英 雄
沈宇文
一.导演、演员介绍
1. 导演
张艺谋,中国著名电影导演,是“第五代导演”代表人物之一。1987年他执导的第一部电影《红高粱》获得第38届柏林国际电影节金熊奖,是中国在世界三大国际电影节上首次获得的最高奖项。1987年至1999年执导的《红高粱》《菊豆》《大红灯笼高高挂》《秋菊打官司》《活着》《一个都不能少》《我的父亲母亲》等电影在国内外荣获许多顶尖电影奖项,包括金熊奖、金狮奖、世界三大国际电影节评审团大奖、三次提名奥斯卡金像奖、五次提名美国电影电视金球奖等。2002年后转型执导的商业片《英雄》《十面埋伏》《满城尽带黄金甲》《金陵十三钗》,两次刷新中国电影票房纪录、四次夺得年度华语片票房冠军。2017年执导动作电影《影》,获得第55届台湾电影金马奖最佳导演奖。此外,2008年,张艺谋担任北京奥运会开幕式和闭幕式总导演,获得2008影响世界华人大奖和央视感动中国十大人物,并提名美国《时代周刊》年度人物。2016年,担任中国杭州G20峰会文艺演出总导演。2019年10月1日,担任庆祝新中国成立70周年联欢活动总导演。
2. 演员
李连杰(Jet Li),在《英雄》中饰演无名,是华语影视男演员、导演、制作人、武术运动员。1971年进入北京什刹海体校,从而开始武术运动员生涯。1975年参加全运会武术套路比赛,获得全能冠军。2002年因主演武侠片《英雄》而成为美国《时代周刊》封面人物。2010年入选美国《时代周刊》“年度最具影响力人物百人榜”。李连杰热心公益慈善。2007年创建公益组织壹基金。2009年担任世界卫生组织亲善大使。2010年担任国际红十字会亲善大使。2014年在《中国慈善家》“中国慈善名人榜”中排名第二位。
陈道明,在《英雄》中饰演秦王,中国影视男演员,国家一级演员,中国电影家协会主席。1989年凭借电视剧《末代皇帝》获得第7届中国电视金鹰奖最佳男演员和第9届中国电视剧飞天奖优秀男演员奖。1990年《围城》获得第11届“飞天奖”最佳男主角奖。1999年的《我的1919》使其获得第20届中国电影金鸡奖最佳男主角。2001年,陈道明凭借在《康熙王朝》中的演技获得了“美菱杯”观众最喜爱的男演员评选银奖和第2届阳光健康电视明星,并获得第20届中国电视金鹰奖最佳男演员提名。
甄子丹,在《英雄》中饰演长空,赢得美国1982年武术冠军。1992年凭《黄飞鸿之二——男儿当自强》获得香港金像奖最佳男配角提名。2003—2004年,凭借电影《千机变》获得第40届台湾电影金马奖最佳动作设计奖及第23届香港电影金像奖最佳动作设计奖。2006年,凭借电影《杀破狼》获得第25届香港电影金像奖最佳动作设计奖。2007—2008年,凭借电影《导火线》获得第44届台湾电影金马奖最佳动作设计奖及第27届香港电影金像奖最佳动作设计奖。2009年,凭借影片《叶问》获得第16届北京大学生电影节最佳男演员、第13届中国电影华表奖优秀境外华裔男演员奖。2011年凭借《武侠》第三次获得台湾电影金马奖最佳动作设计奖。2015年,凭借电影《一个人的武林》第四次夺得香港电影金像奖最佳动作设计奖。2017年6月,甄子丹成为美国电影艺术与科学学院“2017年奥斯卡”新成员。
其他三位主演梁朝伟、张曼玉、章子怡在本书其他单元里会有更详细的介绍,这里不再赘述。
【参考文献】
[1] 百度百科.张艺谋[DB/OL].[2020-08-19].
[2] 百度百科.李连杰[DB/OL].[2020-08-19].
[3] 百度百科.陈道明[DB/OL].[2020-08-19].
[4] 百度百科.甄子丹[DB/OL].[2020-08-19].
二.电影梗概
《英雄》是张艺谋执导的武侠电影,由李连杰、梁朝伟、张曼玉、陈道明、章子怡及甄子丹主演,于2002年12月14日上映。该片中国内地票房达2.5亿元人民币,是2002年华语电影票房冠军,全球票房共计1.77亿美元(约合14亿元人民币)。
战国后期,战火纷扰、群雄并起。先后盛极一时的七雄中,唯有秦国雄霸一方。秦王为一统天下,发动了对赵国等诸侯六国的讨伐战争。秦王野心,激起了各诸侯国侠士的强烈不满,纷纷伺机刺杀秦王。赵国刺客长空、情侣刺客残剑、飞雪三人最为秦王忌惮。秦王下令:凡能缉拿刺客长空者,可近秦王二十步;击杀残剑、飞雪者,可近秦王十步,封官加帛。三年前,情侣刺客残剑、飞雪双双闯入秦宫,刺杀秦王,但在最后时刻,残剑放弃了亲手血刃秦王的机会;残剑此举,飞雪甚为不解。从此,两人生怨。
三年后,秦国侠士无名,实为赵国人,为报“国仇家恨”,也加入到刺秦王行列。他潜入秦国,花了十年的功夫,练就了一身最为上乘的功夫“十步一杀”,即在十步之内,可击杀任何目标。无名前来与长空、残剑和飞雪商议刺秦王事宜。同门师兄长空为能让无名接近秦王,在漏顶棋馆,佯败在无名剑下。无名求助残剑、飞雪,遭到残剑的断然拒绝。残剑的态度更引来了飞雪的不满。残剑力劝无名放弃刺秦王,这使无名大为不解。在无名赴秦的路上,残剑以两字相赠无名:天下。并解释说,这是他多年悟出来的道理,秦王不可杀。积怨已深的飞雪再也不能理解残剑的劝阻行为。残剑为证明对飞雪的感情以及对社稷苍生的期待,幽怨地死在飞雪的剑下。飞雪深为愧疚,最后双双戕身戈壁大漠,剩下痴心的女仆如月独自垂泪。
无名击杀三名刺客成功,取得了十步于秦王的最高规格,秦王召见无名,询问无名刺杀三刺客的经过,无名告诉了他一个捏造挑拨离间最终得手的故事,秦王看出了破绽,说出了他自己的推测,无名最终告诉了秦王事情的真相和残剑的想法,秦王感叹残剑才是他真正的知己。在秦王放松警惕的时候,无名抓住机会,飞身刺向秦王,但实际上只是用剑柄碰了一下秦王。无名以社稷苍生为由,要求秦王一统中国,结束经年战争和历史恩怨,随后慷慨赴死,因为从此天下一定不会再有人敢刺杀秦王了。秦王虽不忍,还是下令赐死,最终无名死于秦兵矢如飞蝗的箭雨之中,秦王下令厚葬。
三.相关获奖、报刊评价情况,颁奖辞和权威的获奖评价
1.相关获奖
(续表)
2.相关评价
《英雄》再现了刺客无名肩负着刺秦王使命,以牺牲三位侠客朋友生命为代价接近秦王,在接近成功的反复抉择中为成就统一天下大业最终选择放弃、成就“英雄”形象的凄凉故事。电影采用了多线、多角度、多视角的叙事结构,在丰富多彩的视觉影像造型和绚烂多姿、浓烈的色彩对比中烘托气氛和塑造英雄形象,让电影取得了登峰造极的艺术成就。
【参考文献】
刘军杰.《红高粱》到《英雄》:张艺谋的创作转型[J].电影文学,No.690(21):102-103.
张艺谋的电影《英雄》上映三天,票房即突破了五千万,上映一星期即突破了一个亿,上映十天达1.3亿,创下了中国电影票房的最高纪录。
【参考文献】
彭万荣.《英雄》的传播学价值[J].现代传播,2003.
作为一次文化实践,张艺谋历时数年,倾情倾力拍摄、制作《英雄》,并将它成功地推向了市场,可谓圆了一回他的“武侠”梦。在中国电影“一盘棋”这个大局上,《英雄》的贡献在于抓住电影市场化、产业化的焦点而做了一篇大文章,亮出了一副唯我独有而凸显着中国武侠传奇的“东方牌”。
【参考文献】
黄式宪.《英雄》的市场凯旋及其文化悖论[J].当代电影,2003,000(002):19-22.
张艺谋是第五代导演的领军人物,作为公认的影像造型大师,现在依然扛着中国电影的大旗叱咤中国影坛,其创作生命力如此之长久归根于他一直锐意求变的精神。他曾明确宣称:“对于一个创作者来说,最重要的一点是求变,不辞辛苦地反复求变,增强自己的弹性和张力。”他的早期作品多改编自名家小说,深受新时期伤痕文学、寻根文学的影响,具有鲜明的反思、颠覆与个性解放气质,刷新了中国电影的面貌,获奖无数,以其独特的民族性赢得了世界性荣誉。然而,随着21世纪全球化浪潮和消费文化的兴起,中国的社会生活与文化观念发生了深刻嬗变,中国电影体制开始了自上而下的改革,涉及制作、营销、发行、审查等各个环节。正是在这样的产业背景下,张艺谋顺势而为,《英雄》应运而生,创造了中国电影的第一个票房神话,中国电影开始了自己的大片之旅。可以看出,以《英雄》为分水岭,张艺谋的艺术创作发生了深刻的转型。
【参考文献】
熊文泉,周夏.从“审美蕴藉”到“审美惊奇”——张艺谋电影的叙事形态分析[J].当代电影,2012,000(011):122-126.
《英雄》这部中国电影,经典得就像中国的《红楼梦》,也是我们美国奥斯卡的无冕之王。——纽约时报
《英雄》真正拉开了中国大片时代的帷幕。——华尔街日报
其风格、色彩、意境的东方风格,美轮美奂的视听奇观,华语大明星的组合,杜可风、程小东、和田惠美、谭盾等跨国跨地区制作团队的建构,为后来中国的商业大片提供了可以复制的模式。——清华大学新闻与传播学院教授,博士生导师,影视传播、大众媒介与文化产业研究著名学者尹鸿
《英雄》在结构上模仿了黑泽明的《罗生门》,但张艺谋第一次使武侠电影具有了诗意。——美国影评家罗杰·埃伯特
【参考文献】
百度百科.《英雄》[DB/OL].[2020-08-19].
四.评论文献综述
《英雄》是张艺谋导演创作第三个阶段的开始,标志着他导演的电影开始摆脱民间民俗的生活视野,面向中国现当代历史和现实题材(刘军杰,2017)。电影体现了张艺谋式“奇观电影”的风格,包括震撼人心的视觉画面带来的“视觉奇观”、“曲、奇、险、悚”的故事情节带来的“故事奇观”,还有不循常规的人物形象带来的“角色奇观”(熊文泉,周夏,2012)。
张艺谋在创作《红高粱》时就说:“电影首先必须是电影自身的力量,拍电影要多想怎么拍得‘好看’。”所以他在《英雄》这部电影的画面中倾注了很多心血,给观众呈现了一场视觉盛宴:九寨沟清澈如镜的湖面,内蒙古金灿灿的胡杨林,敦煌大漠的狂沙残阳,冷峻飘逸的武打动作,有“神韵、意境”(Linder,2003)的长袖飘舞的服装,回廊转回的建筑……无不彰显了电影可以带给观众诗意与美的力量(华建辉,2006)。“在张艺谋看来,色彩对于刺激并调动人的情绪和情感具有第一性的作用。”(张萃,2015)《英雄》这部电影中也巧妙地运用了多种色彩。比如在影片的开篇,首先进入观众视野的就是山峰环绕、大军行进的场景,基调为灰色,表现出历史的恢宏和影片的复古;无名第一次给秦王讲残剑与飞雪的故事时,画面使用火红色,包含了受到挑拨的残剑心中的躁动以及妒火,最令人印象深刻的一幕是出现在胡杨里的对决,金黄的树叶纷纷而落,两名红衣女子拼命厮杀,金黄与鲜红相互交织形成了强烈的对比,表现了爱到极致的哀戚。秦王找出无名前一个故事的破绽时运用了蓝色的画面,代表纯净冷静的蓝色把秦王的理性与睿智表达出来。蓝到极致则为青,残剑进宫刺杀秦王的时候周围的幕布是青绿色的,反映了残剑的理智与牺牲精神(艾青,2013)。《英雄》作为一部“宽银幕”的影片,电影组在画面上倾注了很多心血,根据《英雄》电影摄影师杜可风的创作手记,他在拍摄时总是一遍一遍地尝试并检查画面,防止这样那样的小错误发生(张会军,陆阳,2005)。
在主要故事情节方面,《英雄》一般被定义为武侠片。张艺谋曾说“在我看来,《英雄》首先是一个类型电影,是一个动作片或武侠片”,可以说《英雄》圆了张艺谋导演的“武侠梦”(王利丽,2003),“但是他导演的《英雄》与一般武侠电影的最大不同在于常规武侠电影叙事力量是逐渐累积的,加法式递进,最后形成高潮部分,完成善恶大决斗”,而《英雄》里的故事采取了逐渐消解的叙事方法,从“英雄”们奋力刺杀秦王到逐渐领悟出“秦王不能杀”这一无可奈何的真谛,叙事出发点给观众一个期待的高潮:最终秦王被杀的结局,但是故事展开逐渐消解了这个高潮,最后无名只是用剑柄“刺”了秦王(王海洲,2006)。“侠以武犯禁”是传统武侠快意恩仇的形象,而《英雄》中长空、残剑、飞雪、无名这样一些“挟仇”的剑客,为了“天下”放下了个人的恩怨(郭月莲,2003)。由此我们可以看出影片所倡导的“天下主义”高于“民族主义”的理念,这与当下全球化的趋势是相顺应的。张艺谋拍摄《英雄》时正是多事之秋,《英雄》开机一个月后,“9.11”事件爆发,在和《英雄》相关的纪录片《缘起》中,张艺谋也提到通过9.11感觉到的“人与人之间的这种敌意,你要消灭我,我要消灭你”和正在拍的这部电影是“有一点类似的”。因此这个故事也包含了张艺谋对国际问题的思考,是他给出的一个可能的答案。
看完《英雄》这部电影,我们不禁要问谁是真正的英雄呢?正邪对决一直是武侠片的高潮,但是这部电影却正邪难分,即将完成华夏统一大业的千古一帝秦王嬴政是英雄,“士为知己者死”的刺客长空是英雄,为大义而舍身的无名、残剑、飞雪也是英雄……每一个形象都生动饱满,有可爱之处。“《英雄》中张艺谋改写了两千多年前的刺秦王故事从而再造了历史事实,以中国传统的文人式的对侠义精神的理解,提出了一个具有东方文化与内涵的侠义命题”(吕益都,2003)——个人恩怨在“天下”、“和平”的大势面前是微不足道的,高强过人、炉火纯青的武艺不应该威胁破坏统一与稳定,而应退却顺应“大义”,消融与顺应在“大义”面前,由此才称为大侠与英雄。这一主题比局限在江湖上的快意恩仇更为厚重、深沉和大气。
《英雄》曾创下了票房第一的奇迹,超过了当时的《泰坦尼克号》,也是中国电影走向世界的典范,一直以来也有一些争议,可以反复观看,多加思考。
【参考文献】
[1] 艾青.关于电影《英雄》中美术的色彩运用探讨[J].电影文学,2013(18):147-148.
[2] 郭月莲.论《英雄》与新历史主义[J].电影文学,2003(04):9-11.
[3] 华建辉.《英雄》一场形式主义的盛宴[J].电影评介,2006(09):11-12.
[4] Linder.浪漫的故事精细的制作——解析《英雄》[J].电影文学,2003,000(002):61.打戏的场景分析.
[5] 刘军杰.《红高粱》到《英雄》:张艺谋的创作转型[J].电影文学,No.690(21):102-103.
[6] 吕益都.识大义者为英雄——谈影片《英雄》主题意蕴的表达[J].电影艺术,2003,000(002):16-18.
[7] 邱林.浅论中国书法艺术美[J].铜陵学院学报(1):68-72.
[8] 王海洲.类型规范与文化改写:全球化时代的《英雄》[J].北京电影学院学报,2006(04):1-6.
[9] 王利丽.《英雄》几味——解读《英雄》[J].电影新作,2003(02):35-37.
[10] 熊文泉,周夏.从“审美蕴藉”到“审美惊奇”——张艺谋电影的叙事形态分析[J].当代电影,2012,000(011):122-126.
[11] 张萃.从《英雄》看张艺谋电影的美学特征[J].电影文学,2015,No.641(020):91-93.
[12] 张会军,陆阳.一个奇异的神话电影《英雄》摄影师杜可风创作手记[J].北京电影学院学报,2005(4):88-94.
五.跨文化知识点
1. 书法
书法是中国特有的一种艺术样式,在世界艺术之林中占有独特的地位。它是以一定的线条作为造型材料,以笔墨纸砚为物质手段,以形音义和大量信息凝缩成的汉文字为造型基础的诉诸视觉的造型艺术。因其主要以毛笔为表现工具,所以通常意义上的书法即指毛笔书法。
毛笔书法不仅具有很大的使用价值,而且还具有很高的审美价值。由于毛笔的笔头是用兽毛或家畜毛制成的,因而具有柔软和弹性的特点,书写可以挥洒自如,从而产生抑扬顿挫、千姿百态的多种笔画,称为栩栩如生的书法艺术。正因为这种独特的书写工具,才产生出古朴柔顺的篆书、一波三折蚕头雁尾的隶书、行云流水的行书和龙飞凤舞的草书。
作为一门艺术的书法与其他艺术样式如绘画、音乐、舞蹈、建筑、戏曲都有一定的共通性,沃兴华先生曾说:“如果说西方一切艺术都是趋向音乐的状态,那么在中国,一切艺术都与书法有不解之缘。”因此《英雄》电影将残剑练字与配乐、舞剑等和谐地结合起来,给观众更好的艺术享受(邱林,2003)。
2. 古琴
无名和长空在漏顶棋馆意念决斗时老者弹奏的就是古琴,古琴是中国最古老的传统弹拨乐器,是中华文化中的瑰宝,是人类口头和非物质遗产代表作。传说原始时代黄帝就创造了最初的古琴,西周时期已广为流传,并与瑟、鼓等乐器在祭祀时演奏。湖北曾侯乙墓出土的实物距今有二千四百余年,唐宋以来历代都有古琴精品传世。存见南北朝至清代的琴谱百余种,琴曲达三千首,还有大量关于琴家、琴论、琴制、琴艺的文献,遗存之丰硕堪为中国乐器之最。隋唐时期古琴还传入东亚诸国,并为这些国家的传统文化所汲取和传承。近代又伴随着华人的足迹遍布世界各地,成为西方人心目中东方文化的象征。古琴是最古老也是最纯粹的传统乐器。
有着3000多年悠久历史的古琴音乐,是中国音乐的重要组成部分,是中国传统音乐文化的代表。宋代陈旸在《乐书》中提到“琴者,乐之统也”,这一语道出了琴在中国古代音乐中的地位。中国古琴从形制到曲目,从特殊的记谱方式到丰富的演奏技巧,都体现了中国音乐艺术的至高境界。古琴音乐具有深沉蕴藉、潇洒飘逸的风格特点和感人至深的艺术魅力,最擅长用“虚”、“远”来制造一种空灵的美感,追求含蓄的、内在的神韵和意境,它既有丰富的内涵,又有表面来看极简约、自由、散漫的外在形式。只有深入研究古琴音乐,才能对中国音乐的博大精深有更真切的认识。
《高山流水》是中国著名的古琴曲,也是中国十大古曲之一,这首曲子的名字也是一个典故。相传春秋时期,俞伯牙擅长弹奏琴弦,钟子期擅长听音辨意。有一次,伯牙来到泰山(今武汉市汉阳龟山)北面游览时,突然遇到了暴雨,只好滞留在岩石之下,心里寂寞忧伤,便拿出随身带的古琴弹了起来。刚开始,他弹奏了反映连绵大雨的琴曲;接着,他又演奏了山崩似的乐音。恰在此时,樵夫钟子期忍不住在临近的一丛野菊后叫道:“好曲!真是好曲!”原来,在山上砍柴的钟子期也正在附近躲雨,听到伯牙弹琴,不觉心旷神怡,在一旁早已聆听多时了,听到高潮时便情不自禁地发出了由衷的赞赏。俞伯牙听到赞语,赶紧起身和钟子期打过招呼,便又继续弹了起来。伯牙凝神于高山,赋意在曲调之中,钟子期在一旁听后频频点头:“好啊,巍巍峨峨,真像是一座高峻无比的山啊!”伯牙又沉思于流水,隐情在旋律之外,钟子期听后,又在一旁击掌称绝:“妙啊,浩浩荡荡,就如同江河奔流一样呀!”伯牙每奏一支琴曲,钟子期就能完全听出它的意旨和情趣,这使得伯牙惊喜异常。他放下了琴,叹息着说:“好呵!好呵!您的听音、辨向、明义的功夫实在是太高明了,您所说的跟我心里想的真是完全一样,我的琴声怎能逃过您的耳朵呢?”二人于是结为知音,并约好第二年再相会论琴。可是第二年伯牙来会钟子期时,得知钟子期不久前已经因病去世。俞伯牙痛惜伤感,难以用语言表达,于是就摔破了自己从不离身的古琴,从此不再抚弦弹奏,以谢平生难得的知音。“高山流水”作为成语流传了下来,比喻知己或知音,也比喻乐曲高妙。
【参考文献】
邱林.浅论中国书法艺术美[J].铜陵学院学报(1):68-72.
六.讨论题
1.西方电影中有很多英雄的形象,比如美国的漫威英雄,挑选一个其他国家电影中的英雄与《英雄》中的形象进行比较,说说他们有什么相同和不同。
2.《英雄》电影中残剑写的“剑”字是篆书,课后查找资料,看一看篆书有什么特点,汉字的发展又是怎样的。
3.在电影中我们可以看到秦王宫殿的主色调是黑色:黑色的柱子、黑色的瓦片、黑色的地面、黑色的屋顶,导演采用黑色符合历史事实吗?在中国古代其他朝代的宫殿又是什么颜色呢?背后有怎样的文化原因呢?
4.电影《英雄》的摄影师杜可风说“红色是如此的中国化”,红色在中国文化中有什么独特的含义呢?红色在其他国家又有怎样不一样的内涵呢?
History,Culture,and Love in Zhang Yimou's Hero
Bryan W. Van Norden and Jing Hu
Hero(Yīng xióng 英雄,Chinese release: 2002; US release: 2004),
Directed by Zhang Yimou张艺谋
Hero is an exciting,visually stunning,and emotionally gripping Chinese film that received a very positive reception in America.It is the first Chinese⁃language film to place number one in the US box office; it was nominated for an Academy Award; and Pulitzer⁃Prize winning critic Roger Ebert spoke for many when he said that the film “demonstrates how the martial arts genre transcends action and violence and moves into poetry,ballet and philosophy” (Ebert,2004). (Larson 2010 presents an excellent overview of the range of issues discussed by North American critics of Hero.)
Hero is set at the end of the Warring States Period (403-221 BCE).During this time,China was divided into independent states that fought for supremacy and sometimes just for survival. Eventually,the state of Qin defeated the other states and unified China. (Our name “China” comes from an old spelling of Qin as “Ch'in.”) After the King of Qin (259-210 BCE) led his state to victory,he became the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty,Qín Shǐhuángdì 秦始皇帝. The King of Qin has always been a controversial figure. Later Confucians portrayed him as a ruthless despot,and argued that only a genuinely virtuous ruler can win the loyalty of his people and achieve stable and long⁃lasting rule. However,there have always been those who praised the King of Qin,particularly because he brought to an end centuries of brutal warfare and social chaos by unifying China.
This is one of the ethical dilemmas at the center of Hero:how do we evaluate a ruler whose ruthless methods made possible an era of peace and prosperity? In more philosophical terms,can the ends justify the means? This leads naturally to a more personal question: what should individuals do when torn between,on the one hand,their loyalty to friends,lovers,and their local communities,and on the other hand their commitment to the greater good of “the world”?
The genre of Hero,the wǔxiá 武侠film,does not exist in Western cinema. A typical wuxia film is set in traditional China,where a poor,lower class,but noble individual fights powerful wrongdoers,using the amazing martial arts skills he has cultivated. Wuxia protagonists are usually male,but Hero is not unique in featuring wuxia heroines who fight as well as the men (see Edwards 2010).
The fight scenes in wuxia are unashamedly unrealistic,with characters jumping dozens and in some cases hundreds of feet into the air. The acrobatics of wuxia films are sometimes dismissively referred to as “Wire⁃Fu,” because the actors are moved around by cables that are digitally removed in editing (see Farquhar 2010 on the use of visual effects in the film). However,to mock wuxia fights as unrealistic would be childish. An wuxia story exists in mythic space,the same order of reality where Odysseus blinds the cyclops,and Harry Potter boards the train to Hogwarts Express at Platform 93/4. Myths like these are important,because their exaggerated fictions reveal deep truths about ourselves and our world that might otherwise be hidden from us. The Western genre closest to wuxia is the American Western,and it's important to realize how much myth and fantasy those stories involve (like the sheriff who single⁃handedly defeats an army of bandits while shooting his six⁃shooter from the hip).
In addition to being in a distinctively Chinese genre,scenes in Hero feature many aspects of traditional Chinese culture. The first major fight scene takes place against the background of a game of wéiqí 围棋 (better known in the US by its Japanese name,go) accompanied by music played with the gǔqín 古琴 (an ancient stringed instrument known to Confucius). A later fight scene takes places in a school of calligraphy (shūfǎ 书法),reflecting the traditional beliefs that a person's character is revealed in their calligraphy (zì rú qí rén 字如其人),and that “the way of the sword and the way of the brush are one (shū jiàn hé yī 书剑合一).”
One of the aspects of Hero that transcends the stereotypical wuxia film is the complexity of its narrative. The overarching structure is provided by an audience between a Nameless (Wúmíng 无名) warrior and the King of Qin (秦王). Nameless has come to receive rewards for killing three people who were trying to assassinate the King.However,as the King listens,he skillfully deduces that Nameless is lying,and forces him to tell the true stories. (The King is also alerted to Nameless's true intent because—in another reference to traditional Chinese culture—the murderous “spirit” [qì 气] that Nameless emanates disturbs the candles in front of him.)In all,we will be told five stories by Nameless and the King (and “see” a sixth story ourselves).
Director Zhang Yimou suffuses each story with its own distinctive color scheme.This is partially a device to help the audience keep track of the different storylines,but as Jia⁃xuan Zhang (2005) points out,the use of color is also symbolic: it “could suggest that it is often difficult to see what is true or false.” Some colors also have specific meanings,while others are very multi⁃valent.
· Black is the dominant color in the audience between Nameless and the King of Qin that “bookends” the other stories. (Black was,in fact,the official color of the Qin court. The costumes and set design in this film are generally historically accurate.)
· Blue⁃green (qīng青,a color we have no name for in English) is the dominant color in the story in which Nameless kills Long Sky (Cháng Kōng 长空).
· Red is the dominant color in the story in which Nameless induces Flying Snow (Fēixuě飞雪) to kill Broken Sword (Cánjiàn 残剑) and Moon (Rúyuè 如月). As Zhang (2005) suggests,“… red serves to highlight the warriors' valiant fighting spirits,and,in turn,the bloodiness of the violence. However,red is not associated with strong intellect,which may allude to what is lacking in those warriors.”
· Blue is the dominant color in the story in which Flying Snow allows Nameless to kill her as part of a plot to assassinate the King of Qin.
· White is the dominant color in the story in which Broken Sword tries to convince Flying Snow and Nameless not to kill the King of Qin. White is traditionally associated with purity,but in China it is also associated with mourning.
· Green is the dominant color in the story,set a few years in the past,in which Flying Snow and Broken Sword successfully storm the King's palace,but Broken Sword spares the King of Qin at the last moment. Zhang (2005) argues that green suggests the youth (and immaturity) of the characters at the start of this episode.
· White is again the dominant color in the story in which Flying Snow tries to kill Broken Sword for interfering in the plot to assassinate the King.
Most of the stories are told by Nameless (blue⁃green,red,and the first white story),but some are told by the King of Qin (the blue and green stories),and one (the second white story) is revealed to the audience without the intermediary of a narrator.Some of the stories are true,some are simply false,and others are not fully true but reveal truths about the personalities of the people involved.
Near the end of the film,Broken Sword writes two words in the sand. We later learn that the characters are tiān xià天下.Literally,this means “[all] under Heaven” and is an idiomatic expression for “everyone in the world.” Broken Sword is telling Nameless that,in deciding whether to go through with the plan to assassinate the King of Qin,he should consider not just his own preferences or those of any of the states destroyed by Qin,but what will benefit people as a whole. However,there is some controversy over the precise meaning of this expression and how to translate it into English. Does “[all] under Heaven” refer only to China (which was “the world” for people in the Warring States Period) or does it refer to “the world” as we know it today (of which China is just one part)? In other words,is the message of the film one of Chinese nationalism or international cosmopolitanism? Chen and Rawnsley argue that this ambiguity allows the phrase tiān xià to become “simply a pretext for the filmmaker to maximize his artistic expression rather than a real statement rooted in Chinese political thought” (2010: 87).
The inconsistent narratives in Hero may remind film buffs of the Japanese classic Rashōmon (罗生門,1950,directed by Kurosawa Akira). However,part of what is distinctive about Rashōmon is that the audience is never sure which story,if any,is true. Rashōmon is ultimately skeptical of the truth and,in many ways,cynical about human motivations.In Hero we are led closer and closer to the truths of who the characters really are,and as we do we become more convinced of the personal integrity of each. The tragedy of Hero is that the people who are inevitably and fatally opposed are each “right” in their own way.
Whether you enjoy it for its breathtaking cinematic beauty,its complex narrative,or its moving depictions of conflicting personal loves and loyalties,it is undeniable that Hero is a cinematic masterpiece.
Discussion Questions
1.The Chinese title is ambiguous between the singular “Hero” and the plural “Heroes.” Who is or are the hero/es of the film? Or is there no hero?
2.Which colors correspond to the true stories and which colors correspond to the false stories? In what ways do some of the false stories reveal truths about the personalities of the characters involved?
3.Explain the ethical dilemmas that lead to the conflict between Broken Sword,Flying Snow,and Nameless. Who do you think makes the right choice? Can you think of other ethical situations (either in Chinese or Western history) that are parallel to the political dilemmas and personal conflicts explored in the film?
4.Do you find the loyalty of Moon to Broken Sword admirable or pathetic? In general,is the portrayal of women in this story empowering or does it reinforce patriarchal stereotypes?
References
1.Berry,Michael. 2005. “Zhang Yimou: Flying Colors.” In Speaking in Images: Interviews with Contemporary Chinese Filmmakers, 108-140.New York:Columbia University Press.
2.Chen,Xiaoming and Ming⁃Yeh T. Rawnsley. 2010. “On Tian Xia (‘All under Heaven’) in Zhang Yimou's Hero,” in Rawnsley and Rawnsley,2010, 78-89.
3.Ebert,Roger. 2004. “Astonishing ‘Hero’ Transcends the Martial Arts Drama.”https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hero⁃2004.RogerEbert.com, August 26.
4.Edwards,Louise. 2010. “Twenty⁃First Century Women Warriors.”in Rawnsley and Rawnsley 2010, 65-76.
5.Farquhar,Mary. 2010. “Visual Effects Magic.” In Rawnsley and Rawnsley 2010, 184-197.
6.Larson,Wendy. 2010. “North American Reception of Zhang Yimou's Hero.” in Rawnsley and Rawnsley 2010, 152-168.
7.Rawnsley,Gary D. and Mint⁃Yeh T. Rawnsley,eds. 2010.Global Chinese Cinema:The Culture and Politics of “Hero.” New York: Routledge.
8.Zhang, Jia⁃xuan. 2005. “Hero.” Film Quarterly 58 (4) : 47-52.https://film⁃quarterly.org/2005/06/01/herol.