"Shaolin Temple" is a classic Chinese martial arts film since the new era, and it is also the first co-production between the mainland and Hong Kong since the reform and opening up. "Shaolin Temple" not only created a high box office performance at the time, but also cultivated a group of martial arts stars who are still galloping in China and even the world. Starting from "Shaolin Temple", Chinese martial arts films have formed a craze for the creation of Shaolin martial arts films, and a number of films based on Shaolin Temple, Shaolin Boxing, and Shaolin monks have come out one after another.
Zhang Xinyan (1934~), the director of Shaolin Temple, is from Ningbo, Zhejiang. In 1951, he entered the Nanyang studio in Hong Kong to engage in printing technology, and later learned editing. In 1957, he joined the Great Wall Film Company as editor and assistant director. He edited at least dozens of Once Upon a Time series. In 1965, he and Fu Qi co-directed the new martial arts film "Cloud Sea Jade Bow Fate"; in 1982, he directed the film "Shaolin Temple", and since then he has become a famous martial arts film writer at home and abroad.
As a kind of action film, martial arts movies first put forward a special performance requirement for the actors. That is to say, the actors of martial arts movies must have dual performance functions when they go to the screen: on the one hand, he must show the power and charm of Chinese martial arts itself, and at the same time, he must have the artistic performance talents that movie actors must have. , so that they can win the heartfelt love of the audience in the film industry. Of course, many stars in today's martial arts movies are not actually martial artists with stunts, such as Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui, Leung Ka Fai, Andy Lau, Leslie Cheung, and these movie stars are completely relying on the wings of movie stunts to take off on the screen, Dancing with guns. Film stunts, as the super-packaging of contemporary films, have added countless enticing landscapes to martial arts films. However, as a martial arts film like "Shaolin Temple" that uses documentary means to show real martial arts, it should be said that since the foundation of martial arts movements is real Chinese martial arts, the dual requirements for art and martial arts performance are not ordinary. Actors can do it. For this reason, the main actors of such films are often played by professional martial arts athletes.
Based on the saying in the Chinese martial arts circle that "everything goes to the ancestral Shaolin", Hong Kong scholar Mr. Wu Hao once put forward the point of view of the Chinese martial arts movie "10,000 pieces return to the ancestral Shaolin". According to the endless Shaolin Temple-themed films in Chinese film history, Chen Mo put forward the concept of "Shaolin Film" and regarded "Shaolin Temple" as the "classic theme" in Chinese martial arts films. He also pointed out that "Shaolin Temple" directed by Zhang Xinyan is "the one with the highest achievements, the highest status, and the greatest influence of fame". In the era when "Shaolin Temple" was born, Chinese martial arts films at that time still used more cast-based casts, but "Shaolin Temple" director Zhang Xinyan took a unique approach and boldly adopted a group of professional martial arts athletes. The actor Jue Yuan in the film is played by Jet Li, who was once the champion of the national martial arts competition. His outstanding performance in "Shaolin Temple" made him famous in the film circle and became a famous martial arts star at home and abroad. Yu Hai, who played Master Tanzong in the film, was then the head coach of Shandong Sports Technology College. Yu Chenghui, who plays the villain Wang Renze, is also a professor at the Shandong Institute of Physical Education. They are all experts in Chinese martial arts.
"Shaolin Temple" was originally filmed by another director, but the quality was not very good after a few copies. Later, Zhang Xinyan took over the directorship of the film. When summarizing the gap in the previous work, he recalled: "I think it may be mainly because the actors are all Hong Kong actors. Hong Kong actors should say that they know martial arts, but they are not very proficient in martial arts. Most of the martial arts actors in Hong Kong started with The martial artists who sing Peking Opera in the Peking Opera Troupe, including Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and Yuan Biao, have all studied Peking Opera since childhood. But none of them have really practiced Chinese martial arts, including some humorous martial arts movies starring Jackie Chan now, which are relatively hard. There are relatively few actors in Hong Kong who are proficient in martial arts. Even if they practice, they mainly practice Nanquan." When Zhang Xinyan took over the film "Shaolin Temple", if he followed the old way of the original Hong Kong martial arts film, he would not be able to surpass Jackie Chan or surpass him. Bruce Lee. It is precisely in order to surpass the predecessors and create a new world for Chinese martial arts movies, Zhang Xinyan decided to use a group of real martial arts athletes to act in the movie. However, no pioneering venture is easy. When reviewing the scene of creation, Zhang Xinyan said: "One of the biggest difficulties at the time was that none of them had ever made a movie. It was difficult for them to perform in front of the camera and in front of everyone's eyes. But this state also has some advantages. It is the first time the audience sees it. Their films feel fresh and real."
In addition to this special requirement for actors, director Zhang Xinyan also designed Shaolin Temple differently from the past from the perspective of film images, that is, from the perspective of the film itself, based on the aesthetic theme of expressing the real Chinese Kung Fu. He made extensive use of moving shots and long takes when shooting heavy martial arts scenes. In such a relatively complete space-time structure, actors usually have a dozen or 20 moves in a row, and they do it in one go. At the end of the film, in the fight between Shaolin disciples and Wang Renze, there are many sparring scenes (long shots) completed on the move. This form of artistic language, which is highly integrated with the performance content of the film, not only achieves a realistic film aesthetic style, but also increases the viewing effect of the film. In addition, the film was filmed on-site at the Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Henan, which created a psychological feeling for the audience to visit the sacred place of martial arts.
Revenge is a frequent narrative theme in Chinese martial arts movies. On the basis of continuing this theme, "Shaolin Temple" integrates "family feud" and "national feud". Wang Ren Ze is not only a murderer who killed Xiaohu (Jueyuan)'s father, Shen Zhangzhang, a real murderer of Sekong's relatives, and a demon who burned the Shaolin Abbot to death, but also a thief who devoured the holy land of martial arts and plotted to usurp state power. For this reason, Jue Yuan's actions of defending justice are not only to avenge his father, but also to eradicate harm for the people and thieves for the country. In the sense of family ethics, he is filial piety, and in the sense of the world's society, he is serving the country. The reason why Jue Yuan, starring Jet Li, is generally recognized by the audience is that in addition to his heroic temperament and excellent martial arts, the character's deep psychological model can be "isomorphic" with the ethics of traditional Chinese culture. a very important factor.
Since the good and bad attribution of the characters directly affects whether the audience can enter the dramatic situation preset by the film author, the martial arts film shows an important difference between it and other types of films in the way of showing the characters: it is not like a detective The film presents the inner world of the characters by debunking layers of suspense, and it is not like an art film that relies on the intersection of positive/negative, good/evil to describe complex characters. Characters in martial arts movies show the basic characteristics of their characters with every move, every move, and "appearance". As a non-suspenseful martial arts movie with martial arts martial arts as the main viewing force, the character design is always clear between good and evil, and the loyal and the treacherous are judged. The good people are like abbots who are generous and kind to their disciples. In times of crisis, they are willing to face the raging flames with their own flesh and blood in order to keep the safety of the Shaolin Temple; the evil people are like Wang Renze and vultures. Arbitrarily beat and kill captured workers. In particular, Wang Ren is a villain who does all kinds of evil. He not only kills innocent people indiscriminately, robs people's daughters, but also tries to usurp the throne. He is the embodiment of complete evil. His follower, Vulture, is an eagle dog of a vicious force. He shoots viciously, practices eagle claw boxing, and uses serial halberds. His sinister face and vicious means make him an out-and-out sinister god.
The morning bell rang, the drum horns swelled, and the Chinese martial arts heroes stepped into the new world one after another with the historical footsteps of the development of the film. Here, heroes and heroes are always shouldering a mission of revenge and justice. No matter how cruel the enemy is, and no matter what the price is, they will always go forward to fulfill their sacred duty of upholding justice. Before heroes complete these missions, most of them have to go through an arduous process of hard training, a period of hard work and courage. In the end, what they have acquired is not only extraordinary martial arts, but also extraordinary perseverance and extraordinary martial arts spirit. Especially in martial arts movies, because heroes must have real superhuman martial arts skills, in many martial arts movies, the process of heroes growing up is often the process of practicing strong martial arts, whether it is for revenge or for the sake of the country and society. , The righteous warriors have to go through a training process of tears, sweat, and even blood. "Shaolin Temple" The Shaolin disciples who practiced assiduously in the morning light are just a microcosm of the hero's journey to success. As the saying goes, "Frozen three feet, not a day's cold". Profound martial arts cannot be mastered overnight. Although the power of Chinese martial arts has been deified in the movie, the martial arts movies still truly describe the essence of the success of martial arts - this is the result of hard work and natural success. Jueyuan in "Shaolin Temple" is eager for revenge and has no intention of practicing martial arts. The master patiently told him the essentials of martial arts after seeing it. After many trials and tribulations, Jueyuan finally understood the breadth and depth of martial arts. Driven by this martial arts spirit, Jueyuan began to climb towards the highest level of martial arts. Whether it is the midsummer with the scorching sun or the bitterly cold winter, the scene of Jueyuan's assiduous training in martial arts in "Shaolin Temple" has also become a typical scene in martial arts movies and has been recorded in the annals of Chinese martial arts movies.
Like many Chinese martial arts movies, "Shaolin Temple" also has strong religious overtones. Different from the interpretation of religion in other martial arts films, "Shaolin Temple" does not "absolute" and "mystify" Buddhist teachings, but subtly blends them with the film's narrative, so that " "Shaolin Temple" presents the duality of "Buddhist Holy Land" and "Wulin Holy Land" as Mr. Chen Mo said. As a "Buddhist Holy Land", it provides a place of escape for those who are pursued by evil forces; as a "Wulin Holy Land", it finally completes the punishment of evil forces here. Among them, the most fundamental and most successful narrative strategy of the film lies in the author's reasonable coordination of the relationship between Buddhism's "prohibition" of violence in the world and martial arts' "punishment" of crimes in the arena. From a religious point of view, Buddhists emphasize compassion and abide by the principle of "do not kill for as long as you can"; and from the narrative rules of martial arts movies, good will be rewarded with good, evil will be rewarded with evil, Jueyuan must To avenge the father, to suppress evil and promote good, thus constitutes a conflict between two value systems. Xiaohu put on a cassock, named Jueyuan, and practiced Shaolin Kungfu hard, including shaving his hair under the oath of "willing to end all evil, willing to cultivate all good, and swearing to transcend all sentient beings", which is "precept"; To kill his father, he went down the mountain alone and used force rashly, which was a breach of the "precept"; in the end, Jueyuan avenged the revenge of killing his father. Cut off the love of life and death with the shepherdess, is to be "precepted" again. Thus completed the "conversion" to Buddhism in the overall value system of the film. Throughout the narrative process of the film, the Buddhist teachings appear to exist as a negative element of violence, but in the ultimate sense it provides a higher behavioral basis for the just party. "The snakes and scorpions should be repaid, and I, the Buddha, are compassionate and punish evil." Shaolin monks were able to fight to the death with enemy soldiers in Wang Renze's rampant massacre, on the one hand because Wang Ren killed innocent people indiscriminately in Buddhism, and on the other hand because they were "famous teachers". For this reason, the purpose of Buddhism's "discipline" and martial arts "punishment" are integrated in the film, which not only establishes a reasonable moral basis for justice, but also completes the overall shaping of the characters' characters.
"Shaolin Temple" is also a master of various boxing, stick, and sword techniques. The film truly reproduces the martial arts style of Shaolin boxing, which is light in movement and calm in movement, and the martial arts spirit that emphasizes internal and external cultivation. The film includes the light, flexible and unexpected "Monkey Fist", the soft yet rigid and tricky "Snake Fist", the subtle but ferocious "Eagle Claw Fist", and the confusing drunken and drunken Fist. Sword, drunk stick. "Shaolin Temple" has become a veritable big screen stage for displaying Chinese martial arts.
As far as the movie is concerned, the success of "Shaolin Temple" is an overall success of artistic creation. The screenwriter, director, actors, photography, art design, and composition of this film are top-notch. Together, they constitute the overall appearance of "Shaolin Temple", a monument of Chinese martial arts film art. Although the film is based on the historical story of the thirteen stick monks saving the Tang king recorded on the murals of the Shaolin Temple, the director did not stick to the historical Shaolin legend, but based on the characteristics of martial arts movies and the audience's appreciation, this old theme was carried out. A new "rewrite" has been formed, which forms the central plot with Jueyuan's revenge as the core, and at the same time integrates the narrative elements that are not often found in traditional martial arts movies, such as love and comedy, into the film, making "Shaolin Temple" a movie. It not only does not lose the justice theme of the martial arts movie, which is good and evil, and eliminates violence and peace, but also has a witty, humorous and aesthetic style martial arts movie.
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