ส่วนตัวอยากดูหนังของ John Woo เรื่องนี้ครับ
The Crossing
John Woo carved out his reputation as the godfather of Hong Kong action movies in the 1980s before moving to Hollywood to direct the hits “Mission: Impossible II” and “Face/Off.” But for the past decade, Mr. Woo has turned to making historical epics in China. The first was the two-part “Red Cliff,” released in 2008 and 2009, about a battle fought in the year 208 for control of China.
His latest is “The Crossing,” another two-part spectacle comprising three love stories set against the turbulent backdrop of the Chinese Civil War. “I always wanted to make a film like ‘Doctor Zhivago,’ ” Mr. Woo says.
The 400 million yuan ($65 million) film takes its name from the real-life story of the steamer ship Taiping, which sank after colliding with another ship off China’s coast in 1949 while transporting people fleeing the mainland for Taiwan. More than 1,500 people perished.
The first part of “The Crossing” opened this month in China and other parts of Asia, and the second part is slated for release in the spring. (One film—an edited-down version combining both parts—is planned for the U.S., Europe and other international markets.) The cast includes some of Asia’s top stars, including actress Zhang Ziyi of China, Taiwanese-Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro and Korean actress Song Hye-kyo.
Mr. Woo sat down with the Journal to talk about preserving history through movies, what he learned in Hollywood and the rewards of working in China. Edited excerpts:
The film has been called the Chinese “Titanic,” but it’s more than a story about a sinking ship.
There are similarities between my film and “Titanic.” Both are based on true stories, but the major differences are that “The Crossing” is three love stories and they don’t all happen on the ship. My film also expresses a strong antiwar message. It’s about war, love, survival and yearning for peace, and there is a happy ending.
Because the movie is based on a real-life event, did you feel an added sense of responsibility?
Let’s put it this way: I wanted to make a movie set in this particular period of time, because precious memories, ethical values and certain characters strike a chord with audiences and are worth preserving. Everyone wants instant success nowadays, but that lifestyle means many cherished things, such as kinship and moral values, have been forgotten. Some young people don’t even know who Sun Yat-sen is—he is the founding father of modern China. Some don’t even remember the Taiping incident, so I feel a responsibility to remind today’s young people and audiences about something that they shouldn’t forget.
“The Crossing” will be released internationally next year. Did you have to keep Western audiences in mind when making the film?
With a good love story—no matter if it’s targeted at Asian or Western audiences—people will be touched regardless of the way you film it. In the past, the only way for Chinese filmmakers to break into the international market was through action films, but I think movies on love and humanity have a global appeal. The way we designed and packaged the movie will remind audiences of “Gone With the Wind.” Many countries have experienced wars and disasters, so audiences will be able to relate to the emotions portrayed in the
I hope audiences won’t forget what happened [more than] 60 years ago—a very somber historical event. I also want them to know that what they have today didn’t come so easily. I hope audiences will think, “We don’t want wars.” It’s because of wars that people have suffered with the separation from loved ones. I wanted to make this film so that people could understand how precious love is.
Given that the film is set during the Chinese Civil War, did you run into any issues with the censors?
The script went through censorship quickly—there was no problem at all. We were asked to be extremely accurate about the history. They understood it is a love story and not a political movie. But we don’t want to be reckless about other details because these are stories about the Kuomintang and the People’s Liberation Army. We were very mindful of the facts—even down to precise details, such as the uniforms, military cadence and weapons. We did a lot of research on that.
Your career has taken you from Hong Kong to Hollywood and, more recently, to China. What’s it like working in these three different film industries?
It was gratifying to make movies in Hong Kong, and I had a lot of fun. You could make whatever type of movies you liked. We didn’t need a script—we could write the screenplay while filming. The investors didn’t bother to see the rough cut, nor would they come to the shoot. We had confidence and unlimited creativity without many restrictions.
One thing about making movies in Hollywood is that you must understand American culture, or you must find a way to mesh the two cultures together. But you also need to listen to people who want to make movies more market-oriented.
There are good and bad suggestions, but you have to take them all. I quite enjoy my time in Hollywood because the environment makes me feel that movie-making is a respected career. That’s why I feel like movies have a significant cultural role in the West, as well as commercial.
What has the past decade been like working in China?
I feel excited about making m`ovies in China for the past 10 years because they also have respect for me. I can choose whatever topics that I like. No one—not the government—bothers me. I enjoy a high degree of artistic freedom—except for political issues, of course. They might give a few suggestions, but I’m not interested in making political films.
What delights me about working in China is that there is a group of young people who are eager to learn and are waiting for a chance to shine. Many already have the skills to make movies that meet Hollywood standards. Also, the Chinese film industry is growing, and many young people are waiting for an opportunity to show their work. I hope to share my experiences with them and to be an example for them.
—Joyu Wang contributed to this article.
เสียดายหนังฟอร์มยักษ์เรื่องไหนบ้างที่ไม่เข้าฉายในไทยครับ
The Crossing
John Woo carved out his reputation as the godfather of Hong Kong action movies in the 1980s before moving to Hollywood to direct the hits “Mission: Impossible II” and “Face/Off.” But for the past decade, Mr. Woo has turned to making historical epics in China. The first was the two-part “Red Cliff,” released in 2008 and 2009, about a battle fought in the year 208 for control of China.
His latest is “The Crossing,” another two-part spectacle comprising three love stories set against the turbulent backdrop of the Chinese Civil War. “I always wanted to make a film like ‘Doctor Zhivago,’ ” Mr. Woo says.
The 400 million yuan ($65 million) film takes its name from the real-life story of the steamer ship Taiping, which sank after colliding with another ship off China’s coast in 1949 while transporting people fleeing the mainland for Taiwan. More than 1,500 people perished.
The first part of “The Crossing” opened this month in China and other parts of Asia, and the second part is slated for release in the spring. (One film—an edited-down version combining both parts—is planned for the U.S., Europe and other international markets.) The cast includes some of Asia’s top stars, including actress Zhang Ziyi of China, Taiwanese-Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro and Korean actress Song Hye-kyo.
Mr. Woo sat down with the Journal to talk about preserving history through movies, what he learned in Hollywood and the rewards of working in China. Edited excerpts:
The film has been called the Chinese “Titanic,” but it’s more than a story about a sinking ship.
There are similarities between my film and “Titanic.” Both are based on true stories, but the major differences are that “The Crossing” is three love stories and they don’t all happen on the ship. My film also expresses a strong antiwar message. It’s about war, love, survival and yearning for peace, and there is a happy ending.
Because the movie is based on a real-life event, did you feel an added sense of responsibility?
Let’s put it this way: I wanted to make a movie set in this particular period of time, because precious memories, ethical values and certain characters strike a chord with audiences and are worth preserving. Everyone wants instant success nowadays, but that lifestyle means many cherished things, such as kinship and moral values, have been forgotten. Some young people don’t even know who Sun Yat-sen is—he is the founding father of modern China. Some don’t even remember the Taiping incident, so I feel a responsibility to remind today’s young people and audiences about something that they shouldn’t forget.
“The Crossing” will be released internationally next year. Did you have to keep Western audiences in mind when making the film?
With a good love story—no matter if it’s targeted at Asian or Western audiences—people will be touched regardless of the way you film it. In the past, the only way for Chinese filmmakers to break into the international market was through action films, but I think movies on love and humanity have a global appeal. The way we designed and packaged the movie will remind audiences of “Gone With the Wind.” Many countries have experienced wars and disasters, so audiences will be able to relate to the emotions portrayed in the
I hope audiences won’t forget what happened [more than] 60 years ago—a very somber historical event. I also want them to know that what they have today didn’t come so easily. I hope audiences will think, “We don’t want wars.” It’s because of wars that people have suffered with the separation from loved ones. I wanted to make this film so that people could understand how precious love is.
Given that the film is set during the Chinese Civil War, did you run into any issues with the censors?
The script went through censorship quickly—there was no problem at all. We were asked to be extremely accurate about the history. They understood it is a love story and not a political movie. But we don’t want to be reckless about other details because these are stories about the Kuomintang and the People’s Liberation Army. We were very mindful of the facts—even down to precise details, such as the uniforms, military cadence and weapons. We did a lot of research on that.
Your career has taken you from Hong Kong to Hollywood and, more recently, to China. What’s it like working in these three different film industries?
It was gratifying to make movies in Hong Kong, and I had a lot of fun. You could make whatever type of movies you liked. We didn’t need a script—we could write the screenplay while filming. The investors didn’t bother to see the rough cut, nor would they come to the shoot. We had confidence and unlimited creativity without many restrictions.
One thing about making movies in Hollywood is that you must understand American culture, or you must find a way to mesh the two cultures together. But you also need to listen to people who want to make movies more market-oriented.
There are good and bad suggestions, but you have to take them all. I quite enjoy my time in Hollywood because the environment makes me feel that movie-making is a respected career. That’s why I feel like movies have a significant cultural role in the West, as well as commercial.
What has the past decade been like working in China?
I feel excited about making m`ovies in China for the past 10 years because they also have respect for me. I can choose whatever topics that I like. No one—not the government—bothers me. I enjoy a high degree of artistic freedom—except for political issues, of course. They might give a few suggestions, but I’m not interested in making political films.
What delights me about working in China is that there is a group of young people who are eager to learn and are waiting for a chance to shine. Many already have the skills to make movies that meet Hollywood standards. Also, the Chinese film industry is growing, and many young people are waiting for an opportunity to show their work. I hope to share my experiences with them and to be an example for them.
—Joyu Wang contributed to this article.