Chapter 670: Police and gangster movies that hit the streets one after another
The Hong Kong film community is very small, so naturally it is easy to find people who can talk to Li Yi.
For example, Chen Weijie, such as Liang Feng, etc.
Wang Feng's status in the Hong Kong film industry is very high, because in the 1990s, when Hong Kong films were in decline, Wang Feng was a sudden rise.
What Wang Feng is best at happens to be Hong Kong police and gangster films, and they are police and gangster films in the "two heroes" mode.
Unfortunately, the decline of Hong Kong movies is comprehensive.
After entering the new century, many Hong Kong Island filmmakers have moved north, but Wang Feng is very stubborn and sticks to the Hong Kong Island market.
It is a pity that any style of movie or any type of movie will cause the audience to experience aesthetic fatigue once there are too many of them.
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In the 1990s, Wang Feng's police and gangster films were considered innovative compared to Hong Kong films of the past. However, as we entered the new century, his formula no longer worked.
Shoot one, shoot another.
Finally, Wang Feng had to start trying to co-produce with the Mainland. Seeing the decline of police and gangster movies, he began to switch to movies with other themes.
Unfortunately, the market changes too fast, and the audience's tastes change too fast, and he has never been able to grasp the audience's preferences.
Although it is not impossible to say that one film is a hit after another, there are no truly successful films.
The sudden rise of "Infernal Affairs" made Wang Feng very excited.
In his opinion, this is not only the reason for "Infernal Affairs" itself, but also the reason why the audience's preferences have begun to return.
Wang Feng has watched the movie "Infernal Affairs" many times and done a lot of work to analyze the reasons for the success of the movie, its style, story structure, etc., etc.
After learning that Li Yi had a sequel plan but did not want to continue directing, Wang Feng immediately approached Chen Weijie as a lobbyist.
Because Wang Feng can be said to be one of Chen Weijie's top talents. When Chen Weijie was not so famous, it was Wang Feng who promoted him.
Therefore, Chen Weijie naturally still wants to give Wang Feng this face.
Wang Feng originally felt that if Li Yi wanted to find a director who was best at making Hong Kong police and gangster films and the most suitable director for the sequel to "Infernal Affairs", then he would definitely be the one with the most advantage.
Because in the two-hero pattern, good and evil are difficult to distinguish, this can be said to be Wang Feng's specialty.
However, in the end, Li Yi didn't even agree to meet at all and refused directly.
Although Li Yi told Chen Weijie that he planned to use the sequel of "Infernal Affairs" to train new Hong Kong film directors.
But Wang Feng felt that this was just Li Yi's excuse.
Are you kidding me? Can a newcomer make a movie like "Infernal Affairs"?
Is Wang Feng not as good as a new director? Wang Feng felt that he was offended!
In fact, in Li Yi's eyes, Wang Feng's sequel to "Infernal Affairs" is really not as good as a new director.
Because Li Yi wants a relatively obedient tool director, but how could a veteran director like Wang Feng be willing to be a tool man?
What are Hong Kong filmmakers best at?
It’s imitation! It’s following the trend!
It can be said that in this regard, no one can really beat him.
In fact, after the success of "Infernal Affairs", more than half of the many police and criminal film projects that were initiated were stories related to undercover agents.
Wang Feng, however, likes to do the opposite.
As a result, after the release of "Infernal Affairs", there were as many as six police and gangster film projects in Hong Kong that were approved one after another!
The media and movie fans also began to become polarized.
Some people expressed their expectations after seeing so many police and gangster film projects approved after "Infernal Affairs" and believed that this was the beginning of the revival of police and gangster films in Hong Kong.
Their argument is that so many police and criminal film projects have been approved, and all of them are not low-budget. The directors are all well-known directors in Hong Kong, and the lineup is not bad. This also means that capital has begun to favor Hong Kong because of the results of "Infernal Affairs"
Island police and gangster film themed project.
But other people feel that this is not a good sign.
First of all, Hong Kong police and gangster films have always been made, but only "Infernal Affairs" has achieved what can be called the pinnacle of Hong Kong films.
This also shows that what people like has always been good movies, not just any police and gangster movies.
Secondly, these projects were approved so quickly, and it can be seen from the movie names that have been revealed that these projects are completely following the trend and imitating "Infernal Affairs"!
Just look at the movie names: "Edgewalker", "Undercover", "Cat and Mouse", "Traitor" and so on.
You can almost tell by looking at the name of the movie that it contains the key elements of "Infernal Affairs", undercover, two heroes, etc.
Therefore, many movie fans are worried that the bad habits of the Hong Kong film era will reappear, following the trend and imitating!
In fact, it is not a big problem to follow the trend or imitate, but the biggest problem is that if you launch so many projects in such a hurry, can you really be sincere and innovative?
So both sides held their own opinions, and the quarrel was endless.
Of course, these have nothing to do with Li Yi.
Li Yi has been very low-key during this period and is very salty.
However, the film industry is in turmoil.
In the second half of the year, starting from October, this group of filmmakers from Hong Kong Island explained what the speed of Hong Kong films is.
Seven Hong Kong police and gangster films have been launched, and the latest one will be released on Double Egg Day.
"Edgewalker" directed by veteran Hong Kong film director Chen Manshan was the first police film in Hong Kong after "Infernal Affairs".
Although "Edgewalker" was shot very quickly, it was also an undercover movie.
However, this movie was released on Double Egg Festival and achieved good results.
"Edgewalker" is not a two-hero movie, it tells the story of an undercover agent from being lost to finally awakening.
The shot was pretty good.
Although the box office cannot be compared with "Infernal Affairs" at all, in one month, it has received 400 million in box office, which is definitely considered a success.
"Edge Walker" has a pretty good reputation, with a score of 7.5 considered excellent.
For a time, the media shouted that the revival of Hong Kong police and gangster films has begun a new chapter!
However, it was obvious that they were happy too early.
Hong Kong police and gangster films such as "Undercover", "Cat and Mouse", and "Traitor" were subsequently released, but each one fell down with each other.
None of the highest-grossing films have grossed over 100 million.
And the reputation is even worse.
"What a crap!"
"The painting of tigers cannot be compared to dogs, and there is no one else. Do you really think that as long as it is a police movie, it will be a hit?"
"To give "Infernal Affairs" something that is not even worthy of mentioning shoes, no wonder Hong Kong movies are in decline. A group of people just follow the trend to make quick money without any innovation. Instead, they are full of loopholes. The script is not even done yet, so they just rush on, for fear of missing out.
After getting this popularity, I hurriedly ran out to make money!"
"The success of "Infernal Affairs" is because the story is creative, the plot is exciting, the actors are superb, and the director is awesome. But what are you talking about?"
"There is no sincerity at all. You treat the audience as fools and you still want box office? You are blind!"
