears all day, finally broke down completely.

It was as if all the stories in the movie, or the weight of history from those years, were released at this moment.

You are the bright moon and gentle breeze, and I am the dream you cherish.
Whether we meet or not, I will embrace you for a lifetime.

And I will love the world you love.

May you have the smile you desire.

Song Tao, who is in her forties, cried like a child.

The emotions welled up inside.

The film depicts various aspects of modern life.

It also contains historical surprises.

On the same land, there lies the burial place of nameless loyal souls in the dark years, the arduous struggle to develop farmland in impoverished times, and now, the bustling streets and towering buildings.

You are the sky where sparks ignite in the long river of time.
I am an admirer, so I will sing your praises.

You are where I came from, and where my heart belongs.
Every path in this world will lead you there.

Song Tao, with tears in his eyes, wanted to continue writing, but his gaze was reluctant to leave the screen.

Even though they're just Easter eggs, I'm unwilling to give up any of the silhouettes.

"The mountains and rivers are safe and sound, and the fireworks of life are as usual."

But you got to gaze upon it as you wished.

Children, sleep soundly in your dreams.
Just like you loved so deeply.

It seems to be in response to the content of the movie.

Warm and sentimental emotions are not the main focus of the song.

Later on, even the singing became more powerful.

This isn't sentimentality, it's progress!

I will also see a world you have not seen.
Write the poems you haven't written yet.

The moon in the sky, the thoughts in my heart.
You will always be with me.

"I promise to be with you for a lifetime of clarity, as pure as your youthful face."

A heart-stirring praise, overflowing with passionate remembrance.

It wasn't until the music ended that things returned to quiet.

After the post-credits scene ended, applause rang out again.

The audience was deeply moved.

The emotions of the entire film were fully released at this moment.

"You guys are something else!"

Song Tao remained calm, wiping away his tears, though his eyes were slightly red.

It's just too much.

The entire film embodies the most genuine and simple emotions, with only the post-credits scene offering a brief moment of sentimentality.

As a result, even someone like Song Tao, who is reluctant to reveal his emotions, couldn't hold back and broke down in tears on the spot.

Moreover, the way this emotional appeal is presented is quite different; even with a touch of sentimentality, it still manages to evoke a sense of fervent passion.

This is a unique patriotic film; it lacks patriotic slogans but is full of spirit and conviction.

The film is a big-budget production.

However, the main focus of the investment is the exaggerated military strength of the Lighthouse and its overwhelming number of airplanes, tanks, and artillery.

There are many grand scenes, but the focus of the content is not on the so-called visual effects of the grand scenes or the so-called thrills and excitement.

Not only did Li Can not forget what is most fundamental, but the entire crew was not misled by so-called artistic creation.

The first line echoes the first, and the second line is a true depiction of war.

The film avoids excessive sentimentality, leaving everything to history.

Song Tao couldn't help but sigh.

"awesome!"

(End of this chapter)