Zheng Dasheng and Yang Jin co-directed the main theme biographical film "I Am a High Mountain", starring Haiqing, and has been officially released on November 24. The film is adapted from the long history of the same name** "My Father and Mother". So far, the film has only grossed more than 60 million in the first six days of its release, which is not enough to reach the pre-screening **. This undoubtedly casts a shadow on this work with "poor word-of-mouth and box office". However, the film's heated discussion is significantly higher than its performance in the market, triggering the biggest social ** attention caused by the film recently.
This movie is based on the real experience of Principal Zhang Guimei, who originally thought it was just an ordinary biography of the main theme, but unexpectedly, from the point of screening, it quickly became the focus of heated discussions among netizens. The discussion on the Internet about the theme and character image of the film can be described as a wave of unsettled. Before the film's full release, online controversy had been going on for days over the adaptation of its content, the characterization and the basic stance. After "It Was Originally a Mountain" caused a strong response on Weibo, it triggered a national discussion. When screenwriter Yuan Yuan personally came down for a heated debate, the strong dissatisfaction of netizens and the audience was completely ignited, and what followed was public condemnation everywhere. The work "I Am a Mountain" is really a perfect combination of black and red.
However, in this context, a large number of viewers have lost interest in the ideological battle over the values of the film, and they have either gone with the flow of criticism or chosen to keep their distance. This is the cultural attribute of film, and it is also the inevitable result of the era of mass entertainment. The box office potential of the movie "I Am a Mountain" has been hotly debated as a result.
Is it because netizens are taking quotes out of context and talking nonsense, or is there any doubt about the original intention of the creation of the work "I Am a High Mountain"?Is there any intractable contradiction in the film itself, or is it a suspense deliberately created by the director in his creation?After carefully observing the film, we decided to start from a neutral and objective point of view, from the professional perspective of filmmaking, to delve into and analyze the real reasons behind this fierce "quarrel".
All the contradictions that exist are not without clues.
This kind of fluctuation that stimulates the emotions of the public may bring a profound "vigilance" and reflection to the creative process of the main theme of heroic films in the future.
I am a mountain", why is it criticized?
First of all, we must clearly understand that the sharp criticism and vicious remarks faced by "I Am a Mountain" actually stem from two completely different perspectives.
First, some internet users with feminist views criticized the film as "too masculine" and misunderstood, denigrated and degraded female characters.
For example, the most intense scene of "Mother Violence in the Tavern". Of course, in the process of online dissemination, some people ignore the greater mistake of "the husband abandons his wife and daughter" because of the mother's depravity in the movie. In the face of this controversy, the crew explained in the roadshow that this plot is based on real observations during the visit.
Such an explanation seems powerless, and even sparked a new wave of more intense indignation among netizens. Regardless of whether the "more unbearable situations in the research" mentioned by the director are real, the selection and shaping of film characters, its "representativeness" has always been a sensitive topic with extreme value orientation. The image of women in the film "Women" is undoubtedly a typical representative. Considering that the proportion of alcoholism among women in the country is much lower than that of men, such a negative image of women has emerged, which makes many viewers, especially those who have had a background in rural life, feel "not objective" and "framed", which is completely understandable.
Considering that the most unpopular negative character in the film is an unreasonable, snarky, brutal young female teacher with the temperament of a young lady, Chen Yongsheng's role in which her boyfriend plays an important positive role in the play, which makes it difficult for "I Am a Mountain" to avoid being suspected of deliberately "regaining the stage" for the male character.
Of course, some extreme opinions, such as "male directors should not be involved in women's films" and "all female characters are good, and only a good man can be seen as a crooked ass for a film", are clearly inaccurate. However, screenwriters and directors should be more cautious when dealing with the feminine connotation and value conveyed by "I Am a Mountain".
It is undeniable that Zhang's experience is not limited to public service and poverty alleviation, but also has a strong connection to deeper issues such as the disadvantage, the right to education and self-realization faced by women in poor areas.
However, the film shows some sharp and courageous aspects in its depiction of the life challenges faced by women, such as confronting women directly with the constraints of marriage and childbearing, the failure to truly achieve equal inheritance rights, and the domestic violence shown by men in mountainous areas. All this shows that "Originally" is not a film work in the pure sense, but a narrative with an "ironic" attitude. I have to mention that "I Am a Mountain" has been deliberately ignored in most of the follow-up reviews.
In addition to the idea of "dwarfing women" in the film, another focus of criticism is that the protagonist's party spirit and beliefs are weakened under the lens of the creator.
Critics hold the view that because the creators have petty-bourgeois tendencies, it is difficult for them to truly understand and accept the noble ideals and beliefs of President Zhang Guimei. Therefore, they position Principal Zhang Guimei's main motivation for providing education for girls in mountainous areas as "the will of her deceased husband" and "finding spiritual solace in the face of emergencies", which is obviously a kind of belittlement of her. "I don't believe it. "If you don't even believe in yourself, you can't shoot it. ”
In addition, there are many people who prove that there is a problem with the position of the filmmakers by citing details such as the fact that Principal Zhang does not always wear the party emblem in the film (in fact, Principal Zhang never takes off the party emblem at work) and encourages students to choose more tasteful careers.
However, viewers who have watched the film will soon realize that these accusations are untenable.
Although the image of the deceased husband often has discord and frequent flashbacks, the appearance of the party emblem in the film is not uncommon, including the scene of all the teachers taking the oath in front of the party flag;
From the imminent dissolution of the women's high school to the critical moment when everyone is reunited, it also reflects the spirit of cooperation between teachers and students to raise the national flag in the pouring rain and mud;
Principal Zhang once instructed the students to sing the theme song "Red Plum Praise" of "Sister Jiang", and this song sung by the students at the bedside successfully pulled them back from the brink of death
Under the current guidance of the provincial governor's investigation of the education situation, the education system has given positive encouragement and support to Huaping Girls' High School, and at the same time, the delegates have also held a donation meeting for Principal Zhang, these plots and details reflect the nature of the party in the film. I think the film is a good interpretation of the concept of "people's educator". It seems far-fetched to claim that there is a problem with the film's stance.
Regarding the widely circulated screenshot, people seem to ignore the other professions mentioned by the principal in the film, such as journalists, military personnel, and educators. On this issue, the director's choice seems a little unreasonable. With regard to the lawyers who joined the main creative team independently, this really needs to be further discussed. Although this is a legitimate profession, it can indeed lead to public resentment about the prejudice against "elite professions."
I Am a Mountain" book, from the very beginning, it was difficult to meet people's expectations.
All things considered, "I Am a Mountain" has no obvious problems in terms of gender and ideology.
Despite this, the film still stirred up a lot of controversy and discontentThis may be related to the current mainstreaming trend of main theme films. "I Am a Mountain", as a biopic with a main theme, is likely to fail to meet the expectations of current critics from the beginning. The reasons for this include not only the inherent contradiction between the current demand for commercial film creation and the audience's expectations, but also the subjective shortcomings of the creators.
The genre of "I Was a Mountain" is undoubtedly the main theme hero model biographical film, which is also referred to as a "heroic model film".
When we look back at the history of British models after the founding of the People's Republic of China, we will find that after the introduction of market-oriented factors and the unified procurement and sales of state-owned studios, British models, like other genres that follow the principles of "socialist realism", gradually lost their influence in society. With the advent of the era of market economy, the mainstream has carried out commercial operations and marketing strategy adjustments for British model films, and British model films have gradually been loved by the public because of their unique cultural connotation and artistic value, but there are also commercial problems to a certain extent. National-level heroic films like "Jiao Yulu" and "Kong Fansen" are now difficult to present again.
Although modern British films still occupy a certain market share in cinemas, most of their box office revenue still depends on the group tickets of party members and cadres. Due to the lack of direct contact and interaction with the masses, it is difficult for the film to receive widespread attention. At the same time, the majority of the audience has an overly archaic, dogmatic and stereotypical view of the main theme, which greatly limits the presentation of British models in the market.
"I Am a Mountain", which has a natural advantage, provides great hope for the transformation and revival of British model films in the market. Among the creative teams outside the system, Haiqing has been highly recognized by the audience for her outstanding performance in the role of rural low-class working women, which proves that the film is obviously commercially oriented. "To Ben is a Mountain" is no exception. Frankly, "I Was a Mountain" seems to have been set up to be a huge success at the box office from the start.
Obviously, the social impact of the prototype is the biggest advantage. Zhang Guimei is undoubtedly a model figure recognized by society in recent years, and her status as a female educator can arouse more public admiration and resonance than ordinary role models, especially for those urban residents who mainly consume movie theaters.
After such analysis, we can understand why "I Am a Mountain" neither deliberately caters to women's rights, nor does it shape it into a traditional theme that is completely impeccable at the political level.
First of all, those main theme movies that reflect the positive ideas of the mainstream of society should naturally not be regarded as adding fuel to the fire of gender antagonism.
Moreover, filming it as a traditional theme, the style of being too serious, didactic and upright, is actually a kind of self-restraint, which is not conducive to the film attracting more audiences. Third, because the popular characteristics of the film determine that its audience is relatively fixed, the needs of audiences of different ages must be taken into account during the filming process and be targeted. In order to appeal to a younger audience that is not in the private venue, we had to make some adjustments to the traditional "Wei Guang Zheng" style to make it more detailed, friendly and full of human touch.
However, it is difficult to balance the two aspects of "drama" and "authenticity" when making such a dramatic adaptation. The contradictions and entanglements implied in this are exactly what we need to pay special attention to in the creation of plays. In particular, when describing such a well-known and recurring model figure across the country, as well as touching on such sharp and heavy issues as "the rights and interests of poor women at the bottom", any inappropriate "dramatization" of it is very likely to provoke public dissatisfaction and controversy.
What is the core problem in I Am a Mountain?
It is acceptable to adjust the creative direction of the main theme style of the British model, but the real problem is the poor quality of the shooting. Writers, directors, actors, and other creative staff are directly responsible for some of the key mistakes.
First of all, the beginning and end of the film are not clear enough when it comes to describing the crucial aspect of the protagonist's mental drive. Secondly, the film's description of the inner activities and character building of the characters is too simplistic. The most controversial part of this film is that when he delved into the spiritual drive behind Zhang Guimei's school, he quoted his fantasy deceased husband many times, and combined with Hu Ge's noisy role, it brought the audience an inextricable "Bai Yueguangyan emotion" and "coquettish wife".
From an objective point of view, President Zhang's philosophy of running the school is that noble faith and consolation for her deceased husband can coexist in harmony, and there will be no contradiction between the two. If you don't walk with the party, you can't experience a meticulous emotional life, and you can't miss your husband.
However, the film makes a big mistake in its performance, and one notable mistake is that it raises questions about Principal Zhang's spiritual world through the role of a teacher played by Liu Yase: after the unfortunate event of her husband's unexpected death, do you regard Huaping Girls' High School and students as her only emotional support?
It is precisely because of this unwanted "spiritual exploration" that President Zhang's public image has been truly degraded.
From President Zhang's many public statements, it is clear that her faith and drive are not as deep as we think. In the movie, there are many memories of the deceased husband, and the tone of this part seems too soft, soft, and even has some petty bourgeois elements (such as waltz jumping), which makes the screenwriter's role positioning vague and too subjective to increase the plot, so netizens criticized the creator's petty bourgeois tendencies.
Furthermore, the requirement for realism contrasts sharply with the "dramatic" approach. Although Principal Zhang's experience is full of emotional impact, it is not easy to adapt it to real situations, and many of the challenges, transformations and successes are not so dramatic. It also makes sense to incorporate this element into the overall structure of the film, with appropriate dramaticism.
However, it is precisely for this reason that the portrayal of the overly stereotypical villain character of the young female teacher Xu Yingying (played by Chai Ye) seems very unsuccessful. She is a "bad boy" at school and a "little princess" in the familyShe is a woman with a lot of personality and a lot of temper. She is too squeamish to endure the hardships of life, has a contemptuous attitude towards her students, lacks respect for the principal, and is keen on a battle of words, and eventually runs away without extricating herself.
In order to better highlight the arc of the main character, the other characters are deliberately made to appear short and ugly, and this dramatic treatment is neither ingenious nor adapted to the current era.
Principal Cheung's challenges are partly material, practical and part-personal, but for the most part, he is also a flawed and often complaining activist, like the Secretary of Education played by Yeung Ho-yu. In order to better highlight the protagonist, we can portray him as a character who is afraid of difficulties or has difficulties, rather than an overly stereotypical and extreme "villain" image". This is incompatible with the realistic style of the film, and it is difficult to touch the hearts of the audience.
In the end, the shaping of Principal Zhang's personal image and temperament in the movie did not achieve the expected success.
The film sparked another widespread controversy during the screening at Huaping Girls' High School, as Principal Zhang's former students had publicly stated: "My principal is a very friendly person, and he didn't get angry with me as he did in the movie." I think it might have something to do with the film itself. Frankly speaking, the various forms of criticism and scolding of students and teachers in the movie, even including sarcasm and sarcasm, seem quite excessive. These are all combined with the high tone of Shanghai Qing, and together they create a serious and snarky character image of Principal Zhang. Although this is based on a deep concern for the students, it seems that something is not quite right from the looks of it.
It cannot be ignored that, from a multifaceted point of view, there is indeed a determined and stubborn part of the headmaster's character, but this does not seem to be directly related to the snarky description, on the contrary, he appears very gracious and generous. To a large extent, such a script was written to better match Haiqing's performance, creating a creative space full of ups and downs, dramatization and easy to play for him.
In Haiqing's performance, he put a lot of effort into in-depth research and performed quite well. Although his performance in the feature film was not bad, when Principal Zhang Guimei's real video ** at the end of the film, he immediately made Haiqing's image too exaggerated compared to before. Principal Zhang's voice is quite deep, with a strong northeastern accent. Her temperament is both firm and full of maternal brilliance. Although her physical condition is not good, her aura is very powerful, which is difficult for Haiqing, who came from a big city in the Yangtze River Delta to imitate in makeup and movement Xi.
With the changes of the times, the vitality and spirit of the film can no longer be replicated.
On the whole, the current predicament faced by "I Am a Mountain" is due to the superposition of multiple creative flaws.
In the final analysis, on the one hand, due to the rapid changes of the times, the heroic model films with "bitterness and hatred", a strong sense of age, and a special theme can no longer meet the aesthetic needs of the current audience.
On the other hand, as the times evolve, so does the understanding of creators. Therefore, "Ben is a Mountain" is like a process of continuous growth, rather than a simple copy or repetition. Even with the tremendous effort and effort put in by the creators of the movie "I Am a Mountain", it is still difficult not to show the style of cosplay. This kind of theme film has not attracted enough attention among domestic audiences, and it is not until the recent appearance of the film "The Opposite is a Mountain" that people realize that this is a work of realism in the true sense. The reason for this is that the creators can no longer blindly believe that the core that supports Zhang Guimei is the spiritual belief in socialism, which is why they strive to find reasons in the script that they can understand, such as the deep nostalgia for their late husband.
This misunderstanding is not intentional by the creator, but a misunderstanding that arises subconsciously with a sense of strangeness.
Zhang Guimei is actually a typical representative of the role of "Red Saint" in the traditional main theme, but the audience generally believes that the director and screenwriter do not have the same strong resonance for her faith and enthusiasm. Her performances are influenced to a certain extent by commercial factors and social trends. Therefore, despite some overly heated and sensitive comments on the Internet, the criticism that "I Am a Mountain" has received is not entirely wronged.
When we ** "Jiao Yulu" again, the unpolished, innocent and energetic spiritual charm will still deeply move us. The reason why this work is touching is because of its artistic success. During that period, both the creator and the audience had a firm belief in "Li Xuejian is Jiao Yulu" and "Jiao Yulu is so noble and selfless". This represents the core spirit of a bygone era.
Under the background of the changing times, the reputation of "I Am a Mountain" has been greatly affected, which undoubtedly gives a profound enlightenment to the creators of contemporary theme films: how to continue to convey the core spirit and beliefs that such films should convey through appropriate innovative methods, while taking into account their commercial value and educational significance, has become a practical problem that needs to be solved urgently.
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