Chief reporter of Jimu News Rong Yu
Photojournalist Xiao Hao
"Although the sunset is beautiful, it will become a past in the blink of an eye, so we must grasp every minute and second." At the last concert of her life in November 2003, The singer Mei Yanfang used this sentence to say goodbye to the fans who loved her. 45 days later, at the age of 40, she unfortunately died of illness, and the Chinese entertainment industry has since lost a superstar of the Fanghua era.
On the afternoon of November 2, the movie "Mei Yanfang" was screened in Han dian, recreating this heartbreaking farewell scene and leaving the audience unmoved. The film's executive producer Jiang Zhiqiang and actress Wang Dani also attended the post-screening press conference to tell why this is a film that must be made.
For the promise made 18 years ago
In jiang zhiqiang's words, "Mei Yanfang" is a movie that is 18 years late.
As one of the most influential producers of Chinese-language films, Jiang Zhiqiang is the driving force behind Chinese blockbusters such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, Ten Faces Ambush, Catch a Demon, and Cold War, and has been named "Asia's Best Producer" by Time Magazine. But back in 1984, Jiang Zhiqiang was still just a lonely and unknown Hong Kong film distributor, and at that time, Mui Yanfang's popularity was already in the sky, in an event, Jiang Zhiqiang boldly invited "Sister Mei" to cheer for the movies released for him, "Sister Mei" agreed without saying a word, which opened the gentleman's friendship between the two.
In 2003, Mei Yanfang took the initiative to call Jiang Zhiqiang, hoping that he would take the lead in making a "film that can stay" for himself, Jiang Zhiqiang originally reserved a role for him in Zhang Yimou's "Ten Faces Ambush", but Mei Yanfang's condition deteriorated and the cooperation failed to materialize. Siren has passed away, but this unmade film has become a regret in Jiang Zhiqiang's heart, until 6 years ago, "fate arrived", Jiang Zhiqiang began to prepare for the movie "Mei Yanfang".
In an exclusive interview with the Jimu news reporter, Jiang Zhiqiang recalled the phone call 18 years ago, "Mei Jie said that she still has a lot of energy, she is about to start a concert, let me definitely look at it, I know how good she is." In fact, she knew her illness at the beginning of the year, but she still had to leave her energy to the people in the world who liked her. After 18 years, Jiang Zhiqiang still remembers Mei Yanfang's earnest tone during the call and the expectation of the two to cooperate in making a movie.
As one of the investors who understand the film market the most, Jiang Zhiqiang is as bright as a mirror, he knows that a biopic like "Mei Yanfang" is unlikely to become a hit, "I know that it does not have great hope in the current market, I did not make it as a commercial film, I am completely for that promise, since I promised Mei Jie, I will help her complete." 」 We've been making this movie for years, and no one in Hong Kong cinema except Wong Kar-wai would have spent such a long time making a movie, so my friends all believed in me and knew that we weren't here to consume the name 'Mui Yanfang'. ”
It only took 2 seconds to woo Gu Tianle
According to the results of the Extreme Eye News reporter watching the film, "Mei Yanfang" was filmed very boldly, in addition to depicting in detail several love experiences of Mei Yanfang, there are also scenes where she was "slapped" by evil forces on KTV and forced to leave Thailand. In Jiang Zhiqiang's view, these details are a necessary condition for Mui Yanfang's character image to be rich and full, "The Hong Kong film circle at that time was very complicated, she was the hottest star, and she couldn't hide from some things." So she left Hong Kong at that time, fell into a career trough, and even thought that maybe this was the case in this life. But she came back and took to the stage again, with a new peak. ”
In "Mei Yanfang", the film emperor Gu Tianle played Mei Yanfang's former best friend and famous costume designer Liu Peiji, who performed brilliantly in the film. According to Jiang Zhiqiang, after he sent the script to Gu Tianle, Gu Zai directly asked him "What do you think" after reading it, and Jiang Zhiqiang did not talk to him politely, directly asking: "First, I want you to play Liu Peiji, second, I remember that you are very rich, can you also vote a little?" Because this movie is expensive, but there is no certainty that it will make money. After 2 seconds, Gu Tianle replied, "Well, do both of these." ”
For Gu Tianle's answer, Jiang Zhiqiang was actually not surprised. He has known Gu Zai for many years and knows him very well, "He doesn't talk much about this person, but he actually does a lot of things in private, but you just don't know it." He also took a lot of money to help people during the epidemic, but he never said these things. I've always believed that he's not just an actor. ”
Gently express her love for Sister Mei
Jiang Zhiqiang invited a number of big-name actors to help "Mei Yanfang", but used a model-turned-newcomer actor Wang Dani to play the heroine Mei Yanfang. Judging from the presentation of the film, Wang Dani is indeed similar to Mei Yanfang, especially when showing Mei Jie's moral temperament and responsible characteristics, the details are convincing.
Wang Dani told Jimu News that from participating in the training to completing the shooting, she and the role of "Mei Yanfang" have been with her for nearly 4 years, and until this moment it is still like a dream. Wang Dani smiled and said that when the crew first informed her to participate in the training, she thought that she must be going to accompany her, "After it is determined that it is me, I am actually very scared, only surprised and not happy, because Sister Mei is such a legendary figure with such status and weight, how can I play it well?" ”
Fortunately, this fear was quickly replaced by creative excitement, "Since I took over this movie, I must do a good job, not to live up to the team, not to live up to the expectations of the director and the boss, especially not to live up to Sister Mei." What makes Wang Danni happy is that at the Wuhan screening of "Mei Yanfang", the vast majority of the audience applauded her, and many MeiJie fans looked for her to take a group photo.
Wang Dani admitted that in the movie "Mei Yanfang", "Wang Dani" is not important, what is important is everyone's love and heart for Mei Yanfang, "Everyone gathered together to commemorate Sister Mei and express their love for Sister Mei in this gentle way, so I am very happy." ”
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