In the seventies and eighties of the last century, the mainland introduced a large number of foreign anti-spy war dramas, which were all the rage with their ups and downs and tense and exciting atmosphere. And these TV series still influence the creation of spy war dramas in the mainland. I wonder if you remember them?
The first "Garrison's Expendables"
The 26-episode American anti-special drama series "Garrison's Expendables" is the second American drama to be imported from China. It premiered in 1967.
The story is set in the European theater in the middle and late stages of World War II, and the United States urgently needs to form a reconnaissance team with extraordinary concealment to collect intelligence in order to assist the Allied forces in carrying out combat missions. Lieutenant Garrison selects a group of criminals from the prison, including murderers, crooks, robbers, and thieves, to form a unique death squad. This legendary team goes behind enemy lines and carries out missions such as spying on troops and rescuing important allies. With their own strengths, courage and wisdom, they successfully completed a series of seemingly impossible tasks that changed the situation of the war in Europe.
Through its delicate and vivid portrayal, Garrison manages to portray the distinct personalities of the five main characters and the deep friendships between them. The plot is compact, the characters are distinct, and they are deeply loved by the audience. The TV series was mediocre when it was broadcast in the United States, but it was a sensation when it was broadcast in China. Whether it is the premiere or the replay, it is empty.
However, it is a pity that at that time, the show only aired 16 episodes in China and was discontinued for some reasons. It wasn't until ten years later that the remaining 10 episodes were able to meet a wide audience.
Part 2 "A Bet Bigger Than Life"
The Polish TV series "Bigger Than the Stakes of Life" premiered in 1968. After that, it was rebroadcast many times in the seventies and eighties. Originally planned to be 6 episodes, the film was increased to 18 episodes after it was broadcast in Poland and the Soviet Union.
The show is set in World War II and stars Hans Klaus, a brilliant German officer who is actually a Polish spy. With his wits and courage, and at the same time, Klaus conquers a new beauty partner with his unique charm in each episode. It's very similar to James Bond. Therefore, this drama is also known as the "007" of the socialist camp.
Each episode of "The Bet Bigger Than Life" is a stand-alone story with a tight plot and a lot of suspense. This narrative has been emulated by many spy war dramas. For example, "Seventeen Moments of Spring", "Unsung Heroes" and so on. Since the 60s, the show has been broadcast 24 times in Poland and has been watched by more than 300 million people, and has been hailed as "the most popular series of all time".
Part 3 "Seventeen Moments of Spring"
"Seventeen Moments of Spring" filmed by Gorky Central Qingshaoxia Film Studio, a total of 12 episodes. During the premiere of the show in the Soviet Union, it unexpectedly caused a sharp decline in the number of theater audiences and the number of crimes, which shows the enthusiasm for this drama. At the end of the 80s, "17 Moments of Spring" was broadcast on CCTV and was also widely acclaimed. The score of this drama on Douban is as high as 9.4 points, which is a very rare high score.
The story revolves around Operation Sunrise, in March 1945, when the Anglo-American allies made peace with the fascists alone while turning their backs on the Soviet Union. Stirlitz, who had been lurking inside the enemy for many years, received instructions from his headquarters to find out the details of the plan of action, as well as the identity of the Western negotiators. In the face of the destruction of the liaison station, the murder of the telegraph operator, and the inability to get in touch with his superiors, Stirlitz managed to obtain information with wisdom and courage. The Soviet government promptly uncovered the enemy's plans and crushed the enemy's conspiracy.
"Seventeen Moments of Spring" has been hailed as an "extraordinary work". The director skillfully blends documentary techniques with artistic fiction. The film progresses layer by layer, depicting the protagonist's struggle in detail at a slow pace, achieving a perfect combination of documentary, dramatic, and historical. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that it was because of the play that he chose to join the KGB and work in the GDR.
The fourth "Unsung Hero"
Forty years ago, a North Korean anti-spy war drama was a sensation in the mainland, and it was "The Unsung Hero". The film was translated by Changchun Film Studio in 1982 and aired after CCTV abruptly stopped broadcasting "Garrison's Expendables", and it became an instant hit.
"The Unsung Hero" is actually a movie, but due to the enthusiastic popularity of the audience, it continued to be filmed, and finally became a series. Because it is mainly broadcast on the mainland through major television stations, many people mistakenly think that it is a TV series. Filmed between 1978 and 1981, the drama brought together many outstanding artists of the time and is one of the masterpieces in the history of Korean cinema.
The story is set at a critical juncture in the Korean War, and the protagonist Yu Lin, as the ace scout of the Korean People's Army, is ordered to infiltrate Seoul on a mission. With his special identity, he traveled between various forces, cooperated tacitly with the female investigator Kim Soon-hee, and successfully completed the task after hardships and dangers. In the end, Yu Lin was able to return to China safely, while Kim Soon-hee died a heroic death.
The loyalty, courage, tenacity and heartfelt love story of Yu Lin and Shun Ji deeply touched the hearts of every audience and was shocking. Now that I look at the plot of "The Unsung Hero", it is still outdated, and even surpasses many contemporary spy war dramas.
The fifth "Man on the Blacklist"
The Yugoslav TV series "The Man on the Blacklist" premiered in 1974. A total of 13 episodes. The play has been widely praised as a World War II-themed classic. After it was introduced in China in the 1980s, it was replayed many times because of its strong appeal, and it continues to be popular.
The show is based on the movie of the same name. It tells the story of the Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia in the summer of 1941, and the Yugoslav people bravely resisted. The members of the Einsatzgruppen were blacklisted for fighting the Nazis, but they were fearless and skillfully fought against the Nazis with the help of the masses, showing an unwavering spirit of resistance.
"The Man on the Blacklist" is very dramatic, with twists and turns in the storyline, compact and moving. What's special is that in each episode, a heroic character is portrayed, who completes various tasks at the cost of their lives, full of passion but tragic and touching. Every time the harmonica song, full of sorrow and melancholy, people's admiration for these heroes arises. To this day, this melody still echoes in the memories of many people.
Part 6: The Death Archive
The GDR television series The Death Archive premiered in 1980 with 13 episodes. The play was praised by the audience as the East German version of "The Allied Expendables".
The plot revolves around the intense phase of World War II, where five pilots plan to fly across the battle line on a special mission. However, approaching their destination, they were discovered by enemy forces and subjected to a fierce attack, as a result of which the plane was hit and the crew was forced to make an emergency parachute jump. However, the fate they face is even more severe.
Forty years later, the show's costumes and props and other details are still meticulous, the plot is suspenseful, the intellectual competition between the enemy and the enemy is fierce, and the use of industrial technology is skillful.
The seventh "Ruthless Front"
The 13-episode GDR spy drama "The Ruthless Front" premiered in 1984. In 1987, it was introduced to the mainland and broadcast on CCTV, which was a sensation and was considered the East German version of "Garrison's Expendables".
The play vividly depicts the experiences of members of the German Communist Party from 1934 to 1946 – "The Villa of Death", "The False Baron", "Operation Fireball" and "The Mine Struggle". The plot revolves around the airborne special forces going deep behind enemy lines to carry out top-secret missions, which truly restores the tragic situation of World War II and highlights the tragic cruelty of the underground struggle.
The director and some of the main actors of this TV series are all in the same creative collective as "Death Files", so the overall style is very similar. "Ruthless Front" has a tight plot, gripping and a great sense of substitution. Every time the audience watches an episode, they don't want to leave. Therefore, when the play ends, it is inevitable that I will feel lost.
These seven anti-spy war dramas are all the best of the year. Their shadows can still be seen in many spy war dramas now, which shows the deep impact.
Do you still remember that foreign spy war drama? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area.