1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 634 Killing like crazy
Kron's story is undoubtedly a moving and thought-provoking tale.

He never achieved his dream, nor did he become the professional singer he aspired to be, until his death.

He suffered a defeat on his musical journey, but through sacrifice, he achieved a "rebirth."

Life may pass away, but dreams can be realized in another way.

Although the story ends with Koro's work "Rebirth" becoming a hit in Japan many years after his death, it still leaves one with a heavy feeling.

Because this was something Kron bought with his own life.

Overall, the second story of Kron is much more detailed and has a clearer storyline than the first story of the Moon Rabbit, and it all tells the story of Kron's experiences.

Therefore, Jiang Xian faced significantly more difficulty in making the revisions.

In his revised version, the logic of the storyline remains unchanged, and it still revolves around the core content of the story.

Landing.

Xu Chenhui, who received the news early in the morning, rushed to pick up Feng Xiaogang at the airport. Feng Xiaogang's wife and daughter also came.

After more than half a year apart, the family was finally reunited, and tears welled up in their eyes.

However, Jiang Xian clearly caught a hint of shame in Feng Xiaogang's eyes, which made him completely certain that Feng Xiaogang and Lü Liping must have something going on in the United States.

Ever since Feng Xiaogang mentioned Lü Liping to him, Jiang Xian had been on guard. Although Lü Liping in the United States was insignificant to him and not much of a rival, Jiang Xian was still cautious, just to be on the safe side, and to prevent Lü Liping from causing him any trouble.

After Feng Xiaogang checked into the Plaza Hotel, Jiang Xian had people keep an eye on him and also investigated Feng Xiaogang's experiences in New York, as well as Lü Liping's matter.

Although they didn't uncover much, Jiang Xian's men still noticed that Feng Xiaogang had taken Lü Liping to the Plaza Hotel room.

There must be something fishy going on between the two, so Jiang Xian has no choice but to keep an eye on Feng Xiaogang.

This guy is something else, and he's definitely got some talent. The fact that he can make commercial films proves he has a business mind, and that he can make "Youth" shows that Feng Xiaogang does have some talent.

Jiang Xian wouldn't mind making use of such a person.

However, if he gets involved in Lü Liping's affairs, Jiang Xian wouldn't mind kicking him out.

After all, to put it bluntly, Lü Liping was a complete traitor to his side.

Don't be fooled by her miserable and pitiful life in the US now. What kind of person is she? You can't let her have a good life. If she has a slightly better life, she easily forgets her own name and who her ancestors were.

Therefore, Jiang Xian did not feel sorry for this guy at all. There is a reason why someone is pitiful. This saying is absolutely true.

Zhong Acheng also returned to China with Jiang Xian this time.

Since "The Last Emperor" won nine out of nine Oscars, a remarkable achievement, it has been widely reported in China, highlighting the remarkable success of this Chinese co-production and the significant international breakthroughs made by Chinese artists Jiang Xian and Su Cong.

In short, the popularity of "The Last Emperor" in China immediately soared to its peak.

Under these circumstances, countless viewers naturally want to see the true face of "The Last Emperor," the Oscar-winning film.

However, it hasn't been broadcast in China yet.
Immediately, many domestic filmmakers spoke out on various media platforms, hoping that the film could be released in China as soon as possible.

Notably, Hong Kong economist Zhang Wuchang also published a commentary, which, due to its significant influence, was quickly reprinted in the mainland's Wen Wei Po.

"Foreigners make better films about Chinese subjects than Chinese people, which is something we should reflect on."

In the past, Chinese films made by foreigners were often somewhat nonsensical and absurd, making Chinese people laugh.

"The Last Emperor" broke with convention and won by doing so, leaving nothing for the Chinese to find laughable.

Instead of nitpicking and self-consoling, it's better to reflect on ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and make improvements. Therefore, in this sense, I think losing a move is something to be thankful for.

To depict the corrupt political effects of the late Qing Dynasty, filmmakers could certainly make the scenes terrifying and tragic, exaggerating the events—it wouldn't be too much to ask!

However, the brilliance of the creators of "The Last Emperor" lies in their complete disregard for this approach; upon repeated viewings, the film exudes immense power. The Chinese have a saying about returning to simplicity and authenticity, and this film, artistically, achieves precisely this state of returning to simplicity.

The phenomenal success of "The Last Generation" in the United States is not easy to understand, and it makes me admire the foresight of the investors who made the huge investment even more. Its excellent box office performance in Japan is not surprising, but its recent box office frenzy in Taiwan is exactly what I expected.

I hope this film can be released in mainland China: even with low ticket prices, there's still a small profit to be made, and if people watch it, they can learn something new and refresh their minds, which will surely benefit the reform efforts in mainland China.

Zhang Wuchang is a Hong Kong economist with a distinguished international reputation. He was once the only economist who did not win the Nobel Prize to be invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony.

However, this person is known as a "madman" because he often puts out some very "arrogant" views. Later, due to some outrageous remarks, he attracted a lot of criticism. The popularity was no longer like before, with praise and criticism mixed in, and praise and slander were mixed.

However, his article has resonated with many mainland moviegoers, igniting their anticipation for watching "The Last Emperor."

China Film Group acted swiftly upon hearing the news, and quickly contacted the production team of "The Last Emperor," only to learn that the distribution rights for the mainland market were held by "Today Films."

Zhong Acheng's main purpose in returning to China this time was to discuss the distribution of "The Last Emperor" with China Film Group, and also to visit his family.

Dong'an Market Cinema.

By the end of April, temperatures in Beijing had already soared.

The wooden doors of the auditorium groaned like a brittle biscuit being constantly pounded.

Sun Changchun was jostled by the crowd until his feet left the ground, his nose pressed against the sweaty back of the man in front of him. The salty smell of sweat and tobacco mingled in his face, and he could hear the sound of fabric tearing, as if someone's shirt had come ripped at the back.

"Tickets! Does anyone have extra tickets!" a young man wearing glasses shouted hoarsely, but no one paid him any attention. Everyone craned their necks, staring at the two rickety wooden doors.

Sun Changchun felt like he was stuffed into a sardine can, with no room to even raise his hand to wipe his sweat.

"Why are so many people watching this movie?" Sun Changchun overheard someone muttering.

"It's great! I watched it a second time and I couldn't stop laughing."

"I came here because of Pan Hong; I heard that she and her husband are struggling financially because of this movie."

"I know about this. She's having an affair with Ma Qing from the movie."

"What Ma Qing? It's that square-faced guy surnamed Yu!"

"Oh right, that mama's boy in 'The Editorial Department'."

"No way, it's so ugly."

"Who knows what they were thinking?"

Sun Changchun listened silently. To his left was a girl with an afro, her hair occasionally brushing against his cheek, the smell of hairspray pungent. To his right was an old man in a Zhongshan suit, clutching a ticket stub that had been crumpled in his hand.

"This frenzy is even fiercer than last year's TV buying spree," Sun Changchun thought to himself.

He was a single young man, a loyal reader of Jiang Xian, and a die-hard fan of the novel "The Playboy".

Hearing that "The Troubleshooters" was being released, he went to great lengths to get this movie ticket from the factory and came to see it alone. Just as he was thinking about it, the door finally opened.

The crowd surged in like a burst dam, and Sun Changchun was pushed forward, almost tripping on the threshold.

He glanced back and saw a large group of people outside, peering through the windows.

Inside the auditorium, the ceiling fans spun frantically, but they couldn't dispel the heat rising from the nearly one thousand people.

An advertisement for laundry detergent was playing on the screen, but no one paid attention because the noise of the audience drowned out the loudspeaker. People were busy finding seats, calling out to their friends, and the air was filled with restless dust.

Sun Changchun found his seat in the third-to-last row, but as soon as he sat down, he discovered that the armrests were already occupied by people in front and behind him.

He had no choice but to straighten his back and stare intently at the screen.

The moment the lights went out, the entire auditorium fell silent, save for the sounds of breathing and the dull thud of someone accidentally kicking a metal chair leg.

The first wave of laughter began when the beige subtitles "3T Company" appeared on the screen.

Ge You's bald head appeared on the screen, his voice barely audible: "Solving other people's problems, relieving their boredom, taking the blame for others..."

"Is this Ge You? He's a completely different person from the one in 'The Chess King'!" someone nearby exclaimed in a low voice.

Sun Changchun remained silent, watching the three idle young men on the screen as they started the "3T Company," acting as someone else's love interest, someone else's victim, and someone else's dutiful son or grandson.

Each absurd scene elicited even greater laughter.

When Ma Qing stood in the square and shouted, "Who the hell dares to mess with me?", the laughter in the entire hall almost lifted the roof off.

But Sun Changchun noticed that the laughter would suddenly become thin at certain moments.

When Yang Chong said "I love you" to Liu Meiping with a blank expression, and when Sun Changchun said "we are friends" to Bao Kang with a wandering gaze, he heard a few thoughtful "tsks" from those around him.

The old gentleman in the Zhongshan suit sat upright to Sun Changchun's right, remaining silent for most of the time. He only shook his head slightly when Ma Xiaoqing cried out, "I'm not done with you!" But Sun Changchun noticed that the corners of his mouth turned up a few times that he couldn't suppress.

The girl with the afro laughed the loudest, especially when she saw Ding Xiaoli, played by Pan Hong, appear. She patted her female companion's shoulder vigorously: "She's just like my sister! She's just like that too!"

The film reaches its peak of absurdity during the "3T Literature Award" ceremony.

At the fake awards ceremony, the writers, judges, and audience members all acted as if they were serious, Peking Opera actors tumbled onto the stage, and bodybuilders struck poses.

The laughter in the auditorium became complex; some people were laughing uproariously, some seemed lost in thought, and others, like Sun Changchun, had a bittersweet feeling in their laughter.

When Sun Changchun on screen said, "I just love the vulgar stuff!" he heard a clear comment from behind him: "Great filming, fucking awesome!"

The film concludes with the closure of "3T Company".

Ge You, Zhang Guoli, and Liang Tian sat in the empty office, looking at the space that was once bustling but is now deserted.

Finally, they went out onto the street and mingled with the bustling crowd.

The lights did not turn on immediately when the subtitles appeared.

In the darkness, Sun Changchun heard sporadic applause all around him, which soon grew into a continuous, enthusiastic, and sustained clapping.

Some people whistled, some shouted "Awesome!", and others discussed the plot they had just witnessed.

"Did you understand? What does it mean?"

"I'm talking about our generation, people who are idle but want to do something."

“It’s so decadent,” one girl said. “It teaches people not to be good.”

“What do you know?” the boy next to her retorted. “This is called reality!”

Sun Changchun walked out with the crowd and noticed that several young people were still engrossed in the movie, imitating Ge You's lines:
"Life is so boring."

"Do whatever you want."

Outside the cinema, the crowd of people without tickets had not completely dispersed and were still discussing the matter in small groups.

Scalpers weaved through the crowd, asking in hoarse voices, "Does anyone sell tickets?" But clearly no one was willing to sell.

He continued walking, passing several young people who looked like college students, arguing heatedly about terms like "postmodernism" and "deconstruction." These were the hottest topics of the time, just like how you need to understand internet slang in later generations; these terms were also a basic skill for chatting with people.

The crowd lingered for a long time.

The cinema manager hastily pulled out a megaphone to announce: "Tickets for tomorrow and the day after are sold out!"

Many scalpers were also seen carrying signs with the word "Wanzhu" written in red paint, and tickets that cost 50 cents were being sold for 3.5 yuan.

The editors at Popular Cinema magazine were astonished. They hadn't expected the movie "The Troubleshooters" to become such a hit. They knew that when they bought copies at the quarterly screening event, the number of copies sold was not high, only a little over 110.

In other words, the representatives of film companies from various provinces were not very optimistic about this film.

The audience's enthusiasm was a huge slap in the face to the film companies in various provinces.

Then came another round of jumping around and copying.
"Sigh, they don't even consider which novel was adapted into the movie. The name Jiang Xian alone is worth a hundred copies," an editor said.

"One hundred? Too few, one hundred and fifty."

Two hundred.

The editors chimed in, each one offering their own opinion. As editors of the magazine "Popular Cinema," they were more aware than anyone of the influence of films associated with Jiang Xian.

"You guys think Jiang Xian is amazing," someone said.

"what happened?"

The other person smiled mysteriously, "What are the two most talked-about films in China right now?"

"Most attention-grabbing?"

"The Last Emperor and The Troubleshooters, huh?"

Another editor had already guessed the answer: "It was all Jiang Xian's doing, he's really amazing."

"And that's not even talking about the TV series yet."

Another editor exclaimed, "I've heard that the currently popular CCTV drama 'Aspiration' was also created by Jiang Xian."

"His."

Everyone in the editorial department gasped.

(End of this chapter)