In today's film circle, films with rural themes can be described as rare. But in the 1980s, that wasn't the case.
At that time, there were many directors in China who mainly focused on shooting rural theme films, one of the more famous of which was Zhao Huanzhang.
During that time, Zhao Huanzhang's "Xiyingmen", "Our Cow Hundred Years Old" and "Our Veterans" were all well received after their release and were called his rural trilogy.
In the 1980s, the Jiaodong Peninsula, which was at the forefront of reform and opening up, was full of vitality in the countryside, so it also became a film shooting location many times. Two of Zhao Huanzhang's rural trilogy, "Xiyingmen" and "Our Cow Hundred Years Old", were filmed in the countryside of Jiaodong.
Among them, the filming location of "Our Cow 100 Years Old" is mainly in Rongcheng (filmed in 1983, when Rongcheng County still belonged to Yantai). In fact, at the beginning of the film, there are subtitles thanks to Rongcheng County in Shandong Province for assisting in shooting.
The reason for choosing Rongcheng, the film script is a major factor. In this regard, the "Rongcheng City Chronicle" compiled in the 1990s also has a corresponding record, saying: "In 1982, Zhao Huanzhang, a famous director of Shanghai Film Studio, cooperated with Yuan Xueqiang (a writer from Rongcheng) to adapt Yuan Xueqiang's novella "The Footsteps of the Crops" into a film script, which was changed seven times and began filming in Rongcheng in June 1983, and the film was renamed "Our Cow Hundred Years Old". ”
Yuan Xueqiang was a native of Chengshan Town (also called Chengxiang Commune at that time), and later the film was also filmed in Chengxiang Commune, as well as Dongshan Commune and Qiaotou Commune Beilu Village, which was later zoned to Weihai City. Of course, in addition to the factors of the script, the simple scenery of Rongcheng Rural is also a plus.
The storyline of this film is not complicated, and mainly reflects the production relations and interpersonal relations in the countryside at that time. But because the script has a realistic basis, and the framing is all in the village field, its content looks very intimate and substitutionary.
At that time, it may not be deeply felt, but if you revisit it today more than thirty years later, many friends may find that the old house, the long-haired rabbit, the carriage, the wheat field and even the pigsty in the yard in the movie will evoke a strong memory and nostalgia. Now, the old house can still see some, long-haired rabbits, carriages, pigsty are basically invisible, in the villages that have changed to fruit trees, most of the wheat farms have become parking lots during the New Year festival.
Similar to "Xiyingmen", "Our Cow Hundred Years Old" is followed by a crisp and melodious soundtrack after the opening shot of cutting wheat, which is evocative.
As a work close to the heart of life, "Our Cow Hundred Years Old" was also a great success after its release. "Rongcheng City Chronicle" said: "In 1983, the premiere ceremony was held in Jinan, Yantai and Rongcheng, and it was later screened nationwide. This film won the first prize of the Ministry of Culture Excellent Film award in 1983 and the Best Film Award of the 7th National Hundred Flowers Awards. ”
Time flies, and 37 years have passed since the film was filmed and released in 1983. At that time, most of the actors are now in their twilight years, and some have passed away. The youngest actor in the film, niu's hundred-year-old son, looked less than ten years old at the time, and now he is nearly half a hundred years old.
The main film of this movie can now be seen on many online platforms. Interested friends, may wish to reminisce about it. The pictures in this article are all the scenery of Rongcheng Countryside.