与戈這你對話- 鄭伊健 Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin The Outlook Magazine - March 2004

Before the camera shot, Ekin merely wrinkled his eyebrows giving the perception of seriousness. He concentrated his energy and right away became popular as an action and clever movement star. Sometimes he is crazy and lets himself go, sometimes he shows restraint, sometimes he is very high speed, sometimes he goes but again returns.

To photograph him the camera shutter must be very fast to catch his movement of expression. This issue is the Spring, Summer male professional collection. The photographs were taken in a shed transformed into a European wide road, the Hi Fi was playing Josephine Baker's French style Jazz.

Ekin says he would like to talk with French director Jean-Luc Goddard. Actually many years ago Ekin was involved in a film which used a part filmed by Jean-Luc Goddard. It was mainly themed photographs. Then I didn't know that this person directed the movie <A bout de Souffle> In this movie the images are subjective but they greatly influenced him. I only know that Jean -Luc Goddard is a very famous French new wave director, but in recent years I have started to watch other people's movies. In fact, before my movies wee mostly manga comic book roles. Perform continously, levels not too many because the original book already has very detailed descriptions. I only do the role if can retain the flavor of the character in the book, but later I watched Francois Truffault in <Les Quatres Cents Coups>. In this movie the camera is used in a very natural way to record the plot of the story and the characters.

Today where has the new wave gone? Every thing depends on science and technology. Trick filming methods have a degree of difficulty, but as long as straightforwardly use the computer to compose the technical background is accomplish it. My opinion is that science and technology is not at all a bad thing, but how do you influence its use. Nowadays everyone comes to rely on it, but people are unlikely to change the way they think. Every movie that is released has changed the equation to fit the norm. Within the last few days I saw a Thai movie <quan ba>, in this movie is a fight scene. The director didn't substitute the computer for the leading role. The acrobatic fighting performance didn't use any computer technology, It was firsthand filmed and they manage to be quite good. It is especialy not an effective method at present. it is important to be able to stop the movement before the fight results in a powerful kick to the body. The end result is the kind of movie everyone can enjoy. I watched it to the end immediately and then asked my friends in Thailand to purchase a VCD for me. After I watch it I believe it definitely able to impact me.

For a leading role in a movie to get an authentic feel, spent 2 years training. I feel the director now already decide the method he plans to limit the action. With exhaustive thoughts he can create an organized way to cause the audience to be amazed at the martial art scenes. This is especially true of the new wave directors because they don't follow the movie picture tricks. Instead go outside, they have many demands which are difficult to to anticipate, but the director asks for an authentic feel. They don't take a single outdoor shot and also add sound. In addition they select themes that come from and don't rely on literature. These innovations allow you to be able, if have trhe courage, to create something, definitely able to get people to praise.

I dare not say that <quan ba> is forming a new section of new wave martial arts movies. But if everyone would focus they would see that both Thai and Korean movies have enjoyed success as new wave movies. Especially Thai movies like <Ghost Wife>, <Monster Plays Volleyball> both full of innovative flavor. Against this the home product merely follows the market wind. The themes that try to use at present are either romantic love or comedy. I can't avoid saying that the market limits everyone's creative ability, but this can't be considered to be the main reason. We all understand that Hong Kong is only a tiny little place. We cannot each time shift the old long in the tooth themes.

In the past I was very much critisized as lucky. Today I just have success. I think nowadays these type of critisisms are unlikely to affect me. I hope that Hong Kong can move into a new wave of movies. If people can remember in the 80's a number of innovated new directors arrived including: Cheng Xiao Ming, Zhang Quo Dong, and John Wu, then later they were joined by Benny Chan, Guan Jin Peng, today there are Liu Wei Qiang and Mai Zhao Hui. I remember that period of Hong Kong's new wave movies. Each of these directors have their own individual style. Some use works of literature, some don't, but all of them always allow a person to look forward. Recently there are few movies that can compare with those years as outstanding. As a whole the industry has lost it's impetus, need to wait to see if it can restart.

As an actor the most disappointing thing is to make a movie and there is no discussion about the movie. Fortunately most of the movies have many people discuss them, and many have gone on to be very successful.