宋云峰

2007年1月15日,由電視劇作家Bryan Elsley和Jamie Brittain為Company Pictures創作的電視連續劇《皮囊》(Skins)在英國E4數字頻道首播,很快就受到青少年收視者的青睞,也獲得了影視評論家的好評。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。由于在風格與內容方面直面英國中下層青少年的真實生活,《皮囊》獲得了英國影視界的多個獎項。自開播以來,已連續播出5季(截至2011年),第6季也已投入制作。根據前4季內容改編的電影也已投拍,預計今年上映。本文僅以第1季為例介紹評述該劇的特點。
演員與創作
為了真實反映青少年(高中生)的生活,《皮囊》劇組啟用的演員大都是業余的真正高中生。通常每季有8個主要演員(只有第2季有9個),演繹高中最后兩年的生活(16歲到18歲)。除了個別演員(如Nicholas Hoult),大多數演員都沒有太多的表演經驗。演員們的本色表演使反映他們生活的劇情更加真實可信。
為了使第6季(2012年)的創作更加精彩,主創者Brtitain于2011年1月宣布公開向全英國高中生征集劇本,獲獎者將被邀參加《皮囊》劇組的至少10次創作活動并有資金補助。以上兩點可以說是《皮囊》成功的重要因素。盡管演員的表演未脫稚嫩的成分,劇情的創作也含有過分的夸張,但真實本色的表演和貼近青少年生活的內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)是個漂亮、聰明并頗有人緣的男孩,但他對別人的暗中操縱卻很少被人發現,這成了第1季劇情發展的主要催化劑。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、學習成績很差。托尼的女朋友米歇爾(Michelle Richardson)表面看來淺薄、虛榮和自負,但實際上學習上很用功,對法語和西班牙語感興趣,情感上也比較成熟。對于托尼的“邪惡”行為,她經常容忍與原諒,因為她太愛托尼了。米歇爾的女友凱西(Cassie Ainsworth)則是個古怪的女孩,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,只關注她那剛出生的小弟弟。隨著劇情的發展,凱西愛上了希德,但希德卻執著而絕望地愛著米歇爾。
克里斯(Chris Miles)熱衷于派對狂歡,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的年輕女老師安吉(Angie)。賈爾(Jal Fazer)是個知情達理的黑人女孩,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展。主要情節是托尼安排他的朋友們參加時髦女孩阿比蓋爾(Abigail Stock)趁父母出差而組織的狂野派對,并試圖設計讓希德失去童貞之身,而由此希德也結識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,并設計獲得了診療所的“自由”許可。在日常生活中,她一次次幻覺有人向她發手機短信,鼓勵和督促她進食。根據她的幻覺,凱西認為這些短信是在派對上挽救了她生命的希德所發,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系以及她為參加BBC年度青年樂手大獎賽努力練習單簧管并遭受挫折的經歷。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課程美女教師安吉的幫助下住進臨時學生宿舍。在第5集中,學習成績每況愈下的希德在父母的爭吵中掙扎,又被托尼設計與米歇爾約會,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。故事發生在學校組織他們去俄羅斯參觀訪問時,米歇爾目睹了托尼試圖引誘麥克斯“嘗試新鮮事物”與他發生關系的惡行,極度失望。第7集以米歇爾為主,講述她怎樣面對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,嫉妒的托尼竊取了約士的手機并以此向米歇爾發送阿比蓋爾的裸照。米歇爾中招,與約士分手。第8集講述約士為報復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。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。

反響與評價
《皮囊》第1季播出后受到較為正面的評價,盡管一些評論者抱怨該劇對對青少年的刻畫不夠真實并且流于俗套。對此,飾演托尼的Nicholas Hoult辯解說該劇反映的并不是每個青少年的生活,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.”
影評人MariekeHardy對該劇贊賞有加,認為其內容“beautiful and sad and poignant and perfectly hurtful”,但是她也對該劇的內容是否適合青少年觀看心存疑慮、缺乏把握。澳大利亞的《時代報》(The Age)影評人Gordon Farrer認為《皮囊》的主要優點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……抱怨批評)our young folk under the guise of entertaining them. Think of some of our local soaps(肥皂劇). 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.”
也有相當一部分觀眾對該劇的內容,例如:吸毒、亂性、狂歡、粗口等內容,持保留與批評態度。媒體也對該劇對英國及愛爾蘭社會青少年所產生的潛在負面影響時有報道。該劇播出后在一些地方引發了以醉酒、吸毒為主要內容的徹夜狂歡派對,被稱作“皮囊派對”(skins party)。總的來看,《皮囊》所反映的各種青少年問題在英國社會確實存在,但大多存在于經濟狀況不好的地區和中下社會階層。傳統家庭的分崩離析以及失業率的上升致使許多中下層青少年的教育環境惡化、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。當然,該劇的創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”。他們只有經過這些看似荒唐的煩惱他們之后才可能成熟起來,轉變成有責任感的成人。
臺詞選段
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年成立的波蘭團結工會領袖,后來當選為波蘭總統)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(不可預測的). Thats so much fun. Sid: Im just gonna go see if shes OK, all right?
Tony: Sid. Bang! ?