Swordsman 2012 《笑傲江湖》 - Wallace Huo, Joe Chen, Yuan Shan Shan

[wuxiarocks]

I think YSS has now become my most hated actress. I was actually ambivalent towards her before XAJH aired and was looking forward to her performance as RYY. But after watching XAJH, I think I've actually developed a hatred towards her. WTF does YZ keep insisting on promoting her. Her smile looks like she's crying, her "expressionless" face looks like she's crying, her sausage lips take up the entire face. It's funny when she told the press that she thinks she makes a great RYY and is perfect for the role. Are you serious? Her standards must be super low...like no standards level. I think I read somewhere that there's a rumor YSS's sugar daddy is YZ's boss and that was the reason why he keeps giving her lead roles in all his dramas.

YZ and YSS makes a perfect pair. They're both crap...Sorry. I'm upset today. lol

[lnsesan]

I'm still very upset over the fact that DFBB is dead. I need help getting over this. I didn't mind the deviation that the director took on this series, but if you're going to do it...do it all the way. It had so much potential. He could have made it so that LHC married RYY but she ends up dying...DFBB falls off the cliff is saved by the old man but she looses memory...and LHC in the midst of grief for his dead wife RYY...goes to shoalin temple to meditate...where he learns of all the sacrifices that DFBB did for him....he finally gets over RYY's death and randomly encounters DFBB on his travels. DFBB does not remember anything but slowly she gets flash-backs of their time together...and they rekindle their love. That would have been the best ending.

[rainia]

I'm still very upset over the fact that DFBB is dead. I need help getting over this. I didn't mind the deviation that the director took on this series, but if you're going to do it...do it all the way. It had so much potential. He could have made it so that LHC married RYY but she ends up dying...DFBB falls off the cliff is saved by the old man but she looses memory...and LHC in the midst of grief for his dead wife RYY...goes to shoalin temple to meditate...where he learns of all the sacrifices that DFBB did for him....he finally gets over RYY's death and randomly encounters DFBB on his travels. DFBB does not remember anything but slowly she gets flash-backs of their time together...and they rekindle their love. That would have been the best ending.

A perfect case of what could have been. I'm just sad for the lost potential and the fact that my fav novel is ruin.

[RYYfan]

Am I the only one who finds it weird that DFBB can still open her eyes and smile after having her heart taken out and thrown into a frozen lake for over 6 months? I mean, Wtf is that?

YZ should name this Supernatural instead of XAJH

[clfan]

I'm still confuse, so the love story between DFBB and LHC, was that in the novel that JY written? Or just put in by the director?
I thought in the novel, DFBB is a Man but turns Woman after he practice that kung fu stuff.
I'm I like the only one here that not used to see LHC fall in love with DFBB? LOL, it just so strange. Maybe because I only watch the 1996 version.

[wuxiarocks]

I'm still confuse, so the love story between DFBB and LHC, was that in the novel that JY written? Or just put in by the director?
I thought in the novel, DFBB is a Man but turns Woman after he practice that kung fu stuff.
I'm I like the only one here that not used to see LHC fall in love with DFBB? LOL, it just so strange. Maybe because I only watch the 1996 version.

The '96 version is the closest to the novel. That said, DFBB being a girl is made for this version. DFBB in the original story however is not a man turn into a girl, but rather a man turn into an eunuch.

[xiaolong]

I'm still very upset over the fact that DFBB is dead. I need help getting over this. I didn't mind the deviation that the director took on this series, but if you're going to do it...do it all the way. It had so much potential. He could have made it so that LHC married RYY but she ends up dying...DFBB falls off the cliff is saved by the old man but she looses memory...and LHC in the midst of grief for his dead wife RYY...goes to shoalin temple to meditate...where he learns of all the sacrifices that DFBB did for him....he finally gets over RYY's death and randomly encounters DFBB on his travels. DFBB does not remember anything but slowly she gets flash-backs of their time together...and they rekindle their love. That would have been the best ending.

Wow, you are a better scriptwriter than Yu Zheng!

[clfan]

So that say in the original novel, JY never write anything about LHC and DFBB fall in love right?
Maybe if anyone have read the novel can confirm this.
Yes, you write, DFBB was a man turn into an eunuch. And that actor that play DFBB in the 96 version was great too.

Seem like the more China do remakes the more make it bad. And TVB nowadays are not the same TVB was in the 80s and 90s. The wuxia feelings that we get from the 80s-90s TVB are now gone.

[christinatran]

I'm still very upset over the fact that DFBB is dead. I need help getting over this. I didn't mind the deviation that the director took on this series, but if you're going to do it...do it all the way. It had so much potential. He could have made it so that LHC married RYY but she ends up dying...DFBB falls off the cliff is saved by the old man but she looses memory...and LHC in the midst of grief for his dead wife RYY...goes to shoalin temple to meditate...where he learns of all the sacrifices that DFBB did for him....he finally gets over RYY's death and randomly encounters DFBB on his travels. DFBB does not remember anything but slowly she gets flash-backs of their time together...and they rekindle their love. That would have been the best ending.

I wouldn't be surprised if YZ actually makes the sequel with the same plot. Someone mentioned earlier that perhaps YZ made the ending so ambiguous so that there will be room for a sequel. I tend to agree with that writer. However, it won't be the same feeling without the old cast involved. Afterall, we love DFBB because Joe did such an awesome job portraying the character and Wallace, although a wooden actor, at least had quite a good chemistry with Joe.

[wuxiarocks]

So that say in the original novel, JY never write anything about LHC and DFBB fall in love right?
Maybe if anyone have read the novel can confirm this.

No, JY never wrote this in the original novel.

[szfong]

So that say in the original novel, JY never write anything about LHC and DFBB fall in love right?
Maybe if anyone have read the novel can confirm this.

JY Inc. and JY himself, before or after he dies, will most likely revise it and/or modernize it so that DFBB becomes whatever will make the company the most $$$$. Remakes, reboots , and sequels are a VERY big moneymaker.

In the next re-make of XAJH, I'm sure DFBB will have an even bigger role... YZ has opened the floodgates for such nonsense, that serious deviating from the book is extremely interesting & profitable.

[wuxiarocks]

JY Inc. and JY himself, before or after he dies, will most likely revise it and/or modernize it so that DFBB becomes whatever will make the company the most $$$$. Remakes, reboots , and sequels are a VERY big moneymaker.

In the next re-make of XAJH, I'm sure DFBB will have an even bigger role... YZ has opened the floodgates for such nonsense, that serious deviating from the book is extremely interesting & profitable.

I'm scared for that day. However, at least I can stand proud and say I was there with the original.

[Faythe]

I agree. I just love old TVB series. Whether they are wuxia or modern, it was done with such quality in both acting & story lines that nowadays cannot be compared.

[urbanblue]

JY Inc. and JY himself, before or after he dies, will most likely revise it and/or modernize it so that DFBB becomes whatever will make the company the most $$$$. Remakes, reboots , and sequels are a VERY big moneymaker.

In the next re-make of XAJH, I'm sure DFBB will have an even bigger role... YZ has opened the floodgates for such nonsense, that serious deviating from the book is extremely interesting & profitable.

What has happened to Jin Yong's sanity?!?!? He is a genius in being able to write books like this, but with each revision they actually get worse. At least the originals still remain for us to watch and read.

[szfong]

I really also like the 2001 version, although it is not as accurate.

If they had stuck the 2001 CCTV XAJH's RYY onto the 1996 TVB XAJH, then it would be perfect. The 2001 RYY is cute, ruthless, and portrays the spirit of the character quite accurately--just like in the novel. In the novel RYY is EXTREMELY ruthless, and LHC also kills ALOT of people. They always look out for one another no matter the consequences. They never ask one another to change their behaviors, they REALLY respected one another no matter what.

Unlike this re-make, where LHC becomes a hypocrite.

I didn't like how they "sanitized" the 1996 version WAY too much, I guess for prime-time TV showing in compliance w/ HK censors.

[texture]

Swordman The Movie, was not particular popular after the 1st one, had two additional sequels made. There are now alot of sequels and re-makes going on both in asian and western stories. It just seems they are running out of new ideas...

I wish they'll remake the whole XAJH thing... all over again in a year or two and make it more complete in addition to having some creative additions. Even the 1996 version cut alot of material that was in the novel.

@szfong, regarding your statement "Swordman The Movie, was not particular popular after the 1st one ...," why do you say this?

at the box office,
swordsman made HK $16,052,552
swordsman 2 made HK $34,462,861
swordsman 3 made HK $11,248,503
based on those numbers, one could argue that swordsman 2 is the most popular one. also, brigitte lin was nominated for best actress at the hong kong film awards for this. (info from wikipedia or hkmdb.)

and i think lin became so well known for playing this role, that wong kar wai created the murong yin/yang character in ashes of time for her

and don't worry. i am sure they will eventually remake xajh again. the good jin yong stories are too much of a cash cow. hopefully the future ones will be better.

[RYYfan]

It is almost a guarantee that the popular novels from JY would be remade every 5-10 years. There's just too much profit in anything JY related. Plus, with the advance in technology and kids nowadays favoring video games and CGI, I wouldn't be surprised if XAJH gets remade again next year or the year after, or another one of JY's novels. Take a look at TLBB coming out this year for example.

The producers now just don't put in the same amount of effort in creating dramas like the way they used to...like quality over quantity.

1. Hiring cheap actors/actresses who can't act. That's easy, anyone would be eager to play the iconic JY characters. Whether they do a good job or give a bad performance doesn't matter. Look at YSS...her horrible acting as RYY earned her one of the top 3 spots of being most searched actress on the internet. Ironic isn't it?

2. Using CGI for all the action...a lot easier and safer than having real actors or stunt doubles bending, twisting, jumping around with swords. Plus you have to find and hire martial arts choreographers who really know their stuff (ie. the ones ZJZ hires for all his productions), not to mention all the time spent on training the actors to get them ready for action. CGI is easier, but more costly. The end result is: it always look SO fake with CGI.

3. Modernizing the characters/plot to suit young viewers' taste or current trends, but without going the extra mile to make it a good story or even make sense. To modernize an ancient series is an oxymoron in itself. Ancient Chinese people doing/saying things like people do in 2013 makes it lose the wuxia/ancient China spirit. Next thing you know, the dialogue would be something like: "Oh I will for sure hella make you all pay" or "He is a hella formidable foe" hahaha No different than telling all the actors in idol dramas wear ancient costumes, then call it a JY remake. Have you guys seen the clips of the new TLBB where Wallace Chung is snowboarding and killing ppl at the same time with a huge amount of CGI? Retarded. And if same sex domestic partnership is wildly popular and accepted, I'm sure some producer (such as YZ) would make LHC and man version DFBB have a real relationship and kill off RYY entirely. (Although I don't see that happening in Asia because of their culture). Or they can take out the entire wuxia element, like what YZ did in XAJH and just focus on romance and other non-sense.

Yet, even with all this, the adaptation would still be popular and receive high ratings...like YZ's XAJH.

Sigh, I'm just going to stick to ZJZ's productions or the old TVB ones if I want to watch the classics. If I was bored out of my mind and had nothing else to do, I'll watch the new remakes. Just seeing the 2013 TLBB preview makes me throw up inside my own mouth.

[j2j2j2]

Amazing that Yu Zheng chose an idol as beautiful as Joe Chen to play a character who is essentially a EUNUCH.

Without any makeup on playing Dongfang Bubai, Joe Chen looks a lot like Lü Jiarong (an actress who Yu Zheng likes to use a hell of a lot) in this series.

Also, the irony of her name being "Joe" is not lost on me.

Er, I have to disagree with you there. I think she's very plain looking, and in fact, in some cases does look like a man. So if that's what they were going for, then she was cast correctly.

I just feel that she's a horrible actress and either acts completely emotionless or 100% surprised. She has no subtlety.

Of course she wasn't the worst thing about this series. The script was just... ugh...

I think almost everything that is original has already been made already... They can mod it somewhat.. They just did another Journey to the West movie in addition to the two series that came out back to back... unbelievable.

It's unfortunate, but true. Of course there have been some nice surprises. The new Stephen Chow Journey to the West prequel is quite good. I like how they retell that story.

And Bu Bu Jing Xing when it first came out was amazing, along with 后宮甄嬛傳.

It's just that producers are afraid to take the big risks and try to go with something proven, which really sets things back.

[nerine92]

Er, I have to disagree with you there. I think she's very plain looking, and in fact, in some cases does look like a man. So if that's what they were going for, then she was cast correctly.

I just feel that she's a horrible actress and either acts completely emotionless or 100% surprised. She has no subtlety.

Of course she wasn't the worst thing about this series. The script was just... ugh...




It's unfortunate, but true. Of course there have been some nice surprises. The new Stephen Chow Journey to the West prequel is quite good. I like how they retell that story.

And Bu Bu Jing Xing when it first came out was amazing, along with 后宮甄嬛傳.

It's just that producers are afraid to take the big risks and try to go with something proven, which really sets things back.

U need to be stop being a hater here... I know 1 fact thing is JOE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A MAN!!! She could act i don't no y u said dat she cant act but obviously u just don't like her. her acting amazes people even tho its da script dat is ugly but course she can act way better than anyone in the series so do get that fact straight up in the brain your mama gave u!

[szfong]

@szfong, regarding your statement "Swordman The Movie, was not particular popular after the 1st one ...," why do you say this?

at the box office,
swordsman made HK $16,052,552
swordsman 2 made HK $34,462,861
swordsman 3 made HK $11,248,503
based on those numbers, one could argue that swordsman 2 is the most popular one. also, brigitte lin was nominated for best actress at the hong kong film awards for this. (info from wikipedia or hkmdb.)

and i think lin became so well known for playing this role, that wong kar wai created the murong yin/yang character in ashes of time for her

and don't worry. i am sure they will eventually remake xajh again. the good jin yong stories are too much of a cash cow. hopefully the future ones will be better.

The second & third film was said to be money losers... it was the 1990s and because of cost over runs from over-paid actors, and piracy from VCDs at the time, it was said that they actually lost money. Then they dubbed it into Mandarin and released it in the mainland which made a bit more money, but pirated dubbed version was already widely available. Finally they severely cut costs in the production of the 3rd film w/ only DFBB as the lead. The gross values from wikipedia & hkmdb do not tell the time-span of those values... which can be misleading.

I just remembered from memory from HK newspapers & magazines concerning the bad reviews, overpaid actors, and production cost overruns, etc soon after the movie was released.... They may have made their money back after getting re-released on DVD & blu-ray from its low quality VCD/VHS.... and those gross totals may reflect the additional distribution two decades after the production.