The Hong Kong film industry is turbulent. This year, Siyuan Pictures celebrated its 20th anniversary, and Wu Siyuan, a well-known figure in the Hong Kong film industry, decided to make a film to celebrate this important occasion.
He took a fancy to Tsui Hark, a young director who had been supported by him.
After receiving the invitation, Tsui Hark felt a warm current in his heart. He clearly remembers that his first work "Butterfly Change" was only possible with Wu Siyuan's great help. At this moment, he felt that it was time to appreciate this kindness and repay his kindness with practical actions.
So, without hesitation, he took over the task, and the flame of creation burned in his heart.
However, choosing a suitable subject matter is not an easy task. Tsui Hark spent a lot of time and energy, thinking about it repeatedly, and finally focused his attention on Li Bihua's novel "Green Snake".
This choice is not accidental, and it is the same source as the "Legend of the New White Lady", which was popular all over the country at that time, and was adapted from the "Legend of Leifeng Tower" by the owner of Yushan and the "Complete Biography of the White Snake" by the owner of the Dream Flower Pavilion.
Tsui Hark's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he was convinced that this story would allow him to use his imagination and creativity to the fullest. Little did he know, however, that a creative journey awaited him was full of challenges and accidents.
In this way, with deep gratitude to his benefactor, Tsui Hark bravely embarked on the path of the creation of "Green Snake". His heart was full of anticipation and enthusiasm, as if he had seen the brilliant light of this work on the screen.
However, fate always seems to like to joke with ambitious creators, and the difficulties that Tsui Hark is about to face are far more than he imagined.
Tsui Hark was still immersed in the joy of creation, and did not foresee the arduous casting journey and all kinds of unforeseen challenges that would follow. It is these unknown difficulties that form the unique charm of "Green Snake" and make this film an important milestone in Tsui Hark's career.
The casting process for "Green Snake" was like a wonderful drama. Tsui Hark's first thought was to invite Gong Li and Anita Mui to play the roles of White Snake and Green Snake respectively. He heard that the two also have a good relationship in private, and may consider co-starring in a film.
The enthusiastic Tsui Hark did not hesitate to find the two and immediately reached a consensus on cooperation, but unfortunately, fate always likes to pass by ambitious directors, and there are twists and turns.
Because of schedule problems, Gong Li had to resign from the role of Green Snake, this news was like a bolt from the blue, which caught Tsui Hark off guard, and at this time he had an idea and decided to let Anita Mui play the green and white snakes alone.
However, Anita Mui also chose to quit because of the agreement with Gong Li, and this series of changes made Tsui Hark feel unprecedented pressure.
At the critical moment, it was Wang Zuxian and Maggie Cheung who appeared like timely rain. Wang Zuxian, who was on vacation in the United States, agreed without saying a word after receiving Tsui Hark's invitation. She told reporters: "I can trust Tsui Hark, and he will naturally divide the scene equally."
This trust made Tsui Hark grateful, Maggie Cheung also showed amazing professionalism, filming in the water of minus a few degrees Celsius all night, her lips were frozen and purple, she still insisted on working, and even in the dangerous situation of almost drowning, she did not reveal that she could not swim and was afraid of water, just to not cause trouble to the crew.
However, the casting process of Xu Xian was full of twists and turns. Li Bihua and Wang Zuxian both want to be played by Leslie Cheung, and Tsui Hark also thinks his performance in "A Chinese Ghost Story" is very suitable. However, after reading the script, Leslie Cheung bluntly said in the program "No Defense Tonight": "Xu Xian is a decrepit man, how could White Snake fall in love with him?" Although Tsui Hark was a little disappointed by these words, he also had to admire Leslie Cheung's frankness.
Then, Tsui Hark found Andy Lau, but he, like Leslie Cheung, couldn't accept the role of Xu Xian, but became interested in Fahai. It is a pity that the corner of Fahai has already decided on Zhao Wenzhuo.
Andy Lau could only leave disappointed, but he did not give up the opportunity to cooperate with Tsui Hark In 2010, he also deliberately collaborated with Tsui Hark on "Di Renjie's Tongtian Empire", which seemed to make up for the regret of missing "Green Snake".
When Tsui Hark was looking for a candidate for the corner of Fahai in "The Legend of the White Snake: Origin", Zhao Wenzhuo unexpectedly broke into his sight. When many big names, such as Chow Yun-fat, Leung Ka-fai and Yu Rongguang, failed to appear for various reasons, Tsui Hark asked Zhao Wenzhuo to try the character's robe.
This casual fitting made "the most handsome Fahai in history" give birth to this role, as if it was tailor-made for Zhao Wenzhuo, and people can't help but sigh at the wonder of fate.
The filming process of "Green Snake" was full of hardships and challenges. First of all, the crew encountered an unexpected huge trouble in the early stages of filming, and Taiwan's eight major film companies began to boycott Hong Kong films, trying to drive down the prices of Hong Kong films and actors' salaries.
Wang Zuxian, as a Taiwanese actor, was not afraid to say: "I would rather not shoot at a low price" This remark caused an uproar, although she later stressed that she did not want to have a stiff relationship with the film company, but the fanning of the media made the situation even more complicated The Taiwanese film company was furious, and even threatened to boycott all films starring Wang Zuxian.
In the face of these pressures, Wang Yingxiang, one of the investors of "Green Snake" and the boss of Taiwan's Longxiang Company, even asked for a withdrawal, hoping that Tsui Hark could replace the heroine Wang Zuxian. However, Tsui Hark resolutely refused to change actors, which led to the predicament of the film being suspended for a while.
In the end, with the efforts of Shi Nansheng and Wang Zuxian, the two rushed to Taiwan and apologized to the major film companies in person, and the turmoil was calmed However, this incident also brought the problem of insufficient funds to "Green Snake".
The lack of funds seriously affected the special effects production of the film. When filming the scene of the flooded gold mountain, the crew had to use a cheap red cloth to create a spectacular scene. Although this helpless choice may seem creative, it almost leads to tragedy.
During the filming on the edge of the cliff, the strong wind blew off the steel wire that fixed the robe, and Zhao Wenzhuo almost fell off the cliff, but fortunately, the staff who pulled the wire were experienced and knew that pulling with the wind instead of pulling against the wind avoided accidents.
In addition to external factors, Tsui Hark's persistent pursuit of film quality also brought many challenges to the crew. He turned down the convenient option of filming at West Lake, despite a promise from the local government that the West Lake could be closed for filming.
Tsui Hark believed that modern buildings were unavoidable, and only a small part of the film was shot in Hangzhou, but led the crew to Shanghai and Hong Kong in order to present the most ideal picture effect, and this almost paranoid pursuit made the whole filming process full of hardships.
Costume styling was a big challenge, and in order to make the blue and white snakes more bewitching, Tsui Hark put forward extremely high requirements for makeup and hair. Designer Wu Baoling was inspired to draw on the "playing film" in the opera style to create a unique forehead makeup.
However, the intricate makeup and complicated headgear, coupled with the lack of manpower, often made the two female lead actors have to help themselves.
Although these challenges and difficulties have brought many hardships to the birth of the film "Green Snake", it is precisely because of these challenges and difficulties that this film has its unique charm and artistic value.
Every breakthrough in difficulty makes the light of this work more dazzling.
Tsui Hark's persistent pursuit of film art in the production of "Green Snake" has been fully reflected. In order to show the most perfect picture, he has the courage to sacrifice convenience in the selection of scenes.
Although Hangzhou's West Lake is beautiful, it is too modern to have a strong atmosphere, so Tsui Hark decisively abandoned it and replaced it with a trip between Shanghai and Hong Kong in order to restore the classical atmosphere that best fits the story.
The costume design is also the work of the creators. The cooperation between Zhang Shuping and Wu Baoling has created a bewitching image for the green and white snakes. Tsui Hark's emphasis on secrecy and the fact that the media were not allowed to visit the class until the end of the shoot affected the pre-publicity to some extent, but also protected the originality of the idea.
Wu Baoling's inspired design of forehead makeup adds a different charm to the character.
Art director Lei Chuxiong's contribution is indispensable. Before him, Tsui Hark had changed 6 art directors, and only after Lei Chuxiong appeared, Tsui Hark's aesthetic could be satisfied. In the face of Tsui Hark's strict requirements, he was pushed to the limit many times, but each time he was able to deliver satisfactory answers at the last minute.
Among them, the construction of the White Mansion scene is a typical example, Tsui Hark rejected multiple plans in a row, and finally only gave Lei Chuxiong one day to create an illusory mansion effectLei Chuxiong racked his brains, and did not think of a specific method until the afternoon of the next day, which perfectly interpreted Tsui Hark's artistic conception.
The music production also fully reflects Tsui Hark's professionalism and dedication. Although he doesn't understand music, he has extremely strict requirements for film scores. Under his urging, musician Huang Zhan poured his heart and soul into creating an enduring soundtrack album.
As Huang Zhan said, the soundtrack for Tsui Hark's movie must be attentive, and you can't do perfunctory "work".
It is these meticulous attention to detail that make Tsui Hark's "Green Snake" unique, and his meticulous control of every link has made this film stand out among many adaptations and has long been hailed as a classic.
This not only reflects his professionalism as a director, but also shows his deep understanding and persistent pursuit of film art.
The fate of "Green Snake" is as dramatic as its story. Tsui Hark's painstaking work did not receive the expected recognition at the premiere, with a lackluster box office and controversial word-of-mouth controversy, which ran counter to the expectations of the creative team.
Tsui Hark's work created with gratitude and a dream of cinema did not achieve a decent box office and word-of-mouth at the beginning of its release.
However, the charm of art often takes time to ferment. With the passage of time, the audience's aesthetic level has been continuously improved, and the unique artistic value contained in "Green Snake" has gradually been recognized and appreciated by people.
Elements that were once seen as "avant-garde" or "incomprehensible" have taken on a unique charm in the context of a new era.
As time passed, "Green Snake" gradually rose in the film and television industry, and film critics began to re-examine the work and unearth more details worth savoring. Audiences have also begun to re-appreciate the film and feel the artistic charm contained in it.
From the initial controversy, "Green Snake" has gradually transformed into a widely recognized classic.
This transition from obscurity to acclaim not only confirms the artistic value of "Green Snake" itself, but also demonstrates the improvement of public aesthetics. Its success is undoubtedly a testimony of the times, intuitively showing how excellent works shine in the wash of time.
To this day, when it comes to "Green Snake", people will immediately think of Tsui Hark's name, and at the same time, they can't help but equate it with the word "classic". This film has become an immortal monument in the history of Hong Kong cinema, witnessing the changes of an era, and also indicating the future development direction of Chinese films.
Looking back on the creative process of "Green Snake", we are touched by the persistence and dedication of Tsui Hark and the entire creative team. This film is not only Tsui Hark's return to his benefactor Wu Siyuan, but also a profound exploration of his film art.
From the twists and turns of casting, to the difficulties in filming, from the production of excellence, to the initial cold reception, every step of this film embodies the painstaking efforts and wisdom of the creators.
It shows the perseverance of Chinese filmmakers in the pursuit of art, and at the same time reflects the hardships of filmmaking in that era.
Today, when we re-examine the film "Green Snake", which has been confirmed by time for its value and significance, its artistic value and significance of the times become more and more prominent. This work is not only an innovative interpretation of traditional Chinese stories, but also a profound exploration of eternal themes such as human nature, love, and freedom.
Its success proves that truly good works of art will eventually receive the recognition they deserve.
The history of the film "Green Snake" tells us that the persistence of the creator is as important as the understanding of the audience. The film encourages us to appreciate a film that goes beyond just the looks and understands the creator's intentions.
The success of this film opened up new possibilities for later Chinese films, which had far-reaching implications.