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| 08:41, September 17, 2009 |
The rebirth of Chinese epics
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A scene from the new epic film The Founding of a Republic. (Global Times Photo)
In 1915, D.W. Griffith created The Birth of a Nation upon the backdrop of the American Civil War and changed the Hollywood film industry forever. The three-hour film coined the term "epic blockbuster." This year, China has created its own version of The Birth of a Nation with The Founding of a Republic, which opened in cinemas across the country Wednesday.
Though the latter may not achieve the artistic value of its predecessor, directors Han Sanping (The Story of Mao Zedong) and Huang Jianxin (Stand Straight, Don't Bend Over) have created a star-studded blockbuster that is aimed at redefining Chinese mainstream films by attracting a large commercial audience.
Chinese mainstream films (Zhu Xuan LÜ) or "tribute films" refer to non-commercially produced works that are usually guided by the government in their theme and artistic approach. These films are funded by government publicity departments and produced by State-owned studios. Their main task is to advocate the ideology and moral standards that the government wants to promote and create an image for the country that the government wants to present.
These films first largely appeared in 1959 for the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Under the direct instruction of premier Zhou Enlai, 18 films were made as tributes to the anniversary, attracting an audience of 4 billion.
50 years later, these mainstream films equate to boredom and monotony in many people's eyes, who are now more accustomed to sophisticated production techniques from imported and commercial domestic films. When State films began to see organized audience numbers in schools and factories dwindle from the early 1990s, filmmakers began to work on a new approach.
"We do not need audiences forced to see the film," Huang explained, "we want to present a good film which can really draw them to the cinema." He revealed that he treated the production as an art film at which he is more experienced.
Co-director Han is also the chairman of China Film Group and agreed that commercial concerns weighed in on the work, which is uncommon for Chinese mainstream films.
"The boundary between mainstream films and commercial films is getting thinner. Actually we are trying to combine both in the film. We will use all possible commercial means to promote this film."
Recently Han produced commercial blockbusters Heroes and If You Are the One. The Founding of a Republic looks to be headed for similar commercial success with at least 17 advertisements booked to be screened before the feature itself.
The film has taken on the dual role of promoting government ideology and Chinese history as well as aiming for good box office revenue.
"We have to change the situation that mainstream films are successful if they win praise from leaders and experts, without considering their commercial value," Han commented.
The Founding of a Republic retells four years of Chinese history, from August 1945, when China won the War of Resistance against Japan (1937-45), to October 1, 1949 when the People's Republic of China was founded. Unlike most mainstream films of the past, the work does not spend much effort on war scenes, which may have something to do with its limited 30 million yuan ($4.4 million) budget. However the directors have smartly adapted documentaries as transitions, connecting the development of the historical environment with the lives of Chinese people.
"We'd like to spend more content on revealing the human inner world of the historic characters," Huang said.
The film also reserves plenty of time and money for big scenes like the bird's-eye view of Chongqing in 1945 and the Big Parade, a segment that was directed by Chen Kaige (Farewell, My Concubine) while Han and Huang were busy directing other scenes in Tianjin.
Fans of special effects will not be disappointed, in a similar way that Chen's 1986 film The Big Parade thrilled audiences when it hit cinema screens with its larger-than-life reenactments, so too should this part of the epic satisfiy cinema-goers' appetites.
Source: Global Times
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