Chinese superstars Leon Lai and Zhang Ziyi can relate strongly with their ``Forever Enthralled’’ characters, legendary Beijing opera singers who were constantly trailed by camera-totting reporters.
``Thank you for all the camera flashes,’’ Lai told reporters at the Korean premiere for the Chen Kaige film, Tuesday, in Seoul. The period drama awaits nationwide release here, April 9, after topping the Chinese box office and circuiting the Berlin International Film Festival. Despite the mounting irritation among press members over the event’s delay, camera flashes did not cease as photographers tried to capture every gesture of the lead actors when they finally emerged.
``The camera flashes conjure up fond memories from the film shoot. Back in the days (of the film’s early 20th-century setting), reporters had cameras that took a long time to flash. There are generational differences, but some things remain the same,’’ he said, smiling. In the 1990s, the actor broke women’s hearts in romances like ``Tian Mi Mi (Comrades: Almost a Love Story),’’ and at 42, he looked as young as ever in his gray jacket and jeans.
In ``Forever Enthralled,’’ Lai plays Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), who is still remembered as ``the emperor of Beijing opera’’ for his roles as women more beautiful than women. The film features a peculiar scene where a disgraced actor is forced to parade around wearing paper handcuffs _ ``It’s a manifest metaphor for the dispossession of personal freedom that often accompanies stardom,’’ explained director Chen.
The movie’s lead actor, when asked if he could relate to such paper handcuffs, said, ``Zhang Ziyi is certainly wearing paper handcuffs these days, perhaps with some photographs taken at the beach.’’ The rest of the room, including Zhang, exploded with laughter at the upfront mention of the so-called Internet ``sex photo gate’’ stirred by the ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’’ star’s public display of affection with fiancé Vivi Nevo.
``My privacy was invaded recently as well, when the paparazzi took pictures of my home through a window with drawn curtains. But what can you do? I try to be pleasant about it,’’ he said. Zhang, who kept her composure while appearing chic in a jacket and mini skirt, provided no further comment. Despite the inconveniences of his celebrity status, however, Lai said if he had to choose between love and career like his character, he would choose the latter.
Art of Opera
For director Chen, who grew up watching the actual Mei Fanlang perform in his father’s theater, the biographical film bears the fruits of his lifelong dedication to capturing opera onscreen. In his 1993 classic ``Farewell My Concubine,’’ Leslie Cheung immortalized a character crafted after Mei. Regarding the inevitable comparison with the late actor in playing Mei, however, Lai said he felt ``no pressure at all.” He added, ``Leslie Cheung is a senior actor whom I deeply love and respect, and I played no part to inspire such comparisons with him.’’
The director agreed, saying that ``Farewell My Concubine’’ is ``a very different piece.’’ ``If Dieyi (Cheung’s character) was like fire, then Mei (played by Lai) is like water that trickles into any form, to play any character. He is a personification of the Asian spirit,’’ he said.
Zhang, who plays the role of a singer impersonating male characters onstage, said she had to undergo intense training to master the subtle dance movements and quivering vocals of opera. The filming itself took over seven months, the longest ever period for a Chinese language film. Both actors do all the singing and dancing.
The movie touches hearts as the two sacrifice their love for the stage; but those who expect a sensual beau-monde China romance like ``In the Mood for Love’’ may be disappointed by the platonic affair. It is nevertheless engrossing as actor Sun Honglei, a household name in China, heightens the dramatic tension as Mei’s obsessive manager who is ready to sell his soul for the singer.
The transporting experience of the film is made complete by the refined period details and an otherworldly exoticism and sexuality, where men play graceful heroines and women, masculine heroes, and powerful middle-aged men exploit the beauty of pretty boy opera singers.
But the film also seethes with laughter and life. ``My character is a novel and bright personality, like sunshine,’’ said Zhang. In one scene the svelte, feminine actress sings with a low, bellowing voice _ without warrior costumes and a beard _ opposite Lai, who plays a blushing maiden in a fine linen suit and neatly cropped hair.
In theaters April 9. 118 minutes. 12 and over. Distributed by SK Telecom.
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