介绍:
For Chinese audiences, "the Adventures of Tintin: the Secret of the Unicorn" is an appeal to nostalgia that doesn't register. Two weeks after hitting Chinese cinemas, the film has so far managed to secure a modest 60 million yuan at the box office; unusually low considering that the film is the product of two giants, director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson.
It appears the duo is nonetheless quite enthusiastic about Tintin, with plans for two more sequels. Reportedly, they've already chosen the stories for the following sequels and will take turns to direct them. Spielberg's interest in Tintin dates back to the 1980s when he obtained the copyright to produce film adaptations but failed to do so because he was occupied with the filming of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Jackson, on the other hand, being a long time fan of the comics, agreed to partner with Spielberg and proposed using motion capture techniques to do justice to the original.
The strategy proved a success. The adoption of motion capture and 3D technologies presents a perfect representation of the world of Tintin. While 3D technology lends a certain dynamic to the relentless action, the motion capture technique brings the characters to life with amazing authenticity – as the characters speak, the almost unnoticeable movements of their lips match exactly with the words coming out of their mouths. With a wild motorcycle chase across a crowded Arab town and a crazy sword fight using dockside cranes, once again created with the help of motion capture and 3D technologies, the film is able to tell a fascinating story that real life action films would never be able to recreate.
The movie took sizeable returns from European cinemas, but hit a stumbling block in China where the comics never commanded a large readership. This is more to do with culture than anything else. Because of the political connotations of Tintin and Chinese children's preference for Japanese comics, few Chinese moviegoers know much about Tintin. So, can the childhood experiences of Chinese people provide a reason for a Tintin night? Not a chance! And even those who did know about it may not have appreciated it simply because the comics told stories alien to the experiences of Chinese people, especially modern Chinese people in particular. So, although the director included three neutral stories in this edition of the Tintin series – a wise choice by the way – the film still fails to strike a chord among Chinese viewers.
As a side not of interest, the renowned motion capture actor Andy Serkis plays Captain Haddock. Some say his rendering of the alcoholic and reckless captain outshines the main character. With '20th Century Fox' ready to support his quest for an Oscar award, we'll see how far he can go in his attempt to gain recognition for the skills of motion capture actors.
By and large, successful though it may be in the European market, the "Adventures of Tintin: the Secret of the Unicorn" is a technological triumph that falls short in its attempt to attract people from a different culture with different experiences of youth. I remain curious to see how it will be received in America. On a scale from one to ten, I give this one a six.
大家还在听
