Stephen Chow is a genius. But you don’t have to take my word for it, you can take his numbers: the number of roles he successfully performs in film-making (writer, director, actor, producer…), the number of genres he successfully mixes in his hotchpotch fantasies (comedy, drama, romance, horror…), and the number of record-breaking successful blockbusters he’s responsible for (Shaolin Soccer, Kung-Fu Hustle, Journey to the West…). With so much going on for him, we are so glad to present you this: an interview with Stephen Chow.
周星驰是个天才，但是你不用听我的一面之词，你可以看一下他的数字，他在电影制作上成功完成了多少个角色（编剧，导演，演员，制片人……），他在电影中成功糅杂了多少种风格（喜剧，戏剧，浪漫，惊悚……），以及他创造了多少部破纪录的大片（少林足球，功夫，西游降魔篇……），他身上发生了这么多事情，我们很荣幸地奉上对周星驰的采访。
More than a simple performer, a one-man-orchestra; and more than a simple star, a one-man-constellation, Mr. Chow stand out not only for doing a lot, but also for doing it differently, as he almost single-handedly brought to life a new comedy genre: mo lei tau, his special kind of absurd humour, that is further developed in his latest hit: ‘Journey to the West’.
他不仅仅是一个简单的表演者，他一个人可以演奏一台音乐会；他不是一个简单的明星，他一个人可以刻画出一群人的群像。周先生的出色在于他不仅做了很多，而且做得与众不同，他几乎是一个人单手创造了一个全新的喜剧类别：无厘头，他特殊的荒诞的幽默，在他最近的电影中更加延伸地表现了出来——西游降魔篇。
Q: Although ‘mo lei tau’ means something like ‘nonsense’, many authors believe that comedy has to be ultimately truthful in some level, in order to be really funny. Do you agree with this? Which truths do you explore in ‘Journey to the West’?
Q：尽管无厘头的意思是没有意义，但是很多走着认为为了最终的喜剧效果，喜剧最终是要在一定程度上忠于现实的。你是这样认为吗？你在西游降魔篇中是如何探索这一点的？
A: In ‘Journey To The West’, I want to explore the true beauty in all beings. I agree that everyday life elements provide important ideas for comedies.
A:在西游降魔篇中，我希望能探索到所有存在中真正的美丽。我认为所有生活元素都为喜剧提供了重要的主意。
‘Journey to the West’ is a loose adaptation of the first part of a classic Chinese 16th century novel. In Mr. Chow, however, pays more attention to the personal growth of its protagonist, monk Xuan Zang, incorporating new symbolic elements, like a nursery rhymes book to be used as a “weapon” against demons, in order to rescue the demon’s true good nature in opposition to the other demon hunters’ violent methods.
西游降魔篇是中国16世纪的一部经典小说的非严格改编。周先生将注意力放在了主角玄奘的个人成长上，融合了一些象征性的元素，比如最终作为降服妖魔的武器儿歌三百首，用来唤醒妖魔本性中同暴力倾向截然相反的真善美。
Q: But this rhymes prove useless until the order of the words are somehow altered to form a powerful Sutra. What does this symbolize in your movie?
Q:但是这个儿歌三百首在最终变成威力无穷的大日如来真经之前什么用都没有啊，这在电影中意味着什么呢？
A: The rhymes were useless in the beginning because the main character of the movie has to go through a personal development in order to understand the meaning of true love.
A:儿歌三百首在最初是没用的因为电影的主角必须经历个人的成长才能真正懂得真爱的意义。
Mr. Chow was a pioneer in the use of intensive CGI in comedy, as showcased in smash hits “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung-Fu Hustle”, an example followed by a myriad of productions nowadays.
周先生是在喜剧中大量运用特效的先行者，在少林足球和功夫中都运用了特效，随之有大量的电影也运用特效。
Q: Does this mean that is harder now to surprise the audience than back in 2001? Does technical advances make original thinking and imagination even more important than in the past?
Q:这是不是意味着现在取悦观众比2001年更难？现在创意和想象比原来更加重要？
A: CGI provides a great platform for us as moviemakers; it helps to bring our imaginations to our audience. It gives us a lot of freedom in terms of what we want to achieve.
A：特效为我们电影制作人提供了非常好的平台，可以帮助我们将想象力带给观众，让我们在一定程度上有了呈现我们想要的东西的自由。
‘Journey to the West’ is the first film directed by Stephen Chow in which he doesn’t take part also as an actor, although he even had experience portraying the Monkey King in a couple of 90’s productions.
西游降魔篇是周星驰第一部只导不演的电影，虽然在90年代他也表演过猴王。
Q: Why this decision to not appear on-screen?
Q:为什么这次决定不再演了呢？
A: There isn’t a role that is suitable for me in the movie.
A:电影中没有合适我的角色。
Mr. Chow has made a habit of focusing his narratives in common men and women. ‘Journey to the West’ isn’t different. The original tale is populated by highborns (like the Emperor) and powerful spirits (like Guanyin), which, in fact, are the reason for the journey itself. But this first filmic instalment, at least, focus only in everyday folk.
周先生有个习惯，将关注点放在普通的男女身上，西游降魔篇也如此。原本的故事是放在统治阶级（比如皇帝）还有神（比如观音）身上的，这是西行的目的。但是这部电影将关注点放在了普通人身上。
Q: Why did you decide to make this story more mundane?
Q:你为什么决定将故事放在平凡人身上？
A: This movie is focusing on the journey of the lead character Tang Sanzang and his experience of enlightenment before he got his disciples and embarked on the Journey to the West. Hence, we didn’t feature the Emperor nor Guanyin.
A:这部电影的重点放在西行的主角唐三藏和他顿悟的经历身上，因为他是那个有自制力并且笃定西行的人。因此我们并没有在电影里表现皇帝和观音。
So…
所以……
Q: The movie ends with an obviously open door to other movies to narrate the journey to the west itself. Will there be sequels? If so, what are their development status?
Q:这部电影很显然为其他西游记题材的电影开辟了新道路，会有续集嘛？如果有，将如何发展呢？
A: Journey to the West includes many different elements/ storylines. In fact, I am in the process of creating elements for the sequel.
A:西游记中有很多的元素和故事，事实上，我正在筹备续集。
A sequel we wait for anxiously.
我们热切期待着续集。
The AMP crew wants to thank Mr. Chow so much for taking the time to answer our questions, and wish him success in all his endeavours (a pretty safe bet, if you ask us).
我们非常感谢周先生抽时间让我们完成访问，我们希望他可以完成它想做的所有事情（如果你问我们，我们可以说这是一个非常安全的赌注）。
原文来自于@风一样萌星星 新浪微博
