Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 492-490: Echoes of Happiness (Part 2)

September in the North American film market is usually seen as a buffer period after the summer blockbuster season and a prelude to the fall awards season.

With major films taking a backseat, it makes room for ambitious Oscar contenders next year.

However, September of 2003 was particularly different because of the existence of "The Pursuit of Happyness".

After its $812 million opening weekend, everyone expected this mid-budget co-production to follow a steady, slow decline, like most films that rely on word-of-mouth. But the market response surprised even seasoned Hollywood analysts.

On the following Monday, in a weekday box office where things were expected to be relatively quiet, "The Pursuit of Happyness" saw a remarkable 18% drop in daily box office revenue compared to Sunday, far exceeding the market average.

On Tuesday, box office revenue even saw a slight rebound.

By Wednesday, when the midweek box office figures were tallied, the film's cumulative North American box office had quietly surpassed $1300 million.

The number of screenings has been steadily increasing, as if propelled by an invisible hand, from less than 1500 cinemas in the first week to more than 1800.

Some mainstream commercial cinemas that were initially hesitant have begun to cautiously increase their screenings after seeing the terrifying occupancy rates (especially during daytime and weekday screenings).

This film seems to possess a peculiar magic, attracting viewers who don't often go to the cinema, or who are exhausted by war news and over-the-top commercial films.

This ripple of "happiness" quickly spread to the power center of Hollywood.

In Warner Bros.’ executive floor in Burbank, a senior vice president of production wrote in an internal memo: “Re-evaluate realistic themes, especially projects that focus on family and individual struggles.”

Wang Sheng's collaboration with Disney on "The Pursuit of Happyness" proves that telling a 'small story' at the right time and in the right way can have an emotional impact and commercial returns that far exceed expectations.

We need to study this 'essential emotional need'.

At a luncheon, a Paramount creative director lamented to his colleagues: "Are we too obsessed with IPs and sequels? Look at 'The Pursuit of Happyness,' it has no superheroes, no explosions, just a man and his child."

But it made audiences cry, it made them laugh, and most importantly, it drew them to the cinema, and afterwards, they told their friends they absolutely had to see it. We seem to have forgotten this most primal power of word-of-mouth.

Harvey Weinstein of Miramax, a veteran of Oscar season and one of Disney's most trusted lieutenants, watched the film in a private screening room, paused for a moment, and then said to his assistant, "Inform our awards PR team to give 'The Pursuit of Happyness' special attention. Jamie Foxx's performance is Oscar-worthy."

Wang Sheng… this Chinese man, he understands all too well how to navigate Eastern and Western narratives within the bounds of established rules. He infused the 'American Dream' theme, which we've almost overused, with Eastern resilience and subtlety, making it feel fresh and powerful. He's a formidable opponent, and also… someone worth learning from.”

Inside Disney, however, the atmosphere was more like one of unexpected ecstasy.

Inside the animation studio building, Robert Geller and Sarah Miller, the film's producers, often exchanged knowing smiles as they watched the soaring box office numbers and the almost unanimous critical acclaim.

“Robert, do you remember how hesitant we were when Wong insisted on casting Jamie Foxx?” Sarah Miller remarked as she flipped through Entertainment Weekly’s list of “fall must-sees.” “He’s practically become the epitome of ‘tough father’ now.”

Robert Geller nodded, his gaze falling on the box office data updating in real time on the computer screen: "And he insisted on filming on location in San Francisco to recreate the street scenes of the 80s."

Film critics are now praising the film's sense of the times and its realism, saying that this enhances the story's credibility.

Sarah, whose demands we initially perceived as somewhat stubborn or even demanding, have now become the cornerstone of the film's success. His grasp of the essence of cinema surpasses that of many who have spent decades in Hollywood.

Those most caught off guard were perhaps the institutions that focused on market data analysis. Their models typically make predictions based on variables such as genre, cast, and marketing scale, but the success of "The Pursuit of Happyness" clearly introduced parameters such as "emotional resonance" and "sentiment of the times," which are difficult for their models to quantify.

“This doesn’t make sense,” an analyst from a well-known data company admitted in an internal meeting. “In a postwar era where escapism is so prevalent, how could a film that confronts real-world dilemmas so directly achieve such box office success? The only explanation is that it precisely touches upon the audience’s deepest longing for ‘hope’ and ‘certainty.’ It binds personal struggles with universal family values, offering another form of spiritual comfort.”

The media's reporting angles have also begun to deepen, no longer limited to the film itself.

The New Yorker published a lengthy feature article exploring "the misalignment and convergence between the psychological needs of American audiences and the supply of films in the post-… era and the post-Iraq War era," analyzing "The Pursuit of Happyness" as a key cultural case study, arguing that it reflects a return to the micro-individual and basic human values ​​after the failure of grand narratives.

The Washington Post contacted the real Chris Gardner (whose experiences are noted at the end of the film), and his personal account, along with his affirmation that the film "captured the essence of that era," further endorsed the film's authenticity and emotional impact, creating another wave of publicity.

……

In his hotel suite in Los Angeles, Wang Sheng calmly received information and data from various sources.

“Mr. Wang, Mr. Weinstein would like to schedule a time for dinner.” White’s tone on the phone became even more respectful.

“Tell him I have a very busy schedule lately, and I appreciate your kind words,” Wang Sheng replied casually.

Whether or not he should compete for the prize, Disney will arrange it; he doesn't need to intervene.

"Disney wants to increase its promotional investment. They think the film has the potential to reach even higher box office peaks, and even... make a splash during awards season," White continued his report.

"Yes, but the promotional tone must remain unchanged. Avoid excessive hype and maintain the film's core image of being 'simple and touching'."

……

After hanging up the phone, Wang Sheng walked to the window and looked down at the Los Angeles night view.

This city is dazzling with stars, but also cold and harsh in reality.

The success of a film here is like a stone thrown into the ocean; how big the ripples it creates depends on its quality and the direction of the waves.

"The Pursuit of Happyness" undoubtedly hit the right wave.

The spiritual confusion and emotional needs brought about by the Iraq War, the natural focus on high-quality art films during the lead-up to the Oscars, and the certain fatigue and re-examination of the "American Dream" narrative in North American society... all these factors combined to provide an excellent stage for this work that blends Eastern narrative restraint with the Western spirit of individual struggle.

It is not a miracle that appeared out of nowhere, but an inevitable result of the combined effects of favorable timing, location, and human factors.

As the third week of September came to a close, "The Pursuit of Happyness" steadily surpassed $3500 million at the North American box office, exceeding its production cost, and its momentum continues.

Jamie Foxx's name began to appear frequently on the early Oscar prediction list for Best Actor, and Wang Sheng also gained more praise for his "precise directorial control and cross-cultural narrative ability".

A film adapted from the core of Chinese cinema, directed by a Chinese director, and a collaboration between Chinese and American capital, telling an inspirational story set in the United States, is proving its powerful ability to transcend cultural barriers in the most direct way—through box office success and critical acclaim.

This has surprised Hollywood moguls who are used to viewing foreign works as saviors or mentors, but also forced them to face the fact that creators from the East can not only handle the commercial genres they are familiar with, but also deeply understand and present their local social emotions, and may even do so in a more touching way.

This is not simply the success of a film, but a subtle shift in narrative power.

(End of this chapter)