I have always loved the story of the Butterfly Lovers. I think it's one of the best Chinese love story ever. I was then very interested to know this story cause usually Butterfly Lovers are in movie or stage play format, so I wanted to see how it can be done in drama form.
I am pleasantly surprised. These people thought of every plot available. It shows how ShanBo and YingTai becomes friends, then lovers...specifically. Almost half of the episodes were about their school life, and the rest is how their love strengthened, tested and proved.
It also added colorful characters like YingTai's dad, ShanBo's servant, and the headmaster's two children.
The story develops in a medium rate, therefore it isn't agonizing slow but sometimes it can be a little too draggy. When you think that one character to resurface is a waste of time, it will prove that it isn't a waste of time, cause it will prove ShanBo's and YingTai's undying love for each other.
The acting is somewhat natural though the scenes are not so. The fighting scenes need help as it was obvious that they don't use real swords, kinda like Shaw Brothers' era. To me, it doesn't matter if they want the audience to focus on the love story. I believe that you must make all parts look real enough.
As this is a 2007 production, the use of computer graphics are extensive, like when the kite is in the sky, the opening of the tomb, or even the pricking of the finger (cause to really bite the finger and expect it to burst out blood is not simple at all!) and even the butterflies. But at least it looks more convincing than Shaw's Love Eterne. Gosh, looking back at all those Shaw Brothers' show does make me laugh....所谓笑到断腰.
But I'm pleased on how they 'explained' why ShanBo being a very tough village kid can die so easily (because he was hit by 5 balls in a row when he told Ma WenCai to leave YingTai alone, kicked by a horse on the chest once and never really rest from it, he was nearly beaten to death once...). It also showed why YingTai agreed to marry Ma WenCai (because after her 8th brother died, her mom kinda broke down). It also showed all of their love's tenacity...It also showed how Ma WenCai became so power hungry (because his mother killed herself and he felt that the only way to win affection is to be power hungry).
However, I feel that the last 3 episodes were incomplete and the pace was forced. In the last fourth episode (epi. 38), YingQi was injured. In ep. 39, he dies. But there was no funeral for him, no big white lanterns hanging outside their house. It seems like he just disappeared into thin air after he died.
The reason why I pointed this out is because for the earlier episodes, everything was done in detail. Even XinLian 'resurrecting' was also done in detailed. So, to have a sudden end is slightly abrupt and trifle confusing.
There are also a contradiction in the last 3 episodes. Furen tells YingTai to marry Ma WenCai, YingTai agrees because of Zhu's family. But then she dies, rendering the whole promise worthless. The Zhu family is still in the verge of ruin. I know, she dies because ShanBo dies, but if so, then what's the point of making the promise? In earlier, when ShanBo break ties with YingTai, YingTai disappears into the river. ShanBo REALISED his words have hurt her beyond his imagination and tried to rectify them, so then it wasn't so contradictory. They at least gave ShanBo an outlet to explain his actions but YingTai, no.
And again, back to YingQi's death. Nobody seemed to know. Not even his love interest. Not even the public. Why? Is it because he's the 8th son and not the first? To have the whole plot so detailed in the first 38 episodes and then end abruptly in the last three isn't very bright.
Watching the ending will make you wish that they were back in school days, cause it was happier, albeit all the jealousy and whatevers. After they return from school, everything was tears, heartbreak and more tears. Love, yes. It was there. Comedy, yes. It was there. But the bulk of it were much sorrow. It can't be help cause it is a tragic love story. Yet I would call it as bittersweet. At least they turn into butterflies. But I still feel the last 3 epis were abrupt.
I give a 3.7 out of 5.
Characters & Cast:
Peter Ho 何润东 as Liang ShanBo
This is my first watching Peter acting. Yeah, I know what he acted in before, but this was still the first. I think he fits the bookworm ShanBo well enough. He also can cry superbly till it looks a little disgusting. But yeah, he fits the bookworm part well. Though how ShanBo suddenly resort to violence in the end is a mystery. (tearing down paper decos in his room like a raving mad man.)
Dong Jie 董洁 as Zhu YingTai
This is my first time seeing Dong Jie. She is pretty and smart enough for YingTai's role. It's a pretty good match between character and cast. And she can shed tears like the watertap. When you want it, she can do it. Though to the audience, it's so obvious she's a girl. How ShanBo remained so dense it's another mystery.
Chen GuanLin 陈冠林 as Ma WenCai
I kinda pity this guy. He has to act both pitiful and mad at the same time. But this guy can shiver up and cry in the closet. He also is good looking enough to be looking high and mighty. Though I think when he grin, it looks way better than just smiling. But his character is the one you will hate at first, pity in the middle, hate again then mixed feeling in the end. But yeah, cast fits character well.
Characters I like:
1. Zhu YingQi
He is prob just a side character, but oh, is he so dashing. Especially when he fights, he would be oh so great. He's also a fun character alongside his dad as he would also play cute with his sister and dad. 超有帅气! He is also impulsive, probably what killed him. But he is very very caring, not paying attention to his enemies from behind, but smiling as he ask XinLian to go quickly. Probably what killed him too. I cried unfair when he died.
2. Zhu YuanWai
This father is the lovable of all characters. He is a bit childish and loves to argue with his 8th son. YingTai sometimes will also play argue with him, because he's so fun to play with. He even give YingTai a piggyback ride. But he became more serious when YingQi died, because he felt useless since he could not protect both his wife and son. I wonder how he feel when he knows his golden child dies too?
Characters I dislike:
1. Gu XinLian
She used to be a very nice girl, then she became selfish and greedy. Hey, she uses Su An and throws YingTai to the river without even feeling remorse. Who will like her?
2. Fuzi
He's always so loving the rich, and looking down on the poor. Then he super kiasi (scared of death) so he's a big time coward. Even so, he proved his courage in the end.
3. Qin JingSheng 秦京生
He's a classmate of the primary characters. He's also the man who LiangYu was in love with but then send her to the brothel to pay his school fees. An A-class jerk of all ages.
4. Wang LanTian 王蓝田
He's a despicable jerk, another classmate of the primary characters. Another A-class jerk. He sells XinLian to the brothel so he can sleep with her. What's to like?
Soundtrack:
Three main songs. Also uses some from Shaw's Love Eterne. If you have watched the Shaw production, you will recognize them. The starting song is 远方 (faraway) sung by 红布条 (Hong BuTiao) and 李悦君 (Erica Li).
远方
怎奈黎明不懂哀伤 双人成单
谁能忘记那段时光 离别容易再见难
风, 吹不动沧桑 雨, 轻弹在眼眶
这世界还有谁温暖
我在远方, 盼到心慌, 山海苍茫, 触景情伤
我在远方, 相思更漏短, 泪湿白衣裳
我在远方, 花落心残, 生亦何欢, 死也难安
我在远方, 伤心椅栏杆, 等到人断肠
你在远方
我在远方, 想起过往, 心薄裘寒, 泪眼凝霜
我在远方, 最是情难忘, 忍不住惆怅
我在远方, 惜君如常, 天上人间, 蝶舞成双
我在远方, 魂与梦为伴, 千古共向晚
你在远方
The ending theme song is sung by Peter himself, entitled Flying Together 双飞...
双飞
不等来世再相约 今生就要无恨无悔
不问前缘我是谁 只管今尘和你日日月月
我愿与你雪中泥 红尘寸寸泥中血
冷暖相随 悲欢同泪
朝朝暮暮相依偎
我是萍 你是水
相逢相爱不是罪
地久哭 天长泪
为你染红我的血
我愿与你双双飞
我愿与你双双飞
今生有了你我梦一回
来世等你将我醉
我愿与你双双飞
飞离红尘是与非
人间痴情迢迢不归路
不如天上比翼蝶
The song that always appear with YingQi and LiangYu or YingQi alone or LiangYu alone is 菱花镜 (some kind of mirror, used by ancient people) sung by Erica Li. See, even YingQi has a theme song of his own.
菱花镜
一杯伤心酒 两滴相思泪
到如今 菱花镜里空憔悴
莫问当年朱颜带绿翠
只怨谁 错把鸳鸯配
芳华任谁贪 凭君枝头占
不承望 花飞粉谢朱落散
待得来日霜鬓垂肩乱
回头看 不见来时伴
Thus end my review for Butterfly Lovers (2007). With a dosage of old Chinese words, poetry..with a dosage of tears, humor and a truckload of love, this is a nice drama, can get addicted, but may leave you flustered, wishing there was one more episode to explain what happen to all the side characters, even Ma WenCai himself.
EDIT:
All pictures come from here. The official website is also at the same place. But it's in Chinese.
No comments:
Post a Comment