Artist Bui Cuong was a brilliant star of Vietnamese cinema in the 80s and 90s. With his role as “Chi Pheo” in the famous film named “Vu Dai Village in the past” (1982), he not only won the hearts of millions of viewers but also successfully created a role for Vietnam’s revolutionary cinema.
Few people know that artist Bui Cuong experienced a wretched childhood. He once said: “I have played the father character in many films, yet I have never met my father and called him “daddy” because he laid down his life in the war before I was born. My father was a suicide squad member. At present, his name can be seen at the Vietnam Museum of Revolution”.
Although he was born into a family without a cinema tradition, he showed great interest in this field when he was still young. In 1973, he was admitted into a film acting class, the 2nd course, at the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema. In 1977, after graduating, he started his acting career in the Vietnam Feature Film Studio. However, success did not come to him as quickly as others. In 1982 when he played the role of “Chi Pheo” in the film “Vu Dai Village in the Past” directed by Pham Van Khoa, he became famous nationwide and this role was considered the most successful one in his career. The role is highly regarded in Vietnam’s revolutionary cinema.
Meritorious Artist Bui Cuong (June 2011). Photo: Tat Son
Bui Cuong plays the role of Chi Pheo. Photo: File
Bui Cuong acts as Squad Head Moc in “Without the Horizon”. Photo: File
Meritorious Artist Bui Cuong analyses the film scripts before shooting. Photo: File
Merited Artist Bui Cuong works as a director of the film “Overcoming the Shadow of Night”. Photo: File
Bui Cuong instructs new actors and actresses on acting. Photo: File |
Thanks to his excellent acting ability, Cuong lived a part of the life of the character. He successfully depicted the character of Chi Pheo who was led into deadlock and become a wicked monster of Vu Dai Village. Cuong helped viewers see the tragedies in cruel colonial-feudal society in Vietnam before 1945 where people were disregarded and mistreated.
| In his acting career, apart from playing the role as Chi Pheo, Cuong has also left a long-lasting impression on viewers with many other roles such as Squad Head Moc in “Without the Horizon”, Nam Hoa - a special task force member, alias K9 in the film “Sai Gon Special Task Force Troops”; farmer Cao Ba Truong in the film “Modern Time”, and Tran Quan in the film “Murderer”. |
Cuong said that when he played the role of a ruffian and a bully like Chi Pheo, he had his hair cut, learned to drink alcohol and how to walk the drunken gait, smile the smile and have the manners of a drunken man. Therefore, he truthfully revealed all the conflicted feelings of Chi Pheo - a scoundrel, retrograde and degenerate man who thirsted for love, happiness and a good life in a society where human rights and dignities were disregarded and trampled on.
It is said that Cuong did his utmost to act with great passion and as a result he won a gold medal for best actor at the 6th Vietnam Film Festival held in 1983. It was considered one of the most typical roles of Vietnam’s revolutionary cinema for the young artist’s generation to learn.
In his acting career, apart from playing the role as Chi Pheo, Cuong has also left a long-lasting impression on viewers with many other roles such as Squad Head Moc in “Without the Horizon”, Nam Hoa - a special task force member, alias K9 in the film “Sai Gon Special Task Force Troops”; farmer Cao Ba Truong in the film “Modern Time”, and Tran Quan in the film “Murderer”.
It is easy to recognize that among the roles he has taken, the characters have complicated fates with contrary characteristics. Therefore, before acting he often carefully reads film scripts as well as original literary works to understand the characters. Additionally, thanks to his liberal lifestyle, sharp thoughts about life and the sensitivity of an artist, Cuong has a thorough knowledge and has accumulated a lot of experience in acting. For this reason, with any role and any character, expressive language or behavior, he acts honestly and cleverly, with a lot of emotion.
In 1990, Cuong started working as a director with his first film “Henpecked Hero”. In this new field, he continues to have great success. In 1996, his first film as a director “The Woman without Child” won the first prize of the Vietnam Cinema Association. In 2004, he won a gold medal for the film “The Intelligence General and His Two Wives”.
Each film directed by Cuong tells a story with a philosophy of life and society, very close to daily life. They are highly praised by audiences. With his tireless efforts and great contribution to Vietnam’s revolutionary cinema, Bui Cuong was awarded the title “Meritorious Artist” in 1993.
Having engaged in the cinema sector for more than 30 years, Cuong could not hide his feelings when talking about his career, roles and his future plans because it is not only his passion but also part of his life.
Story: Huu Tuan - Photo: Tat Son – File