[Movie]War Horse 戰馬

War Horse is a 1982 children's novel set before and during World War I. The movie is better than I expected. I was wondering how director Steven Spielberg demonstrates the story of just a horse. Besides, I was so curious that how strong and glorious the horse is. The age traced back to the World War I and the horse was born in Devon, England, the south-west England. Movies pointing out the conflicts between cruelty of wars and seamless human relationships tries to impress audiences. War Horse did it the same, but the difference is that it's about the affection between the horse and a young boy.
In Devon, England, a boy called Albert Narracott watches the birth of a thoroghbred coal. One day, Ted, Albert's father buys the colt at auction despite his friends tell him there's more suitable plow horse for his farm. The desire to despite the landload, and retain his pride are the apparent movitations for Ted to make higher and higher bid for this colt with impulse.
Afterwards, Albert starts training the young horse called Joey for the plow and prepare the stony hillside fields to plant turnips. Alberts' neighbour, Andrew, is astonished that the training really works. It means Ted will be able to pay the rent to the landlord in Autumn season. However, Unfortuantely...a huge rainstorm destroys all their crops. Ted is forced to sell Joey, the horse raised by Albert, to a cavalry sergent without informing Albert. Albert is pleading to keep Joey in his side, but his father needs money. The horse starts his war life from now on......
The story moves forward to 1918 where Albert has enlisted to serve the military. Albert and Joey are seperated for many years until Joey escapes and runs into the No-Man's land where he gallops through the devastating destruction of the Somme and gets entangled in barbed wire. The horse, Joey is miraculously rescued from the No-Man's land, even people won't survive from there. Finally Joey comes back to Albert!
Whole movie you can feel that the affection between horses, Joey and Topthorn, another black strong horse well trained for millitary service. Joey substitute Topthorn to tug the heavy Germany artillery because he takes notice of Topthorn's bad condition of health. Moveorver, the affections between Albert (human) and Joey (horse) you can feel everywhere in the movie. Albert is always looking for him and Joey always remember Albert. It can be found that Albert whistle like a owl, and Joey will always come to him.
Interesting topic for you to see the movie...:)

[舞台劇]屏風表演班：2012女兒紅 Wedding Memories 深情版

「女兒紅」是屏風表演班國修老師的原創之作，費時了七年的時間完成，是寫一個母親的故事，一個無怨，無悔的他的母親...
此劇的時空橫跨了兩岸30～70年代間，出生於68年次的筆者，在觀看這場戲的時候確實是有點「我並非生長在那個年代」的感覺，畢竟劇中的戰亂遷徙，保密防諜及政治迫害的戒嚴時代都不是我們這代所經歷過的。

雖是如此，但全劇在國修老師的巧妙設計之下，在劇中主角修國（故意取國修的倒反）尋根的過程中，一再回溯過去母親的年代，由一個代替妹妹披上紅袍的姐姐，歷經戰亂顛沛流離尋求安定的妻子，到無怨無悔愛夫愛兒的母親。

這場表演雖然沒有利用複雜的陳述方式，全劇以「脈存一線」為主幹，透過主角修國的尋根反溯，劇中呈現的不僅僅是女性母親的故事，反倒是整個時代背景的陳述相當完整，並且相當巧妙地利用跨時代背景角色的面對面互動將修國的母親的整個經歷一點一滴的補強，完全跳脫直述如此單調的方式呈現，這是筆者非常喜愛的表現方式之一。但也如此，若有機會可以到劇場觀看的朋友，也需要多花些心思去瞭解整個跨時代故事的描述。

劃時代的一角，「女兒紅」呈現出的是小老百姓的故事，或許這是一個國修老師的故事，但卻是可能代表著大時代下每一個家庭所面臨到的種種。在看劇的過程中，筆者承認雖然無法像生活經歷過30~70年代間的觀眾來的有感觸，但可以深深感受到國修老師與母親間的感情繫結之深，而此劇如何利用一個家庭道出每一個老百姓所面對的各個時代是筆者可以明顯感受的。尤其全劇的佈景轉換，充份讓筆者可以融入每一個時代，並感受其變遷，最重要的是在每一時代下，每一個角色的內心期望，外在表達都活生生的跳了出來！當然，透過不同年代主角修國的對話，更讓整個劇串聯的更為緊密，不得不說讚！

筆者從大學到現在，看了也不下幾十部的國內外劇場表演，舞台劇，音樂劇是筆者非常喜歡欣賞的活動之一，透過劇場演員的真實情感表達，不容許NG，沒有重來的態度就像是在過人生一般。劇場演員總是可以在短短的幾個小時捕捉觀眾的心，一場漂亮的劇本，一部感人的故事都能讓筆者回味無窮，因為舞台劇演的是人生，我們過的就是我們的人生。

近年來舞台劇開始採用先進的投影技術去協助演員在表演時背景的描述，以期讓觀眾可以更加融入劇中時代背景，更能感覺劇中角色的感受。此次「女兒紅」也不例外，透過時代的街景，紀錄片的播放，讓不是這個年代的筆者可以更快感受，進而感動。這真的是近年來常用的數位技術，包括歌仔戲也都如此唷！ 但有個部分其實筆者有點兒意見，就是某些街景感覺是近幾年所拍攝的，以至於在這場30~70年代的劇中投影出來，會讓筆者覺得有點突兀，原本已經有所融入的我，似乎會拉回一些到現代，感覺有些奇怪，不知道是否是筆者多想了？

記得在看西貢小姐(Miss Saigon)時，劇場真的是有一台直升機飛進來，場面甚是浩大，而在國內的劇場就屬此次的「女兒紅」相當浩大，除了上百員的臨時演員在一個小小的舞台上湧出，已經是許多舞台劇鮮少見的表演方式了。在動亂時代的戰爭，舞台上利用火藥爆破還真是筆者第一次看到，不瞞您說...我真的有被爆炸聲響嚇到差點屁股離開椅子，也難怪一開始字幕就有提醒待會會有爆破聲，請注意...問題是誰知道來真的啊！！

劇組也因為利用的人員相當多，也作了一件蠻特別的「中場群眾與孩童的謝幕」，沒錯！"中"場休息的時候，進行謝幕的動作，讓筆者覺得真是新鮮。此外，女兒紅應該也是在終場謝幕之後，還有一幕場景：母親拿個皮箱在走道來回步走的情景作結尾，會讓人更感受其母親的無怨，無悔，無名...這難道是近年來電影在人員字幕完畢後，在留個短短的影片結尾的風氣，也用到了舞台劇？還是之前謝幕完筆者就跟著大家離開而錯過了呢？真是有趣！

最後，我想要感謝所有演員的完美表演，其中真的衷心期盼國修老師能夠早日回到這個舞台上來，這場表演雖郭子乾演的也是非常好，但我看到下面影片中的國修老師自己演的片段，真的覺得國修老師是在演自己的故事，真的那種完全出自內心的演出，真是讓筆者非常想要再看一場國修老師的演出，國修老師盡快康復回到這舞台劇場吧！

[Movie]Love Actually 愛是您愛是我

Love Actually is a movie published in 1993. It's been 9-year-old movie. As remembered, I went to the movie theatre to see this lovely, romantic movie. It follows the lives of eight very differnt couples in dealing with their love lives. It is a UK movie and all tales are happened in London in a frantic month before Christmas. "Christmas is the time to be with the people you love!" Does the sentence make you more couragous to tell your lover how much you love her/him?
I saw the romantic comedy many times and it touched me all the time. More than eight stories told me love is beyond ages, nationalities, positions, and so on... Different love stories all comes from a common belief. People believe they have to be with their lovers especially on Christmas Eve. Christmas is a very important holiday in western countries. They are used to being with their family, the most important people for them, just like our reunion on Chinese New Year Eve.
I would not tell you all tales in this movie, because I hope you can feel their love and yours by watching this movie. However, I would like to share one of my favourite love stories with you. It's my favourite part of this movie. Always it is...after seeing many times of this comedy. It is a lovely tale, but a little bit sorrow...It's about the triangle relationship between bride, groom and groomsman. They are good friends and groomsman never shows his fancy on the bride until the secret revealed...
Let's take a look that how the groomsman shows his love to the bride...On Christmas Eve, the groomsman went to the couple's house, and the wife answered the door...He prepared a few of boards with words and pictures to express how he was in love with the bride. Never said a word, but just slideshowed the boards. Afterwards, he got a kiss and felt it's ENOUGH...ENOUGH...ENOUGH...A little bit sad for me, but it could be the best result for them. For the groomsman, he had a perfect end and a new start from now on...So touching to me!
"TO ME, YOU ARE PERFECT!" Even though I haven't had the chance to tell you this, I truly believe these words you deserved. Sometimes I heard you said you're picky and not good enough, but have you ever thought you are the perfect one to me for sure.
It's really a romantic comedy for you all to see!!