After the preview, many of the selected college students began to imitate break dancing in the front hall of the cinema.
Many spectators were trying to do the moonwalk, but no one could figure out why it seemed like they were stepping forward, but when they jumped out, they were going backwards.
“Hip pop is so tense and exciting,
That pretty girl dances well."
Several audience members who had watched the test screening were singing Ice T's impromptu rap lyrics in their mouths, and when they walked to the bathroom door to queue up, they started discussing it.
"Hey, at the Motown concert in the first half of the year, did MJ dance like this?"
"Indeed, but when I saw Motor in the movie, he danced more gracefully than MJ."
"It's a pity that MJ didn't dance in the movie, otherwise we could have watched him compete with Motor."
"What, where is MJ in the movie?" An audience member just walked out of the bathroom and was confused after hearing their conversation.
"Didn't you watch the ending? The one who came to dance with them on the street, isn't it MJ?"
"That's right, what he said was so good, break dancing is a street art."
"I...I came out early to use the restroom. I was afraid the queue would be too long."
"Then you're miserable. The last part was so exciting."
"Really? When can this movie be shown again?"
"This is a test screening, idiot. You'd better wait until it's officially released."
Seeing the hall full of lively discussions and the audience trying to figure out how to do the moonwalk, Ronald was overjoyed and said, "There is no problem now. This is the first time I have encountered such an enthusiastic response since I became a director.
"
Minahan stood next to him, and he was also very excited. He has never seen a cannon movie so popular. Maybe "Lemonade", which he shot in Israel for five years, may have reached this level in Israel.
But this is America! Dozens of times the market capacity of Israel.
The highly anticipated remake of "Lemonade" and "America's Last Virgin" failed at the box office in the North American market. If it succeeds this time, how much money can it make?
Minahan turned around and looked at the distribution representative sent by MGM. He had jumped to the only pay phone in the theater and was calling the company:
"Yes, I promise, this is a good movie. Cannon has never made such a good movie. I don't care if their other movies are trash, this one will do. Besides the plot and dancing, this movie is great.
Just hit the right spot on the popular craze of break dancing.
...Yes, it's the one that Orion invested 9 million in... Yes, it's called Hot Street Boys... This is not a problem, no matter whether their movie is better or not, the key is that this break dance can be sent to MPAA rating immediately
.
Yes, I think we can release it first and catch them off guard... No, listen to me, I don't know how they did it. They even invited MJ to make a cameo. Which other MJ... Okay, I'll let him take it.
Make a copy."
After the MGM distribution representative made the call, he came back and said to Minahan, "My boss asked you to take the copy to MGM headquarters for a screening. I can't convince them right away with words, but I think your movie can be done."
arrive."
"Hahaha, then it's settled." Minahan shook hands with him solemnly to confirm.
With the good news, Minahan began to think about it.
Should MGM distribute such a good movie? If Cannon distributed it itself, wouldn't it be able to make more money?
"Do you think our Cannon's distribution department can handle the distribution of Breakdance now?" Minahan asked his cousin Yoram who was in the car with him in the car after the preview as he returned to the office.
"No, even if the cannon has this ability, it has to be released by MGM."
Yoram disagrees. Movies like "Break Dance" don't have celebrities starring in them, so they rely entirely on distribution channels for promotion.
The most important thing is that in the first week of release, enough viewers must be attracted to the studio. The distribution department of Cannon has just been established, and has not been run-in with the project, nor does it have familiar theater channels.
You will never be able to get more than a thousand theaters on your own. The final box office performance of the movie depends on the size of the opening weekend and the audience's reputation.
MGM is a company with strong distribution capabilities. Although they have to take away a large piece of meat, compared with the large number of theaters showing it, and their skilled marketing methods, it is still worth it.
Gu Ling
"Although MGM doesn't make many movies anymore, they are still a board member of MPAA. If they come out to rate it, they will pass the rating as quickly as possible. You forgot, Orion has a movie with a similar theme in preparation.
"
"You are right, we still want MGM to distribute. This can also save our precarious cooperation with them. I am just a little unwilling to do so. Obviously this is a good opportunity and it is possible to build our own distribution team.
"Yes." Minahan shook his head with regret.
Yoram touched his chin and said, "Actually, we can sign a joint distribution agreement with them. In this case, in the first two months... I think this Break Dance will definitely be able to stay for more time. The film is scheduled for the first two months.
When the share is high, we can let them take advantage of it, and we can release it simultaneously and put the film in second-run theaters, rural theaters, and old theaters in big cities."
"Okay." Minahan nodded, "Any other ideas?"
Yoram got excited, "I still have some ideas. If the top executives at MGM really do what the people in the distribution department said after seeing the movie, we can bundle a movie with them."
"Keep talking."
"Weren't they unwilling to release Brooke Shields' Sahara in America? We decided to bundle the two films together, so we could only buy them together, or not have them together."
"Hey, you boy, I like this idea." Minahan happily patted Yoram's shoulder several times.
Yoram's main responsibility at Cannon is distribution. He also grinned. Being able to distribute Brooke Shields' movie can be regarded as solving a big problem.
"Actually, I also have an idea," Minahan's eyes flashed, "We can start preparing for the sequel."
"This is what I want to say. We, Cannon, are a company that makes money from sequels. We don't buy sequels from other companies, such as the sequel to Die Hard starring Chuck Bronson. We filmed our own sequel
"The Fight' sequel" has brought huge profits to our European business. Since MGM likes break dancing so much, I suggest that we start filming as soon as possible."
"No, we are going to start planning Breakdancing 2 now." Minahan waved his hand, "The breakdancing trend is coming very quickly, but we don't know when it will subside. We have to launch the sequel as soon as possible."
"What are you going to do?"
"First find the leading actors. All the leading actors sign a film contract quickly. Before they become famous and too expensive for release," Minahan said, "And the screenwriters. Find the screenwriters. Based on the first film,
Write the story of Motor, Tornado, and Kelly continuing their dance careers."
"You don't want Ronald to continue directing?" Yoram asked.
"I know him. This movie is just a casual work of his. He directed it without much effort. He directed it while lying down. The movie he made in Colombia is his masterpiece. If these two movies
If everything is a hit, he will definitely become the target of big studios, and we will no longer be able to ask him to direct such low-budget exploitation films.
I really want to work with him again, he is a person who can't be avoided. Although there is no screenwriter signature of Break Dance, he did most of the script adaptation work, and these adaptations played the most critical role in the success of the film. Union
will recognize his achievements, so the sequel must obtain his consent."
Minahan couldn't help but hit his big head twice with his fist, "I'm so stupid. I should have signed one more film contract with him at that time. Now we can only find him when we raise the funds to make another big production."
He cooperates.”
A few days later, applause erupted in MGM's screening room. The head of their distribution department and the company's vice president all stood up to pay tribute to Minahan.
Just like the previous test screenings, the invited test screening audiences went completely crazy after watching the movie. They went directly to MGM’s investigators and asked them when it would be released, and they must watch it again with their friends.
Although MGM was dissatisfied with the conditions of the tie-up, in view of the average audience rating of A-, it pinched its nose and signed a distribution agreement for "Sahara", responsible for the first-round distribution of the two films in America.
The second round of distribution, as well as the distribution of some remote theaters, is left to Cannon Pictures itself.
"Mazel tov (congratulations), the next thing is to quickly submit it for review and get a PG rating." The vice president of MGM took the initiative to raise his glass and greeted him with a Jewish toast.
"Then wish us a fortune!" Minahan celebrated with champagne for the first time with the top executives of the seven major companies, "Hahaha!"
"By the way, you guys made a wise choice by hiring Ronald Lee to direct. He is particularly good at making exploitation films. Are your sequels ready? Don't be surprised... Who in Hollywood doesn't know that you cannons are the king of sequels?
?”
"We have this plan to add an advertisement at the end of the copy, Breakdance 2 - Electronic Boogaloo, which will be released soon, so stay tuned."
"Electronic Boogaloo?" MGM's vice president laughed, "It's a good name, it's catchy."
"Yes, we also plan to let Boogaloo Prawn play the leading role in the sequel. He is now MJ's choreographer. By the time the sequel is released, he should be the most popular among the three leading actors."
"That's right, his moonwalk is the best dance sequence in this movie." The vice president of MGM raised his glass. "Do you still want Ronald as director? If it were him, we would be willing to book a distribution contract immediately.
"
"Hahaha, he is currently busy in the post-production of another film in Colombia, and we are also talking to him."
Minahan happily raised his glass and said, "l'chaim! (I'm lucky to be alive)".
Minahan sent the copy for review and then began working hard on preparing and coordinating the release, as well as filming the sequel.
Several leading actors have successfully signed on, and the screenwriting team has been found, but Ronald is very busy and has no time to discuss the filming of the sequel with him.
Because it happened that Ronald's vacation period had arrived and he had already gone back to edit "The Dragon King".