Chapter 00152: Tai Chi Heats Up the Screen (Part 1)
# Tai Chi" Heats Up the Screen (Part 1)
Chapter 152
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 152: "Tai Chi" Heats Up the Screen (Part 1)
During the Spring Festival season, there were four films released.
The first was "The Elder," directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Kara Hui, which had already been showing for a few days at the Shaw Brothers cinemas.
Kara Hui played a young but highly respected elder, with plenty of action scenes that made her famous overnight.
The film was decent overall, with the most outstanding part being her martial arts sequences.
Interestingly, she won the Best Actress award at the first Hong Kong Film Awards for this role.
Next was "Security Unlimited," directed by Michael Hui, which premiered on January 30th at the Golden Harvest cinemas.
Michael Hui was the top star in Hong Kong after Bruce Lee, even surpassing Jackie Chan.
He had already won the annual box office championship four times, and his new film, "Security Unlimited," was unstoppable at the box office, continuing his streak of success.
Then came "Tai Chi," released on February 3rd, followed by "The Funniest Movie" from Cinema City on February 5th.
Chen Qi, the director of "Tai Chi," took aim at "The Elder," publicly stating, "Old masters shouldn’t be all about fighting. Let’s see whose work the audience prefers."
This comment stirred up a lot of buzz.
On the evening of the 3rd, at the South China Theatre, Shu Qi spent ten dollars on a ticket for a seat in the back row downstairs, lamenting how ticket prices had skyrocketed.
Just two years ago, it was only five dollars.
This price hike had significantly boosted the overall box office for Hong Kong films.
He entered the theater, found his seat, and pulled out his notebook, observing the audience around him while jotting down notes.
The crowd was diverse—men, women, young, and old—and the theater was about 60% full, indicating that the promotion for "Tai Chi" had been quite effective.
Shu Qi wrote a few paragraphs, then closed his notebook, waiting for the film to start.
He was a screenwriter and critic, as well as the editor-in-chief of the magazine "City Entertainment."
He and his colleagues were researching the growing prosperity of Hong Kong cinema and felt the need for a professional awards ceremony—thus, the Hong Kong Film Awards were born, with the first ceremony to be held the following year.
As he looked around, his gaze suddenly stopped on two thin, hat-wearing figures.
"The Yuen brothers?" Shu Qi thought, recognizing them after a moment.
He found it strange—what were they doing here to watch a mainland film?
"Damn it! You dragged me to another leftist film?" one of the young men complained.
"Wasn’t 'Deadly Curve' fun last time? You even asked Liu Xuehua for her autograph!" the other retorted.
"But this is a martial arts film! What kind of martial arts can the leftists make? Old people doing calisthenics? I’d rather wait for 'The Descent.' The leftists are good at horror films now."
The two young men bickered as they squeezed into their seats, right in front of Shu Qi.
He found their conversation amusing and tapped them on the shoulder, smiling.
"Hey, I’m an editor for a film magazine. Your comments are interesting. Can I interview you after the movie?"
"Wow, we’re going to be in a magazine!" one exclaimed.
"No problem!" the other agreed.
After a while, no more audience members entered, and the theater was about 65% full.
As the lights dimmed, the chatter died down, and hundreds of eyes turned to the brightening screen.
The credits rolled, with Chen Qi’s name prominently displayed in the screenwriter/planner section.
"Chen Qi? The guy who’s been feuding with Lau Kar-leung? He’s so young to be a screenwriter. Wait, didn’t he also write 'Deadly Curve'? Interesting!" Shu Qi adjusted himself into a comfortable position, curious about what this first mainland martial arts film would be like.
"Yang Yuqian, today I will definitely defeat you!" a voice declared on screen.
"You’ve said that ten times already. It’s getting old!" another voice retorted.
"Hmph! I’ve learned a new move. Just you wait!"
The film began with a scenic shot: a sprawling countryside with crisscrossing paths, the sounds of chickens and dogs, farmers working in the fields, and a group of young boys playing under a large, leafy tree.
"Beautiful!" Shu Qi thought to himself.
Hong Kong films could never capture such an authentic rural atmosphere.
"Tai Chi" opened with a natural landscape, as if it understood exactly what the audience wanted.
The boys formed a circle, with two standing in the middle.
One was Jet Li, playing Yang Yuqian.
His good looks and natural charisma were key reasons he became a star.
He wore a robe typical of the late Qing dynasty, his handsome face exuding confidence.
The other boy had a tanned, muscular build.
The two began to spar, with Yang Yuqian clearly having the upper hand.
He toyed with his opponent before kicking him down and jumping out of the circle, laughing.
"You lost again! Same as always, I don’t want your prize. Just shout three times."
The defeated boy, though reluctant, obediently shouted, "Yang Yuqian is the best in the world!"
"A country bumpkin dares to call himself the best in the world?" a bystander suddenly interjected.
"The path of martial arts is vast and profound. You’ve learned a bit of external boxing and now you’re full of yourself. Don’t you know there’s always someone better?"
"You want to lecture me? Beat me first, then I’ll listen."
Yang Yuqian’s eyes lit up, and he lunged forward.
Following Chen Qi’s instructions, Yuen Woo-ping highlighted the distinct styles of different martial arts schools.
Yang Yuqian was using Piguazhang, which emphasized long-range strikes, while the bystander used Baguazhang, focusing on close-range grappling.
The two fought, one keeping distance while the other closed in.
Yang Yuqian tried several times to create space but was effortlessly defeated, as if a snake had coiled around him.
Instead of being angry, Yang Yuqian knelt and bowed.
The bystander, impressed by his attitude, offered some advice.
"I have no intention of taking disciples, nor do I have the time to teach. But I can point you in the right direction. In Shanxi’s Taigu, you’ll find Xingyiquan. In Henan’s Wen County, there’s Taijiquan. Go and seek them out."
The opening was crisp and direct, quickly setting up the main plot.
Yang Yuqian, a martial arts fanatic, embarked on a journey to find a master.
His search for Xingyiquan didn’t go well, so he headed to Chenjiagou for Taijiquan.
However, the Chen family had a rule against teaching outsiders, and the clan leader, Chen Zhengying, drove him away.
Refusing to leave, Yang Yuqian lingered around Chenjiagou, where he eventually met Chen Shaomei.
Chen Shaomei, accompanied by her maid Xiao Tao, was flying a kite by the river.
When the kite was blown away, they chased after it, and Chen Shaomei accidentally fell into the water.
Xiao Tao couldn’t swim, but Yang Yuqian happened to be nearby and saved her.
Gong Xue, playing Chen Shaomei, wore a light blue blouse and had her hair in two braids.
Her character was frail, with makeup emphasizing a delicate, sickly beauty.
Yet, she was passionate about martial arts and had extensive theoretical knowledge, giving her a unique blend of fragility and strength.
"This actress is great. Hong Kong doesn’t have this kind of female star," Shu Qi thought as he watched, his mind buzzing with ideas.
Afraid he’d forget them, he quickly jotted them down in his notebook under the dim light.
At the beginning, he had only noted the well-designed action sequences and the brisk pacing.
But as the story progressed, he discovered more and more "Easter eggs" that elevated the film to the level of Hong Kong’s top-tier martial arts movies, even surpassing them in some aspects.
For example, the scene where Chen Shaomei taught Yang Yuqian how to practice.
"Your mind isn’t calm! Remember to stay centered and relaxed, with your energy sinking to your dantian... Use softness to overcome hardness, and borrow strength to strike back!"
*Thwack!* A small pebble flew past.
"Your waist should be loose on the outside but firm inside!"
*Thwack!* Another pebble.
"Lift your arm!"
"Your wrist should be two inches higher!"
"Keep your mind calm, undisturbed by the waves!"
With each pebble thrown, the camera cut to the corresponding part of Yang Yuqian’s body.
The back-and-forth of the pebbles, combined with the sound of them hitting, created a unique, satisfying rhythm.
"This scene is incredibly well-crafted!" Shu Qi was amazed.
Hong Kong films had no shortage of training sequences, but this one stood out for its sharp editing and immersive experience, unlike anything he’d seen before.
From the moment Yang Yuqian began practicing Tai Chi, the film’s pace picked up dramatically, and it only got better.
Chen Shaojie discovered his sister meeting a strange man and decided to teach Yang Yuqian a lesson.
The two ended up fighting, but through their clash, they became friends.
Meanwhile, Chen Zhengying found out about the affair and was furious, threatening to cripple Yang Yuqian’s martial arts skills.
Just then, Ji Chunhua, playing the villainous Ghost Face, arrived with his gang, leading to a chaotic battle.
Once again, Yang Yuqian saved Chen Shaomei...
(End of Chapter)