Guan Hu’s Black Dog is set in 2008 when China is set to host the Olympic Games. In an effort to appear progressive to Western eyes, the Chinese government is focussing its attention on Beijing and creating the illusion of a free market ‘New China.’ A prisoner, Lang played by Eddie Peng has been released after serving many years for manslaughter and returns to his hometown near the Gobi Desert to find it too is being modernised. The small houses and shopfronts belonging to his neighbours are shuttered and his infirm father’s zoo is almost empty. Once a celebrity in the area, Lang is hunted and haunted by the past and his lost years in prison.
Lang’s transition back into society is lonely and strange until he encounters a black dog who is being chased by the local government in an attempt to clean up the area. Lang becomes attached to the frightened and reactive animal who is famous for biting anyone who gets in his way.
Black Dog is a hypnotic portrait of China in flux via a man who is a stranger in his own hometown. The film represents the ghost towns being created under new capitalism where finding a sense of home and self is complicated. The question Guan Hu seems to be asking is “What is China?” The answer might be in the people of the country and their ability to forgive, love, and find a new start for themselves defined by emotional freedom and connection.
Nadine Whitney speaks to star Eddie Peng about playing Lang and how he built the character of a wounded man learning to heal.
Black Dog screens at Perth Festival from 31 March to 6 April. Tickets are available here.
Lang is a character who is essentially new territory for you. How did you go about creating someone who has become so introspective and silent?
Eddie Peng: I barely have any lines and I act opposite of a dog. I had to abandon all the preparation I did beforehand and be fully present in each scene and each take and let my natural instincts take over. It’s the most genuine acting I’ve had to do, to fully adopt the character in the present. It proved to be very valuable training for me and something I have taken away from the project. It changed my perspective of what I can achieve as an actor.
During the past few years, my world view and outlook on life changed. I wanted a role that would challenge me personally and emotionally. Black Dog was the right film at the right time. It’s a profound exploration of life’s complexities and the essence of the human condition. It’s about forgiveness and hope.
How do you see the relationship between Lang, the town, and the animals – especially his own black dog.
EP: The town is the hometown he can never spiritually return to and it's also the place where he imprisoned himself. Lang thinks he must pay for his mistakes by punishing himself even when free, and through the judgment of his community. Lang has locked himself himself in his past mistakes. The black dog, on the other hand, lives in the present and its every instinct is to fight for survival. Lang eventually realises he must do the same.
The film is distinctly Chinese but also has elements of Fellini and other European directors, especially with the character of Grape (Tong Liya) and the carnival. Did Guan Hu ask you to watch any films in preparation for the role.
EP: Director Guan Hu is meticulous about details of the story, and he set a very high bar for his actors. He gave me plenty of room and freedom to create the character as I saw fit. He recommended some old movies to me, mainly to let me experience certain feelings and moods. His previous films were also on the list, and I've watched all of them.
Lang and Xi (the black dog who you adopted) are in many ways twin characters. They’re both brittle, distrustful, abandoned, but at heart loyal. Do you see that connection?
EP: Lang and the stray black dog are one and the same. In fact, they mirror each other: their symbiotic relationship serves as a reflection of each other’s struggles and ultimately becomes a source of salvation for both.
What was it like learning to ride a motorcycle for stunts?
EP: Since Lang was a stunt performer in an acrobatic troupe, I needed to learn skills like riding a motorcycle up steps and doing power-slides. The motorcycle in the movie is an old fashioned one, which was extremely heavy and difficult to operate.
I spent a lot of time on professional training every day, hoping to shoot every scene for without stunt doubles. I really enjoyed the challenge, and I believed I could do it. Now, riding a motorcycle has become a hobby for me.
Is there anything else you’d like to express about working on the film?
EP: I am honoured to have been a part of Guan Hu’s movie. In all ways, Black Dog for me was an experience of a lifetime: a truly rare moviemaking journey that has profoundly enriched and sharpened my craft as an actor.
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