Original title: TV series “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves”: Youthful expression opens up a new picture of major revolutionary themes
Reporter Su Mo
As a key TV series of the State Administration of Radio and Television, a key support project of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, a key literary and artistic project of “Beijing Audio-Visual”, and a tribute work to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Mao Zedong, “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” has Gao Jun as the chief producer. Ma Jihong serves as the chief screenwriter, Liu Biao directs, and Liu Chenglin and Mi Zhuoqing star in the film. It takes young Mao Zedong as the main narrative line and tells the story of Mao Zedong from 1918 when he graduated from Hunan First Normal University to when he attended the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1921. An extraordinary revolutionary journey. Recently, a seminar on the play was held in Beijing.
At the seminar, Gao Changli, director of the TV Drama Department of the State Administration of Radio and Television, said that “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” tells the story of Mao Zedong’s three years in Beijing, “Ask the Cangmang” tells the story of his seven years back in Hunan, and Mao Zedong’s critical ten years in his youth. These two works show his life journey in great detail. “This is the story of the generation of young people a hundred years ago who traveled from a foreign land to their hometown. Why these two works can resonate with today’s young people is not only that the historical details give everyone richer information, but more importantly, they are like a mirror that reflects The struggle experience of that generation of young people a hundred years ago has many similarities with the situation of today’s young people, which has given great encouragement and inspiration to today’s young people. Therefore, these good works must continue to be disseminated and exert their artistic and historical value. and social value.”
Zhang Su, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau, commented that “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” has filled the gap in TV drama creation. Behind the arduous creation despite difficulties and heavy burdens is a strong historical initiative and mission. “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” completes the magnificent writing of the youth theme of the Chinese revolution with a youthful and youthful artistic expression. The youth narrative and youth dialogue that run through it are the brilliance of profound thoughts and the shining light of life, which are Mao Zedong’s Ideological progress and mental journey. “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” holds high the brightest banner of youth, sings the loudest song of youth, and vividly presents Mao Zedong’s arduous pursuit of youth years. The exciting and inspiring youth story, with the hot and brilliant youth background, provides a The young people of the new era have thickly planted red genes and continued spiritual blood, which provides spiritual calcium and a source of strength. It also inspires us to muster up the spirit to embark on a new journey and forge ahead in a new era, and go on an expedition full of glory and dreams.”
Looking back on the creative process of “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves”, Ma Jihong, the chief screenwriter of the drama, summed it up with the words “persistence”, “faith” and “struggle”: “Insist on selecting and using new people, and this direction will not waver. This drama is the biggest Its characteristic is youth. The actors in the play are basically all born after 2000. The eldest Liu Chenglin, who plays Mao Zedong, was born in 1996. The casting process is open, fair and impartial, and no conditions or qualifications are followed, and only the best will be hired. The casting method has brought a breath of fresh air into the entertainment industry.” Ma Jihong said: “Our crew set up a temporary party branch, took party classes, studied party history, visited Chairman Mao’s former residence and memorial hall, and entered Peking University Dialogue with young students from Xiangtan University to inspire young actors to play great men, learn from great men, truly enter history, and inspire actors’ sense of responsibility and mission. This vivid theme education is a baptism of the soul for actors, and it is also a A kind of growth and sublimation. During the more than 120 days of filming, the actors wore cotton robes to shoot winter scenes in the hot summer. No one complained, and they still had a fever of 39 degrees. As filming was about to wrap up, the director didn’t sleep a wink for a full 36 hours. Not so much They are filming, rather than using love, affection, heart, and life to build their ideals.”
“As a native of the chairman’s hometown, I am particularly proud to be able to make a TV series about China’s great leader and hero.” Liu Biao, the director of the drama, said that “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” is a heroic story; it is a life legend that shakes the world and weeps ghosts and gods. ; It is a song of youth and life that pays tribute to the first generation of pioneers of China’s liberation movement. “This is a youthful memory about people’s ideals, beliefs, emotions and love. It tells people that no matter it is the despair of hunger and cold, or the desperate situation of blood and rain, once the fire of ideals is ignited and the light of faith is illuminated, When it is bright, human life will burst out with endless spiritual power, and all kinds of hardships can be conquered. Only by advocating heroes can heroes be born, and only by striving to be heroes can heroes be born in large numbers. I hope to always make stories about heroes.”
Liu Chenglin, who plays Mao Zedong, said that as an actor, his concept for the character is that he hopes to be him, live and grow together in his story. “This film was filmed for 125 days, and I had a total of 690 scenes. This was not an easy task. I think the physical labor can be overcome, but the difficulties encountered in creation will make people very fragile. This search for The process is the same as the process of the group of young people in the story looking for the light. I gained a lot of energy from them. For me, this growth is from the inside out, all-round growth, which allowed me to find the The root under the actor’s feet and the light in his heart.”
Mi Zhuoqing, who plays Yang Kaihui, said that as a new actor who has just graduated, it is like a dream to play Yang Kaihui. “What is a good performance? In that time and environment, I am not performing her, I am her, thinking what she thinks and loving what she loves. This experience has been throughout my life. Yang Kaihui and her spirit seem to be It exists quietly in my body, and I don’t want to separate it. When we play great people, we also learn from great people, learn from Yang Kaihui’s sincerity, strength, bravery, and learn from her kindness and cheerfulness. These have baptized me and nourished me. Throughout the creation During the process, she made me understand more about giving and loving, which is a very happy thing.”
Regarding the creative features of “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves”, Zhong Chengxiang, a librarian of the Central Research Institute of Literature and History, spoke highly of “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” as a work that goes into the depths of history, digs deeper into thoughts, and penetrates beyond the living world into the spiritual world. . “Mao Zedong was the pioneer and forerunner of the Sinicization of Marxism, and the founder of Chinese modernization. The glorious journey of young Mao Zedong is vividly presented in “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves”, which is a reflection of artistic workers’ firm cultural confidence and more conscious Historical consciousness, showing major revolutionary themes with a correct view of history, has reached a new height and provided new experience. “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” has taken a big step forward in grasping the unity of historical reality and artistic reality. .”
Li Jingsheng, vice president of the China Federation of Radio and Television Social Organizations, commented that “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” is an eye-catching work among the major revolutionary-themed creations this year. If it could be summed up in one word, it would be “new.” He said: “New themes, new expression techniques, and a new cast have changed the performance style of revolutionary historical themes. The play reproduces the youthful years and growth process of revolutionaries, and provides a new perspective for the creation of major revolutionary TV dramas. In terms of innovative expression and aesthetic improvement in the new era, three major explorations have been made: first, the two-way interweaving and interaction of the vast historical era scene and the delicate growth experience of the characters; second, the integration of youthful artistic expression and the sense of historical heaviness. Third, it infuses the depth of thought with emotional concentration, showing the rich spiritual world of a generation of outstanding young people.”
“This is another peak in the creation of major revolutionary historical films.” Huang Rujun, former director of the Scientific Research and Management Department of the Central Party History Research Office, praised “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves”. Stories tell history and use history to see the times. In this regard, he talked about five points of his feelings: “First, it is youthful and inspirational. “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” is the spiritual high ground for young people; second, the story is novel and the performance is fascinating; third, the characters are brilliant and charming. In my opinion, Among the TV series I have watched, this one has the best performance by Yang Kaihui; fourth, the plot is sincere and touching; fifth, it has a strong humanistic atmosphere and a fresh atmosphere.”
Wang Yichuan, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Literary Critics Association, talked about some thoughts on the topic “Redrawing the Dream-Seeking Dreams of Young Revolutionary Great Men”: “First, vivid and good stories are imagined in the intertextual blending of historical document fragments. High credibility; second, select and use new actors to redraw the landscape of the times when young Mao Zedong was searching for a revolutionary path, with a realistic sense of the scene; third, multiple emotional lines are closely integrated, turning reason into emotion, blending emotion and reason, and all rivers returning to the sea. ; Fourth, among the many group portraits, the images of young revolutionary greats are highlighted and mirror images of each other.”
According to Lu Rong, a professor at the School of Drama, Film and Television of Communication University of China, the emotional power of the emotional drama in “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” and the full impact of this aesthetic and cultural sense of history are touching: “First, the sense of youth and the sense of youth that hit you. With a sense of life, it composes a prelude to the blazing youth of a prosperous era; secondly, it enriches the appearance of great men with daily activities, character interactions, multi-dimensional family clues and important emotional episodes in growth; thirdly, it uses characters as the Central creation, with Chairman Mao as the core, led the legendary figures of that era and collectively formed the scene of an era; fourth, some aesthetic passages that sublimate freehand brushwork are full of affection and expressiveness. For example, Cheng Menlixue, Academy Wenxin , Love at the Huxiang Guild Hall on a snowy night, Memorial under the stars, etc.”
Li Chunli, senior editor of “Guangming Daily”, believes that the term “special actor” basically does not exist now. In fact, the current audience does not pay special attention to the external appearance of actors, and pays more attention to the spiritual resemblance of actors’ performances. The young people in “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” from 1918 to 1921 were in their teens and twenties at the time. New actors had to be used, and their acting skills were indeed refreshing. “A young man more than a hundred years ago had to make a living and find a way out for the country. The display of this journey is very down-to-earth, and the interpretation of the great man is also very diverse. Although the play describes Mao Zedong’s growth as an ordinary young man , but it also writes about his extraordinary side. In addition to enduring the pain that ordinary people cannot bear, Mao Zedong’s inner drive is very strong. He really gave up his personal life and his family and had the world in mind. This is a man who has been given the mission of the times. He is the great man.”
“In terms of cultivating new talents, “Kunpeng Strikes the Waves” is particularly worthy of recognition.” Yi Kai, secretary-general of the China Television Arts Committee, concluded: “At the important moment of commemorating the 130th anniversary of the birth of Comrade Mao Zedong, boldly casting new actors in such a major revolutionary-themed work is a bold practice for the TV series to continue its red blood. It is worthy of respect to implement the initiative of ‘educating new people’ proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the National Propaganda and Ideological Work Conference.”
