cultural criticism
The old drama became popular, what impressed us?
Recently, the interview clips from the 1998 version of "Water Margin" have become popular. In the picture, Li Mingqi, who plays the role of Wang Po, was interviewed during the filming of the scene where she was "tied up by five flowers." He said that he "likes gentle and quiet people"; Zhou Yemang, who played Lin Chong, was lying on the ground in shackles and laughed at himself that he was "about to get bedsores." The actors were in a chaotic scene and were interviewed "seriously". This contrast aroused heated discussions among netizens, who praised this rough reality.
In fact, behind the popularity of "Water Margin" again is an even bigger "tide of popularity" for old dramas. Among the trends are the TV series "Xue Zhenzhu Finds Lingling", which has recently won a place among the "Four Great Internet Masterpieces", and "The Legend of Zhen Huan" and "Latent", which have become very popular.
After the emergence of social media, some people believe that "co-viewing" no longer exists, and watching dramas has become an experience on a private screen. The series no longer needs to be suitable for all ages, but can accurately find its own audience. But the old drama "The Popularity" just proves that we still need to "watch together" emotionally.
We need the lines of the drama to provide "sticks" that are understood by each other as soon as they are spoken, we need to show values through the views of the characters, and we need to discuss history and the present in plot events. Small screens merge into giant public screens, and we still long to be a community.
Here comes the question: Why is it an old drama? They were broadcast before the rise of social media, so they have more memories of watching together, they have "memes" that can be appropriated, the physiological mechanism of old dramas puts the brain into energy-saving mode and gives a sense of psychological control, and the creators are intensively cultivated... These reasons are all important, but they are not enough to explain this craze.
The core may be the above-mentioned viral clip: the disgraced actors were interviewed and talked about their views on acting. It's "abnormal" because today's interviews mean elaborate makeup, bright lights, and elegant surroundings. It breaks the mold and gives us the opportunity to examine what we take for granted. This "undignity" attracts the audience, because the audience's expectation and pursuit are not "decent" and "correct", but a reality that may be rough or even sharp. When "reducing risks" becomes a common choice in the market, and creation increasingly pursues stability and safety, "truth" becomes a risk.
This kind of authenticity requires courage because it is controversial. The characters in old "famous" dramas often show complexity and a certain degree of grayscale. These characters may have been criticized when the series first aired, but they are often re-understood in the "famous wave". Xue Zhenzhu, the mother of the heroine in "The First Half of My Life", was criticized when she first appeared. The most common comment in the barrage was "Can she say less?" But today, netizens understand her love and support for her daughter, as well as her somewhat "disgraceful" way of presiding over "justice". If literary and artistic works ignore this reality or simplify the characters in order to reduce controversy, they will not be able to create characters that touch people's hearts.
This reality also takes some time to understand. "Famous" old dramas faithfully record and restore the times, thereby achieving resonance with audiences in different periods. An Lingrong in "The Legend of Zhen Huan" has always been regarded as a cruel and negative character, but in "The Red Tide", her accusation against the emperor before her death was seen as pointing to the source of all the pain in the harem, completing the creative goal of "criticizing feudalism".
After a literary and artistic work is completed, its fate is left to the audience. It may be popular and then rejected, or it may change from being ignored to becoming a classic. These are all unpredictable. The only thing the creator can do is to truly record and reflect the times. Only in this way can the work be viable enough.
We need truth, even if it is in hesitation and dilemma, even if it takes time to understand. If literary and artistic works avoid this kind of reality and pursue hearty "refreshment" and unmistakable "perfection", they may not receive long-term attention. The "popularity" of old dramas is a vote by the audience, showing their appreciation for authenticity and calling for more brave and authentic works. What is gratifying is that there is no shortage of such works at the moment. They are waiting for the test of time and more companions.
Author: Shi Yimin Source: China Youth Daily
