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walkwithheroesI'm continuing on with Men and Legends, and I've finished discs 4, 5, and 6. Just one more to go. While checking to see if disc seven will be sent to me next week (it won't - short wait. But, then over half my list is 'short wait') I read some reviews. Apparently, many found it good but boring,confusing, and draggy at times. I think the main issue is that Men and Legends suffers from what many period and Mainland dramas suffer from - length and bad editing.
Men and Legends was forty episodes when broadcasted on television. On DVD, I believe it's closer to thirty-two, which makes me believe things may have been edited out for the U.S. DVD release. Now, forty episodes is no problem, but if things are edited out or too many storylines are playing at once, things can get a bit confusing and even annoying. Men and Legends is the same as many other period Mainland China dramas - it's like a big Russian novel. There are lots of characters coming in and out, some for a short while and some for longer periods of time. Story lines appear in one episode, disappear for ten, and then are picked up again. Though, this seems odd, the truth is - this is a DVD with episodes that were longer cut down into 45 minutes. So, instead of disappearing for ten episodes, maybe when it aired on television, the storylines only disappeared for three-five episodes.
The editing is an issue as well, because scenes do tend to jump from one play to the next. I'm with one set of characters and suddenly I'm with another. Whoever directed Men and Legends seemed to be a big fan of the fade-cut - you know, where two scenes sort of fade into each other. He/She was a BIG fan. I stick by my 'Things have to have been cut out when it was released on DVD'/'They must have thought each episode would be 70-80 minutes when aired/released on DVD' theory. Because seriously, some of these cuts and edits make me beyond confused. And, I'm the person that watches things so carefully I figure everything out five minutes into a mystery movie/drama.
Don't get me wrong - I'm enjoying the drama and all the twists and turns it has to offer. This is a drama about people who could have lived during the early-mid 1900s in China. They have the Japanese and looming World Wars to deal with, as well as the fact that martial arts are becoming a thing of the past in many ways. It's amazing and sometimes heartbreaking to see the main characters make decisions to safe themselves fully knowing that they are turning their backs on their ideals in order to stay alive/reach their dream.
First - I learned names!
Zai Feng (Peter Huo) and Ying Yuan (Dylan Kuo - who I've now developed a crush on)have changed the most. But, of course, they are the main characters. In a way, they've switched roles. When we first met them Feng was the trouble maker and Yuan was Mr. Responsible, and now it's the other way around.
Feng gets a job teaching martial arts at a Chinese school, learns English, and befriends a couple of kids. He and his OTP, Siyu (I think that's how you spell it) are sweet and go around the city trying to find evidence that the Japanese are up to no good. We know they are up to no good, because one has a pencil thin mustache and the other has a Hitler mustache - signs of evil in any period drama. It's a universal thing. Anyway. . .
Feng and Siyu - through the Principal of the Chinese school get themselves involved with Revolutionists, who want the Japanese out. Through several events, Siyu gets involved with Ke, the son of a local gangster. It's not romantic - she and Feng promise to marry each other. It's more of s business relationship. Sadly for Siyu (and Feng) Ke falls hard for Siyu's 'Gal Reporter' spirit and basically stalks her. Nothing says 'I love you' like destroying an office and creepily hanging outside your lady love's work place. In the end, Ke has his Japanese buds (he's working with them) arrest Feng. And in order to get him (and a few others) out of jail - Siyu has to marry Ke.
Of course, Feng is a tragic hero so while in prison he becomes addicted to drugs and gets out just in time to heal and go through withdraws - all while watching Siyu marry Ke.
Currently, Siyu is miserably married to Ke (who killed her father) while Feng has thrown himself into being a Revolutionist. Feng is working with a lip-reading woman, whose called Hei. Meanwhile, Ke and the Japanese have forced all the local Chinese businessmen to basically let the Japanese have all their business.
Did I mention that after finding out Ke killed her father, Siyu stabbed Ke in the chest? 'Cause she did. I was happy to see some of her spark back, as she lost it for a while. The one good thing that has come from Siyu marrying Ke is that she no longer wears those damn ugly hats.
Oh, also there was a naive young girl HG (I forget her name, but I know it starts with a H and a G) who thought Feng and Yuan killed her dad, I think I mentioned her. Well, Ke took her in and taught her a bit of fighting skills - to turn her into his own personal assassin. Yes, after teaching her some skills (which she first used to kill her would-be rapists) Ke thought, 'I'll have her be my assassin and kill anyone who gets in my way!' Poor HG is in love with Ke and will do anything for him - she even offered to kill both Feng, so Siyu would stop thinking about him. She's not going to get a happy ending, is she? Most likely she'll die.
Then, there's Yuan and his OTP, Xi Yu. Ah, when they are happy they are as cute as puppies and kittens. But, when they angst - they angst. You see, Xi Yu got sick, so Yuan brought her back to her father (whose a money hungry ass). Xi Yu's father/Yuan's old teacher (at least I thought he was, but apparently the subs now tell me he isn't. :/) tells Yuan that he might let the two marry (all Yuan wants in the world is to marry Xi Yu and live in peace) if Yuan can save 50 silver coins - by working without mentioning who is kung fu teacher is. He even gives Yuan the world's most ridiculous time line to do it in.
In order to do this, Yuan leaves and goes to Shanghai (where Feng is) and works lowly jobs - which he gets fired from, because he's too nice to the poor. He does a bit of underground boxing - which Feng forces him to leave, because it isn't honorable. And, then he becomes a gangster for Ke Sr. That's right, Mr. Straight-and-Narrow becomes a gangster. He sets buildings on fire, beats the crap out of dock workers, and even kills - all to get that 50 and marry Xi Yu.
Meanwhile, Xi Yu's father and older sister keep Yuan's letters from her and let her mope around the place. She asks and asks to be told where Yuan went, but no one tells him. Her pal, the doctor (whose in love with her and who her sister is in love with), ends up taking her to Shanghai.
Xi Yu literally searches the city for Yuan daily and waits for him on a bridge nightly - she put notices for him around the city. Xi Yu also gets a job at Feng's school and the two become BFFs. No, seriously, they have the cutest big bro/little sis relationship going on).
Thankfully, Yu and Yuan get back together - until her dad and sister show up. Things go back and forth, with Yu's dad disowning her at one point. Until, Yu is forced to go back to her dad's place.
Currently, Yuan has tried to get out of the mob once (in order to elope with Yu - he stabbed himself in the leg as punishment for leaving), got sucked back in after Ke made threats against Yu, accidentally and unknowingly allowed one of his guys to murder Xi Yu's older sister (sis (in a horribly edited and 'Wait, What?!')turn of events married the doctor, after they got drunk and sleep together. It turned out he was helping the Japanese, and that he's a big coward), Xi Yu is currently with her dad. And people keep calling Yu Yuan's wife, and calling her Mrs. Yuan, but they never showed a wedding.
So, on the angst front:
Feng:
-Master killed
-While setting the homes of Japanese people on fire, accidentally made an eight year old girl blind.
-Master's cousin (who was OTP's father) killed - now Chief of his Martial arts order.
-Was beaten in prison.
-OTP married someone else. (though she visited him and there was cuddling - an affair waiting to happen)
-Become addicted to drugs in prison (though his addiction seems to come and go.)
Yuan:
-Own Master basically hates him.
-OTP is consistently dragged away from him by her father/kidnapped/gravely ill.
-Forced to earn money to marry OTP. And kept away from her while doing so.
-Become underground boxer.
-Became a mobster and murder, after expressing his dislike of violence.
-Partly responsible for the murder of his OTP's beloved older sister. (forgiven by OTP, as older sister was a traitor to China.)
While it plays out on screen, Yuan has seemed to have more angst. Mostly because his has been spread out through 30+ episodes. While 93% of Feng's has happened in the last six episodes or so. Basically? Both have angsted. A lot. And rather well.
The angst of the ladies:
Siyu: (not in order of which it happened)
-Mother committed suicide - she found the body and was, like, five.
-Grow up hating father, as she thought he was the reason her mother killed herself.
-Father killed by husband.
-Friend and fellow revolutionist shot and killed in front of her.
-Thought OTP was dead for a short time, after he jumped off boat.
-Forced to marry man she dislikes/hates to save OTP (and others)
-Nearly killed once or twice.
-Office destroyed.
-Wore Worlds Ugliest Hats for over twenty episodes.
Xi Yu:
-Father hates boyfriend.
-OTP forced to flee for life at one point, and they were apart for several weeks/months.
-Become deadly ill (she coughed blood) and was forced to leave OTP in order not to die.
-Searched for OTP for weeks, thinking he didn't want to see her/was dead/was not actually where she thought he was.
-Disowned by father
-Kidnapped. But, this was never really shown and breezed past - a victim of editing?
-Witnessed OTP beating dock workers/murdering a defenseless man.
-Dragged away by father and locked in bedroom for weeks - all the while thinking OTP had been killed/injured by his mobster boss.
-Older sister killed by OTP.
-Home set on fire by OTP's new mob boss, Ke. Why? Because Ke knows Yuan wants out to marry Yu, and Ke thinks Yuan is the best right-hand man around. So, what does he do? Try and murder Yu, of course!
Men and Legends was forty episodes when broadcasted on television. On DVD, I believe it's closer to thirty-two, which makes me believe things may have been edited out for the U.S. DVD release. Now, forty episodes is no problem, but if things are edited out or too many storylines are playing at once, things can get a bit confusing and even annoying. Men and Legends is the same as many other period Mainland China dramas - it's like a big Russian novel. There are lots of characters coming in and out, some for a short while and some for longer periods of time. Story lines appear in one episode, disappear for ten, and then are picked up again. Though, this seems odd, the truth is - this is a DVD with episodes that were longer cut down into 45 minutes. So, instead of disappearing for ten episodes, maybe when it aired on television, the storylines only disappeared for three-five episodes.
The editing is an issue as well, because scenes do tend to jump from one play to the next. I'm with one set of characters and suddenly I'm with another. Whoever directed Men and Legends seemed to be a big fan of the fade-cut - you know, where two scenes sort of fade into each other. He/She was a BIG fan. I stick by my 'Things have to have been cut out when it was released on DVD'/'They must have thought each episode would be 70-80 minutes when aired/released on DVD' theory. Because seriously, some of these cuts and edits make me beyond confused. And, I'm the person that watches things so carefully I figure everything out five minutes into a mystery movie/drama.
Don't get me wrong - I'm enjoying the drama and all the twists and turns it has to offer. This is a drama about people who could have lived during the early-mid 1900s in China. They have the Japanese and looming World Wars to deal with, as well as the fact that martial arts are becoming a thing of the past in many ways. It's amazing and sometimes heartbreaking to see the main characters make decisions to safe themselves fully knowing that they are turning their backs on their ideals in order to stay alive/reach their dream.
First - I learned names!
Zai Feng (Peter Huo) and Ying Yuan (Dylan Kuo - who I've now developed a crush on)have changed the most. But, of course, they are the main characters. In a way, they've switched roles. When we first met them Feng was the trouble maker and Yuan was Mr. Responsible, and now it's the other way around.
Feng gets a job teaching martial arts at a Chinese school, learns English, and befriends a couple of kids. He and his OTP, Siyu (I think that's how you spell it) are sweet and go around the city trying to find evidence that the Japanese are up to no good. We know they are up to no good, because one has a pencil thin mustache and the other has a Hitler mustache - signs of evil in any period drama. It's a universal thing. Anyway. . .
Feng and Siyu - through the Principal of the Chinese school get themselves involved with Revolutionists, who want the Japanese out. Through several events, Siyu gets involved with Ke, the son of a local gangster. It's not romantic - she and Feng promise to marry each other. It's more of s business relationship. Sadly for Siyu (and Feng) Ke falls hard for Siyu's 'Gal Reporter' spirit and basically stalks her. Nothing says 'I love you' like destroying an office and creepily hanging outside your lady love's work place. In the end, Ke has his Japanese buds (he's working with them) arrest Feng. And in order to get him (and a few others) out of jail - Siyu has to marry Ke.
Of course, Feng is a tragic hero so while in prison he becomes addicted to drugs and gets out just in time to heal and go through withdraws - all while watching Siyu marry Ke.
Currently, Siyu is miserably married to Ke (who killed her father) while Feng has thrown himself into being a Revolutionist. Feng is working with a lip-reading woman, whose called Hei. Meanwhile, Ke and the Japanese have forced all the local Chinese businessmen to basically let the Japanese have all their business.
Did I mention that after finding out Ke killed her father, Siyu stabbed Ke in the chest? 'Cause she did. I was happy to see some of her spark back, as she lost it for a while. The one good thing that has come from Siyu marrying Ke is that she no longer wears those damn ugly hats.
Oh, also there was a naive young girl HG (I forget her name, but I know it starts with a H and a G) who thought Feng and Yuan killed her dad, I think I mentioned her. Well, Ke took her in and taught her a bit of fighting skills - to turn her into his own personal assassin. Yes, after teaching her some skills (which she first used to kill her would-be rapists) Ke thought, 'I'll have her be my assassin and kill anyone who gets in my way!' Poor HG is in love with Ke and will do anything for him - she even offered to kill both Feng, so Siyu would stop thinking about him. She's not going to get a happy ending, is she? Most likely she'll die.
Then, there's Yuan and his OTP, Xi Yu. Ah, when they are happy they are as cute as puppies and kittens. But, when they angst - they angst. You see, Xi Yu got sick, so Yuan brought her back to her father (whose a money hungry ass). Xi Yu's father/Yuan's old teacher (at least I thought he was, but apparently the subs now tell me he isn't. :/) tells Yuan that he might let the two marry (all Yuan wants in the world is to marry Xi Yu and live in peace) if Yuan can save 50 silver coins - by working without mentioning who is kung fu teacher is. He even gives Yuan the world's most ridiculous time line to do it in.
In order to do this, Yuan leaves and goes to Shanghai (where Feng is) and works lowly jobs - which he gets fired from, because he's too nice to the poor. He does a bit of underground boxing - which Feng forces him to leave, because it isn't honorable. And, then he becomes a gangster for Ke Sr. That's right, Mr. Straight-and-Narrow becomes a gangster. He sets buildings on fire, beats the crap out of dock workers, and even kills - all to get that 50 and marry Xi Yu.
Meanwhile, Xi Yu's father and older sister keep Yuan's letters from her and let her mope around the place. She asks and asks to be told where Yuan went, but no one tells him. Her pal, the doctor (whose in love with her and who her sister is in love with), ends up taking her to Shanghai.
Xi Yu literally searches the city for Yuan daily and waits for him on a bridge nightly - she put notices for him around the city. Xi Yu also gets a job at Feng's school and the two become BFFs. No, seriously, they have the cutest big bro/little sis relationship going on).
Thankfully, Yu and Yuan get back together - until her dad and sister show up. Things go back and forth, with Yu's dad disowning her at one point. Until, Yu is forced to go back to her dad's place.
Currently, Yuan has tried to get out of the mob once (in order to elope with Yu - he stabbed himself in the leg as punishment for leaving), got sucked back in after Ke made threats against Yu, accidentally and unknowingly allowed one of his guys to murder Xi Yu's older sister (sis (in a horribly edited and 'Wait, What?!')turn of events married the doctor, after they got drunk and sleep together. It turned out he was helping the Japanese, and that he's a big coward), Xi Yu is currently with her dad. And people keep calling Yu Yuan's wife, and calling her Mrs. Yuan, but they never showed a wedding.
So, on the angst front:
Feng:
-Master killed
-While setting the homes of Japanese people on fire, accidentally made an eight year old girl blind.
-Master's cousin (who was OTP's father) killed - now Chief of his Martial arts order.
-Was beaten in prison.
-OTP married someone else. (though she visited him and there was cuddling - an affair waiting to happen)
-Become addicted to drugs in prison (though his addiction seems to come and go.)
Yuan:
-Own Master basically hates him.
-OTP is consistently dragged away from him by her father/kidnapped/gravely ill.
-Forced to earn money to marry OTP. And kept away from her while doing so.
-Become underground boxer.
-Became a mobster and murder, after expressing his dislike of violence.
-Partly responsible for the murder of his OTP's beloved older sister. (forgiven by OTP, as older sister was a traitor to China.)
While it plays out on screen, Yuan has seemed to have more angst. Mostly because his has been spread out through 30+ episodes. While 93% of Feng's has happened in the last six episodes or so. Basically? Both have angsted. A lot. And rather well.
The angst of the ladies:
Siyu: (not in order of which it happened)
-Mother committed suicide - she found the body and was, like, five.
-Grow up hating father, as she thought he was the reason her mother killed herself.
-Father killed by husband.
-Friend and fellow revolutionist shot and killed in front of her.
-Thought OTP was dead for a short time, after he jumped off boat.
-Forced to marry man she dislikes/hates to save OTP (and others)
-Nearly killed once or twice.
-Office destroyed.
-Wore Worlds Ugliest Hats for over twenty episodes.
Xi Yu:
-Father hates boyfriend.
-OTP forced to flee for life at one point, and they were apart for several weeks/months.
-Become deadly ill (she coughed blood) and was forced to leave OTP in order not to die.
-Searched for OTP for weeks, thinking he didn't want to see her/was dead/was not actually where she thought he was.
-Disowned by father
-Kidnapped. But, this was never really shown and breezed past - a victim of editing?
-Witnessed OTP beating dock workers/murdering a defenseless man.
-Dragged away by father and locked in bedroom for weeks - all the while thinking OTP had been killed/injured by his mobster boss.
-Older sister killed by OTP.
-Home set on fire by OTP's new mob boss, Ke. Why? Because Ke knows Yuan wants out to marry Yu, and Ke thinks Yuan is the best right-hand man around. So, what does he do? Try and murder Yu, of course!
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Date: 2009-07-08 04:58 am (UTC)