Compared to the 71 version, I really seem inexplicable

Doug 2021-12-29 08:01:46

Once again, I was convinced by the Chinese translation. The original name is "beguiled". Although an English word has the dual meanings of "beguiled" and "beguiled", it is not as accurate as the Chinese translation of "peony flower under". It makes people think of that sentence immediately. The proverb "dead ghosts are romantic under the peony flower". The translation is really accurate and wonderful. After finishing the book, people will immediately get back to the theme and connotation of the film. No wonder the short and big recommendation is important. The translations of the previous translations were very careful, and I have to mention the surprises and contemplations of the classic translations of "She Is Lonely Than Fireworks" and "Love in June Flower".

I first watched Nicole Kidman's version of "Under the Peony" in 2018. I watched it inexplicably. I didn't know that I was going to express myself. I didn't think it should be. There must be some good script. And the content will attract a large group of first-line stars to film this story (in addition to Nicole Kidman, there is also Fanning sister, Christine Dunst, the director is still). As a result, I found out that the young Eastwood was in In 1971, he also performed the same story "Under the Peony", and the score was several grades higher, and it was a classic among the classics. I immediately understood that the story is a good story, but the 2017 version was smashed by the guide! It also immediately evoked my strong desire to watch the 1971 version of "Under the Peony" immediately.

After watching it, I had to use one word to describe the film: service. The shot was so good, I finally understood it. The 2018 version is too inferior compared to the 2018 version. The plot is fragmented due to excessive depression and obscurity. It really makes people angry. Whether a good story can be explained well, so making mystery is counterproductive. I recently watched a lot of films from around the 1970s, and found that the films at that time were more open and bolder than the films now. I think it may be related to the social atmosphere and political background of that era: hippies, bohemia... let that Both the film selection and the filming atmosphere advocated sexual freedom and feminism. For example, the masterpiece "Mrs. Chatterley's Lover" has also been remade countless, and the highest-rated version is still the 1981 version. Not only did I understand the essence of the original work, but I also dared to shoot it in a more open and free way, so I followed the original work more. Because the emotional changes of the characters in "Mrs. Chatterley's Lover" came from the time of the two sexes, there was no bold expression of them. ML loses the core focus of the original work. I also watched the 1995 version first. I was very angry when I saw it, because the shot was fragmented, I couldn't let go of my hands and feet, and I didn't dare to shoot, which made the characters' emotions extremely steep, not to mention blunt. I was so angry that after reading the book, I realized how overbearing and classic the original is. Fortunately, the 1981 version calmed my emotions.

Closer to home, I just want to express that the degree of openness of the films in the 1970s has opened my eyes and I am also fascinated by the films of the 1970s. For example, "The Feelings of the Past", which is among the top three love movies in my mind, was also shot in the 1970s.

Back to the film "Under the Peony". I want to focus on the comparison between the 1971 version and the different processing methods in 2018.

(1) In both cases, a 12-year-old girl was picking mushrooms and found that the northern soldiers were injured in the civil war. The 18-year version completely treated the Beibing and the 12-year-old girl as "friends". In the end, the reason why the little girl picked mushrooms to poison the Beibing again was not sufficient, because if it was a friend, there would not be so much love and love. Hate to the point of killing a person, and the reasons for saving him and harming him were not solid, so she was dealt with as the headmistress and asked her to do whatever she did. Her importance was greatly reduced, and the image of the Northern Soldier was also weakened. The sin of greed. Then let’s look back at the 1971 version: It turns out that the Beibing was found to save her life, and because she hadn’t seen a woman for half a year, even the little girl didn’t let it go. He kissed her on the lips as if to please, causing her to make a mistake. Thought it was the precocious psychological change of love. She loves two lives, one is Beibing and the other is her tortoise. The 1971 version clearly explained the relationship between him and her, which made people very clear. As a result, Beibing killed her tortoise and had sex with other girls, turning her love for him into hatred. This kind of love-hate relationship and change made her reason for picking poisonous mushrooms logical, and it also gave Beibing. The reason for the death of greed has added a little "deserved" element.

(2) In the 2018 version, what makes me most inexplicable is the love between Beibing and Dunst, because the new version can't see where the blessed Dunst attracted the Beibing's courtship. Dunst also refused to lose weight for this film. It was really not beautiful at all. How could the Beibing suddenly confess. But in the 1971 version, I found the actors very well. The image of a 22-year-old virgin was very popular, and the greedy Beibing chose to confess to her for good reasons. Men are not stupid, and the women who choose to play are different from the women who choose to live.

(3) The 18-year version deliberately beautifies the image of the soldiers, and also makes these women's desires more restrained, so the whole film is over suppressed, resulting in a mismatch with the actions produced. Since there is not such a big love, hate, want to possess and want to destroy the mentality, what caused the excessive behavior? Not convincing again. In the 1971 version, the Northern Soldier was completely to win women’s sympathy, to save lives, to be full of lies, to be full of benevolence and morality, to make the female principal change his hostile guard attitude towards him, so as to have sexual fantasies about him and not to hand him over to the southern troops. She also took the initiative to take no responsibility for a slutty 16-year-old girl. The image of the "lust" man in the seven deadly sins came alive, which led to a series of tragedies that followed. The woman also indulged the greed of the northern soldiers in order to release the long-repressed desire, which led to the tragedy. The death of Beibing was convincing. He didn't give an excuse. He died on his own account.

(4) The most wonderful thing is the emotional processing of the female principal. In 18 years, Nicole Kidman was very decent, working in business and not selfish. However, after the Northern Soldier was cut off, the two versions had the same line: "You are revenge, I didn't go to your room!" Since the new version of Nicole Kidman was to save you, I didn't see it. What a desire, this sentence is not true! However, in the 1971 version, the image of the female principal is just as good as evil, full and contradictory. Not only did she confess the previous incest between her and her brother, but also let her show her long-repressed passion in kissing Beibing, and the most exciting thing is that she actually dreamed of 3P with Beibing, wow, it's so bold. And who is the third person in 3P? It was the 22-year-old virgin assistant who wanted to pass on the school to this successor. So the reason why she had to cut his leg is worthy of scrutiny. Is it really necessary to cut it? Unexpectedly, the film is foreshadowing for the spectators to speculate, clever! Especially on the night of the accident, the Northern Soldier's expression changed when he chose to enter his room and betrayed his male nature. This seemingly light treatment is actually very important. In the new version, there was no explanation at all about why the Beibing was in that 16-year-old slut's room, so it seemed so inexplicable! ! !

(5) Finally, since it is a manifestation of the North-South civil war, the black slaves are the fuse of the contradiction. In the new version, there is no black slave at all. In the old version, the plot and character setting of a female black slave still serving the white female protagonist in the southern manor made the environment of the North-South Civil War more plump, and the black slave was quite important, and she was also a story full of stories. people. Moreover, the southern soldiers who knocked at the door in the middle of the night were dealt with in the new version so that they had no other thoughts about the women in the house, while in the old version, the group of southern soldiers who knocked at the door in the middle of the night actually had the mentality of wanting to have fun. This is a bit ironic: the women in this yard want to sleep with the enemy, the Northern Soldier, but the Southern Soldier men who are really on their side are turned away by them. Admire the cleverness of the script again.

In short, the image of each protagonist in the old version is very vivid, and the reasons for any behavior from the past to the present have been analyzed and explained clearly. It looks refreshing, and the weakness and ugliness of human nature are undoubtedly exposed and thought-provoking. And the new version, I can’t see it, I don’t understand it, maybe the director’s personal understanding is different, but not everyone has seen the old version of the classic, the first time they see the new version, the viewers will be confused. Feel inexplicable, it is a failure.

Every detail of the 1971 version is worthy of scrutiny, and I can’t say all of them, it would be boring. Go and savor for yourself.

View more about The Beguiled reviews

Extended Reading
  • Carmelo 2022-03-22 09:02:16

    Sofia Coppola has made great progress this time! Cut off the "unnecessary" sidelines in the old version, and de-historicalize and classify it to focus more on the relationship between the sexes and the human nature that permeates it. Sympathy, love, jealousy, and hatred are all presented, and the overall feeling is extremely high. powerful. Bonus points for photography, the horror atmosphere in the second half is just right; each character has a distinct personality, and it is even more rare to show a strong sense of humor between gestures.

  • Martine 2022-03-24 09:02:41

    Compared with the original version, the rhythm is like fast-forward, and the characters are completely unable to stand up, so that it embarrassingly becomes a drama type film lacking a real inner conflict. Sofia's film achievements are too inconsistent with her abilities. Too much luck in this life.

The Beguiled quotes

  • Amy: Do you like birds?

    John McBurney: Oh, I love them. Anything wild, I love. Wild and free.

  • Martha Farnsworth: [Admiring the pin Edwina in wearing] Très jolie. Seems like the soldier being here is having an affect.