Hit at the flicks: a dog that wags its tale with its heart
The Chinese remake of the classic Japanese film "Hachiko Monogatari" impresses audience with a touching story rooted in Chinese society and culture.
Movies depicting the touching bond between humans and loyal dogs are usually big hits with the public, and a Chinese remake of the classic 1987 Japanese film "Hachiko Monogatari" is no exception.
The new movie entitled "Hachiko" stars acclaimed Chinese director Feng Xiaogang and actress Joan Chen. The film is based on a true story that happened in Japan in 1925, but the setting is moved to the Chinese city of Chongqing.
"Hackiko" has already grossed more than 100 million yuan (US$14.5 million) at the box office since it opened late last month and has been selected to compete at the 25th Far East Festival in Italy.
The film is actually not the first remake of the tale about the emotional connection between an old man and his dog, who spends almost 10 years waiting for his dead master to return. In 2009, the US adaptation "Hachi: A Dog's Tale" starred Richard Gere and moved audiences worldwide.
With two popular versions of the story preceding him, 46-year-old director Xu Ang had his work cut out for him in creating a new Chinese context that would resonate with mainland audiences.
Xu told the press that the film goes beyond a tale of man and dog. He also wanted it to depict a down-to-earth story about China and ordinary people.
The dog in the original Japanese movie was a Japanese Akita, but in the Chinese remake, the role is played by a Chinese rural dog named Batong, which literally refers to the eight dots on a mahjong tile.
A poster for "Hachiko"
Veteran Chinese filmmaker Feng Xiaogang plays a bookish scholar with a deep love for his dog and family.
Feng Xiaogang spent considerable time developing trust and a close bond with all the dogs in the film.
Years after his portrayal of a Beijing street punk in the 2015 film "Mr. Six," veteran director Feng reminded audiences once again of his acting skills. This time, he portrays a reserved, bookish scholar named Chen Jingxiu, who has a deep affection for his dog and children.
Chen persuades his somewhat domineering wife, a fervid mahjong enthusiast, to accept the abandoned dog as a new family member, telling her that when "you live for things you like, you call it life."
Every morning Batong sees Chen off to work at Chongqing's Yangtze River cableway station. Then he carries a newspaper back home. In late afternoon, the dog runs to the station again to greet his returning owner.
One day, Chen dies of a heart attack on his way home and never returns. But for 10 years, the faithful dog still waits in the same fixed place for his owner to come back.
At the film's premiere, Feng, who was born in the Year of the Dog, told the audience that he has long had an affinity with dogs, sharing his own story of adopting a stray dog named Diudiu. The dog accompanied him for 16 years and was one reason he decided to star in the movie.
Feng spent a lot of time winning the trust and forming a close bond with the 18 different rural dogs who portray Batong at various stages of filming.
One of the "stars" is a Chinese rural dog.
Batong is portrayed by 18 different dogs at various stages of his life.
Director Xu Ang endeavored to tell a down-to-earth story rooted in China.
Scriptwriter Zhang Hansi, a native of Chongqing, contributed the flavor of his hometown to the film – its vibrant lifestyle, colorful dialect, spicy food and distinctive architecture.
He also incorporated the construction of the Three Gorges Dam downstream from Chongqing into the backdrop of the story. The dam was constructed to prevent flooding and provide hydroelectric power. More than 1.2 million people living in the area created by the vast reservoir were relocated to make room for the massive project.
On the film and TV review website Douban, many movie buffs praised the movie's realistic setting.
A netizen calling himself Jirui'er noted that the Chinese remake was the longest of the three films of the same tale and was layered with emotion. The film, he said, depicted a city undergoing rapid change.
Some viewers also attribute the film's success to an in-depth exploration of relationships among ordinary people and the animals around them amid changing times.
Actress Joan Chen plays the mahjong-loving wife of the scholar, who gradually accepts the abandoned dog as a new family member.
The film also explores the touching facets of family life.
The daily lives of ordinary people in Chongqing are featured in the movie.
At the end of the movie, subtitles explain that the film is dedicated to friends who faithfully spend lifetime by our side and suggested that audiences adopt animals rather than buy them in pet shops.
As a matter of fact, many of the dogs starring in the film were strays saved from the streets. After shooting, all of them were adopted by the crew members.
Vicky Sun, a local animal lover who has adopted a Chinese stray cat and an abandoned Siberian Husky, said the film showed deep respect for animals and the sorrow they show when their owners die or leave them.
"It is the first time a Chinese rural dog has starred as a protagonist in a movie," she said. "It is a sign that more and more people are beginning to show concern about the lives of dogs. Dogs can't talk, but they never stop loving us."
Heartwarming animal-themed movies have been popular among Chinese cinemagoers for some time. At first, most of them were foreign productions, such as "Eight Below" (2006) and "A Dog's Purpose" (2017). But in recent years, more Chinese filmmakers have explored the relationship between man and animal.
Many movie buffs have been touched by Hong Kong director Law Wing-Cheong's "Little Q" (2019), a touching tale about a guide dog and a bad-tempered, middle-aged blind man.
Following the success of the pet anthology film "Adoring," mainland director Larry Yang's latest offering "Ride On" is a story of a stunt horse and an old kung fu stuntman.
It is complicated and difficult shooting a film with animals. Directors often have to do many takes and wait a long time for a perfect performance.
Professor Gu Xiaoming, a film and TV scholar from Fudan University, noted that animal-themed films are a challenge for both directors and actors.
"Animals can generate various relationships that can be explored and portrayed on the screen," said Professor Gu. "To some extent, animals are mirrors of human beings and the changing era we live in."
He added that remaking classic films also carries risks of comparison. It is wise, he said, for filmmakers to create new stories instead of filming hasty, simple imitations.
The film advises audiences to share their love by adopting abandoned animals – a message echoed by Vicky Sun, a local animal lover who has already adopted a Chinese rural cat and an abandoned Siberian Husky.
Siberian Husky named Funiu was adopted by Sun at the age of one.
A photo of Sun's adopted cat. Like the protagonist in the film, Sun has been active in efforts to rescue strays and find them new homes.
