Huayu: King of Kung Fu

Chapter 128 Such a grand occasion has not been seen in twenty years

Dongfang Xu kicked Miura to death, and the onlookers cheered.

Just then, a gunshot rang out, and Dongfang Xu was shot and fell off the stage.

The scene went silent for a moment, with only the sound of Dongfang Xu falling to the ground.

"Snapped!"

With an echo, it was deafening!

The onlookers, obstructing the movement, rushed forward and engaged the Japanese in a fierce battle.

The scene shifts to a car driving towards the dock. Inside the car, Dongfang Xu's wife is holding his body, crying her heart out.

Dongfang Xu's finger twitched slightly.

The screen went black, and the movie ended.

The audience, who had initially thought Dongfang Xu was dead, breathed a sigh of relief and began asking each other questions.

Yang's mother's palms were sweating as she looked at him. She asked, "He's not dead, is he?"

Yang's father replied, "He's not dead, he's not dead!"

"That's good. This movie must have been so difficult to make; the crew must have suffered a lot of injuries."

Yang's mother's thought process was different from others. While others were concerned about whether the beating was enjoyable, she was thinking that Lin Hu must have suffered a lot of injuries because the beating in the movie was so fierce.

Yang Xiaoye, still feeling unsatisfied, asked, "So there's a second part, right?"

Yang's father said confidently, "Definitely. Before the decisive battle, he had a friend send his wife to the south, and they went together."

"I can't wait!"

The family of three discussed as they walked out with the crowd, and people were also discussing among themselves.

"It's really beautiful!"

"Especially that last kick, it blew that Japanese devil's head off, that was so satisfying!"

"Was his head kicked off?"

"They kicked the pillar off, how could they possibly keep their heads?"

"It was probably too gory, so they only showed the scene of the wooden stake breaking."

"After Chen Long and Li Lianjie, Lin Hu's action movies are the best."

"Chen Long's 'The Accidental Spy' this year was bad; it was incomprehensible. And he even played a Korean!"

"Really? Then I won't go see it!"

People chatted amongst themselves as they left the movie theater.

Like in Hong Kong, "The Accidental Spy" was released on the eve of the Lunar New Year and has been showing for a week.

This film is not in Chen Long's traditional style, and its reputation is so-so.

Lin Hu didn't have a good New Year!

After the global premiere in Beijing, he traveled to Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong to promote the film.

The largest film markets in mainland China are now Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Films with a certain prestige usually need to be promoted in these three cities when they are released.

Because Lin Hu debuted as an action star and has a Hong Kong market, he needs to travel to another city.

He is currently at the height of his career, and he is extremely popular every time he appears, especially in mainland China.

-

On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Hu, along with Yuen Woo-ping, Donnie Yen, Gao Yuanyuan, and other main cast members of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," appeared at the Shanghai Grand Cinema and were immediately surrounded by movie fans. The surging crowd stretched from Nanjing West Road all the way to Huanghe Road.

Thousands of citizens braved the cold wind to catch a glimpse of Lin Hu's superstar status.

Surrounded by security personnel, Lin Hu and his entourage waved to fans and wished them a Happy New Year.

The group finally managed to get into the movie theater, but the crowd suddenly went out of control, surging forward and shattering the glass doors of the theater.

Security personnel rushed forward to separate the crowd, and the scene was chaotic.

Lin Hu must not show himself at this point, otherwise who knows what might happen.

He waited inside for a while, making sure the fans were calmed down and there were no casualties, before he breathed a sigh of relief.

If a stampede occurs during the Lunar New Year, resulting in injuries or fatalities, then his crime would be grave.

Yuen Woo-ping laughed and said, "Lin Hu, it's been almost twenty years since an action actor has become as popular as you."

Lin Hu asked, "Was the last one Brother Jie?"

"Yes, when Jet Li became famous throughout Asia with 'Shaolin Temple,' this was the scene wherever he went."

These words made Zhen Zidan, who was standing to the side, envious, but also inexplicably a little disappointed.

Speaking of which, Jet Li is considered Donnie Yen's senior in martial arts; the two of them were in the Beijing Martial Arts Team together.

Donnie Yen debuted only two years later than Jet Li, but their popularity is worlds apart.

Nearly twenty years have passed, and Jet Li has long since become a superstar, but he remains relatively unknown.

But new talents emerge in every generation, and a new generation of superstars has taken the stage.

The main hall of the Grand Cinema can accommodate 1500 audience members. After the movie, the entire audience erupted in applause.

Lin Hu and his three companions went on stage to thank the voters, and the crowd chanted Lin Hu's name for a long time without calming down.

During the audience discussion, a middle-aged audience member stood up and said, "It feels like I've gone back to when I was a child, watching Huo Yuanjia and Chen Zhen on TV. It's been so long since I've felt this excited. Thank you for making such a great movie, which allowed me to have a two-hour hero's dream in the theater."

Lin Hu said, "Movies are dream-making machines. If they can remind you of your childhood dreams of heroism, that's the greatest compliment we can receive. However, our original intention in making this film was to hope that the Chinese people would remember history and strive forward!"

Another audience member stood up and said, "Your first two films, Ong-Bak, express religious beliefs, and Ong-Bak 2, express the relationship between humans and animals. Both are very good themes."

-

"This new 'The Chronicles of Martial Arts' expresses the themes of national and personal vendettas; I believe its scope is much broader!"

"But the protagonist's final kick, while satisfying, I think was a bit over the top and didn't match the masterly demeanor he projected at the beginning of the film."

Lin Hu explained, "Because Dongfang Xu was threatened before he took office that if he dared to win, he would die. Since that's the case, we might as well fight it out."

"So I felt I had to take that kick; it was a way of releasing all my emotions and then facing death with a sense of righteous indignation."

The man suddenly understood and said, "Now that you mention it, it all makes sense! I've decided to buy a ticket and watch it again—ten times!"

"Hahahaha!" A burst of laughter erupted in the screening room.

When Lin Hu's "Ong-Bak 2" was released, it coincided with the embassy incident, which allowed him to make a living through patriotism.

This remake of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" changes the plot to the War of Resistance against Japan, which is actually suspected of exploiting patriotism.

However, "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" is definitely a work of sincerity. The exciting action scenes in the movie were all filmed in real life, and it is not just a money-making scheme using a patriotic banner.

With positive reviews, it was only natural that the box office would take off.

In the evening, the organizers hosted a banquet at a seafood restaurant on Huanghe Road. The atmosphere was lively and filled with the clinking of glasses.

During the meal, everyone was beaming with excitement when the box office performance of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was discussed.

After a week of release in mainland China, the film grossed over 20 million yuan. Although it was not as explosive as "Ong-Bak 2", it steadily suppressed "The Accidental Spy" which was released at the same time.

It also performed well in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but its opening week box office was lower than that of "The Accidental Spy". However, "The Accidental Spy" suffered a critical failure, and "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" is poised to overtake it.

As for another Lunar New Year film, Johnnie To's "Chung Mo-Yin," it was defeated by the two kung fu stars' masterpiece.

Du Dapao was extremely frustrated. In three movies, he encountered Lin Hu three times and was beaten up three times. Lin Hu was his destined nemesis.

During the meal, Yuen Woo-ping talked about "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which was doing very well in North America, with a smug look on his face.

The North American box office success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was a miracle. It was initially shown only in art-house theaters, with a total of only 16 theaters.

However, the box office performance was exceptionally good, ranking first in single-theater box office and grossing $100 million in its opening week.

The distributors saw a business opportunity and expanded to 31 theaters in the second week, resulting in a box office of $280 million in two weeks.

Further expansion: $900 million in three weeks, $1500 million in four weeks —

By the time Yuen Woo-ping and Lin Hu discussed "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," it had already been in theaters for eight weeks, expanded seven times, been shown in more than 800 theaters, and grossed $46 million.

At the recently concluded Golden Globe Awards, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" won Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film, and was also nominated for an Oscar.

With such achievements, it's no wonder that Yuen Woo-ping is in high spirits.

As he sipped his drink, he casually remarked, "Lin Hu, are you interested in filming period dramas?"

Lin Hu said, "Of course there is. What are your thoughts, Eighth Master?"

Yuen Woo-ping said, "I don't have any ideas yet, but the success of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' will definitely spark a craze for period films. With your skills, you could try a period film. With your fame, the box office will definitely be good."

Lin Hu thought for a moment and said, "It's not impossible, but I don't like Qing Dynasty dramas. I could try Ming Dynasty dramas instead."

Yuen Woo-ping said, "A Ming Dynasty drama?"

Lin Hu said, "Yes, Director King Hu once said that the most suitable dynasty for making martial arts films is the Ming Dynasty."

"The secret police system and the chivalrous heroes are naturally opposed. Social unrest is suitable for themes of homeland and loyalty. The imperial court, the country, and the martial arts world all come together to create multiple layers of conflict."

"Rich in materials and abundant in historical records, facilitating research; Ming Dynasty clothing was magnificent, featuring wide-sleeved scholar's robes, bamboo hats, and flying fish robes —"

Suitable for elegant martial arts fight scenes.

Lin Hu is quite knowledgeable about kung fu and martial arts films, and he has paid special attention to King Hu, the father of martial arts films. He can talk about them in great detail.

Yuen Woo-ping praised, "You've done a lot of research!"

"This is all based on director King Hu's research; I'm just repeating it. But—since we're on the topic, how about we collaborate on a Ming Dynasty drama?"

Yuen Woo-ping readily agreed, "Great! What are you planning to film?"

"Let's film a story about three brothers who were members of the Imperial Guards during the Ming Dynasty!"

>