Fooling Huayu for Thirty Years

Chapter 350 The Lunar New Year Film Battle Begins! But It Ends Almost as Soon as It Begins (2-in-1)

"First of all, this movie isn't actually that difficult to understand. In my opinion, it's just a normal romance..."

"So, the character 'Show'..."

"This is also my performance. Zhou Yu is one person, Xiu is another person, they exist in different times and spaces..."

"So that's it."

As an international film queen, Zhou Yu's Train attracted a media frenzy as soon as the film's promotion began.

Gong Li gave several interviews to media outlets in one day, working at full capacity.

Clearly, she remains the queen-level movie star who can generate massive buzz the moment she appears.

As a result, the film "Zhou Yu's Train" naturally achieved great success in terms of publicity.

They seem to have a very ambitious vision for the Lunar New Year film season.

Regardless of whether they can win or not, at least they've put on a very aggressive stance.

When the Wang brothers saw this, they certainly couldn't give way.

"Why is Gong Li, that slut, so jumpy?"

"Of course, this movie is only good for her, nothing else."

"Who invested in this movie? What's the purpose of it?"

"They probably have overseas funding, but they've really hit the mark this time, finding this guy Kitamura."

"His poems are nothing but pointless whining! Humph! What's so interesting about this movie?"

"It must be Gong Li, that woman, flaunting her sex appeal."

"This...that is indeed quite interesting."

"Hahaha……"

The Wang brothers' private conversation was quite sarcastic.

Clearly, they are very confident about this Lunar New Year film season.

"Zhou Yu's Train" is an art-house romance film.

The only selling point is Gong Li, although she is indeed quite daring in this film.

These are what they gleaned from the posters.

For example, there's a scene where Gong Li seems to be about to kiss Liang Jiahui, and another where she sits there showing off her long legs in front of Sun Honglei.

Artistic and sexy—that's probably what this movie is all about.

However, the Wang brothers were also formidable; they discovered their opponent's weaknesses early on.

"Gong Li, in the end, is not that flamboyant."

"Could it be that……"

"That's right, there's a stand-in, hehe..."

"That makes things much easier!"

The eldest son of the Wang family somehow got the information that Gong Li had some daring or rumored scenes that crossed the line in this movie.

Actually, they were all played by stand-ins.

This is called luo substitution.

Those in the industry know that Gong Li is an international film queen, she wouldn't actually show skin.

Even some of the bolder shots are avoided if possible.

If that's the case, then it'll be easier to fight.

The Wang brothers immediately devised a strategy, using this nude substitution incident as a breakthrough point.

"Zhou Yu's Train" only has Gong Li. As long as Gong Li is knocked out, we're guaranteed to win!
No problem, we'll arrange it right away!

Actually, the Wang brothers were somewhat forced to launch the Lunar New Year film battle ahead of schedule.

The original plan was to use the TV series "Storm Riders 2" to keep Ma Xun temporarily occupied.

Unexpectedly, the TV series did not achieve this effect at all.

The Storm Riders 2 failed way too quickly.

The online reviews of this show... well, they can't be said to be entirely negative.

There are still quite a few fans of the previous series, but even those who can still watch it will definitely have a few complaints.

Some of the special effects in this movie are really terrible.

In addition, the plot is really strange, many of the twists are too far-fetched, and it's also too drawn out.

In short, there are too many flaws.

The film that competed with it, "Love Through Time," was not initially well-received.

But this show is really quite refreshing!

Time travel seems to be particularly popular these days, and quite a few novels have already incorporated it.

And this TV series... came at the right time?

Anyway, the audience really bought into it.

In addition to Jingwen and Yuanyuan, they are indeed quite popular now.

The disastrous failure of "Storm Riders 2" was hardly unexpected.

In addition, a major piece of news has recently been revealed.

Gao Yuanyuan is going to be on the Spring Festival Gala!

As soon as this news came out, it was immediately linked to the TV series.

Many netizens naturally couldn't resist discussing it.

Some people ask, what kind of roles can Gao Yuanyuan play?
Some say that it's purely based on looks, right?

Some people know some inside information: Gao Yuanyuan sings, but the person behind the song is the "Queen of Sweet Songs," Yang Yuying!

You know what, once this inside story came out, many netizens became even more interested.

The combination of Yuanyuan and the Queen of Sweet Songs is really something to look forward to!

Well, there's still some time before the Spring Festival Gala, so we should watch "Love Across Time" more often now.

In this drama, Yuanyuan plays a special police officer who travels through time with Xiaowanzi and later becomes Zhu Di's princess.

In the play, her name is Liu Piaopiao, which is also an ABB-like name.

That's interesting.

Honestly, in terms of plot alone, this show is just as good as "Storm Riders 2".

As the broadcast continues, the advantages of "Love Through Time" become increasingly apparent.

The Wang brothers, of course, couldn't sit still any longer.

The only option is to arrange a high-intensity promotional campaign for the movie "Cellphone" in advance.

And, more importantly, the preview screenings!
The Wang brothers did this based on the plot of the movie "Cellphone".

The movie "Cellphone" will undoubtedly evoke this association in any viewer from mainland China:

Yan Shouyi = Xiao Cui!

This is inevitable!
But is it okay to promote it like this?

No way!

We can't do it openly, anyway.

But this point is definitely the biggest selling point of this movie!

Therefore, we'll have a preview screening first.

In other words, these viewers who watched the preview screening will definitely become tools for the Wang brothers and Feng Xiaogang!
They'll definitely spread the word everywhere, saying that this movie, "Cellphone," is a satire of Cui Yongyuan!

Right now, Cui Yongyuan is definitely the most famous host on CCTV (in terms of popularity). Once his skit with Uncle Benshan came out, there was really no one else.

"Cell Phone" is blatantly piggybacking on the popularity of a famous TV host.

But it absolutely cannot be said outright.

The Wang brothers thus chose this method.

Preview screenings are a killer marketing tactic!
These two really do have some clever ideas.

And so, the large-scale preview screenings of "Cellphone" began!

……

Beijing.

Feng Xiaogang led his team to the Red Mansion Cinema in Beijing today for a preview screening.

It was partly a promotional event, and partly a chance to hear the audience's opinions on the film.

Although he didn't think the audience's opinions were that important, he had to do this event.

Unexpectedly, they encountered a special 'audience' here.

"Teacher Feng."

"Oh, isn't this Mr. Ma?"

Ma Xun greeted Feng Xiaogang with a cheerful smile, as if the incident of stirring up trouble in Hengdian had never happened.

To say that Feng Xiaogang wasn't a little apprehensive would be pure nonsense.

This king of Lunar New Year films is truly at a loss for words when it comes to Ma Xun's strategy.

Can he really be that magnanimous?

Moreover, this is a preview screening and an event, which means there will be many media friends as well, not just ordinary viewers.

This... Ma Xun's arrival could be to support me?
Just then, Ma Xun said something.

"Teacher Feng, I've come here to support you."

what?
I don't believe it! I absolutely don't believe it!
Little Cannon wasn't someone who was easily fooled. From that moment on, he was convinced that he absolutely could not believe a single word Ma Xun said.

"Thank you so much!"

However, a smile is still a must.

This is called politeness, this is called how to treat people, and there are also many media friends there.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ma Xun, the number of people in the screening room increased even more.

There are quite a few people from within the industry among them.

Unexpectedly, another person with a significant background has joined the fray.

"Teacher Feng!"

"Oh, Mr. Wang, hello, hello."

Wang Yu even showed up!

This really surprised Feng Xiaogang.

And this king of the Lunar New Year films immediately thought, could it be that Wang Yu's arrival is related to Ma Xun?

Aren’t they good friends?

But soon, Wang Yu explained, "I came here with someone else."

other people?

A girl with big eyes looked away shyly.

That's Li Yu.

It's not that big-eyed thief anymore!

Feng Xiaogang wasn't entirely clear on this gossip, and couldn't help but think to himself, "This young master from Beijing is indeed quite the ladies' man."

Needless to say, Wang Yu's appearance caught Feng Xiaogang completely off guard, and he will definitely suspect that it is related to Ma Xun.

But since they publicly stated that they had nothing to do with Ma Xun and were just accompanying Qing'er, it should be alright, right?

They chatted briefly for a couple more minutes, and that was the end of it.

Just as Feng Xiaogang was about to interact with the media, another unexpected celebrity arrived.

"Mr. Feng, I wish your new film great success!"

Zhang Ziyi!
Her appearance caught not only Feng Xiaogang off guard, but also many media professionals.

Quickly take a few more photos.

"Hello, hello." Feng Xiaogang was surprised to see Zhang Ziyi appear as well.

Are they all here to show their support?

"I heard your film is really good, so I came here to learn from it."

Zhang Ziyi has done quite well in the past two years. She has improved in her speech and actions, and seems to no longer be the naive girl who went on stage with Zhang Yimou to receive an award without knowing how to behave.

Feng Xiaogang quickly chatted with this rapidly rising star.

Then, Feng Xiaogang made a surprising discovery.

Wang Yu and Ma Xun started chatting too!
Seeing this, Feng Xiaogang had no choice but to give an awkward laugh.

After that, we entered some simple interactive programs, and then we had to see what kind of movie this "Cellphone" was.

What did Ma Xun and Wang Yu talk about?

Actually, their meeting was quite by chance.

However, they met by chance before even watching the movie.

And this time, Wang Yu's girlfriend, Li Yu, really wanted to see the movie, so she came to watch the preview screening.

Then let's watch it.

And now, the things they're talking about are quite interesting.

"To be honest, this movie isn't really suitable for bringing your girlfriend to see."

"No, is it true?"

"You'll see when you see it."

"Haha...I really don't believe it!"

Ma Xun was trying his best to persuade Wang Yu, but Wang Yu didn't take it seriously at all.

Just as they were about to enjoy the movie, an unexpected incident occurred.

"Mr. Ma, Mr. Wang, hello." For some reason, Zhang Ziyi ended up hanging out with Ma Xun, Wang Yu, and Li Yu.

We all know that movie tickets correspond to specific seats.

In other words, is it really just a coincidence that we are together?
Ma Xun and Wang Yu both looked at each other strangely, but Zhang Ziyi explained with a smile, "I switched places with that friend."

That's right, Ma Xun and Wang Yu sat down first.

So, Zhang Ziyi deliberately sat with Ma Xun? (Obviously, Wang Yu sat with Li Yu.)
Ma Xun was even more puzzled. "Ms. Zhang, this is not good. There are quite a few media reporters and such who came to watch the movie this time."

His words sounded like he was thinking of Zhang Ziyi's best interests, but in reality, Ma Xun didn't want to sit with Zhang Ziyi at all.

Couldn't Zhang Ziyi tell?
She laughed and said, "I've always felt that Mr. Ma is very accomplished in film, and I really want to hear his opinion on 'Cellphone' this time."

This woman did it on purpose!

There was no other way; the screening room went dark as well.

Soon, the movie "Cellphone" was released, and right from the start, Wang Yu understood the meaning behind Ma Xun's words.

The movie opens with a monologue.

And that's how Yan Shouyi made his appearance.

However, there was another woman, his sister-in-law, Lü Guihua.

He rode his bicycle with his sister-in-law on the back to make a phone call and ask about Niu Sanjin, who was still at the mine.

Will they ever come back?

Then, the names Niu Sanjin and Lü Guihua were even turned into a song, sung by Yang Kun.

The opening scene alone gave it a very art-house film feel.

But the scene shifts, and thirty years later, Yan Shouyi has become a television program host.

It's a very well-known one.

"This opening seems to have a certain feel to it," Zhang Ziyi couldn't help but say.

To be fair, if we look at the movie "Cellphone" purely from a cinematic perspective...

This is indeed a rare gem of a film, but unfortunately, it is far too simplistic.

Ma Xun then asked in a low voice, "Did you figure it out too?"

"Huh? What?"

Zhang Ziyi was puzzled. What exactly had she figured out?
Ma Xun whispered again, "Don't you remember Lü Guihua?"

Should I remember?

Ma Xun had no choice but to suggest, "In 'Big Shot'."

"Oh? She's in 'Big Shot'?"

Zhang Ziyi's voice rose in surprise, but she immediately covered her mouth again. Her loss of composure just now would become news!

Ma Xun laughed and said, "The opening scene of 'Big Shot' is a woman giving birth in the Forbidden City..."

As soon as he mentioned it, Zhang Ziyi immediately thought of it.

It turns out that the scene where Lü Guihua gives birth was actually filmed by the foreign director in the movie "Big Shot's Funeral," and that scene was truly embarrassing.

The calls were alright, though.

The key is that he was drenched in sweat, and his hair was flying everywhere...

Zhang Ziyi lowered her head inexplicably, and then became even angrier at Ma Xun!
"You bastard! Humph!"

Ma Xun smiled but remained silent.

Can we blame Ma Xun for this?

This is just because Feng Xiaogang is so mean!
The actress Lü Guihua's surname is Yang.

Her pair of breasts is truly amazing.

She only made a brief appearance in "Big Shot's Funeral," but this time in "Cellphone," she plays two roles.

Lü Guihua, and later Lü Guihua's daughter.

Unfortunately, Ms. Yang never became famous.

In this context, Zhang Ziyi does indeed seem somewhat insecure.

With a little trickery, Ma Xun left Zhang Ziyi with no choice but to watch the film in frustration.

However, as the plot of "Cellphone" progressed, Wang Yu finally understood the meaning behind Ma Xun's words.

Yes, bringing your girlfriend to see this movie was really not a good choice!

This isn't some kind of "cell phone," it's clearly a hand grenade!
It can easily cause doubts between two people in a relationship.

However, the most obvious example is the character Yan Shouyi!

He's clearly Cui Yongyuan!
It's obvious to everyone.

So, once the movie ended...

The media reporters were something else entirely.

"Teacher Feng, is this movie a satire of a famous TV host?"

"Oh, no."

"Director Feng, the male lead, and his program are too similar to a certain CCTV program, aren't they?"

"No way, I can't see it."

Feng Xiaogang does have some skills, but he just won't admit it!
I don't admit it, what can you do to me?
To be honest, this guy has a really thick skin!
So, there are quite a few 'supporters' in this preview screening.

Soon, the media turned their attention to Ma Xun.

Everyone wanted to see what he would say.

Ma Xun and Feng Xiaogang exchanged glances.

He frowned slightly and said, "Isn't it inappropriate to film a movie like this?"

Just one sentence, just this one sentence!
After saying that, he left!
Feng Xiaogang wanted to fight back, but he didn't have much of a chance.

Besides, what can you do to him with just one sentence?
Anyway, it's already the top story in tomorrow's entertainment section!

……

Ma Xun, Wang Yu, and Li Yu left the movie theater and drove for a while.

They found a secluded spot and rolled down the car window.

"I still have to listen to you."

"Haha... Actually, it's nothing if you don't take it to heart."

Wang Yu was quite moved, but thankfully, Li Yu seemed to be a reasonable girl.

Then, out of curiosity, he asked, "Brother Ma, what are you planning this time? Are you really just here to show your support?"

Even Li Yu was curious about Wang Yu's question.

Ma Xun laughed and said, "I'm not praising him at all! Feng Xiaogang is bound to be criticized for making movies like this. I'm just a little ahead of time."

Does that mean a lot of people will criticize it later?
Wang Yu couldn't help but burst into laughter at this thought.

After exchanging a few more words with Ma Xun, he drove off with his new girlfriend.

Just as Ma Xun was about to drive home, he noticed a car approaching.

"Ma Xun, why are you avoiding me?"

"I do not have it."

The person who arrived was Zhang Ziyi, and she was a completely different person from the one in the movie theater.

However, Ma Xun's response remained calm.

Then, Zhang Ziyi said boastfully, "Director Zhang Yimou's new film has been confirmed, and I am the female lead!"

Oh? An ambush from all sides?

Ma Xun simply smiled and said, "Congratulations."

His reaction...it absolutely infuriated Zhang Ziyi.

He originally just wanted to show off and vent his anger, but he didn't expect that Ma Xun didn't care at all.

He, he… Zhang Ziyi had a strange feeling about him.

Leave him alone!

Drive away.

Ma Xun watched Zhang Ziyi's car drive away with a playful smile on his face.

……

The news of what happened at the preview screening immediately reached the Wang brothers.

They were both...happy!
"That guy Ma Xun, haha, it's no use saying that to him!"

"Moreover, it will increase the buzz surrounding this film, 'Cellphone'!"

"That's right! Our movie hasn't been officially released yet, but there will definitely be countless people talking about it!"

"It's definitely going to be a hit!"

The Wang brothers are quick-witted; they immediately realized that Ma Xun's incredibly simple "evaluation" could make this movie a huge hit.

Moreover, this is only the preview screening stage.

If we wait until "Cell Phone" is actually released on a large scale, hehe...

These two brothers have already started dreaming.

The movie "Cellphone" has grossed over 100 million yuan!
But, after all, this matter...

"They seem to have realized it already."

"What's there to be afraid of! So what if you realize it?"

"But I still have some worries."

"What are you worried about! The character in our movie is Yan Shouyi, not Xiao Cui!"

I have to say, that's incredibly ruthless.

Judging from the current situation, the preview screenings of "Cellphone" have been a great success.

I believe it will spread quickly, and soon...

Wait a moment.

"Doesn't Ma Xun know that saying this will help us?"

"This……"

Yes, Ma Xun's actions this time were very unusual.

Could it be that……

"He's out of options!"

"Yes! There's no other way!"

The Wang brothers came to this conclusion.

That makes sense. Ma Xun doesn't have any movies in this release window right now, and it seems like he doesn't have any other options.

So the two Wang brothers were happy again.

Let's just go all the way!
"How about we discuss with the theaters and release it on a large scale ahead of schedule?"

"Yes! Schedule it for the end of November, or at least the beginning of December!"

"Okay! Just do it!"

"With those bosses..."

"Just let them know."

"it is good!"

The two brothers devised a plan: they would capitalize on this wave of buzz to make "Cellphone" a box office smash!

As for the other bosses, they're in charge of making the decisions for this movie anyway.

There was no way around it; the opportunity was just too good to pass up.

Anyway, those guys are just responsible for investing money; the Wang brothers will handle everything else.

Isn't it beautiful!

So, those two went and did it.

They just didn't expect that after the preview screening of "Cellphone", they would be criticized quite a bit.

"Regarding the movie 'Cellphone,' after watching the preview screening, I felt a lingering sense of unease..."

I witnessed the fabrication of rumors against public figures and the trampling of their basic rights!
......"

One of the program hosts on Channel 2 was named Dong Qing.

First, post it on your blog!

Blogs are still a relatively new thing these days, but they've been popular for quite some time now.

Interestingly, this blog post was published on Douban and Xinglang!

Send them all?

Are you afraid others won't see it?

That's right. Since it's about expressing one's own opinions, then of course one should post them all.

Dong Qing's move attracted a lot of followers.

but!

The Wang brothers were still very happy when they found out.

Doesn't it generate even more buzz now?
This will definitely boost the box office of the movie "Cellphone"!
The Wang brothers have a clever plan.

Unfortunately, they overlooked one thing.

In mid-November, sa-rs appeared.

Soon, theater chains started calling them.

The Wang brothers turned ashen-faced after receiving the call!
The caller said that screenings would be difficult to increase in the near future, and some cities would have to close public places like cinemas.

The Wang brothers both realized this.

It's over! It's all over!
(End of this chapter)