Sohu reported on September 4th that the short film The Journey to the West, produced by Stephen Chow, features main actor Zhang Tian Ai and the popular male lead Xu Zheng Long.
The Journey to the West (1995) by Stephen Chow is considered one of the most inspiring works based on the classic Journey to the West, with exceptional quality. While the film’s release has been critiqued over time, the artistic value and the subtlety that Stephen Chow captured in the film continue to be explored and praised.
The film also created memorable “anti-heroes” on screen, such as the character played by Zhu Yin, the charming and humorous role portrayed by Stephen Chow, and the many quotable lines from Lam Khiết Anh’s character, as well as the notable Bai Ting Ting played by Mạc Văn Úy.
Therefore, the decision by the Hong Kong, China authorities to remake The Journey to the West has not been well-received. The public feels that Stephen Chow is running out of creative ideas. It is believed that he could simply revive classic works that have already achieved great success rather than just rehashing them to sell to audiences.
Zhang Tian Ai in the film The Journey to the West alongside male lead Xu Zheng Long.
Stephen Chow’s film-making trend is also evident in the film My Prince, where the lead actor has been a prominent figure for many years. Stephen Chow even recently included South Korean star Song Kang Ho in this project.
However, when the images of the main female cast members in the film were revealed, the audience was disappointed. The actresses received lukewarm responses. In My Prince, Stephen Chow introduced three leading actresses: Triệu Vy, Mạc Văn Úy, and Trương Bá Chi.
According to Sohu, Stephen Chow is stepping into the realm of new projects. He is well known for his role as Tang Seng in the 1986 Journey to the West, and since then, he has produced many works inspired by the classic novel. The legendary star is facing public backlash due to claims that he is greedy, lacking creativity, and merely trying to exploit the emotional connection of the audience to his characters.
