GREAT REVIEW (Charactor REVIEW) ON HSDS 2003

[James Ko]

I agree with it a lot <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

Good job Ian <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[spcnet]

It made me want to see it after reading the review.. though from a picture of the Lion King Tse Sun blinded at the Shaolin battle, it looks like he's not blinded by Yan Su Su already. That would change a lot wouldn't it? 1. He should have no qualms about leaving Ice Fire island in the first place. 2. He would be able to battle normally with full vision and, with his wit, should not be helpless or deceived easily--if he is in the tv series.

[Ian Liew]

-spoilers-

Xie Shin was already blinded by Yan Susu, but during his duel with Cheng Kun they both fell into a dark pit where Xie Shin had the advantage. They both gouged at each others' eyes - in Xie Xhin's case, it didn't really affect him (apart from the pain) but Cheng Kun gets blinded and defeated. I believe the 86 version and 2000 version had the same scene, and Xie shin ends up with bleeding eyes at Shaolin when people walk past to spit on him (they cut out that spitting scene in this version, if I remember correctly)


Ian

[spcnet]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="80%" bgcolor="#dcdcdc" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" bgcolor="#DCDCDC"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee"><font size="1">Originally posted by Ian Liew:
<STRONG>-spoilers-

Xie Shin was already blinded by Yan Susu, but during his duel with Cheng Kun they both fell into a dark pit where Xie Shin had the advantage. They both gouged at each others' eyes - in Xie Xhin's case, it didn't really affect him (apart from the pain) but Cheng Kun gets blinded and defeated. I believe the 86 version and 2000 version had the same scene, and Xie shin ends up with bleeding eyes at Shaolin when people walk past to spit on him (they cut out that spitting scene in this version, if I remember correctly)


Ian</STRONG></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>


Ah... that explains it. I saw this other pic with Tse Sun looking so fit and thought maybe they didn't have him blinded. Or is that not Zhou Zhi Ruo?
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/d/2002-12-25/3_28-3-326-348_200212251655.jpg')

How faithful is the series to the novel then?

<font size="1">[ May 11, 2003: Message edited by: spcnet ]</font>

[Ian Liew]

Hmm.. wow, what a picture. I suspect it's more of a studio behind-the-scenes picture than an in-movie scene. Xie Shin is dressed up in his younger costume (prior to going to Ice Fire Island), and he never quite gets a haircut as neat as that after he gets blind <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"> That is Zhou Zhiruo, and I suppose they were having a chat between shoots.

I haven't really read the novel, but certain things are slightly different from other versions. There's no Guo Xiang at the beginning - basically starts off with the two Xuan Ming elders defending a Mongolian convoy from Yan Susu and Yan Yewang. Zhu Yuanzhang's traitorious nature is not revealed at all, there is no 3 vs 3 fight in Shaolin at the end (which ends with Eagle King's death in a few versions - 86 and 00) - Xie Shin basically makes everyone leave before the fight starts. Yang Xiao and Fan Yao don't make it to Shaolin for the final confrontations, Chu Er doesn't kill Zhu Jiuzhen, Zhang Shanfeng foils Chingshu's attempt to poison Wudang instead of Wuji rushing in to save the day, Chingshu dies saving his father in Shaolin, Wei Yixiao supports Yang Xiao's bid for sect leader, Hu Chingniu and Langu manage to escape from Jinhuapopo... not sure how much of those are deviants from the novel, but they sure deviated from the other versions I saw.

[Floo..]

Yikes, that means they deviate big time....

<IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">

[spcnet]

Yeah, does sound like some big changes. A little disappointing that they decided to cut the 3 on 3 battle at Shaolin but great to hear that they didn't turn the Xuan Ming elders to lousy fighters.

[Ian Liew]

Oh ya, another deviation which I personally didn't like too much - The Kuang Ming peak battle where Wuji holds off the 6 sects was a bit too rushed. The Kunlun sect was reduced to a very small ke-le-fe role. He Taichong didn't have a wife, and Kunlun didn't combine with Huashan to use the forward and reverse Liang Er Jian Fa. The Kongdong Five Elders fight was a bit laughable (and you can actually see the platform they were rotating on), while the Huashan fight was *very* short - basically Sikong Yuan fired a dart at Wuji and it got fired back at him and he lost. The Shaolin, Ermei and Wudang fights were better, although the Ermei fight had too many special effects. Wudang, as per the book, didn't really fight much. The Shaolin fight was awesome, though. I think that old monk Kong Wen really had screen presence.


Ian

[anne]

To Ian,

Great review! I just found out about this China's adaptation of HSDS earlier this week. Then I go searching for pictures and reviews about this series. So far, everything I read is very, very positive. It's your review made me want to watch it, and so I placed an order @ yesasia.com <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0"> Hope it doesn't disappoint me <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">

[k_ge_zhi_wang]

that's a nice pic of Zhou Zhiruo <IMG SRC="smilies/luv.gif" border="0">..
she looks so much pretty than Zhao Min

[chungieboy]

I can't believe it's out already, but I'm really waiting for the tvb 86 version.

[junzi]

the actress who acted as yin susu isnt from china... her name is phyllis quek (guo feili), she's from malaysia and works for singapore's mediacorp.

[junzi]

oh... and the actress who plays xiaozhao is called florence tan (chen xiuli, the one who played guo fu in ROCH 98 i think). she's also from malaysia and works for mediacorp.

[Ian Liew]

Thanks for the info junzi! Ooh.. Malaysia... means they're local here.... <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

Chungieboy - I thought the 86 version is already out? I have a set, and it's all nicely boxed and looks original (although with Malaysian pirates you can't really tell..) Yah - I did enjoy that one a lot too (until Tony Leung and Kitty Lai kind of had their screen lives and real lives overlap a bit and then ended it - watching it now reminds me of that too much).

k_ge_zhi_wang, if you think she looked good in that picture with her hair out of place and a cheeky smile, just wait till you watch the series, and see this goddess in her full glory :inlove

Now if only Gao Yuanyuan was Malaysian too ...

Ian <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[cassie]

Ian, you are a Malaysian, i'm a Malaysian too. About Phyllis Quek and Florence Tan, they actually hav very similar experience in joining the entertainemnet industry. They both joined the Star Search contest organized by Mediacorp Singapore. Phyllis got the thrid place in 1995 while Florence was the champion in 1997. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[wonton]

I haven't read the novel, and I have a question.

According to the novel, is Zhou Zhiruo innately evil? Her character is different in all the versions I've seen. In the TVB 2000 version with Charmaine Sheh, she's already evil before anything happened.

[СÁúÅ®]

I haven't read the novel, and I have a question.
According to the novel, is Zhou Zhiruo innately evil? Her character is different in all the versions I've seen. In the TVB 2000 version with Charmaine Sheh, she's already evil before anything happened.

she's not really evil...she did what she did because of her shi fu and her love for zhang wu ji

[alecforever815]

yeah this version of hsds kinda pities zzr and makes her do all the stuff cuz of her shi fu, not her innate evil

i think florence tan and phyllis are from singapore, at least that's what the credits said, and i think i read online that they are from singapore, not malaysia

[Lingz13]

Florence and Phyliis are Malaysians. Its that they work for Singapore's MediaCorp.

[alecforever815]

then why are they listed as from singapore? just cuz they work there? tha'ts relaly weird