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Film about joyful junkman celebrates new year
By Xu Wei |
January 8, 2009, Thursday
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JUNK collector Liu Gaoxing toils at the bottom of society, but he's an upbeat, big-hearted guy at the center of a quirky upcoming new year's film, writes Xu Wei.
It's no surprise this New Years movie sweepstakes is led by director Feng Xiaogang's film "If You Are the One," a romantic comedy that returns to his tried-and-true formula of gentle satire.
After three weeks' screening, the film has grossed 200 million yuan (US$29.4 million).
Over the past decade, Feng has produced about one a year, establishing himself as the "king of hesui pian (movies celebrating the new year)."
His specialty is making moderate-budget satirical, real-life comedies. "If You Are the One" is about a single middle-aged man who posts a "personal" classified ad, seeking a mate. The conclusion: "If you are not the one, don't bother me."
Predictably, responses pour in from an odd lot: A woman who sells family tombs, a gay guy he went to school with, and other unlikely heartthrobs.
There's more to come from another film maker, Ah Gan, whose comedy "Gaoxing" begins screening nationally on February 4. It's about the dreams and lives of a few migrant workers. It centers on junk collector Liu Gaoxing, an optimistic good-hearted guy who helps others.
Liu goes to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, and meets a masseuse. She's only doing massage to earn money for college, of course, but she gets ripped off and Liu tries to help her. He also builds a little airplane and tries to take the corpse of his coworker home in it.
"Liu is just one of those people working hard at the bottom rung of urban life," says director Ah Gan. "However, I don't want to make a sad film. I want to show Liu's inherent humor, honesty and optimism as he faces life's challenges. The movie is about happiness, friendship and love."
Ah Gan adds authentic regional music to create a festive ambiance, especially when Liu and his friends get back to their hometown. The film features xintianyou, northern Chinese folk songs, qinqiang, typical opera of Shaanxi Province, and pop/rap.
Guo Tao, known for his performance in the acclaimed comedy "Crazy Stone," plays Liu, the good-hearted garbage man.
Feng Li, who plays a farmer in the movie, says comedy is the most difficult film genre to get right.
Young singer-songwriter Tian Yuan plays the masseuse who falls in love with Liu. She made her acting debut in 2004 in the Hong Kong film "Butterfly," in which she played a lesbian singer. She was honored as Best New Performer in the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards.
"The movie is both romantic and realistic," Tian says. "Acting is like an expedition into characters interior world. It allows me to live other people's lives and release some of my hidden personality."
Director Ah Gan rose to fame with his former small-budget comedies, "Big Movie" and "Big Movie 2." Everyone panned his 2004 horror movie, "The Game of Killing," about a real-life parlor game still played by white collars nationwide that involves killers, cops and peasants.
Ah Gan won't venture to predict box office for "Gaoxing," but says, "Big movie projects are not all I want. We should promote diverse cinema with really good and entertaining small-budget films."
It's no surprise this New Years movie sweepstakes is led by director Feng Xiaogang's film "If You Are the One," a romantic comedy that returns to his tried-and-true formula of gentle satire.
After three weeks' screening, the film has grossed 200 million yuan (US$29.4 million).
Over the past decade, Feng has produced about one a year, establishing himself as the "king of hesui pian (movies celebrating the new year)."
His specialty is making moderate-budget satirical, real-life comedies. "If You Are the One" is about a single middle-aged man who posts a "personal" classified ad, seeking a mate. The conclusion: "If you are not the one, don't bother me."
Predictably, responses pour in from an odd lot: A woman who sells family tombs, a gay guy he went to school with, and other unlikely heartthrobs.
There's more to come from another film maker, Ah Gan, whose comedy "Gaoxing" begins screening nationally on February 4. It's about the dreams and lives of a few migrant workers. It centers on junk collector Liu Gaoxing, an optimistic good-hearted guy who helps others.
Liu goes to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, and meets a masseuse. She's only doing massage to earn money for college, of course, but she gets ripped off and Liu tries to help her. He also builds a little airplane and tries to take the corpse of his coworker home in it.
"Liu is just one of those people working hard at the bottom rung of urban life," says director Ah Gan. "However, I don't want to make a sad film. I want to show Liu's inherent humor, honesty and optimism as he faces life's challenges. The movie is about happiness, friendship and love."
Ah Gan adds authentic regional music to create a festive ambiance, especially when Liu and his friends get back to their hometown. The film features xintianyou, northern Chinese folk songs, qinqiang, typical opera of Shaanxi Province, and pop/rap.
Guo Tao, known for his performance in the acclaimed comedy "Crazy Stone," plays Liu, the good-hearted garbage man.
Feng Li, who plays a farmer in the movie, says comedy is the most difficult film genre to get right.
Young singer-songwriter Tian Yuan plays the masseuse who falls in love with Liu. She made her acting debut in 2004 in the Hong Kong film "Butterfly," in which she played a lesbian singer. She was honored as Best New Performer in the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards.
"The movie is both romantic and realistic," Tian says. "Acting is like an expedition into characters interior world. It allows me to live other people's lives and release some of my hidden personality."
Director Ah Gan rose to fame with his former small-budget comedies, "Big Movie" and "Big Movie 2." Everyone panned his 2004 horror movie, "The Game of Killing," about a real-life parlor game still played by white collars nationwide that involves killers, cops and peasants.
Ah Gan won't venture to predict box office for "Gaoxing," but says, "Big movie projects are not all I want. We should promote diverse cinema with really good and entertaining small-budget films."
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