Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 527-525: Premiere (Part 2)

Inside the Grauman Chinese Theatre, the lights were completely dimmed, leaving only the huge screen emitting a soft glow that illuminated the expectant faces in the audience.

The hustle and bustle of the red carpet was left behind, replaced by a state of focused concentration.

The standard North American commercial film premiere process begins with a brief warm-up by the host and routine thanks to the main sponsors and media partners, before moving directly to the core segment.

New Line Cinema CEO Robert Shea took the stage first, smiling and speaking with confidence: "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening! Welcome to the North American premiere of 'Kung Fu Hustle'!"

A few years ago, the movie "Shaolin Soccer" showcased Stephen Chow's unique comedic magic and the wonderful fusion of Eastern kung fu, winning the hearts of audiences worldwide.

Tonight, we will witness an even grander, more spectacular, and more breathtaking upgrade! I believe that *Kung Fu Hustle* will once again captivate you! Enjoy this feast for the eyes and the soul!

Without lengthy remarks, Robert Shea left the stage to the film itself.

Immediately afterwards, director Stephen Chow strode onto the stage amidst enthusiastic applause.

He still seemed a little shy as he took the microphone and spoke in his clear English, though with a Cantonese accent: "Thank you New Line Cinema, thank you to everyone who came. My team and I put a lot of effort into this film. We hope it brings you joy, and a little bit of excitement. Thank you."

His concise and to-the-point style is consistent with his usual approach.

Then, the lights went out completely.

The alternation of Shengying Media's opening sequence and New Line Cinema's classic opening sequence marks the official start of this in-depth Sino-US co-production film.

The film opens with a vivid and absurd depiction of life in Pig Cage Alley, immediately captivating the audience with its unique spatial structure and character design.

As the plot unfolds, hidden masters are revealed one by one. The scene where the seventy-two tenants battle the Axe Gang cleverly combines street humor with sharp action, eliciting sporadic laughter and gasps of amazement from the audience.

When the landlady's "Lion's Roar" swept across the battlefield with visible sound waves, and when the three hidden masters—the coolie, the tailor, and the fried food vendor—displayed the exquisite skills of Hung Gar Iron Wire Fist, Twelve-Road Tan Leg, and Five-Element Eight Trigrams Staff, especially the tailor's fight scene with its blend of softness and strength, using cloth and iron rings as weapons, the design was both realistic and imaginative, eliciting gasps from the audience.

Quentin Tarantino was particularly engrossed in the film, leaning forward with wide eyes and occasionally uttering unconscious exclamations like "WOW" and "Holy Sh*t," completely immersed in the world created by Stephen Chow.

At the height of his excitement, he couldn't help but nudge his companion with his elbow, whispering something rapidly, his face beaming with the ecstasy of discovering a treasure.

In the climax of the film, Ah Xing opens up his Ren and Du meridians and unleashes the Tathagata Palm. The magnificent scene of golden light and palm prints covering the sky, combined with top-notch CGI technology, creates a spectacle with a strong sense of Eastern Zen and visual impact.

The entire theater fell silent; everyone was awestruck by the unimaginable spectacle.

As the end credits rolled and the theater lights slowly came on, a brief silence was followed by a long and enthusiastic tidal wave of applause!

This applause is not only for the film's entertainment value, but also an affirmation of its boundless imagination, exquisite action design, sophisticated use of special effects, and the underlying themes of kindness, courage, and growth.

"Bravo!"

"Amazing!"

"Incredible!"

Various exclamations of praise rang out from the audience.

The main creators and important guests were invited to the front of the stage to receive this honor.

Stephen Chow still seemed a little embarrassed, repeatedly bowing to express his gratitude.

Wang Sheng stood beside him, smiling and calmly applauding the audience.

Fan Xiaopang's eyes reddened with excitement as he clapped his hands vigorously.

He's a good actor.

Just then, a figure rushed onto the stage with an agility disproportionate to his size and snatched the microphone from the host's hand—it was Quentin Tarantino, his face flushed with excitement.

"Hey! Wait! Wait! Let me say a few words!"

Quentin waved his arms excitedly, first giving Stephen Chow a big hug and patting him hard on the back, "Stephen! You're a fucking genius!"

He then turned to Wang Sheng and gave him another enthusiastic hug, "Wang! You guys did it again! This movie is fucking awesome!"

The audience and media below the stage were amused by his sudden, Quentin Tarantino-esque passionate behavior, but also filled with anticipation.

Quentin, microphone in hand, turned to the audience, his face displaying a complex array of emotions. He took a deep breath, seemingly trying to find the right words to describe his feelings.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and with all his might, he shouted out a sentence in Chinese, clearly and distinctly:
"Awesome!!!" The voice was booming, the words were clear and distinct, and it carried a genuine Beijing accent!

"Wow——!"

The audience was taken aback for a moment, then burst into even louder laughter and applause, mixed with whistles.

Chinese audiences and media, in particular, were in stitches. They never expected that this Hollywood maverick director would express his highest praise in such a way.

Quentin was clearly very satisfied with his "learning results." He raised his eyebrows smugly and continued to comment, gesturing wildly, in English mixed with the bits and pieces of Chinese he had learned:
"I'm not kidding! This Kung Fu Hustle is absolutely amazing! The action choreography? Top-notch! The imagination? Unbeatable! My mouth was agape from beginning to end! Stephen, you've spun comedy, kung fu, special effects, and... and that... brotherhood, yes! All of that together, and it's all so smooth! It's just... just... awesome!"

His string of broken but emotionally charged Chinese words once again ignited laughter and applause from the audience.

Stephen Chow couldn't help but laugh and waved his hands repeatedly.

Wang Sheng smiled and took the microphone from Quentin, saying in English, "Thank you, Quentin. It seems you learned a lot of 'essence' while in Beijing and filming 'Kill Bill'."

Quentin laughed heartily: "Absolutely! Your cultural heritage is so profound, just digging out a little bit is enough for us to ponder for half a day."

Seriously, who's the action director for this movie? I definitely need to find out! The designs have roots in traditional kung fu, yet they also have a cartoonish exaggeration—it's totally my style!

Stephen Chow then took over the conversation, explaining that the action team was led by Yuen Woo-ping's Yuen Clan, and briefly introduced the design concept.

Quentin nodded repeatedly, like a student humbly seeking knowledge.

The post-screening Q&A session took place in this warm and relaxed atmosphere.

Besides Quentin Tarantino, other guests present, such as Johnny Depp and Michelle Yeoh, also expressed their appreciation for the film. Depp especially mentioned that he was impressed by the film's "cruel romance" and visual style.

As the Q&A session drew to a close, the media finally had their free interview time.

Long guns and short cannons immediately surrounded Wang Sheng, Zhou Xingxing, Fan Xiaopang, and others.

Questions came one after another, and the focus, apart from the recently released "Kung Fu Hustle," inevitably fell on the Oscars ceremony to be held tomorrow.

"Director Wang Sheng, congratulations on the successful premiere of 'Kung Fu Hustle'! Your films 'The Pursuit of Happyness' and 'Spy Kids' have received a total of eighteen Oscar nominations, making history for Chinese directors."

"Are you confident you can bring home several Oscars tomorrow, especially for major awards like Best Director and Best Picture?" an American journalist asked preemptively.

All the cameras and recorders were pointed at Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng maintained his composed smile. After a moment's thought, he replied in fluent English, "First of all, thank you all for your love of 'Kung Fu Hustle.' As for the Oscars, receiving eighteen nominations is itself a huge recognition from the Oscar judges for these two films and the 'Shengying Production' brand. This is already a remarkable victory."

He paused, then continued, "Nominations are based on the artistic and technical achievements of the work itself, but the final award winners also involve many other factors, including the judges' personal preferences, the competitive environment of the year, and so on."

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is a magnificent epic, its achievements undeniable. All we can do is present the best we can, and then remain humble.

Instead of directly answering whether he was confident, he adopted a humble attitude, expressing both respect for his competitors and demonstrating a detached mindset.

"So you don't have high hopes for winning the award?" another reporter pressed.

“I prefer to see this Oscar trip as an opportunity to learn and exchange ideas,” Wang Sheng replied shrewdly. “Being able to compete with the world’s top filmmakers is an honor in itself.”

Winning an award is icing on the cake, but regardless of the outcome, our confidence in the internationalization of Chinese films remains unchanged, and Shengying's steps on the path to internationalization will not stop. The success of *Kung Fu Hustle* tonight is one of the best proofs of this.

He cleverly steered the conversation back to "Kung Fu Hustle," implying that the film's success did not entirely depend on the Oscar win.

"Director Stephen Chow, what about you? Do you think 'Kung Fu Hustle' can replicate the success of 'Shaolin Soccer' in the North American market? Do you personally have any interest in getting more involved in Hollywood productions like Director Wang Sheng?"

Stephen Chow laughed and said, "Let the audience decide the box office. As for me, I still prefer to make the stories I want to tell in places I'm familiar with. I'm very happy to work with Mr. Wong; he can help us bring the film to more places."

His answer reaffirmed his position.

The media then asked Fan Xiaopang about his expectations for "Twilight" and the comments from the main creators about their collaboration, all of which he responded appropriately.

The premiere slowly came to a close amidst a warm and lingering atmosphere.

Guests and audience members left the theater one after another, discussing the highlights of the film.

(End of this chapter)