Hello and welcome to this edition of "In the Spotlight" where we talk about arts, culture and showbiz here in China. I'm your host Jules Page.
On today's show, first up we'll give you a glimpse of China's animation industry and analyze its bittersweet status.
Following that, we'll treat you to a melodious performance art popular in east China's Anhui Province, Huangmei opera.
Last but not least, a recent romantic gangster movie "The Last Tycoon" has plucked the heartstrings of millions, and we'll take a closer look.
With all these fascinating stories ahead, please stay tuned.
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Anchor:
China is now the world's biggest producer of animated work, surpassing both the United States and Japan. More amazingly, it has achieved this feat in only seven years. But at the same time, the animation industry is also facing a crisis due to an acute shortage of creative talent amid an oversupply of technicians.
Today, let's follow Siqi to investigate whether the numbers reflect the true status of quality and the industry's bumpy road towards originality.
Reporter:
Over the past few years, China's animation and cartoon industry has witnessed rapid development thanks to the application of new technologies and resources. The frequent animation fairs, a surging number of animation companies and a huge number of animated productions are proof of such development. Jin Cheng, president of Comic Fans, commented on the rapid pace of development within the fledgling industry.
"Over the past five years, the Chinese animation and cartoon industry has experienced a rapid growth in terms of quantity. The annual production capacity of the animation industry in China has rocketed to 250,000 minutes. And there are hundreds of new comic publications being published every year."
Among the few big successes within Chinese animation, Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, which is produced by Creative Power Entertainment in Guangzhou, stands out amidst the crowd. It has been translated into 17 languages and shown in over 50 countries and regions, which has helped to expand the overseas market for Chinese animation.
Now, China has surpassed the United States and Japan to become the largest animation producer in terms of the annual output of animation works. In addition, since 2010, the animation industry has turned its focus toward originality and creativity, rather than outsourcing for global studios.
Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf is a prime example of a successful original product. Li Lisi, president of Creative Power Entertainment Company commented on the cartoon's success.
"In the past, China was a base of outsourcing for global studios. So we don't lack production skills. But we are far behind in terms of originality and creativity. Therefore, since we started producing it in 2005, we always focused on originality in the creation of stories and character design. And also, we are very clear about our target audience. We develop the stories based on the preferences of our target audiences."
However, it's still one of the individual cases. On the whole, the lack of originality and creativity has created a bottleneck for the Chinese animation and cartoon industry. Insiders believe that the solution to breaking this bottleneck lies in creative talent. The current Chinese animation production companies and institutions are training and cultivating their staff in animation techniques and software application. But when it comes to finding talented individuals who have mastered the art of telling good stories, the companies are lacking. Jin Cheng, president of Comic Fans spoke about the need for more creative talent.
"Currently, we do not lack staff that are capable in animation techniques. What we are short of now is creativity. There are thousands of graduates studying animation and cartoon production every year. So we have plenty of ordinary staff working in animation. What we need are talented cartoonists who can grasp the soul of a work and tell good stories."
According to the China Social Science Press, there were more than 2,400 colleges providing training programs on animation and cartoon creation in 2011. But the awkward situation is that many of these graduates cannot find suitable jobs. Conversely, animation and cartoon companies complain that it is hard to find talented cartoonists. Jin Cheng notes that China's cartoon education framework needs improvement.
"I think the main problem is a lack of professional faculties. We can't find a random cartoonist or cartoon film director to give lectures. We need professional teachers who specialize in studying cartoon education and a complete educational system. But until now, we still don't have a well-developed system of cartoon education."
In 2011, the animation and cartoon industry garnered revenues of 60 billion yuan or around $9.5 billion US dollars. In contrast, the sales reported by Walt Disney Co. reached $40 billion last year. Experts said the development of the Chinese animation and cartoon industry is not only constrained by a lack of talented and creative people but also by the absence of a complete industrial chain. For example, the success of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf does not only owe to its originality but also to the integration of derivative products and cooperation with the Walt Disney Company. Li Lisi, president of Creative Power Entertainment Company spoke out on the need for similar industrial chains.
"Apart from good original stories, the brand's development in the whole industrial chain is also very important for the brand's success. Besides original stories, our company pays a great deal of attention to the establishment of the industrial chain. Now we have over 300 licensees for our derivative products. We have books, magazines, toys and musicals. We are also cooperating with the Walt Disney Company to develop derivative products. Utilizing its successful management experience, Disney can help us develop our brand."
The entire industry is somewhat eager to achieve instant success, but cultural products are not made or created in one stroke. There is still a long way to go before Chinese animation will make a big impression on the international market.
For CRI, I'm Siqi.
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Anchor:
Huangmei opera is one of the most important of the five Chinese operas. While talking about Huangmei opera, people will certainly mention "Marriage of the Fairy Princess," as it is the most wildly known classic play of its kind.
Almost every Chinese, no matter young or old, can sing a little part of the Huangmei opera " Marriage of the Fairy Princess." Let's follow He Fei to know more about the legendary Huangmei opera.
Reporter:
Originating as a combination of local folk songs, dances, and some widely spread ancient operas, Huangmei opera was formed in the 18th century when Chinese local operas flourished.
Actually, the history of Huangmei opera can be traced back some 1,400 years ago to the early Tang Dynasty in Huangmei County, Hubei Province. The county is famous for its tea and tea-picking songs from which Huangmei opera got its original name, "tea-picking tunes." However, the opera later got its fame and flourished in the bordering Anhui Province.
The music is performed with a pitch that hits a high note and remains high for the duration of the song. It is unique in the sense that it does not sound like a typical rhythmic Chinese opera. It was traditionally sung in the Anqing dialect of Mandarin.
Among all the classical pieces of Huangmei opera, "Marriage of the Fairy Princess" is no doubt the most well-known and welcomed one.
"Marriage of the Fairy Princess" is a love story between a human and a fairy princess. The Jade Emperor of Heaven has seven daughters. The youngest daughter flees to earth and falls in love with Dong Yong, an honest and kindhearted man.
The part we are listening to now describes the scene where Dong Yong meets the fairy princess under an old pagoda tree.
Back in the Qing Dynasty about a hundred years ago, there were many different kinds of local operas with the same storyline. Huangmei opera was one of them.
The classical version of the Huangmei opera "Marriage of the Fairy Princess" was adapted by famous scriptwriter Lu Hongfei, according to actor Hu Yuting's oral tale. It debuted in 1953 when it was performed by the Anhui Provincial Huangmei Opera Theater.
Two years later, a Shanghai film studio adapted the Huangmei opera "Marriage of the Fairy Princess" for the silver screen. Director Shi Hui decided to produce it as a feature film instead of a documentary.
Shi Bailin, who was working as the film's composer, helped the director adapt the music for the movie.
"Shi Hui was a famous director nationwide. He was very talented and had great views. He said Huangmei opera was not only an art for people in Anhui, but also for all Chinese people, and everyone in the world to enjoy. He hoped to make Huangmei opera known internationally just like Peking opera. And only feature film could grab the audience's attention. That was a great opportunity for me, as I always hoped to do something with opera."
The composer then bravely made a creative change. It was the first time the singing technique of a male and female duet was used in Huangmei opera. The song "With Pairs of Birds Singing on the Tree" became an everlasting melody.
Sixty years has passed since the debut of "Marriage of the Fairy Princess." Though the actors on the stage keep changing from generation to generation, the charm of the classical Huangmei opera never does.
Jiang Jianguo, President of Anhui Provincial Huangmei Opera Theater, has been performing Huangmei opera for several decades since he graduated in 1980s. Jiang says performing "Marriage of the Fairy Princess" is a must wherever the troupe goes.
"Talking about Huangmei opera, the one people are most familiar with is 'Marriage of the Fairy Princess.' In Anhui, China or even Southeast Asia where Chinese people live, we have often been asked to perform 'Marriage of the Fairy Princess.' Not every Chinese has seen it, especially people from the younger generation. But almost all of them can sing 'With Pairs of Birds Singing on the Tree.'"
Wu Qiong, one of the most well-known Huangmei opera actresses who made her name playing the fairy princess in "Marriage of the Fairy Princess," believes people love the art form because it's very close to real life.
"Huangmei opera is just like a homemade dish. It's not an art for the upper class, but it's something everyone can enjoy. That's the charm of Huangmei opera."
Wu Qiong's latest work "The Visit" adapted from Swiss writer Friedrich D¨ırrenmatt's story is a mix of traditional opera and modern music and dance.
Wu says creating modern plays is an important way of keeping Huangmei opera alive.
"We cannot perform plays such as 'Marriage of the Fairy Princess' all the time. These traditional plays are classical and enjoyable, but we need to create our own works with modern elements, which is closer to our real lives."
"The Visit" is now on a performance tour around China and has been well received.
Decades later, it may become another classical opera just like 'Marriage of the Fairy Princess.'
For CRI, I'm He Fei.
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Anchor:
"The Last Tycoon" is a 2012 romantic gangster movie by Hong Kong director Wang Jing. It stars Chow Yun-fat and Huang Xiaoming, and tells the story of Shanghai's last gang leader before the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Our movie reviewer Luo Laiming has more.
Reporter:
"The Last Tycoon" is considered the saving grace of director Wang Jing's recent unpropitious career. Although disguised as a gangster movie, it turns out to be a touching romantic drama thanks to the contributions of most of the cast members.
The film is based on the life of one of the three tycoons who held sway over pre-1949 Shanghai. Huang Xiaoming and Chow Yun-fat take turns playing the younger and older version of the title character, Cheng Daqi, who became the city's greatest gang leader through cunning and ruthless fighting. However, the movie avoids revealing too many details about his questionable background, and instead focuses on depicting his relationship with those around him, most notably the triangular relationship between him and two women.
Except for an over-emphasis on human emotions, the movie is charged with characteristics commonly seen in Hong Kong gangster movies. Life-or-death gang fights are glorified as jolly routines in Cheng's career. As the lead character, Cheng needs only to stand still and pull the trigger to survive an ambush. Such portrayals of gangster life could mislead people into believing that joining a gang isn't such a bad thing, after all.
The director continues to redress the historic figure by portraying his attachment to friends and lovers. Here, Chow Yun-fat and Monica Mo's acting is most impressive. Even Huang Xiaoming, whose style has been criticized more often than not, turns out to be adequate. Veteran actor Sammo Hung and actress Yuan Li grace the piece with their laudable manners.
The movie is a well-orchestrated drama. Director Wang Jing, having been involved in hundreds of movies, is a master at controlling the pace of a film. The dramatic scenes that coax tears out of female viewers are always separated by fighting, shooting or bombing scenes that please their male counterparts. So for nearly two hours, no one actually gets bored in the cinema. Director Wang used to claim that he based his movies on a particular format. Now it seems that that format has worked well in his favor.
On the other hand, following a format means there are no pleasant surprises. An experienced viewer is able to predict what will happen right before it happens, and this seriously undermines the value of the film.
All in all, "The Last Tycoon" is an above-average movie. It is most successful in evoking viewers' emotions, much better than the clumsy moves in Feng Xiaogang's and Zhang Yimo's recent endeavors. Viewers come to the cinema to be entertained, not to be patronized. And with "The Last Tycoon," they are duly entertained.
On a scale from one to 10, I give "The Last Tycoon" a 6.5.
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With that touching movie, we've come to the end of this edition of "In the Spotlight."
For comments or suggestions, you can email us at Spotlight@cri.com.cn. You can also log on to our website at www.cribeyondbeijing.com to learn more about today's topics or catch up on any of our previous editions. I'm Jules Page. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.
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