China Entertainment King of Science Fiction

Chapter 446 Chen Jingxing’s “Heretical Theory”

Casual and lazy sweatshirt, bright eyes, exuding the vitality of young people...

This was host Wang Ning's first impression after seeing Chen Jingxing.

Not only her, but also the cameraman at the scene was a little surprised.

Once upon a time, Chen Jingxing was a genius director. At that time, age was a more conspicuous label on him.

I don’t know when it started. Maybe it started when "Source Code" broke the box office record of Chinese movies. Or maybe it started when Chen Jingxing won the Oscar for Best Director. Or maybe it started when DreamWorks went public and became the first stock in film and television. Chen Jingxing himself

When he appeared on the Forbes list with a net worth of tens of billions.

In short, Chen Jingxing has rarely appeared on TV shows in recent years, so his age label seems to have been completely covered up by other labels.

It wasn't until this moment when I saw Chen Jingxing entering the studio in a casual outfit that was as good as that of a fashion star that people suddenly realized that this legendary director known as the "King of Science Fiction" and "Master of Science Fiction" was just a

27 year old young man.

He is even younger than the current celebrities who are "still kids", "have a promising future", and are "a heart-wrenching brother".

But this young man is already a world-class director, controlling well-known film companies at home and abroad. A little leakage of resources in his hands can make all the actors in the entertainment industry compete for their heads.

She is the host, and it is not her turn to refute.

If a director like Guo Xiaosi or a filmmaker like Hong Kong's Wong Jing, who is not short of controversial remarks, said this, that would be fine.

Therefore, the official attitude towards many films that have won awards in Europe's three major awards is actually relatively cold.

Wang Ning secretly sighed with some excitement that Chen Jingxing really gave him face, and the response from this program was expected to be great. He resisted the urge to add fuel to the fire and moved on to the next topic.

Although Chen Jingxing's works are mainly science fiction, the span of his works is still very large, so he has long developed the habit of constructing a creative context and being able to give an explanation to others. Even if he is a monster, he must have traces to follow, so that others can interpret and understand.

The monster of understanding.

Aliens also come to the earth. Since "Edge of Tomorrow" is about humans resisting aliens, what else should we do the opposite and become humans bullying aliens, and then aliens resist humans?

But it’s a bit strange for aliens to come to human territory to resist humans, so I simply designed it as an alien refugee.

He has never seen a chameleon-like creator. Even if he is a chameleon, there must be a chain to follow.

If "District 9" hadn't just won the Palme d'Or, he might not have said this. Although he was not the director of "District 9," the Palme d'Or was awarded to the entire film, as the screenwriter and producer.

, his influence and importance on this film are something no one dares to deny.

But what Chen Jingxing's genius presented to the audience was only the result, although the result was also amazing.

As a commercial director, no matter how high the box office is, he cannot reach the holy grail of art - awards such as the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers obviously have nothing to do with the holy grail of art in the eyes of many people - it is just the bitterness of not being recognized by lofty awards. There will definitely be many people

Ability to rebut and criticize with confidence.

The brains of people are quite different, right?

Wang Ning, who had recovered from Chen Jingxing's "Versailles-like" speech, also asked about Chen Jingxing's next film plans through Poxia Donkey.

Seeing Wang Ning's eyes opening wider and wider behind the frame, Chen Jingxing secretly sighed that he had mastered the skill of telling lies with his eyes open, and his pretense was quite convincing.

The domestic official response to "District 9" winning the Palme d'Or was also extremely positive.

That just makes me feel sad. I hope that DreamWorks movies will always keep the audience looking forward to it, full of curiosity, always hungry, and everyone can get entertainment from it. Even if we are really good teachers and always want to educate the audience,

I want to spread my private goods, but I also hope it’s entertaining and educational.”

Chen Jingxing accepted a face-to-face interview with CCTV shortly after returning from Cannes. In fact, this was also part of the promotion plan for "District 9".

And from the official point of view, the significance of "District 9" winning the Palme d'Or is more significant than that of all previous Chinese-language films winning awards in Europe.

But you are a filmmaker who has won the Golden Rooster, Hundred Flowers, Golden Globe, Oscar for Best Director, and even the Palme d'Or as a screenwriter. Even if you are still a commercial film director, it is not very easy to say this directly.

It's appropriate.

After all, it is the first science fiction film to win the Palme d'Or in the history of Cannes, and it is also blessed by Chen Jingxing's fame. Not to mention that "District 9" has also caused some political ripples. European and American people are also very curious about this film. Universal

Publicity began quickly there.

In contrast, although "District 9" is not a movie that can be completely defined as the main theme like "Gravity", it is still a commercial science fiction film with a large investment, even if it contains elements that expose the ugliness of human beings or have strong criticism.

, but after all, the background is not China. The display and metaphor of racial discrimination and apartheid are also things that the West should reflect on, and they have nothing to do with China.

Because if the realism theme is too extreme or extreme, the audience will feel divorced from reality. If it is a science fiction theme, the creators have the opportunity to explore themes that are unimaginable with realism themes.

Wang Ning just watched "District 9" yesterday. He couldn't help crying from the second half of the movie. After watching it, he felt that this movie was shocking and had great stamina. The first time he saw the appearance of the alien prawn

I thought it was so ugly, but later on I became worried about the male protagonist and his alien prawn friend.

Holding the top awards at home and abroad, it is even more satisfying to say such "not quite right" words.

And she likes some episodes of the "Signal" series and "Black Mirror" very much.

The only drawback is that it is difficult to say that it is a Chinese-language film. After all, the male protagonist is a staff member of the United Nations, and the film is set in South Africa. The main language is English, the language of the alien prawn and the local Afrikaans. Chinese is only spoken by the male protagonist.

It only appeared when he was having scenes with his girlfriend and when he was very emotional.

But it’s not enough without entertainment. I don’t want DreamWorks’ movies to become something that only a small circle or people who have crossed a certain threshold can evaluate and understand. Most people will only see what you gain.

I sighed that it was so high-end and powerful, but I couldn't arouse the interest to watch it.

You just have to have the halo of Oscars and Cannes on your head to say this kind of thing. Otherwise, if you say "the most important thing about movies is entertainment", it will only make people feel that you are similar to Wang Jing.

You can't just make up lies, right?

The core science fiction concepts of "Signal", "Mirage" and "Your Name" are the same.

Moreover, the words "educating the audience" and "spreading private goods" also feel like they are sarcastic to many people. Even if Chen Jingxing himself does not have such thoughts, the audience will definitely have an interpretation.

It wasn't until Chen Jingxing finished taking a few promotional photos and sat down on one of the two single sofas facing each other that Wang Ning withdrew his gaze and began to think about the interview that was about to begin.

Wang Ning graduated from Communication University. Regardless of her status as a host, she is also a young artist who likes movies. Although she is not a fan of Chen Jingxing, she is very interested in this movie that single-handedly turned science fiction movies into the mainstream blockbuster genre in China, and even in the art world.

The legendary director who has entered the palace is also quite curious.

Want to design an alien uglier than the aliens from Edge of Tomorrow?

Want to design a plot opposite to Edge of Tomorrow?

It's an old tune again, but the CCTV interview must be on a high note.

Entertainment is always the most important thing in science fiction movies. It can entertain the audience with audio-visual spectacles, entertain with brain-burning plots, entertain the audience with novel imagination, or allow the audience to interpret and solve puzzles.

fun.

But -" Chen Jingxing changed the topic: "The entertainment aspect of science fiction is his greater advantage. Even in "District 9", we also added a lot of commercial entertainment elements to the script, and there are great thrillers in it.

There are fighting elements and special effects, cool mechas, and director Tian Xinye’s audio-visual spectacle-like lens language. I think this is a science fiction movie that can be enjoyed by both refined and popular tastes.

"From the perspective of creation and expression, if historical-themed works use the past to satirize the present, then science fiction-themed works can use the future to satirize the present. In essence, they can also return to the expression of real society and are a reflection of reality.

A kind of compensation for doctrine, taking some contradictions or phenomena to extremes.

Wang Ning tilted his head and asked with a smile: "Does this mean that science fiction movies are moving in the direction of film art? Are they being accepted by the mainstream of film art? Does the birth of "District 9" mean the future development direction of science fiction movies?

?”

"Director Tian Xinye said at the media press conference after the award ceremony that "District 9" was inspired by "Edge of Tomorrow" directed by Director Guo Fan. Although both movies are about aliens, they are both about aliens.

Is it true that there is such a big difference between intention and story?"

Of course, not only Chen Jingxing, but also director Tian Xinye, new Cannes best actor Zhang Yi and borderline heroine Wan Qian have also appeared on many programs and interviews.

Whether it is "Gravity" or "District 9", whether they have won awards that people could not imagine in the science fiction genre before, this is something that science fiction films can do. I don't think "

"District 9" is more advanced than "The Martian" or "The Signal".

"Of course, this has always been my philosophy." Chen Jingxing was still very happy.

Chen Jingxing nodded calmly: "It's true. At that time, "Edge of Tomorrow" was being prepared. When the special effects team was designing the alien creature, Guo Fan joked that the alien was too weird and could be called the ugliest alien in history.

Starman, then I said, where is this? I can design uglier aliens for you, and even disgusting aliens for you.

Officials are obviously unhappy.

Then you thought about the "refugee crisis" in Europe, and made such a science fiction movie that just hit the heart of the European literary and art circles?

And there are quite a few banned films among them.

This proves that although Chen Jingxing is a genius, his inspiration and creativity have a common thread, origin and evolution, and can be interpreted and understood.

"If depth and connotation are the most important, why not send someone to the cinema to read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" or other world famous works with great emotion? Doesn't "One Hundred Years of Solitude" have no depth and connotation?

If you want to educate the audience and spread your philosophy, wouldn't it be okay to write it down on paper and read it aloud affectionately in the cinema?

Entertainment is not just special effects. I said it is a multi-dimensional concept. You need to make the audience feel that your movie is interesting first, and then they can accept your education. Entertainment is of course the basis of movies. On this basis, only

There is room for something else.”

Of course Wang Ning recognizes and has long accepted the fact that Chen Jingxing is a talented director. Even though she is not very interested in science fiction, she still has to admire the unbridled imagination in the film.

But most people don’t know the process of bearing fruits, and they didn’t expect it to be even more shocking.

After all, you just won the Palme d'Or from Cannes, and you're going to stab me in the back. What a "small circle," or "you're a high-ranking person but not interested in watching it." If you say this, anyone will think you're talking about it.

A film festival like Cannes.

"Director Chen, many people say that "District 9" winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes is another milestone for science fiction films after "Gravity", because there have been very few science fiction works shortlisted for Cannes before, which represents the highest level of film art.

film festival, let alone win an award.”

"The Matrix" and others in the fifth episode of "Black Mirror II" Prometheus, "Person of Interest", and "Special Force" also have a common thread in discussing artificial intelligence.

Wang Ning was somewhat surprised by Chen Jingxing's honesty.

As for the subsequent elements about apartheid and racial discrimination, in fact, when I wanted to improve the story and make it more reasonable, interesting and shocking to the audience, I thought of the refugee issue in recent years, and then gradually filled it into the story.

of."

Is this how such an extremely offbeat alien movie came to be?

Not only did it directly award the Palme d'Or, it also allowed many European filmmakers to use the topic at the closing ceremony of Cannes to call on the government to be more tolerant, to give refugees better living conditions, to be wary of stigmatizing refugees, and to be wary of the right-wing influence caused by the refugee crisis.

Keep your head up and be alert to the possible consequences.

Even if Chen Jingxing accepts interviews in the past two years, they are mostly brief phone interviews, or answering reporters' questions at press conferences or premieres.

However, both the male and female protagonists are Chinese actors, and they all play positive roles - even the male protagonist shows a touching power after his amazing character arc.

As for the plot, you know I don't like to repeat myself. You can find that even "Mirage" and "Your Name" inherit the setting of information transmission that can travel through time and space from "Signal", or "Edge of Tomorrow" imitates "

"Source Code" has a setting that keeps going back, so I try my best to add more novel elements to the new movie.

This is really the first serious in-depth interview in two years.

"Source Code" and "Edge of Tomorrow" have similar rewind settings.

After all, Cannes is also one of the most influential film events in the world, and "District 9" is the second domestic film in history to win the Palme d'Or. The previous one was Chen Kaige's "Farewell My Concubine," which is among the best Chinese films in history.

An immortal classic.

Therefore, CCTV and DreamWorks hit it off right away, and Chen Jingxing gave "Face to Face" his first TV show opportunity in almost two years.

But obviously, Chen Jingxing's explanation of trying to reduce his "monster level" seemed to have the opposite effect on host Wang Ning.

You, Chen Jingxing, are not ordinary viewers or film critics. When a director says something like this, shouldn't others ridicule you as "you can't eat grapes" or "you're good at it"?

"Director Chen, do you think the most important thing about movies is entertainment?"

Winning the Palme d'Or is indeed a commercial benefit for "District 9". Not only has the domestic audience's attention further increased, but "District 9" has also become completely famous internationally.

Not to mention the statement "the most important thing about movies is entertainment". To be honest, this is a bit incorrect. There are many people in the film industry who pride themselves on being artistic workers, and "artistic pursuit" is also the dignity of the film industry.

Well, although Chen Jingxing’s words do not deny art, many people will definitely feel uncomfortable hearing them.

You must know that whether they are directors, screenwriters, composers or writers, all creators have something in common, that is, maybe it is style, maybe a certain creative habit, or something else. In short, there must be a core that can

Inherited.

After his slight changes, the Space Trilogy remains consistent in conception and connotation.

There was no way, this was the story he told Tian Xinye, Guo Fan and others.

This kind of flexibility and extensibility in creation is an aspect of science fiction, and it is also a relatively attractive aspect.

Therefore, she not only attaches great importance to this visit, but is also quite excited.

For example, "Fatal Identity", "Source Code" and "The Matrix" and even "Inception" which has not yet been released are in the same vein.

Obviously, Wang Ning was unable and unwilling to refute Chen Jingxing's fallacies, not to mention the fact that these fallacies came from a man who had just won the Palme d'Or.

Then I thought about how I could be uglier than the aliens in "Edge of Tomorrow". Because I am very afraid of insects, so I thought it might be awkward to incorporate the image of an arthropod, especially the mouthparts of a locust or a mantis.

It makes people's scalp numb even more, this is the image inspiration.

After all, the domestic films that had won the top three awards in Europe were more or less "critical" films that "showed China's backwardness or even its ugly face", and some even involved elements such as pornography that broke the standard.

But the most enjoyable thing about commenting on whether the refrigerator can cool is that you can actually cool it.

"..."Matrix III" and the last part of the Space Trilogy are already on the schedule. In addition, there is also a big project called "Once Upon a Time on Earth."

"'Once Upon a Time on Earth'? Is it also a science fiction work? Is it related to space?"

"It's a science fiction work, and the rest can only be kept secret for the time being."

"..." Why are you mentioning him if you don't want to reveal anything?

"'Once Upon a Time on Earth' will be a science fiction universe composed of several film and television dramas."

(End of chapter)