After the Lantern Festival, it’s the annual Hong Kong Directors Association Spring Tea.←,
Different from the festive atmosphere last year, although this year's Spring Tea Party was joyful on the surface, the smiles on many directors' faces were a bit forced.
Just in January, the Directors Association passed the general election. In response to everyone's strong demand, Kang Jianfei agreed to participate in the presidential election, and was finally elected as the president of the association with a high vote rate of nearly 90%. Cheng Long and Zhang Tongzhi served as vice presidents.
President.
There is no such thing as taking orders in times of crisis. The Hong Kong Directors Guild is a private organization and cannot shoulder the heavy responsibility of saving Hong Kong films. As the president, Kang Jianfei can only provide some benefits or support more young directors.
Of course, after Kang Jianfei became the president, the association's activities were much more grand and grand. This time, the director's spring tea party was held at the Peninsula Hotel, and many reporters were invited to participate.
I don't know whether it was because of Kang Jianfei's reputation or the Directors Association's reputation, but all the drinks at the Spring Tea Party were sponsored by the Peninsula Hotel, which saved a lot of money for the party.
"Mr. Kang, congratulations on the sales of "Kung Fu"!"
"Mr. Kang, it's time to call you President Kang instead!"
"Mr. Kang, Happy Chinese New Year!"
"..."
As soon as Kang Jianfei appeared, first the reporters' cameras flashed rapidly, and then a large number of directors came forward to greet him.
Huang Baiming smoked a cigarette and said to Gao Zhisen with a smile: "Why don't you come over and say hello?"
"Let's go together." Gao Zhisen curled his lips. Although it was a bit unethical for him to change jobs at the beginning, in the past few years, this grudge has long been over.
Huang Baiming walked in front. After shaking hands with Kang Jianfei, he said: "Mr. Kang, this time's "Kung Fu" is very surprising."
Kang Jianfei smiled and said: "Xincheng's "The Rich Man's House" is not bad either."
Huang Baiming just laughed. His family knew his family affairs, and this time he and Gao Zhisen filmed "The Rich Family" for the purpose of making money. He didn't use his brain at all in terms of the plot. Take "Happy Events in the Family"
The script was used as a template, and then everyone added scenes into it together, and it became a new New Year's film.
After exchanging polite words with Huang Baiming, Kang Jianfei shook hands with Gao Zhisen and said nothing more.
Not long after, Cheng Long also appeared, but Hong Jinbao never appeared. After Hong Jinbao's "One Sword of the City" hit the street, he only served as the ringmaster in "The Lord of the Demon Sect" and "Ashes of Time", until
There are no works published now. Even Hong Jinbao's name has not appeared in newspapers and magazines for a long time. This person seems to have disappeared.
A few minutes later, Kang Jianfei and Cheng Long held hands together, and reporters on the scene clicked the shutter frantically.
The two didn't say much, they just held hands and faced reporters, smiling for them to take pictures.
"Kung Fu" and "Drunken Master 2" have been fighting fiercely since their release. Now they have been screened for more than 20 consecutive days, gradually widening the box office gap. The cumulative box office of "Kung Fu" has reached 42 million, while
The box office of "Drunken Master 2" has just exceeded 3,500, and Cheng Long lost very simply. The rest of the competition depends on the overseas box office.
"Kung Fu" has given Hong Kong audiences too many surprises. The exaggerated comic style has been integrated into Kung Fu movies, and computer special effects have been added. This is undoubtedly a breakthrough for Kung Fu movies.
Why has Hong Kong's box office been sluggish for the past six months or so? It's because the audience is tired of watching the same old stuff, and they will buy into movies that make them feel fresh and new.
Needless to say, there was a lot of fun at the Spring Tea Party. The day after the banquet, Kang Jianfei initiated the first regular meeting since he was elected president of the Directors Association.
The main content of the meeting is that Kang Jianfei established the "Kang Jianfei New Star Director Foundation" in his own name. This foundation aims to support new Chinese directors, not just Hong Kong. Chinese directors around the world can apply for fund support. As long as the film
Once the plan and script are approved, the foundation will receive financial and technical support. The only requirement is that the film copyright belongs to Oriental DreamWorks.
The Hong Kong Directors Guild is also one of the partners of the foundation. Every year, each association member has a recommendation quota. Of course, whether it can pass the review in the end depends on the foundation's review. Not all films can receive support from the foundation.
Those bad movies that follow the trend will go as far as they can.
Kang Jianfei knows that this fund will probably lose money, but as long as one of the 100 new directors it supports can grow into a great director, it will be worthwhile.
On March 10, "Big Rich House" finally closed, with a box office of 37.36 million.
On March 16, "Drunken Master 2" was also released. It was screened for one week longer than "The Rich Man", with a box office of 40.97 million.
On March 22, "Kung Fu" ended its screening with a box office of 53.84 million, becoming the box office champion in the 1994 Lunar New Year period.
The population of Hong Kong exceeded 6 million last year, and movie ticket prices are rising year by year. Although the box office of "Kung Fu" is very high, the box office of Kang Jianfei and Zhou Xingchi is not enough. This shows from the side that the Hong Kong film market is indeed
is shrinking.
However, the evaluation of "Kung Fu" by various people is surprisingly unanimous. In addition to the innovation of style and special effects, there is also a nostalgic factor in it.
The Tathagata Palm used by the male protagonist in the film is a thing that has been around since the era of Cantonese film fragments. The blind man who plays the piano and Zhao Zhiling who does wireless boxing are both familiar kung fu actors in the 60s and 70s. These alone can evoke endless emotions.
The ancient memories of young people.
Some people say that Kang Jianfei's "Kung Fu" is a successful innovation; others say that "Kung Fu" is a tribute to traditional kung fu movies. But no matter what, older audiences like it, and young audiences also pursue it. It has a good reputation
And the super high box office finally gave everyone some confidence.
Someone in "Tian Tian Daily" helped Kang Jianfei compare: "Among Hong Kong filmmakers today, there are a total of four phenomenal ones. Chengdu is famous for its actors on both Mondays, and their unique acting style impressed the audience. And Kang Jianfei,
He is the only director among them. This is the 15th year since Kang Jianfei traveled to Hong Kong. In Asia, his name is synonymous with blockbusters. Even in Europe and the United States, he still has a large number of fans. Just based on the director's name, the film
Among Asian directors, Kang Jianfei is the only one who can be released on a large scale in North American theaters. Even Kurosawa Akira does not have this kind of treatment. If anyone can turn the tide when Hong Kong films are in recession, I think this person must be Kang Jianfei.
.”
…
After the Lunar New Year, Taiwan's eight major film studios began to invest in Hong Kong films again, and several Hong Kong and Taiwan joint venture films were launched one after another. This is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the tragic Hong Kong filmmakers.
Of course, there are also people who are pessimistic about the prospects of Hong Kong films, such as Roger Cheng, the boss of Yonggao Pictures.
Perhaps the butterfly effect brought about by Kang Jianfei was too powerful. Just after the Lantern Festival, Boss Luo announced the suspension of production of Yonggao Film Company and the dissolution of Yonggao Cinemas, a full year earlier than the original time and space.
Kang Jianfei's Oriental DreamWorks still maintains a certain volume of products and plans to make 12 movies this year. Some low-cost films will most likely fail on the street, but fortunately Oriental Entertainment Distribution Company also has a video production and distribution business. If the box office is insufficient, it can rely on other
way to make money back.
Hong Kong now produces as many as 300 films every year, but less than 200 can be shown in cinemas. There are a large number of low-cost films that go directly to the video tape channel, and there are even companies that specialize in making video tape films. These small film companies can also make money.
.
Although it was not a loss, when Kang Jianfei received last year's DreamWorks financial report, the figures still made him very depressed. In terms of movie box office, Hong Kong's local box office revenue fell by a full third; as for overseas box office, not to mention, "
The global box office of "Jurassic Park" was too impressive, and DreamWorks' overseas box office in 1993 has no reference value.
Contrary to the bleak Hong Kong box office market, Hong Kong's stock and property markets are still soaring, and the Hang Seng Index has exceeded 12,000 points. This number is a bit ridiculously high. Kang Jianfei's fund is already withdrawing, and more people who usually do not
Hong Kong citizens who speculate in the stock market are attracted to the stock market by the overwhelming news about big bulls in the stock market.
In order to alert citizens who have lost their minds, Phoenix TV decided to rebroadcast "The Great Era"...
The annual Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony is about to be held, but Kang Jianfei neither pays attention to the Film Awards nor the exploding Hong Kong stock market. He plans to leave for the mainland again to settle the matter of building a film and television city in the mainland. By the way,
Go to the capital to see Lizhi, Gong Li and other girls.
Last autumn, Lan Jieying and Ye Zimei gave birth to a son and a daughter respectively to Kang Jianfei, and Zhao Yazhi will give birth again in a few months.
What Kang Jianfei didn't expect was that he only stayed in the capital for a few weeks last year, and Li Zhi, Fu Yiwei, He Qing and Tao Huimin all got pregnant by him. Among the women who lived in Guo County Prince's Palace, only Gong Li Dede was spared.
This seeder is getting more powerful! (To be continued...)u