宋云峰
2007年1月15日,由電視劇作家Bryan Elsley和Jamie Brittain為Company Pictures創(chuàng)作的電視連續(xù)劇《皮囊》(Skins)在英國E4數(shù)字頻道首播,很快就受到青少年收視者的青睞,也獲得了影視評(píng)論家的好評(píng)。這部電視劇講述了英格蘭南部布里斯托爾市(Bristol)一群高中生的生活,其廣受爭議的主題包括家庭解體、精神疾病(例如厭食癥)、狂歡亂性、濫用毒品以及死亡等,語言則充滿了粗口。由于在風(fēng)格與內(nèi)容方面直面英國中下層青少年的真實(shí)生活,《皮囊》獲得了英國影視界的多個(gè)獎(jiǎng)項(xiàng)。自開播以來,已連續(xù)播出5季(截至2011年),第6季也已投入制作。根據(jù)前4季內(nèi)容改編的電影也已投拍,預(yù)計(jì)今年上映。本文僅以第1季為例介紹評(píng)述該劇的特點(diǎn)。
演員與創(chuàng)作
為了真實(shí)反映青少年(高中生)的生活,《皮囊》劇組啟用的演員大都是業(yè)余的真正高中生。通常每季有8個(gè)主要演員(只有第2季有9個(gè)),演繹高中最后兩年的生活(16歲到18歲)。除了個(gè)別演員(如Nicholas Hoult),大多數(shù)演員都沒有太多的表演經(jīng)驗(yàn)。演員們的本色表演使反映他們生活的劇情更加真實(shí)可信。
為了使第6季(2012年)的創(chuàng)作更加精彩,主創(chuàng)者Brtitain于2011年1月宣布公開向全英國高中生征集劇本,獲獎(jiǎng)?wù)邔⒈谎麉⒓印镀つ摇穭〗M的至少10次創(chuàng)作活動(dòng)并有資金補(bǔ)助。以上兩點(diǎn)可以說是《皮囊》成功的重要因素。盡管演員的表演未脫稚嫩的成分,劇情的創(chuàng)作也含有過分的夸張,但真實(shí)本色的表演和貼近青少年生活的內(nèi)容使該劇開播以來一直保持著較高的收視率。
人物與劇情(第1季)
托尼(Tony Stonem)是個(gè)漂亮、聰明并頗有人緣的男孩,但他對(duì)別人的暗中操縱卻很少被人發(fā)現(xiàn),這成了第1季劇情發(fā)展的主要催化劑。希德(Sid Jenkins)是托尼最好的朋友,但性格則與托尼完全相反,缺乏自信、不善社交、學(xué)習(xí)成績很差。托尼的女朋友米歇爾(Michelle Richardson)表面看來淺薄、虛榮和自負(fù),但實(shí)際上學(xué)習(xí)上很用功,對(duì)法語和西班牙語感興趣,情感上也比較成熟。對(duì)于托尼的“邪惡”行為,她經(jīng)常容忍與原諒,因?yàn)樗珢弁心崃?。米歇爾的女友凱西(Cassie Ainsworth)則是個(gè)古怪的女孩,患有厭食癥。凱西試圖掩蓋她的心理疾病,而其父母則完全忽視她的存在,只關(guān)注她那剛出生的小弟弟。隨著劇情的發(fā)展,凱西愛上了希德,但希德卻執(zhí)著而絕望地愛著米歇爾。
克里斯(Chris Miles)熱衷于派對(duì)狂歡,由于受寵哥哥的意外死亡而不受離異父母的待見。他暗戀著教授心理學(xué)的年輕女老師安吉(Angie)。賈爾(Jal Fazer)是個(gè)知情達(dá)理的黑人女孩,具有音樂才華,善吹單簧管。父母離異后,她與音樂家的父親和喜愛饒舌音樂的兩個(gè)哥哥一起生活。麥克斯(Maxxie)則是劇中的男同性戀,喜愛畫畫和跳舞,帥氣而富有魅力。他與安瓦爾是好朋友,后者是巴基斯坦移民后裔,一心想尋歡作樂,將伊斯蘭教的清規(guī)戒律(如婚前性行為、喝酒、吸毒等大忌)拋到腦后。
第1集以托尼為主要線索,串起其他人物和故事發(fā)展。主要情節(jié)是托尼安排他的朋友們參加時(shí)髦女孩阿比蓋爾(Abigail Stock)趁父母出差而組織的狂野派對(duì),并試圖設(shè)計(jì)讓希德失去童貞之身,而由此希德也結(jié)識(shí)了患有厭食癥的漂亮女孩凱西。第2集聚焦凱西最后一次去厭食癥診療所,并設(shè)計(jì)獲得了診療所的“自由”許可。在日常生活中,她一次次幻覺有人向她發(fā)手機(jī)短信,鼓勵(lì)和督促她進(jìn)食。根據(jù)她的幻覺,凱西認(rèn)為這些短信是在派對(duì)上挽救了她生命的希德所發(fā),所以漸漸愛上了他。第3集則講述了黑人女孩賈爾與其音樂家父親之間的緊張關(guān)系以及她為參加BBC年度青年樂手大獎(jiǎng)賽努力練習(xí)單簧管并遭受挫折的經(jīng)歷。第4集講述克里斯遭到母親遺棄,憤而將母親留下的一千英鎊揮霍殆盡而不得不在心理學(xué)課程美女教師安吉的幫助下住進(jìn)臨時(shí)學(xué)生宿舍。在第5集中,學(xué)習(xí)成績每況愈下的希德在父母的爭吵中掙扎,又被托尼設(shè)計(jì)與米歇爾約會(huì),被脆弱而心碎的凱西目睹而試圖自殺。第6集則以麥克斯與安瓦爾的關(guān)系為主線,講述安瓦爾的穆斯林信仰與好友麥克斯的同性戀傾向之間的沖突。故事發(fā)生在學(xué)校組織他們?nèi)ザ砹_斯參觀訪問時(shí),米歇爾目睹了托尼試圖引誘麥克斯“嘗試新鮮事物”與他發(fā)生關(guān)系的惡行,極度失望。第7集以米歇爾為主,講述她怎樣面對(duì)托尼的操縱與欺騙行為。她開始與阿比蓋爾的哥哥約士(Josh)約會(huì),嫉妒的托尼竊取了約士的手機(jī)并以此向米歇爾發(fā)送阿比蓋爾的裸照。米歇爾中招,與約士分手。第8集講述約士為報(bào)復(fù)托尼而綁架了他的妹妹埃菲(Effy)并索要贖金。本季的最后一集是安瓦爾的生日派對(duì)。他與麥克斯和解;克里斯與安吉的未婚夫大打出手;托尼則打電話向米歇爾懺悔并表示要改過自新,卻不幸被汽車撞昏。
反響與評(píng)價(jià)
《皮囊》第1季播出后受到較為正面的評(píng)價(jià),盡管一些評(píng)論者抱怨該劇對(duì)對(duì)青少年的刻畫不夠真實(shí)并且流于俗套。對(duì)此,飾演托尼的Nicholas Hoult辯解說該劇反映的并不是每個(gè)青少年的生活,而且其娛樂性并不排斥其可信性: “it is maybe heightened for entertainment but all of it is believable.”對(duì)此,布里斯托爾的青少年頗有同感:
Joshua, aged 16, said, “It is quite a fair depiction–although I do think the storylines about drugs are a bit exaggerated. We arent as bad as that.”
Kate Horler, 18, watches it religiously and apart from the drugs thinks it is quite close to the life she and her friends live. “I thought they covered the anorexia(厭食癥)story line really well. I have a friend who has an eating disorder, and Skins did it realistically – the girl had a box of food under her bed, just like my friend. I think it helps to address issues like that.”
影評(píng)人MariekeHardy對(duì)該劇贊賞有加,認(rèn)為其內(nèi)容“beautiful and sad and poignant and perfectly hurtful”,但是她也對(duì)該劇的內(nèi)容是否適合青少年觀看心存疑慮、缺乏把握。澳大利亞的《時(shí)代報(bào)》(The Age)影評(píng)人Gordon Farrer認(rèn)為《皮囊》的主要優(yōu)點(diǎn)是從青少年的角度而不是成人的角度看問題:
“The most worthy and important thing about Skins is that it takes the side of the teenagers. Too many TV shows and films hector and carp at(對(duì)……抱怨批評(píng))our young folk under the guise of entertaining them. Think of some of our local soaps(肥皂?。? Youngsters have enough to deal with and dont need unsympathetic adults, who have forgotten what its like to deal with sex, drugs and emotion in an increasingly complex society, adding to their burden.”
“Skins has energy, trades in realism, is honest, and avoids stereotype(刻板印象)and easy plot choices, rare qualities in TV aimed at a young audience. This should be compulsory viewing for parents of teenagers as much as for teens. Watch and listen—it will help you understand.”
也有相當(dāng)一部分觀眾對(duì)該劇的內(nèi)容,例如:吸毒、亂性、狂歡、粗口等內(nèi)容,持保留與批評(píng)態(tài)度。媒體也對(duì)該劇對(duì)英國及愛爾蘭社會(huì)青少年所產(chǎn)生的潛在負(fù)面影響時(shí)有報(bào)道。該劇播出后在一些地方引發(fā)了以醉酒、吸毒為主要內(nèi)容的徹夜狂歡派對(duì),被稱作“皮囊派對(duì)”(skins party)??偟膩砜?,《皮囊》所反映的各種青少年問題在英國社會(huì)確實(shí)存在,但大多存在于經(jīng)濟(jì)狀況不好的地區(qū)和中下社會(huì)階層。傳統(tǒng)家庭的分崩離析以及失業(yè)率的上升致使許多中下層青少年的教育環(huán)境惡化、他們看不到自己的前途,沉溺于酒精與毒品不能自拔也就不足為奇了。當(dāng)然,該劇的創(chuàng)作者還是給與劇中人物以成長和成熟的過程與空間,畢竟青少年作為一個(gè)從兒童向成人過渡的特殊階段充滿了“成長的煩惱”。他們只有經(jīng)過這些看似荒唐的煩惱他們之后才可能成熟起來,轉(zhuǎn)變成有責(zé)任感的成人。
臺(tái)詞選段
Sids Teacher Comments on His Coursework
Teacher: (Shouts) Sid!
Sid: (Comes back from his daydream) Yeah, sorry. Its just there was a….
Teacher: Now, this is exactly what Im talking about, Sid. Lack of concentration, inability to focus, nada commitment(不信守承諾). Now this piece of coursework I have marked “ungraded”.
Father: Ungraded? What?
Teacher: I cant pass him with this mark.
Father: Fucking hell. Mark… mark.
Teacher: Please. With this mark, not you, Mark(希德的父親也叫Mark), this mark, you have failed the entire year.
Father: What?
Teacher: Hes failed the entire year.
Father: Sod, you sidding idiot!(罵人的臟話)
Teacher: Ah, hold on, theres no need to panic. Because I fought for you, Sid, I really did, and got you an extension(延期). It was hard, but I worked at it, and I got it. Right?
Father: Got what right?
Teacher: I got it. Right?
Father: Thanks, Tom.
Teacher: So, 2,000 words on Lech Walesa, Solidarity(瓦文薩是1980年成立的波蘭團(tuán)結(jié)工會(huì)領(lǐng)袖,后來當(dāng)選為波蘭總統(tǒng))and the collapse of the Soviet power.
Father: (Looks at the topic) Jesus Christ!
Teacher: Two days, get your head down(埋頭用功).
Father: You better fucking believe hes getting his head down. You can say goodbye to sunshine, Sunshine. You are grounded(被禁止出門玩耍).
Teacher: Put it this way. Lets change and develop. OK?
Mother: Thanks, Tom. Were all very grateful for this second chance. Arent we, Mark?
Father: (Gets up to leave) Yes. Thank you very much.
Tonys “Bang” Theory on Life
Tony: See, told you itd be worth coming for. Looks like me and Michele are on a break.
Sid: You did that on purpose?
Tony: Go after her.
Sid: What?
Tony: Life throws up so few opportunities.
Sid: But shes your girlfriend.
Tony: Whom you love.
Side: What?
Tony: Change. Its a wonderful thing. Look, you know how subatomic particles dont obey physical laws(比原子更小的微粒沒有物理定律可遵循)? They act according to chance, chaos, coincidence. They run into each other in the middle of the universe, and bang! Energy. Were the same as that. Thats the great thing about the universe. Unpredictable(不可預(yù)測的). Thats so much fun. Sid: Im just gonna go see if shes OK, all right?
Tony: Sid. Bang! ?