The recent national drama rivers and lakes is extremely lively.
The Spring Festival is approaching, and CCTV's eight sets released two annual dramas "Crazy" and "Three-Body Problem" in one breath.
Satellite TV dramas are also working hard to arrange the heavy dramas, Huang Bo and Mei Ting's "The Right Way to Open Life" is on the string, and Zhang Ruoyun's "Daming under the Microscope" has also opened up investment.
The audience's drama shortage has been completely solved, and even the drama schedule has been a little erased.
But the Chinese drama market is like this, every year there is a flood period and a dry period, the flood period is here, the more the audience has, the more they have to give you more.
Another suspense drama of the Misty Theater, which was quickly set last night, will be on tonight.
The biggest overturning incident of domestic dramas in recent years is indeed a suspense drama falling to the altar.
"White Night Chase" and "Hidden Corner" have exploded one after another, raising the audience's expectations continuously.
It is a pity that several of the later broadcasts have dived one after another, and the ratings have repeatedly failed. In particular, the Misty Theater, the signboard of a domestic high-quality suspense drama, has dimmed a lot in recent years. "The Daughter Who Came Back" at the end of last year had a good reputation but ended up being a suffocating sigh.
But tonight's domestic suspense drama is likely to bring back a city for the Misty Theater -
"Moses on the Plain".
Ring a bell? "Flame on the Plain" starring Zhou Dongyu and Liu Haoran is adapted from the same novel.
There is also "August" director Zhang Dalei directed, Dong Zijian and Haiqing starring.
This will undoubtedly be the most author-style suspense drama in the Theater of the Mist so far, and it will even break all the styles of previous works.
It was as if on the plains of the northeast in January, a brilliant fireworks suddenly rose, surrounded by gloom and cold. Coupled with the starring excellent interpretation of the gods, people gasp for air. Whether you like it or not, it depends on whether you can stand the wind in the northeast.
But the most "dark horse" domestic suspense drama at the beginning of the year is it.
1, Shuangxuetao + Northeast Renaissance, the adaptation of the film is popular before it is released, this original work is a little interesting
The first thing to talk about is the script.
It is obvious from the title of the play that the play is based on the work of the same name by Shuang Xuetao, winner of the "Blancpain Ideal Republic Literary Award".
When it comes to Shuangxuetao, many viewers will think of a word that was very popular in the previous two years: "Northeast Renaissance".
This word was probably first publicly proposed by singer Dong Baobao, and together with a group of novelists, artists, and "stand-up comedians" Li Xueqin, the spiritual outlook of the young people of New Northeast and New Northeast seems to be showing in front of the eyes of the people of the whole country with a brand new look.
"Northeast Renaissance" is a false proposition, this land has never allowed the literary atmosphere to dissipate, but the figure on the cusp of the wave of Shuangxuetao is beyond doubt.
Shuang Xuetao should be the fastest rising Northeast writer in recent years, born in 1983, it is said that his great-grandfather was the imperial chef of the royal family, specializing in pastries, and later the family settled in Shenyang, is a pure Northeasterner.
Shuang Xuetao's writing style also carries the cold silence of the northeast winter. The words are calm and restrained, but rough and fine, fascinating, always restoring an original northeast.
"Moses on the Plain" was first published in the magazine "Harvest" and won the novella award at the 17th Hundred Flowers Literary Award in 2017. There are elements of crime and suspense, but it essentially describes the experience of several families entangled together for more than ten years when workers in the northeast were laid off in the 90s of last century.
The novel was quickly seen by Diao Yinan, and his "Flame on the Plain" starring Liu Haoran, Zhou Dongyu, Mei Ting, etc., has experienced the finalization and withdrawal, two years have passed, the movie still has no news, but it is very optimistic by the industry.
Instead, in 2021, Lu Yang adapted his "Assassination of a Novelist" to spread his reputation in the film and television industry.
Zhou Dongyu and Liu Haoran were wearing big cotton jackets blowing the northeast wind, the artistic conception was very nostalgic, the eyes were clear, and the face reflected the light of fireworks, flickering light and dark, as if the fate of the characters.
A novel, which can be adapted into a film version and adapted into a drama version, has already proved its value.
And with a good novel at the bottom, this suspense drama has the confidence that many similar dramas lack: a good story.
2. Story: Old cases, suspense, northeastern past, I haven't had such a flavorful story for a long time
The play tells the old story of an old case. And the story is inseparable from the northeast.
In the 80s of last century, Li Shoulian liked to see righteousness and bravery, and his wife died in childbirth after marriage, leaving a daughter Li Fei.
Zhuang Dezeng, the section chief of the cigarette factory with a hot personality, was introduced by the introducer to marry Fu Dongxin (played by Haiqing) and had a son, Zhuang Shu.
The two families were originally neighbors, although Li Fei and Zhuang Shu had some friction when they were children, but the friction dissipated over time, and they helped each other more and exchanged favors.
At that time, Li Fei often went to Zhuang Shu's house to study, and Zhuang Shu took Li Fei to play football. Li Feiwen is quiet and naïve, but Zhuang Shu is a naughty child who often bullies Li Fei and exchanges matches for Li Fei's popsicles to eat.
The turning point in the warm story occurred on Christmas Eve 1996, when the factory dormitory they lived in was about to be demolished, and the two families had to go their separate ways. Li Fei hid a small bottle of gasoline in his bag, took a taxi with his father to a suburb, and said to set fire to the open space and set off the biggest fireworks for Zhuangshu. How did they know that the taxi driver was Jiang Bufan, a plainclothes policeman investigating serial car murders.
Because of the serial car-burning murders in the local area, criminals obtained money by hijacking taxis, and the criminal police Jiang Bufan issued a military warrant to catch the criminals.
But just when Jiang Bufan was wearing plain clothes and "lurking" to drive the suspect out, he coincidentally carried Li Shoulian's father and daughter, just in time for Li Fei's stomach, Li Shoulian was scrawled and hid gasoline, and misunderstood Li Fei's father and daughter as suspects, so he pointed a gun at his father, and at this moment, a truck crashed into it, and Li Fei, who was still sitting in the car, was still sitting underage, crushing her leg.
His father pulled Li Fei out of the fire and hit the policeman in the head several times during the conflict, turning him into a vegetative state.
A day that seemed to be quiet came to an abrupt end with this accident.
Then Li Fei and her father suddenly disappeared like the wind in the northeast wilderness.
A few years later, Zhuang Shu became a policeman, and a vicious case occurred during his tenure of office that was inextricably linked with the old case 12 years ago, so he began to re-investigate the case, like pulling out a radish with mud, one by one the past surfaced, and finally he found that many clues pointed to his childhood neighbor Li Shoulian's father and daughter, and he seemed to be related to the case.
The context of the story is clear, everything revolves around the two families, with suspense and nostalgia.
You can see several characteristics of the plot, one is that this drama is an out-and-out "detail control".
Fireworks, gasoline, matchboxes, all foreshadowing,
And this is exactly the formula that an excellent suspense drama should have -
Rely on foreshadowing and intriguing details to advance the narrative. Instead of relying on narration or sudden blunt turns.
The second is a strong emotional wind.
The fate of the two families led to a serial crime that lasted for more than ten years, revealing the mottled dust of the times. In the rush of two eras, the truth of the case has gradually emerged.
Is this drama just talking about the lament of a family's fate?
Don't forget the year we mentioned at the beginning: the 90s.
In Shenyang in the 90s, the fate of ordinary workers' families was wrapped in a wave of layoffs.
In 1995, Zhuang Dezeng left the cigarette factory, returned to Shenyang to buy the former factory, and soon moved out of the original compound; In the same year, Li Shoulian was laid off, Li Fei was paralyzed by a car accident unexpectedly, and the father and daughter disappeared since then.
The series is not in a hurry to attract you with the plot.
Instead, it takes you to feel the pulse of the city and the changes of an entire era.
Before the replacement of the old with the new, it is inevitable to experience a new impact and contradiction.
And some families will inevitably bear the pain brought by the years.
The story is somatose.
3, actor: Dong Zijian picks the big beam, and the sea situation reproduces the role of Mei Ting? There are also surprises in the supporting characters
If the film version takes a gorgeous route in the cast, then the drama version takes a surprise route, and the production team is the same stable.
The first is executive producer Diao Yinan.
In 2013, Diao Yinan won the Golden Bear Award for his self-written and directed film "Daylight Fireworks", and in 2018, he was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the Cannes International Film Festival with "The Station of the Southern Party".
The drama was filmed in the northeast, escorted by Diao Yinan, and aesthetic awards such as composition framing, must be escorted by him.
And this place in the northeast has a cold sense of cinema, and it is expected that the episode will have pictures like "Daylight Fireworks", snow-covered factories, boundless plains and wilderness.
Let's talk about screenwriter Shuang Xuetao.
Yes, the original author of the novel himself did the screenwriter's work, no wonder there are only 6 episodes of the series, but at least there will be no worries about magic changes.
Finally, director Zhang Dalei.
The young director filmed the film August in 2015, which won 21 awards upon its release, and the film is full of reminiscences of the early 90s, such as the end of the state-run factory era and the childhood, like a poem written to the frustration of the fathers.
Directing the TV series in his style is a perfect fit, vast, nostalgic, but broken and cold. The biggest concern is that it is not commercial enough, if it is shot according to his past style, it is likely to be full of freehand long shots, poetic descriptions, in short, this is a challenge to the audience's aesthetics.
Next, let's talk about the cast.
The first is Dong Zijian as Zhuang Shu, that is, the role of Liu Haoran in the film version.
There is nothing wrong with saying that he is a super "second generation of stars", but Dong Zijian's rapid rise is not only due to Wang Jinghua, the famous mother.
When "Great Rivers" first started, he was still unknown, but his "Yang Patrol" was unanimously praised, which ushered in a rising career, playing the protagonist in "Assassination of a Novelist" adapted from Shuang Xuetao's novel, and the newcomer policeman Xia Mu in "Who is the Murderer" is also reminiscent of Zhuang Shu.
Dong Zijian's acting skills are considered to be young and old, and the roles are very measured. Zhuang Shu is also suitable for him to play, a hot-blooded, stubborn, entangled young policeman in the past, is a key point in the story, has been pushing things forward, but as the investigation of the case continues to deepen, it eventually changes his fate.
The second place, Haiqing.
Haiqing is a very interesting middle-aged actress, in the field of urban emotional dramas, it can be said that she is invincible, but all the family emotional dramas she starred in have good performance.
In the early years, there were "Worm House" and "Double Sided Tape", and in recent years, there were "Little Huanxi", "Little Parting", "Zhang Weiguo's Summer" and so on.
But Haiqing's potential is more than that, her performance method is very life-like, there are no traces of performance, it is easy to empathize with the audience, and she can completely jump out of the framework of urban dramas and perform more brilliant roles.
This time her role is Zhuang Shu's mother Fu Dongxin, others are busy with firewood, rice, oil and salt, dealing with chickens and dogs jumping in life, she can always focus on Qinqi calligraphy and painting, love beauty, stubbornness, fairy spirit, and with her own sense of mystery, reminiscent of Mei Ting's recent role in "Daughter Back". Coincidentally, Mei Ting played Fu Dongxin in the film version.
Probably weighty middle-aged female characters, always think of them, popularity and appearance are still online, acting skills can also be supported.
As for whether Mei Ting's success can be reproduced, see Haiqing's play.
The third place, Qiu Tian.
Xiaohua, born in 1999, seems to have been a red carpet performance before.
But she is actually a professional actor, but her acting skills have never been seen by the audience.
The character of Li Fei is a lonely and inferior girl, who takes the initiative to become a goalkeeper in order to be friends with Zhuang Shu. And because of Zhuang Shu's careless words, he changed his fate, his legs were crippled, and he followed his father incognito, originally thinking that a lifetime had passed, and was broken by Zhuang Shu's case, full of fatalism.
When they met again many years later, Li Fei asked Zhuang Shu if he had gone to see the fireworks that night, Zhuang Shu said no, Li Fei asked why he didn't go, he forgot.
This role Zhou Dongyu plays just right, and there is a girly feeling that has read thousands of sails.
Qiu Tian is too beautiful, such a beautiful girl, it is not like she will suffer this kind of grievance, but if she plays well, there will be a sense of contrast.
The fourth place, Gemstone, whose real name is Dong Gem.
You read that right, it's the rapper who made a name for himself with "Wild Wolf Disco".
When this song was at its hottest, from the Spring Festival Gala to square dance, the field to the Internet celebrity party, "painting dragon dance" has become a trend sweeping the country.
But "your uncle", who was born in the northeast and grew up in the northeast, obviously wants to prove that he can not only "draw dragons", this time he plays Zhuang Shu and his father Zhuang Dezeng, and Haiqing plays against Haiqing, and the actor of the film version is Chen Minghao.
Watching the trailer, the performance of the uncle far exceeded my expectations, and a look back was murderous,
If this role becomes one, another "singer-actor" will come out.
4, the Misty Theater can not play literary and artistic suspense dramas, it depends on the performance of this drama
The most unpleasant thing for drama fans in recent years - the Misty Theater, born at its peak.
"Hidden Corner" and "The Silent Truth" appeared in the same year, making domestic suspense dramas reach their peak, and also making every subsequent new drama of the Misty Theater have to pull it back for comparison, and the result is difficult for latecomers to look back.
"Moses on the Plain" is undoubtedly a breakthrough work of domestic suspense, and its concern is not the murder itself, but the fate of small individuals floating in the torrent when facing the changes of the times.
This is undoubtedly a rare literary and artistic background added to the domestic suspense genre.
But success depends not only on the ambition of the choreographer, but also on whether the purpose of the choreographer can be achieved.
Many domestic suspense dramas were disappointing before, but when the ambition of the series is getting bigger and bigger, the comment area is full of two harsh words: rotten end.
Because when the choreographer wants more and thicker expressions, it is easy to ignore the original thing of the suspense drama: the wonderfulness of the story.
This seems to have become a common problem that the Misty Theater has been difficult to solve recently.
Whether it is "Hidden Corner" or "The Silent Truth", the first thing to give the audience is a wonderful story.
The depth of the theme and the good plot are not contradictory, but the balance is not easy.
"Moses on the Plain" has confidence and toughness, but it really has to fight a turnaround for the Theater of the Mist and tell a good story first.