If you don’t read these 24 Easter eggs, you won’t understand "Embroidery Chun Dao Shura Battlefield"
1905 movie network news After three years of polishing and upgrading, the "embroidered spring knife" is back! What it brings back is not only to continue the strong reputation of the first film (so far, Douban has a rating of 7.6), but also to inject fresh energy into traditional costume action movies. The combination of cultural, opera and martial arts explodes, all the cast performances are online, the service is exquisite and meticulous, the story is calm, and the style is romantic, all of which make this latest work in this series a "candidate of the year" for many audiences. The director Lu Yang’s carefully arranged "parallel time and space" narrative system makes it possible for the film to open a new "embroidered spring knife film universe". The details, connections, tributes, and easter eggs that abound in those films make fans enjoy it, trying to open the two-brush three-brush mode. This article attempts to disassemble all aspects of "Embroidery Spring Sword · Asura Battlefield" and see how Lu Yang constructs an original IP reload.
(Note: This article contains minor spoilers. Reading is risky, and there is no need to be cautious when purchasing tickets.)
Detailed interpretation: over 4000 shots cut to fly, do not cut the drawbridge Yang Mi "return" romantic bug full solution
To really understand the details of "Embroidery Chun Dao Shura Battlefield", it is necessary to have a wave of data flow first: 4 new versions of the film story were written, and 2 versions of the script were written. Director Lu Yang spent 50 days working with the cinematographer and action director to produce a set of sub-shot scripts. The script is 236 pages, with a total of 139 scenes and 2,500 shots. About 30 shots are completed every day, and at most more than 100 shots are completed in one day. The total number of costumes that appear in the film is 268 sets. There are 12 types of weapons in the film, and there are 10 types in the cast. More than 4,000 people are used in the group. In the last suspension bridge scene, the entire suspension bridge was actually built, weighing 9 tons. It took more than 100 people a month and a half and cost more than 400,000 yuan. The number of shots cut into films exceeds 4,000, and for comparison: the number of shots in the whole film is 3,410. This is also one of the proof that the series is called the Ming Dynasty version of "Bourne Shadows".
In addition to the fast-paced style hailed by fans as "crazy cutting", the persistence of "Embroidery Spring Sword Shura Battlefield" in handheld photography is in the same vein as the series. According to Lu Yang’s director, more than 70% of the shots in the whole film are handheld photography! Some viewers commented: "Lu Yang’s mirror movement photography and action design have become their own school, making people put themselves in the martial arts. A large number of moving long mirrors and handheld photography follow the footsteps, so that the knife skills can be quickly and neatly." Speaking of his love for handheld photography, Lu Yang said in an interview: "I like handheld photography, it is very close and real, and the breathing lens makes the picture more agile."
It is precisely because of the quick-cut lens style and handheld photography texture that Director Lu Yang insists that the film will never be made in 3D, and will be released in full 2D format, ensuring the best look and feel for the audience.
The setting of Shen Lian’s (Zhang Zhen) black cat "one corner" also made many audiences feel warm, and they praised Shen Lian for joining the army of "stroking cats". Especially the re-appearance of the black cat at the end of the film, which is safe and sound, is even more reassuring to cat lovers. For such a special role, director Lu Yang said: "It is to make Shen Lian no longer lonely." It is worth mentioning that the cat in the film is played by two cats. "Dahei acted a few times and got lost. Later scenes were shot by Erhei," Lu Yang revealed. At present, the cat named Erhei has become the mascot of Lu Yang’s director Free Cool Whale Film. By the way, as for the scene where the black cat was shot by the gun, the cat-loving director Lu Yang naturally would not let Erhei go into battle in person, but used the computer special effects completely.
The painting of Beizhai in the film has also become an entry point for fans to interpret the film. Especially the painting of the black rooster pecking the grasshopper, which highlights the characters of Shen Lian, Beizhai, and even Wei Zhongxian. Some viewers interpreted the black rooster as Wei Zhongxian, and the grasshopper as Shen Lian. Some people think that the setting of the chicken and the grasshopper alludes to Wei Zhongxian’s identity characteristics (the sound of the grasshopper is like "father-in-law"), so the painting of Beizhai became contraband at that time. Director Lu Yang also has his own interpretation of the setting of this painting: "In fact, what Shen Lian saw was the grasshopper in front of the black rooster, the grasshopper fighting the rooster. Shen Lian felt a little empathy, facing a weak image of a powerful force, but still fighting. He felt that the painting was something that didn’t exist in his world. It was something that had a lot of vitality and grew naturally. It wasn’t a world where everyone would struggle under their rules.
In addition to a large number of details, the setting of several scenes at the end of the film has also become the focus of heated discussion among the audience. In particular, before the end of the film, the Bug question of "why the escape team did not cross the suspension bridge and then cut the bridge to escape", has not been interrupted since the film was released. After the film was released, a large number of netizens consulted Director Lu Yang on this issue on Weibo. In fact, as early as the day of the premiere, Director Lu Yang had already explained this setting: "The scene where we built the bridge weighed 9 tons, but in fact it would only be heavier. We also saw that Shen Lian still cut the bridge in the end, but it took time. With the pursuit of troops in the back and the interception in the front, Shen Lian needed plenty of time to complete the cutting work. In the end, when he cuts the bridge, he can only succeed if the three masters Lu Wenzhao (Zhang Yi), Pei Lun (Lei Jiayin), and Ding Baiying (Xin Zhilei) work together to cover it. "In addition to the director’s interpretation, a large number of female audiences romantically believed:" Everything Shen Lian does is to buy time for the woman he loves. This is not a bug, this is love! "
Why did Hokusai (Yang Mi) come back? Many viewers would have this kind of confusion when they saw the end: "So many people sacrificed for you, just to let you run for your life, why did you come back to cause trouble?" Regarding the question of this plot setting, the star Zhang Zhen also posted a romantic response: "Shen Lian always does more and says less, but Beizhai (Yang Mi) understands everything, so in the end the suspension bridge ran away or came back again for Shen Lian." And director Lu Yang thought: "If someone sacrificed their life for me, I will return after I run away, even if it doesn’t help."
At the end of the film, why didn’t Chongzhen (Liu Duanduan) kill Shen Lian? "He eradicated everything in order to become king, from Wei Zhongxian to Lu Wenzhao and other henchmen, and even the beloved woman Beizhai, why did he let Shen Lian go?" After the film was released, this ending design also caused fans to debate. According to Liu Duanduan, who plays Chongzhen in the film: "I also asked this question when I talked to director Lu Yang about the script. The director’s answer was that he had promised Beizhai to eliminate the emasculation. At the last moment, Jun Wu joked that he wanted the world and Beizhai to see that he had kept this promise." To this, director Lu Yang also gave his own response: "Chongzhen wants to be a good emperor. At this time, the throne has been stabilized, and he knows that Shen Lian is a person who really has perseverance and faith. Shen Lian’s actions are worthy of letting him live, and Chongzhen doesn’t want to kill such a person. "In fact, recalling the image of Chongzhen in the first" Embroidery Spring Sword ", this character also said:" Hundreds of people have been killed, and you want me to be unusable?! "This design not only makes the characters more plump, but also completes the linkage between the two films.
Parallel time and space related articles: Ding Xiu appears in the whole series, seamlessly linking the third part of the conjecture classic character hope to return
Regarding the connection between the first installment of "Embroidery Spring Blade" and "Embroidery Spring Blade Asura Battlefield", in fact, director Lu Yang expressed his opinion early: "In terms of the timeline alone, this time it is a prequel. But the whole thing is brand new, only two characters are retained, and the rest are new characters. You can say it is a prequel, but it is also an independent chapter, similar to a new possibility for Shen Lian in a parallel universe." In this parallel world, he made Shen Lian "younger, more passionate, and more impulsive." Of course, it was also "more romantic", just as netizens complained: "Why let the male god Zhang Zhen continue to be the spare tire?" Lu Yang also responded with a joke: "Didn’t he successfully pry other people’s girlfriends in both movies?"
In "Embroidery Spring Knife", the woman Shen Lian fell in love with is called Miao Tong (Liu Shishi), and in "Embroidery Spring Knife · Shura Battlefield", the woman Shen Lian fell in love with is the pseudonym Beizhai (Yang Mi). At the end of the film, Shen Lian finally asks Beizhai to say "her name", which is called Miaoxuan. One identity is the official prostitute of the workshop, and the other is the skinny horse sold; one goes to Suzhou at the end of the film, and the other goes to Hangzhou. This setting even makes some netizens joke: "In the third film, will Shen Lian come to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai with free shipping?" In fact, it is this kind of meticulous attention to detail that connects the two films together to build a more realistic world of "Embroidery Spring
A detail-controlled audience sorted out the timelines of the two films and concluded: "Don’t think that Shen Lian’s love is deep, three months later, he fell in love with another woman named Miao Tong (Liu Shishi)." This kind of ridicule is actually the audience’s recognition of the characters’ torn emotions. But based on Lu Yang’s parallel time and space setting, which woman Shen Lian will face in three months seems to be a big highlight of the third installment of the "Embroidery Spring Knife" series. As Lu Yang said: "No matter which woman is waiting for him, it is also a kind of happiness."
Under the guidance of this parallel universe narrative program, the final fate of many of the wonderful characters in "Embroidery Chundao Shura Battlefield" has not been given a clear ending. Lu Yang said: "In the original script, except for Shen Lian, they all hung up. But the actors didn’t want to get the bento, so we didn’t have a death shot, and there are open possibilities." The words seemed to imply that your favorite characters such as Zhang Yi, Lei Jiayin, Xin Zhilei, etc. are all expected to return in the third installment!
In the film, Shen Lian faces Ding Baiying (Xin Zhilei), a master of Dingmen, for the first time, and is cut off by a blow. Then he returns home and silently replaces his father’s embroidered spring knife. In the final battle, this treasured sword fully displayed its power. It is reported that Shen Lian’s father is also a Jinyiwei, and this embroidered spring knife is a treasured sword handed down during the Jiajing period. I wonder if there will be a flashback to the heroic story of Shen Lian’s father in the third installment?
The relationship between the characters of the Dingmen faction has also become an important clue for fans to study the character map in the two movies with parallel time and space narratives. Let’s borrow a complete summary from a Douban netizens here: 1. The end-credits egg says that Jin Yichuan (Li Dongxue) ‘s original name is Ding Xian; 2. The official statement is that Ding Xiu (Zhou Yiwei) and Jin Yichuan’s master are female; 3. Ding Xiu said that "Master didn’t teach me this trick" and "How did Master like you, a lung ghost"; 4. Ding Xiu came up and asked Jin Yichuan for 100 taels to "check up and down", and the next one should be able to know what he was going to check; 5. Ding Baiying (Xin Zhilei) has many disciples, and the surname Ding is basically this one. It is not difficult to come to the conclusion that Ding Baiying in this installment is the master of Ding Xiu and Jin Yichuan in the first installment. And Ding Xiu’s starting point in the first installment is also completely established: the master "died" under the Jinyi Guard, but the junior brother betrayed the master and became a Jinyi Guard. Only he understands the 30,000 points of damage Ding Xiu suffered.
At the end of "Xiechun Knife · Asura Battlefield", Xu Xianchun (a real historical figure, and the Jinyi Guards are all commanding the war) led the team to capture Shen Lian. And the beginning of "Xiechun Knife" three years ago was that Shen Lian was ordered to capture Xu Xianchun. Watching that scene three years ago, I only felt the ruthlessness of the Jinyi Guards, but now the two movies are watched together, and there is a kind of joy after revenge, which shows the changing and sinister times in the late Ming Dynasty.
At the end of the film, the popular character Ding Xiu (Zhou Yiwei) in the opening film returns domineering and interrogates the whereabouts of his junior brother "Jin Yichuan". This setting is seamlessly linked to the first part of "Embroidery Spring Blade". Comparing director Lu Yang said: "Ding Xiu’s story line happened at the same time in the two films, I like this character very much, and many fans also like it, so I will definitely keep him!" As for the conjecture of the future third film, Lu Yang also revealed in the interview: "If we make three movies, there will definitely be Ding Xiu, probably many years later Shen Lian and Ding Xiu’s story. Because these two characters I like very much, I like them very much."
Easter egg behind- the-scene article: Lu Yang personally did the end credits, Yang Mi stopped the "Sansheng Sanshi" crew for starring
Director Lu Yang is a heavy fan of anime, and Yuki Shinhiro’s and Inoue’s "Waves Kayoshi" are two works he often mentions. Even the presentation of the battle of Sarhu in the title of "Embroidery Chun Knife · Shura Battlefield" is also the opening chapter of "Waves Kayoshi" in tribute to his great god Inoue. At the same time, Lu Yang also said that he likes to watch Japanese sword halberd films. The most impressive sword halberd film showdown is in it. In the end, Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai played a trick like that.
"Embroidery Chun Dao · Shura Battlefield" will be tailored according to the character’s identity, including character. And interestingly, the director Lu Yang will even bring this obsession to the character’s name in a "pictographic" way: not to mention the decoration on the knife used by Ding Baiying, Ding Tai – Mace, Ding Chong – Teng Dun Short Knife, Ding Xiu – Long Miao Knife, and even "Jin Yichuan" Ding Xian, looking at the name, it is known that it is the weapon image of the Double Sword Feiyan.
The star Yang Mi’s face was stamped in a major scene, and he took more than a dozen shots, and every time he took a shot, Yang Mi’s face was stamped with a red mark. In the director Lu Yang’s mind: the first item of this scene, the actor is in the best condition, but the seal is not perfect. After the number of items arrived, either the seal was well stamped and the actor was not in good condition; or the seal was reversed and incomplete, and the actor’s condition was ok. Lu Yang, who pursued perfectionism, wanted to use computer special effects to adjust the seal at the end, but in the end he didn’t tear it, and chose a shot that was not fully stamped, but the actor was in good condition. "In that state of being interrogated and struggling, it doesn’t matter if the seal is not fully stamped. If you don’t cover it all, it’s real, and the state of the character is the most important. "
In order to appear in "Embroidery Chun Knife Shura Battlefield" in the best state, Yang Mi took the initiative to stop the simultaneous filming of the TV series, and she herself was still the producer of that TV series. It was not until all the scenes in Hokusai in "Embroidery Chun Knife Shura Battlefield" were completed that Yang Mi returned to "Sansheng III" to restart the cast.
The lead actor Lei Jiayin revealed that during filming, he formed a "small group" on the set called "Two Kings and Two Eyes". Its members are: Lei Jiayin, Xin Zhilei, Li Yuan, and Wu Qiang. They are bitter enemies in the play and good friends in reality. Well, this is very in line with the path of Lord Pei Lun (Lei Jiayin).
In addition to Zhang Zhen and Jin Shijie, actor Yang Yi is another actor who has starred in two works in the series at the same time, and what’s more amazing is that he actually plays different roles. In "Embroidery Spring Knife", Yang Yi plays the boyfriend Yan Gongzi of Miao Tong (Liu Shishi) – who was later "pried" by Shen Lian’s girlfriend. In "Embroidery Spring Knife · Asura Battlefield", he plays Shen Lian’s subordinate Yin Cheng – who is forced to kill himself because of the calamity coming out of his mouth. Well, I can only say one thing: You are really cruel to this actor, Director Lu Yang.
There are a total of three Easter eggs at the end of the film: the first is the character image in the form of animation, accompanied by the main creative subtitles. Secondly, in the rolling subtitles at the end of the film, a text Easter egg: "The budget is exhausted, there is no way but to do it yourself!" Let the audience smile: It turns out that the production of the closing subtitles is the director Lu Yang himself. The third Easter egg is at the end of the film, which is the domineering return scene of Ding Xiu played by Zhou Yiwei. In the end: those who dare to put the dynamic Easter egg at the end of the closing subtitles look at the Chinese film industry. In addition to the two masters Zhou Xingchi and Xu Ke, Lu Yang is the third person.
Ding Xiu’s appearance at the end of the film paid tribute to the classic Hollywood blockbuster. It was also the second installment in the series, which also made the first installment very popular, and the characters of good and evil returned through the Easter Egg (the Easter Egg at the end of "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" was the reappearance of Captain Barbosa). I believe that director Lu Yang has already grasped the essence of creating a series of movies, so as to expand the wider "Embroidery Sword Cinematic Universe".