Chang Mei-chun

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Chang.

Chang Mei-chun (Chinese: 張美君; 1944 – 22 November 1985) was a Korean-born Taiwanese film director. He adapted the works of writers Chiung Yao and Wang Zhenhe to film, and was known for completing films quickly. He directed Taiwan's first 3D film, as well as the first film in Taiwan to feature underwater photography.

Career

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Chang was of Chinese descent, born in Keijō, Korea, then under Japanese rule.[1] He was a classmate of Liu Chia-chang while both resided in what became South Korea.[2] Upon graduating from high school,[3] Chang moved to Taiwan to study fine arts at what became National Taiwan Normal University.[4]

Liu founded a film company and invited Chang to work as a director,[5] although Chang had just completed his degree and had no formal education or training in film.[3] His debut film was released in 1967 and won an outstanding film award at a film festival in Cambodia.[6] Chang worked on a few art films while employed by Liu, then left by 1968 and began working on his first martial arts film.[7]

Throughout the 1970s, Chang worked with Lin Huang-kun [zh] on art films starring Brigitte Lin.[8] Chang also directed films based on the works of Chiung Yao,[9] including The Unforgettable Character (1975).[10] During this period, Chang was considered one of the "Four Great Young Directors", alongside Wang Shih-cheng, Lee Jung-chih, and Tu Chung-hsun.[11] His films were completed and released quickly, which led to criticisms of inconsistency.[12] He described the pace of his work as an attempt to meet the demands of the film market.[3] His film Tian Lun Le was shortlisted for the Best Feature Film at the 11th Golden Horse Awards.[13] With the release of Killer Clans (1976), Taiwan was enveloped in a martial arts film craze.[14] Chang took advantage and released the first 3D film made in Taiwan, which also was a martial arts film.[15] Chang shot his 3D martial arts film in 1976. Its theatrical release was timed for Chinese New Year in 1977, which helped drive the popularity of Taipei Cinema in Ximending.[16][17] He also shot a second 3D film.[18] Because Taiwanese audiences were not familiar with the technology, Chang's film company decided to stop funding 3D projects.[14] In 1978, Chang shot the first Taiwanese film to feature underwater photography.[19]

In 1981, Chang founded Silver Bullet Film Company.[11] Despite knowing that the domestic film market was slumping, he chose to begin working with 70mm film, which was more expensive.[20] This decision caused his company to lose approximately NT$7 million.[6] He joined a newly established film company by 1983,[21] and received praise for his matured filmaking style.[22] Driven by financial pressures, he later joined another company, where he completed two films in just over one year, including an adaption of the novel Rose, Rose, I Love You written by Wang Zhenhe.[11][12] While filming The Kung-Fu Kids [zh] on Lishan in October 1985, Chang fell ill. In the following weeks, he was diagnosed with liver cancer, and sent to Chung Shan Hospital in Taipei for treatment, where he died on 22 November 1985.[23] His career ended with 25 completed films.[4] Kevin Chu completed work on The Kung-Fu Kids, which was released in 1986.[24]

Personal life

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At the time of his death, Chang had a seven-year old son.[4] In life, he was known for his warm but introverted personality.[11] In July 1970, when Liu Chia-chang suspected his wife Chiang Ching of infidelity with Li Han-hsiang, Chang convinced Liu not to confront Li.[25]

References

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  1. ^ 范倫 (1968-01-05). "銀河「母與子」面目一新". 經濟日報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  2. ^ 謝鍾翔 (1968-08-12). "只為了要爭一口氣 劉家昌當導演 新片晚秋中旬開鏡". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  3. ^ a b c 黃寤蘭 (1978-11-09). "台灣製片業受東南亞市場左右 張美君談中國導演面臨的困境". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  4. ^ a b c "張美君六日火葬 當晚將義映遺作". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1985-12-02.
  5. ^ "康昌青公司 決拍彩色片 昨與福華公司簽約". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1967-03-27.
  6. ^ a b "導演張美君肝癌辭世 電影界人士痛表悼惜". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1985-11-24.
  7. ^ "兩公司合拍 新片武士盟". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1968-09-04.
  8. ^ "停工逾兩年．聯邦恢復拍片 難忘的一天．林青霞任主角". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1979-03-30.
  9. ^ "表現年輕人的心聲 「翦翦風」溫馨感人". 臺灣民聲日報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1975-03-08.
  10. ^ "瓊瑤在水一方 近期搬上銀幕". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1975-02-28.
  11. ^ a b c d 高愛倫 (1985-11-05). "生活重擔壓肩 茹苦豈敢偷閒！ 張美君為小子消得人憔悴 大量咯血→腹腔積水→暫離「險境」→脫形". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  12. ^ a b 藍祖蔚 (1985-07-28). "對寫實夾雜嘲諷影片 張美君手法日見圓熟". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  13. ^ "優良國語影片 金馬獎昨頒發". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1973-10-31.
  14. ^ a b "回顧過去策勵來茲 振興國片有待今年". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1978-01-02.
  15. ^ "立體電影新玩意 人物衝出銀幕來". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1977-08-05.
  16. ^ "首部立體電影 拍攝工作順利". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1976-08-20.
  17. ^ 蘇詠智 (2006-07-23). "電影街最大廢墟 曾風光一時 80年停業 一度轉為電玩遊戲場 遭取締閒置至今". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  18. ^ "剃光三千煩惱絲 贏得紅包五萬元 十三女演員祝髮拍片 為藝術犧牲稍獲補償". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1977-03-26.
  19. ^ "新片「無字天書」 拍攝「水底特技」". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1978-03-02.
  20. ^ 高愛倫 (1981-11-09). "確信能獲日商支持 張美君要拍「洛神傳」 女主角甄宓由呂㛢菱飾演". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  21. ^ 金琳 (1984-04-04). "「牛車」上路之後 發展出人意料 張美君決定脫離「蒙太奇」 導演太多也苦惱 「蒙太奇」將改採開放政策". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  22. ^ 藍袓蔚 (1985-01-12). "張美君 導演手法見新意". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  23. ^ "困頓四年 眼見事業峰迴路轉 張美君英年早逝遺憾無窮 身後蕭條 遺作將義演濟助遺孤". 民生報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1985-11-24.
  24. ^ 張士達 (2012-09-27). "兩岸交流交棒朱延平 台灣賣座片展《好小子》開幕". 中國時報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  25. ^ "怒火滿腔的劉家昌 揮拳揍傷了李翰祥 趕往大楠片廠當眾宣布 江青默默無言繼續拍片". 聯合報 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1970-07-20.
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