20 | Thursday, June 27, 2019 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY LIFE Spirited Away taps into Chinese nostalgia
The animated film Spirited for the movie to be downloaded Away is becoming a huge boxof because of the slow network,” she fice success on the Chinese main says. land 18 years after its original Miyazaki, who is also a leading release in Japan, drawing in a animator in Japan, boasts a fol legion of nostalgic moviegoers lowing in China. Spirited Away, who once watched the film from which scored 9.3 of 10 on China’s nonofficial sources. major film rating platform Dou The Hayao Miyazakidirected ban, is deemed a masterpiece. film took in 192.7 million yuan “I watched it by VCD at the age ($28 million) after three days of of 6 and have since wished to see it screening in China, more than in the cinema,” says a Sina Weibo double of 90.7 million yuan taken user. in by runnerup Toy Story 4, “This movie accompanied me as according to the China Movie I grew up. I will surely go to the Data Information Network. Both theater to pay tribute to my films debuted on the Chinese youth,” comments another netiz mainland on Friday. en. Epic effort The Oscarwinning fantasy film Lu Jianing, associate professor tells the comingofage story of a with the School of Theater, Film young girl, Chihiro, who ventures and Television at the Communica Film director Wuershan is spending a decade into a spirit world to save her par tion University of China, says Jap ents who have been turned into anese animated films including adapting a classic novel into a film trilogy, Xu Fan reports. pigs. Many Chinese had already those of Miyazaki have attracted watched the film via DVD or several generations of Chinese. ith a big budget and a grossing films, Wolf Warrior 2 and This might have been the only online, but that did not stop them While China introduced Japa crew of more than The Wandering Earth, respectively. way to realize his dream project, as from returning to the cinemas. nese animation in the late 1970s, it 2,000 members, Chi From 2016 to 2017, the trilogy celebrities charge more in film fees A manager of a Capital Cinema was only after the turn of the cen nese film director project launched a campaign to short and their schedules are busy, with branch in Beijing says the film’s tury that Chinese youngsters Wuershan says he is spending a decW list 30 young people from more than less time for preparation. patrons were mostly those in their became familiar with the genre. ade adapting a mythological epic 15,000 aspirants. Of the winners, 16 “I am too stressed to fall asleep 20s and 30s seeking to revive their Wang Yuhui, a film PhD student into cinema. were selected to join the cast, with six each night before the day when a childhood memories, and some from Hokkaido University in “The Chinese film market has playing major characters. youngster begins to shoot for his or came in with children. Japan, says many Chinese born in reached a phase and scale with Du Yang, vicepresident of Beijing her first sequence. Fortunately, they “The cinema screened this film the 1980s and ’90s harbored a nos which we can produce grand works Culture, says the cast consists of are all living up to my expectations,” over 20 times a day during the talgic feeling toward Japanese that showcase the country’s rich leg Alist stars, veteran actors and he says. weekend to meet the huge animation that figured promi acies in history and culture,” Wuer young people, but doesn’t reveal the As the story takes place around demand. More than 90 percent of nently in their childhood. shan, who turned 47 in early June, names. more than 3,000 years ago but the the seats were booked,” the man Spirited Away is not the first says during an interview with China The trilogy, which is now being novel was shaped in recent centu ager says. Japanese movie to draw success Daily. shot in the coastal city of Qingdao, ries, the films’ sets and costumes are Zhao Xiaoyu, a resident of East from China’s nostalgic moviego “I have selected the most impor Shandong province, is scheduled to a mix of different dynastic styles. China’s Shandong province, says ers. In 2015, Japanese 3D animat tant work from my perspective and I release its three featurelength films The director draws inspiration from she rushed to a cinema after work ed film Stand by Me Doraemon expect to spend 10 years on the film consecutively every year from 2020 bronze artifacts of the Shang (c. 16th on Friday and stayed in the seat became the then topgrossing Jap project.” to 2022. century11th century BC) and Zhou even after the last song started to anese film in China with a box His Fengshen Trilogy films is Last year, all the youngsters on (c. 11th century256 BC) dynasties at play. office of 530 million yuan. Last adapted from the Ming Dynasty the project had a sixmonth training museums, the shuilu (water and “I was immediately transported year, My Neighbor Totoro became (13681644) novel Fengshen Yanyi in Chinese history, culture, ancient Above: Director Wuershan says land) paintings between the 13th back to the time when my college the first Miyazaki film to hit Chi (Creation of the Gods), a mythical etiquette, horse riding and so on. he is spending a decade on a century and 15th century, and land roommates and I sat before the nese mainland screens, 30 years retelling of a war from more than And some who play spirits in ava film project that will adapt the scape paintings of the Song Dynasty only computer in the dormitory to after its original debut in 1988. 3,000 years ago. Its major storyline tars of animals were given extra Ming Dynasty (13681644) novel (9601279). watch the film 15 years ago. I unfolds through a subsidiary state’s study material on the habits of wild Fengshen Yanyi into a trilogy. “Chinese culture features an remembered it took a long time XINHUA ruler who leads an army to defeat a creatures. Top: At least 40,000 pieces of enduring history. I wish that such tyrant. The novel fictionalizes a tur The trilogy marks the acting props, including weapons, cos legacies are not only displayed in bulent era when two conflicting debut of a woman who plays Su tumes, carriages and vessels are museums or seen in some foreign human forces get help from super Daji, a vixen spirit embodying a being made for the film project. films featuring a few Chinatownset natural beings such as deities and beautiful woman who bewitches PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY scenes but showcased in an epic spirits. King Zhou, hastening the fall of the which can go abroad,” he says. A lot of money and time will be dictator, in the novel. Wuershan horses from abroad including Ger Around 800 carpenters from needed to bring the story onto the says he has asked her to research on many, the Netherlands and Hunga Shexian county in Anhui province big screen, with special effects play foxes to prepare for her role. ry, and have kept them in a ranch of and Dongyang city in Zhejiang prov ing a major role. Barrie M. Osborne, the trilogy’s 1,800 square meters in Qingdao. ince were recruited to make wooden Fascinated by the novel since production consultant says as a Bill Lawrence, a US horse trainer sculptures for King Zhou’s lavish childhood, the filmmaker who was result the woman is now good at who worked on Steven Spielberg’s palaces. The main royal palace, born in the Inner Mongolia autono simulating fox emotions and moves. 2011 film War Horse, is now train which totally took 35,000 hours to mous region, announced the Best known as a producer of The ing the horses for the Chinese design and build, has installed more project’s launch in 2012. Wuershan Lord of the Rings franchise, films. than 3,000 oil lamps. At least 40,000 is one of China’s best fantasy film Osborne’s experience during the The young people who will play pieces of props, including weapons, directors, exemplified by the block shooting of the Peter Jackson epic warriors or princes are being costumes, carriages and vessels are busters Painted Skin: The Resurrec trilogy will help Fengshen’s produc trained to shoot arrows from horse being made. tion and Mojin: The Lost Legend. He tion process, during which the backs. No standins are being used “The novel has values that could chose Beijing Culture as a partner three films are being shot simulta for such roles, says the director. be passed down generations,” says for the film project. neously. Movie sequels in China are “Previously, most of the cast Wuershan, adding that he wants to One of the fastestgrowing enter usually shot after watching how the members that I worked with were connect audiences of different ages tainment media companies in China, first installments do at the box big stars. This project also marks through the films. Beijing Culture is credited with sev office. my first time working with new The animated film Spirited Away has become a huge boxoffice eral hits, including the country’s all The producers of the Fengshen comers on a large scale,” Wuershan Contact the writer at success on the Chinese mainland 18 years after its original time top and secondhighest trilogy have acquired more than 30 says. 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