Chapter 60 Part Four: Film Regrets: A Glimpse of the Unfinished Films of Famous Actors Forty-five Days to Create a Miracle

Two months later, a miracle happened! In October 1964, on the literary and artistic stage of New China, a classic literary and artistic work that influenced both at home and abroad, well-known and far-reaching—the large-scale music and dance epic "Dongfanghong" was born. "Dongfanghong" uses music, dance, songs, poems, recitations and other art forms to show in a high-level overview the progress of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China headed by Comrade Mao Zedong since the founding of the Communist Party of China in 1921. The historical picture scroll of the arduous revolutionary struggle against imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism is a classic work that integrates new Chinese literature, history, music, and dance.Its appearance is not only a concise summary of history, but also a brilliant review of culture and art.The whole performance is jointly performed by more than 3,700 troops from the capital and the whole country, as well as local professional and amateur artists. The performance lineup is strong, the production is rigorous and serious, and the performance of music, dance, song and various art categories has reached the highest artistic level of the time. After the official public performance, it immediately caused an unprecedented sensational effect and aroused great enthusiasm from the masses.Later, in 1995 in the same century, the play was awarded the "Twentieth Century Chinese Music and Dance Classic" by the Chinese Cultural Development Promotion Association.

When the whole country celebrates the 15th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the large-scale music and dance epic "Dongfanghong" was grandly launched on the literary stage of the capital Beijing. Since its premiere in the Great Hall of the People on October 2, it was immediately popular It was unanimously praised by international friends and audiences who came to China to participate in the National Day celebration and watch the ceremony.It can be said that the success of "Dongfanghong" was not achieved by accident. Zhou Enlai has publicly stated more than once: ""Dongfanghong" was created and performed collectively by the Art Troupe of the Air Force Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1961. On the basis of the "Revolutionary History Song Table Singing", and the derived "Singing and Forging Under Mao Zedong's Banner" created and performed by literary and art workers in Shanghai and several provinces in East China in 1964, it was created and rehearsed. .”

The creation of the large-scale music and dance epic "The East Is Red" started creative preparations in mid-July 1964, and the art troupes dispatched by the military system immediately worked in full swing and worked overtime to carry out surprise rehearsals according to the "first-level combat mission". On August 5th, after Zhou Enlai reviewed the first rehearsal scene, he reminded and exhorted everyone to closely combine politics and artistry, form and content; On August 12, the creation and rehearsal activities of the program were in full swing. People from all walks of life in Beijing and Shanghai gathered in the capital, and art talents and amateur literary backbones from the PLA and government departments also joined in. , Concentrate on and split up to start intense rehearsals day and night;

On September 16 and 17, Zhou Enlai presided over the 9th Central Special Committee Work Conference before the National Day in 1964, and then shifted the focus of work to the rehearsal of "Dongfanghong". From mid-September to the end of September, he reviewed the rehearsal programs and recitations many times to eliminate new problems that existed and emerged during the rehearsal process, and often called relevant personnel to conduct careful research on various plots and details. When he handed over the plan and recitation after his personal review and revision to Zhou Yang, Zhou Weizhi, Chen Yading and others, he solemnly said: "The "Dongfanghong" must highlight Mao Zedong's thought, and Mao Zedong's "In Yan'an "Speech at the Symposium on Literature and Art" as a guide, strive to achieve the unity of politics and art, the unity of content and form, and have a fresh and lively Chinese style and style that are loved by the Chinese people; Thick lines must be deep and touching. In terms of creation, we must dare to break the rules and be unconventional. We must pay attention to the diversification of artistic styles and artistic techniques. Flat, monotonous, and poor things not only cannot make people receive political education, but also It cannot make people enjoy art, not only cannot spread Mao Zedong Thought, but violates Mao Zedong Thought; in the creation, we must combine revolutionary realism and revolutionary romanticism.”

On September 25, conduct a comprehensive review of the overall program; On October 2, it officially performed for the first time in the Great Hall of the People. More than 3,700 literary and artistic workers completed a series of difficult and high-intensity steps such as overall planning, literary creation, music creation, dance arrangement, stage art design, and co-performance within one and a half months. This literary and artistic work was created successfully. This model can be called a miracle in the world, and it also fully demonstrates the successful example of a game of chess in national literary and artistic creation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

However, the emergence, creation and effect of the large-scale music and dance epic "Dongfanghong" did not happen overnight by chance. Based on the two large-scale songs and dances, "Revolutionary Historical Song Table Singing" created and premiered collectively, and "Singing and Forging Under Mao Zedong's Banner" created and performed by literary and art workers in Shanghai and several provinces in East China in 1964, created and rehearsed . The difficulty of rehearsing such a big song and dance as "Dongfanghong" mainly comes from political pressure.At that time, the literature and art front, like all fronts across the country, was still intertwined with the main line of adjustment and the secondary line of class struggle.As early as December 12, 1963, Chairman Mao Zedong made such an instruction in a "Literary and Art Situation Report": "There are many problems in various art forms, and the number of people is large. Socialist transformation is in many departments. So far, little effect has been achieved. Many departments are still ruled by 'dead people'. As for departments such as drama, the problem is even greater." On June 27, 1964, Chairman Mao wrote in the Central Propaganda Department "On the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Rectification of Associations In the unfinalized version of "Report on the Situation", there was another comment: "These associations and most of the publications they have mastered have basically not implemented the party's policies in the past 15 years. Socialist revolution and construction. In recent years, it has fallen to the brink of revisionism." On August 15, 1964, the party organization of the Ministry of Culture compiled the "Inspection Work Briefing" based on Chairman Mao's criticism of the literary and art circles. After reviewing it, in addition to giving instructions on the document, I became more cautious about the "Dongfanghong" that I personally took charge of, and at the same time, strengthened my determination to rehearse successfully.At the rehearsal scene, he firmly disagreed with the performance of the "Nanchang Uprising", but demanded that the "Autumn Harvest Uprising" led and launched by Mao Zedong must be highlighted. Reluctantly agreed to add a sentence to the recitation of the commentary: "The gunfire of the Nanchang Uprising, the first spring thunder sounded..." This was followed by a recitation of the "Autumn Harvest Uprising", which opened up the dance scene showing the plot.

Zhou Enlai, who has conducted grass-roots investigations on literature and art for a long time and knows it well, is very clear in his heart that although there are some problems in the current literature and art circles that need to be rectified, they are not as serious as Chairman Mao pointed out, let alone "rotten". The principle of "prefer less is better", so he tried to use the facts to prove this powerfully with the launch and successful performance of "Dongfanghong".At the same time, Zhou Enlai was always on guard against the unreasonable entanglement and multi-party interference of Jiang Qing, a special person, and invited many famous artists and well-known actors in the literary and artistic circles who Jiang Qing had entered into "another volume" to re-openly invite them to the stage; Emphasize that the "General Headquarters" must draw the best artistic talents from the military art troupe, the Central Opera Troupe, the Central Orchestra, the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe, the National Song and Dance Troupe, etc., especially Chairman Mao's poems, to compose the best The tune should be sung or recited by the best actors; in addition, in the selection of songs, Zhou Enlai agreed to use some famous repertoires of the democratic revolution period that had already been circulated among the people and sung among the masses. Zhou Enlai strongly disagreed with "Song of the Guerrillas" composed by Tian Han and "March of the Volunteers" written by Tian Han. Although the creators had been wrongly criticized and "stand aside", they were full of revolutionary passion in that extraordinary era. The strongest voice of the times created, accepted by the majority of the people, and aroused strong resonance, truly and fully reflects the indomitable spirit of struggle of the Chinese nation. It not only has a strong sense of the times, but also a perfect unity of politics and artistry. Boutique.Therefore, facing Jiang Qing's despotic power, Zhou Enlai waved his hand and said decisively and firmly: "This is something approved by the masses of the people, and we have no reason not to adopt it."

The contest between justice and evil, after repeated rounds, "Dongfanghong" finally overcomes Jiang Qing's various difficulties and many problems not caused by art itself, and finally follows Zhou Enlai's well-intentioned overall conception, whole-process planning and specific guidance. In the face of difficulties, don't be afraid of twists and turns." As the title says, the drama "Dongfanghong" is like the red sun in the east, in the dawn and morning light, finally bursting out amidst the clouds and rosy clouds, emitting thousands of golden rays. "Dongfanghong" was a success, and all the performers and staff who participated in the performance showed ecstatic expressions on their exhausted faces, with heartfelt feelings that were bitter but sweet. "Historical Song List Singing" will naturally make the participants form a contrast, feel for a long time, and have deep feelings.