Is the domestic animation "White Snake: Origin" a surprise?
China's first animated feature film Noisy Heaven is based on Journey to the West, while Lotus Lantern and Legend of Nezha are based on fairy tales. Including the previous animated film The Return of the Great Sage of Journey to the West, also came from The Journey to the West.
The characters are well-known or even familiar, but the story is always brand-new, and so is the setting.
The recent animated film "The Origin of White Snake" co-produced by chasing light animation and Warner is also based on the story of White Snake and Xu Xian, but the core of the story is brand-new.
First of all, innovation is technological innovation.
Looking at the animated films produced by light-chasing animation in recent years, such as "Little Door God" and "Cat and Peach Blossom Garden", you can say that the box office is a failure, but you can't say that the pictures are not exquisite, and they are first-class in China animated films.
The cooperation with Warner has brought the beauty of Chinese style to the extreme.
In the evening, the setting sun melts gold and the mountains rise and fall.
The mountains are oblique and you can see the whole world. The majestic mountains and rivers have their own beauty that is both heroic and elegant.
The sun sets, clouds are like the sea, and Wan Li is like gold plating.
Fringed flying, long hair fluttering, the picture is exquisite as if it were broken at a touch.
Gorgeous fighting, dazzling light rolling.
The whole story is full of Chinese flavor, which makes this animation stand out.
The second novelty is embodied in the story.
The white snake in China's ancient mythology is gentle and virtuous, while Xu Xian is a coward with medical skills. In The Legend of the White Snake, all this was broken up.
The story is set in the Tang Dynasty, which is 500 years later than the original version of the Song Dynasty. The White Snake is still called the White Snake, but Xu Xian was replaced by Xu Xuan.
The role of the White Snake was changed to a fledgling white, while Xu Xuan was changed to a brave and strong snake catcher.
So the contradiction at the beginning of the story is very intense. Man and demon, catching snakes and snakes, light and darkness.
The third novelty is the theme.
The story still focuses on the tortuous love between Xu Xuan and the White Snake, but the theme also increases the discussion of sinister intentions.
As a demon, the White Snake has been doing good deeds with kindness, but on the surface it is a Buddhist pretending to be just doing bad things.
The fourth innovation is to stop showing animation to children.
It seems that there has always been a paradox that animation is naive and can only be shown to children. Adults will inevitably be called childish when they read it. This is completely wrong.
Animation, like other subjects, can express grand themes regardless of age.
The reason why Pixar's animation is classic is precisely because their animation theme is distinct, and no matter what age level, they can find their own shadow.
Disney's "The Lion King" was born out of Shakespeare's "Hamlet", and it is also undeniable that his greatness is beyond the understanding of children.
So is the origin of the white snake.
The Boat Play by Bai Niangzi and Xu Xuan is a large-scale play for children, although there are only bare backs and kissing scenes.
The sinister theme of the human heart is also difficult for children who are not deeply involved in the world to understand.
In terms of market positioning, the origin of White Snake Legend has changed greatly.
Change is worth encouraging, although there are risks, or even total loss. But it is because of their constant trial and error that China's films have a further possibility.