A compilation of Zhang Wuji & Zhao Min at the Lu Liu Manor scene from various adaptations (all TVB versions, Jet Li's movie, Taiwan, CTS, Mainland):
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...E8ED8F6C295C35
My comments...
TVB 1978:
The worst one. Only 2,5 minutes. They totally cut out most of the dialogues and it doesn't even has the part where Wuji pressing Zhao Min's blood point on her feet.
Liza Wang is actually pretty enough to be ZM, but she look too old and mature, there's no youth in her acting performance.
TVB 1986:
The only version that has the part where Wuji spit on the cloth before he use it to ZM's mouth^^ I realized Tony Leung is really, really the closest ZWJ of the novel.
The Evil Cult:
Once again, I really loooove Zhang Min's ZM! So cool! I know that the book described ZM reading a book when ZWJ come, but I always prefer for ZM to play the zither in this scene, I love scenes where the lady playing a zither in wuxia series, makes them look the more mysterious^^ If only I can get a clip where I can hear their real Cantonese voices.
Taiwan 1994:
Gosh, just only by one scene, reminds me of how much I hate this adaptation XD I really, really cannot accept Steve Ma's portrayal as Wuji here. I hate this ZWJ to the core XD No wonder I wanted/wished Kathy Chow's ZZR to kill ZWJ in this version right away, back then^^ Cecilia Yip as ZM is kinda better, but I still don't like it much.
The only thing good from this adaptation (besides Yang Xiao) is really just the background musics. I love the romantic tune at the end of this scene. And although I don't like Cecilia's ZM, but I like her expression and how she moved her feet at the end, fits in the music very much ^_^
TVB 2000:
It has a very different way of exiting the underground room. And ZWJ-ZM got out together too^^ I think Lawrence Ng's face seriously doesn't fit ZWJ character. Gigi Lai is OK as ZM, but I don't like her portrayal that much. And I think among other ZM, she has the ugliest costume and hairstyle^^;;;
CTS 2003:
The lousiest fight scene >_< An example of a lousy fight scene where the people who are fighting just jump around and fly around, and the cameras were just moved to the right and the left, and we can't see clearly who is actually fighting, and when they landed on the ground, they're suddenly done fighting @_@
I think Alec-Alyssa is one of the most compatible ZWJ-ZM pairing (besides Tony-Kitty and DC-Ady). But Alec Su kinda lacks acting skill. Honestly, I love Alyssa Chia as Zhao Min, I know her portrayal is too cute and silly, just like a schoolgirl, but I really don't mind it. But I think compared to the other Zhao Min-s, she gave the best acting performance during the part where she has to laugh and slowly cries when Wuji pressed her feet's blood pressure point. It fits of how I imagined it when I read the book.
The flashback, and actually the plot/scene itself where child ZM meeting child Wuji was really unnecessary. Zhao Min's "I hate you" dialogue seem so out of place here.
Mainland 2009:
It took 13 minutes alone just for this Lu Liu manor scene in this adaptation, the longest yet among other versions. Not that I'm complaining, of course, coz I loved this part alot^^ It has ZM's "lai shi rong yi, ci shi nan"(easy come, not easy to go) line here just like in the novel (Tony Leung's one and the Taiwanese one has it too). The fight part in the novel where Wuji made ZM couldn't hold her sword anymore and in a very short time, she can change strategy to throw the sword to Wuji's head, in this version was the same, except ZM just drop the sword to her other hand. My favorite part of the fight was when Wuji held back both ZM's hands which are still holding the two swords till it crossed each other, and ZM's face looked like she's in pain, but ZWJ made a cool face like he didn't has to use any strength at all.
Deng Chao and Ady An's acting performances inside the underground room were also excellent, I'd say. The way ZM calls the guards outside was very funny! (but maybe props shld goes to the dubber rather than Ady herself^^) It's just really too bad they exagerrated the feet's blood point part. Makes this whole scene less perfect^^;;;
Deng Chao's Zhang Wuji may not be close with the novel, but this is definitely my favorite ZWJ, I like him this way ^_^ Tony Leung is the best but DC is my fave, heheh. Ady An is really perfect, Best and Favorite ZM, for me.