Wallace Huo’s “Swordsman” Releases 9-Minute Trailer
Yu Zheng’s (于正) upcoming highly anticipated television drama, Swordsman <笑傲江湖>, one of many adaptations for Jin Rong (金庸) popular novel The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, has finally released its 9-minute long trailer.
The wuxia epic centers on the kind and loyal Linghu Chong, who unwillingly finds himself in the midst of a power struggle in the Wulin community. The 9-minute trailer features mounds of CGI battle and beautiful wide-shot scenery. Unlike previous adaptations of the novel, the romantic relationships between the main leads will be prominently featured in Swordsman.
Wallace Huo (霍建華) stars as our protagonist, the happy-go-lucky Linghu Chong, a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect. Throughout the series, he will go through several emotionally-draining relationships, one with his master’s daughter, Yue Lingshan (Yang Rong 杨蓉), another with the ruthless Ren Yingying (Yuan Shanshan 袁姗姗), and lastly, one with the novel’s main villain, Dongfang Bubai (Joe Chen 陳喬恩).
The doomed relationship between Linghu Chong and Dongfang Bubai became the center of interest for most netizens. Dongfang Bubai, a castrated man, develops a fondness for Linghu after the latter saves Dongfang from a dungeon. Their sexually-driven relationship was fervently explored in Tsui Hark’s (徐克) 1992 film adaptation, Swordsman 2 <笑傲江湖之東方不敗>, which starred Jet Li (李連杰) as Linghu and Brigitte Lin (林青霞) as Dongfang.
Many fans of the novel were also satisfied with Wallace Huo’s casting. Wallace’s physical appearance closely resembles the Linghu in the novel, and Wallace was claimed by fans to be “the best Linghu Chong in history.”
Unfortunately, Wallace was the only suitable casting in the adaptation. Fans used “unbelievable” to describe Joe Chen’s casting as Dongfang Bubai, expressing that using a cute idol actress to portray one of the most powerful and villainous characters as ridiculous. However, in an exclusive interview with Sina last year, Louis Cha stated that he finds Joe Chen “believable” as Dongfang Bubai, and is very satisfied with her casting.
Fans also expressed that Yuan Shanshan was not charismatic enough to portray the intelligent Ren Yingying.
Swordsman is scheduled air on February 5, 2013 on mainland China’s Hunan TV. Chen Xiao (陈晓) stars as the tragic Lin Pingzhi, Bryan Leung (梁家仁) as Linghu’s swords master Feng Qingyang, and Dicky Cheung (張衛健) as Lu Zhuweng.
“Swordman” Trailer
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This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
Louis Cha no offense to his fans may be a bit senile now. Why? Because he himself doesn’t not remember his own story. If TVB deviates and he bans TVB, I think this deviates even more and yet no word of banning.
Yuan Shan Shan is to me a one note actress. And not pretty as well, or at least not as pretty as everyone says RYY is.
The 2nd trailer is heavy on DFBB and I suppose she is the main selling point. I suspect I too will feel for this DFBB as I did for the movie version. And my feeling is this IS the movie version so we may have 2 DFBB (1 male, 1 female) or maybe the series will chicken out on a possible sex scene between LHC and the female DFBB (or someone the male DFBB sent or.. sigh.. so confusing!!).
Whatever it may be, I will still watch but my feeling is I will hate it. It is just a matter of is it Gong I hate, Gong II hate or could it possibly that I may like it like I did liked the Ruby Lin series, Schemes Of A Beauty.
As for Wallace, handsome. But I hate the bathrobes.
P/S Is RYY ruthless or more like beautiful and cunning? Ruthless to me is DFBB.
“The doomed relationship between Linghu Chong and Dongfang Bubai became the center of interest for most netizens. Dongfang Bubai, a castrated man, develops a fondness for Linghu after the latter saves Dongfang from a dungeon. Their sexually-driven relationship was fervently explored in Tsui Hark’s (徐克) 1992 film adaptation, Swordsman 2 , which starred Jet Li (李連杰) as Linghu and Brigitte Lin (林青霞) as Dongfang.”
You make it sound as if Jet Li just starred in a soft porn with Bridgitte Lin. I watched that version and no, theirs was not a sexually driven relationship. They did not strip off and jump onto bed every single time nor did she kiss him at every opportunity. It was a different adaptation as I believed in the novel these 2 never liked one another but the movie changed that. But developing a fondness is a good word to begin but the actual fact is DFBB in the Jet Li film fell in love with LHC and died in a way saving him. That is beyond fondness.
I applaud this article but the words used are contradictory. Develop fondness and then sexually driven relationship. It just oversensationalised something that isn’t so.
Funn,
The 9-minute trailer is a bit over-the-top, from the dramatic crying scenes (which did little to evoke the desired emotions in the viewer) to the explosive CGI.
By the time the credits rolled in similar “high-impact” fashion, I just laughed out loud. Will there be more subtlety in the broadcast version?
Jayne,
Welcome to the world of Yu Zheng. That’s him. He banks on the dramatics. I believe in the broadcast version you will see all that over 40 episode or so and in between believe me there will be jump scenes like how the hell THAT happened sort of moment.
That is why… I hate Yu Zheng. Apart from screwing things up, taking other stories and turning it upside down and when he buys the rights to a book? He changes it inside out. You change the nature, you change the entire book.
That scene where LHC is holding on to DFBB so that ‘she’ won’t fall is taken directly from ‘Swordsman 2’. I remember such a scene in ‘Swordsman 2’.
Saw the whole trailer. The series doesn’t seem interesting. There’s something not right with the costume. Even the fake backdrop and overly elaborate and blinky costume of 80’s TVB adaptions look more wuxia than this series.
The part that most interest me in the trailer is the effeminate looking Wallace and the Wallace vs Wallace scene. Other than that, the others are boring.
Yu Zheng shouldn’t claim his version will be the most true to the book. It ain’t true at all. What with the storyline of DFBB and LHC.
Lastly, Joe Chen is a miscast. Bridget Lin looks manly and powerful in the movie before he learn ‘Kuai Hua Bao Dian’. There is an aura of authority in her. Joe Chen has none and she is totally feminine even when in men’s attire.
Is yu zheng the same person that made schemes of beauty? I think schemes was good, I love it. His other drama in the beauty trilogy was bleh >_> n YSS dress like she’s a married woman -.- well, she’s look old -.-
Funn, I don’t like duck lip (nickname I had for yuan Shan Shan whenever I saw her, cos I didn’t know her back then, watched 10m of gong 2 n couldn’t stand this duck lip chick, then in love with power, don’t like how duck lip was main actress either -.- then found out, it’s the same actress >_> now this, I love Wallace but this series = put it into the corner, YSS is really weak in acting, n yea, she’s not pretty, and she always has really boring hairstyle, and costume -.-
I have a feeling that JY did not ban TVB only because they were not faithful. There may have been other reasons besides that. If he were banning due to unfaithfulness, then he should have banned China as well because many of their productions are ridiculously unfaithful…
“Unlike previous adaptations of the novel, the romantic relationships between the main leads will be prominently featured in Swordsman.”
Yu Zheng turns everything into a romance story no matter what form/type is the source material.
I remember people rolling their eyes at Bu Bu Jing Xin before it aired so I’m still holding out hope that this and Da Mo Yao are decent enough. Sadly, I have much higher hopes for the latter.
BBJX is from a different production company, which worked closely with the author of the popular internet novel to produce it. Yuzheng’s the one who lift entire scenes and plots from others. All of Yu Zheng’s productions are of a similar style.
Nevertheless, people underestimated it despite it being a Tangren production.
I am impatiently waiting for da mo yao and am getting my tissues ready to cry for poor poor Hu Ge.
I am waiting for Da Mo Yao too. Didn’t they have issues about whether that will be aired or not??? I hope that it will air and release soon…
Air or not is a China issue. They can still sell it overseas and in DVDs
Oh yea, I forgot about that… I really hope that it will release soon…
I really do miss wuxia series but this looks like a hot mess. Not a single interesting actress in any of the female characters, which will definitely be an issue knowing this is a Yu Zheng production, which means it will have a million complicated, one-sided love threads. Probably revolving around Wallace’s character..
I love Wallace Huo and excited of him as Linghu Chong… but so disappointed that he took part in Yu Zheng’s adaptation of Swordman. Having Linghu Chong in love with DFBB is saying LHC is gay. While there is nothing wrong with being gay, but it is ridiculous for him to be in love with both male and female??!!… what is he, bi-sexual now??!!!
I loved Bridgette Lin, but still did not like Jet Li and Brigette’s film version even with her great acting and so, will definitely not like or want to watch this one.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry or feel a bit touched by the CGI and dramatized emotional scenes. I genuinely respect the effort that goes into making a production though.
Like my last message a long time ago, while it was still in production, I fear for Wallace Huo’s portrayal of Ling Hu Cong. Ling Hu Cong is a suave, masculine and unbridled character. Wallace really comes across as a tragic swordsman lost in a Qiong Yao script.
Tsui Hark”s XAJH 2 movie was memorable because although it was a deviant interpretation of the original script, it was intriguing and stylish enough. Jet Li was not as outstanding as Sam Hui as LHC but at least, it was digestible. Without doubt, it was Bridget Lin”s DFBB that left the deepest impression, which made RYY pitifully overshadowed where she supposedly won LHC’s heart at the end (bookwise anyway). At that time, it is kudos to Bridget Lin who did a convincing masculine, authoritative performance and still retained some femininity. Sadly, none of the female successors in latter versions of this wuxia story were able to attain this level. Better to use an effeminate male to portray DFBB.
I’m betting Yu Zheng is banking on his own “Bridget Lin”-like DFBB through Joe Chen to fulfill some fan’s fantasies of “what could have been” nuances in the Swordsman II movie. Alas, Joe Chen is more sassy, fierce and womanly and there is not one shadow of masculine trait in her. I don’t think she can live up to Bridget Lin’s DFBB. She would have been better as a RYY.
*shrugs* I guess every director is entitled to their own interpretation and every fan / audience has a right to their own opinion but from a writer’s eyes, I’m ready to throw up blood. Now, where is my spittoon…