1905 movie network feature "I’ve been in the movie business for 59 years, and I’ve been doing action comedy almost all those years because I love seeing people laugh in theaters and it makes me happy."
Jackie Chan recently announced the good news on Weibo, because he has just won the "Britannia Award", which is known as the "British Oscar".
The "Britannia Awards" are film awards established by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Los Angeles in 1989 to recognize artists who have made contributions to entertainment around the world.
This time Jackie Chan won the "Albert R. Broccoli Award" of the "Britannia Awards", which is designed to recognize outstanding artists and filmmakers who have been iconic and pioneering, and have had a profound impact on the global entertainment industry.
At the awards ceremony, Jackie Chan received the award from Van Diesel. He also wore a Mao suit and held a national treasure panda doll as usual to attend foreign events, continuing to spread and promote China’s excellent culture to the world.
This is another iconic international award that Jackie Chan has won after winning the 89th Academy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award two years ago.
"In his more than 50-year career, Jackie Chan has become a beloved and respected figure," the official review of the Britannia Awards reads.We all know him and love his innovative stunt work and his unique blend of kung fu and comedy."
After winning the award, Jackie Chan accepted our exclusive interview. He told us: "For action filmmakers, this process is more difficult, and they have to pay more than others. Sweat, tears, blood, injuries accumulated over the years, and uninterrupted life and death tests. The struggle until now is actually to stand on the world stage to win more applause and respect."
From stuntman stunts just to earn a meal to leading the trend of kung fu movies and becoming famous in the world of film, Jackie Chan not only persisted, but more importantly, his continuous innovation of kung fu movies, "To ensure that people will not be repeated experience, can not disappoint the audience, this is why I have persisted for almost 60 years."
In recent years, the number of movies Jackie Chan has made has not decreased, and the quality has been high and low. The increase in age and the injuries caused by filming can indeed hinder the performance and creation of action filmmakers, but Jackie Chan also said that even if there is pressure, he has never thought of giving upI’m over 60 years old and still don’t dare to slack off. I still have to keep trying new things.
Kung Fu movies are at war with technology and require constant innovation
"If you don’t innovate, you can’t go far, movies are like this, and kung fu movies are even more like this." Looking back at Jackie Chan’s works since he entered the industry, he has been pioneering and innovating his own films.
In 1978, "Serpentine Diaoshou" and "Drunken Fist" were the beginning of "Jackie Chan Kung Fu Comedy," unlike the real kung fu that used to be all about hard bridges and horses.He skillfully incorporated comedy elements into the action design, and also changed the image of a tough guy in traditional kung fu movies in the film, creating a witty and kind "kung fu boy", which was very popular.
Soon, the name Jackie Chan became a big name in kung fu movies, and he became the true "author" of his own films – a combination of director, screenwriter, starring role, action director, stunt performance and more.
Later, he ventured into Hollywood, learned the advanced production methods and cultural concepts of Hollywood at that time, and began to serve as a producer. After playing the police many times in the "Lucky Star Series" directed by Samuel Hung, Jackie Chan also began to play the role of the police in his own films.
And the series are two major representativesThe innovation lies in combining Chinese kung fu films with Western modern police and gangster filmsIt solves the problem of how traditional kung fu and gun technology can face and present each other in action movies.
Since the 1990s, Jackie Chan’s movie map has gradually spanned the five continents of the worldJackie Chan’s police character has also been upgraded to an international agent, fully opening up the global market.
Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu comedy has gradually become a Chinese calling card for world movies and a unique cultural landscape of film entertainment.
The reason why it lasts for a long time is that Jackie Chan’s fighting scenes are always innovative, imaginative and entertaining.He will use all the available props in the live environment and arrange them step by step into the action program, which is full of tricks and will not make the audience feel bored.
Therefore, we often see his injuries at the end of the movie, and there are countless injury records that can be listed. When it was released, some fans drew a picture of Jackie Chan’s whole body injuries, from head to toe, almost every part of his body suffered.
The film insists on no stunts, no stuntmen, and praise if there are comments: "If you go back to the silent film era, Jackie Chan would become a great actor like Buster Keaton."
Jackie Chan is 65 years old this year, and he is still on the front line of the studio. Every time he arrives at the New Year or Spring Festival, he can be seen on the screen with his active movements and figures. Although the quality of films in recent years cannot be compared with the glorious period, it is better to continue to experiment and explore the creative field of kung fu films on the basis of success.
Jackie Chan believes that, "Kung Fu movies are at war with film technology. Film technology has developed to omnipotent, capable of creating unimaginable visual wonders, enabling ordinary people on the big screen to complete beautiful actions and transform themselves.But kung fu movies can only rely on our own experience, one punch, one kick, one knife and one shot."
Therefore, after Chinese kung fu films became available to the world, Jackie Chan hoped to have more new ways to win the audience’s trust and liking, and he is also working hard on this path.
In recent years,Jackie Chan’s films continue to increase cooperation with overseas film institutions, seeking new ideas in large-scale multinational productions: Filmed in India, incorporating local song and dance elements; released on the first day of the new year next year, it will be filmed around the world, and the adventure will be upgraded.
From the zodiac,Introduce modern high-tech equipment into the action bridge section on a large scale.In addition, kung fu films are also integrated into different themes, and more possibilities for action choreography are tried in films with fantasy genres and vague era backgrounds such as "Heaven Will Hero".
Jackie Chan is also broadening his play, playing a different type of role than before, including the mad revenge of the bereaved father and the literati character "Detective Pu Songling". Since it is a challenge, there must be risks, and we will definitely see more atypical Jackie Chan movies in the future.
Focusing on society and culture, reaching out to the world through cooperation
Many people claim that not only Jackie Chan’s kung fu films, Chow’s nonsensical comedies, and Tsui Hark’s martial arts films have all passed their peak, but in fact they are now experiencing the running-in period and exploration period after going north to create, which is also the current situation facing traditional Hong Kong filmmakers.
Therefore, the reputation of these works must be mixed, which is the norm. From another perspective, it is Hong Kong filmmakers like Jackie Chan who have brought more advanced models, technologies and talents to the start and development of China’s film industrialization.
For example, Jackie Chan’s "family class" has exported a large number of excellent stunt people to the film industry. In 2015, he launched Jackie Chan International Action Film Week to recognize outstanding action filmmakers and cultivate and support many new generation of action forces.
This time he won the "Britannia Award", Jackie Chan said that he is also winning awards for all action filmmakers, "All the honors tell them that hard work and perseverance will not be in vain. I came so high and low, and I never thought of giving up. When I was in my 60s, I didn’t forget my goal when I entered the industry."
He also hopes that the younger generation can catch up as soon as possible, so that Chinese kung fu movies can continue to thrive.
Jackie Chan not only reflects the inheritance responsibility and professional responsibility of Chinese filmmakers, but also continues to promote Chinese culture in his film works and convey positive values and positive energy.
How can Chinese films really go global, Jackie Chan believes, "Our own films must be self-confident and pay more attention to our own society and culture. Only in this way can we lay a good foundation and have the confidence to influence the world"We have so much excellent traditional culture and so many outstanding talents, all of which can be promoted to the world through film creation."
Just as important is the large amount of cooperation with foreign countries, just as he has always adhered to the international production model, "Cooperation and exchange can make our different cultures more quickly understood and eliminate barriers. At the same time, cooperation can also use the strengths of others to make up for our own shortcomings, so that our film creation can grow rapidly on a wider world stage."
For the next film, Jackie Chan revealed "Combine action with a little romance"This is his new attempt.
"The most important thing is that we should always have love in our hearts, love your country, love your family, love the world, and hope for world peace!" This is exactly what we know about Jackie Chan, in addition to kung fu comedy, and the common theme of all his films:There is love in my heart.
The following is a transcript of the exclusive interview:
Q. You were very excited to receive the Albert R. Broccoli Award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for your contributions to the entertainment industry around the world. You shared this news with us at the first time. What is your most heartfelt feeling about winning this honor?
Jackie Chan:The feeling is that these 59 years of hard work can continue to win recognition, influence fans all over the world, and bring them happiness, which is the greatest honor for a filmmaker. Especially for action filmmakers, this process is more difficult, and they have to pay more than others. Sweat, tears, blood, injuries accumulated over the years, uninterrupted life and death tests, fighting until now, in fact, to stand on the world stage to win more applause and respect.
I feel that I am winning the award for all action filmmakers. All the honors are telling them that their hard work and perseverance will not be in vain. I have come so high and low, and I have never thought of giving up. When I reach the age of 60, I have not forgotten my goal when I entered the industry. I hope our younger generation can catch up as soon as possible, so that our kung fu movies can be succeeded and carried forward.
Q. We’ve noticed that the Albert R. Broccoli Award highlights your innovation in action comedy. What do you think of that?
Jackie Chan:If you don’t innovate, you can’t go far, movies are like this, and kung fu movies are even more like this. In the 1970s and 1980s, when Hong Kong movies were booming, kung fu movies were being started everywhere, but after a few years of filming, there was no market. That was because the audience was tired of repetitive creation, the filmmakers’ ideas were exhausted, and there were not many new experiences. At that time, if you couldn’t think of a way to innovate, you would be seeking death. Our path at that time was actually fought back with our lives, and the action was pushed to the limit. We had to let more people think of it, and we had to let the audience have more experiences that they had never had before. Therefore, every film was innovative, and it would have a different performance. Especially after facing the world market, you had to ensure that there were absolutely new methods, so as to continue to win the trust of the audience.
Because kung fu movies are at war with film technology, film technology has developed to omnipotent, capable of creating unimaginable visual wonders, enabling ordinary people on the big screen to perform beautiful actions, and to transform themselves. However, kung fu movies can only be achieved by relying on our own experience, one punch, one kick, one knife and one shot.
Therefore, we must ensure continuous innovation, ensure a non-repetitive experience, and not disappoint the audience. We have persisted for decades. Even now, I am in my 60s and still dare not slack off. We must continue to make new attempts.
Q: You are now the calling card of Chinese films on the world stage, and your influence on a global scale is even more profound. While you are relentlessly promoting Chinese culture, what other experiences have you shared with our domestic filmmakers? What difficulties do Chinese films have to overcome now that they are truly going global?
Jackie Chan:First of all, we must do ourselves well. Now the Chinese film market is getting better and better. It is already the second largest film market in the world. It has an unprecedented influence and has the voice over. It has begun to be given priority. This is all because of our own strength. Only when you are strong can you win more respect. Our own films must be confident, pay more attention to our own society and culture, and only in this way can we lay a good foundation and have the confidence to influence the world.
Second, we must give full play to our strengths and love our traditions, just as our kung fu movies can still be welcomed around the world today. We have so many excellent traditional cultures and so many outstanding talents, and we can use film creation to promote them to the world.
The important thing is to cooperate. If our film is to truly go global, it must be achieved through a lot of cooperation. Cooperation and exchange can make our different cultures more quickly understood and eliminate barriers. At the same time, cooperation can also use the strengths of others to make up for our own shortcomings, so that our film creation can grow rapidly on a wider world stage. I have been doing this myself. In recent years, I have been cooperating with overseas film institutions more and more. Whether it is the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, or India, each cooperation is a learning experience, in order to let myself understand more cultures and do better.
