Huayu: Are you even sitting up straight? You're going to be the director?

Chapter 67 Reactions from All Sides! A Fatal Flaw!
"Director Cao is so calm, he truly has the demeanor of a great general!"

After hanging up the phone, Zhao Haicheng looked at Han Sanpin, pursed his lips, and sighed.

"Ok?"

Han Sanpin gave a soft "hmm".
Zhao Haicheng burst into laughter. "However, I think Director Cao is probably stunned, or he doesn't know what the box office situation is like, so he's speechless with shock."

Han Sanpin shook his head. "Xiao Cao should still understand, but he was probably a little dazed. Young people are like that; they can become a bit numb when faced with big events. You and I should both understand."

Zhao Haicheng nodded emphatically.

Han Sanpin said, "However, Xiao Cao did give me a pleasant surprise. Who would have thought that a patriotic film could achieve this box office on its opening day? It really surprised me. He truly deserves the title of 'great general' you just mentioned."

“He is a great general, but you, Mr. Han, are Liu Bang. You are good at commanding generals, while he is only good at commanding soldiers.”

Han Sanpin was deeply moved by Zhao Haicheng's desire to take things further, and waved his hand with a smile:

"Haicheng, do you know what I was so happy about just now?"

"What makes me happy is the narrative technique that Xiao Cao mentioned, the moral right, the right to interpret history, a new path that Chinese films have explored, and in this memorable year, it allows more people to see history, remember history, and be self-respecting and self-reliant. That is my original intention for being happy."

Zhao Haicheng seemed to be deep in thought, then suddenly realized what was happening.

"A leader is still a leader; he has a commanding perspective."

"Alright, you can go now. Think it over carefully." Han Sanpin waved his hand casually.

After Zhao Haicheng closed the door,

Han Sanpin then reached into his inner pocket, but there were no cigarettes inside. He opened the drawer and took out a cigarette.

When Han Sanpin tried to light his cigarette, his hand trembled slightly, and he couldn't light it after several attempts, so he put the cigarette back in the cigarette case.

He quit smoking three or four years ago. He had developed the habit of smoking when he was a lighting worker at the Emei Film Studio.

In recent years, for the sake of his health, he has subconsciously started to control himself and quit smoking.

The last time I smoked was after the preview screening of "Nanjing Photo Studio". I asked Zhao Haicheng to buy me cigarettes. I only smoked one and then just put the rest in the drawer.

Han Sanpin stood in front of the window, his heart pounding.

This opening day box office is already the highest among domestic films this year.

Even the difference between it and "Transformers" is incomparable.

Most importantly, it's Wednesday, it's Wednesday!
How much will the box office be over the weekend?!

How much will the box office be when it's taken off the screens?
Han Sanpin suddenly felt a little lost. What was the upper limit of this film? He suddenly felt that he hadn't expected it.

Cao Zhong's calmness just now made Han Sanpin feel that he was very lacking in vision and composure.

From now on, I must remain composed in front of this little eagle—no, this old eagle.

……

Han Sanpin wasn't the only one shocked.

Huayi,

When Wang Zhonglei received the box office figures for the first day, he stared blankly at Wang Zhongjun beside him.

"Over seventeen million? Wednesday, in one day?"

"Correct!"

Wang Zhonglei was completely dumbfounded.

"Is there a data error?"

Last year, Huayi Brothers produced and distributed Feng Xiaogang's "The Banquet," starring big names such as Ge You, Zhang Ziyi, Daniel Wu, and Zhou Xun, but it only grossed 1200 million yuan on its opening day!
"Curse of the Golden Flower," a Zhang Yimou film released during the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of last year, grossed 1500 million yuan on its opening night, which was a Thursday, and then took in 9600 million yuan over its first four-day weekend!
Even this year's "Transformers" only grossed 2200 million on its opening day!
Cao Zhong made a low-budget film, is he crazy?
Wang Zhonglei was shocked and angrily rebuked his elder brother.

"Brother, since you wanted to release it, why didn't you just invest in it from the beginning? You have no vision! You should manage Huayi Music, let's switch places."

Wang Zhongjun was furious.
"Don't think I don't know you've got your hands on something you shouldn't be doing again. Last time I said I got a copy to distribute, you even said I was a gambler!"

"Keep your weight under control. If I hear you making a move on a male actor again, I'll..."

……

Bona and Yu Dong saw the opening day box office of "Nanjing Photo Studio".

His eyes were empty.

It took him a while to calm down.

However, since Bona did not invest, Yu Dong did not feel particularly disappointed.

If it were to be released, it probably wouldn't get many copies. At most, it would be like getting some money for free, but it didn't.

But then I thought, it would be wonderful if "The Sun Also Rises" could win an award at Venice.

Planning is up to people, but success depends on planning!
If he wins the award, he will have exclusive control over the distribution rights of "The Sun Also Rises," which means he will control the money bag of "The Sun Also Rises."

Yu Dong felt excited again. ...

Magic City.

Huang Xiaoming, who was promoting the film, received news of the first day's box office results and became extremely excited.

He looked at Xu Zheng beside him.

"The movie is a complete hit."

Xu Zheng suppressed his excitement, "How much?"

"1748 million on the opening day." Huang Xiaoming's lips were trembling.

Xu Zheng was stunned. "How much?"

"1748 million, it's already on the news on the portal website."

Xu Zheng's eyes widened. "Do you know how much my movie, which I starred in, grossed during the Lunar New Year season, even after a month in theaters?"

"You mean that movie, 'Love Transfer'?"

“Yes,” Xu Zheng wanted to laugh, but also felt a little like crying, “It’s been in theaters for a month and only grossed 1200 million yuan. That’s less than what ‘Nanjing Photo Studio’ did in a day.”

Huang Xiaoming was also surprised by this difference.

"Do you think this box office figure is inflated?" Huang Xiaoming was a little dazed.

These days, inflating box office figures is a very common practice.

Xu Zheng shook his head; he didn't know either.

At this moment, Xu Zheng's assistant interjected, "It's highly unlikely."

"What evidence do you have?"

The assistant coughed twice and looked at Xu Zheng, "Your blog has been attacked by thousands of people, many of whom are cursing your ancestors for eighteen generations."

Xu Zheng's eyes lit up.

"Is there such a good thing?"

Huang Xiaoming instantly stopped doubting; he knew better than anyone how rare Wang Guanghai was.

These days, there aren't many people online, and it's unlikely that the issue will extend to actors, unless they're not very smart.

The fact that over a thousand people were able to besiege Xu Zheng only proves one thing.

The number of moviegoers exploded!

Many people hate and curse Xu Zheng, projecting their emotions onto him.

Xu Zheng looked excited.
This isn't an insult at all; it's all the kind greetings from his benefactors!
It was a profound fatherly love!
Xu Zheng suddenly realized that he had taken a gamble while standing next to Cao Zhong last time, and now it seemed that he had not only won the gamble, but also hit the jackpot!

Moreover, the fact that so many people are criticizing him shows that he has successfully transformed his image!
Xu Zheng clenched his fist!
Cool!
……

Jia Zhangke, Su Mu, and Zhao Tao,
They looked at each other in bewilderment at Jia Zhangke's home.

Su Mu said in a deep voice, "We have to do something. Cao Zhong's momentum just happened to coincide with the Venice Awards ceremony. We must bring out Ang Lee and Jiang Wen to create a target that Cao Zhong dares not target... or even Zhang Yimou."

They saw the positive reviews for the movie online.

Within a day, the comments section exploded.

When criticizing others before, Cao Zhong used the Yasujiro Ozu incident as an example to argue with them from a moral standpoint.

The Nortel Film Academy has now temporarily severed ties with them.

Those who once vehemently criticized Cao Zhong have now become mere clowns.

They knew they had to stop the momentum of "Nanjing Photo Studio," otherwise if Cao Zhong really produced some works that criticized people, they would have a hard time responding.

What art, what humanity?
In Cao Zhong's film, he almost explicitly names and tears off Ozu's mask!

If the box office is high, many people will be prejudiced and think that Cao Zhong is right.

However, Cao Zhong made a fatal mistake when criticizing Jia Zhangke's Golden Lion Award.

He criticized Jia Zhangke for defaming China, which is why he was nominated for one of the three major awards.

Now, Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution" and Jiang Wen's "The Sun Also Rises" are both in the main competition of this year's Venice Film Festival, and Zhang Yimou is the president of the jury for this year's Venice Awards.
Do you dare to continue your bombardment?

Jia Zhangke remained silent for a moment. He and Cao Zhong were now mortal enemies, and there was no turning back.

After a moment, he said firmly,

"We need to name names and drag people into this, and we also need to give this film absolute criticism from a cinematic perspective."

"As long as the controversy continues, his box office will inevitably decline."

(End of this chapter)