July 18, 2008
Excerpts of an interview with Wu Tianming, well-known Chinese film producer and
director. As head of the Xi'an Film Studio in the 1980s and early 1990s, he funded
some of Zhang Yimou's early films.
The first time I knew Zhang Yimou was in 1983. They (Zhang and others) were
planning to work on "Yellow Earth." [1984 film directed by Chen Kaige,
cinematographer] They had no money. We went to eat and I gave them 3,000
renminbi. I was in Shaanxi to film my movie. At that time, Zhang Yimou and Chen
Kaige came to me. They came with walking sticks. They looked like beggars. I
wanted to help them. And after that I loaned them 3,000 renminbi and lent them my
jeep so they could look for locations for "Yellow Earth." In 1983, I was not yet head
of the Xian Film Studio. That was about September 1983.
Then I was in Beijing to talk about my movie "Old Well" in 1985. Zhang Yimou
agreed to be the cinematographer. But he said: 'Can I also have job for Xiao Hua [his
wife at the time] at Xian Film Studio. At that time, Xiao Hua worked at Xiaoping
factory. Xiao Hua lived with her parents. So I got Xiao Hua a job working in the
[Xian Film Studio] library and I lent a house to Zhang Yimou during preparation for
"Old Well."
So during the preparation for the film "Old Well," Zhang Yimou and another guy
went to Hebei and other provinces. The task was to find a leading actor and so I told
them task the actor should look like Zhang Yimou -- look like a stone. And after one
month they came back with a lot of actors and actresses but I wasn't satisfied with the
leading actor and the potential for leading actors. They looked too white, clean and
good looking. So I told Zhang Yimou: 'You can be the leading actor." And he was
shocked. He said, 'I don't know how to act. I never learned that.' He asked for three
days to consider it. And on the second day he said: 'Ok, I'll try.' But he said: 'If I screw
it up I can't take responsibility.'
I saw Zhang Yimou had the confidence. I picked him for three reasons. I told him:
'First, you graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, so you know a lot. Second, you
have lived in the countryside. Third, I see you have the determination.' He said, 'Ok. I
can try. But you can keep looking. If you find better one, you can cancel me'
So we kept looking. Then we stopped and we had a meeting and I officially
announced that he was the actor and everyone was surprised. I gave them the three
reasons. So Zhang Yimou became the leading actor and the cinematographer.
He had a lot of passion.
So I asked the actors to go to the countryside and carry 10 buckets of water. So the
actors have to carry 10 buckets of stones. Besides that, Zhang Yimou has to carry the
stone plates three times a day -- 100 to 200 jin – up from the mountain to the village. I
asked him to lose 10 jin weight in one or two months.
He was quite diligent and determined. Zhang Yimou was working even when we
played poker {at night, after filming was completed}. And every evening we held a
meeting and everyone sat there quietly but Zhang Yimou. After two months he lost 11
jin and his skin became bronze. He really looked like a terra cotta warrior.
The reason I told you this story is he did this. It was very moving.
Even now I think I can't find a person like him. I took him to Tokyo.
The film "Old Well" gave me the most interesting experience. We had passion. We
discussed everything. Usually everyone can give ideas. I said 'Zhang Yimou is the
most the most creative guy. He gave me a lot of ideas."
According to the initial ending of the film, he digs out water. We spent three days
thinking of a better ending and couldn't get it. So then he said: 'Why don't we type the
ends – writing onto the screen and let them read?' So that's the ending of the film. I
got so excited. I gave him a bonus for his idea. I gave him 100 renminbi (about $10
today)
Usually a salary was 40 renminbi a month. As the leading actor Zhang Yimou only
got 400 rmb. The reason why I told you this long story, you can see Zhang Yimou
was serious about film and art. Zhang Yimou is the most hardworking and diligent
and ambitious guy.
During the filming of "Old Well," Zhang Yimou sent me Mo Yan's novel, "Red
Sorghum," and said: 'Can you give me an opportunity? I want to make 'Red Sorghum.'
I'll be the director.' And he wants me to invest in it. I read Mo Yan's book. And then
Zhang Yimou took my friend's workers to Shandong. Then he said: 'The farms don't
plant red sorghum. So can you give me money to buy the seeds.‘
According to our standard procedure we have to send screenplay to the government.
They censor it first. Then they give it back. But at that time we had no screenplay. I
promised 40,000 renminbi to fund it by myself. And he raised red sorghum. He grew
40 mu. Zhang Yimou had sent the screenplay to several studios but I got it.
In Berlin, [when Zhang Yimou accepted an award for "Red Sorghum" at the Berlin
Film Festival] he said: 'If there was no Wu Tianming, there'd be no movie."
Regarding censorship, I don't know about the movie "One & Eight" [Zhang's first
movie as cinematographer], but they cut "Yellow Earth" a lot. In "Old Well," they
only cut the scene of Zhang Yimou and the actress making love. They only left the
actress unbuttoning her shirt. The censorship on "Red Sorghum" was not so strict.
After "Red Sorghum," we won international awards and he became one of the hottest
directors
[What were the major influences on him and his film?]
First I want to say that his generation went through the Cultural Revolution. They
were 14 or 15. At the time the whole culture was destroyed. And the relationship
between people was evil. They tasted the ugliness but less of the beauty. So in Zhang
Yimou's films like 'Judou' and 'Raise the Red Lantern' you can always feel the
ugliness and darkness of life."
So they must feel the most for China's ugliness, violence and plots. So in the films, all
of them, the message is to present the ugliness, violence and plots and dig out the
ugliness of this nation.
Also, in the first film, "Red Sorghum," he expresses his depression and gloomy
feelings of life. His father worked for Nationalists [during the Civil War in the 1940s]
and an uncle is in Taiwan.
So actually I feel like "Red Sorghum" is like a vent for Zhang Yimou. He wanted to
express his anger. And he also wants to indulge in happiness.
So you asked the message – the fifth generation witnessed the darkness. They tried to
dig out the darkness. Some don't believe in the beauty of humanity. So in their works
you seldom find the beauty. The audiences will see cruelty, blood and plots.
Since then his emotions and feelings showed up and his films and showed cruelty.
[What about the trends now?] I think the times are changing and this is a transition
period to start going commercial.
First in 1997 and 1998 he wants to make movies softer. But these movies didn't make
much money. So he {Zhang Yimou} made all these big budget movies.
I think the market made him do it. To me these big budget movies are bad. Except for
"Hero,"
they're
all
nonsense.
I think since reform and opening up decides the development of the Chinese nation
becomes more superficial. And so the audience only wants to see fancy scenery, not
deep
tragedy.
[Zhang Yimou's movies have gone big budget, right?] I think that changed partly
because of the government censors. Early movies were doing art, humanity. But
people are tired of that. Until his film, "To Live," then he tried to enter to the
government. And "Hero" tries to make commercial business movies. That's the
change, a big change for Zhang Yimou -- a huge traumatic change -- for survival.