Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 327 Entering the drama
At the 2002 Venice Film Festival, Tian Zhuangzhuang, as the producer of "Whiplash", participated in the exhibition with Boss Lu and the crew.

He took this cheap student around to socialize, with the focus being Gong Li, who was the president of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival that year.

Directors and actors who are qualified to serve as judges and chairpersons of international film festivals have always been willing to lend a helping hand to the works of their compatriots.

Of course, the premise is that you can't be too bad.

Four years ago, Gong Li took on the important task alone. With the support of the then-president of the film festival, De Harden, she successfully helped the young director win the first of the three major awards.

The two have been in contact with each other in recent years and are quite familiar with each other.

"Xiaolu, you finally asked me to act in a play. I've been waiting for you for years."

Boss Lu laughed and said, "I've never found a suitable role, and this time it's a supporting role with a small part. I'm sorry to see you, the queen of the screen, being wronged."

"This is not a grievance at all. With a subject like this, it's my duty to participate. I know this film will be difficult, so you have to be mentally prepared."

Gong Li is the first Chinese actress to truly step onto the international stage, and her experience is certainly not comparable to that of ordinary actresses.

She knew that for a film of this kind, the greater the director's influence, the more enemies and strangleholds he would face.

"Let's talk about the role. I still want to hear what you, the director, have to say." Gong Li asked him to sit down at the round table, and those around who wanted to say hello moved away for a moment.

The role given to Gong Li by the young director was Cheng Ruifang.

This Chinese heroine became a dormitory supervisor at Ginling Women's College in 1924.

In 1937, when the Japanese army bombed Jinling, Cheng Ruifang joined the Jinling Women's University Emergency Committee. Together with Vautrin and Chen Feiran, they formed a three-person emergency committee to establish the Jinling Women's University Refugee Center.

He later participated in the Tokyo Trial in 1946 and testified in court.

Her "Diary of Cheng Ruifang", "Diary of Vautrin", "Diary of John Rabe" and "Diary of Shiro Azuma" complement each other and reveal that tragic history.

Lu Kuan said solemnly: "This character has two different temperaments in the movie."

"The resentment of seeing our country destroyed and our family ruined, and the indignation of facing the enemy!"

"Her diary once recorded an incident in which two Japanese soldiers attempted to assault a woman but were beaten to death by Chinese civilians who rose up in resistance."

Cheng Ruifang was very pleased in her diary. She wrote: "That's great! Even if we can't win, it would be good to kill one or two to vent our anger. This way, we won't feel so suffocated all day long."

Gong Li nodded, understanding the anger of being unable to do anything when seeing unarmed compatriots being killed.

"I will read The Diary of Vautrin again. It also contains a side profile of Cheng Ruifang, which I believe will be helpful in shaping the character."

Boss Lu gave a thumbs up: "She has to be the best actress!"

Gong Li joked: "Okay, stop flattering me. Who wouldn't want to work with you, Director Lu? I'm also competing for the position!"

"By the way, how are you and Yi Fei doing? There's been a lot of fuss over the past six months."

Boss Lu helplessly watched the actress gossiping about him in front of him, and smirked, somewhat avoiding the topic: "That's great, she's the female lead in this movie."

Gong Li gave him a coquettish look, but was tactful enough not to ask any more questions.

"I won't keep you any longer. You have to stay on the crew for a few months anyway. I'll talk to you another day."

As soon as Gong Huang left, others naturally prepared to follow.

Boss Lu went out to relieve himself, and an actress who had been lurking for a long time suddenly emerged.

Yang Mi had two braids today, and her eyes were like a pool of autumn water. She looked at the young director who she rarely had the opportunity to meet.

"Director Lu, long time no see. I'm here to say hello."

Lu Kuan looked her up and down with a smile on his face, then a look of surprise appeared on his face: "Yang Mi, why are you on the set of 'Curse of the Golden Flower'?"

"Director Lu naturally doesn't care much about young actresses like us. In Director Zhang's movie, I play the role of Jiang Chan, the daughter of Imperial Physician Jiang."

Boss Lu understood that this was Huayi's own little flower, and it must have been inserted through Zhang Weiping's relationship.

Seeing him looking at her indifferently, Yang Mi suddenly thought of the charming moment in the linen room last time. She couldn't help but blush a little, and raised her delicate hand to lift the loose hair at her temples.

Boss Lu sneered in his heart, and watched her release her sexual charm in front of him with a leisurely look, his eyes not much restrained.

Da Mimi looked at the man in front of her with a secretly proud look in her eyes, and she knew that her strategy today was right!

Today she deliberately wore a plain white shirt, chose a bra that was one size smaller, and tied her hair into two pigtails, which made her look pure yet charming.

As for those soft, boneless fingers and slender, smooth wrists, every movement was so graceful that I had no idea how many times she had practiced in front of the mirror.

This is Xiao Liu’s pure style!
Today, Da Mimi has made up her mind to try to please you and see if she can make this washing machine director salivate.

That’s right, ever since last year at Liu Yifei’s defense meeting at Beijing Film Academy, Xiao Liu was still able to gain his favor after failing to declare her love.

This actress, who is arguably the most capable of judging the situation in the entertainment industry, immediately corrected her prediction and began to send messages to her "best friend" Liu Yifei from time to time to ask about her well-being.

It’s not shameful to make friends!

She has seen the acting skills of this Berlin Film Emperor, and she doesn't want to play any tricks, so she just throws herself out there for you to see.

This young director with a bad reputation, are you interested in me?

If you are interested, I will lick you. If you are not interested, I will lick Liu Yifei.

At least I can take care of one of them?

or. . .

at the same time?

It doesn't seem to cause any delay, it's just that the operation is a little more difficult.

This was the first time they met tonight, and Da Mimi didn't expect to hit the mark right away. She exchanged a few pleasantries with the boss in a coquettish manner and left, secretly encouraging herself in her heart!
Soon, the dinner officially began. Among the main actors, only Jay Chou and Chow Yun-fat from Hong Kong and Taiwan were absent.

Jiang Zhiqiang is not a sociable investor, but Zhang Weiping is familiar with such occasions and picked up the wine glass leisurely.

"To all the Olympic artists who have come from afar, on behalf of Director Jiang, Yimou, and the crew of 'Curse of the Golden Flower,' I would like to thank you all for your support."

"As the chief director of the Olympics, Yimou is also tied up in the crew's mundane duties and can't get away. I have to thank everyone for condescending to their schedules. I'm sorry for the poor hospitality, haha!"

Since they were all celebrities, everyone responded and started to clink glasses.

It's just that the speaker has intentions and the listener also has intentions. Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya keenly caught the strangeness in his words.

Yimou as the chief director?
Are you secretly or openly not treating Mr. Lu, the richest man, as a cadre?

It's none of your business, just hang it up high.

These two are veterans, not rookies. Their attraction to each other just means they might be able to watch a good show tonight.

Zhang Yimou's face was a little gloomy. He had expressed his attitude in front of Zhang Weiping many times, but he didn't expect that this guy would speak so thoughtlessly.

This is why Zhang Yimou is not as shrewd as his old partner.

Zhang Weiping This is Zhang Fei's embroidery.

Including the later generations who angrily criticized Han Shanping and Zuo Shandiao, that was also a deliberate resistance, and he just achieved his goal by being reckless.

He started to take the initiative again: "Director Lu, why aren't you drinking today?"

Boss Lu ignored his thoughts and chatted with Gong Li who was sitting next to him. Suddenly he looked up and glanced at him: "Oh, you don't want to drink."

"That's not right. You're also the chief director of the Olympics. This banquet is for the team you lead. How can you avoid drinking?"

Now he remembered that he was the director.

"Um, Gong Li, you helped Director Lu in Cannes before, so we're old acquaintances."

"I'm sorry to bother you today. How about playing the role of wine commander and pouring a glass of wine for Director Lu?"

He was trying to use Gong Li to pressure Lu Laoban, but Gong Li looked at him with disgust, so there was no way she would fulfill his wish.

"Mr. Zhang, please be careful with your words. They won the award based on their own abilities. Whether I am there or not, the result will be the same."

"Besides, this wine isn't a good thing. Xiaolu is still young, unlike you and Yimou who are both old men. Don't take the young people with you."

Everyone present laughed out loud when they heard it, and did not take it as an offense.

As a lesbian, especially one of Gong Li's stature, she naturally has the right to joke and express her opinions.

But it wasn't just Zhang Weiping who looked embarrassed, even Zhang Yimou looked awkward after hearing these words.

After all, she is an old lover.

Zhang Weiping suddenly glanced at Yang Mi, who was sitting next to Lu Kuan. "Come on, Xiao Yang, pour some for Director Lu!"

Yang Mi was quick-witted. Seeing the man beside her glance at her expressionlessly, she immediately said aggrievedly, "Mr. Zhang, you're putting me in a difficult position."

"Director Lu, how can I be qualified to pour this wine? If I pour too much or too little and he's not satisfied, wouldn't I have offended a big director in the circle?"

"Mr. Zhang, I don't want to do this job. You should find someone else who can do it!"

Zhang Weiping burst out laughing: "Hey! You little girl, you're really smart with your little mouth."

This time the laughter at the table was even louder. Everyone looked at this rising star of Huayi in surprise. He was indeed a promising talent, wasn't he?

The coquettishness and arrogance between the lines neither offended Lu Kuan nor made Zhang Weiping too angry, so it was lightly exposed.

He also seems to be a good player in the entertainment industry.

Boss Lu just watched Zhang Weiping act up quietly. This guy was born in the year of the dog. The more you pay attention to him, the more excited he gets. He likes to get involved with others and make a fuss.

Naturally, he wouldn't bother with such a person.

If it weren't for Zhang Yimou's face, I would have given him a way out long ago.

No one used a wine dispenser today. The domineering Gong Huang immediately took the juice from the table and filled Lu Kuan's glass: "You guys can have your drink if you want. Don't disturb me and Director Lu from catching up."

"He's pouring wine as soon as we get to the table. What's wrong with that?"

Zhang Yimou couldn't stand it any longer, so he stood up and said in a deep voice, "Wei Ping, everyone here is ours, don't worry about not entertaining them properly."

"If you want to drink, Wei Ping and I will accompany you. If you don't want to drink, please feel free to do so. Having fun is the most important thing!"

These two sentences eased the awkwardness a little, but his subsequent behavior surprised everyone.

Lao Mouzi smiled and walked over to Boss Lu with his cup in hand. "Director Lu, this month I've been filming a movie and participating in discussions at the same time, so sometimes I can't take care of both."

"Thanks to you, I'm ashamed to come here specially to offer you a glass of wine."

Boss Lu looked at Zhang Yimou helplessly.

Whether he was calling himself the guide in front of others, or taking the initiative to take a taxi to offer a so-called "toast", he was giving himself enough face, fearing that Zhang Weiping's rudeness just now would cause him to feel alienated.

Relationships between people are mutual.

Among domestic directors, Boss Lu does have more recognition and respect for his senior.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to catch the rat by the dog just now. Jiang Zhiqiang gave him this idea as soon as he asked.

Zhang Yimou's current feedback has fully demonstrated the vision of the young director. He is indeed an old senior who is worth making close friends with.

Boss Lu smiled helplessly and directed Da Mimi beside him: "Yang Mi, pour me a glass of wine."

Zhang Yimou dissuaded him: "If you don't feel well, don't drink it. Juice will be fine."

"Senior, our relationship, the relationship between me and Teacher Tian, ​​you are... inappropriate."

Lu Kuan took the glass of white wine handed to him by Yang Mi, and expressed positive emotional feedback to his behavior through body movements.

Lao Mouzi naturally understood what he meant. His face was wrinkled with smiles, and he looked like an old terracotta warrior, with the honesty and simplicity of the old Qin people.

"What's the deal? You called me senior, so I'll be the one to make the decision for you. I'll have the wine and you the juice. Let's drink it together!"

Gong Li, standing aside, looked at these two fellow students from the Beijing Film Academy, who were nearly thirty years apart in age, with a heavy heart.

Looking at his former lover standing in front of Lu Kuan, who was much younger than him but equally talented, he couldn't help but recall the events of more than ten years ago.

Why did she just gossip about the recent situation of Concubine Liu Yi and Lu Kuan?
I was just putting myself in their shoes and felt that this couple was very similar to myself and Zhang Yimou.

The director and his heroine at that time had a difficult and unfortunate love life.

In 1992, she visited the Great Wall with Zhang Yimou, who made a vow to her at Haohanpo that he would make her an empress in the future!
However, the two broke up sadly after filming "Raise the Red Lantern".

This time, "Curse of the Golden Flower" is also a fulfillment of a vow in a sense.

At the launch conference, Zhang Yimou told the media that this was a ten-year agreement between Gong Li and me.

"Enough, you two grown men are wasting your time." Gong Li rolled her eyes at Zhang Yimou and poured herself a glass of wine.

"I'll have a drink with you guys. Come on, let's have one drink together."

Boss Lu said in a low voice with a slightly evil smile: "You two, if you can drink this glass of wine, I am not suitable to participate."

"Go!" Gong Li smiled sweetly and patted him: "Stop talking nonsense and raise your glass!"

Lao Mouzi seemed to have transformed from a gray Terracotta Warrior into a colorful Terracotta Warrior. His eyebrows raised, his expression shifted, and he looked at his old lover in a somewhat naive manner: "Gong Li, we haven't had a drink in years?"

Lu Kuan was sitting in the VIP seat today. Looking at the perverted look on Lao Mouzi's face, he almost couldn't help but take a photo with his mobile phone.

"Director Zhang, let's do it. Don't let people dislike us for dawdling later."

"Haha, good, done!"

The three of them clinked their glasses and drank them all in one gulp. There was an immediate applause and cheers from the table.

Perhaps only Zhang Weiping felt a little depressed, so he took a sip of wine helplessly.

He didn't dare to offend him too deeply, so he could only be sarcastic while trying to persuade him to drink, just like he did just now. Lu Kuan couldn't find any fault with him.

When the host holds a banquet, he is afraid that the guests will not enjoy it, so it is not abrupt to urge them to drink.

After all, it's not as bad as scolding Zuo Shandiao. There's no need to tear the relationship apart. Zhang Yimou wouldn't agree to that either.

But after this, everyone with a discerning eye at the table could see that these two, whether they were the top two directors in the country or the chief planners of the Olympics, had an extremely good relationship.

It's a relationship where you respect me an inch and I respect you a yard.

Zhang Yimou is also using his own way to clear obstacles for Lu Kuan and suppress the discordant voices in the team.

After all, a song and dance troupe leader like Chen Weiya had previously served as his deputy in "Liu Sanjie" and "Turandot".

I'm in this attitude now, do you still have the nerve to take advantage of me?

In Zhang Yimou's view, even if he was not there, he believed that his junior brother was capable of taking charge of the overall situation.

But the Olympic cause waits for no one!
The sooner we get on the right track, with Lu Kuan's artistic attainments and technological vision, we will be able to produce excellent cultural performances and artistic creativity sooner.

At least the construction team of the Bird's Nest is still eagerly awaiting their preliminary plan.

Just like decorating an ordinary home, all kinds of wiring, pipes, and light strips are planned in advance.

This is Zhang Yimou's overall view.

After drinking two glasses of wine, Zhang Weiping became a little restless again. Seeing Jiang Zhiqiang whispering something to Boss Lu, he thought that Jiang Zhiqiang could not help but ask for advice, and felt very uncomfortable.

"Director Lu! I'll toast you a glass of wine."

Boss Lu looked up: "You're welcome, Mr. Zhang."

Zhang Weiping was very humble this time, and took the initiative to leave his seat and come over: "Director Lu, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Oh? Go ahead."

"During this time, you were on the set and watched the filming of 'Curse of the Golden Flower'. What do you think of the prospects of our film?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Zhiqiang and Zhang Yimou were stunned. How could such words be said in front of so many people?
The other crew members and Olympic team members didn't feel much of a difference. It was just a conversation and exchange between colleagues, right? It just didn't seem like the right setting.

But thinking that this was Zhang Weiping, who was used to being outspoken, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it.

This Zhang Fei in the movie world, who is uglier than Zhang Fei, has started embroidering again, which poses a problem for Lu Kuan.

You say politely that there is nothing wrong with "Curse of the Golden Flower", but tomorrow's newspaper will report that Mr. Lu Kuan, the richest man in mainland China and a giant in the film industry, is praising "Curse of the Golden Flower" and saying that it will be the audience's loss if they don't watch it.

Use your name to create hype.

You are criticizing "Curse of the Golden Flower", so where are the good intentions of Zhang Yimou who just showed that?
Even though you, Boss Lu, are rich and talented, you have no conscience and no emotional intelligence. You don't give your senior any face at all?

The scene suddenly became awkward again, but the ones who were awkward were Jiang Zhiqiang and Zhang Yimou.

"Mr. Zhang, that's a good question. In fact, even if you didn't ask, I would have wanted to ask it a long time ago."

Boss Lu put down his glass leisurely and changed the subject: "The film has just started shooting, and without knowing the full picture, it's hard to make a conclusion."

"But!" "Director Zhang, there's one thing I absolutely disagree with!"

The table suddenly fell silent, and only the noise of the crew members shouting and yelling outside the private room could be heard, which was a sharp contrast.

Everyone had different thoughts, wondering why the richest man in mainland China suddenly opened fire on his senior, with whom he had just respected and loved each other.

Can't you stand the provocation of the loudmouth Zhang Weiping?

Only Zhang Yimou lowered his head and smiled bitterly, because he knew that his old partner was in trouble.

"Director Zhang told me yesterday that the investors of 'Curse of the Golden Flower' had the unbelievable request to include an incest scene between the eldest prince Yuanxiang and the queen. Isn't this just malicious publicity stunts? Isn't this just market-driven nonsense?"

"The key is that Director Zhang is in a difficult position. He is not a good director, so he just bluntly refuses the investor's request."

To everyone's surprise, Boss Lu suddenly turned to Jiang Zhiqiang: "Mr. Jiang, is this what you asked for? This is not right!"

Jiang Zhiqiang was confused: "I didn't!"

"Huh? That's not right!" Lu Kuan looked puzzled. "New Picture is just the distributor this time, and we didn't actually invest in the filming."

The young director glanced at Zhang Weiping indifferently: "Old Zhang, this isn't what you asked for, is it?"

"Look at you, you didn't spend a penny, but relied on Director Zhang to get the distribution rights and the credits. And then you shamelessly asked Director Zhang to change the script for you to promote it. Is that right?"

Zhang Weiping's ugly face was almost twisted into a ball. He wanted to smash the cup to show his anger.

But looking at the powerful young director and the richest man in mainland China in front of him, Zhang Weiping did not have the courage to take a gamble.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to be so careful just now.

Zhang Fei, the film industry figure, tried to save face: "Director Lu, this is a matter between me and Yimou, and has nothing to do with anyone else."

"Bullshit!" Boss Lu gave him no face at all: "Director Zhang and I have a close relationship. He is also the Chief Director of the Olympics, shouldering the country's mission and the people's expectations."

"It's already hard to handle so many things, and you, Zhang Weiping, are trying to make things difficult for him, insisting on adding a ridiculous passionate scene. What do you want?"

He turned to Jiang Zhiqiang and said, "Mr. Jiang, if it were you, kick out all the other investors. This film will be produced in partnership with your company, Edko Films. We will use our best marketing resources for Curse of the Golden Flower."

"Oh! Mr. Lu, you should have said this earlier!" Jiang Zhiqiang knew that he was threatening Zhang Weiping, so he smiled and took the cup and walked forward to cooperate with the performance.

Zhang Weiping was so frightened that his face turned pale. He swallowed his saliva and looked helplessly at Zhang Yimou who had kept his head down and remained silent.

You bastard, say something!

Seeing the embarrassment of the loudmouth Zhang Weiping, Gong Li felt very happy. When she and Zhang Yimou broke up, Zhang Weiping also interfered.

Yang Mi on the side looked at the man with a majestic figure beside her with sparkling eyes. His wealth, power, talent and appearance all made her obsessed and fond of him.

The maneuvering in these gestures and a few words taught the local tyrant Zhang Weiping in the crew a lesson so that he couldn't even raise his head. It was like a high dose of aphrodisiac, watering the gradually growing ambition and fickleness in Da Mimi.

I just thought of Concubine Liu Yi, who was still entangled with him even after she went to North America.

Da Mimi bit her lips tightly, and she really wanted to feed the tiger tonight.

However, she, who has always been smart, also had a hidden worry, fearing that she would be eaten up without leaving anything behind.

The scene was really awkward at the moment. Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya were watching the fun, but they reacted at the same time.

When the two of them were at a meeting that day and this guy scolded him, the others should have looked at him the same way I am looking at Zhang Weiping now, right?

Fuck! What a painful realization.

Zhang Yimou had to step forward to help: "There are no outsiders at the table today, Director Lu, how about you just chat casually?"

"Investors like Anle and Focus are old friends. As long as there is room for improvement... we must work tirelessly to make this project a success."

Seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, Boss Lu immediately said in a deep voice, "The problems faced by 'Curse of the Golden Flower' are, in a sense, similar to those faced by Stephen Chow's 1995 film 'The Soul Returns'."

Gong Li was puzzled: "You mean, 'Curse of the Golden Flower' is an art film at heart, but it's dressed up as a commercial film, just like 'The Soul Returns' which blends comedy and horror?"

Gong Li has worked with Stephen Chow on "Flirting Scholar", and her vision is also quite broad.

"In fact, based on the market, this issue should be viewed using another classification standard for movies."

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, and everyone listened carefully to the explanation of this industry giant.

The layman looks at the excitement and the insider looks at the doorway.

Boss Lu went on to explain: "Actually, it's not accurate to categorize films into commercial and art films, because apart from experimental films by certain directors, art films also have commercial elements, and commercial films also have artistic elements."

"Under the conditions of true film industrialization and marketization, the classification of films should be genre films and non-genre films."

"Genre films are easy to understand. Watching a romance is about experiencing emotions, watching a horror film is about seeking excitement, and watching a comedy is about finding happiness."

"What about 'Curse of the Golden Flower'? The promotions show it as an action film, but what the audience should experience after the end is coldness, darkness and despair. That's terrible."

Why are the situations of "Curse of the Golden Flower" and "The Soul Returns" similar?

Stephen Chow shot to fame in 1990 with "God of Gamblers". He dominated the Hong Kong box office for four consecutive years from 1990 to 1993, frequently breaking and creating records in film history.

However, he suffered a setback with "A Chinese Odyssey" and "The Soul Returns" in 1995, and even his own film company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

The reason is that the audience went to the cinema with the mentality of watching a genre film, hoping to be made to laugh by you, Stephen Chow, but they were scared half to death for no reason. It is natural that it received so many bad reviews.

The crew members of "Curse of the Golden Flower" at the table chewed over these unpleasant words of advice. They were quite convinced of the young director and couldn't help feeling depressed.

The saying goes that there is no best in literature, and this also applies to the art world.

Domestic movie fans mostly disagree on who should be the mainland's top director, with Zhang Yimou and Lu Kuan the most likely.

But whether it is Feng Xiaogang, Chen Kaige, or the fifth generation such as Jia Kechang, Wang Xiaoshuai, Lou Ye, etc. who are favored by literary and artistic youths, they all have a certain number of fans and supporters.

It is difficult to say who is the number one in film art, but in the film business, it is impeccable to say that Boss Lu is the number one in the industry.

Whether it is the roadshow model that was followed by the industry starting with "The Drummer", or the marketing bombardment of Focus Media introduced through acquisition in "Shoplifters", as well as the marketing innovations of various subsequent films.

Or it could be that he personally built a film industry chain that does not rely on others.

When it comes to whether a movie will be a hit, his opinion is probably unmatched.

Now not only core members such as Jiang Zhiqiang, Zhang Weiping, and Zhang Yimou, but even actors like Gong Li and Yang Mi are worried.

Who would want the movie they starred in to flop at the box office?

Especially Yang Mi, she even gave up "Red Cliff" in which Huayi had a stake, just for Zhang Yimou's reputation as a actress who was promoted by Zhang Yimou!
Zhang Yimou said in a deep voice, "We've discussed this issue internally before, but we didn't see it as clearly and carefully as you do, and we didn't anticipate the serious consequences."

"Xiaolu, the crew has been filming for over a month now, and...is there any solution?"

Zhang Weiping glanced at his old partner with a gloomy face, thinking to himself, it would be fine if you asked him privately, why bother praising him here?
It's just that he is now like a quail, and dares not confront him directly, either openly or secretly.

Now put Han Shanping and Boss Lu in front of him, and force this Zhang Fei of the film industry to offend one of them, perhaps he will choose to angrily criticize Zuoshandiao.

After all, Zuoshandiao is a person with a weak physique, so no matter how much you target him, you have to pay attention to the surface impact.

This ruthless richest man in mainland China might not even give Zhang Yimou face if he really gets serious.

"Director Zhang, how about we call it a day? You, me, and Director Jiang, let's go for a walk and chat."

Zhang Yimou knew that he was only concerned about his reputation, and secretly thought that he was very meticulous in his work. However, he raised his glass helplessly and said, "Everyone, I'm sorry for the poor hospitality today."

Zhang Jigang was the first to agree: "Director Zhang, that's ridiculous! It's not easy for him to handle so many roles. You guys chat. We'll have plenty of opportunities to get together in the future!"

"That's right, don't take it personally!"

"Director Zhang, work comes first. We can drink anytime."

Lao Mouzi nodded gratefully to everyone, drank two taels and a half of apology wine in one gulp, but did not care about the spicy taste in his throat, and followed Jiang Zhiqiang and Boss Lu who were in the lead out.

The rest include Chinese artists such as Ma Wen and Cai Guoqiang, high-level personnel such as Zhang Jigang and Chen Weiya, and Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue from Zhang Yimou's core team.

Of course, there is also Zhang Weiping, who failed to achieve his goal and ended up becoming a coward today.

Everyone suddenly realized a problem:
Whether it is the talent or the means of doing things, the so-called reputation is actually not worthy of it, which is not applicable to this overly young young director.

Even though Zhang Weiping had been extremely cautious and tried to tease and test his cunning, he still unexpectedly received a loud slap in the face in the end.

Youth is his asset, but also a protective color of disguise.

I don’t know how many people fell into his trap because they looked down on him because of his youth and underestimated his opponent, ignoring the worldly-wise soul within him.

In the VIP hotel room, Boss Lu helplessly watched Jiang Zhiqiang and Lao Mouzi almost empty their cigarette boxes.

Both of them said they had quit smoking a long time ago.

There was no one else in the room, so Zhang Yimou started talking loudly: "Xiaolu, is there any way?"

Boss Lu said bluntly: "Let's change the script while Chow Yun-fat and Jay Chou haven't joined the crew yet."

Jiang Zhiqiang was puzzled: "How to change it?"

"Change the ending, change the perspective, change the theme."

"Just like Wallace in Braveheart, the protagonist died, but the core idea of ​​the film - Scotland's independence - was achieved."

"The same is true of your 'Hero'. Wuming died, but the King of Qin was shocked and realized what it meant to have overwhelming public opinion and the wrath of the common people."

"But the ending of 'Curse of the Golden Flower' left the audience with nothing but a distorted and dark ukiyo-e of human nature, without any hope."

Boss Lu frowned as he flipped through the script in his hand. "Commercial works all focus on immersion, but the characters that are currently being given more attention... don't seem to be up to the task."

"The queen had an affair with her adopted son, and then she encouraged him to rebel and bring chaos to the country, which ultimately led to their deaths. I can't empathize with her."

"As for the villain Zhou Runfa, let alone someone else, if you really have to find one, I suggest revising the plot from Yuan Jie's perspective."

The character played by Jay Chou is brave and courageous, loyal and righteous, but at the same time he has a simple personality and is quite rebellious.

Whether it is an online novel or a commercial movie, this is a typical protagonist character setting.

But as Lu Kuan expected, the wrinkles on Lao Mouzi's face became deeper.

As mentioned above, this movie was an agreement he and Gong Li made when they were in love in 1992. It is a female-led movie that focuses on her perspective.

"Xiaolu, this perspective is not easy to change. See if there is any other way."

Boss Lu reluctantly took out the last bullet from his cigarette box. "If we can't change the perspective, there's no way to achieve a sense of immersion. We can only find some parts that connect to the hot topics of modern society."

"That's just like Wallace and Wuming. Yuanjie can die, but his death cannot be in vain."

"His death will shake the authority of the emperor, break the dusty palace customs, and resonate with the audience."

He opened the script and gave an example: "At the climax, Jay Chou said that as a subject, he would die not for the throne, but for his mother."

"The emotions and resonance here are not enough. I think it can be changed to 'a son and a minister's death, unwilling to be a puppet of a strict family forever, unwilling to become a dispensable existence under your wings.'"

Zhang Yimou slapped his thigh and said, "That's a good idea!"

"I read in the newspaper yesterday about the first private school education case in China. Eight-year-old Hou Hongru was taken away by his father Hou Bo and was confined to his home for private school-style education, studying for about seven hours a day."

"Although he has achieved some success in certain areas of knowledge, such as being able to fluently read and translate China Daily, he has also developed a serious imbalance in his academic performance. His math ability is almost zero, and he has developed a withdrawn and aloof personality."

"Even if movie fans aren't drawn to the dark adaptation of Thunderstorm, if they can find their own rebellious moments in Yuan Jie and resonate with the harsh words their parents taught them, it would be a great argument and direction."

Jiang Zhiqiang nodded. "According to Lu Sheng, commercial films prioritize character development. If that doesn't work, they should look for resonance and social hot spots. Jay Chou's Yuan Jie is indeed a good starting point."

Lao Mouzi solemnly shook Boss Lu's hand and shook it vigorously. "Xiaolu! Thank you so much! There's still time for everything. I'll have Liu Heng organize a team of screenwriters to revise the manuscript. You can give me a look when the time comes."

"That's easy. Can you two just reimburse me for this box of cigarettes first?" Boss Lu threw the cigarette box into the trash can with a helpless look on his face.

Since Zhang Yimou also figured out the direction, with his team of screenwriters, Lu Kuan knew that this "Curse of the Golden Flower" would not be a big hit, but at least the reputation and box office would not collapse as badly as the previous life.

In fact, when it comes down to it, the deep reason why "Curse of the Golden Flower" failed is Zhang Yimou's weak scriptwriting ability.

This is his biggest weakness, that is, his own script writing ability is very poor and he relies more on external forces.

Listing his successful works:
Mo Yan, the Nobel Prize winner behind Red Sorghum;

Behind "Ju Dou" and "Qiu Ju's Lawsuit" is Liu Heng, the Golden Horse and Golden Rooster winner;

Behind Raise the Red Lantern is Mao Dun Literature Prize winner Su Tong;
Behind "Coming Home" and "The Flowers of War" is Oscar-winning screenwriter Yan Geling.

Let’s look at his works that were both a big flop in terms of both word of mouth and box office:

The scripts for "Man Jiang Hong", "Shadow" and "House of Flying Daggers" were all completed by him and several members of his trusted screenwriter team.

Including "Curse of the Golden Flower", the screenwriters were himself, Wu Nan and Bian Zhihong.

As for "Codename Jaguar", which he didn't even want to talk about, it was written by a Hong Kong entrepreneur named Cheng Shiqing, and the screenwriters of "The Great Wall" were a group of Americans.

Sometimes it’s not that his directing ability fluctuates, but that the quality of the scripts varies.

The three of them chatted and laughed for a while, and then the young director suddenly looked serious. "Director Zhang, I'm going to be the bad guy today to give you a warning. This Zhang Weiping doesn't seem like a good partner. You have to be careful."

Zhang Yimou was stunned for a few seconds. "Oh! That's just his personality. He's not a bad person. Over the past ten years, he just gets really angry sometimes. He's even had private arguments with Han Shanping."

"Xiaolu, don't worry about it. I'll ask him to apologize to you tomorrow!"

Boss Lu smiled and thought to himself that it would be strange if you could control him, so he waved his hand to let it go.

Really forget it?
You want to leave after offending the abbot?

It doesn't matter that Zhang Weiping cautiously bared his teeth at him tonight, because this ruthless richest man in mainland China has already thought of poaching Zhang Yimou.

This is a complete tyranny for him!

Of course, he never does anything that harms others and benefits himself.

The previous article mentioned the importance of director resources. Even Huayi made its way in the film industry thanks to Feng Xiaogang, a big name in Lunar New Year films.

And what level is Zhang Yimou?
If it weren't for Quentin Tarantino's genius work "Pulp Fiction" in 1994, his "To Live" would have had a high probability of winning the award.

Lao Mouzi will also become the third European player in the world to win the three major Grand Slams.

Lu Kuan believes that as long as he is given a suitable script, with his appeal and decades of experience in the film industry, plus the support of the industrial chain of Wenjie Holdings, it will be another output point that is sure to make money.

However, Zhang Yimou is still very loyal and it is impossible to force him to break up with Zhang Weiping. We need to take it step by step.

Jiang Zhiqiang drank a little too much in the evening, but fortunately he had put his mind at ease and went back to his room to rest.

Lao Mouzi insisted on politely seeing Boss Lu out, and the two of them started chatting in the hotel corridor.

The old Qin man suddenly spoke up: "To be honest, I also know that changing the perspective is the most appropriate choice."

"But for this movie... Gong Li's intention cannot be changed."

Boss Lu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "It seems there is a story behind this."

Zhang Yimou sighed deeply, "It's too old."

Lu Kuan teased, "What do you mean? I'll ask Ah Fei to buy some braised vegetables and peanuts, and we can have a couple of drinks together."

Lao Mouzi chuckled: "You kid want to see me laugh."

Under the dim light at the bottom of the VIP building, the colorful terracotta warriors looked pale again tonight, caught in a mixture of love and hate.

"In 1992, when I was preparing for 'To Live,' Gong Li and I went to climb the Great Wall. After we came back, I asked someone to write the script for 'Empress Wu Zetian' for her."

"At that time, I personally invited Zhao Mei, Su Tong, and Bei Cun, three frequent visitors to Maolu, who are also the top novelists in China."

"The script was in development for over four years, but something happened between her and me in 96 and we parted ways amicably. However, my promise to film a drama with her as the Queen remained unchanged."

Lao Mouzi's eyes were a little cloudy, mixed with many inexplicable emotions: "So this movie is mixed with some of my personal opinions."

The young director burst out laughing when he heard this. This matter had only been a rumor before, but now it turned out that there were many hidden stories behind it.

Lao Mouzi left with old memories in his mind. Boss Lu touched the last cigarette left in his pocket, reluctant to smoke it, and put it to his nose to sniff it.

Literati and poets have always been sentimental.

For an artist like Zhang Yimou, missing out on his former love for various reasons must be a great regret in his heart.

He couldn't help but think of the love-hate relationship between him and Xiao Liu over the past four years.

The young director couldn't help but take out his lighter, and the tobacco ignited brightly under the caress of the flame.

The smoke rose up in curls, like silk threads, lingering and drifting around his body.

It took a long time for the cigarette to burn out, and the heat brought him back to his senses.

Boss Lu then sighed deeply, crushed the cigarette butt with the sole of his shoe, and muttered to himself.

"Damn, I'm into the role."

(End of this chapter)