Just yesterday, Disney's annual masterpiece "Mulan" was finally released in the mainland.
had a box office of 52 million on the first day, and although it still won the single-day box office championship, it was far lower than the film's expectations.
plus the domestic theater release a week later than streaming media, the audience had actually watched it a long time ago. Before the film was released, more than 90,000 viewers had rated 
.7 on Douban.
This achievement can be regarded as the countdown even if it is included in the Disney live-action comic-model sequence that has repeatedly failed in recent years.
You should know that the ratings of "The Lion King" and "Aladdin" last year were also .4 and .5 respectively.
The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. "Disney's first Chinese princess" Waterloo has become a foregone conclusion .
I have written a comment about this video. There are many shortcomings of the video, so I will not repeat them here.
Of course, this statement is more of a joke from netizens.
From a positive perspective, although "Mulan" is disappointing, it is the first time that Hollywood has launched an all-Chinese lineup to star in an A-level blockbuster with a budget of up to 200 million US dollars. The significance of this film has exceeded the artistic value of the film itself.
The film also proves the influence of Mulan, an oriental legend, otherwise Disney would not have adapted the movie into a live-action version after 20 years. However, long before the Hollywood animated film "Mulan" became popular all over the world, this classic IP was adapted into a film and television drama several times, among which many classic versions of Mulan have also been born in China.
This issue of " Domestic Film and Television Remake History ", let us enter the past and present of this legendary female hero -
Part 1
"The male rabbit's feet are confusing, the female rabbit's eyes are blurred; two rabbits walk by the ground, how can I tell that I am male and female?" This Yuefu poem " Mulan's divine " in the middle school text has been passed down for thousands of years, making the legend of Mulan joining the army for her father a household name. Although historical books do not clearly record this heroine who joined the army for her father, Mulan has become a big IP in the film and television industry by relying on the spread of literary and artistic works.
In Chinese classical legends, the story of Mulan is believed to have occurred generally in the Northern Wei Dynasty (there is also said to have occurred in the Sui and Tang Dynasties) . At that time, the Rouran tribe, the northern nomadic people, continued to go south to harass, and the Northern Wei Kingdom stipulated that each family would come out to the front line. Mulan's father was old and weak and sickly, unable to go to the battlefield, and her younger brother was still young, so Mulan decided to join the army for her father, and from then on she began her military life for more than ten years.
What is gratifying is that Mulan finally fulfilled her mission and returned home through triumphantly decades later. Because of her great contribution, the emperor pardoned her for deceiving the emperor. At the same time, she believed that she was able to serve in the court and had a half-time position. However, Mulan refused because her family had an old father who needed to take care of her, and asked the emperor to let her return home to compensate and respect her parents.
For thousands of years, Mulan has been a woman respected by the Chinese because she is brave and simple, and at the same time conforms to the values of loyalty, filial piety, chastity and righteousness advocated in Chinese Confucian culture. Since then, she has become the protagonist in many classical dramas, and has been adapted into film and television works many times.
As early as the autumn of 1924, the famous Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang At the invitation of the then Minxin Film Company, he filmed five scenes in Beijing, including the song "Going the Edge" in "Mulan Joins the Army", but it was just a silent film at that time.
By 1927, the famous left-wing director Li Pingqian also filmed a black-and-white movie " Mulan joins the army ". This is the first Mulan movie recorded. Because the film was early, the film was no longer verified.
939, the famous Hong Kong Cantonese opera artist Mai Xiaoxia directed a Cantonese fragment " Mulan ", played by Chen Yunshang. The film was filmed during the Anti-Japanese War. As a famous patriot, director Mai Xiaoxia has created many drama works to inspire the Chinese people to fight against the invading Japanese invaders. He reinterpreted the story of Mulan joining the army, and the film aimed at encouraging women at that time to participate in the War of Resistance.
Chen Yunshang
Entering the 1950s and 1960s, the trend of Cantonese opera movies emerged after the war in Hong Kong, and the story of Mulan was brought to the screen in 1951 and 1961 respectively. Both movies were invited to star in the Cantonese opera actors at that time, and they were essentially filmed in the form of opera.
1961 version of "Mulan"
In addition, it is worth mentioning that in 1956, the domestic Changchun Film Studio filmed the Henan Opera movie "Mulan", starring the famous Henan Opera master Chang Xiangyu. The song "Brother Liu's Speech is Too Negative" was widely circulated.
Henan Opera movie "Mulan"
964, Hong Kong Shaw Brothers filmed the costume movie "Mulan". The film is directed by the famous director at that time, Yue Feng, who joined the Great Wall Film Company in 1949, filmed in Xinhua and Dianmao, and joined Shaw Brothers in 1959. He has been filming more than 90 films for more than 40 years in filming, which is quite productive, and has won the Best Screenwriter Award in the 1961 Asian Film Festival and the 1963 Golden Horse Awards.
964 version of "Mulan" was starred by Shaw Brothers' most popular actress Lingbo at the time. She herself was a Cantonese opera actress, but became famous for Shaw Brothers' Huangmei tune films. She is also one of the heroes who made Shaw Brothers' Huangmei tune films flourish, especially her cross-dressing charm. Because of her appreciation from Li Hanxiang, she played the role of Liang Shanbo, a scholar in "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai". The film made her famous in one fell swoop and won the "Best Acting Special Award" at the second Golden Horse Awards. After the film was released in Taiwan, the craze of "Lingbo Typhoon", and Lingbo never allowed to take off his men's clothing on the screen again.
This "Mulan" is also a customized movie for Lingbo, and it was also a popular Huangmei tune movie at that time. The story of Mulan joining the army is interpreted, but overall it is still in the style of "Mulan Ci". Mulan played by Ling Bo is unwilling to fight with her father who is sick in bed, so she persuades her parents to disguise herself as a man and join the army on behalf of her father. With his strong martial arts, Mulan has made many military achievements and gradually became a general.
female dressed as a man and played cross-dressing role is very familiar to Ling Bo, and the film is also due to the exquisite stage costumes and makeup of Shaw Brothers' movies at that time, and the melodious Huangmei opera performance, which interprets Mulan's story very movingly. The heroine Ling Bo also won the Best Actress Award at the 11th Asian Film Festival and the Special Talent Award at the 12th Asian Film Festival for this film, which is another peak in her acting career.
However, Hong Kong filmmakers often like to let characters travel through time and space for adaptations of this type of subject. In this film, Mulan travels directly to the Western Han Dynasty and talks about a love spanning time and space with the famous flying general Li Guang.
It is worth mentioning that Ling Bo met the male lead Kinghan when filming this film, which became a turning point in Ling Bo's fate. The two fell in love at first sight, but Run Run Shaw was very opposed to this marriage. He believed that the marriage of his actresses would affect the box office, but Ling Bo resolutely chose to get married despite the boss's opposition.
Lingbo and Jinhan
From this we can see that this Mulan is a hero who dares to love and hate both inside and outside the play!
Part 2
Entering the 1990s, taking advantage of the trend of costume martial arts dramas in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Mulan once again became the hottest heroine of costume dramas. From 1996 to 1999, film and television companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and even the European and American markets, all set their sights on this female hero. Most of the most familiar versions of Mulan film and television dramas were born during this period.
996, Taiwan Province produced the martial arts drama " Heaven and Earth Strange Legend of Mulan ". As a co-production drama between Taiwan and the mainland at that time, this version of Mulan was starred by the famous Taiwanese martial arts actress Yang Lijing at that time.
She was discovered into the film industry because of her outstanding dance skills. She was once the successor of Kung Fu actress Michelle Yeoh, because she has been involved in various action movies since her debut, she does have the temperament of being as good as a man, and playing Mulan is also a very suitable choice. It is said that when filming this movie, she fell down from 5 meters and almost died, which shows her dedication.
According to the way of Taiwanese martial arts dramas that year, it is basically the heroine drama. In addition to Mulan, who was in the army for her father, there is another female second-teacher Hu Li who disguised herself as a man. In addition to the plot of Mulan joining the army for her father to fight on the battlefield, the second half of the play turns into a conspiracy in the court, and the villain plots to usurp the throne. After defeating the other party's conspiracy and ambitions, Mulan returns home in glory. The overall storyline is the narrative style commonly used in Taiwanese costume dramas back then, and the rhythm is relatively slow, but fortunately, Mulan, created by Yang Lijing, is still quite recognized.
In the same year, the mainland also launched a version of "Mulan", which was only broadcast on local stations, so its influence is quite limited. This version is played by actress Shi Aihong as the protagonist Mulan. Unlike the current actress' melon-shaped face and pointed chin, Shi Aihong looks quite heroic and belongs to the more serious drama Mulan.
998, Hong Kong TVB launched a costume light comedy version of "Mulan", an actress who was born in the Miss Hong Kong, Chen Miaoying , and the male lead is played by Wang Xi. The overall style and tone are the style of the theater-style martial arts dramas popular in TVB at that time, focusing on relaxed and humorous stories.
Chen Miaoying's version of Mulan also has a plot of joining the army for her father, but it is not heavy. The heroic character between him and Gao Sheng, played by Wang Xi, is completely happy with others. Later, the screenwriter even let himself go, and various bloody plots such as amnesia were all in battle. The complex relationship between love corners was even more tangled. In the end, Gao Sheng actually practiced the "Sunflower Book" without castration and dressed up as Dongfang Bubai, and instantly turned into a nonsensical martial arts film. The ending was TVB's usual family reunion.
Overall, this version of "Mulan" is basically the way to make a Hong Kong-made New Year film .
It was also in this year that Disney Company adapted the story of Mulan into the animated film " Mulan ", becoming the 8th official princess in Disney. The film was welcomed all over the world, with a total global box office of more than $300 million and was nominated for the Oscar and Golden Globes. In 2005, Disney released another sequel, which can be said to be one of the few Hollywood blockbuster animated films that featured the Eastern Front Hole as the protagonist.
Disney boldly recreated the story of China's Mulan, used many new cartoon technologies, and added a lot of Disney's humor. The film has both magnificent momentum, warm scenes, charming colors and touching plots. This Hollywood animation brings a different image of Mulan to the Chinese. She is cute, lively, smart, naughty, and full of vitality. These personalities are expressed through the animation with Chinese style.
However, although the whole film has the style of Chinese ink painting and is an unbiased oriental story, its creative concept and content expression are completely the core of Hollywood feminist inspirational films. Disney reconstructed Mulan, an oriental figure, more in line with modern people's values and joined the army for her father. She not only had a single filial piety, but also had a sense of awakening of femininity and courage to not fear difficulties.The theme of
was inherited in the live-action version of "Mulan" more than 20 years later. From this perspective, the Liu Yifei version is just a real-life high-definition remake of the animation version.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that the voice actor of the animation version of Mulan is a famous American Chinese actress Wen Mingna . She herself is also a well-known actor and has starred in the American drama "Agent of S.H.E.L.D. In addition, she also made a guest appearance in the live-action version of "Mulan", and the two generations of Mulan performed on the same stage, which is considered an easter egg arranged by Disney for fans .
Part3
999, Taiwan Province launched "Mulan", starring Yin Yi Yi Yuen . This version has a more intense comedy style and has become a mythical fantasy comedy. This version is produced by the famous Yang Peipei Studio. This version is regarded by many viewers as a childhood memory. The Mulan created by Anita Yuen is also recognized as the most classic version of .
Yang Peipei Studio launched many costume martial arts dramas in Taiwan in the 1980s and 1990s. Although it is often controversial because of plot modification and casting issues, such as Yang Peipei’s magic modification of several martial arts dramas launched by Mr. Jin Yong’s novels, which caused huge controversy that year. This "Mulan" is one of the most successful works of Yang Peipei Studio back then.
Although the drama incorporates fantasy myth elements, Sun Xing plays the role of the Kitchen God as a funny person, adding a strong comedy color to the drama. Moreover, the cast of the drama is quite strong. In addition to Anita Yuen playing Mulan, she also gathered popular male stars such as Zhao Wenzhuo, Jiao Enjun, Guan Lijie and Li Zhixi . In addition, there are also guest stars such as Zhang Tielin and Chen Baoguo . The lineup is really strong!
Of course, according to the style of Yang Peipei Studio, the version of is undoubtedly the most modified version of Mulan in the plot.
plot is divided into two parts. The first part tells the story of Mulan, who is very skilled and filial to her parents, joining the army on behalf of her father, bravely killing the enemy on the battlefield, and encountering General Li Liang. Although this period of time is difficult, it is the stage for Mulan to express herself. As long as we try our best to defend the country, we will be praised by the court and supported by the people.
Part 2 takes Mulan off the altar, telling the story of Mulan who left the battlefield to live a family life. Facing the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and husband-wife, she is not the part she is best at. Although I am loved by my husband, problems still happen. The brave heroines on the battlefield also have to live the lives of ordinary people. We have to face the trivialities of the world for generations.
Yin Yuen interprets Mulan's carefreeness, hating evil, but kind-hearted nature to the fullest. Moreover, Jingliang has a very good temperament and can be fully controlled by men's neutral style. She wears armor and does not affect Anita Yuen's beauty at all, but she is heroic. In addition, with the addition of comedy elements, this version of Mulan has been portrayed very cute and down-to-earth!
If you want to talk about the shortcomings, the drama continues the usual long-lasting style of Taiwanese dramas. Later, the battle between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was a little frustrated, and it also created a plot of catching horses such as the love triangle between the prince and the male protagonist fighting for Mulan. This is also a common problem in the costume drama produced by Yang Peipei's studio back then.
In 2009, Hong Kong director Ma Chucheng filmed the movie "Mulan", which is played by Zhao Wei . When this version of Mulan was filming, it was a time for the costume blockbusters in the mainland film industry, so the overall style tended to be costume war epics, emphasizing the cruelty of the war and the tragic fate of the female character Mulan in the context of the great era. Zhao Wei created the roughest and most bitter version of Mulan, the roughest and most bitter version of Mulan .
Zhao Wei took on this role that year, perhaps to break through her image in the public's hearts. Unfortunately, the director obviously tried too hard and used sensationalism too much, but the result was counterproductive. According to incomplete statistics, there were more than ten close-ups of Zhao Wei and Chen Kun. The love between the two people regardless of the occasion was unacceptable, as if Mulan, the protagonist, was not in order to join the army for her father, but was completely in the army to fall in love with the chief.
The biggest problem with the film is that the plot is too digging, and almost all characters are portrayed very patterned, both in the relationship and the plot, without any ups and downs. The inner growth process of Mulan, who should have been the core of the film, was ignored, which ultimately led to the mediocre story. The protagonist was heartbreaking on the screen, but the audience could only feel drowsy and boring.
However, there is no harm without comparison. If you watch this movie now, there is Liu Yifei's version at the bottom. Although Zhao Wei's version of "Mulan" is mediocre, it is better because the story is complete and the character contradictions are clear. Moreover, the realistic style of is at least easier to be accepted by Chinese audiences than the magic Qi training Mulan!
Part4
Finally, let's add some not-so-known Mulan.
The legend of the TV series "Mulan" in 2013 can be called the most thunderous version of Mulan in history in . Mulan in the play is portrayed by the screenwriter as an omnipotent all-round strong woman. Although Mulan does weave cloth in the poem, she is forced to be the best in the world in the play, and there is also a flying needle technology that is like a show. After going to the battlefield, Mulan is both wise and brave again, and her strategy and martial arts are first-class, and she is indeed worthy of the word "Legend" in the title of the drama.
There was also a movie called "The Women's General" in the same year, which is played by Jiang Ruolin . The drama is a magical drama with a superficial story, and there are almost no highlights worth mentioning. The heroine was also renamed Hua Ruolan, which can only be said to be a mediocre work.
In addition to the works mentioned above, due to the popularity of Disney's live-action version of "Mulan", domestic copycat network blockbusters have also swarmed up. Recently, many online movies under the banner of "Mulan" have emerged, such as "Mulan: The Desert Rescue", "Invincible Mulan", "Mulan: The Heroes of the Women" , etc.
Most of these works are shoddy, with all kinds of plots, cheap costumes and props, and even the special effects are 50 cents. Some film crews even copy the posters of the Disney version directly, and even copy the three words "Loyalty and courage" written on the sword in Liu Yifei's hand, which is clearly to get rid of the popularity of Liu Yifei's version. As for the quality of the film, there is no need to say much.
Seeing this poster, I just want to say: One knife is 999, if you are brothers, come and chop me!
In addition, this year's National Day also scheduled an animated film " Mulan: Unearthed ". The film claims to be the first time in the world to tell the story of Mulan in three-dimensional animation. The story is based on the original work but has been adapted to a certain extent. The domestic animated version of Mulan has been holding the dream of a female hero since she was a child, but after joining the army for her father, she suffered repeated blows. She gritted her teeth and insisted on all kinds of love and friendship below, and finally truly understood the meaning of "the greatest hero is for the country and the people."
Although the film company’s press release is very boasting, Anyone with discerning eyes can tell at a glance that the film is clearly a battle of Disney. It is worth mentioning that the producer of the film, Jinchuan Culture, focuses on copying Disney for 20 years. The early works were copied by the Disney Princess series, whether it was "Snow White", "Mermaid" or "Cinderella", they were directly copied by Jinchuan Culture. Most of the similar works that take advantage of the popularity are roughly produced, with empty plots and no quality at all.
This time the film company put forward the slogan "The Chinese people tell the story of Mulan, the Chinese people themselves", but I am not looking forward to it anyway.
or above is a personal review of the Mulan film and television dramas currently on the market.
I don’t know who is the best Mulan in your heart?
