Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 562 Two Troublemakers
The main feature ended, and then the interview segment began, blah blah blah~
It mainly introduced the filming locations, Tianjin and Dalian.
Many people assume that this film is mostly set indoors and must have been shot in a studio.

Actually not.

The filming locations included Jiefang North Road Financial Street, the Cadre Club, the Italian Style Street, and the Prince Qing's Mansion in Tianjin. The "Qiu Manor" in the film was built by the crew in the Shicao Scenic Area in Dalian.

The original "The Message" claimed in its promotional materials that all the props and furnishings were antique treasures, which sounded like pure boasting.

Huayi Brothers just loves to sensationalize.

The most memorable part of the movie is the torture instruments, which can be described as the "Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty".

The 'rope torture' in particular is extremely cruel; it's painful to watch even through the screen.

Li Lianhua has delivered what can be considered the most daring performance in history.

The media raised many questions about this, and Fu Donglai took the opportunity to promote the film: "All the punishments in the movie are real. The production team conducted rigorous research. The suffering our ancestors endured is far beyond what a movie can express..."

Then it was Zhang Chen's turn to ask questions:
How would you rate this movie?

"A rare masterpiece!"

"Is there an emotional element involved in such high praise?"

"Absolutely not. Mainstream films are difficult to make, mainstream commercial films are even more difficult, and mainstream commercial films with ensemble casts are the most difficult of all. But 'The Message' has succeeded. Its commercial appeal, pacing, and acting are all impeccable. This is a film that deserves awards..."

Zhang Chen was lavish in his praise of "The Message," and there was virtually no exaggeration in his assessment.

Aside from the torture scenes, the most advertised selling point of "The Message" is the actors' acting skills.

An all-star cast, with everyone delivering solid performances.

Gu Xiaomeng, played by Zhou Xun;

Li Lianhua plays Li Ningyu;
Zhang Hanyu plays Wu Zhiguo;
Huang Xiaoming plays the Japanese colonel;

Tong Dawei plays Bai Xiaonian;
Wang Zhiwen plays Wang Tianxiang;
Young Dae plays Kim Saeng-hwa;

The cast is full of talented actors; only Huang Xiaoming and Tong Dawei might falter.

However, it does not.

Huang Xiaoming is known for being strong when facing strong opponents and weak when facing weak opponents.

Guided by a group of veteran actors, I was forced to unleash my inner potential.

His portrayal of the Japanese colonel didn't seem like acting at all.

Tong Dawei's performance as Bai Xiaonian was also very good.

Young male roles are exactly the type that Tong Dawei excels at, and with the added difficulty of the 'purgatory' level, his acting skills exploded, and he didn't falter at all.

During filming, intense acting became a daily routine.

Fu Donglai's photos are so satisfying!
The director only needs to explain the effect they want, and the actors can express it in several ways; you can choose whichever you like best.

It's just like choosing items in a supermarket—so convenient!

It makes him seem like he's no longer useful as a director.

Bringing together such a large group of talented actors in one film is probably every director's dream.

If we must draw a comparison, then "The Message" is somewhat similar to "In the Name of the People," featuring a cast of veteran actors whose performances are completely natural, and without any weak or incompetent characters like Hou Liangping.

"Many teachers from the Beijing Film Academy are here today, but I still dare to say that the performance in 'The Message' is worthy of being included in acting textbooks..."

At a premiere, you have to say something shocking.

Another notable feature of "The Message" is its all-mainland cast.

This film isn't even a co-production.

However, this point is not suitable for widespread promotion, as it could undermine unity in the current climate of co-productions.

Therefore, the only thing that can be amplified is the acting skills.

However, the media's question suddenly shifted: "Director Zhang Chen, could you reveal when your debate with Director Lu Chuan will take place?"

The moment the question was asked, all the reporters' eyes lit up.

If you turn off the lights at this time, you will see countless tiny light bulbs.

Zhang Chen scoffed, "I extended an invitation, but Lu Gongzhi doesn't seem to intend to respond. Since we have this opportunity today, everyone can help me pass on the message and tell Lu Gongzhi to stop playing dead. Where did his usual energy go..."

Lu Chuan, now nicknamed Lu the Public Intellectual, was given to him by Zhang Chen.

Director Lu Chuan, who dares to spout nonsense even during the pandemic, what else could he be but a public intellectual?
Unfortunately, it was no use trying to convey the message. Lu, the public intellectual, simply pretended to be disabled, unable to hear, completely unable to hear.

In fact, Lu Chuan was also very frustrated.

Zhang Chen had previously made a public appeal, saying he could bring helpers, which had given him a lot of thought.

They thought they could gang up on Zhang Chen, but to their surprise, no one was willing to help him.

No, where did your invincible aura go? I stood up for you, and you turned around and betrayed me?

Lu Chuan was put on the hot seat, but no public intellectuals were willing to stand up for him.

On the internet, nobody's afraid of anyone; even a novice can defeat a master with a flurry of punches.

But when it came to actually having a face-to-face showdown with Zhang Chen, they all backed down.

Zhang Chen's record is too brilliant; he has never lost a match to date!
It wasn't easy for them to make a name for themselves, and if they go up against Zhang Chen, they could very well be ruined.

Moreover, Zhang Chen's original words were, "You can bring your two henchmen with you."

Listen to that, "Hum and Ha Generals," how awful! Nobody wants to bear such a stigma; it would ruin their life.

A war of words requires interaction between two people to actually start.

Now that one of them is playing the victim, the matter has naturally been dropped.

The media's attempts to stir up trouble were useless; Lu Chuan refused to see anyone and did not accept any interviews.

Netizens are furious! You coward, give us back our gossip!
You can curse him all you want, but Lu Chuan won't respond. Can you hold a gun to his head and force him to come?
The production team of "Qiang Qiang San Ren Xing" was dumbfounded. They had been hyping up this episode, but now that Lu Chuan was suddenly not coming, half of the show's appeal was gone, and they had no choice but to change their plans at the last minute.

Dou Wentao, holding the new proposal in his hand, looked utterly astonished: "You want to invite Wang Shuo?"

The program director nodded.

"Are you sure you can handle having two troublemakers like Wang Shuo and Zhang Chen on the same show?"

The director remained silent, as did the program planner. Dou Wentao touched his nose and said, "Anyway, I can't handle it, and I can't think of anyone who can. Both of them are troublemakers. If they get along peacefully, that's fine, but if they start arguing, how can the show be broadcast?"

The director and program planner exchanged a glance and bluntly stated, "Then it depends on your skill level. Try your best to prevent them from arguing. If there are signs of them arguing, find them a common enemy..."

Not long after, Zhang Chen received a call from Dou Wentao.

"You invited Wang Shuo?"

"Yeah, this episode's getting so much attention, Lu Chuan isn't coming, so we have to ask Wang Shuo to step in."

"You guys don't want me to start a war of words with Wang Shuo, do you?"

Zhang Chen didn't mind speculating with the utmost malice.

Dou Wentao immediately said, "No, no, no, quite the opposite. This is exactly the situation we least want to see. We just want you to express your sharp opinions..."

"Okay, I agree."

Dou Wentao thought he would have to do some persuasion, but Zhang Chen agreed right away.

Zhang Chen didn't have any particular reason; he was simply curious.

Despite having spent so much time in Beijing, he didn't know Wang Shuo at all.

The closest the two ever came was probably during the argument between Zhang Chen and Lu Chuan, when Wang Shuo suddenly jumped out and called Lu Chuan a piece of shit.

Prior to this, the two had never crossed paths.

After that, the two had no further contact.

Wang Shuo wasn't trying to curry favor; he simply couldn't stand it.

Zhang Chen didn't exactly dislike Wang Shuo, but he certainly didn't have any good feelings towards him either.

Troublemakers don't necessarily respect each other.
On the set of the talk show "Qiang Qiang San Ren Xing", Wang Shuo and Zhang Chen entered and took their seats in turn.

This show is just casual conversation. Usually, the host will choose some light topics at the beginning to get the guests into the mood as soon as possible. You don't even know when the camera has been secretly turned on.

Dou Wentao: "I was chatting with a friend the other day, and we talked about something that all men have said." Wang Shuo: "I didn't go; I waited for them outside."

Zhang Chen: "They all ordered, but I didn't. I thought it was dirty."

Hahaha~
This kind of topic can easily bring men closer together.

No one expected that the first meeting between the two troublemakers in the entertainment industry would not be a lively affair.

The director quietly started filming, while the conversation continued.

"Have you two met before?"

"I don't know him," Wang Shuo shook his head.

Zhang Chen also said, "We don't interact in real life. The only time was when Lu Chuan and I had an online argument, and he voiced his support for me online. Thank you so much!"

Zhang Chen put his hands together in a gesture of respect, saying that since someone had helped him, he should show some gratitude.

Wang Shuo waved his hand and said, "Hey, it's nothing. I just couldn't stand that kid showing off..."

Dou Wentao thought today's start was good.

"What are your thoughts on the recent banning of 'The Mummy 3'?"

Wang Shuo was very talkative: "On this point, I think the ban was justified. The teachers all said that we should look at Qin Shi Huang from two perspectives, but in their movies, he's portrayed as the main villain..."

Zhang Chen: "Hollywood culture is like this: they don't have their own history, so they lack respect for history. Hollywood even made a movie called 'Abraham Lincoln the Vampire Hunter,' which is completely unimaginable here. Lincoln is practically the founding emperor of America, yet he was still ridiculed..."

Liang Wendao: "Was Zhang Chen the first to propose the idea of ​​the First Emperor?"

Zhang Chen shook his head: "It wasn't me, it was the instructor."

Wang Shuo added from the side: "It was mentioned first in the letter the teacher wrote to Guo Lao—'I advise you to criticize Qin Shi Huang less, the burning of books and burying of scholars alive should be discussed. The soul of the First Emperor is dead, but Qin still lives on; the reputation of Confucianism is high, but its substance is chaff.'"

"Could Lu Chuan's remarks be a publicity stunt?"

This time, Zhang Chen responded: "If he were really just trying to create hype, I'd respect him as a man. But the answer is no. His film 'Nanjing Nanjing' isn't even released until April next year. Creating hype now won't generate any buzz at all. This guy just loves to show off. Look at all the things he's said, including that argument with me before—it was all about showing off..."

"Yeah, that guy just loves to show off."

On this matter, the two troublemakers were surprisingly in agreement.

"Why would Hollywood do this? Was it intentional?"

"It's not exactly intentional, but the 'white people saving the world' formula is their go-to template for making movies; that's all they ever make them."
But if the story takes place in the United States, it's fine to film it like this.

If you film stories that happen in China in the same way, the Chinese people won't accept them.

However, looking at it another way, this is actually a good thing, indicating that they haven't yet found the right traffic formula for China.

If Hollywood knew how to adapt to local conditions, then with their emphasis on a film industry, our film industry would soon be destroyed.

Leung Man-tao: "What you said suddenly makes me a little scared."

Zhang Chen: "Actually, they've already found the code to the data traffic, but there's an exception~"

Everyone: "?"

"Kung Fu Panda".

This is an animated film produced entirely by a foreign team, but it has actually grasped the pulse of Chinese culture. The wordless scripture and the concept of non-contention show that the screenwriter understands Chinese culture very well. However, the reason it is considered an exception is because it is an animated film, and the main characters are various animals. If they were replaced with white or black people, it would be a different story..."

When it comes to understanding movies, once Zhang Chen starts talking, no one can get a word in edgewise.

Dou Wentao realized this and began to change the subject:
"I watched 'Bodyguards and Assassins' a couple of days ago, have you all seen it?"

Leung Man-tao: "After watching it, I felt a tightness in my chest, even though it was an ensemble film. In the past, martial arts films hit the adrenaline, but this film hit my heart."

Dou Wentao agreed: "Yes, in the past, action scenes only made people feel that the fighting was very exciting, but the action scenes in 'Bodyguards and Assassins' only made people feel a tightness in their chest, those people were too miserable..."

Wang Shuo: "The emotional rendering was very well done, but the plot design was terrible. They just went up to their deaths one by one..."

Fearing a conflict, Dou Wentao quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of ensemble dramas, there's another one, 'The Message,' which was just released recently. Have you seen it?"

Wang Shuo: "I've seen it."

Leung Man-tao: "Premiere?"

Wang Shuo shook his head: "No, I wasn't invited. I bought my own ticket."

Zhang Chen smiled wryly, "Who would dare invite you?"

The premiere was meant to promote the film, but if a troublemaker like Wang Shuo were to take offense and make negative comments, the film's reputation would be completely ruined.

However, Wang Shuo then offered a fair assessment: "The Message was quite good; it's also an ensemble piece, but Red Cliff wasn't as good."

Everyone looked at Zhang Chen, recalling the things he had said at the Battle of Red Cliffs, but found that he remained silent.

"Why are not you talking?"

Zhang Chen smiled wryly: "I promised someone I wouldn't comment on 'Red Cliff' anymore."

"Haha, it must be China Film Group!"

This part has to be cut!

Everyone laughed.

"Then I'll say it for you: 'Red Cliff' is utter garbage!"

Wang Shuo: "I don't like 'Bodyguards and Assassins,' but there's one thing this movie did particularly well: there aren't any villains in the strict sense."

Indeed, everyone is trying to save China in their own way.

Why don't you like "Bodyguards and Assassins"?

"Because the plot is so idiotic, those people are going in one by one, completely just to die for the sake of dying~"

Zhang Chen also chimed in, "Bodyguards and Assassins is very successful in its character development, but its plot is definitely a weakness..."

"I also think the characters are exceptionally well-developed. Even though each character doesn't have much screen time, they are all very memorable..."

"I thought it was so heroic that Donnie Yen's character, a gambling addict, crashed into Yan Xiaoguo's horse at the end!"

"The most outstanding performances were by Leon Lai and Hu Jun."

Wang Shuo: "The only contribution of this drama is that it made people aware of just how prestigious the title of 'Martial Arts Champion' was in ancient times."

Dou Wentao: "How so?"

"A martial arts champion who's been addicted to drugs and neglected his studies for years can fight like this. In his prime, he was practically invincible. Even though he was seriously injured back then, he still managed to cut off his opponent's braid. If the two fought fairly, Yan Xiaoguo would be no match for him at all..."

"Is that so?" Everyone looked at Zhang Chen.

"Of course, Yan Xiaoguo was just a martial artist, but what is a martial arts champion? It's the most powerful fighter in all of China that year, there's no comparison. Take Huo Yuanjia for example, he's famous enough, known as 'Number One in Tianjin,' the most powerful fighter in all of Tianjin, but when he met the martial arts champion of that year, he was defeated in two moves..."

Although "Bodyguards and Assassins" is an ensemble film, it was actually Hu Jun and Leon Lai who became famous in the end.

Donnie Yen also had his moments of brilliance in the film, but they were fleeting.

Hu Jun's acting skills are truly amazing, with an incredibly strong sense of pressure; he truly deserves to be the leader of the world's number one gang.

Hmph, do you still dare to say you don't know martial arts and are just a pretty good dramatic actor?
At the same time, this film also spawned a very famous meme: Look, even Ip Man wouldn't dare say he could take on ten Qiao Fengs!
The plot holes that Wang Shuo pointed out do exist, including the ending: "You clearly had a gun, why didn't you do it earlier?"
But no one questions the spirit of selflessly sacrificing oneself for one's beliefs that the film portrays.

Foreigners may not believe it, but Chinese people all understand.

Once a person has faith, they can disregard life and death.

Chinese people often say, "Nothing matters more than life and death," but they also have the awareness that "for the sake of freedom, both can be given up."

This thing is ingrained in the blood of Chinese people.

To put it simply, as soon as the bugle call sounds, the DNA in the blood of the Chinese people will be awakened, and everyone will become a fearless warrior.

There are no cowards under the bugle call to charge!
Foreigners often can't understand why Chinese people behave this way, but it's actually quite simple.

The two colors that Chinese people have in mind are both on the national flag: red and yellow.

I won't go into what yellow is~
Red is Chinese red!

……

I've recently become obsessed with period novels set in the 1950s. Any recommendations for good ones?

(End of this chapter)