Athena Chu

[tp222]

must b/c u only watch LOCH 94?

I've finally watched the 82 version, and here's my opinion

Okay, so I've finally decided to watch a couple of episodes of this series, I didn't plan to watch this series because I didn't find anyone pretty enough to bother watching it. However, considering how much people have been praising it, I got curious. Now, I came in trying to be objective as possible, and my conclusion is that it has to be THE most overrated series ever.

The first thing I noticed is the lack of background music. Without them, it pretty much killed the mood. The 2nd thing I noticed is the lack of emotions in the voices. Most of the conversations just sounded way too "casual." IMO, the biggest mistake people make is to confuse a good script with good acting. To me, good acting is: using the proper(as in appropriate to the situations) emphasis in your voice, showing proper facial expressions, and showing proper body language(like how you use your hands, etc.) And I did not see these things in the 82's actors/actresses. Let me give you an example. In the 82 version, when Guo Jing went to Huang Rong to ask her how to get the medicines, Huang Rong set a trap to hang Guo Jing. This extra script allowed Barbara to show her "brattiness," and it did. However, in this case, the writers should get the credit, not Barbara. I would have given her more credit if she had put more emphasis in her voice, like when she said "the more you talk, the more adorable you look," or something like that. I mean, when you talk to someone up high, shouldn't you raise your voice a bit? Instead, you could barely hear her(which happened quite frequently with certain characters, at least in the episodes I saw, honestly, without the subs, I don't know how even native speakers could have understand it, without turning up the volume.)

Now, when I started watching this series from episode 10(when she trapped Guo Jing and they escaped on the boat together), I went, oh okay, now I see why people think Barbara's so much better than Athena. The conversations were more drawn out and much funnier(especially when they encountered Mu Nianci), and she looked like a natural. However, I would attribute this to a good script more than good acting. But then, 82 loses as it went on. Barbara's entrance as "female" Huang Rong, for example, did not make sense at all(I thought the DVD had been cut at that point), and obviously, not nearly as mesmerizing as Athena's(though to be fair, Barbara probably could have never won this anyway, and no offense to Barbara fans, but she actually looked better in the beggar clothing than in the girl costume!)

In addition, a lot of the conversations did not flow at all. For example, when Mu Yi asked Huang Rong and Guo Jing what their names are, Huang Rong told him hers, but did not allow Guo Jing to say his, almost like she knew that the story would be spoiled if he had said it(since Mu Yi wasn't supposed to know that that was Guo Jing at that time). IMO, they would have been better off to just have skipped that part. Another example is when OuYang Ke and the Monk tried to block Mu Nianci when she tried to bring home the medicines. That was an awkward conversation if I ever saw one. I found out later that OuYang Ke wanted her to go home safely because the medicine was fake. But then, why did the monk refuse to go after her, because he's afraid of the prince? If so, then why did OuYang Ke tell him to go after her in the first place, after stopping him from doing so? The conversation was just convoluted and awkward, made even worse with all the pauses. Once again, they probably would have been better off to just skip that part, maybe show a clip of OuYang Ke giving the fake medicines to the cottage owner and then leave or something.

Now I admire the 82 version for being original. In fact, that's one of the criticisms I have of the 94 version, it tried to copy the book too closely(I'm a big fan of creativity.) However, it's one thing to have a long script, it's another to have all of it being relevant and flowing smoothly. The 94's conversations were concise(people talk about the lack of chemistry between Athena and Julian, IMO, Huang Rong's gesture to Guo Jing when she wanted to eat the spoiled food showed more chemistry than the entire two episodes of the 82 version, between when Huang Rong first revealed to Guo Jing that she was a girl, to where they finally went to Zhou Palace) and appropriate to the situations.

As far as the casting, well, I think it probably depends a lot on whether you're a guy or girl. However, if you've never read the book, then I doubt this would make much of a difference anyway. To me, the most important thing is the looks, especially when it comes to the main characters. Now I don't know much about the difference between the male characters, as far as the female characters, to me:

Athena >> Barbara
Mu Nianci 94 = Mu Nianci 82
Hua Zheng 94 > Hua Zheng 82
Xiruo 94 > Xiruo 82
7th Teacher 94 > 7th Teacher 82

The looks of the female characters of the 82 version are, shall I say, sad. Heck, one of OuYang Ke's concubines(the one that plays 7th Teacher in the 94 version) was probably the prettiest.

94 wins, easily.

[cutiekhmergirl]

I must say, Athena is very pretty. I first saw her in Treasure's Raiders and I thought she was stunning. Her acting isn't too bad. I'm not a big fan of hers though.

[nasedo14]

I am just wondering if somebody can please tell me some of Athena Chu's albums that she has released. I would really appreciate it. Although I heard that her music is not great, I would like to see for myself. She is a FANTASTIC actress n I would like to give her music a shot.

[nasedo14]

for all u Athena Chu Yan fans out there, here is a terrific website u should check out:
http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/page.asp?aid=251&page=1

[kandie]

she's so cute when shes young
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[tp222]

she's so cute when shes young
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That is indeed a very cute pic(does anyone know what it says at the bottom?) Here's a pretty nice MV that I found

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMKinI_4YzY

Everything this girl does is so...cute. It's like you can never get bored with watching her expressions.

[clfan]

Here is the latest Pic of Athena and her BF, Paul. They attend Ada Choi wedding, I got this from Ada thread.
This woman is Ageless. Already 36 this year and she looks so young!!!!!!!!!! I hope she and Paul get married soon.
Anyone know how old Paul is?
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[tuoimongmo2007]

sorry to say it but.. wow it looks like a flower planted on a ugly pot..
love is more depth than skin deep...but still he's ...errrrrrrrrrrr

[wpswkdgkf]

what's her newest series?

[nasedo14]

I think Athena's newest series is Flower in Storm (暴雨梨花) (06) or
Hua Li Mao Xian (华丽冒险) (07). I think Flower in Storm is a good show even though I have not seen it myself but I have heard good reviews of it.

Check out this website:
http://hkmediaonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1224

[SkyKing]

sorry to say it but.. wow it looks like a flower planted on a ugly pot..
love is more depth than skin deep...but still he's ...errrrrrrrrrrr

i agree....tat dude must be the lucky guy .....

[KeongJai]

sorry to say it but.. wow it looks like a flower planted on a ugly pot..
love is more depth than skin deep...but still he's ...errrrrrrrrrrr

But he is/was the lead guitarist for Beyond - The best band HK has ever seen.
ps: he's around 45

[tp222]

Here's a pic in one of her most recent events

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Still looks pretty good I'd say

[kandie]

she so gorgeus love her in all her movie

[LuNaR]

athena is gorgeuous, saw her at the tvb award show

[akayami djiho]

Here's a pic in one of her most recent events

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Still looks pretty good I'd say

OMG! this woman really IS ageless. she´s so beautiful and has a very nice body figure.

[amen73]

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[chibidaisuke]

Her Huang Rong in LOCH 1994 was awesome. Not as good as Barbara Yung though.