A hodgepodge of weird elements of Classic as fuck

Pierce 2022-02-10 08:01:04

When I was looking for a movie, I accidentally found this film, "Big Trouble in Little China" in 1986, which was translated in Chinese as "Demons in Chinatown", directed by John Carpenter, an American B-level film master.

The story is simple: Wang’s fiancée was taken away. He and his gambler Jack tracked down the legendary villain David Lo Pan (it is said to be Luban)’s lair. Later, he was helped by a hidden master. In the end, the evil did not suppress the righteousness, the hero. Embrace the beauty.

After watching it, I called it "Hong Kong-style martial arts kung fu comedy". Or it can be called, "the Luban Temple where ancient and modern things are fighting each other."

Mr. K described it as a "very strange Hong Kong-style genre hodgepodge". Regarding the Western imagination of Chinese elements, such as demons, kung fu, and so on, he said, "Classic as fuck".

Although there are a lot of points to complain about, there are still a few interesting settings that can be talked about.

# The obsession of the big villain

David Lo Pan was defeated by the first emperor and cursed that "the eternal life shall not be overborn", but there is only one way to break the curse and be forgiven by the Qing emperor: find a green-eyed Chinese woman, marry him with him, and use her to sacrifice to the Qing emperor. , In order to regain the flesh and blood.

However, when he got what he wanted, it gave his opponents an excellent opportunity to easily kill him. This setting is quite ironic.

The moment he fell, I couldn't help thinking, why are people, ghosts and gods so obsessed with Mortal Chen's body? It is necessary to cultivate immortality and alchemy in order to be immortal and immortal. With the soul left, the most vicious curse is "eternal life shall not be transcended", so that it has no chance to obtain a new body and new life; even if it becomes a god, it becomes a demon. To find ways to cultivate flesh and blood again.

Is it so obsessive like Lo Pan, really "to dominate the rivers and lakes", or can't let go of the love of men and women of the world?

And when he was killed, the golden statues in the hall actually fell one after another like dominoes, which seemed to symbolize the collapse of a spiritual world. This is interesting.

# Jianghu taste in the hodgepodge

Although the story is set in the modern Western Chinatown, Lo Pan is a character thousands of years ago, which adds to the shadow of the martial arts story. For example, the three guardians dressed up by the knights of the rivers and lakes, such as taking the "magic medicine" similar to the ancient "elixir" before the decisive battle, and the ceremony of Lo Pan's wedding is really like a secret gathering of a cult sect.

But to say the most quaint, I think it is when everyone parted ways after completing the task.

Uncle Dan said that he promised himself that after solving Lo Pan, he would give himself a long vacation. Now is the time. Jack asked him why he didn't go back to China. He said, "For me, China is in my heart. Wherever I go, China will follow me."

Jack wants to go back and continue to be his truck driver. The female reporter asked him that he didn't plan to kiss Gracie goodbye. He looked back and said no indifferently.

Although there is a deliberate feeling, I still like this paragraph. It is quite different from the savage knights. It is not limited to the actual location of the hometown, nor is it limited to the love of the children.

# Monster impression

Finally, the two monsters in Lo Pan’s lair are more western. They may not be conquered until there.

One is fleshy dumplings with eyes and a face, which is a little ugly and cute, or even more people will find it a little disgusting. The other was a guard covered with hair. At the time, I looked familiar, but after reading it, I remembered that there is a version of Krampus that has a similar image.

Why do I think the image of such a monster is more Western?

Perhaps in my extremely limited impression of monsters, the monsters in the East are closer to human forms, such as zombies, Xiaoqian, and Sadako. Western monsters are not very human-like. Although there are images like vampires, most monsters seem to be vaguely fleshed and blood, such as "Weird Shapes" and "Naked Lunch".

I couldn't help but remember that once Mr. K took a picture of a skeleton monster and asked me how it felt. I said it looked like a character in a horror comedy.

He said that our culture is really much worse. This is our dream when we were children. If we are not obedient, our mother will scare us that she will come and arrest us, and we will feel very scared.

Mr. K also mentioned that when he watched horror movies with his Chinese friends, Chinese friends would think that ghosts such as zombies and Sadako were terrifying, and he felt that the images of demons and monsters created by the West were even more scary.

This seems quite interesting. Is it really?

I actually don't have an answer.

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Extended Reading
  • Rosemarie 2022-03-25 09:01:07

    It is to add Chinese elements on the basis of bad taste. The action scenes are not good-looking, but the set costumes are obviously influenced by Shaw Brothers. Overall it was a farce.

  • Wiley 2022-03-27 09:01:05

    Hahaha, is the Chinese like this in Carpenter's eyes? Hong Kong-style costume dramas are all imitated to the essence. Anyway, we must turn around and kick when we fight, we must pose when we fight, masters must wear hats and capes, and try not to walk when they can do somersaults... The image of lo pan should also be Referring to Fu Manchu, although in the end he and several of his main helpers died in vain and hasty manners. Oops, forget about so many details. Suzee pai has very little information and scenes.

Big Trouble in Little China quotes

  • [Jack points to the wall]

    Jack Burton: Hollow?

    Wang Chi: Hollow.

    Jack Burton: Fuck it.

    [Jack wacks open the hollow wall with his knife]

  • Jack Burton: This is Jack Burton in the Pork Chop Express, and I'm talkin' to whoever's listenin' out there.