TVB banned from making Jin Yong wuxia adaptions?

[redfirefly124]

I've heard from random threads that TVB is banned from making Jin Yong wuxia adaptions...is this true? When did it happend? Did Jin Yong do this for a particular reason?
Thanks!
~redfirefly124

[Ken Cheng]

He stopped selling licenses to TVB to adapt his novels in 2000, apparently because he was very unhappy with TVB's most recent (i.e. 1999) adaptation of HSDS.

[redfirefly124]

Oh....is that the one with Gigi Lai as Zhao Min?

[pemberly]

does that mean he's happy with all the recent taiwan and mainland adaptations? *cringe*

[Ken Cheng]

Oh....is that the one with Gigi Lai as Zhao Min?

I believe so. Lawrence Ng was Cheung Mo Gei (which was part of the problem; Ng is a good actor, but at the time of filming he was at least ten years too old for the part).

[Ken Cheng]

does that mean he's happy with all the recent taiwan and mainland adaptations? *cringe*

Yeah...not that TVB's HSDS '00 was a masterpiece, but the adaptations that Jin Yong has tolerated since then aren't exactly much better.

[redfirefly124]

Well, didn't Jin Yong say he thought Liu Yi Fei was the perfect Xiao Long Nv and Xu Qing was the perfect Ren Ying Ying?

[Ken Cheng]

Well, didn't Jin Yong say he thought Liu Yi Fei was the perfect Xiao Long Nv?

Maybe, but he also said the same thing about Idy Chan twenty years ago, so his opinions change.

[Suet Seung]

Well, didn't Jin Yong say he thought Liu Yi Fei was the perfect Xiao Long Nv and Xu Qing was the perfect Ren Ying Ying?

Perfect actress casted does not mean the whole adaptation is satisfactory too.

[yearning]

I believe so. Lawrence Ng was Cheung Mo Gei (which was part of the problem; Ng is a good actor, but at the time of filming he was at least ten years too old for the part).

How old was he? I thought Alec Su was like close to 30 when he filmed HSDS as well, but then again, I guess he has a baby face.

[Ken Cheng]

How old was he?

Lawrence Ng was in his early twenties when he started out with TVB in the early 1980s, so by the time he played Cheung Mo Gei in 1999, he was approaching if not already past forty.

[yearning]

I watched bits of HSDS 2000, and personally, I could put the age factor aside just because Lawrence was a great actor and he didn't irritate me as much. He doesn't look near 40, I would say he looks like he's in his 30s. Alec Su, on the other hand, don't even get me started on how annoyed I was throughout HSDS 2003 with his wimpiness (no offense to fans of his version of Zhang Wu Ji).

I didn't read the book, but from what I know, Zhang Wu Ji isn't supposed to be wimpy lol.

But Gao Yuan Yuan was definitely a better cast than Charmaine Sheh.

Besides that, I mean yeah HSDS 2003 had prettier girls, slightly better acting by the females, niceer scenery, but I didn't think HSDS 2000 was THAT bad.

[.DotPoint.]

The big fights were a disappointment.
What was with all the crappy CG?

[redfirefly124]

.DotPoint.: In HSDS 2003, or HSDS 2000?

[Felix]

.DotPoint.: In HSDS 2003, or HSDS 2000?

If talking about crappy CG, I have to say HSDS2003. I preferred the 2000 fights over the 2003 ones.

[GuGu]

If talking about crappy CG, I have to say HSDS2003. I preferred the 2000 fights over the 2003 ones.

Both the 2000 and 2003 versions sucked in my opinion.

Did you see the strings on Lawrence when he was 'flying'?

And in 2003, I didn't know horses could fly

[redfirefly124]

And in 2003, I didn't know horses could fly

HORSES FLY IN HSDS 2003????
I was going to watch HSDS 2003 after I finish XAJH 2000, but maybe I'll watch TLBB 2003 next instead...
Hopefully Mainland will release another version of HSDS soon that is better...

[Em]

My personal opinion is not about artistic merit of the adaptations, it's more about how much (or how little) TVB is prepared to pay in terms of royalties compared to the China or Taiwanese companies. I don't think it's any great loss to TVB because the Hong Kong audience aren't that literary minded any more and would rather watch a dumb comedy than anything that involves utilising brain cells.

Then again, I am just a cynic...

[Ken Cheng]

Did you see the strings on Lawrence when he was 'flying'?

Which shows how lazy/sloppy/cheap TVB had gotten by 1999. When TVB produced HSDS '86, it didn't leave wires exposed in the flying scenes. If TVB could accomplish that with 1986 technology, how could it not with 1999 technology unless it just wasn't trying?

It was probably that notion that compelled Jin Yong to stop licensing his novels to TVB for adaptation.

[Suet Seung]

Which shows how lazy/sloppy/cheap TVB had gotten by 1999. When TVB produced HSDS '86, it didn't leave wires exposed in the flying scenes. If TVB could accomplish that with 1986 technology, how could it not with 1999 technology unless it just wasn't trying?

It was probably that notion that compelled Jin Yong to stop licensing his novels to TVB for adaptation.

There's a scene in the beginning of HSDS00 where White-Browed Eagle's son and Yin So So fought with 3rd Wutang Hero and there were some wires there too. Horrible technology.