HuaYu97: Starting as a Singer

Chapter 359 [359] With this level of knowledge, you dare to say you read Romance of the Three Kingdoms at the age of ten?
The teachers and students in the audience were stunned.

The reporters were ecstatic.

Since successfully venturing into the US, Qi Yuan has become increasingly outspoken.

First, he launched an attack in the United States, calling a large number of media outlets dogs. Today, he predicted that Wu Baige's "Windtalkers" will definitely flop!
Is this for real? Is it even appropriate to say these things?

96年吴白鸽执导的《断箭》全球票房1.5亿美元，97年《变脸》2.46亿，00年《碟中碟2》更是达到5.46亿。

At this time, Wu Baige was at the height of his fame in Hollywood, and the media called him the number one Chinese director in the world.

Financially strapped MGM recognized Wu Baige's talent and invited him to direct "Windtalkers," hoping to turn the company around and make MGM great again with this film.

This is a highly anticipated film with an astonishing investment of $1.2 million, and both MGM and Wu Baige have poured a lot of effort into it.

Will this movie flop?
Everyone looked at Qi Yuan with skeptical eyes.

The filter used to describe internationally renowned directors is too thick, especially at the beginning of the century.

Qi Yuan remained calm and eloquently expressed his opinion: "The Battle of Red Cliffs is one of the most exciting battles in history."

Riding on his great victory in unifying the north, Cao Cao launched a full-scale attack, attempting to annex Jiangdong and wipe out Sun Quan and Liu Bei.

In order to resist a powerful enemy, Sun Quan and Liu Bei resolutely formed an alliance in a critical situation to jointly resist the enemy.

Above the Yangtze River, war clouds loomed, and Cao Cao's army was at its peak in morale, military might, and resources, displaying an imposing momentum.

The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei, undeterred by the powerful enemy, resolutely went to war against the mighty Cao Cao army.

Zhou Yu and Huang Gai, having discerned the weaknesses of Cao Cao's army, devised a plan to attack with fire, causing Cao Cao's army to be annihilated in the raging flames.

The Battle of Red Cliffs features the grand ambitions of Cao Cao, the powerful ruler of the north; Liu Bei's unwavering perseverance despite half a lifetime of setbacks; Zhou Yu's heroic bearing; and Huang Gai's loyalty and fearlessness...

This battle left behind too many legendary stories of heroes of the time, becoming a tale that people will sing for eternity.

This battle was filled with heroic spirit, a contest of wisdom and courage, and many other things, but it lacked peace.

I heard that Director Wu liked the characters from the Three Kingdoms when he was ten years old, and after growing up, he always wanted to bring the Battle of Red Cliffs to the screen. He has been conceiving this for more than ten years, and now he tells everyone that the theme is peace!

I seriously doubt that Director Wu has even read the Records of the Three Kingdoms. No, he probably doesn't even know the name of the author.

As a director who grew up in Hong Kong, his understanding of Chinese history is so shallow, only scratching the surface.

"Windtalkers" is a foreign war film about World War II. I think that given Director Wu's level of understanding of history and war, it was inevitable that "Windtalkers" would flop.

The MGM president who chose director Wu is a truly unlucky bastard. Hopefully, he'll be safe and sound next year.

Qi Yuan spoke these words with a serious and solemn expression, which was truly earth-shattering!

These statements are reasonable and well-founded; there was truly no peace during the Battle of Red Cliffs.

In a world of great strife, the strong prevail and the weak perish.

Talking about peace in chaotic times? Isn't that just making us a laughingstock?
Everyone agreed with Qi Yuan's words, but also felt that some of them went too far.

To say that Wu Baige doesn't even know the name of the author of "Records of the Three Kingdoms" is an insult, isn't it? How could someone like Wu Baige, who has wanted to make a film about Red Cliff for over a decade, not know such simple facts? Even high school students know that.

Lu Wei didn't dare to comment on "Windtalkers" like Qi Yuan, but he could comment on "Red Cliff": "I really couldn't help but ask this reporter's question just now. I suspect that Director Wu may have made a mistake."

As General Qi just said, the story of Red Cliff has everything: strategy, war, heroes, but no peace. Anyone who talks about peace in the context of Red Cliff is doomed.

Liu Heping expressed a similar view.

Qi Yuan dared to refute Wu Baige's views in public because Wu Baige had become arrogant.

A director who became a legend in gangster and police films has abandoned what he does best and chosen to make historical war epics, something he's not good at. So this internationally renowned director really has nothing to fear.

In the ensuing discussion, screenwriters Qi Yuan, Chen Kaige, and Lu Liu talked about the plans for the film "Red Cliff".

This version of *Red Cliff* primarily uses the *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, supplemented by the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, combining historical fact and fiction to integrate their strengths and discard their weaknesses. Most people's understanding of the Three Kingdoms period comes from the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*; if it were filmed entirely according to historical fact, it would contradict everyone's understanding.

Moreover, the Battle of Red Cliffs in official history is not as dramatic as the one depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

It wouldn't work to film it exactly as it appears in the novel, as the novel overemphasizes the roles of Liu Bei's army and Zhuge Liang.

The main force in the Battle of Red Cliffs was the Jiangdong navy, commanded by Zhou Yu, and had little to do with Liu Bei's army.

Zhuge Liang only made a trip to Jiangdong as an envoy of Liu Bei's army, and then that was the end of him.

The idea that Zhou Yu was jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent is utter nonsense.

Zhou Yu led 30,000 naval troops to the front lines. Liu Bei wanted to see Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu refused, citing military duties as the reason.

Liu Bei personally visited Zhou Yu before he finally met him.

Zhuge Liang's rank during the Battle of Red Cliffs was too low; he didn't even have the right to meet with Zhou Yu alone.

Of course, Qi Yuan also admired Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, especially the latter, who could be called a symbol of loyalty and wisdom.

Qi Yuan is in charge of the script, and he will also add scenes for Zhuge Liang, such as the wonderful scene of him debating with the Confucian scholars in Jiangdong, which can be retained in the movie.

Let's forget about borrowing the east wind and using straw boats to borrow arrows.

In fact, Qi Yuan always felt that this kind of somewhat fantastical plot actually obscured Zhuge Liang's true abilities.

Zhuge Liang was not a charlatan; he was a man of many talents, capable of serving as both a general and a prime minister, and utterly loyal. He was truly perfect.

Every monarch dreams of having a minister like Zhuge Liang.

This role absolutely cannot be played by a Japanese person.

……

After the telephone conversation in the north ended.

The film industry, entertainment industry, media industry, and the internet are all in an uproar.

"Qi Yuan is too arrogant. Has he gotten too big for his britches and dared to question the level of an internationally renowned director?"

"Are the words of successful people always correct? I think Qi Yuan and Lu Wei are right. There is everything in Red Cliff, except for peace."

"Who the hell watches Red Cliff for peace? Isn't everyone watching for thrilling battles?"

……

Hong Kong media.

[Shut up! You're a singer, go back to karaoke. You're not qualified to comment on Wu Baige.]

[A music superstar thinks he's Zhuge Liang? Criticizing Wu Baige's peaceful approach, he should first work on his own game.]

There are mostly satirical news articles about Qi Yuan here.

The media outlets that had been sued by Qi Yuan sent people to Hawaii to find Wu Baige.

That bastard Qi Yuan has really gotten cocky. He dares to say that Wu Baige doesn't even know the author of the Records of the Three Kingdoms. After they finish interviewing Wu Baige and come back, they'll definitely release ten press releases to slap Qi Yuan in the face.

Dozens or even hundreds of reporters surrounded Wu Baige, asking her questions about the authorship of "Records of the Three Kingdoms." Wu Baige looked bewildered, and the scene fell silent.

Reporters: "..."

No, you really can't answer that? Did Qi Yuan really hit the nail on the head?

No one expected Wu Baige's understanding of history to be so shallow. With this level of knowledge, how dare you boast that you started reading the Romance of the Three Kingdoms at the age of ten? Which Three Kingdoms were you reading?

(End of this chapter)