Comedy master Huang Baiming talked about the "secret of development": "Happy Ghost" could buy 60 sets of houses in Hong Kong at the box office that year

Huang Baiming

Every reporter Mou Xuan Ding Zhouyang

For a long time, we seem to be accustomed to the regret of "hating iron and steel" for Chinese comedy films - some movies are terrible, but they can get high box office; some films carry a lot of "ideas" but people can't understand.

But in recent years, that has changed. In 2015, comedy films contributed more than 20% to the total box office of Chinese films that year, and Chinese films occupied the absolute mainstream. However, the industry also recognizes that the rapid development of Chinese comedy films, but not in the golden age, the problems of single and homogeneous comedy film genres still exist. At present, China's film industry has developed to a new stage, capital, technology, talent reserves are gradually improving, the use of comedy to tell Chinese stories, this is a new proposition for Chinese comedy filmmakers in the new era.

I still remember when I was a child, while I was busy dealing with homework and my parents' nagging, I couldn't help but laugh because I saw "Happy Ghost Summer Vacation" on TV. This kind of scene, presumably most of the post-80s generation has experienced.

"Happy Ghost", "Happy Family", "Best Partner", "Development Secret"... These films have become an indelible mark of joy in the memories of a generation's youth, and the creators of these Hong Kong-style comedies, Huang Baiming, have also become a symbol, a label and a sentiment for comedy films.

He wears thin-rimmed black-rimmed glasses, a black-and-white woolen blazer and a pair of white trousers. Huang Baiming, who is well-dressed and meticulous in his hairstyle, is like coming out of a familiar movie, his figure is straight, his voice is loud, and he can't see that he is an "ancient rare person" who has just passed his 70th birthday.

"You see I'm so young because I'm happy every day." Huang Baiming said with a smile.

However, the rhythm of the times has changed. In recent years, many comedy films invested or participated in by Huang Baiming have performed mediocrely. When mentioning the "Happy Ghost" series, even Huang Baiming couldn't help but sigh: "They are all works of the last century, and now they need to use their brains to shoot some new ones." ”

Nowadays, with the birth of a large number of new forces of Chinese mainland comedy such as Ning Hao, Xu Zheng, Huang Bo, Dong Chengpeng and Happy Twist, under the diversified choice and expression, the days of "Huang's" comedy seem to be difficult to return.

Huang Baiming is very aware of the change in the pattern, "Comedy movies are actually very regional, every place has cultural differences, and cross-cultural comedy expression is very difficult." In an interview with the "Daily Economic News" reporter, he said, "There will also be more and more mainland comedians who will make works that are very popular with the audience." ”

However, for the new film "Bounty Hunter", which he is the supervising producer and will be released in the mainland, Huang Baiming is very confident and hopes to rewrite the glory of the action comedy genre film "Best Partner" that year. "But it's a youthful, idolized version, made into a stylish, action-oriented IP."

Small productions make a lot of money

"You all grew up watching my movies, didn't you?" On the podium of the 6th Beijing International Film Festival, Huang Baiming asked a question, which caused a burst of laughter from the audience.

When he was young, everyone laughed at his movies, but they rarely heard the stories behind his films.

"Why do I like comedy?" Huang Baiming asked himself, before making movies, he had acted in stage plays, he not only acted as a stage actor, but also as a director, doing adaptations, and writing ancient European classic stage plays into Cantonese dialogue. "Since then, I've found comedy very fascinating, especially when I'm performing on stage, and the laughter and applause of the audience makes me feel that real comedy is a really great thing. So then I got into the film industry, and most of it was comedy. ”

What is somewhat surprising is that Huang Baiming's most well-known "Happy Ghost" series turned out to be a small-production, small-cost movie, which was a classic case of "small and broad" in the film circle that year.

When talking about how to make the "Happy Ghost" series of movies, Huang Baiming told the scene of that year with great interest.

"In 1984, Best Partner had already made three films, each of which was becoming more expensive. I was thinking, can I use a low-cost campus comedy to prepare to shoot "Happy Ghost". The director is a newcomer, the heroine is also a student actor, and I am the male lead myself, so the cost of "Happy Ghost" is of course cheap. We did it for HK$2 million. Huang Baiming said.

So, how much revenue does this FILM, which costs HK$2 million, bring to Huang Baiming's company?

"At that time, 'Happy Ghost' was very popular, not only in Hong Kong, but also made the company earn 12 million Hong Kong dollars." Huang Baiming recalled, "What was the concept of HK$12 million in that year? When I bought a very good house in Hong Kong for ONLY 200,000 Hong Kong dollars, how many houses did I earn back? So "Happy Ghost" was made in five films, which became the most successful comedy of the 1980s. ”

As for whether a large-scale film is good or a small-scale film is good, Huang Baiming said in an exclusive interview with the "Daily Economic News" reporter, "Large production can be, and small production can also be." There are many types of comedy movies, such as "Best Partner", which I do a big production, I will ask Hollywood stunts to come and spend a lot of money; small-cost "Happy Ghost" can also use new talents and new directors, and make a lot of money at a very small cost; the "Family has a Happy Event" series uses big stars and also makes a lot of money. Making comedy is all kinds of methods, the most important thing is that the script should be good, the production should be good, and the theme should be good. ”

The comedy "Starmaker" also has a difficult period

There are many superstars who have starred in Wong BaiMing's films, including Maggie Cheung, Cheung Kwok Wing and Stephen Chow. In Huang Baiming's film creation career of more than 30 years, he has always had unique features in the selection and employment of people. He especially made good use of newcomers, insisted on giving newcomers opportunities, and became a "star-maker" to some extent. meantime. These star actors and directors have also achieved Huang Baiming.

"I like to use some new people." Huang Baiming told the "Daily Economic News" reporter, "In terms of movies, I first look at what is needed in the play, "Happy Ghost" needs some students, I will not find a big star to play a student, spend more money and not like it. Recently, I have also used a lot of newcomers, including Angelababy (Yang Ying), she made "Flower Field Celebration 2010", and she was very popular later. And Xiong Dailin, who has never filmed, I asked her to play Ip Man's wife, and now everyone recognizes her. ”

In terms of directorship, Huang Baiming also dared to use new people.

Gao Zhisen, the director who made the first "Happy Ghost" at that time, had never made a movie before, and was only 24 years old at the time. The third part of "Happy Ghost" I was looking for a TV station friend to shoot, he is Du Qifeng, including the director of "Ip Man", Ip Wai Shin, who was a trainee in New Art City Pictures, which made him slowly grow from the first episode of "Ip Man" to the current big director. Huang Baiming said that it is necessary to give more opportunities to newcomers.

After walking through the glorious years of Hong Kong cinema, Huang Baiming also had a difficult period. At that time, the New Art City Film Company, co-founded by Huang Baiming and others, walked out of many well-known directors such as Xu Ke and Wu Yusen, and even created a "director dividend system". But in the 1990s, with the withdrawal of the other two co-founders, the popular New Art City faced dissolution.

"The two bosses told me that the golden age of cinema was over, and they wanted to retire at the best time and stop making movies." Huang Baiming said, "I continued to do it, and by 1995, there was a 'dark age' of Hong Kong movies, when piracy was rampant and The Economy of Hong Kong was in a slump under the financial turmoil." During the dark period from 1995 to 2004, I was left alone. ”

"Of course there is darkness and there must be light." Huang Baiming optimistically said, "After the CEPA agreement in 2004 (after the agreement came into effect, Hong Kong-made films are no longer subject to the annual limit on the amount of blockbuster films introduced, and can be released in the mainland after passing the review." And Hong Kong and mainland co-production films, can be regarded as mainland films for publicity and screening), allowing co-productions to be released on the mainland, this spring I can enjoy, the two of them a little regret. ”