Anyone catch the reference or parody?
So anyone willing to tell me all the reference or parody you found on the movie?
I myself thought that the woman and "handsome man" part is like a parody to Swordsman. CMIIW.
The opening is obviously inspired by, and a parody of, Jaws and other sea-monster genre movies... and despite the less than perfect CGI, it remains strangely chilling/effective!
And as one of the few Journey to the West adaptations that really plays up the horror elements (the 1970s animated "Bone Spirit" feature/episode took this route, but was hampered by low/dated production values), the tavern/inn scenes definitely took a few cues from the atmospheric masterpieces like The Shining or Psycho.
I mean, the interpretation of the Monkey King as not merely demonic, but truly demented with split personalities, gave me vibes of modern psychological horror.
The fantasy elements shows design aesthetics from Japanese Anime, like Mononoke Hime, etc-- which is not unexpected or unacceptable (the way Lord of The Rings adaptations use medieval/European fantasy designs... when Tolkien was supposedly creating an "original/alternate" world in the novels)-- especially since East Asian folklore share strong animist/pantheist roots as well as Buddhist influences.
All of the Demon-Hunters' weapons and powers are from traditional Chinese wuxia pulp fiction, like Warriors of Zu Mountain (the novels), but in various spiced-up and parodied forms of course.
Then smacked right in the middle of movie, we have the short but delightful travelling montage of EPIC but OBVIOUSLY "faked/green-screened" backdrops set to light-hearted folk music -- parodying the general convention of travelling montages... You'd be missing the point, if you're watching this movie for "immersion".
But the craziest part of it is how ends in an explosion of color and a series of unexplained (aka open for interpretation) "images" (aka deus ex machina)-- and then wraps up with a deliberately "low-tech/old-school" tribute/homage to the various 1960-70's live-action adaptations of Journey to the West.
I would complain about this movie getting "meta-physical", like in 2001: Space Odyssey, except that... it IS a fable with "meta-physical" ideas/imagery ("foreshadowed" by the novel itself)-- and since we are talking about Buddhism (cyclical "redemption/re-birth" through works/merit, etc) instead of some messianic/apocalyptic monotheisms, I can't really call it a "cop-out" .
Of course, all this is par for course in Stephen Chow's movies-- and Stephen Chow fans will be able catch parodies of or references to Stephen Chow himself and his other movies-- but only a true master of parody like him can make this movie into something that is more than the sum of its parts...
I would say that this movie begs for a sequel, except that Stephen Chow has already made the sequels (A Chinese Odyssey I & II)-- so maybe he could do another prequel? Seeing as how "Journey to the West" movie adaptations always have the "problem" of starting "mise-en-scene" (aka "in the middle of the story")...
PS. I can't be sure, but I think the actor playing the monk-teacher was the one who played the Buddha himself in the 1980's mainland China TV series adaptation of "Journey to the West"-- so that could be another clue for you there...
I'm saying that I'd kill without batting an eyelid-- and you're asking if my eyes got dry?
In the 1980s when that Mainland China TV series adaptation was made, Wen Zhang (the actor who played the monk-teacher) was probably 4-5 years old. That "clue" is null and void. Wen Zhang is more like a rising star, so to speak. Closely associated as the actor who's been playing a) Jet Li's son or b) Jet Li's disciple in recent years.
In the 1980s when that Mainland China TV series adaptation was made, Wen Zhang (the actor who played the monk-teacher) was probably 4-5 years old. That "clue" is null and void. Wen Zhang is more like a rising star, so to speak. Closely associated as the actor who's been playing a) Jet Li's son or b) Jet Li's disciple in recent years.
Err, Wen Zhang is the actor playing the unshaven monk-disciple-- NOT the monk-teacher... the actor for the monk-teacher was obviously chosen for his "well-roundedness" and resemblance to traditional Chinese images of the Matreiya Buddha.
So were you there for the 1980's mainland China "Journey to the West" TV series craze?
But yeah, Wen Zhang caught Stephen Chow's eye when playing Jet Li's autistic son in "Ocean Heaven"-- probably for his ability to portray the "clueless" look effortlessly...
I'm saying that I'd kill without batting an eyelid-- and you're asking if my eyes got dry? share