Hong Kong 1990: From stuntman to King of Kung Fu

Chapter 108 Box Office and Critical Acclaim Both Achieve Success

The Peninsula Hotel, a familiar suite.

The noise in the room had just subsided.

Tang Long and Lan Jieying took a long time to calm their breathing.

Looking at Lan Jieying, who was still slumped on the bed, Tang Long wiped the sweat from her temples:

Looking at Lan Jieying, who was still slumped on the bed, Tang Long wiped the sweat from her temples and asked.

He and Yammie Lam have been staying at the Peninsula Hotel for almost two days.

After the premiere banquet that night, in order to avoid being blocked by Liu Jialing or any of her friends again, Tang Long didn't go home and had Zhang Xueyou take him directly to the Peninsula Hotel.

He couldn't handle the chaotic situation, so he had no choice but to run away.

"Ah Long, besides Liu Jialing, Wang Zuxian and Rosamund Kwan are also your women, right?"

Tang Long turned around in surprise: "You noticed all of that?"

"You were singing the night before last. Actually, I was there too, but I was sitting in a rather secluded spot, so you didn't notice me."

She had initially been watching Liu Jialing, but then noticed that Liu Jialing frequently glanced at Wang Zuxian and Guan Zhilin.

This made her pay more attention to the two of them.

By the time the bizarre scene ended, others might not have noticed, but she had already figured out what was going on.

To be honest, her first reaction upon seeing this scene was one of bewilderment.

It turns out that popular stars like Wang Zuxian and Rosamund Kwan also have close relationships with Tang Long.

Lan Jieying's initially flustered state of mind suddenly calmed down considerably.

"So, are you still willing to stay with me?"

They all have a good relationship with Tang Long, so naturally I'm willing to follow you.

She has already calmed down.

We'll talk about the future later; at least for now, she's quite satisfied with Tang Long.

Upon hearing this, Tang Long hugged Lan Jieying and asked softly, "How was your time on the set of 'New Endless Love'?"

"Director Derek Yee is a bit strict. I'm used to acting in TV dramas, so I might have some bad acting habits, which he often criticizes."

scold.

That newcomer, Anita Yuen, is amazing. She hadn't acted much before, but she portrayed her character exceptionally well. Sometimes even Lau Ching-wan couldn't keep up with her performance, making him start to doubt himself.

"Then you should study hard. Derek Yee is very good at making movies. If you want to develop in the film industry, you need to make some changes to your acting style. If your professional skills are not up to par, no director will ask you to act in movies."

"I understand. I never talk back when Director Derek Yee swears."

"Did no one else in the crew bully you?"

"No, Liu Qingyun is very protective of me. Director Derek Yee probably had some idea about our relationship, and he took good care of me outside of filming."

"Remember this, now that you have me, you don't need to worry about movie resources."

If someone gives you a script and asks you to go somewhere to discuss something, never go alone.

The same applies to film promotions; if you're going to Southeast Asia, you must let me know in advance.

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

A smile unconsciously appeared on Lan Jieying's face.

She has six siblings, and she is the youngest.

He has three older brothers who were born to his father's previous wife. His mother also had three children: one older brother and one older sister.

In such a blended family, and being a girl, she received the least amount of care.

Therefore, she felt very happy about Tang Long's concern.

"By the way, Ah Long, aren't you worried about the box office of 'SPL: Sha Po Lang' at all? We've been stuck in our rooms for almost two days."

"I've done everything I could. How much the movie will gross is up to fate."

Tang Long spoke so calmly, but how could he not care about the box office of "SPL: Sha Po Lang"?

After receiving the number, Tang Long immediately felt relieved.

HK$2.32 million.

On its opening day, "SPL: Sha Po Lang" grossed HK$2.32 million.

This first-day performance is almost comparable to that of "All's Well, Ends Well" and "Justice, My Foot!"

Of course, he didn't dare to hope that "SPL" would achieve the same high box office as the two movies, but at least it shows that "SPL" is going to be a box office hit.

In his excitement, Tang Long shook Lan Jieying awake and, while she was half asleep, delivered a blow that brought her fully awake.

She didn't understand why Tang Long was suddenly so excited, but she didn't have time to think about it anymore.

Tang Long was working much faster than usual this time, and she had to give it her all to keep up.

Just as Tang Long and Lan Jieying were having a wild time at the Peninsula Hotel, the release of "SPL: Sha Po Lang" caused a huge stir in Hong Kong.

After the premiere ceremony, the invited media columnists and film critics wrote their reviews overnight and published them in their own media outlets the following day.

Chen Zhiyue of Film Biweekly published a long review: "Sha Po Lang, a realistic and hardcore action film full of destiny."

With Tang Lung and Sammo Hung serving as action directors, this film differs from the ethereal style of new martial arts films and the thrills and humor of Jackie Chan's kung fu comedies. "SPL: Sha Po Lang" blends Sanda, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, short-sword fighting, and close-quarters street combat.

With its visceral, realistic, and hardcore action, it has forged a new path for action movies.

Tang Lung's baton against Donnie Yen's short knife, the confined alleyways compressing the space for movement, the slashing, blocking, and close-quarters fighting are all filmed on location with almost no special effects, no wire work, and no editing to pad the scene, maximizing the realism of the physical collisions and weapon clashes.

The two delivered a textbook-worthy scene in action movies.

Another match between Tang Lung and Hung Kam-po was equally impressive, a clash between powerful Hung Kuen and modern combat.

Sammo Hung relied on his solid foundation to deliver powerful punches and kicks, combining movement and stillness, taking into account his physical advantages and martial arts skills, and embodying the fierce aura of a triad boss in the fight.

The fight scenes in the film are not simply for showing off skills. The fights fit the characters' identities and states of mind. The ruthlessness of the assassin Ah Jack, the anxiety of the police, and the ferocity of the gangster boss are all hidden in the details of the moves, making the action serve the plot.

Without a doubt, Tang Long has once again delivered a classic action film to the audience.

Unlike Chen Zhiyue, who focused on analyzing the action sequences in the film, Shen Wen, head of the film and television review section of Ming Pao, commented on and praised "SPL: Sha Po Lang" from the perspective of its concept: "The action scenes in 'SPL: Sha Po Lang' are very exciting and have opened up a new genre for Hong Kong action films."

But aside from the action scenes, the film is exceptionally well-made in terms of its theme, narrative, and atmosphere.

The title is taken from the Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology) system, specifically the Seven Killings, Broken Army, and Greedy Wolf stars. It uses fame, fortune, and destiny to connect the three main characters, breaking away from the black-and-white police and gangster tropes and creating three-dimensional and well-rounded characters.

Inspector Chan Kwok-chung, for the sake of his deceased brother, walks the line between law and justice, attempting to punish the gangsters through vigilante justice.

Police officer Ma Jun upheld the bottom line of the law, but wavered in his principles amidst systemic shortcomings and real-life tragedies.

Gangster boss Wang Bao committed numerous evil deeds, yet he was deeply concerned about his wife and children.

The entire cast delivered excellent performances, and their portrayals of the characters were deeply moving.

Liang Jiahui perfectly portrays the contradictory nature of the old policeman who has little time left, his forbearance, stubbornness, deep affection, and obsession.

Tang Long's portrayal of Ma Jun is resolute and decisive, with natural and smooth emotional transitions.

Sammo Hung broke away from his usual comedic image, displaying a domineering yet restrained presence. His subtle expressions revealed the complex humanity of a triad boss, which was a pleasant surprise.

Donnie Yen, dressed in white, created an extremely memorable villain with her agile skills and cool temperament.

The supporting characters also each performed their duties, creating a vivid ensemble cast.

The film doesn't glorify violence or preach harsh lessons; instead, it objectively depicts the struggles and choices of ordinary people facing real-world difficulties. Beneath the surface of a police-criminal story lies a profound reflection on law, morality, and hatred, significantly elevating the intellectual scope of commercial action films.

With Tangde Films spending lavishly and the film boasting exceptional quality, "SPL: Sha Po Lang" quickly became the focus of heated discussion throughout Hong Kong.

The film "SPL: Sha Po Lang" has received high praise from the media, industry professionals, and audiences alike.

With these factors combined, the box office of "SPL: Sha Po Lang" began to soar.

After grossing HK$2.32 on its opening day, it raked in another HK$2.4 million on the second day, and its daily box office never fell below HK$2 million in the following days.

In its opening week, the film raked in HK$17.6 million at the box office.

It was a box office and critical success.

Jackie Chan was busy with the post-production of "Police Story 3" when he heard that "SPL" had performed so well at the box office in its opening week. He sighed and then patted Tang Jili on the shoulder, who had just returned: "Jili, at this rate, 'SPL' will be making 40 million at the box office."

I don't have a movie that has grossed over 40 million Hong Kong dollars yet.

"Now you've made a name for yourself."

Tang Jili couldn't contain his smile: "This is all thanks to Brother Long for giving me the opportunity. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have met Ah Long, and the directorship of 'SPL' wouldn't have fallen to me."

"That's because you have the ability, otherwise Tang Long wouldn't have approached you."

Now that you're back, don't get distracted. Don't forget, you're also the director of *Police Story 3*.

Cheng Long's tone became much more polite; after "SPL: Sha Po Lang," Tang Ji Li's status in his heart rose sharply.

He could no longer regard the other party as an ordinary member of Jackie Chan's stunt team and director.

At Win's Entertainment, Xiang Huasheng looked at the box office figures for "SPL: Sha Po Lang" and felt a slight pain in his chest.

"Xiang Sheng, do you want to go to the hospital to get it checked out?"

Seeing that Xiang Huasheng's expression was not good, Wang Jing couldn't help but speak up.

He appeared concerned, but inwardly he couldn't help but wonder if Xiang Huasheng was really that petty.

"SPL: Sha Po Lang" did indeed perform well at the box office, but with Stephen Chow in the cast, there's no need to be envious.

"No, I'm just a little frustrated. Why won't Tang Long cooperate with Yong Sheng?"

"Xiang Sheng, I think you should stop treating Tang Long as just an actor."

He now owns a film company, and it's a film company that has produced many blockbuster films.

This time, "SPL: Sha Po Lang" is another huge hit, possibly even surpassing any of his previous films in terms of box office and influence. It's rumored that Tangde Film & Television is producing four films at once, indicating that it has grown into a film company comparable to Win's Entertainment.

Xiang Sheng wants to collaborate with him again, but this shouldn't be a simple film collaboration; it should be a capital collaboration.

"What do you mean?"

"You want to work with Tang Long, but he might be secretly wishing he could work with Stephen Chow instead."

Xiang Huasheng began to understand what Wang Jing meant.

Tang Long is not only an actor, but also a film company owner.

You want a film company owner to make a movie for you? How could he possibly agree?

Unless you also lend Stephen Chow to make movies for him, and we exchange and share resources.

At this moment, Xiang Huasheng suddenly realized why Tang Long had always been so cold to him.

He initially thought the other party was wary of his family's background, but now it seems they were clearly unhappy with his attitude.

Tang Long believed that he could be on equal footing with him, but he still regarded the other party as just an actor.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "Don't even think about it, Zhou Xingxing won't lend it out anymore."

Since cooperation is impossible, then we will not cooperate. From now on, Yongsheng and Tangde will be in full-fledged competition.

Having figured things out, Xiang Huasheng stopped worrying, but he still felt a slight pain in his chest.

"By the way, how's the preparation for your 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber: The Cult Leader' coming along?"

"Preparations are complete, and we're just waiting for Jet Li to finish filming 'Once Upon a Time in China 3' before heading to the mainland to begin filming."

"I heard that Tangde Film & Television has also invested in a martial arts film. I'll have to compete with them then."

Since Tang Long considered himself a boss, he would let the other party know that being a boss wasn't so easy.

Tangde Film & Television was jubilant.

They just moved their office, but not too far; they rented an entire floor in the industrial building next door.

The landlord is the same one; this area, including three industrial buildings, is all his property.

A true hidden millionaire, a landlord who collects rent in large sums.

When he heard that Tangde Film Studio was moving, he thought they were complaining about the high rent and even prepared to lower the rent to keep them.

After all, the presence of Tangde Film Industry, a star company, in this building made it easier for him to rent out properties.

I later heard that he thought the place was too small, so they vacated an entire floor in the building next door for him and even gave him a discount on the rent.

Cui Baozhu naturally had nothing to say about this, so she did some simple renovations and moved in.

During this period, the company also recruited many new employees, bringing the total number of employees to over 100 and nearly doubling its size.

As the company grew, she became so busy that she didn't even have time or energy to pay attention to the production team of "New Endless Love," which she was producing.

Now, with the popularity of "SPL: Sha Po Lang," she can finally have some peace and quiet.

Cui Baozhu pondered for a while, then randomly dialed a familiar number again: "Yi Ling, have you thought it through? 'Sha Po Lang' is a box office hit, and Tangde Film Industry is about to take off."

"Now that you've joined, you're practically a company veteran. The vice president position is vacant; what else do you have to worry about?"

You used to have to think about it, but now that Tangde Film & Television is making a big splash, you should have thought it through by now.

"Baozhu, is it really true that Tang Long, Tang Sheng, won't interfere in the company's operations recklessly?"

"I promise I won't. Not only will I not interfere recklessly, but I rarely do. He only cares about the results."

He's usually busy filming, so we just need to complete the tasks he assigns us.

There was silence on the other end of the phone for nearly a minute; Cui Baozhu did not urge her.

A moment later, Yue Yiling's voice came through the phone again: "Okay, I agree. When can I start?"

"Anytime!" Cui Baozhu's lips curled slightly.