Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons
(Chinese: 西遊·降魔篇)
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is a 2013 fantasy comedy film co-written and produced by Stephen Chow and co-directed by Chow and Derek Kwok. The movie was first announced in July 2011 and was released on February 10, 2013 in China.
The film is a loose comedic re-interpretation of the novel Journey to the West, a Chinese literary classic often believed to be written by Wu Cheng’en. A sequel, Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, written and produced by Chow and directed by Tsui Hark, was released on January 28, 2017.
Tang Sanzang, an aspiring Buddhist hero tries to protect a village from three demons. He develops complex feelings for Miss Duan, the demon hunter who repeatedly helps him, and finally quests to meet the legendary Monkey King. The story takes place before Tang Sanzang got his disciples and embarked on the Journey to the West. A riverside village is terrorized by a mysterious aquatic creature.
A Taoist priest kills a giant manta ray and insists that it is the demon. Sanzang, a self-proclaimed demon hunter, appears to warn the villagers that the animal is not the true demon. The villagers ignore him and, at the priest’s provocation, string him up. The demon reemerges and kills many of the villagers. Sanzang frees himself and, along with the survivors, manages to beach the creature, which turns into a man. Sanzang then opens a book of nursery rhymes and begins singing to the demon.
Annoyed, the demon attacks Sanzang. Another demon hunter, Duan, captures and turns the demon into a puppet. Sanzang tells to Duan that his master taught him a more humane approach and to use nursery rhymes to coax goodness out of demons, a tactic Duan scoffs at. Disillusioned, Sanzang meets his master and bemoans his lack of capabilities compared to more aggressive demon-hunters. His master reaffirms his humanist philosophy and sends Sanzang off again to find “enlightenment.”
Watch with English subtitle
Watch from Mainland China
爱奇艺/腾讯
Bibliography:
张良，吴大顺，浅析影视改编剧的媒介影响，——以《西游·降魔篇》为例，《东南传播》，2015。