Broadwalk Empire, 一件頭內衣, 好了歌

Period 服飾可顯製作水平

表現女性美的一件頭內衣

一口氣三天看完了 Broadwalk Empire 的第一季，已經忘記了第一集的細節，而該集 (Pilot) 正是由 Martin Scorsese 執導。當然由大導演大資金 (US$18M) 打頭炮，是要求其宣傳效果。其實電視劇需要「文火」炮製，第一集除非有懾人塲面，否則云云新角色、个个生面孔，我覺得是較難入戲的。

不過一經熱身，在重頭製作班底下，越看越有勁頭。Martin Scorsese 在其餘集數只擔任執行監製，劇本是 The Sopranos 的 Terence Winter。故事發生在二十年代禁酒令 Prohibition 下的美國。芝加哥黑帮式荷李活製作相信大家看得不少，電影多注重官能刺激的暴力埸面，但 Broadwalk Empire 細水長流的電視，則偏向情節與性格的發展。

幾項我要提出的點子：

• 演員沒有特別的帥哥或甜姐兒。起用專演「怪雞」角色的 Steve Buscemi 為主角更是大膽。
• 黑金政治與官商勾結亙古有之，作為壁上觀其實也趣味央然。
• 爵士音樂與 Big Band Sound!
• HBO 當然沒有 Network TV 的电檢限制，性感與血腥埸面可以發揮更多。但我最鍾愛的是女角們的「一件頭」內衣，so much feminine。看過 Victoria’s Secret 的 Angels Show， 那是誇張的性感，如果 Angels 們不是加了翅膀，胸圍加了鑽石，其內衣也近千篇一律。我不懂時裝設計的用語，沒法形容 Broadwalk Empire 的內衣，但那是十分柔婉的女性美。
• 當然，男士們熨貼的西服， Tweed，Bowler Hat，閃亮皮鞋，帶人回到講求 Craftsmanship 的年代。我欣賞嚴謹的製作，戲服有專人設計縫造，部份更是來自當年的 Vintages。
• 看過 Martin Scorsese 的 Shutter Island，覺其CG 的 Lighting 效果有點生硬 (開埸時的海、船、島外景)，Broadwalk Empire 開埸片段又有同样缺陷。(我曾在課室內學習 Photoshop, AfterEffect )

正如上面所說，第一集如何體現大師功力已沒什印象，但最后一集尾聲的一段 montage 加上 Jazz singing 則十分動人。歌曲是爵士大師 George Cohen 的 “Life’s a Funny Proposition After All”，歌詞什有「紅樓夢」中「好了歌」的影子。(中、英歌詞如下，中文可惜只找到簡体版)

Verse 1
Did you ever sit and ponder,
Sit and wonder, sit and think,
Why we're here and what this life is all about?
It's a problem that has driven
Many brainy men to drink,
It's the weirdest thing they've tried to figure out.
About a thousand diff'rent theories
All the scientists can show,
But never yet have proved a reason why
With all we've thought
And all we're taught,
Why all we seem to know
Is we're born and live a while and then we die.

Refrain 1
Life's a very funny proposition after all,
Imagination, jealousy, hypocrisy and all.
Three meals a day, a whole lot to say;
When you haven't got the coin you're always in the way.
Ev'rybody's fighting as we wend our way along,
Ev'ry fellow claims the other fellow's in the wrong;
Hurried and worried until we're buried and there's no curtain call.
Life's a very funny proposition after all.

Verse 2
When all things are coming easy, and when luck is with a man,
Why then life to him is sunshine ev'rywhere;
Then the fates blow rather breezy and they quite upset a plan,
Then he'll cry that life's a burden hard to bear.
Though today may be a day of smiles, tomorrow's still in doubt,
And what brings me joy, may bring you care and woe;
We're born to die, but don't know why, or what it's all about,
And the more we try to learn the less we know.

Refrain 2
Life's a very funny proposition, you can bet,
And no one's ever solved the problem properly as yet.
Young for a day, then old and gray;
Like the rose that buds and blooms and fades and falls away,
Losing health to gain our wealth as through this dream we tour.
Ev'rything's a guess and nothing's absolutely sure;
Battles exciting and fates we're fighting until the curtain falls.
Life's a very funny proposition after all.

紅樓夢中的「好了歌」

 

陋室空堂，当年笏满床；
衰草枯杨，曾为歌舞场。
蛛丝儿结满雕梁，绿纱今又糊在蓬窗上。
说什么脂正浓、粉正香，如何两鬃又成霜？
昨日黄土垅头送白骨，今宵红绡帐底卧鸳鸯。
金满箱，银满箱，转眼乞丐人皆谤。 
正叹他人命不长，哪知自己归来丧！
训有方 ，保不定日后做强梁；
择膏粱，谁承望流落在烟花巷！
因嫌纱帽小，致使锁枷扛；
昨怜破袄寒，今嫌紫蟒长。
乱烘烘你方唱罢我登场，反认他乡是故乡。
甚荒唐，到头来都是 为他人做嫁衣裳。