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Aug 2012 - QQ Entertainment Cover People (Vol. 12)

 
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yitian



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 413
Location: United States

PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:12 pm    Post subject: Aug 2012 - QQ Entertainment Cover People (Vol. 12)






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yitian



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 413
Location: United States

PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:14 pm    Post subject:



《封面人物》梁朝伟:我拍戏就为好玩

http://ent.qq.com/zt2012/bigstar12/index.htm#anchor_top

专访室里有一盏灯特别亮,将整个场地照的如同片场,梁朝伟坐在白的近乎刺眼的光亮里,眼睛睁得特别大,漆亮漆亮的瞳仁。采访中他只有眨眼没有眯眼,等采访完我回头看灯,被晃得完全睁不开,问他是怎么做到的,“常年拍电影,习惯了。”

关于梁朝伟,采访之前宣传方给了两个方案,总共一个小时的专访时间,四家媒体一起采或者每家十五分钟,四家媒体派来的清一色女记者,异口同声“分开 采”。是的,大概没有女记者会放弃与梁朝伟面对面十五分钟的机会,至于他能讲出什么已经完全不重要了,大家太熟悉他了,保持了30年的风度和笑容,而且在 《色戒》之后,连他的身材尺寸似乎都可以讨论了。

电影中,他单靠眼睛便可演戏

采访那天下着似乎永无尽头 的绵绵小雨,地点约在上海外滩3号的顶楼餐厅里。我们的摄影师梦想能拍一组照片──梁朝伟从车上下来,忧郁的看一眼天,再慢慢步入这幢很有年头的大楼里, 追加一个灰灰的背影。沟通不成,摄影师只好撕了一张有梁朝伟半身像的《听风者》的海报,让它浸着雨水从高处慢慢飘落,反正这部电影也是一个灰暗、忧伤的故事。导演麦庄二人和编剧麦家分别在接受不同媒体的采访,麦家说这个角色让梁朝伟来演他就放心大胆的撒手让他们改,哪怕是安在天变成了向张爱玲致敬的张学宁。张学宁的爱情是另外一种古怪,“如果你爱上了一个不爱你的人,怎么办呢?你会跟他作朋友吗?太虚伪了吧,你会跟他变成仇人吗?太小气了吧。这个感情太危险了”。梁朝伟就是那个不爱周迅(张学宁)的人。

王家卫曾说:“梁朝伟是可以不要嘴巴的,单靠他的眼睛就可以演戏。”侯孝贤说,“梁朝伟太精准了。他的精准,显得他鹤立鸡群,跟其他人产生差距,需要调整。”所以他会认为自己在 《悲情城市》中演的不好,而像《三个夏天》里,他和饰演他情人的叶玉卿仿佛有了一个气场将周围的土气驱离开来。梁朝伟的气质是属于都市的,如果放在古代也是王莲生那样养尊处优的官宦子弟,因此才有跟侯孝贤二度合作的《海上花》,还特地为了梁朝伟把王莲生改成原籍广东,这样他一口不咸不淡沪粤夹杂的口音就理直气壮了。

梁朝伟今年满五十岁了,这是个很多男演员开始思考人生或已经考虑退休的年纪了。他演过很多警察、若干个小混混,四个盲人,还有一两个哑巴。他在很多电影中杀人或被杀,极少演变态和疯子,也不会再演同性恋。

也许他觉得家里的金像 奖杯已经够多了,再早十年时不时会担心他会从这块屏幕上消失,或者担心他会不会有一天不高兴了就离开那个拥挤潮湿繁华的港岛飞到天空之镜或伊瓜苏瀑布去找何宝荣,连给我们做梦的空间都没有。但最近的几年又看到他开始接戏,还开开心心结了婚,娶了争议颇多但总归情比金坚的刘嘉玲。仔细算一下,他也有7年没拿金像奖影帝了,会不会想呢,只有他自己知道。

电影外,他有不容碰触的底线

看香港记者90年代专访梁 朝伟写出来的稿子,好像各个都可以跟他做成朋友,他跟他们喝酒吃饭坐同一辆车,闷闷的说自己的角色和对导演的不满,实在让人羡慕。基本上采访过的记者分成了两派,前一种觉得他就是周慕云、黎耀辉、663、残剑哪怕是易先生,夺人心魄,魅力四射,更多的人觉得他不高、颓靡、过于文静,也没有传说中的帅和电眼。

在《色戒》里他勇敢的脱了,但事后绝口不提一字。他的人生只是为了戏存在,至于被挖掘和被消费,他的态度显而易见──不要碰我的底线。就像今年在上海为《听风者》作发布会,有个台湾记者突然问起此前刘嘉玲与富商同游的新闻,问梁朝伟“你有没有不开心”,“我为什么要不开心阿?”,“这次来嘉玲会陪你一起来上海吗?”“她为什么要来上海阿?”,这两个回答听起来有些突兀,也颇不像他彬彬有礼的形象,但是仔细想想,在不发火和不配合之间,你能想到比这个更合适的回答吗?

在电影里,除了张曼玉谁跟他都不搭,哪怕是周迅。在电影外,除了刘嘉玲谁都得不到他,哪怕是张曼玉。

“我这个人比较内向”

1992年魏绍恩专访梁朝伟,他还会对着化妆师怪叫“多可怕快三十岁了!三十岁三十岁!我不要到了三十岁还是个一事无成的演员!”,20年过去了,今天的他会笑眯眯的对记者说“是啊,那个时候我20岁,你还没有出生”。还能有什么让他不害怕时间?是时间。

腾讯娱乐:之前听说因为《伤城》,之后你用了很长时间恢复情绪?

梁朝伟:我还好,其实《伤城》没有需要很久,因为我那个时候拍完《伤城》,立刻要进去李安那边拍戏,所以这个戏比较容易出来,因为你立刻就要跳进另外一个角色,立刻就会投入另外一个工作上,特别是很快就可以离开。这个拍完以后还好,因为这个不是太沉重,不是很伤感的戏。

腾讯娱乐:之前有很多访问说你进入一个陌生的环境会有一点害怕,但是对于演员来说,常常是需要进入一个陌生的环境的,你拍戏的时候会有不安全感吗?

梁朝伟:我还好啊,我没有拍很多电影,我拍的都是我比较熟的人。比如说跟他们,我跟他们很熟,好朋友,然后不会感觉到怎么样有压力。然后我们的导演都是香港人,我拍王家卫,我们合作了20年,没什么压力,所以我也 没拍很多,陌生的刚开始的时候会有点难磨合,因为我人比较内向,不太容易混熟,混熟了以后就挺简单。

腾讯娱乐:你平时看电影的习惯是喜欢在电影院和大家一起看,还是喜欢在家里看?

梁朝伟:我很喜欢去电影院的,小时候就喜欢去电影院看电影,小时候常常去,然后变成了对我来说是一个生活上很大的节目,每一次我在电影院看电影,我都觉得自己很幸福,因为你用几十块看人家用很大的心血拍出来的,因 为我自己拍电影,我很清楚拍电影有多困难。几十块,就在那么舒适的电影院里面看电影,很享受的。

腾讯娱乐:最近喜欢什么导演和编剧?

梁朝伟:我没有固定的,什么电影我都看。最近看过有日本的电影,讲小孩的,导演是那年在戛纳拍了一堆小孩的,那个小孩拿了戛纳影帝的那部电影,现在这部电影叫什么名字,我不记得了,反正最近看的(记者注:2004年戛纳电影节主竞赛片《无人知晓的清晨》,14岁的柳乐优弥凭借此片获得戛纳影帝 ,击败《2046》的梁朝伟)。也看了《黄金大酒店》,一堆老人家演的。也看了《黄金大劫案》,我都看,平常没事做,大概每天会看一部电影。

腾讯娱乐:对你表演生涯影响最大的角色是哪一部?如果只能选一个的话?

梁朝伟:其实我觉得每一个角色,每一部电影都对我有很大影响,但是影响最大的当然是我第一部电视剧,因为做完那一部以后就有很多机会嘛。那个电视剧叫《香城浪子》,是我20岁的时候拍的,30年前。

“邀喜欢的作者写过侦探剧本”

梁朝伟阅读品位一贯为他的影迷和媒体所称道,以前他喜欢三岛由纪夫和托马斯•曼,后来又喜欢了劳伦斯•布洛克的小说,倒霉的雅贼伯尼、嗜酒侦探马修•斯卡德和失眠侦探伊凡•谭纳,都是很“梁朝伟”的人物,和他以前在电影里演的那些失眠、对着毛巾肥皂说话的警察形象怎么看怎么是一类人。梁朝伟的气质是属于都市的,再幽暗迷离,再颓废破败,也是水泥森林的暗影,不管是易先生的上海、663的香港还是马修的纽约。

腾讯娱乐:你对侦探小说特别有兴趣吗?

梁朝伟:也不是说特别有兴趣,我看这样的小说不多,就是小时候看过一些外国的侦探小说,劳伦斯•布洛克我是比较喜欢的。

腾讯娱乐:听说他是为你写了一个小说还是剧本?

梁朝伟:对对对,因为我大概二十几年前看过他的书,就很喜欢,就是他所有的书,我特别喜欢马修的那个系列。

腾讯娱乐:是那个《八百万种死法》吗?

梁朝伟:对,就是那个系列,我很喜欢那个角色,一直都很想拍,所以有一年,好像是《2046》那年,我去纽约,我就约了他出来,问他能不能帮我写一个,必须要在美国拍,因为他是个纽约的故事。我就像一个ABC在那边长大的中国人,是那个角色。后来写出来,我不是特别喜欢,所以就没有用了。

腾讯娱乐:其实我觉得马修那个角色,真的还挺像你的…

梁朝伟:因为他另外写,我本来就是直接想用《八百万种死法》或者是《走过死因之路》,这是我很喜欢的两本。

“我喜欢周迅这个演员”

《听风者》的编剧兼导演庄文强在读麦家小说《暗算》时,心里设想瞎子阿炳应该是由冯小刚来演,这样一个“一出场就不停地抽烟,还经常‘啪’往地上吐痰……”的角色,最后选了“男神”梁朝伟。各种宣传通稿里说梁朝伟的角色是个痛改前非的“小混混”,梁朝伟特别委屈,在发布会上澄清“我不是小混混,我觉得自己很优雅、很老实啊!”。

腾讯娱乐:你一向是以“电眼”著称,那这次演盲人其实是不能用眼神来表达任何情绪的,你会不会有使不上力的感觉,还是说更有挑战?

梁朝伟:蛮辛苦的,刚开始因为平常的习惯,习惯了这样去演戏,突然间不让你用眼睛,觉得很不适应,就靠其他方面去表达,要靠多一点身体语言或者是台词来表达你的情绪。

腾讯娱乐:因为我采访导演的时候,他说是为你特意把这个角色的设置,很多东西,围绕你而改变的。他跟你讲过吗?

梁朝伟:没有跟我讲过。(是怕讲了之后对你有压力吗?)我没有压力的,我拍电影就是好玩,不会有压力。

腾讯娱乐:听说你拍戏的时候有食物中毒,那是怎么回事?

梁朝伟:是有一天我不知道吃了什么东西,第二天就在现场一直在吐,我起床就已经很不舒服了,还去上班。还没拍第二个镜头,我就吐了。因为没吃早饭,一直在喝水,所以一直吐水。他们在镜头前面也是看我吐了很多次,而摄影师也跟他们说,他们完全无动于衷,继续拍,拍到最后一个镜头,我整天吐了很多次。结果打电话回香港,他们说可能你吃了一些不干净的东西中毒,还好,我有药,因为从前我有食物中毒,有时候吃了一些不干净的东西,就会有这样的反应,但是没有这一次这么强烈,但是没想到他们那么狠,继续让我拍(笑)。

腾讯娱乐:之前因为你曾经接受采访说你只拍喜剧片,但是《听风者》好像不是喜剧? 你接的时候是什么样的考虑?

梁朝伟:这个戏是我在《大魔术师》之前接的,那个时候没有 《大魔术师》的,这个是很早以前接的,所以不是后来接的。主要是因为我很喜欢周迅这个演员,但是一直都没有机会跟她合作过。然后麦兆辉、庄文强不但是我的 工作伙伴,他们也是我好朋友,常常见面。既然有一部这样的戏,找到周迅,我说好啊,我也想跟她合作。所以那个时候是因为这样吸引我去接这个戏的。

腾讯娱乐:看过麦家的小说吗?

梁朝伟:没有,那个时候导演没有让我看。(导演是故意的吗?)可能是吧,可能他们有自己的想法,他们不想跟原著一样吧,所以不让我看。

腾讯娱乐:那在拍戏的过程中有没有研究关于密码和间谍这方面的题材?

梁朝伟:没有,因为基本上我也是一个半道出家的,我也不是特工,因为他们有一个晚上所有电台都消失了,就要去找一个听力特别敏锐的人来找那些电台出来,我是被抓回去,不是被请回去的。然后就是训练,帮他们听,所以其实我不需要学什么,就学了打摩尔斯密码。

后记:如果你也爱梁朝伟...

“梁朝伟,是我的生命之光,热情之火,同时也是我的痛苦,我的灵魂,梁-朝-伟;舌尖得由上腭向下移动三次,到第三次再轻 轻贴在牙齿上:梁-朝-伟。在香港街头,他就是陈永仁,普普通通,穿黑色皮衣,身高五尺八寸。戴上警察帽时,他是663,写小说时他是周慕云。叼着烟弹吉它时他是刘文。可在我的心里,他永远是西贡闷热天气里的黑帮诗人。”

如果你有耐心读到这里,应该早有结论:我是个不折不扣的梁朝伟的死忠粉。因此,在我眼里,他几乎意味着半本香港电影史。如果换个更“客观”一点的说法,好吧,至少他是香港电影的宠儿。请允许我作如下推荐:

如果你也爱梁朝伟,请重温这五个角色:

《伤城》(在线观看): 他用佛头狠狠的砸下去,与在电影开头酒吧一明一暗中斯文深邃的形象对比鲜明。这个角色设定从身世背景到行为方式都很复杂,但是对于梁朝伟来说演绎的极为容易,甚至相当低于他的表演水准,特别是在另几位主演的陪衬下尤显突兀,所以专心看他一个人就可以了。完全是只供粉丝把玩之作。

《色戒》:李安+梁朝 伟,只差一个周迅,就是我心目中华语电影的顶级阵容。我也喜欢尔冬升和汤唯,但真的不行。关于拍摄《色戒》的种种,丝丝缕缕支离破碎的从报纸缝中流露出来,梁朝伟只字不提,李安三缄其口,汤唯差点销声匿迹。所以这是一部应当被反复检阅和查验的电影,一座金狮理所应当,虽然还可以更多。

《海上花》:这部电影实在很奇妙,开场戏里梁朝伟一句话都没说,笑眯眯的看着一桌人呷老酒,就能觉察一肚百转千回的愁肠。后来看了编剧朱天文的评价,说几个主角几场水烟戏刘嘉玲最自然,李嘉欣最别扭,而“玩得最好的是梁朝伟,在沈小红那,满腹心思,又无话可说,不知不觉地拿起纸火吹了又灭灭了又吹,手腕一抬一甩间,像玩zippo一样自然。”

《东京攻略》(在线观看):对于梁朝伟的影迷来说,哪怕电影本身故事逻辑烂的像筛子,只要有他的帅气出场,就不是不能忍的。这也是一部典型的“只看梁朝伟就可以了”的电影。开场那几分钟的新宿街头打斗,被他演成了会武功的韦小宝,聪明和机警赤裸裸的展示,还有那么一点点恰到好处的鸡贼。

《三个夏天》:刘国昌把一众香港演员拍出了台湾的味道。但是当所有人都本色出演,梁朝伟就显得特别突兀,就像《海上花》里只有他扮演的王莲生被允许讲广东官话一样。梁朝伟和叶玉卿的身边形成了一个气场,隔绝他人,制造出“我不在这里”的气氛,在大澳的天空下一闪一闪的熠熠生辉。就像海报那个场景里,梁朝伟和戏中“妹妹”的台词──"人要怎样才能长大, 是不是要谈过恋爱?" "失恋才会长大"。

如果你想了解他,请参考这五个角色:

《阿飞正传》(在线观看) ——无名赌徒:梁朝伟在片中最后出现了三分钟,一个长镜头。伴着音乐,他梳头、穿衣、熄灯、转身,然后黑场,影片结束。这本是下一部留的悬念,但是因为王 家卫的反复无常而烂尾了。但是却让人对梁朝伟有了奇突而神秘的印象,影评人说梁朝伟这三分钟可以列入表演教科书,有人形容的更夸张:“他只在那部电影的结 尾露了一小脸,对着镜子梳头,就把前面的人都比下去了。”但是梁朝伟却在多个场合表达,其实正是这场戏让他感到自己的演技还可以更进一步。

《花样年华》——周慕云:“如果有多一张船票,你会不会跟我走?”,然后就是吴哥窟,中央圣殿第二层西侧前的一个小殿前石门框上的一个小洞,倾吐完心事的梁朝伟于是就戛纳影帝了。

《暗花》——阿深:这是 一个更加深沉阴狠的角色。如果你有兴趣,可以跟后来的《伤城》对比着来看梁朝伟是怎样努力的去演和不必费力的去演。感谢导演游达志和演对手戏的刘青云的强大。这部电影细节缜密,完备的可怕。梁朝伟整部戏里不停的用块手绢擦汗,用酒瓶砸人,还有一场囚室的戏,展示了什么叫“我像是一颗棋子,进退全不由自己”。奇怪的是当年他和刘青云都错失影帝,如此表演拿到近几年的金像奖上,应该是随随便便都可以称帝。

《重庆森林》——663 & 《辣手神探》——江浪:年轻的梁朝伟演起文艺气质的小警察来不要太得心应手。这两部对比起来看,一个文艺到顶,一个残酷到底。却同样能展示出天真和柔软,《重庆森林》中小警察天天在家里对肥皂和毛巾说话,细腻的恨不得捏出水来,但是到了《辣手神探》里,小警察江浪作卧底,说自己的梦想是去24小时有太阳的冰岛与几场枪战戏的表现都可圈可点。再到后来看《无间道》总是这么面熟,天台见面和“我是警察”原来早在十多年前就用过了。
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yitian



Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Posts: 413
Location: United States

PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:32 pm    Post subject:

Translation, with help of Helga Very Happy (It only took me about a month to do it Embarassed . Still, I say better late than never Wink )

QQ Entertainment Cover People (Vol.12)
TONY LEUNG: I MAKE MOVIES FOR FUN


Preface

There was a very bright lamp in the interview room, so bright that the entire site looked like a movie studio. Tony sat in the white-out light, eyes wide open and I could see his large and shinny pupils that looked like black lacquer painted. During the interview, he only blinked his eyes and never squinted. When I looked back at the lights when interview was over, it blinded me completely. I asked him how he did he keep his eyes open, he said "shooting movies year in and year out - I get used to this."

To interview Tony Leung, the publicity agent provided us with two options. For a total of one hour time slot for the interview, four media outlets could conduct their interviews together or do it separately with fifteen minutes each. All female reporters, sent by four media outlet chose to conduct their independent interviews. Indeed, there were probably no female reporters would give up a 15-minute face to face opportunities to be with Tony alone. As to what he would say during the interview, it was totally unimportant. We are all too familiar about him, his grace and smile that have been maintained for 30 years. It seemed to us that we could even discuss his body after "Lust, Caution ".

In Movies, He Can Act With His Eyes Only

It was drizzling endlessly on the day of the interview, which was taken place on top floor of a restaurant at No.3 Bund, Shanghai. Our photographers dreamed of taking a set of photos - Tony got out his car, looked at the sky with a hint of sadness, and then slowly stepped into this very old building. This set of photos would end with a gray shadow of his back. Failed to accomplish such, the photographer dropped a Tony’s poster of "The Silent War" in the rain, letting it fall slowly from way above instead. Anyway, the film is about a dark and sad story. Directors and screenwriters were also interviewing with various media agents there. The author of the original book Mai Jia said that he felt safe to have Tony to play the main character and he allowed the two directors to freely alter the script, including turning one character into another (Zhang Xuening) in order to pay tribute to Eileen Chang. The relationship that Zhang Xuening has is kind of strange, "What will you do if you fall in love with a person who does not love you? Will you be his friend? This is hypocritical. Will you become his enemy? This is small minded. This feeling is too dangerous". Tony is that person who does not love Zhou Xun (Zhang Xuening).

Wong Kar-wai once said: "Tony does not need his mouth; his can act with his eyes alone”. Hou Hsiao-hsien said: "Tony is too precise. His precision appeared to stand out, generating gaps between him and other actors. We need to make an adjustment". Hence, Tony thought he didn’t act well in the "City of Sadness". On the other hand, in "Three Summers", he and Veronica yip, who played his lover seemed to create a special aura that separates them from the surrounding primitiveness. Tony has a temperament that belongs to the city, even when he was placed in ancient time as the aristocratic official Wang Liansheng. When he worked with Hou Hsiao-hsien for the second time in "Flowers of Shanghai”, Hou Hsiao-hsien specifically changed Wang to a Cantonese native in order to make sense for Tony’s Cantonese accented rough Shanghainese.

Tony turned fifty this year, this is an age which a lot of actors start to think more about their own lives or consider retirement. During his acting career, he played many policemen, a number of small fries, four blind and one or two mute characters. In many movies he kills or is killed, but he rarely plays perverted and crazy type of people. Also, he will not play gay man again.

He may feel that he has won enough awards. Ten years ago, from time to time, we worried that he would disappear from silver screens. We worried that one day he would become unhappy and leave the crowded city of Hong Kong, fly to faraway places or go to Iguassu looking for Ho Po-wing. We worried that he would go without even leave us a room to dream. However, in recent years we saw him began to act again. He even happily married his long time girlfriend Carina Lau. Think carefully, it has been seven years since he won best actor at Hong Kong Film Awards. Does he want more, only he knows.

Outside Of Movies, He Has Untouchable Limits

Reading Hong Kong reporters’ interviews of the 90s, it seems that everybody could be a friend of Tony. It is so enviable that he ate, drank and rode in the same car with them, and he complained to them about his dissatisfaction towards to his roles and directors. Basically there are two groups of reporters who ever interviewed Tony: one group feels that he is Chow Mo-wan, Lai Yiu-fai, 663, broken sword or even Mr. Yee, he is breathtaking and glamorous; the other group, which is the majority of reporters, thinks Tony is drawback, very quiet and a not very tall person. He doesn’t even have his legendary handsome appearance and the pair of electrifying eyes.

He bravely removed his clothes in "Lust, Caution", but afterwards he did not mention a single word about this. His life only exists to acting. As for being used and consumed, his attitude is clear - do not touch my limits. This year, during a press conference for "The Silent of war" in Shanghai, a Taiwanese reporter suddenly asked him about the news of Carina Lau traveling together with a wealthy man. She asked Tony "Did you feel unhappy”? He answered: “Why should I be unhappy"? “Will Carina accompany you to Shanghai this time"? "Why should she come to Shanghai"? These two answers sound a little awkward and dislike his polite image. However, think about between not getting angry and not cooperating, do you have any better answers than these?

During movie making, he doesn’t chat with anybody except with Maggie Cheung, not even with Zhou Xun. Outside of movie making, he is only with Carina Lau, not even with Maggie Cheung.

“I’m Relatively Shy And Slow To Warm Up”

When Wei Shaoen interviewed Tony in 1992, Tony cried to the make-up artist: "It’s scary I’m almost thirty years old, thirty years old! I do not want to be an actor who accomplished nothing at thirty”. Twenty years later, he will smile to the reporter:"yes, I was 20 years old at that time, and you weren’t born yet". Is there anything else to make him unafraid of time? It is time itself.

Q: I heard you spent a long time to recover emotionally after making "Confession of Pain"?

TL: It wasn’t too bad. In fact, because I needed to film with Ang Lee immediately after "Confession of Pain" and jump into a new character, it was relatively quick to come out of the character of "Confession of Pain". Also, this is not a far too heavy and sad drama.

Q: There were a lot of interview pieces mentioned that you were a bit afraid of going into an unfamiliar environment in the past. As an actor, it is often needed to enter an unfamiliar environment; do you feel insecure when shooting movies?

TL: I don’t feel too bad. I did not shoot a lot of movies, and I know those people who I work together. For example, if I know them well and we are good friends, then I will not feel too much pressure. In addition, our directors are from Hong Kong. I have been working with Wong Kar-wai for 20 years, obviously I have no pressure working with him. When I work with unfamiliar people, I would feel a little bit difficult at the beginning. This is because I’m relatively shy and slow to warm up. It becomes simple after we get to know each other.

Q: Do you prefer watching movies in theaters with lots of people or at home?

TL: I like to go to theater, ever since I was a child. I went to movie theaters very often when I was little, and it became a big part of my life. I feel very happy every time after I watched a movie in theater. This is because you only spend few dollars to watch something that many people spent a lot of efforts to make. I’m in the movie business and I know how difficult it is to make a movie. It is really an enjoyment to watch movies in a comfortable theater.

Q: What type of directors and screenwriters do you like recently?

TL: I watch all kinds of movies. Recently, I watched a Japanese movie; it’s a story about children. The director was the one who presented a movie at Cannes that year, and the kid took the best actor’s award. I forgot the title of that movie. I also watched "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", with a bunch of elderly actors in it, and "Guns N’Roses". I watch on average one movie a day when I am not busy.

Q: If you can only choose one, which one gives you the biggest influence on your acting career?

TL: Actually, I think every role; every movie gives me great impact. But the biggest influence would obviously be my first TV series, because it opened doors for my career. The title of that drama is “Soldier of fortune". I was 20 years old when I made it and it was 30 years ago.

He Once Invited His Favorite Author To Write A Script For Him

Tony’s tastes for books have always been praised by his fans and media. He likes reading books by Mishima Yukio and Thomas Mann; he also likes novels by Lawrence Block. The hapless thief Bernie, alcoholic detective Matthew Scudder and insomnia detective Ivan Tanner, they are all "Tony" type figures. No matter how you look at them, they are the same class of characters as the insomnia policeman who talked to his towels and soaps that Tony once played in his movie. Tony's temperament belongs to the city. Regardless how dark, blurred, laid back and broken down, they are the shadow of concrete forest; they are Mr. Yee’s Shanghai, 663’s Hong Kong and Matthew’s New York.

Q: Are you interested in detective novels?

TL: I can’t say I am particularly interested in them. I didn’t read a lot of novels of this type. I only read some western detective novels when I was young. I relatively like novels by Lawrence Block.

Q: I heard that he wrote a screenplay for you?

TL: Yes. I read his books some twenty years ago, and I especially liked the series with Matthew in it.

Q: The series of “Eight million ways to die”?

TL: Yes, I really like that character and I have always wanted to act that character. One year I went to New York to promote “2046” and I made an appointment to meet with him. I asked if he could help me to write a script that would be filmed in the United States. This is because the story would occur in New York. The character would be an ABC (American Born Chinese) who grew up there. I did not particularly like the script after it was written, so I didn’t use it.

Q: I think that character Matthew is really quite similar to you...

TL: I originally would simply like an adaptation of "Eight million ways to die" or "A walk among the tombstones", the two books I really like. He wrote a separate screenplay.

“I Like Actor Zhou Xun”

Screenwriter-director Felix Chong said that when he read Mai Jia’s novel, he was envisioned that Feng Xiaogang could play blind Bing, because the character is a type of person who “smokes all the time and also spits all over the place”, but he ended up choosing Tony to play the role. Various promotional documents claimed that Tony’s role is a repentant "small fry". Tony Leung joked at a press conference: "I’m not a small fry; I feel I’m very elegant and honest”.

Q: You are always famous with your "electrified eyes". Do you feel powerless or more challenging to play a blind person without being able to use your eyes to express any emotions?

TL: It’s very hard. Because it’s my habit to act with my eye expression, I didn’t feel comfortable not using my eyes at the beginning. So I rely on other aspects to express. I used body language and verbal expression to show my emotions.

Q: When I interviewed the director, he said that he specifically made changes of the character based on you. Did he tell you this before?

TL: He didn’t tell me. (Is it because you would feel pressure if he told you?) I have no pressure; I make movies for fun, so there is no pressure.

Q: I heard that you suffered from food poisoning during filming, what was going on?

TL: One day I ate something, and vomited the entire next day during filming. I went to work although I felt very uncomfortable when I got up. I started to vomit before we shot the second scene. Because I only drank water and did not have any breakfast, so I was vomiting water. They saw me vomiting many times, and the cinematographer also told them, but they continued to shoot and finished all scheduled scenes. At the end, I called people in Hong Kong, and they said that I might eat some unhygienic things and hence being poisoned. Fortunately, I have all kinds of medicine with me. I suffered from food poisoning before, it’s a reaction from eating unhygienic stuff, but I never suffered from such a strong reaction. I did not think they would be so tough and letting me continue to act (laughs).

Q: You said in interviews before that you will only make comedies in the future. It seems that The Silent War is not a comedy? What was your consideration when you signed the movie contract?

TL: I signed on to this movie before "The Great Magician", it was a long time ago. The main reason I signed was because I like Zhou Xun, this actor, but I never had opportunities to work with her. In addition, Alan Mak and Felix Chong are not only my working partners; they are also my good friends. We often meet together. They persuaded Zhou Xun to act in the movie, so I said OK, I also would like to work with her. This is how I was attracted to this movie.

Q: Have you read the original novel by Mai Jia?

TL: No, the directors did not ask me to read it. (Did the director do this deliberately?) May be, it’s possible that they had their own ideas that were different from the original, so they didn’t allow me to read it.

Q: Did you study subject matter of the secret codes and spyware during filming?

TL: No, because I am (his character) not a professional secret agent, I am an amateur. After all radio signals disappeared in one night, it became necessary to find people with extraordinary hearing abilities to rediscover radio signals. I was the one they forced me, instead of invited me to go to the secret agency, and then they trained me to help them to listen. In fact I did not need to learn anything in particular; I just learnt how to enter Morse code.


Postscript: If You Also Love Tony Leung......

“Tony Leung, is the light of my life, fire of my passion, at the same time my pain and my soul. Leung-Chiu-Wai: tongue has to move down three times from upper palate, and then gently attached to the teeth after the third syllable. Leung-Chiu-Wai: he is Chen Wan-Yan on Hong Kong streets, a five feet eight inches man wearing ordinary black leather jacket. He is 663 when he wears a police hat; he is Chow Mo-Wan when he writes a novel and he is Lau Man when he plays guitar with cigarette in him mouth. In my heart, he is forever the poet of Saigon’s hot and humid weather”.

If you have the patience to read up to this point, you should have already reached to the conclusion: I am a real loyal Tony fan. Therefore, he means almost half of the Hong Kong film history in my eyes. If I use another more "objective" word, well, at least he is the darling of Hong Kong films. Please allow me to make the following recommendations:

If you love Tony, please revisit these five roles of his:

"Confession of Pain": he hit hard with a Buddha's head, formed distinctive contrast to the bar scene at the beginning of the movie, where he looked gentlemanly. From his background, life experience to his behavior, the set up for this role is very complex. However, it is extremely easy for Tony to interpret the role. With other stars in the backdrop, Tony doesn’t need to deliver his best performances and he already stands out easily. So you just need to pay attention to Tony and this is a movie for fans only.

"Lust, Caution”: Ang Lee + Tony Leung. In my mind, if it had Zhou Xun in it, this would be the top lineup for a Chinese-language film. Although not as much, I also like Derek Yee and Tang Wei. Regarding to filming "Lust, Caution", there were all kinds of bits and pieces of news printed in newspapers. Tony never mentioned a single word, Ang Lee was tight-lipped about it, and Tang Wei almost disappeared. So, this should be repeatedly reviewed and inspected film. Although there should be more awards, a Golden Lion is what it deserves.

"Flowers of Shanghai": The film is really wonderful; Tony did not speak a word during the opening scene. He was just watching a table full of people sipping wine with a smile, but you can perceive his sad feelings. Later, screenwriter Chu Tien-wen wrote the following comments: “Carina Lau was most natural during several smoking scenes, and Michelle Reis is most awkward; the best was Tony, he was full of thoughts yet had nothing to say when he was with Crimson. He unintentionally picked up the paper fire, blew it off and lit it again, repeat after repeat. He was as natural as playing Zippo with his wrist lifting and tossing".

"Tokyo Raiders": For Tony fans, nothing is intolerable as long as he makes a handsome appearance, even when the story and logic of a film is so poor, and is as pervious as a sieve. This is a typical "just watch Tony" type of movie. Fighting on the street of Shinjuku, he looked like Wei Xiaobao with martial arts at the opening few minutes. He revealed his intelligence and alertness with a little, but just right amount of mischievousness.

"Three Summers": It’s a Lawrence Ah Mon’s Taiwan flavored movie with all Hong Kong actors. When everybody acted naturally, Tony Leung appeared particularly standing out, just like the way he was allowed to speak Cantonese in "Flowers of Shanghai”. The special aura formed around Tony Leung and Veronica Yip, is isolated from the others, creating an atmosphere of "I'm not here". This special charisma lively shines and twinkles under the sky of Tai O, like Tony Leung and his sister’s lines in the poster -"do you have to be in love in order to grow up”? "One only grows up after losing his love”.

If you want to know Tony, please refer to these five characters:

"Days of Being Wild" – the nameless gambler: Tony only appeared for three minutes at the end of the movie. A long shot, accompanied by music, he combed his hair, dressed up, turned off the light, turned around and then dark. The film ends. Originally, this is supposed to be a suspension for its sequel, which did not happen because of the unpredictability of Wong Kar-wai. But this ending gave people impressions of the special and mysterious Tony. Movie critics say that these three-minute of Tony Leung’s performance can be included in the textbooks. Somebody was even more exaggerating: "He only showed his face at the end of the film, combing his hair in front of a mirror, and outperformed everybody else in the entire movie". But Tony expressed on several occasions that this performance actually made him feel more room to further improve his acting skills.

"In the Mood for Love" - Chow Mo-Wan: "If there is an extra ticket, will you go with me"? Then at Angkor Wat, Tony whispered his mind into a small hole on the stone door frame of a temple located on the second tier, west side of the central sanctuary. He became a Cannes winner.

"The Longest Nite" – Sam: This is a darker and vicious role. If you are interested, you can compare with his later movie "Confession of Pain" and see how Tony acted with force or with ease. Thanks to director Patrick Yau and a powerful performance by Lau Ching-Wan, the details of this film are incredibly meticulous. Tony constantly blotted his sweat with a handkerchief, smashed people with a bottle, plus a scene in the jail, all thoroughly showed what is so-called "I am like a game piece, have no control over advance or retreat”. The strange thing is that both he and Lau Ching-Wan lost the best actor award that year. He should easily claim the best actor award if such performance was brought to recent award shows.

"Chungking Express" - 663 & "Hard Boiled" – Allen/Tony: Young Tony portrayed policeman in art films with very high proficiency. Compare these two films, one is as artistic as sky high and the other is cruel to its limit. But both can demonstrate innocence and softness. It is so finely tuned when the young policeman in "Chungking Express" speaking to his soaps and towels at home every day. But in "Hard Boiled", the performances when the young undercover police Allen speaking about his dreams of going to Iceland where there are 24 hours of daylight; and also in several shooting scenes, are so worth noting. Later on, when "Infernal Affairs" looks familiar to you, it is because meeting on rooftop and saying "I’m a cop" has already been used a decade ago.
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Tin-Yau



Joined: 19 Aug 2012
Posts: 149
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:52 am    Post subject:

yitian wrote:
Translation, with help of Helga Very Happy (It only took me about a month to do it Embarassed . Still, I say better late than never Wink )


Guys, you`ve made my day!
Thanks a lot for the pics and the translation!
Applause
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Jamaica



Joined: 27 Mar 2011
Posts: 419
Location: Lexington, KY United States

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:59 am    Post subject:

Thanks, girls, for the wonderful job of translating. It gave us a strong sense of just what a fun article this is. (It's nice to get reporters who actually APPRECIATE the actors they interview!)

Wonderful pictures, too!

(Although I don't think Tony is such an urban character that it limits his ability to play any role he sets his mind to. I think that's a rather narrow view from the writer. One doesn't have to be an urban figure to be cool. Cowboys are just as cool.) Smile
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Safran



Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 1322
Location: Austria

PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:56 am    Post subject:

All the credit is due to you, Yitian Applause love ( forget my 0,001 per cent "help" Laughing ) - Thanks for the trouble....YOU REALLY DID A GREAT JOB ! queen
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