Director of Photography Department of Huayu

Chapter 197 Wu Chen, at the Eye of the North American Storm

On November 1st, as night slowly fell, the air in Los Angeles remained dry and warm, and the red carpet outside the Egyptian Theatre was already bustling with people.

Palm trees lined the street, casting shadows under the beams of searchlights, and a red carpet with gold trim meandered from the entrance to the street corner.

This historic cinema has witnessed the birth of countless classic films, and this time, it welcomes Wu Chen's social thriller.

At the theater entrance, a huge black-and-white poster bearing the original English title of "Get Out" swayed gently in the wind, its enlarged pupil seemingly staring at everyone who passed by.

Those were the eyes of the protagonist, Chris, as he opened them, filled with terror trapped in the Silent Land.

When Wu Chen walked the red carpet with Chadwick Boseman and Blake Lively, they were greeted with enthusiastic cheers from the crowds on both sides, most of whom were Black.

Many Black movie fans even held up signs that read, "Thank you for speaking the truth."

On the red carpet, the media's flashbulbs went off one after another, bombarding the audience with questions.

“Wu, don’t accept pre-screening interviews. We have arrangements for post-screening interviews,” David Lyndon of Universal said in a low voice.

This movie is aiming for the Oscars, so we need to be careful with what we say and in interviews.

Wu Chen nodded slightly.

With all the guests attending the premiere present, Universal Pictures certainly had a lot of face to show for it.

"Wu, congratulations! I've come to see just how much of a great film Lionsgate missed out on." Michael Burns of Lionsgate also came to the premiere and hugged Wu Chen.

"You didn't miss a thing. Saw 3's global box office won't be less than one hundred million dollars."

David Lyndon responded that Lionsgate's low-budget horror films made even the big studios envious.

The main advantage is its low cost and extremely high profit margin, making it a rare and highly sought-after project.

"Heh, you won't make much."

Michael Burns said modestly, "But everyone's smart enough to know how much Lionsgate can make."

"We in the industry have calculated that Lionsgate's 'Saw III' will earn at least 30 to 40 million US dollars. That's just the box office profit, not counting DVDs and other revenue. The first and second films earned even more."
Good horror movies are truly exaggerated.

After Michael Burns left, Jason Blum and Wu Chen discussed something in hushed tones.

"What about ours?" Wu Chen asked with a smile.

“It shouldn’t be bad either, otherwise Universal wouldn’t be putting in so much effort. We can look forward to it.” Jason Blum said, and then began to imagine.

In Hollywood, who doesn't want to make a fortune with minimal investment and create a miracle?

However, such cases are too rare.

The atmosphere in the theater was incredibly enthusiastic, partly due to the subject matter of the film.

When Wu Chen led the main cast onto the stage, the audience couldn't recall the names of the relatively unknown main cast members, but Wu Chen's name was shouted out loud.

As the screen glowed faintly, the lights went out.

The movie starts.

At first, the audience just watched quietly, with occasional bursts of laughter during some awkward dialogues, but they were fleeting.

As the plot unfolds, that lighthearted illusion is gradually peeled away.

When Chris fell silently in the "Quiet Place," the audience gasped for the first time.

"He was hypnotized."

"It's over, he's gone!"

"."

At that moment, a middle-aged Black woman murmured softly, "This is us."

But as the smiles of that white family gradually turned terrifying, as the truth behind the surgery was revealed, and as the stolen consciousness of "freedom" was used to drive white people toward immortality and greater physical strength—

Many people in the audience sat up straight.

Some clenched their fists, some bowed their heads and sobbed softly, and some cursed in the darkness: "That's right, that's the truth."

In the final scene, when Chris broke free from everything and finally crawled out of the town, the applause from the audience did not immediately erupt.

As the screen went completely black and the end credits rolled, the entire theater seemed to suddenly awaken, erupting in thunderous applause and shouts.

Black viewers, in particular, were deeply moved, with many having tears in their eyes and embracing one another, as if they were seeing their own experiences and feelings reflected on the screen.

"thanks!"

"Finally, someone said it!"

"Wu! Wu!"

"."

Suddenly, several Black college students shouted in Wu Chen's direction.

A tall, thin Black youth shouted with great excitement:

“You are the ‘night walker’ of our generation. You are not from this land, but you have spoken out the most silent fears of this land.”

Then came shouts from several people.

Michael Burns glanced back at the excited audience, a hint of regret in his eyes.

Given their relationship with Wu Chen, this kind of film should have been given to Lionsgate. However, their resources for Oscar consideration were not as good as those of the seven major Hollywood studios, and even some second-tier studios seemed somewhat lacking.

"Congratulations, Wu, you've succeeded again."

"Thank you!" Wu Chen smiled and nodded to Michael Burns.

Universal Pictures was even more excited because "Get Out" was their top choice for Oscar content in the contract, and if it failed, the resources they had invested would be an intangible loss.

“A fantastic premiere! We’re going to New Orleans for a special premiere the day after tomorrow,” David Lyndon said cheerfully.

Wu Chen was naturally aware of the arrangements. New Orleans was being rebuilt quickly in some areas, and Universal's plan to hold a special premiere there was naturally in preparation for the Oscars.

"Wu, it's time to face the reporters. If you can't answer their questions, just stay silent," Jason Blum said softly before Wu Chen went on stage. After all, this was a film about racial issues, and not a film about reconciliation; it took a different approach.

As the main creators took the stage, the media swarmed around them.

"Wu, how do you interpret the symbolic meaning of 'a quiet place'?"

What kind of social discussion do you think this film might spark in North America?

"I heard there's a special screening of this film in New Orleans?"

"."

Wu Chen remained calm and replied, "Silence is the cruelest form of isolation. The real terror is not bloodshed, but the inability to speak out."

In the media section arranged by Universal, the head of the publicity department had already quietly relayed the first wave of audience feedback, and mainstream North American media quickly began to react.

The following morning, as the Los Angeles sun was just setting, the excitement surrounding the premiere of "Get Out" continued to burn brightly throughout the North American media scene, much like the lingering glow of the sunset.

The Los Angeles Times has changed its front page to the black-and-white visual theme from last night's Egyptian Theatre shoot, featuring a prominent and oppressive enlarged pupil, with the headline below reading:

[A Silent Cry: Wu Chen Awakens the Silent Land of North America with a Film!]

The New York Times' culture section was equally impressive, with a headline that read: "[He Tells the Truth Through Fear!]"

Variety, on the other hand, commented with a professional tone: "[The most astonishing social thriller of the year!]"

【.】

Media reports flooded in, with Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Entertainment Weekly all publishing special features.
Some call it "a rare social allegory in the history of horror films," while others compare it to Trainspotting, saying that it "uses the sharp edge of genre films to cut through the hardest social fabric."

"Is this the power of Universal in the media?" Jason Blum clicked his tongue as he looked at the report from the following day.

Clearly, such widespread dissemination would have been impossible without Global Times' media promotion.

"Isn't this a good thing?" Wu Chen smiled.

“Of course, judging from this situation, Wu, you will soon have a loyal following in North America.” Jason Blum pointed to the IMDb rating and some audience reviews on the computer.

The rating on IMDb quickly climbed to 8.3, and the Rotten Tomatoes score remained an astonishing 98% in the first 46 reviews compiled that morning.

The film received a critic score of 85 and an even more unusual audience score of "A-".

"It's not horror, it's reality."

"I sat there, as if nailed to the spot, and didn't dare to stand up until the credits finished rolling."

"This is not just a movie; it's a moment when a certain collective experience is brought to the forefront."

"I absolutely love Wu, he's so incredibly brave!"

"."

In the past, movie premieres did not generate a lot of reviews, but the reviews for Get Out after its premiere were much higher than those for previous movies.

November 3, New Orleans.

The wind blew from the banks of the Mississippi River, passing through the newly rebuilt Ninth District community, where crowds had already gathered in front of the Hurricane Memorial Theater, waiting to enter.

This is a small theater rebuilt with funds raised by the public after Hurricane Katrina. The walls still bear the marks of repair, and a newly painted poster at the entrance reads:

Special Screening: Get Out – Dedicated to the Forgotten
The theater was packed, almost entirely with local Black residents, as well as many elderly people, mothers, and young people who had lost loved ones in the hurricane. They were simply dressed, their faces tired but determined.

At the beginning of the film, the crowd was so quiet it was almost oppressive.

But when Chris falls into silence, and when his struggles are reflected on the screen time and time again as metaphors for reality, many people begin to sob quietly.

A middle-aged woman quietly wiped away her tears, while the boy beside her held her hand tightly.

Finally, as the subtitles slowly appeared:
Dedicated to those who have been forgotten.

A low murmur of sobs and applause erupted in the theater, a flood of emotions; some stood up to applaud, while others buried their faces in their hands and wept.

Wu Chen never expected that Universal would add such a sentence at the end of this edition.

“Wu, this event is free of charge from Universal,” David Lyndon specifically told Wu Chen, fearing that Wu Chen might misunderstand the future fees.

"It's alright." Wu Chen glanced at the people in the theater and nodded.

“I don’t know who this Chinese director is. But he really understands us,” an elderly Black man in New Orleans said in an interview in front of a movie theater.

That same night, CNN dedicated a full three minutes to reporting on this special screening on its evening news.

Host Don Lemon said in a low and restrained voice, "Today, New Orleans not only relived a memory, but also, through the lens of a Chinese director, saw our pain."

When the news reached China, domestic media and industry insiders were completely bewildered.

Wu Chen seems to have become the eye of the storm in North American public opinion.

"What exactly did he film?" This is a question that countless people have.

They saw the headlines in the reports about American viewers being moved to tears and the media praising the film, and knew that it was a "thriller" about racial issues in the United States. However, apart from the group of people who had seen the preview screening in Cannes, no one really knew the full picture of the film.

Some journalists even began trying to extract information from Chinese filmmakers who had participated in Cannes, including Feng Xiaogang.

At this moment, Feng Xiaogang did not respond to any reporters. He was sitting silently in Wang Zhonglei's office, with an entertainment report about "Get Out" spread out on the table.

Wang Zhongjun and Wang Zhonglei were also present, but the three of them were not discussing Wu Chen.

It is "The Banquet".

“Brother, Weinstein tore up the agreement. He sent someone to inform us yesterday that the one million dollar deposit is all that’s left, and he won’t pay any more,” Wang Zhonglei said, feeling quite aggrieved.

"Why should we sell it to him for a million? No matter what, 'The Banquet' can't be worth only one million dollars." Feng Xiaogang slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

Wang Zhongjun, however, remained much calmer. "How do you mean to tear it up? What are you threatening us with?"

He said that if we didn't transfer the North American rights at this price, no one in North America would want "The Banquet." He added that if Harvey didn't want it, nobody in North America would dare to.

"."

(End of this chapter)