Watching "Evil in the East and Poison in the West" on April Fool's Day to commemorate Leslie Cheung's memory of the youthful era that has long been wiped out

Darian 2022-04-19 09:02:43

It's been six years, my brother jumped up and down. From then on April 1st, this joyous festival has added another mood, because Leslie Cheung. In the past six years, no matter how vicissitudes the world is, on this day every year, there will always be countless people who will silently think of him in their hearts. On this day of this year, there is more reason to think of this man than in previous years, and that is the release of the final version of Wong Kar-wai's "Evil in the East". In this April Fool's Day with the drizzle near Qingming, what can stop me from going to the theater to miss him.

For more than ten years, there have been too many comments and analyses on "Evil and Poison in the West", and I have watched it no less than three or four times one after another, but I haven't read all of them every time, and I only keep a few in my mind. Fragmented fragments and unforgettable classic dialogues do not fully understand Wong Kar-wai's carefully constructed timeline and complex character relationships. But every time you watch it again, you will have new feelings and discoveries. I believe everyone will have their own "Evil in the East" in their hearts. I don't want to write some so-called film reviews, but Wong Kar-Wai really has the ability to make films that are very expressive, so you can write them wherever you want.

Wong Kar-wai said this is Leslie Cheung's best movie. In this fantasy star facelift, the rest of the celebs seem to shine just to mirror him. The whole film is based on the role played by Leslie Cheung, Ouyang Feng. His classic inner monologues can be recited by many. Although these are actually Wong Kar-wai's own inner monologues, but they are just said through Leslie Cheung's mouth, but it turns out that only Leslie Cheung can be worthy of these monologues. As arrogant as him, as cool as him. "I know how to protect myself since I was a child. I know that the best way to not be rejected by others is to reject others first." It was his arrogance and his coolness that fulfilled Ouyang Feng and fulfilled his many classic screen images. It was also his arrogance and his coolness that made him finally reject the world. Of course, I have to mention Maggie Cheung's final monologue. From the most beautiful time of a woman to the vicissitudes of old age, I don't know how many women's voices were expressed, and she saw her struggle in her tears. . "I thought I won, but in fact I lost. Because when I was at my best, the person I loved was not around." There is also Murong Yan/Murong Yan played by Brigitte Lin who tortures herself because she loves a man deeply. The state of a woman's personality being split because of love is vividly expressed. Ouyang Feng's sentence expresses the true meaning, "When a person suffers setbacks, he will more or less find an excuse to cover himself up. In fact, Murong Yan and Murong Yan are just There are two identities of the same person, and behind these two identities, there is a wounded person."

Speaking of the ultimate version, it is definitely different from the original version, but I don't have a habit of textual research, and I don't have time to The original version is turned out and this final version is used to compare one by one from beginning to end, just rely on the vague impressions in memory to compare a little.

Picture, color, and music

The title of the final version uses digital high-definition, which is rarely seen in cinemas. The texture is very good, and the whole film can be seen after digital restoration. The colors have also become very full. The colors of desert, blue sky, white clouds, peach blossoms, red lips, and blood are more visually impactful and dreamy. Although some people criticize it for being too exaggerated, it feels false, but I think it fits the Wong Kar Wai movie. The babble and ambiguous tones. In terms of music, it is said that Yo-Yo Ma's cello is used in the second half, which feels more deep and profound.

story
The previous version had a lot of fighting scenes due to commercial considerations, and the plot was more complicated and confusing. It is normal for everyone to watch it once and not see why. However, in this final version, Wong Kar Wai has deleted many unnecessary fighting scenes. Now, the main line is made clearer. The biggest change is the addition of five traditional Chinese solar terms, "Jing Zhe", "Xiazhi", "Bai Lu", "Li Chun" and "Jing Zhe", which makes the timeline of the whole story clearer , to clarify a few stories that seem to be intertwined, so that more people can really understand the movie. In fact, Wong Kar-Wai's approach is quite a compromise. In my opinion, his style should be like that, keeping his own way of narration. Anyway, those who really understand will naturally understand, and those who don't understand will not understand at all. that is it.

Metaphors

Wong Kar-wai has always liked to use metaphors in his films. The teachers in the literature class told us that many masters like to use simple things to represent profound meanings, and things that seem to be ordinary are interesting for a long time in the masters' writings or works. I don't know when, after watching a lot of Wong Kar Wai's films, I began to pay special attention to the objects that are endowed with metaphors in his films, and the more I think about them, the more interesting they become. There are also many metaphors in "Evil in the East and Poison in the West". The desert, the lake in the desert, the "Peach Blossom" that turned out to be a woman's name, the drunken life and the dream, the birdcage that Murong Yan (Yan) has been carrying, the basket of eggs and a donkey that the orphan insisted on inviting the killer, the peach blossom is very The horse that Maggie is attached to, the bauhinia that Maggie Cheung has been holding, from the delicate and withered flower to the dead bauhinia, etc. Behind these seemingly ordinary things are many things Wong Kar-wai wants to tell you, some of which are broken. , some are worth having fun.


Lines
Lines are always the most charming part of Wong Kar-wai's films. The lines of "Evil in the East and the Poison in the West" are too classic, many of which have been quoted and parsed countless times. Let me cite some of my favorite parts.

The Buddha has clouds and flags that are not moved by the wind or moved. It is the human heart that moves by itself.

Ouyang Feng (Leslie Cheung): I have heard people say that when you can no longer have it, the only thing you can do is to make yourself not forget it.

The best way to avoid rejection is to reject others first.

Everyone goes through this stage, seeing a mountain and wondering what's behind it. I'd love to tell him that maybe over the back of the mountain, you'll find nothing special. In retrospect, this side may feel better.

Everyone will stick to their beliefs. In the eyes of others, it is a waste of time, but she thinks it is very important.

Don't think it's easy to deceive a woman, the more innocent a woman is, the more direct she is.

The most painful way to die alone is to kill the person he loves the most first.

Murong (Brigitte Lin): I once asked myself, is your favorite woman me? But I don't want to know now. If one day I can't help but ask you, you must lie to me. No matter how reluctant you are in your heart, don't tell me that the person you love the most is not me.

Blind Knight (Leung Chiu Wai): Do you know the difference between drinking and drinking? The warmer the wine is, the colder the water is.
Huang Yaoshi (Leung Ka Fai): I don't know if she won if the relationship can be divided. But I knew very well that from the beginning, I was on the negative side.


Shakespeare said that there are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand audiences. Then there will be a thousand Ouyang Feng (Leslie Cheung) in a thousand viewers. Is to remember.

View more about Ashes of Time reviews

Extended Reading

Ashes of Time quotes

  • The Woman: Why didn't you let him know I live here?

    Huang Yao-shi: You didn't ask me to.

    The Woman: [sobbing] You are too honest!

  • Blind Swordsman: My doctor said I will go completely blind when I reach 30.

    Ou-yang Feng: So how old are you?

    Blind Swordsman: Almost 30.