In recent years, the animated film industry in the ROC has suffered a lack of creativity. Famous as a source of contract work for foreign cartoon projects, there have been relatively few 'Chinese' style cartoons produced in the studios of local production companies. Due to the efforts of a few concerned individuals however, this will soon change.

Combining the creative talents of award-winning cinema director King Hu and the financial and technical expertise of Wang Chung-yuan's Cuckoo's Nest Production Inc., a full length cartoon version of the famous Chinese legend, "The Boiling Sea", is now being produced.

While this project requires major investments of time and money, both King Hu and the management of Cuckoo's Nest believe that it could propel the ROC's cartooning industry into the ranks of the international cartooning community.

Written during the Yuan dynasty, "The Boiling Sea" is a tale of good versus evil set in T'ang dynasty times. The hero is an herbal doctor who falls in love and marries an immortal Sea Princess who had fled to land in order to avoid marrying an evil sorcerer. Her father, the Sea God had been too weak to stop the sorcerer from capturing his castle. When the herbal doctor discovers his wife's identity, he promises to help her defeat the evil sorcerer.

They travel to the South Pole where a good wizard gives them a magic compass. The compass, when pointed at the sea, can cause it to boil. The couple first lead all the sea creatures to a safe haven, then turn the compass on the sorcerer. He is vanquished and the sea is once more at peace. Ultimately however, the couple must separate - the princess returning to her underwater palace, and the herbalist, being mortal, to dry land.

King Hu had long been interested in transferring this tale of lush, vivid imagery to the screen. Animation is an excellent medium for bringing these images to life. Most important, cartoons are popular among children the world over. One of the project's primary goals is to reach children of all ages and different cultural backgrounds.

The creative force behind this project, King Hu is one of the ROC's leading film directors. His Martial Arts films have earned him both an international following and the praise of cinema critics as well. He received a prize at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival and was named as one of the five outstanding directors in international cinema by the International Film Guide in 1978. The fight scenes in his well-known works, "A Touch of Zen", and "Dragon's Gate Inn," display the director's eye for artistic detail and his sense of rhythm. The traditional Chinese Inn is one of his favorite settings. Traditional Inns were places where all the religious and philosophical schools interacted.

King Hu has always been interested in art and drawing. When he first entered the working world he took a job with the Wan brothers, the 'fathers' of the cartoon industry in China. Responsible for art work and sets, Hu got a lot of exposure to the cartooning process. As he worked himself up in the industry, he learned to focus his attention on details, special effects and the script writing process. He is known to scout museums and antique shops in order to become familiar with the precise look and feel of a given period.

Although intrigued by the Boiling Sea myth, Hu long felt that the domestic movie industry was not advanced enough to bring this tale to the screen. Thus, he reluctantly put the project on a back burner.

Two years ago on a trip to the United States, Hu ran into Yu Wei-ch'ing of Cuckoo's Nest Production Inc.. Yu suggested that Hu use animation to portray the special effects involved in the story. After much consideration, Hu accepted this solution. Although Hu proposed collaborating with Cuckoo's Nest, Yu refused as he felt the company still lacked technical expertise.

Undaunted, Hu set out to bring the tale to cartoon life. He began researching all aspects of the tale: T'ang dynasty dress, weapons, musical instruments, and the more complex task of creating visual imagery for a complete undersea realm. As the cartoon required massive investments, Hu felt it should be understandable to an international audience. Therefore, he strove for a brand of authenticity which all children could grasp.

During last year's Golden Horse Awards, Hu ran into Yu and Cuckoo's Nest chairman, Wang Chung-yuan. This time Wang was ready to collaborate with King Hu, irrespective of his company's handicaps. Wang shared Hu's enthusiasm for the project and he felt that the domestic cartoon industry had to shed its image as an assembly house for foreign cartoon companies.

Wang Chung-yuan realized the problems faced by the industry in Taiwan. Cartoons, when compared to movies, are quite expensive to produce. They involve more manpower, and currently are not guaranteed money makers. Thus hampered by small profits and no enduring investments, the industry has not matured past service level animation.

Wang's Cuckoo's Nest Production Inc., employing 400 workers, has often cooperated with the American cartoon company, Hanna Barbera. Wang, who got first hand exposure to the creative process of cartoon creation while studying in the U.S., has long cherished the notion of the domestic cartoon industry having a national character.

He felt Chinese cartoons could manifest a unique style - drawing on the movements of Chinese Opera, and utilizing the Chinese traditional painting style. More detailed drawing and traditional music would lend the cartoons a particularly 'Chinese' flavor. The treasure trove of Chinese fables would provide a rich source of material.

"The Boiling Sea" will serve as a barometer for this creative trend in Chinese cartooning. Still in the production stages, the cartoon has been budgeted at US$375,000. To test initial response, a condensed 22 minute version will be shown. If the public reaction is favorable, a full 90 minute movie version will follow.

Wang Chung-yuan and King Hu have invested a great deal in the belief that a Chinese cartoon industry can find creative acceptance both at home and abroad.

(Gerald Hatherly)

[Picture Caption]

1. The Cuckoo's Nest Production Inc.'s drawing studios are full of the preliminary drawings for characters in the epic cartoon adventure, "The Boiling Sea." 2. King Hu engrossed in bringing the characters of "The Boiling Sea," to visual life.

1,2. The production process: 1. Painting background scenes. 2. Using a projection machine, a studio technician checks the results of experimental special effects. 3,4,5. Preliminary character sketches of characters from the "Boiling Sea." 3. The beautiful sea princess. 4. A palace maiden. 5. The noble hero, Chang YU. 6. A sketch of the interior of the undersea palace. 7,8. Working in inks, the artist has recreated a traditional Chinese forest backdrop.

1. Comical appearance of a pair of Bubble fish. 2. An intriguing octopus. 3. This fight scene reveals King's Hu's desire to incorporate the classical movements of traditional Chinese opera.

2. King Hu engrossed in bringing the characters of "The Boiling Sea," to visual life.

1,2. The production process: 1. Painting background scenes.

2. Using a projection machine, a studio technician checks the results of experimental special effects.

3,4,5. Preliminary character sketches of characters from the "Boiling Sea." 3. The beautiful sea princess.

4. A palace maiden.

5. The noble hero, Chang YU.

6. A sketch of the interior of the undersea palace.

7,8. Working in inks, the artist has recreated a traditional Chinese forest backdrop.

Working in inks, the artist has recreated a traditional Chinese forest backdrop.

1. Comical appearance of a pair of Bubble fish.

2. An intriguing octopus.

3. This fight scene reveals King's Hu's desire to incorporate the classical movements of traditional Chinese opera.