If it is said that the theme creation of the centenary of the founding of the party is an open-ended essay question, then the successive launches of major revolutionary historical dramas such as "The Age of Awakening", "The Great Waves and Sands", "The Middle Stream Hits the Water", and "Glory and Dreams" have handed in a wonderful answer sheet.
Due to the overlap of historical backgrounds involved, the creation of such themes is not small. The most obvious outward manifestation is that there are not enough special actors.
Special actor is a concept introduced by China from the former Soviet Union in the 1980s, which refers to actors who play party and state leaders full-time. After the reform and opening up, the large-scale development of revolutionary historical theme film and television dramas has produced a large number of special actors in response to the needs of such film and television dramas.
With the popularization of media and the replacement of aesthetics, the audience's requirements for the image of great people in such works have quietly changed. In addition to "looking like", the audience is more eager to see in-depth excavation and interpretation.
Many directors have also clarified their requirements for special actors on various occasions. Director Zhang Yongxin once said that his first is to pursue god-likeness, if on this basis to achieve similarity is the best; director Liu Jiang asked the great actor to seek inward, to find the state of the character in the heart, can not blindly imitate the appearance.
Since the beginning of this year, our theme dramas have brought together a group of great people who are full of freshness. The author starts from the four works that have been broadcast so far, "The Age of Awakening", "The Great Waves and Sands", "The Middle Stream Hits the Water", and "Glory and Dreams", and analyzes the actors of mao zedong, Zhou Enlai, Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu one by one.
Mao Zedong
Speaking of "Mao Instructor", the actor that the audience is most familiar with at the moment is still Tang Guoqiang.
Since the 1996 film "Long March", he has created dozens of classic Mao Zedong images in 25 years, and is currently the most recognized Mao Zedong special actor by the audience.
Movie "Long March"
But as he grew older, Tang Guoqiang's appearance could no longer meet the requirements of the role of young and middle-aged Mao Zedong. At the special node of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party, it is the image of the young Mao Zedong that needs to be displayed in the creation of many themes.
In "Glory and Dreams", Tang Guoqiang only starred in the elderly Mao Zedong. The baton between youth and middle-aged people was handed over to Hou Jingjian and Tong Ruixin.
These two actors are both Mao Zedong special actors who are more well-known in recent years. In 2009, Hou Jingjian played Mao Zedong for the first time in "Iron Shoulders Moral Righteousness", and then co-starred in "Mao Zedong" with Tang Guoqiang. After 2017, he has successively starred in Mao Zedong in works such as "Autumn Harvest Uprising", "The Great Turning Point", and "Desperate Sword Casting".
It can be said that Hou Jingjian is the most complete young actor who interprets Mao Zedong before the age of 45.
Tong Ruixin is a new middle-aged Mao Zedong special actor who has been killed in recent years. In 2016, he played Mao Zedong four times in the films "Unforgettable Years", "Zunyi Conference", "Warriors" and the TV series "Long March Division". However, over the years, he has not filmed many TV series related to great people, only "Long March Division" and "Glory and Dreams".
"Glory and Dreams" is the first time the two have relayed. Hou Jingjian mainly played the young Mao Zedong from the early 1920s to the early 1940s, while Tong Ruixin was responsible for the period from 1944 to the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
If "Glory and Dreams" completely traces the process of Mao Zedong's rise to the political and historical stage, then "The Age of Awakening" explains the premise.
In "The Age of Awakening", the young Mao Zedong is still played by Hou Jingjian. In this edition, the young Mao Zedong, inspired by Li Dazhao, embarked on the road of rural investigation and, after deeply tasting the sufferings of the people, firmly established the Marxist road.
In the play, Mao Zedong appears from a two-minute long montage. He braved the rain to walk retrograde on the streets of Changsha, holding the "Youth Magazine" in his arms, and the wind and rain were as obscure as his eyes.
In just two minutes, China's perilous situation is vividly reflected. This scene has also become one of the most famous scenes in the circle of "The Age of Awakening" so far.
In "Hit the Water in the Middle Stream", it is Wang Renjun who plays Mao Zedong. In 2018, he was discovered by Chen Li, director of Bayi Studios, and played the 36-year-old Mao Zedong for the first time in the movie "Gutian Jun". Luckily, he also happened to be 36 that year.
"Hit the Water in the Middle Stream" is his second time playing Mao Zedong. In this drama, Wang Renjun wants to play Chairman Mao from the age of 26 to the age of 35, from youth and enthusiasm to deep wisdom, which is not a small test. However, from the perspective of the final broadcast effect, Wang Renjun has been recognized both in terms of image and acting skills.
Compared with the more common Hou Jingjian and Wang Renjun, Bao Jianfeng, who played Mao Zedong in "The Great Waves and Sands", often appears when the market is in short supply. The last time he starred in Mao Zedong was in the 2011 film Xiangjiang North.
The story of "The Great Waves and Sands" continues from 1919 to 1945, from the age of 26 to 52 years old, the time span is larger, and the process of the formation of Mao Zedong Thought is more complete. Therefore, compared with the previous three editions, bao Jianfeng's version of Mao Zedong's transformation is also more complete.
From the image of the instructor when he first appeared, to the banner of the revolution, and then to the opening of the Jinggangshan base area, he showed a more mature side... Bao Jianfeng's performance is remarkable.
The three young Mao Zedong actors are generally described, Hou Jingjian Junlang, Wang Renjun Junxiu, and Bao Jianfeng Junya. To say that there is an improvement, they all need to enrich the things in their eyes.
Zhou Enlai
Compared with Mao Zedong's many special actors, Liu Jin is more well known to the audience among the Zhou Enlai special actors.
As he grew older, he appeared more on the screen as a middle-aged Zhou Enlai. In "Glory and Dreams", he starred as a middle-aged Zhou Enlai from the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, while Huang Xiaoming starred in his youth.
In terms of age, Huang Xiaoming played the 25-year-old Zhou Enlai at the age of 43, the gap is indeed large, but from the image point of view, Huang Xiaoming is not contrary to harmony. In terms of styling, you can also see the closeness to the prototype.
In fact, since the beginning of "The Great Undertaking of the Founding of the People's Republic", the market-oriented main theme film has established the strategy of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Ren Bishi, Liu Shaoqi and other major leaders of the CCP to use special actors, and other historical figures to use stars. But judging from today's great dramas, there are many familiar star faces. In addition to Huang Xiaoming's version of Zhou Enlai, Wang Lei's version of Mao Zedong and Wang Han's version of Li Dazhao in "Hundred Refining into Steel" are all the same.
In "The Age of Awakening", the role of young Zhou Enlai is played by Xia Dejun. He is also another more impressive Zhou Enlai actor in addition to Liu Jin. Previously, he had successively played this role in "Mao Zedong" and "Liu Shaoqi the Communist" and other dramas, and he would still be present in the next "Hundred Refining into Steel".
However, in "The Age of Awakening", Zhou Enlai did not appear much. During this period, Zhou Enlai was still in the flourishing student era. In 1919, he became the leader of the student community in Tianjin during the May Fourth Movement, and in November 1920, he went to France to work and study. Xia Dejun also changed his previous calm style in shaping it, and emphasized the vigorous side of Zhou Enlai.
Aiming at the "Big Waves and Sands" aimed at a major representative, and "Hitting the Water in the Middle Stream", which focuses on the history of the development of the party from 1919 to 1928, Zhou Enlai also played a lot.
In terms of actor selection, Xu Jian in "Big Waves and Sands" and Qu Zheming in "Middle Stream Hitting Water" are relatively unfamiliar fresh faces.
Xu Jian, who was born in the actor troupe of the People's Liberation Army Bayi Film Studio in Chinese, had previously starred in Zhou Enlai for the first time in "Blood Battle xiangjiang", and "The Great Waves and Sands" was his second challenge to this role after a gap of four years. However, in terms of image, Xu Jian felt that his temperament was not much like that of young Zhou Enlai after shaving off his beard.
Qu Zheming was the one of the four actors whose actual age was the closest to Zhou Enlai at that time. He is also the most recognized actor in the four works so far. This is his first appearance in Zhou Enlai, and it is worth looking forward to whether he can become a new young Zhou Enlai special actor after "Hit the Water in the Middle Stream".
Li Dazhao
When it comes to Li Dazhao, in addition to his own independent biopic, the most well-known and recognized by the audience today is "The Age of Awakening".
"The Age of Awakening" left a very amiable image of Li Dazhao. Bumping into Beijing, he talked with the coachman; used his meager salary to help poor students and workers and peasants; and brought a truck full of New Year goods to make dumplings with the poor people.
Zhang Tong first starred as Li Dazhao in "The Age of Awakening". In the past, he was more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, mostly as a martial arts general, for him, Li Dazhao is a transformation opportunity. Through his interpretation, Li Dazhao's pure heart of saving the crisis and seeking ways and seeking ways can also be fully demonstrated
It is worth mentioning that Li Dazhao in "Glory and Dreams" is also played by Zhang Tong. The two works compose the short but brilliant life of Li Dazhao.
The Age of Awakening (Part 1) Glory and Dreams
Both "Hitting the Water in the Middle Stream" and "The Great Waves and Sands" have a full presentation of Li Dazhao's life, from his promotion of the first cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party to the establishment of a revolutionary united front, from leading the workers' and peasants' movement in the north to finally sacrificing for the revolution.
The former plays Li Dazhao as Dong Yong. In terms of image, compared with Zhang Tong's version, Dong Yong is also more in line with the public's impression of Li Dazhao. In fact, before that, he had also received an invitation from the role of Li Dazhao in "The Age of Awakening", but he was limited by his age and lost touch with him.
Indeed, from the perspective of age, Zhang Tong, who was born in 1981, was exactly the same age as Li Dazhao at that time. Dong Yong, who was born in 1968, is quite different from Li Dazhao at that time, but this also makes the two versions of Li Dazhao present different aspects of grandeur and elegance and calmness.
In "Big Waves and Sands", the role of Li Dazhao was played by Sun Lishi. Compared with the previous two actors, he is rarely active on the screen. After graduating from the Central Academy of Drama in 2005, he entered Beijing Normal University for further study, and now he is more engaged in acting education and drama, "Big Waves and Sand" is one of his few TV series.
In "The Great Waves and Sands", Li Dazhao, portrayed by Sun Lishi, although the image is not similar, but the shaping of his spiritual core is extremely full. Including the amiable and cute side of life, the pure and hot-blooded side of the revolution, all of which were fused into him. Therefore, in "Big Waves and Sands", many of Li Dazhao's emojis are also widely circulated.
Chen Duxiu
Chen Duxiu does not have a fixed special actor. Therefore, in the choice of actors, compared with the shape, it is also more like the god. At the same time, because of his controversial life experience, the image in these four works is changeable, and the actors perform in different styles.
Let's start with The Age of Awakening. In the play, Chen Duxiu played a role due to Hewei. This is also his third appearance in this role after "China 1921" and "The Great Undertaking of Building the Army".
Compared with "China 1921" and "The Great Cause of The Founding of the People's Republic", "The Age of Awakening" more fully shows Chen Duxiu's mental journey from 1915 to 1921. During this period, he was a figure who stood at the forefront of the progressive trend of the Chinese nation.
"The Age of Awakening" does not deliberately beautify and label historical figures, shaping many details of life, which also makes Chen Duxiu fade the stereotype of later comments, vividly showing his informal, cute and kind side.
Therefore, although Yu Hewei and Chen Duxiu are not very similar in appearance, they have been affirmed by the industry and abroad, and won this year's Magnolia Award for Best Actor with this role.
What is interesting is that although Chen Duxiu in "The Great Undertaking of Building an Army" and "The Age of Awakening" are both due to Hewei's appearance, they present two diametrically opposed images. The former is the "big parent" who disagrees with each other and cannot tolerate people, and the latter is the amiable and meticulous teacher. The difference between the two is worth pondering.
Compared with the romantic expression of "The Age of Awakening", the penmanship of "The Great Waves and Sands" is sharper. The director of the play, Jana Shahati, is experienced in party history dramas and is particularly good at portraying characters in stereotypical themes. Previously, she directed major revolutionary historical dramas such as "Mao Zedong", "Autumn Harvest Uprising", and "Communist Liu Shaoqi" are all impressive.
In the shaping of the role of Chen Duxiu, "Big Waves and Sands" also breaks through the style of previous works and shows the complete second half of his life. Including the appointment of Southern Chen and Northern Li to establish the party, five times in prison, the sacrifice of Yan Qiao's second son, the expulsion from the party, and his later life, etc., all of which have been shown.
In particular, the depiction of his bleak old age is extremely moving. Pan Lanzhen's accompaniment, Chen Song's year-end, and the "Primary School Literacy Textbook" that he remembered before his death are presented in detail, making this version of Chen Duxiu more rich and three-dimensional, but also more depressed, paranoid and deep.
Cheng Taishen's portrayal of it is also more extroverted than other actors. The image of the "feudal family patriarch" who blows his beard and stares is vividly reflected in the play.
In "Hit the Water in the Middle Stream", Chen Duxiu's image changed again. The play mainly focuses on the outbreak of the May Fourth Movement in 1919 to the victory meeting at Jinggangshan in 1928. After the founding of the party, Chen Duxiu had few highlight moments and more wrong choices.
In particular, in the later period, in the three months after Chen Duxiu and Wang Jingwei issued the "Joint Declaration," on the one hand, the situation within the party was becoming more and more chaotic, and on the other hand, The successive uprisings of Li Dazhao and his eldest son Yannian were fully demonstrated.
This version of Chen Duxiu is played by Wang Zhifei. This is also his first time in this role, but in the subsequent film version of "Red Boat", he will continue to tell the audience about Chen Duxiu's tortuous life.
At the same time, in this version, the comradeship between Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao is also highlighted. When Chen Duxiu was released from prison, he and Hu Shi exchanged a few words of greeting, and then went through the crowd to embrace Li Dazhao's plot, which made many viewers moved.
Compared with the other three editions, "Glory and Dreams" cuts from the perspective of Mao Zedong's remembrance of youth, and Chen Duxiu's length is greatly reduced.
On the other hand, the screenwriter of the play is the same as Zhao Ningyu in the movie "The Great Undertaking of Building the Army". Chiang Kai-shek turned his face, Wang Jingwei hesitated, Chen Duxiu and Mao Zedong argued about whether to "hand over the gun", and "The Great Cause of Building the Army" and "Glory and Dreams" were similar in plot design.
"The Great Cause of Building the Army" (Part 1) "Glory and Dreams"
However, after the 1987 Conference, when Mao Zedong wanted to leave Hubei and return to Hunan, "Glory and Dreams" deliberately designed a plot in which Chen Duxiu and Mao Zedong looked at each other through the window. The first generation of leaders watched the future leaders go to new distances in the same place, which has no deep meaning.
This version of Chen Duxiu is played by Wu Gang, who is especially good at eye drama actors, although the facial expression in the play does not fluctuate much, but in his eyes, you can see his stubbornness, hesitation and ardent hope for the future.
To sum up, whether it is in the choice of actors or the shaping of roles, the image of great people on the screen has changed greatly compared with the past.
On the one hand, this may be related to the change in the positioning of the management department for the main melody drama.
For some time, major revolutionary historical dramas have lacked innovation in their forms of expression. However, with the emergence of dramas such as "The Age of Awakening", it is not difficult to find that the audience that now controls the position and discourse power of public opinion no longer rejects revolutionary historical themes, but is only allergic to empty grand narratives.
This also allows the creation of theme dramas to think from many aspects about how to deal with the changes in the current domestic cultural ecology and how to capture the attention of young audiences.
The change in the image of the great man on the screen and the choice of actors is an important embodiment.
On the other hand, this transformation has also resolved the contradiction between special actors and the "star system" to a certain extent.
In the past, the performance system and operating logic followed by special actors and professional actors were completely different, which also led to the question of "who plays the great man" is often controversial.
But now, with the rise of more and more new forces, the barriers between special actors and professional actors have been broken. It is a good thing that great men appear in front of the audience with a more vivid and changeable image.
It is worth mentioning that in the concentrated period of theme creation and broadcasting, there are often several dramas that interpret a great man at the same time. Since the current major theme TV series have the premise of taking the initiative and organizing the creation, can we find the inner unity for the shaping of a great man at the macro level, so as to avoid the confusion of the audience in the process of intensively accepting the baptism of the theme series. This is also a question worth pondering.
【Text/Pomegranate】