Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 356, Section 354: Let Us Suffocate for Our Dreams (Part 2)
Thursday, June 2001, 7.

On a summer evening in Beijing, the heat lingered, and the air was filled with the restless smell of asphalt roads baked by the sun.

Lin Xiaoyue dragged her slightly tired body out of the convenience store where she worked, after her shift ended.

She was still carrying the coolness of the air-conditioned room when she was instantly enveloped by the heat wave outside.

Although she had a busy day, her eyes were bright because she and her boyfriend Zhang Heng had made plans to go to the nearby China Film Cinema to watch the long-awaited movie "Shaolin Soccer".

This was a rare pastime for her and Zhang Heng while they were working summer jobs in Beijing, and also a "pilgrimage" for them as fans of both Wang Sheng and Stephen Chow.

Since the movie "Flying Colors" inspired her to overcome the shadow of failing the college entrance examination, choose to repeat the year, and finally get into a good university in Beijing, Lin Xiaoyue's life seems to have opened the door to a new world.

University life is rich and colorful, and working during holidays also allowed her to get in touch with society at an earlier age.

More importantly, she and Zhang Heng, whom she met through film, got together. Their shared idol was the director Wang Sheng, who always managed to create miracles.

From the youthful excitement of "A Little Thing Called First Love" to the heartwarming healing of "Happy Family" and the hilarious and touching "My Sassy Girl," almost every one of Wang Sheng's works is accompanied by his growth journey.

Stephen Chow is an irreplaceable "King of Comedy" in their memories of the video arcade era.

With Wang Sheng serving as producer and Stephen Chow directing and starring in "Kung Fu Soccer," it's a true "double whammy." Coupled with the frenzied pre-release promotion of "giving away World Cup tickets if the film grosses over 100 million," their expectations have already been raised to the max.

"Xiaoyue!"

Zhang Heng's voice came from behind. He had just finished tutoring, his forehead still covered in sweat, but his face was beaming with excitement. "Let's go, let's go! I saw online that tickets for tonight are in high demand. We don't want to miss out!"

The two held hands and walked briskly towards the subway station.

……

The air conditioning inside the cinema was strong, a stark contrast to the sweltering heat outside.

A queue had already formed in front of the elevator leading to the cinema, mostly young people like them, with similar anticipation and excitement on their faces.

Faint discussions about movies, the Chinese national football team, and World Cup tickets could be heard in the air.

"I heard that Stephen Chow is going all out this time, with real kung fu and special effects!"

"I just want to know, can the box office really break 100 million? It's World Cup tickets!"

"Who cares? Let's watch it first. Stephen Chow's movies are enough to make you laugh!"

Lin Xiaoyue and Zhang Heng exchanged a smile, feeling the unique carnival atmosphere of a summer night and a movie that permeated the air.

Finally stepping into the cinema lobby, the bright and spacious area, the huge movie posters, and Stephen Chow's signature comedic expression, tinged with a touch of melancholy and stubbornness, immediately struck the eye.

There was a long queue in front of the ticket office, and on the electronic display screen, many of the screenings of "Kung Fu Soccer" already had signs indicating "sold out" or "limited seats available".

"Luckily we didn't arrive too late," Zhang Heng said thankfully. He quickly queued up and bought two tickets for the 9:30 pm show. The seats weren't the best, but he was very fortunate to have gotten them at all.

With some time to spare before the show started, the two sat for a while in the café inside the cinema.

The surrounding area was almost entirely filled with spectators waiting for "Shaolin Soccer," and the chattering discussions were incessant.

……

After checking in, we found the theater to be quite large, with modern seats, a huge screen, and seemingly extraordinary sound equipment.

After finding a seat, I looked around and saw that the occupancy rate was indeed over 90%, almost full.

The aroma of various snacks mingled with the cool air from the air conditioner, creating a warm and anticipated prelude to watching the movie.

As the lights dimmed and the dragon emblem appeared, the noise at the scene quickly subsided.

When the opening credits of Shengying Media and Beijing Film Studio flashed by, and the words "Producer: Wang Sheng" appeared on the screen, Lin Xiaoyue heard a slight commotion around her, and she felt a surge of warmth and inexplicable pride.

The movie begins.

Stephen Chow plays the fifth senior brother, who has an obsessive love for martial arts but ends up working at the down-and-out "Shaolin Dance Hall" bar.

The film opens with fast-paced editing and his signature nonsensical style, showcasing his exaggerated martial arts moves as he deals with the antics of various eccentric guests, eliciting bursts of laughter from the audience.

"Hahaha, it tastes just like before!" Zhang Heng chuckled in a low voice from the side, and Lin Xiaoyue couldn't help but laugh as well.

As the plot unfolds, the fifth senior brother encounters Mingfeng (played by Ng Man-tat), who possesses the "Golden Right Foot" but has fallen on hard times due to being framed. Mingfeng sees the potential of incorporating kung fu into football and persuades the fifth senior brother to form a "Kung Fu Football Team" to participate in the National Super Cup Football Tournament and win a million-dollar prize.

The process of forming the team was full of hilarious moments.

One by one, the fellow disciples, each possessing unique skills yet out of place in society, are brought back: Iron Head Kung Fu, Whirlwind Ground Kick, Golden Bell Iron Shirt, Ghost Shadow Grappling Hand, Lightness Skill Water Walking...

These skills, which are considered "useless" or even "weird" in real life, are given new, absurd, and exciting uses in the movie.

The laughter in the theater was almost constant.

Stephen Chow's signature rhythm, exaggerated expressions, Ng Man-tat's naivety and cunning, and those seemingly nonsensical yet poignant lines precisely hit the audience's funny bone.

"I feel it, they're all back!" When the fifth senior brother looked at the team that was beginning to take shape and said this line, the theater was filled with knowing laughter and sporadic applause.

While laughing, Lin Xiaoyue vaguely sensed the core message beneath the film's humor: dreams, perseverance, and the refusal of ordinary people to succumb to despair.

This reminded her of Wang Xiaojia from "Flying Colors," whose spirit of not giving up despite being crushed by life seems to continue in different ways in different stories.

As the movie progresses into its middle, the real football match begins!

When kung fu is combined with football, the visual spectacle completely ignites the silver screen!
The "Mighty Vajra Leg" kick produces a banana kick with an unpredictable arc, the sound of it tearing through the air amplified by a high-quality sound system, as if whistling right next to your ears; the "Ghost Shadow Catching Hand" provides amazing defense in the penalty area, as fast as lightning; the "Golden Bell Iron Shirt" remains unmoved in the face of a fierce flying tackle...

In particular, their teamwork, incorporating various martial arts techniques into passing, receiving, and tactical positioning, has created one incredible goal after another.

The atmosphere in the theater reached its peak!
Exclamations of surprise, exclamations of admiration, and bursts of laughter rose and fell.

"Holy crap! You can play football like that?"

"That's so cool! The special effects are amazing!"

"Hahaha, using light footwork to dribble past someone, that's a foul!"

The perfect combination of advanced computer-generated special effects and live-action action creates exaggerated yet visually impactful match scenes.

This was undoubtedly the boldest and most imaginative attempt at combining action, comedy, and special effects in Chinese-language films at the time.

Sitting in the modern China Film Grand Cinema, enjoying the clear picture quality and immersive sound effects, this movie-watching experience is incomparable to that of old video halls or single-screen cinemas.

Lin Xiaoyue and Zhang Heng were completely immersed in the world of the movie, forgetting their fatigue and the summer heat, and exclaiming and laughing along with the audience around them.

When the "Kung Fu Team" faced a formidable opponent and were in dire straits, the theater was completely silent; you could hear each other breathing. When they turned the tide with their unity and ingenious moves, the entire audience erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers!
The climax of the movie, of course, is the final blow that decides the outcome.

The fifth senior brother, having gathered the strength and belief of all his fellow disciples, kicked out that earth-shattering "kung fu football".

Slow motion, close-ups, and rousing background music bring the emotions to their peak.

"boom!"

The football streaked across the night sky like a shooting star and swished into the net!
On the screen, the players celebrated wildly; off the screen, the theater resounded with thunderous applause!
The film ended amidst joy, excitement, and a touch of heartwarming emotion.

When Stephen Chow and his fellow apprentices stood on the podium, at the moment when their seemingly absurd yet incredibly sincere dream came true, Lin Xiaoyue felt her eyes well up with tears.

As the end credits rolled and the lights came on, the audience seemed reluctant to leave, with many still sitting in their seats discussing the film, their faces flushed with excitement.

"That was so much fun! Stephen Chow is still the best!"

"Wang Sheng is the producer, and he's definitely got the job. This movie was both hilarious and thrilling!"

"If our national football team really had this kind of skill, we would have qualified for the World Cup long ago, right? Hahaha!"

"Stop kidding, but... that never-give-up spirit in the movie is really inspiring!"

Stepping out of the theater and back into the still brightly lit lobby, it felt as if a carnival had just ended.

Almost everyone is talking about "Shaolin Soccer," discussing its classic scenes, Stephen Chow, and Wang Sheng, and naturally, they're bringing up that crazy promise of World Cup tickets again.

"I think this movie has potential; it might actually break 100 million at the box office!"

"If it really breaks, I hope I get drawn! I'll go to the World Cup to cheer on the Chinese national football team!"

……

(End of this chapter)