Just now, I said goodbye to a good friend I've known for decades. I knew in my heart that this friend might not come back.
Its name is Hong Kong Film.
On February 16, the nominees for the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards were announced. This list of nominations, I am very unhappy, to be precise, is angry, burning.
But let's not talk about this Academy Awards, let's go back to the 2011 Academy Awards.
That year, the competition for the film emperor was Chow Yun Fat, Leung Ka Fai, Jacky Cheung, Cheung Ka Fai and Tse Ting Feng, and the award was given by Zhou Xun, who deliberately paused when announcing the results, "Best Actor, "Informant"... It's all three words. ”
"Informant" starred two people, Nicholas Tse and Zhang Jiahui.
The next second - Zhou Xun: "Nicholas Tse." ”
There was a cheer in the audience, Zhang Jiahui laughed and clapped his hands, and Xie Tingfeng, who was expressionless, fixed his seat for 5 seconds before getting up on the stage.
Nicholas Tse took the stage to thank Zhang Jiahui and Liao Qizhi, and then said to Xie Xian, "I hope you forgive a child who does not know the height of the sky and is not polite that day, you can raise a child who is so troublesome, still smiling at everyone, you are the best actor, sorry!" ”
At that time, Zhou Runfa told Nicholas Tse that the future of Hong Kong cinema depends on you Tingfeng.
Well, now let's go back to the list of nominees for the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards, which is closely related to the previous story.
First of all, it was Zhang Jiahui who read out this nomination.
Then, the nominated for this year's film emperor are Lin Jiadong, Wu Zhenyu, Liang Zhongheng, of which Lin Jiadong got two nominations for "Hand Cigarette" and "Wisdom Teeth", and one is the one who has won the best actor of the Film Critics Association - Tse Ting Feng's father, Xie Xian. This time, this 85-year-old drama bone really has the potential to become the best actor.
Nicholas Tse, who was optimistic about winning the film emperor, was not nominated.
Director Chen Musheng's posthumous work is also the "Fury Case" that broke the box office record of mainland Hong Kong films in one fell swoop. Although it also received 9 nominations, no actor in the entire film was shortlisted for the acting award.
Also frustrated by this year's Academy Awards is another Hong Kong blockbuster "Bomb Disposal Expert 2" that broke the box office of 1 billion yuan, and the film's supervising producer and starring Andy Lau. The film only received 3 nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Effects and Best Editing, and Andy Lau was not nominated for Best Actor.
In the long years before that, when everyone said that Hong Kong films were dead, I was the one who jumped out to oppose them - as long as there are still people who remember Hong Kong films, how can Hong Kong films die?
But today I want to say: if Hong Kong films are determined to play themselves to death in this way, then at most ten years is the death period of Hong Kong films.
First, behind the nomination of the Academy Awards: local literary and art films are sought after, and commercial genre films are collectively ignored
Why am I so angry after watching the nominations for this Academy Awards? Because the reason why the Academy Awards selected these films and not those films is because the shortlisted films represent the type of Hong Kong films it needs, and the final award to whom or not to give represents the industry's recognition of the quality of the film, in fact, it also represents the industry's implicit expectations for Hong Kong films.
So behind this nomination, it represents what kind of expectations Hong Kong filmmakers have for Hong Kong films?
Let's take a look at the big winner of this year: "Mei Yanfang" received 12 nominations in one fell swoop, most of which are major awards, including best director, best movie, Wang Dani's best actress and best new actor double nominations, Gu Tianle's best supporting actor nominations, etc. After the nominations were announced, many netizens said: Mei Yanfang is worth it.
Mei Gu, of course it is worth it. But Mei Yanfang is worth it, and whether "Mei Yanfang" is worth it, this is another question. The film Douban score of 6.9 points is not completely unreasonable.
Another great success is "Turbid Water Rafting", which has received 11 nominations for best movie, screenwriter, best male lead actor and best supporting actress, of which Wu Zhenyu is the favorite to win the championship of this film emperor.
It is worth mentioning that in fact, there is "Mama's Magic Boy", which is also a rare film nominated by the film Emperor Film at the same time, and it can even be said that the unknown Liang Zhongheng is likely to squeeze out a nomination that originally belonged to Andy Lau Tse Tingfeng.
What are the characteristics of these films? It is very obvious that they are basically local literary and art films.
Look at the two films that frustrated Andy Lau Tse Tingfeng of this year's golden statue, one is "The Case of Anger" starring Zhen Zidan and Nicholas Tse.
Very good. Just the first 10 minutes of the abandoned warehouse action scene is dazzling: 10 minutes, the scene explodes, the suspense layout is completed, the main character personality is established, and it is full of the efficiency of Hong Kong films. And this tension is maintained until the end.
However, in addition to the two best films and directors, the other films are comforting awards such as cinematography, editing, original TV songs and action design, although the best director award may be awarded to the deceased director Chen Musheng, but the best picture can basically be judged to be a run.
Look at "Bomb Disposal Expert 2", starting from the first minute to blow up the airport, this film changed the routine of the previous Hong Kong police films, added identity suspense, the plot was constantly reversed, the identity was constantly changed, Qiu Litao contributed the best action scenes of Hong Kong police films in recent years, and Andy Lau performed a very deep tragic character.
What are the characteristics of these two films? Obviously, they are all rare high-quality Hong Kong-made commercial genre films.
Behind the neglect of the two films is the most regrettable thing about this year's Academy Awards nominations: it is not bottomless rotten.
On the contrary, in addition to Wang Dani, who played Mei Yanfang, who won the post-film nomination, I feel puzzled, the choice of other awards is actually basically above the standard, especially Liu Yaser, the heroine of the film "Wisdom Teeth", who has received 14 nominations, directly received the post-film nomination, which shows the level of choice of the Academy Awards.
Wu Junru, with the role of the great mother in "Mother's Magic Boy", has no problem with dueling Gong Li, who played Lang Ping in "Win the Championship".
The problem is that behind the nomination list, there is excessive neglect and even prejudice against Hong Kong commercial genre films.
Over the years, the Hong Kong film camp behind the Academy Awards has gradually divided into two factions, one is the co-production blockbuster with its back to the mainland market, and the other is the literary and art sketches that are getting deeper and deeper into the local genre.
The choice of this year's Academy Awards is already very obvious.
The award was given to local literary and art films, and high-quality genre films can basically only get technical nominations, if director Chen Musheng did not die, I also doubt that "Furious Case", which is half a pound with "Bomb Disposal Expert 2", can be nominated for the Best Picture and Best Director Awards.
Of course, if this is the choice of the Academy Awards, then there is no problem, but when the choice of the Academy Awards, in a sense, represents the choice of Hong Kong films?
That's a big problem.
Second, it is not Andy Lau Tse Tingfeng who needs the Academy Awards, it is the Academy Awards that needs Andy Lau Tse Tingfeng
The first problem is the emergence of inequities.
The biggest unfairness of this year's Academy Awards is, of course, that Nicholas Tse did not get the nomination of the film emperor.
Netizens hugged the two unevenly, not unreasonable, but the performance of the two this time, too wonderful. Don't talk about nominations, there is no problem with taking the movie emperor.
Xie Tingfeng in "The Case of Anger" always repeats the line to his opponents: "If anyone goes wrong, God will not give face." The knife scar on his face, similar to the "clown," hinted at the past that drove him crazy. He kills without blinking an eye, has feelings and righteousness for his brothers, and uses his life as a bet to vent his anger.
This crazy character is too handsome, even if it is not played by Nicholas Tse.
And Nicholas Tse's interpretation has made the charm of the role even greater.
Such a performance, how come even a film emperor nomination is not worthy of it?
Looking at Andy Lau in "Bomb Disposal Expert 2", this time he was finally forced out of a torn, anxious, chaotic "bad guy Andy Lau". The character of Pan Chengfeng always oscillates between good and evil, extreme, pessimistic, painful, and moving.
Andy Lau's acting skills also have a clear level. Can be the role of unwilling, angry, and then completely lost hope, and then regain the conscience to fully interpret it.
It can even be said that Andy Lau's interpretation this time is more wonderful than the several times he won the film emperor, and as a result, there is still no nomination.
If placed in the golden age of Hong Kong films, such results are acceptable.
But now, how do you make me nod my head in agreement and say: This is a reasonable result?
Let me say it bluntly, the nomination for Lin Jiadong, one is enough. The nomination for Liang Zhongheng should be the best newcomer, not the film emperor.
In other words, the correct nomination for this year should be: Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Xie Xian, Wu Zhenyu and Lin Jiadong.
If the nomination is like this, is it suddenly like a big drama at this Academy Awards?
Xie Xian Xie Tingfeng father and son duel.
Lin Jiadong and benefactor Andy Lau duel.
Doesn't it sound very enjoyable and interesting?
But the Academy Awards made their own choice.
But the problems caused by this are not only Andy Lau and Nicholas Tse, the second problem is actually more serious: it is the loss of high-quality commercial films such as "Bomb Disposal Expert 2" and "Fury Case" The loss of the Academy Awards is the self-destruction of the entire Hong Kong film industry.
You know, the significance of the award ceremony is not just the ceremony, it is also a grand event in the industry, a morale mobilization to inspire the original heart of the film, think about how many people have used the stage of the Academy Awards ceremony to shout out the slogan of co-prosperity with Hong Kong films, you can understand the particularity of the Academy Awards for Hong Kong films.
Under such a crisis, if Nicholas Tse is shortlisted, at least one point has been won back for the Academy Awards, and everyone will pay attention to Hong Kong films in the process of discussing the winners of this year's film emperor, which will invisibly pull back a lot of attention for the Academy Awards.
And this is obviously a win-win for the Academy Awards and Hong Kong films.
For how to find the right way for co-productions, it has always been a problem that Hong Kong films can't get around, and it is not easy to have two controversial works, how much has pointed out the direction for how to make decent Hong Kong-produced co-productions, should we vigorously encourage it?
But the choice of Hong Kong films is: indifference.
These "small pieces" that this year's Academy Awards attach importance to seem to have become the aphrodisiac of Hong Kong films.
But the question is, relying on literary and art films, can Hong Kong films return to spring?
"Mama's Wonder Boy" surpassed "Fury Case" at the local box office and once became the highest-grossing local film since the epidemic.
Breaking its record was "Mui Yanfang", which exceeded HK$50 million at the Hong Kong box office.
The box office of "Muddy Water Drifting" was 6.5 million Hong Kong dollars, and the box office of "Hand Cigarette" was 7.35 million Hong Kong dollars.
Overall, these local literary and artistic films have a good local box office.
In contrast, the domestic box office of "Fury And Serious Case" was 26.38 million Hong Kong dollars, and the box office of "Bomb Disposal Expert 2" was 19.39 million Hong Kong dollars.
However, as for the box office in the mainland market, the best box office of the above-mentioned literary and art films in the mainland, "Mei Yanfang", is 80 million.
"Bomb Disposal Expert" 1.31 billion, "Fury Case" 1.328 billion.
The two can definitely be called to support most of the Hong Kong film in the mainland market in 2021, especially director Chen Musheng, who handed over his last cherished answer sheet for Hong Kong films before his death.
Of the two genres, who can turn the tide of Hong Kong films more than the other, isn't the answer very simple?
If what should be encouraged should be cold-eyed, and what should be valued should be regarded as a fulfillment, then who will carry the flag for Hong Kong films in the future?
Another very interesting phenomenon: In recent years, more and more Hong Kong-made action blockbusters with core Hong Kong film actors as the team: the current top rankings of "Anti-Drug 2" and "Bomb Disposal Expert 2", starring Andy Lau, "Fury Case" starring Zhen Zidan and Tse Tingfeng.
It is precisely because there are such trusted final stars of Hong Kong films that all parties have a considerable degree of budget, and there are so many real scenes, flying cars, street fights, and tunnel explosions.
At the same time, it is also the addition of dedicated Hong Kong stars such as Zhen Zidan, Nicholas Tse and Andy Lau, which makes the film also ensure the reckless fight and reckless blood of Hong Kong films in terms of close action scenes.
And this is also where Hong Kong films settle down.
But what needs to be reminded of Hong Kong films is that such Hong Kong film stars, ten fingers, are enough to count.
This sentence may be cruel, but the reality - in fact, it is no longer Nicholas Tse and Andy Lau who need the Academy Awards.
It is the Academy Awards that need the last pillar of these Hong Kong films.
Third, Hong Kong films play dead themselves like this, and 10 years later is the period of death
Finally, let's talk about Chen Musheng.
Remember Director Chen's "Heavenly Love", Hua Di, played by Andy Lau, with nosebleeds, driving a motorcycle, on the back seat is Wu Qianlian wearing a wedding dress, the scene of the two desperately dying together,
That infatuation with the world has become a romantic memory of a generation of Hong Kong film fans.
But in a sense, Hua Di is Chen Musheng's own incarnation.
The success of "Heavenly Love" made Chen Musheng popular in the Hong Kong film industry, and then he met another nobleman, Mr. Ho Guanchang, the boss of Jiahe, after "Stormtrooper Fury Street", the famous Hong Kong film BoLe said to him, "You don't choose other directions first, you shoot fashion action films, I think you will develop better in this direction." ”
It is also from this point that Chen Musheng is like driving a fiery chariot, on the road of commercial action genre films, all the way to the end.
Before the millennium arrived, he used Nicholas Tse, who was only 19 years old at the time.
Filming "SWAT New Humanity", at the same time, there are also Wu Yanzu who shows his abs and Feng Delun who is flesh and blood.
It is also Chen Musheng, Wu Jing, who has been drifting in Hong Kong for 16 years, found his place in Hong Kong films when his career was most depressed.
When Chen Musheng was still alive, he had a title: "The most reassuring Hong Kong film director". Because of his sobriety and pragmatism.
The investor gives him a project and money, and in the end he hands over something that is worse.
The most precious thing about Chen Musheng is also the spirit inherited from the golden generation of Directors of Hong Kong films represented by Du Qifeng, Xu Ke and Wu Yusen: Hong Kong films are to serve grassroots audiences.
Hong Kong films, is to look good.
To put it bluntly, it is precisely because of directors like Chen Musheng and stars like Andy Lau and Nicholas Tse that Hong Kong films can firmly stand on the side of the masses.
They may be simple, but they are uneven and loud, laughing and cursing. Maybe it's rough, but dare to love and dare to hate, happy to be vengeful.
Therefore, the Hong Kong films of that year can always shoot a thousand glasses of wine for confidants, and a smile and a vendetta when they meet.
With this flesh, those explosions and those tears in Hong Kong films have the meaning of playing swords and singing.
And today's domestic commercial films, how many can shoot the quality and blood of the golden age works of Hong Kong films?
It is not easy, with "Bomb Disposal Expert 2" and "Fury Serious Case", it is not a peak, but it is enough to be a real Hong Kong film "work", which is worthy of the audience's standing applause.
It's not easy, there is a Hong Kong star like Andy Lau who fights until the last moment. It was not easy, there was a Chen Musheng, let Xie Tingfeng, who was addicted to cooking and could not extricate himself, shoot a good drama.
As a result, the Academy Awards, as the vane and spiritual coordinates of Hong Kong films, turned a blind eye to all this.
This is not self-isolation from the audience, what is it?
The nominee of this year's film emperor, Xie Xian, is 85 years old, Lin Jiadong is 54 years old, and Wu Zhenyu is 60 years old.
More and more fans who grew up watching Hong Kong films realize that as the last stars of the Hong Kong films that accompanied us grow up grew old, the time left for Hong Kong films is really not much.
In another 10 years, Jackie Chan is 77 years old, Chow Yun Fat is 76 years old, Andy Lau is 70 years old, Zhen Zidan is 68 years old, and the youngest Tse Ting-feng is also 51 years old, the question is, after this frustrated Academy Awards, Tse Ting-feng, who lost director Chen Musheng, the best partner, is in the mood to return to Hong Kong films to fight for his life?
I don't know.
Who pushed him farther and farther away from hong Kong? Hong Kong pieces themselves.
Back in 2000, Andy Lau won the film emperor for the first time with "Dark War". On the stage, Wu Junru ridiculed: The winner is the most stylish (handsome) golden retriever of this century.
Offstage, Andy Lau smiled and closed his mouth.
It was the turn of the century, the moment when Hong Kong films were bright and dark, I thought that was the bottom of Hong Kong films, but I didn't expect that it was the last good time for Hong Kong films in more than 20 years.
Even more unexpectedly, the last shot given to the Hong Kong film was actually the Hong Kong film itself.