Secret of the Linked Cities

[Ian Liew]

I'm watching the China production of Lian Chengxue at the moment, and I must say it's very enjoyable - I'm looking forward to writing a review for this. Has anybody else watched it or finished it yet?

I'm also very curious about the girl who plays Di Yun's shimei - I'm so sure I've seen her before in a wuxia series, but I can't for the life of me place her. does anybody know who she is?

Spoilers:




I'm currently up to where Di Yun, Shui Xun (not sure if that's her name) and Hua Tiegan are stuck in the snowy valley - the battle between Xuedao Laozu and Luo, Hua, Liu Shui was very spectacular - especially the fight against Liu ChengFeng - It seemed that Liu might actually have single-handedly beaten Xuedao Laozu if it wasn't for that mishap. In any case, the fights were also quite loyal to the book in how XDLZ managed to beat his opponents (although Liu used a halberd/glaive/guisarme?? instead of a sword, but I'm not complaining - it was a spectacular clash). The bits where Shui Dai and Hua Tiegan fly about looked a bit corny, but in general it was still very very well done.

[Yon]

Here is a good thread about this series and the picture from my site.



Linked City

[Ian Liew]

Thanks for the link, Yon - I sure learned a lot from the site. . Good to see that virtually all comments were positive! I agree about that bit where it would have been nice if they showed the three of them together at the end, rather than Shui Sheng and Kong Xin Cai waiting sadly for Di Yun to return, and Di Yun riding a horse happily towards the mountains to join them. I know it's supposed to signify a good ending for them together, but not showing him arrive tends to leave you guessing whether he actually made it or not, regardless of the fact that nothing could probably stop him then.

I never even noticed that the actor who played Di Yun was the same actor who played Zhao Banshan in Book and Sword - I had to rewatch a few scenes to realise it. Maybe because Zhao Banshan had a rather hoarse voice, while Di Yun is more natural, or maybe because I've never seen Wu Yue before these two series (or maybe I have without remembering). I've never seen Shu Chang (Shui Sheng) before, and I think she was really nice. I remember watching the Roger Kwok version and being absolutely miserable because I liked Kitty Lai and didn't like Shalin Tse very much, but this series seems to have made Shui Sheng much more likeable, and promoted her to virtually be the female lead - a good idea, as the ending actually felt good rather than downright tragic. And Ci Fang - was she the same actress who played Yue Lingshan in XAJH 2001? Or is it because both roles are so similar that I think it's the same girl?

The actors were really top class, especially the villains. Xuedao Laozu was played by the same man who played Duan Yanxing in DGSD 2003, and had those same eyes (although in this one he could speak with his mouth). I actually found myself liking the character a lot, even though he was a complete villain - he just had a certain charisma to him, unashamedly cheeky. Wan Zhenshan was played by the man who played Nian Gengyou in the Yongzheng Dynasty, and he looked absolutely evil at times, but at times a complete gentleman. I agree that none of the really bad guys overdid their badness. Hua Tiegan was pathetic (in character) - the way the actor portrayed him you hated him, but couldn't help but laugh at him sometimes.

On the point of Hua Tiegan, the four Southern Weirds Luo Hua Liu Shui were done really well - you actually felt they were really powerful people (in fact, Hua Tiegan looked probably the weakest of the four) - Liu Chengfeng and Lu Tianshu looked awesome, while Shui Dai looked more cultured, but every inch a hero. compare this with TVBs where the Four Weirds were completely helpless against XDLZ when separated, and had to combine to form a formation in order to beat him.

I've seen a lot of the middle and the end, but I think I'll need to watch the beginning to be able to get a full picture. It's just that the beginning is so sad it's probably going to really really upset me.

[Trinie]

To Ian, Glad to hear that you are enjoying this series. I never liked the story of Lian Cheng Jue that much. I guess it is because I don't like the 88 TVB adaption very much. Did you know that the one that played monkey king in the old JTTW(his name is Lu Xiao Ling tong) is also in this series? I forgot which role he plays though. It is nice to know that he is still acting. Oh yea, I think he plays Hue Tie Gan. The one that plays Dik Yun is Wu Yue right??

[Ian Liew]

I didn't actually watch JTTW, but that completely explains why everybody on yon's forum was referring to Hua Tiegan as Monkey King. I thought I missed out a character or a title somewhere....

I didn't like the 88 version much either, but that was due to casting. Kitty Lai, one of my favourite actresses then was cast as Ci Fang, while Shalin Tse, who was still struggling with her inability to act then, played Shui Sheng. I was rooting for Ci Fang all the way and the story was just so sad when she died. In this series Shui Sheng is incredibly likeable, while Ci Fang is nice at best, so the ending doesn't seem to hurt at all. If anything, the lack of a nice family picture with Di Yun, Shui Sheng and Kong Xin Cai at the end, although not a major issue at all, was a bit sad in that you didn't get to see Shui Sheng smile (she's playing the flute waiting for him poignantly), but we just know that they ended up because Di Yun was riding off into the sunset to meet her. The 88 version also had very sad songs sung by Lui Fong and Sammi Cheng (who just started singing and had this very miserable sadness to her voice), this one doesn't feel so gloomy. I absolutely love this version - Di Yun and Shui Sheng make such a cute couple.

Yep, Wu Yue is Di Yun - although now knowing he was Zhao Banshan seems to make we see him in a different light (although that's more of a producer problem - Zhao Banshan was supposed to be a great hero as well, instead of the worst villain the series - even worse than Zhang Zhaozhong, who was likeable in his own way). A mitigating factor is I watched Book and Sword dubbed in Cantonese, and Zhao's voice is incredibly hoarse in the dub, so it's not immediately obvious to me that it's the same actor.

[Trinie]

Hi Ian, Was this version accurate to the novel at all?? I didn't like the 88 version very much. How much better is this version? Does meitian play Kitty's role in here?Who plays the role Tse Ning played in the 88 version?

[Yon]

Originally posted by Trinie
Hi Ian, Was this version accurate to the novel at all?? I didn't like the 88 version very much. How much better is this version? Does meitian play Kitty's role in here?Who plays the role Tse Ning played in the 88 version?

Yes. Meitian plays Che Fang.
This is quite accurate to novel, and over all very enjoyable.

Wong Shin Min better produce ROCH.. instead of Zhang Ji Zhong

[tinac]

Originally posted by Ian Liew

I didn't like the 88 version much either, but that was due to casting. Kitty Lai, one of my favourite actresses then was cast as Ci Fang, while Shalin Tse, who was still struggling with her inability to act then, played Shui Sheng.

Just wondering, this is not the "Tian Bian", right? What's the title for the old version, is it also Linked Cities?

Thanks!

[Trinie]

TO Yon, Thanks for the info. How accurate was the 88 version to the novel? I didn't like the 88 version very much.

To tinac, No this is Lian Cheng Jue, not Tian Bian. They are 2 completely different series. I get them confused too since they both star Kitty, Roger and Tse Ning.

[tinac]

Originally posted by Trinie
To tinac, No this is Lian Cheng Jue, not Tian Bian. They are 2 completely different series. I get them confused too since they both star Kitty, Roger and Tse Ning.

Thanks Trinie! Yeah, I got confuse b/c all 3 are in there. I know the story is different but not very sure of that.

[Ian Liew]

I don't remember much about the 88 version, but the ending where Che Changfa and Che Fang died was very different from the novel - Di Yun kills Che Fang when she tries to shield her father from him or something - a lot of extra scenes to make you miserable.

Luo Hua Liu Shui were watered down, and were nowhere near as powerful - they also had a lot of extra screen time - Newton Lai's Shui Dai had a fairly long role as compared to the two VCDs in the new version. They also added some extra twists in Xuedao Men, like after Xuedao Laozu dies there's a Xuedao Laomo, who teaches Shui Sheng's cousin Xuemo Daofa, and they have a final showdown at the end - these just serve to drag the series. Kitty Lai playing Che Fang is also very sad, because she was so likeable.

Spoilers.



The new version has a few changes too, but those changes seem to enchance the story. Hua Tiegan was given a villain treatment, and the entire scene where he dies is not in the book, but it made the show so much more satisfying. Wan Gui also receives his just desserts in a more dramatic way here - it's nice to see the hero dispatch the two villains properly (in the novel, both of them die only at the end together with the whole bunch of people due to an old trap).

[Trinie]

Thanks for the info Ian! It seems like they made some good changes to the actual novel. By the way, does Ci Fang still die at the end?? I don't mind spoilers since I may not watch it.

[flyingfox2002]

Yes, she dies just like in the novel which was cool. Can't blame Wan Gui for killing the idiot.

I thought the endings for Monkey King and Wan Gui were too "Hollywood." Their endings in the book were stronger and darker and seems more real.

Btw, Lingwu Fox III from the wuxiaworld board message whining about small goofs and plot inconsistencies is me. Can't help it. I have eagle's eyes when it comes to details (for stuff I care about anyhoo).

The show never explained the treasure at the end was poisoned. I wonder how viewers would know if they hadn't read the book.

I still would like to see a reunion scene at the end with SS + DY + the daughter. That was the way the novel ended, and the show should end on a happy note too instead of the old dude's lecture.

[Ian Liew]

Originally posted by flyingfox2002
Yes, she dies just like in the novel which was cool. Can't blame Wan Gui for killing the idiot.

Yup. I do like how Wan Gui shed a tear when he turned to leave, because he knew that Ci Fang never did love him. It didn't make him likeable, but it did highlight that it was all Ci Fang's fault in the first place.

I thought the endings for Monkey King and Wan Gui were too "Hollywood." Their endings in the book were stronger and darker and seems more real.

I felt that the way they died was far more satisfying. The book left so many loose ends at the end, and tied them all up in the one scene with poisonous treasure - it felt a bit anti-climatic. In this version they spent so much time making hua Tiegan look so pathetic it would have been quite sad if he just rolled on the floor foaming at the mouth. Maybe dying of poison en masse doesn't translate that well to the screen.

The show never explained the treasure at the end was poisoned. I wonder how viewers would know if they hadn't read the book.

I noticed that too - the only hint we have is that Chi Changfa died foaming at the mouth and twitching. Having him say something like "The treasure... has.. poison... hahaha *croak*" would have been much better, but then nobody else actually died of the poison - the whole temple just caved in andburied them all, so I guess the poison wasn't really necessary. However, it's a bit weird that they killed CCF with poison and never explained it.

I still would like to see a reunion scene at the end with SS + DY + the daughter. That was the way the novel ended, and the show should end on a happy note too instead of the old dude's lecture.

Oh yes, I totally agree!!! I liked Shui Sheng sooo much in the series that it would have been so nice to see her finally get a lover's embrace from Di Yun at the end - heaven knows she waited long enough and certainly deserved it! The last scene with them was poignant rather than happy..

[Trinie]

Thanks for the info Flying fox 2002!!It is so sad that she had to die. SO Di Wun never returned any of Shui Seung's love? I feel so sad for her....

[Ian Liew]

Well, technically, he does. He is seen riding back to the snow valley to reunite with her, with his arms open wide and a completely happy expression on his face - from what I gather, he is heading back to return the love she had shown him, and finally be a proper couple. They just don't show him actually meeting her again (screen fades as he rides off towards the snow valley), which is a bit sad because after all Shui Sheng went through with him, it would have been really nice to SEE her finally get her man.

[flyingfox2002]

You know, I was annoyed how DY was so cold towards SS in the series. It's true to the novel, but because the series added a bunch of SS + DY scenes after snow-valley, DY should have warmed up a little. In real life you would never see a girl like SS have to basically beg for a guy like DY's love.

This series was quite well made and well edited compared to most series. It did get sloppy in some areas like I whined about on the WW board, but overall not bad.

The giant numbers carved inside the coffin was really too much though. Humanly impossible unless she's Stretch Armstrong.

[Trinie]

Thanks for the info you guys! I feel so sad that DY did not end up with SS. I am glad that he did sort of returned her love. But I guess that's how guys in general are(no offense to any guys). If they don't like a girl, that girl can do anything for them but if they don't love them, than they just don't regardless of how much she sacrifices for him. I have seen that in many series and in real life as well.

[Ian Liew]

They did end up together, the scene just wasn't shot, and hence lacked the satisfying feel it should have. After everything Shui Sheng went through with DY and all she did for him, it would have been nice for s to actually see him finally look her in the eye, say "I love you" and hug her. I'm sure all that happened, but we just don't get to see it.

[flyingfox2002]

It's not a given that DY will end up with SS romantically. It's very likely, but then you never know with DY. I was annoyed the way he just dumped the girl on her and basically said go back to the snow valley and wait. Is that a way to treat anyone?