Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber-2008

[TiffTiff]

Wow, Ady looks great! Looks like one of the 4 beauties w/ that hair though. Look at the cleavage, hahaha.

I've tried to make a reply 2 hours ago, but the internet at my workplace sux, so it wasn't posted.

I think it would be cool if ZWJ take her hairpin and her hair fall down too. That would be artistic (director Yu Min's style) and sexy too.

Thank you for the new pix, Sunny, can't wait to see her Mongolian clothes now.

[yanfeng]

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So far, there're no clips released so its difficult to judge how well the actors perform and whether they have chemistry or not. The settings look beautiful though. Now im waiting to see more pics of YSS as well as pics of her and ZCS together.

Yup! That's the outfit that I think most ZM'ish and actually one I like... next to ZM's male outfit which was also cool, I think this one the nicest of the ones I've seen! Thanks for all the news and pictures Sunnysnow!

I guess you're right I should open my mind to a different look for ZM, and its a good point that the elegant, classy look suits ZM's princess status, and will hopefully balances off the playfulness and youthfulness that Ady is already good at portraying! Exciting!

I'm most excited about Sunnysnow's idea that act of stealing ZM's hair pin by ZWJ will unfurl her cascade of hair.... very cute and alluring idea! Sunnysnow you should write to them with that idea! )

[yanfeng]

Something that struck me when looking at the Ming sect members is that they all seem so serious!

I know they're great martial artists and leaders, but I really recall fondly versions where ZBT and Yang Xiao display a very cheerful, arguing camaradie... and I can't envision the new Yang Xiao being that way! I guess my mild worry is that the Ming sect actors lack a certain charm.

Though I do think that the actors for Cuishan and Susu have loads of charm to spare... looking forward to seeing them two in action! )) Now if only we could see the actor for Song Yuan Qiao in costume... and the other Wudang 'uncle's of Wuji's!

[a_girl]

i think we're too picky on the costume...

[Trinie]

Uhh... is that a good sign? Or a bad sign instead? [recalling Yu Min is the director xD]

I am going to take that as a good sign because look at what it did for BXJ. But then again, it can go both ways... Lets wait and see...

The costumes are ok, but can be better. I wonder why the costumes seem to get worse and worse?? Maybe they are running out of ideas, are trying to get creative(since they don't want to reuse costumes that were used before)or are trying to look different??

I still love the costumes from BXJ the most. I think they were mostly really nice.

[patricia n]

wow, that new costume is great! i admit, ady looks more mature and less zm; however, i echo the other posters opinion that sharla cheung's costume is also mature. and many find that sharla is the best zm to date despite her limited screen time. furthermore, i find that sharla is significantly more mature looking than ady, and sharla's princess costume and make up were equally han and elaborate. so who knows, there's hope for ady yet.

i also prefer ady to have her hair down, but i can't complain now since she really does look like royalty. now if only they make her look more like a tribal princess.

i wish they'd do something about the diaster that is zhu'er's hair. such a pretty and sweet face but such a pity. and to think, she has to pose and smile through that mop.

[sunnysnow]

Yeah, I wish Zhu'er had a nicer hairstyle. Doesnt necessarily need to be elaborate and fanciful, just something simple and sweet. And they boasted that this Zhu'er will be the most beautiful of all adaptations but looking at the hairstyle, I think Chen Zi Han's Zhu'er is still prettier, eventhough she had no flower to cover her scar.

Left a comment on the costume crew's blog about hairstyles for this series and saw many similar complains. In response, the blogger stated that the costume designers have little say in the characters' appearance. They design and make-up the actors according to how the director wants them to look like. I think he sort of hinted that he would like ZM's hair down, ZCS's outfits to look younger etc. but the directors want it their way and hence they cannot do anything but comply.


Looks like the reason why the costume colours for this series are more bland/soft/dull has to do with the artistic direction ZJZ and the directors are pursuing for this series. ZJZ apparently wants to portray this adaptation with a sense of peace and tranquility by using the notion of balance and calmness taught by Taiji. Hence, the series will mainly make use of earthly colours and colours of traditional ink paintings (e.g, black and white).
http://culture.people.com.cn/GB/87423/8297653.html

I guess that's why ZWJ and ZM's costumes seem to be white-based and XZ's costume seems to be a combination of earthly colours- navy, brown, beige. I do like the idea of adapting the teachings of Taiji for this series and think its quite effortful and creative on the part of the directors/cinematographers etc. though I hope Yu Min doesnt happily take this idea and go overboard with it.

[Guo Xiang]

That bunned-up hairstyle is so strange... because I thought it's mostly meant for married women?

[vuongngocyen]

I think that her costume made she doesn;t look like ZM at all. It does look like a gentle woman than a poweful princess. I am very disappointed they reused costume.

[sunnysnow]

That bunned-up hairstyle is so strange... because I thought it's mostly meant for married women?

Yeah, in most series the female character will have her hair bun up to signify she's married or given birth etc.

New pics of Xiao Zhao (same costume though):
http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=498931374

Actually, looking at the patterns on her outer coat, I have to say that the designer/costume-maker did quite a detailed job. I'm starting to get somewhat used to the curls; the two buns actually make HZY look pretty cute. On the whole, HZY actually looks very sweet and dainty (even prettier than how she looked as Shuang'er in DOMD)- pretty fitting for the image of XZ i have in mind. I just wish her inner robe was a sweeter colour like pale pink or yellow rather than olive/khaki colour.

[vuongngocyen]

u are right sunnysnow, XZ is very cute, I like her hair style. They should redesign ZM clothes and hair style. Kitty Lai as ZM is the best costume I think

[hinako442003]

well, isn't XZ's status only a maid (before the whole Persia thing)? So wouldn't it make more sense for her clothes to be less detailed? Haven't seen YBH's costumes, but whatever it is, XZ's should be less pretty than that. On physical appearance, it's her face that needs to be pretty, not her clothes.

[yanfeng]

Looks like the reason why the costume colours for this series are more bland/soft/dull has to do with the artistic direction ZJZ and the directors are pursuing for this series. ZJZ apparently wants to portray this adaptation with a sense of peace and tranquility by using the notion of balance and calmness taught by Taiji. Hence, the series will mainly make use of earthly colours and colours of traditional ink paintings (e.g, black and white).
http://culture.people.com.cn/GB/87423/8297653.html

Ohhh... the idea of Chinese-painting/calligraphy-like sets and costumes is very cool! If I recall right, ZSF created a unique martial arts that was calligraphy-based and passed it to ZCS, who used it to defeat Xie Xun in competing for the Dragon Sword! Also ZM is supposed to do a good hand of calligraphy, as ZWJ noticed in the Liu manor while he was there with the Ming Sect members as 'guests', also ZSF sent a calligraphy for ZWJ and ZZR's wedding- so lots of calligraphy references in the novel!

I've also always thought that Chinese paintings (Shan Shui Hua- literally Mountain Water Painting) reflect very well the sort of China-based scenery that come out in wuxia serials!

I hope the execution lives up to the idea though- I'm still unsure whether HSDS is the right story to have that sort of monochromatic, elegaic tone. Though the Liu Manor they picked does really look like something out of a chinese painting!

Many thanks again SS for all the fasinating news!

(Oh yes, and I do like how XZ looks! Fingers crossed she'll be a fine actress as well and bring some emotion to her story!)

[Surferket]

Didn't know Ady has such nice assets

[sunnysnow]

New pics of Meijue and Zhu'er. Meijue really reminds me of Meng Guangmei's LMC in ROCH'06. Just an older version.

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Credits: http://ent.qq.com/a/20081108/000067.htm

[TiffTiff]

Mei Jue looks so cool. So they just film 1 or 2 scenes per day?

I rather ZM to have colorful clothes rather than neutral tones outfits. So they are not going to have ZM put her hair down?

[sunnysnow]

Updates on Lao Ren's blog with pics of Yu Daiyan and the Dragon Saber.
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4beb36470100bckp.html

Updates on Ady's blog with pics of ZWJ and ZM in female and male outfits.
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4a40c2980100bf3m.html

They changed ZM's male disguise (must have re-filmed the the part where ZWJ and his men first visit LL Manor). The headband for her male hairstyle looks funny but on the whole, i think the new male disguise looks better and cooler than the previous one. Looks like they've filmed the scene of ZWJ and ZM in the underground dungeon as well and ZM's hair is still in a bun (dont think the hair-flow-down "scene" is going to take place afterall). Nonetheless, I think i've gotten somewhat used to seeing ZM's hair bun up so it doesnt look so weird to me now- the yellow feathers and white scarf at the back of her bun looks pretty nice actually. I like the first pic where ZM seems to be deep in thought.

On the other hand, I'm disappointed with Deng Chao's looks for the scene. I thought he looked much better previously with all his fringe tucked up into a bun; dont know why the fringe's down again and somehow, it looks messier and shorter than the previous batch of pics where ZWJ had his fringe down (the pics with ZZR). Seriously dont like ZWJ's fringe in this scene- makes him look rather silly and cartoonish.

New batch of pics released:

Actress Zhang Meng. Why is there a piece of tissue tucked behind Zhu-er's flower??
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He Zhuoyan's Xiaozhao.
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Yang Nian Sheng as Zhou Dian
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Zhou Gang as Shuo Bu De
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Zhou Xiao Bing as Chen Youliang
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Yu Cheng Hui as Zhang Sanfeng
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Credits: http://ent.oeeee.com/a/20081109/323604.html

[yanfeng]

Ohhh SS many thanks, what delicious news and pictures! ))

Okay, the indifferent stuff first- I actually liked Ady's prior male outfit better- to be specific I liked her hairdo there better... the hair band is a little too distracting for me... alas!

Now the good stuff: Funnily, I like DC's messy hair- makes him look so down-to-earth, and slightly vulnerable, next to cool-as-ice, exquisitely dressed and coiffed ZM! And ahhh.... the first major ZM/ZWJ scene has been successfully filmed!

My favorite piece of news from Ady's blog: Ady reports that she enjoys working with DC, that he's very funny and livens up the atmosphere a lot! Plus she commented that everyone has been contributing ideas re: how to make the scenes more exciting while still maintaining the original tone. Sounds like step one to a cast with good chemistry- working well together and being communicative about filming ideas!

My favorite pict is the one at this link:
http://photo.sina.com.cn/list/blogpi...40c2980100bf3m
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ZM has a confident and serene, yet mischeviously and challenging look in her eyes and her smile; ZWJ looks mesmerized and slightly lost even. Classic ZM-ZWJ dynamic!

[sunnysnow]

I like that pic where ZM looks like she's challenging ZWJ as well! Ady has on a very subtle expression which may be a good sign that she's not going to turn ZM into a loud and bratty girl with exaggerated cuteness (though it still remains to be seen). Other than that pic, Ady looks rather stoned and and blanked out in the other shots but hopefully the end product will be good. I remember Eva Huang (who acted as WQQ in BXJ) looked very stiff and blank in pics and clips but she turned out to be a very cool and natural QQ.

Anyway, more updates by You Lai Wu Hui's blog. This time round, its pics of the reunion scene between ZCS and ZSF after the former returns from Ice Fire Island. The pics of the master and disciple look really good and heartwarming. Only bad thing is that I see the Wudang 7 are wearing the Quanzhen costumes from ROCH'06
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_556562e60100c1mw.html

Ken Chang's finally back in action though the blogger mentioned that his injury still hasn't healed fully; some nights the pain is so bad that he cant fall asleep and he has to constantly apply medicine to the wound during filming. Poor Ken, I wonder how on earth will he manage his fighting scenes (would be a pity if they get a stunt double to do his scenes since he has martial arts background himself). Hope he gets well soon and don't injure himself further.

[TiffTiff]

Wow, thank you for the new pix sunny!

Ady's new headband on the male outfit looks so distracting, but kinda cool in a way. Is there a way to copy the image from her blog (sina blogs) and insert it in spcnet?

Awww, she looks so cute and kinda naughty in the first pix (the dungeon scene) when ZWJ grab her hand