July 6, 2007: About the Monkey King | 2007年7月6日: 關於孫悟空 | 2007年7月6日: 关于孙悟空

Ideally, the identity of the person portraying the Monkey King should be kept secret.  However, with advances in technology and information distribution, today's entertainment industry doesn't really have any secrets.  By now everyone knows that I will be playing the Monkey King character in "Forbidden Kingdom".

In fact, when I first received the scrīpt three years ago the producer approached me to play the role of the Monkey King, but at that time there were problems with the scrīpt.  At that time they portrayed the Monk as a great fighter.  I felt this was a bit weird because, according to the original story, "Journey to the West", the Monk was the only role that was based on "reality".  This character was based on the life of Buddhist Master Xuan-Zhang from the Tang Dyanasty.  If his character was a great fighter the film wouldn't be accepted by the public.  So after discussions with the producer we decided that the monk should not be a fighter.  Otherwise the film would have a difficult time being accepted in Asia.

But, how to fix this problem?  I had two suggestions:

First, have the Monk be a transformation of the Monkey King.  Since the Monkey King knows the 72 "earthly methods for transformations", he can pull one of his hairs out and transform himself into the Monk.  So, instead of being the "Tang Monk" we can call him "Silent Monk" and the problem is solved.

Second, I suggested that the movie does not have to be based strictly upon the original "Journey to the West".  Everyone who is familiar with that story has their own perceptions on how that story should be represented.  In the film, the story is the creation of an American kid's dream.  This being the case, there are apt to be differences between these characters and those from "Journey to the West".  But that's not a problem.  this is a dream of this American kid's interpretation of these characters so there is a lot of room for creativity.

The producer liked my ideas.  The screenwriter even flew to Hong Kong to discuss the development of the Monkey King with me.  Naturally there are many differences between Chinese and Western culture and eveyrone has a different interpretation of the Monkey King character.   There should be a lot of work done to create this character, but it's best to maximize the room for creativity and not base it solely on previous examples.  I will put forth my best effort with this character, so I hope that everyone can understand this perspective: As this is a character based on a western kid's dream-world, this is a new representation of the Monkey King for a global audience.

To be honest, portraying the Monkey King has required a lot of courage.  There have been so many successful depictions of this character in Beijing Opera, animation and TV series.  For example, the Monkey King portrayed by Master Liu Xiao Ling Tong; his expressions and movements portray the character exactly as it should be from a Chinese cultural perspective.  But if our interpretation of the Monkey King's character was based on the previous depictions, then it would not work in this new context.

We had the same situation with the character Wong Fei-Hung in "Once Upon a Time in China".  Master Kwan Tak-Hing had portrayed this character in over 100 movies, but to develop this character I had to create a totally new interpretation of Wong Fei-Hung in order for it to work in the film.

The Monkey King in this movie is not just for Chinese audiences, nor just for Asian audiences, but for the whole world.  There are many people in the world who don't know anything about the Monkey King.  Therefore, as long as the character of the Monkey King is true to the world created in the dreams of the American kid in the movie, there is no right or wrong, and the room for creative diversity is enormous.

You will be able to see the movie next year, and of course I can't promise that you will or will not like it.  I can only try my best, along with action director Yuen Wo-Ping and his team, to create the best Monkey King I can. |

對於由誰演孫悟空, 原本劇組想要保密的。 但是現在通訊如此發達, 這麽大的娛樂電影是保密不了。現在大家已經知道是我來演孫悟空。其實三年前第一次拿 到劇本時, 制片人就是找我演孫悟空。 但當時劇本有個問題, 原始劇本中的唐僧是很能打的高手, 我看了覺得怪怪的。傳統西遊記中, 最接近真實的人物就是唐僧, 因為他是依照唐朝玄奘大師所創作的角色。大家都知道唐僧是個修行人, 若是武功高強者,就不容易被大眾接受。 所以當時我就和制片人講, 唐僧一定不能打, 否則很難在亞洲文化站得住腳。如何解決這個問題呢？

當時我提出兩個建議, 第一, 將和尚角色設定為孫悟空的化身。 因為孫悟空有七十二變的能力。他拔一個毛出來, 變成一個和尚, 我們不要叫他唐僧, 叫他默僧, 這個問題就可以解決。 第二個提議, 我們不要拍一個原本的西遊記, 因為每個看過的觀眾, 都有一個自己版本的西遊記, 所以整個故事的創意是一個美國小孩的夢, 由於他太喜歡中國工夫和動作電影, 所以在夢理會出現各種角色,

和以往的西遊記不同也沒有問題。 如果這個電影是敘述夢境, 那他的創作空間就很大。當時制片人認為我的提議很好, 編劇還特別飛來香港和我探討如何創造孫悟空。 當然中西方文化還有很多差異, 因為每個人心目中的猴子的形象不同。在造型上花了很多工夫。我的態度是, 把創作空間放大, 不要去做任何比較, 盡心盡力去作好這個角色。 而這個角色的世界, 完全是小孩子心中夢想的世界, 也希望大家了解這一點。 這是一個美國小孩夢中的猴子形象, 而重新設計創作的孫悟空。

其實演孫悟空需要很大的勇氣。 過去已經有很多京劇, 動畫片和電視劇成功地詮釋過孫悟空。 像六小齡童老師演的孫悟空非常出色, 從表情到肢體語言, 就像我們心目中的孫悟空。 我們若在原來的基礎上創作, 那肯定不行。 就像當年的黃飛鴻, 關德興師父已經演了一百多部了, 讓我再演黃飛鴻, 就必須要跳脫以往的形象, 開闊另外一個角度重新創作。 這部電影的孫悟空不僅要給亞洲人看, 還要給全世界的觀眾看。世界上還有很多觀眾不知道孫悟空是何方神聖, 所以只要能符合影片中美國小孩心中夢想的孫悟空, 那個空間就很大, 沒有一定的對錯。明年你們就可以看到電影了, 我也無法保證你們會不會喜歡, 我只能盡力用我的理解, 和袁和平導演的動作組一起創造出這個美猴王。

对于由谁演孙悟空, 原本剧组想要保密的。 但是现在通讯如此发达, 这么大的娱乐电影是保密不了。 现在大家已经知道是我来演孙悟空。其实三年前第一次拿 到剧本时, 制片人就是找我演孙悟空。 但当时剧本有个问题, 原始剧本中的唐僧是很能打的高手, 我看了觉得怪怪的。传统西游记中, 最接近真实的人物就是唐僧, 因为他是依照唐朝玄奘大师所创作的角色。 大家都知道唐僧是个修行人, 若是武功高强者,就不容易被大众接受。 所以当时我就和制片人讲, 唐僧一定不能打, 否则很难在亚洲文化站得住脚。 如何解决这个问题呢？

当时我提出两个建议, 第一, 将和尚角色设定为孙悟空的化身。 因为孙悟空有七十二变的能力。 他拔一个毛出来, 变成一个和尚, 我们不要叫他唐僧, 叫他默僧, 这个问题就可以解决。 第二个提议, 我们不要拍一个原本的西游记, 因为每个看过的观众, 都有一个自己版本的西游记, 所以整个故事的创意是一个美国小孩的梦, 由于他太喜欢中国工夫和动作电影, 所以在梦理会出现各种角色,

和以往的西游记不同也没有问题。 如果这个电影是叙述梦境, 那他的创作空间就很大。 当时制片人认为我的提议很好, 编剧还特别飞来香港和我探讨如何创造孙悟空。 当然中西方文化还有很多差异, 因为每个人心目中的猴子的形象不同。 在造型上花了很多工夫。我的态度是, 把创作空间放大, 不要去做任何比较, 尽心尽力去作好这个角色。 而这个角色的世界, 完全是小孩子心中梦想的世界, 也希望大家了解这一点。 这是一个美国小孩梦中的猴子形象, 而重新设计创作的孙悟空。

其实演孙悟空需要 很大的勇氣。 过去已经有很多京剧, 动画片和电视剧成功地诠释过孙悟空。 像六小龄童老师演的孙悟空非常出色, 从表情到肢体语言, 就像我们心目中的孙悟空。 我们若在原来的基础上创作, 那肯定不行。 就像当年的黄飞鸿, 关德兴师父已经演了一百多部了, 让我再演黄飞鸿, 就必须要跳脱以往的形象, 开阔另外一个角度重新创作。 这部电影的孙悟空不仅要给亚洲人看, 还要给全世界的观众看。 世界上还有很多观众不知道孙悟空是何方神圣, 所以只要能符合影片中美国小孩心中梦想的孙悟空, 那个空间就很大, 没有一定的对错。明年你们就可以看到电影了, 我也无法保证你们会不会喜欢, 我只能尽力用我的理解, 和袁和平导演的动作组一起创造出这个美猴王。