Recently, Michelle Yeoh was awarded the Oscar for Best Actress. More and more behind-the-scenes stories are also being dug up. One of the most hotly discussed news is that "Jackie Chan once resigned from "Instantaneous Universe".
However, for various reasons, the trip did not happen. This made the creators think about more possibilities of the film and completed Michelle Yeoh.
After the movie was released, it was cheered and applauded, and Jackie Chan also sent a congratulatory message to Michelle Yeoh. Michelle Yeoh took this opportunity to generously "thank" Jackie Chan for his "grace of not performing". Ridicule the other party "This is your loss".
After learning this behind-the-scenes news, many people began to imagine. If the protagonist is Jackie Chan, what will the movie look like? Some rejoice, others regret. Some people say that Michelle Yeoh only got the Oscar by picking up Jackie Chan to pick up leaks. Uncle Yu felt that Michelle Yeoh was indeed lucky when she won the award. It was not Jackie Chan who fulfilled this destiny.
There are others who are truly thankful. Who the hell is it? And listen to Uncle Yu slowly.
Speaking of which, the turning point of Michelle Yeoh's career in beating women is indeed related to Jackie Chan. In 1992, "Police Story 3: Super Cop" was released. This "Jackie Chan action movie" is Michelle Yeoh's first work after returning from a three-year marriage. The film has achieved quite outstanding box office results in Hong Kong and even internationally. Michelle Yeoh also took this opportunity to become Asia's most well-known and highest-paid actress.
However, opportunity is not directly linked to success. Seize the opportunity and rely on desperate hard work. Michelle Yeoh staged a series of extreme operations such as riding motorcycles and flying trains in the movie, and almost died for it.
Because of this, Michelle Yeoh was able to firmly occupy the position of "Hong Kong's first dozen women" at that time. Five years later, she became the first Bond girl in Asia, collaborating with Pierce Brosnan in "007: Tomorrow's Empire". single-handedly refreshed the fighting power of the Bond girl, and "hit" into Hollywood with his fists and feet.
Three years later, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was released. Yu Xiulian, played by Michelle Yeoh, changed seven weapons in a row in the movie "dazzling skills". The film took the actors together and knocked on the door of the Oscar.
Michelle Yeoh has been "fighting" all the way to fame and constantly creating new peaks in her career. It is not a fluke, but a response to luck with strength again and again. She fought her best to get into the ring to win the chance to be seen and chosen.
But more important than making a name for yourself is perseverance. When "Instantaneous Universe" was released, Michelle Yeoh was already sixty years old. Recalling the situation when she got the script, she burst into tears, thinking that she had finally waited for the greatest gift of fate.
Because of the hard work and always be ready, you can only be there when the opportunity drops. In other words, if Michelle Yeoh closes her fist early, then even if all ten Jackie Chan resign, she can only look at "Instantaneous Universe".
On the other hand, Michelle Yeoh's victory is actually based on the regret of the lack of the "beating women" group. The selection range is "Asian", "action", "female", plus "influence". You will find that Michelle Yeoh is the only choice for "Instantaneous Universe".
Regardless of the present, even if you look to the future. There are very few female stars who regard action actresses as the direction of development.
When we look back at the Oscar actress's road to beating women, let's ask if there will be a second "Michelle Yeoh". It's hard not to ask: Where have all the former beaters gone?
At the Oscars, there was a detail that many people overlooked. When Michelle Yeoh's name sounded, a paragraph in the background briefly introduced her acting journey. Praised her for her "outstanding performance in action movies". It is undeniable that Michelle Yeoh's trophy is not only her personal success, but also the victory of "beating women".
The eighties and nineties of Hong Kong cinema were the golden age of kung fu films. There is no need to say more about top kung fu male stars such as Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Donnie Yen. Hui Yinghong, Michelle Yeoh, Li Saifeng, Hu Huizhong, Yang Lijing and other "beating women" are rare and beautiful scenery.
Most of them are beautiful and amazing. In the field of male-dominated kung fu films, gender lines are blurred. Open up a universe of beating women that combines strength and beauty.
Unfortunately, after the millennium, action actresses either switched to the war or withdrew from the circle. Soon scattered and disappeared from the audience's field of vision. The disappearance of beating women is indeed closely related to the decline of kung fu films.
But more details, because of the particularity of the industry as a whole. As we all know, kung fu stars are difficult to do, and hitting women is even more difficult to do. The body is severely worn and often rubbed shoulders with death. Like Michelle Yeoh, I don't know how many near-death experiences have occurred.
"Police Story 3" and "Akin's Story" had a series of accidents during the filming, and almost said goodbye to her career as a beater.
Yang Lijing, who took over the role of "Royal Senior Sister 3" after Michelle Yeoh's marriage, originally debuted with the title of "Michelle Yeoh's successor". Stage a variety of high-difficulty actions, and the level of dedication is also admirable. However, due to accidental injuries during filming, he once faced paralysis. After recuperating, he had to switch to TV series and quit the field of action movies.
Secondly, there is the industry environment. Although Hong Kong films are famous for kung fu films, the film industry still emphasizes civility over martial arts, and the most obvious difference is actor salary. The salary of beating women is lower than that of other types of actresses in the same period. Even Hui Yinghong, who won the first Academy Awards as a beater, is no exception.
At the same time, within the action movie circle, action actresses are also despised. In the past few days, Michelle Yeoh's earlier interview with Jackie Chan has become popular again.
When asked "Did Jackie Chan bring you into the action movie circle". Michelle Yeoh playfully gave the opposite answer. "In fact, he's a male chauvinist pig. We were very good friends, and we said it in his face. He always said that women should stay at home and cook and do nothing, like a victim "except Michelle Yeoh" because I will teach him a hard lesson."
Jackie Chan's statement actually reflects the concept of the times at that time. Action movies have always been male-dominated. It is extremely difficult for women to "beat" into this circle.
Even if they also earn money by punching and kicking, action actresses are often seen as playing tickets. Make a few movies, earn enough money and fame, and marry and become a rich wife. Michelle Yeoh received training before testing the water action movie, and even the coach held the posture of watching the play. "They looked at me and said, the beauty queen wants to fight with the boys."
During the filming process, the opponent actors were also concerned about their female identity, and the action was fake. Only by forcing a real shot can you win respect.
Even if she has achieved the position of the first dozen women in Hong Kong, Michelle Yeoh is often advised that women should not do this business. Soft contempt is also often given in the name of protection.
In addition, although the beating woman can compete with the action male star in terms of posture. But in fact, it is still impossible to get rid of the fate of being aestheticized. Li Saifeng, who starred in "Angel Action", is a popular "action angel" in the 80s.
But he was also required to wear low-cut clothing during filming. "The director just wanted me to pull that dress down and lower, so I tried desperately to pull the clothes up and higher."
Although he beat a woman, his age, appearance, and skill were judged several times. The industry and the gender dilemma have made it difficult for the beating women group to survive, and there are very few people who are willing and able to keep it. Even so, there are still a number of amazing reasons for beating women.
First, many women come from poor families, and engaging in movies is a good economic source. The second is that at that time, there were many goddesses in the Hong Kong film circle, and the gods fought. Beating a woman is a different way, taking life in exchange for a future. As Hui Yinghong said: "At that time, if you wanted to stand out, you either relied on a pillow or a fist"
It's a pity. Such a situation is the best golden age for beating women.
The women-beating fever of the eighties and nineties was not born out of nowhere. It is a continuation of the development from the "chivalrous woman" group on the previous screen.
As early as the 60s, a new school of martial arts emerged in Hong Kong films. Zheng Peipei, Shangguan Lingfeng, Xu Feng and other actresses began to appear on the screen. Through the blessing of the works of martial arts film grandmaster director Hu Jinquan, it is popular all over the Chinese-speaking circle.
In 1966, Zheng Peipei starred in "The Drunken Man" and set an amazing box office.
Then, Shangguan Lingfeng starring in "Dragon Gate Inn" and Xu Feng starring in "Xia Girl" came out one after another. Let the "chivalrous" group become a different scenery on the screen.
In the documentary "The Great Hero Hu Jinquan", it is mentioned that the grand occasion of "Dragon Gate Inn" was released. A long dragon was filmed outside the theater, and more than 100,000 letters from the audience exceeded 100,000 in less than ten days.
In the early 70s, Jiahe Pictures opened up variations beyond Shaw's new martial arts. More female stars were launched one after another, once going international. For example, Mao Ying, she is the first Chinese star after Bruce Lee to be pushed to the West. The archetypal character of Chun-Li in the game Street Fighter.
Mao Ying himself has martial arts skills, and was signed by Jiahe Xiangzhong for beating robbers on social news. not only participated in Bruce Lee's movie "Dragon Fight Tiger Fight". Films such as starring in the film "Aikido" also enjoy great international reputation.
Mao Ying lived in seclusion in the United States in her later years, and there are still audiences who recognize her on the street and express their longing.
However, chivalrous women are also trapped by female identity. Due to the shackles imposed on women by the concept of the times, Zheng Peipei retired from the circle and got married at the peak of her career. It was not until the middle-aged marriage career both fell to the bottom that he returned to the movie.
Xu Feng also quit the circle early, and the marriage road was not smooth. When he remarried, he was also hindered by his status as an actor and was asked to give up the film.
At the same time, there are market factors. Although women's kung fu films have set off a momentary craze, they have not had a lasting impact. Male action actors are still the dominant film in this genre.
The heroines did not find their own unique narrative to survive, and in the end, they only had the fate of disappearing.
Today, Michelle Yeoh is the coordinate. Looking ahead, it is the heroine retreating. Looking back, there was nothing but a dazed look. After the new millennium, the words of martial arts, kung fu, action and other movie genres became invalid one by one.
Only the top action male stars are still active, and the field of playing women is becoming increasingly blank. Women's kung fu films have completely become "three-nothing genre films" with no market, no works, and no actors.
Although there are resurgent Mars from time to time, in the end, it is impossible to become a forest alone. For example, Zheng Peipei revealed that one of the purposes of Ang Lee's filming of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is to gather two generations of women and pave the way for later generations.
Unexpectedly, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is the last brilliance. In 2010, Michelle Yeoh starred in the movie "Sword Rain" that was a box office hit. In 2013, although Zhang Ziyi met "A Generation of Grandmasters" again, the rivers and lakes have changed.
The martial arts ring has been demolished, and action movies have also been cold after entering the era of visual effects, and the beating women naturally do not know where to go.
In such an environment, Michelle Yeoh's award is indeed a miracle. Because of this, she became unrepeatable.
She has a wealthy enough family to explore more than make a living when she enters the industry. She has enough self-confidence to dare to pursue happiness but is sober and not limited to this. Have enough firm love and mind to insist on hovering around movies for decades. Crossing the industry, gender, age, ethnicity, etc. one by one, to reach a new shore.
In the movie, Michelle Yeoh's phalanges habitually bulge every time she punches. This is the habit of kung fu practitioners, and there are traces of identity that belong to beating women alone.
She inherited the vitality struggled by several generations of beating women, passed the embarrassing period of transformation, and only held the trophy in her hand when the situation of independent films and female filmmakers became warmer. I should be thankful for these things that have been prepared.
Stepping off the podium, she said "just wish I wasn't the last, this is just the beginning"
Then let's look forward to it - actresses like Michelle Yeoh who can "fight" in every sense will be more and more in the future.
End of full text.
Assistant Editor: Bai Su