"The Last Emperor" did not make any waves in the box office rankings during its opening weekend. This epic blockbuster, which was invested by Britons, distributed by Americans, directed by Italians, and performed by Chinese, costing US$24 million, was not even ranked among the top ten at the box office.
Didn't go in.
The final box office result was US$198,000. However, if you consider that this result was obtained when it was released in only 6 theaters in total, the average box office of a single theater of US$33,000 still makes Hollywood look at it with admiration.
The distributor of this movie is Heimdall Company, which had invested in James Cameron's "Terminator". They easily bought the distribution rights of the movie, but the editing of the movie was delayed, so they started again
Be suspicious.
When the film was edited and tested for test screenings, Heimdl saw that the European audience had a mediocre response. Seeing that something was not going well, they packaged and sold the North American distribution rights, along with the other two films, to Colombia.
No one knew that when "The Last Emperor" was first released in Italy last month, it unexpectedly became a hit.
Bertolucci is an outstanding Italian film director. As a screenwriter, he wrote "Once Upon a Time in the West" and directed "Last Tango in Paris" more than ten years ago, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director.
But this is not the only reason why the movie is so popular in Italy. What attracts the audience even more is the story of the last emperor in the ancient and mysterious Eastern country. He was the emperor of China, but he learned English from a British man.
.He was once the master of a country with a population of hundreds of millions, then became a prisoner, and finally became an ordinary citizen.
Western people are full of imagination about China. And movies are undoubtedly the best medium to reflect a country. Since China has strict restrictions on the number of tourist groups, many viewers who are curious about China can only watch it in the cinema.
Find images of that country.
This kind of general public curiosity about a country, coupled with the fact that few Chinese movies can be released in mainstream Western theaters, turned into a desire to watch "The Last Emperor". Italian audiences turned to the movie at the beginning
of 19 theaters filled.
By the second week, the screening scale quickly expanded to 65 theaters, and the audience continued to be full. By the 16th day, it had quickly exceeded two million US dollars.
Germany, which was released a week later than Italy, also aroused a craze for movie watching. With 50 cinemas, the box office exceeded one million US dollars on the tenth day.
This result made Heimdall regret it very much. It sold the North American distribution rights to Columbia at a cheap price, and now it seems that it is expected to make a lot of money.
The distribution department of Columbia Company has certainly noticed this phenomenon. However, Europe is Europe, and America is America. They still carefully adopted the strategy of small-scale screenings, allowing only a few screenings to arouse word-of-mouth among the audience, and then use
This situation of hard-to-get tickets continues to whet the appetite of the audience.
It must be said that their strategy was very successful.
This week's No. 1 box office ranking is the Hollywood English version of the same name, a remake of the Chinese film "Three Dads and a Baby." It exceeded US$10 million in the first week.
Besides the re-release of "Cinderella," the real second place was John Hughes' comedy, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."
Although the box office was good, both films suffered some criticism from film critics. The one that really won unanimous praise from film critics was "The Last Emperor".
Roger Ebert, the critical film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times, gave the film a rare perfect score of four stars. Moreover, his film reviews were full of yearning and admiration.
"Bertolucci's entire film was shot in China, and he was even allowed to film inside the Forbidden City - a vast medieval complex of approximately 250 acres (100 hectares) with 9,999 rooms.
Chinese people believe that only heaven has 10,000 rooms).
Appreciating a film because of its location is usually an unforgivably bourgeois act, but in the case of "The Last Emperor," the film's narrative cannot be separated from the awe-inspiring presence of the Forbidden City, nor from Bertollu.
Odd makes stunning use of locations, real costumes and thousands of extras, to create this strange little boy's everyday reality apart."
Another Chicago film critic, Jonathan Rosenbaum, who had just taken up his post at the Chicago Reader Weekly, praised the film to a very outrageous level.
"I had the pleasure of watching Spielberg's new film 'Empire of the Sun,' which will be released next month.
At best, apart from a few admirable shots, what "Empire of the Sun" allows us to understand is the story in a director's mind.
And 'The Last Emperor' achieves the same effect very casually. What's really great is that it also allows us to understand the lives of the billions of people who live with us on this planet. And even better, it allows us to
Want to know more about their lifestyle..."
Is "The Last Emperor" better than "Empire of the Sun"? Is Bertolucci better than Spielberg?"
Helen Slater took the movie review that Ronald had read and exclaimed as she read it. She originally liked this kind of epic movie, and just like Roger Ebert said self-deprecatingly, she was very excited about this kind of movie that could
Movies shot in ancient China are full of bourgeois appreciation.
"You didn't go to the premiere. The New York audience loved it." Ronald replied. As for Oklahoma parents, that's not necessarily the case.
I haven’t watched the entire film of “Empire of the Sun” yet, but I heard that it will be released on Christmas Day. The premiere will be on the 8th of next month. So I can’t answer your question yet.”
"Yes, I understand. Will the film 'Moonlight' directed by you also be released next month? There are so many new films at the end of the year."
"Well, that's it," Ronald replied absentmindedly, slowly kissing Helen's neck from behind. Helen had a special temperament of an uptown girl, which fascinated him.
Helen Slater's observation is correct. Today's movies are increasingly adopting the award-winning strategy of "returning with honors". In the last two months of each year, many movies will be screened from dozens to hundreds.
, enough to qualify for the Oscar selection that year.
Then, we hope that the movie will be nominated for an Oscar after the New Year's Day holiday next year, and use this free marketing to boost the box office. If you are lucky enough to win an Oscar, you can then run it for a long time and get high box office.
.
The two movies with the highest Oscar buzz next year are "The Last Emperor" and "Empire of the Sun." In addition to these two movies, Ronald's "Moonlight" was jointly produced by MGM and its own marketing consultant.
I am planning to take this route.
It opened in early December this year and will be maintained at less than 10 cinemas until the end of the year. Then it will begin large-scale screenings in mid-January next year. It mainly relies on word-of-mouth from the audience and public relations management from film critics to achieve a high reputation.
"Huh..." Helen took a long breath, as if her soul had returned to her body. Ronald hugged her from behind, and their red faces were pressed together, breathing together.
"How are your financing negotiations in New Jersey going?" Ronald breathed evenly, and then asked Helen, who was still soft in his arms.
"Well... it's not going well. After the stock market crash, many investors who were generous to movies are now encountering difficulties. My father's TV station has become more and more connected, and the budget for purchasing movie broadcast rights has also been significantly reduced.
So I still have to rely on myself for everything. I have decided to let the screenwriter Melanie Mellen be the leading actor paired with me, and another screenwriter Catlin Adams to be the director, so that I can save a lot of money."
Helen was a little exhausted. Even if she talked about the content of her favorite production, her eyes were starting to become more and more difficult to open.
"I can finance it. It's my daydream. I'm still looking for a suitable script. What's the budget for your new film?" Ronald looked at Helen's hard work and knew that the stock market crash had caused her father to contact the TV station to purchase the film.
Broadcasting rights, as a financing option for upfront payments, have failed.
Although independent production is so difficult, as a producer, you must persuade investors. But Ronald feels that this persuasion work can be done by himself.
"Huh? Do you have money? Does your company still have investment money after the stock market crash?" Helen became more energetic. She turned over and said to Ronald, "My entire movie needs about 2 million.
With an investment of about US$1.5 million, there is still a shortfall of 1.5 million, no, 1.2 million will do, and I can ask Melanie’s boyfriend to be the photographer.”
"Why are your directors, starring actors, and screenwriters all female?" Ronald heard that he only had more than one million, and he felt no pressure.
"We want to make a female film. The two protagonists of the story are also female. They are partners in a string duo, one plays the violin and the other plays the cello, playing on the street..."
Helen quickly introduced the story to Ronald. A friend of the two protagonists brought a bag for them to keep, and the two girls discovered that it was full of cash..."
Ronald heard the story, and it was a good low-cost story. At the beginning, there was a huge sum of money as a gimmick, and two girls spent money, and were chased by bad guys. In the end, they paid back the money, resumed the story of street busking, and...
It's a bit of a theme that life cannot rely on windfall.
This kind of low-budget movie is actually very suitable for the video tape business. Many people spend $1.50 on weekends just to watch beauties and comedies and have fun.
"Tomorrow you send the script to my office in Daydream. My screenwriting department will evaluate it. If it passes, I can write you a check soon?"
"Really?" Helen worked very hard to find financing, but she didn't expect Ronald to immediately say that she could invest. She was afraid that he was joking.
"However, I have to read the script and evaluate it before making a decision. Then my colleagues will send assistant producers to the crew to take charge of the finances..." Ronald looked at
"What evaluation would you give? My script is very well designed..." Helen posted it happily.
"Then it depends on how you convince me?" Ronald assumed a reserved posture.
"Isn't this enough to convince you?" Helen came up regardless of exhaustion, pressed tightly against Ronald's chest, and tried to convince him.
…
"Ronald, I have contacted the crew about the script you sent." Daydream's general manager Eddie called Ronald a day later, "I have to say, the producer, director,
Neither the screenwriter nor the two leading actors (part-time actors) could reassure me. I doubt whether they are capable of filming the scenes in the script."
"No way, it's so bad?"
"It was so bad that Helen Slater talked to me for over an hour about her philosophy, the history and future of women's films in America... As for the story and the making of the film, not a word was said."
"God, are they going to make a movie or engage in feminist performance art?" Ronald knew that Helen was a rich girl and was not very familiar with Hollywood's tricks. Sometimes she was a bit naive (Na?ve). No.
Is it someone else who took a fancy to her relationship and deliberately persuaded her to make a movie?"
"It's hard to say. I suggest not approving a budget." Eddie gave his own suggestion.
"This is not an option, Eddie. Think about how to prevent Helen from being exploited and still make it into a movie. At least don't lose money. Well, don't lose too much."
"In this case, I can agree to it first, and then ask them to make a shot script that meets industry standards, and do a test shoot to show their strength. In this way, people without professional ability can be weeded out."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "That's it, um... don't be too cruel to Helen."
"I will keep my balance, but don't expect too much. The people in this crew are either amateurs or people who sneaked in to cheat on their qualifications. According to business logic, many people will be eliminated, especially the director Catlin Adams.
She is actually an acting coach by profession, and this time she came here purely to accumulate director qualifications and deceive Helen's social connections."
"There is no one who can be used?" Ronald thought to himself, if Helen fired all the teams she formed, would she fall out with him?
"The screenwriter, Melanie Mellen, who co-starred with Helen, was pretty good. She was also a naive girl. She wrote the script herself, and her position as the first screenwriter was taken away by Catlin Adams.
By the way, there is also her boyfriend. The photographer is a professional. I think he is very good. He also likes to make small inventions and is a capable person. I guess if this movie had the original cast, he would be the only one who could be professional.
.”
"Then follow your idea. I will give you 2 million yuan, and you can invest without telling me. In addition, if you are interested, you can work as a producer part-time."
"Okay, that's it, you and Helen can explain it." Eddie hung up the phone.
"Sorry, Director Huang, there are many things here that our Hollywood movies must pay attention to...according to your words, we must pay attention to economic benefits, so we have to carefully consider each movie. If we are not careful, we will lose money."
Ronald put down the phone and explained to Director Huang who came over from Xujiahui Studio.
Director Huang and a delegation from Xujiahui also came to New York to see Ronald at a different time than the delegation from the capital.
"You are busy," Director Huang said. Ronald should wait.
"We came here mainly because we wanted to cooperate with Director Luo. The domestic production budget is very tight now, so we have to open up our minds and invigorate... well, invigorate the economy."
Ronald looked at Director Huang with a smile. This passage was really difficult for her. Someone must have taught her to memorize it.
"Forget it, Director Luo knows me. I can't explain this. I'd better talk about movies, hahaha." Director Huang also let go.
Just like the delegation from the capital, the delegation from Xujiahui also hopes that Ronald can join the Chinese Art Foundation they have established to promote traditional Chinese paper-cuts, ink cartoons, etc.
film art.
After the reform, this form of film, which has high social benefits but low economic benefits, gradually received less funding.
The animation studio had to transform and produce some children's animations that meet the market demand, such as "Black Cat Sheriff", "Calabash Brothers" and the "Avanti" series of movies that Ronald saw last time. Every year
The number of productions has decreased drastically compared to before.
"Before I came, the city leaders also told me that Director Luo's lamp factory in Minhang has excellent exports and has filled the world's leading technology gap. If there are other suitable factories, I can go back and open two more.
"
"I only know some film techniques, I'm afraid it won't be that easy."
"I know that this lamp factory was invented by Lao Yan. I just want to say that before I came, the city specially called our delegation. The mayor specifically told him that Director Luo's factory is a model of Chinese-American cooperation.
He felt very, well, how do you say it in English?"
"Excited", Xiao Yan, who specially asked for leave from school and came to accompany Director Huang, took over the conversation.
"Let me see if there are any products suitable for the technical level of the workers over there." Ronald actually didn't give much hope. The workers over there were still relatively backward in technology, except for the long-arc xenon lamps used in lightning lamps, which are used by Westerners.
If you put the obsolete technical products and put other products there to produce them, it’s really not profitable.”
"This time we're going to stay until after the premiere of Spielberg's 'Empire of the Sun' before going back. I'll trouble you this time." Director Huang's visit this time also has the intention of trying to establish a relationship with Capital Studios.
Chinese and foreign co-productions are also targeting this year's Oscars to see which joint venture film can win.
"It's Thanksgiving Day in America soon. Come to my house and I'll treat you to a meal. This Thanksgiving Day is similar to the Mid-Autumn Festival in China. It also involves family reunion."
"Then let me report to the team leader that several of our colleagues from the studio are going to Director Luo's house for dinner." Director Huang was very happy. He heard that Americans rarely invite people home for dinner, which is different from China.
, they usually eat in restaurants here and cook at home, which is the treatment of good friends.