Chapter 225 See Through

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In Los Angeles Chinatown, a busy day is coming to an end.

In an old-fashioned bookstore, Li Zi frequently looked at the quartz clock on the wall, and occasionally looked at the door of the store. On the street outside the store, a girl of his age had been waiting for a long time.

The shop owner noticed that Li Zi was abnormal and asked, "What's the matter?"

Li Zi scratched his head in embarrassment, and said, "Boss, can I leave early today?"

The boss looked serious: "There is something to talk about."

Li Zi had no choice but to say, "My girlfriend asked me to go to the movies..."

"Go." The boss didn't feel embarrassed, and waved his hand: "Come early tomorrow morning."

Li Zi hurriedly packed his things: "No problem." He looked at the martial arts book in the boss's hand, and said before going out: "Boss, I’m going to watch a martial arts movie. You love martial arts so much, so go watch it when you have time on weekends." , Congee Runfa and Poor Appearance."

The boss is a little strange: "Can martial arts movies be shown in American theaters?"

This is very rare.

Li Zi glanced outside, not in a hurry to go out, and fawned over a "Premiere" magazine from the bookshelf, pointing to Congee Runfa and Zaiqiong on the cover, and said: "This film is well promoted, newspapers, Ads are everywhere in magazines and on TV.”

The boss took the magazine and nodded, "Yes."

Seeing the boss seriously reading the magazine, Li Zi greeted him, left the shop, met his girlfriend, and rushed to Hollywood.

This is the old Chinatown, most of the Chinese have moved away, and those who stay are doing business. There are more and more Vietnamese and Koreans, but the number far exceeds that of Chinese.

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is not showing nearby, and Li Zi is going to Hollywood to attend the premiere.

"you are too slow."

Sitting in the car, Li Zi's girlfriend Lina complained: "I've been waiting for you for almost an hour."

Li Zi glanced at his watch and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I won't delay watching the premiere."

Lina was a little puzzled: "This kind of film is good-looking?"

Compared to plums,

Lina's family has long been completely Westernized, and she is a little unfamiliar with martial arts and the like.

"Do you know Congee Runfa and Zaoqiong?" Li Zi roughly introduced: "This time it's not just the two of them, there is also a heroine from China, who is said to be the Queen's actress of the National Teacher over there."

Lina immediately remembered certain rumors about Hollywood directors: "Use it for the queen? How? Is it used like that?"

Li Zi was quite helpless with his gossip girlfriend, so he stopped talking about actors: "Do you know who the director is? Ang Lee! The number one Chinese director in Hollywood! Recently, many newspapers and media have praised Ang Lee as the light of the Chinese."

"The number one Chinese director in Hollywood?" Lina couldn't help retorting: "It should be John Wu, right? The gun-holding action he designed for Tom Cruise is really cool!"

Li Zi said disdainfully: "It's been twenty years, and I still only know how to play and be handsome, and I haven't made any progress."

The two chatted and chatted, and soon arrived at the Hollywood Avenue of Fame. At this time, a large number of movie fans had gathered in front of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and there were bursts of shouts from time to time.

"It seems that the red carpet has begun." Lina picked up Li Zi and ran over there.

Li Zi comforted: "It's probably a hot spot, it hasn't started yet."

The two squeezed into the crowd on one side of the red carpet, surrounded by Chinese Americans. There were thousands of people gathered. It seemed that all the Chinese Americans on the Avenue of Stars had gathered at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

"It's rare for a purely Chinese movie to have such a big premiere."

Li Zi heard people talking about it.

"I haven't seen a martial arts movie in theaters for many years."

"The film is full of Chinese, not like Jack Chen and Jeter Lee, to please those old ghosts."

"Ann Lee is amazing. Recently, many media have said that he is also a top-notch director in Hollywood."

"Haven't you heard? "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has already applied for Oscars! It is said that it is very likely to win several Oscars! Chinese films can win Oscars, it is amazing!"

Listening to the random discussions, Lina asked Li Zi: "This movie seems to be very popular?"

Li Zi leaned into her ear and said: "I don't know about those old ghosts, but they have a great influence among Chinese people. Recently, many people in Chinatown are discussing this film, discussing who is the number one in Hollywood, Ang Lee or John Wu. Chinese director."

Lina asked: "Who gets more support?"

Li Zi shrugged: "Of course it's Li An! The media is touting Li An."

As a gossip party, Lina is not stupid, she immediately understood: "This is the film company promoting "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"!"

Anyway, she felt that John Wu was better than Li An. In the film, the male protagonists were all handsome as hell.

The premiere red carpet kicked off at this time, and Ang Lee walked on the red carpet as the first guest.

There were bursts of cheers from both sides of the red carpet, and even the voice of "Chinese Light" kept coming.

This voice made Ang Lee a little uneasy. Fortunately, he has been in Hollywood for many years, and it is not a problem to deal with this kind of occasion. No matter what the fans shout, he just smiles and waves frequently. No matter how he looks, he looks like a good old man.

"Hong Kong and Taiwan martial arts films are rarely related to real emotions and culture. For a long time, they have remained at the level of sensory stimulation and cannot be improved."

When he came to the media area, Ang Lee accepted the media interview: "However, martial arts movies and kung fu action movies have become the best channel for the new generation of Westerners and overseas Chinese, including my son, to understand oriental culture, and even the only way." , but what they came into contact with was the vulgar and inferior part of Eastern culture."

He said: "I have always been worried about this, but I can't do anything about it. Therefore, I decided to make a film that can reflect Eastern culture."

Ronan was standing not far away, quite satisfied with Ang Lee's words. In the pre-screening promotion of this film, the Eastern style of reason and emotion has been highlighted.

Ang Lee's words were carefully drafted by public relations personnel. The core of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is here. The more Ang Lee says that this film reflects oriental culture, the easier it is for some people to think that oriental culture should be like Ang Lee. , learning the essence of the West...

After all, this is a film that pleases Westerners, and it can also please the Chinese community in North America.

Ronan did a survey. No matter how much Chinese people in North America miss their motherland, after living here for many years, their thinking has actually become Westernized.

Such publicity can not only please the Chinese audience, but also help the film win awards.

Li An came over at this time, stood next to Ronan, and said, "I dare not be the light of the Chinese."

Ronan smiled and said, "We need publicity." He reminded Ang Lee: "This is America, and what we want to compete for is the Oscar. We don't even have self-confidence, how can we compete?"

After all, Li An is a westernized person, he nodded and said, "That's right."

Ronan added: "Oscar encourages public relations and competition. Now is the time to make a high profile. Director Li must make a high profile."

"I understand." Ang Lee was not a newcomer in Hollywood either.

He knew what Ronan said was true. If you didn't even show your competitive attitude, how would the judges know that you were going to compete for an Oscar? How do you know you value Oscar?

After all, this is not the past, no public relations, no awards.

Ronan smiled and said, "Come on, we will gain something."

Other cast and crew came over one after another. Ronan, as the representative of the publisher, didn't stay long and went directly into the theater. The crew stayed in the media area to take a group photo.

The main creators of the film crew have already known that the goal of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is the Oscar. For them, this is a very rare opportunity. As long as the film can get something from the Oscar, the value will immediately increase a lot.

Ronan entered the theater, saw David Villa, and asked, "Is the publicity going well?"

David Villa whispered: "I have reached an agreement with "The Hollywood Reporter" and "Variety Show". Since Christmas, there will be more than four pages covering "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" for three consecutive weeks."

"Variety Show" and "Hollywood Reporter" are the most influential entertainment magazines in the industry, and the promotional effect of the awards season is excellent.

Ronan reminded: "Don't save money when you should spend it."

Oscar not only fights for movies and interpersonal relationships, but also fights for investment and financial resources.

It is no exaggeration to say that Oscar competition is also a money war.

To paraphrase a saying in the football circle, those who spend money may not win awards, but those who win awards must spend money.

David Villa was a little worried: "There will be no problems with Ann Lee, right?"

"Don't worry." What Ronan is least worried about is Ang Lee. Compared with other Chinese directors, Ang Lee, who has settled in the United States, understands the rules of Hollywood very well. He said to David Villa: "Ann Lee is a smart man and will fully cooperate with our work."

Ang Lee studied film in the United States, and he studied entertainment films. From the beginning to the end, he did not position himself as an "art master".

He understood very early on that the films he made appeared to be Asian in content, but were actually Western in mind.

Ronan talked with Ang Lee several times, and Ang Lee said more than once that selling pure oriental films in the United States will lead to a dead end in 90% of cases.

There is no doubt that Li An has already seen through this point.

And Ang Lee's films also have the advantage that they are not very artistic, let alone obscure, and can be interpreted by ordinary audiences, and they are not difficult to understand at all.

This is commendable.

In fact, Ang Lee can be regarded as a master of American movies.

Otherwise, there would be no such "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

Although "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has a martial arts shell, famous swords and heroes, landscapes, martial arts, grievances, and love for children, and even introduces Zen Taoism, it is not a real martial arts movie.

Luo Nan remembered reading a short commentary on "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in his previous life: How many people dreamed of being a wanton jade dragon, but they accidentally became the Yu Xiulian who had endured for a lifetime. When he died, he would sigh like Li Mubai, "This life has been wasted". Of course, there are still some people like Luo Xiaohu, even if they are removed, it will not affect other people's stories.