Far to the East, a city steeped in history.

In a teahouse converted from a boxy courtyard, Zhang Baihat put down the newspaper in his hand and secretly lamented that the Chinese people lack self-confidence now, and even the professional commentators of this kind of big newspaper need to use the recognition of Americans to find self-confidence.

Bang –

The door opened, a cold current rushed towards him, and the national teacher with a furrow on his face entered the room.

"Close the door!" The two have worked together for many years, and Zhang Baihao is not polite: "It's cold!"

The national teacher took off his hat, took off his coat, came to the tea stove and roasted his hands, then pulled out a chair and sat down, and said, "Have you read the report about the Oscars?

Zhang Baihao poured him a cup of hot tea first, then pushed the newspaper over, and said, "This crooked guy has made a lot of money!"

The national teacher didn't read the newspaper, took a sip of hot tea, felt that his body was gradually warming up, and said, "It is possible to win the best director." ”

Zhang Baihao glanced at the national teacher, as a partner, no one knows better than him what kind of obsession the national teacher has for the Oscar.

Just now, I was thinking that the Chinese people lack self-confidence, and they need the recognition of the Yankees to find self-confidence, and even the national teachers are not exempt from vulgarity.

"Xiao Zhang is going to be in the limelight this time. Zhang Baihat said.

The national teacher did not answer and said: "Lao Zhang, I heard from an American friend that the final North American box office of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is very likely to exceed 150 million US dollars. ”

"It's not a big problem. Zhang Baihao thought of the green dollar bills, and felt a burst of envy and jealousy: "I remember that this film was sold out in North America, and it was the North American distribution company that really made money." ”

Thinking that Ang Lee was about to touch the Oscar trophy, the national teacher was a little anxious, and asked anxiously: "Which company is it?

Zhang Baihat shook his head: "Neither." The distributor is called Embassy Pictures, which is part of Relativity Entertainment Group, a conglomerate that has only been established for two years. I heard Jiang Xiaojun say that at last year's Cannes Film Festival, a young producer named Ronan Anderson spent $8 million from Ang Lee and Xu Ligong to buy the North American rights to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." ”

"Ronan Anderson?" the national teacher remembered the name.

Zhang Baihat continued: "I specifically asked friends in Los Angeles to inquire that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" can get so many Oscar nominations, and it is all Ronan Anderson behind the scenes!"

The national teacher's heart moved: "Xiao Zhang should know him, right?"

Zhang Baihao said: "Xiao Zhang has participated in so many activities, and he is going to be based in Los Angeles, so he must know each other." ”

The national teacher calculated in his mind, and another cup of hot tea fell into his stomach, and said: "Lao Zhang, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has given me some inspiration, and I have a new filming plan. ”

Zhang Baihao relied on the national teacher to get up, and immediately said: "No matter what plan, I will support you." ”

"The success of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" will inevitably trigger a wave of martial arts craze in the world. The national teacher seemed to have a lot of ideas: "I also want to make a martial arts movie." ”

Zhang Baihao was a little stunned: "This ...... You've never been exposed to this genre, have you?"

The national teacher is quite confident: "Making martial arts movies was a dream of mine when I was a child. Seeing that Zhang Baihao was silent, he said again: "Lao Zhang, I'm not joking. I decided to use the story of Jing Ke's assassination of Qin to make a new package of martial arts. ”

Zhang Baihat said: "Have you thought about it? Some people will say that you follow the trend. ”

For the Oscars, the national teacher didn't care at all: "The North American embassy studio, and that Ronan Anderson, have made "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" so successful, unprecedented to the point of absoluteness, no matter what I do, I can't escape the suspicion of following the trend." But I also thought that the impact of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is far-reaching, how many years will I have to wait? How many years later, it will still be said that it will be filmed, and it will be later, so it is better to shoot it now, say I will follow, at least in the mainland, I am the first to follow. ”

Zhang Baihao asked, "Are you preparing to transform into a martial arts director?"

The national teacher shook his head and said: "Since making movies, my strength is literary films, this kind of mainstream commercial film is actually not my strength, and my ass will not really sit in martial arts in the future." My opinion is that martial arts is originally a spiritual sustenance created by people, and it does not exist at all. Since it's everyone's dream, don't standardize, fix, and make this dream a cookie-cutter, so I want a special martial arts. ”

Zhang Baihao thought for a long time, considering the status and appeal of the national teacher, as well as the huge influence that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has brought to the international community, and finally made a decision: "Shoot! We also shoot martial arts!"

"Lao Zhang, I knew that you would definitely support me. The national teacher's expression then became a little strange: "The scale of this film may be larger, and the investment will not be less than "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". ”

How much did "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" cost to make publicly? $15 million, or $16 million?

Zhang Baihat is quite bold in this regard, and said: "We either don't do it! If we want to do it, we will make it bigger! Our investment must be higher than "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". ”

The national teacher is not a pedantic person, and asked: "...... funds"

He knew that Zhang Baihat couldn't get so much money.

Zhang Baihao lowered his voice and said: "Don't worry, I have a channel to raise money, and the coal bosses have money, and they are squandering and looking for investment everywhere with banknotes in Beijing, and I will find someone to contact them." ”

The national teacher has not been in vain for so many years, and came up with an idea: "Tell them that this is a movie that will hit the Oscars, and this kind of lofty honor should attract those nouveau riche." ”

"Good idea!" Zhang Baihat clapped his hands lightly: "Let's go to the Olympics too! Those old boys will definitely send money obediently! It's not a problem to take 100 million out of them." ”

When the national teacher heard that money was not a problem, his thinking became clearer and clearer: "As long as I have funds, I can gather the best crew." The cast lineup cannot be lost to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", it must be the top among the Chinese! The behind-the-scenes production must be of the top level abroad. Yes, and that Xiaozhang, now that she is famous abroad, I will let her come back, and I can't praise her for nothing. ”

Zhang Baihat and the national teacher were still in the honeymoon period, and waved his hand: "You are in charge of the movie!"

The national teacher said very seriously: "Lao Zhang, I also want to rush to the Olympics." ”

Zhang Baihao knew the Oscar knot of the national teacher, and said: "I support you, but this matter needs to be planned well." ”

The national teacher thought for a while and said, "What do you think about letting Xiao Zhang contact that Ronan Anderson first?"

Hearing this, Zhang Baihao did not answer immediately, but thought about it seriously, and after a few minutes, he said: "It's better to do this, let's let Xiao Zhang talk to Ronan Anderson first, and then find an opportunity to invite Ronan Anderson to come here, since Embassy Pictures can successfully operate "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", it is not difficult to operate another martial arts film." ”

"Hmm. The national teacher nodded again and again: "Yes." ”

Zhang Baihat, a businessman, added: "We can't put all the chips on Ronan Anderson, these Americans are very treacherous. In addition to Ronan Anderson, some people from other American film distribution companies will be invited at that time. ”

The national teacher has doubts: "Will this affect the future ...... of the Olympics?"

Oscar, a knot that can never be shaken off in the life of the national teacher.

"You've always heard the names of Harvey Weinstein and Miramax," said Whitehat, "He is a real Oscar promoter, and once on the Oscars, he let a romantic comedy take out Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan", and we also sent him an invitation. ”

I have been dreaming about the national teacher of the Oscars, how could I not have heard the names of Harvey Weinstein and Miramax?

The national teacher nodded lightly: "Okay, just do as you say." This will not only ensure our commercial interests, but also find a reliable publisher in North America. ”

Zhang Baihao looked at the time and said, "I'll take you somewhere." ”

The national teacher was puzzled: "It's so cold outside, where to go?"

Zhang Baihao said simply: "That Ronan Anderson's embassy pictures has opened an office in Beijing, and we are going to visit. ”

"That's fast enough. The national teacher was a little surprised: "It actually set up an office on our side!"

Zhang Baihat said: "I feel that this Ronan Anderson is not simple. ”

As expected, just entering late March, the North American box office of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" crossed the $150 million threshold, and before the Oscars, the cumulative amount was as high as $157.45 million!

This also allowed "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" to successfully squeeze out DreamWorks Pictures' "Behind the Lies" and climb to the tenth place in the North American box office list in 2000.

According to the rules for calculating the North American box office list, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", a film that began to be screened in December 2000, will calculate all box office revenue based on the 2000 list.

This is also the first time in the history of North American film that a foreign-language film has made it into the top 10 of the annual box office list.

It is no exaggeration to say that under the operation of Ronan and Embassy Pictures, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" has broken all records for foreign language films in North America.

Almost all the media, especially the Chinese media, praised this film to the sky.

Ang Lee really did not disappoint the Chinese, and his first martial arts film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" left the audience stunned. Although this film is a traditional oriental martial arts theme, he can break the pattern of previous martial arts films and bring the aesthetics of oriental martial arts to the extreme. The martial arts moves designed by Yuan Heping, including light skills and sword competitions, have jumped out of the previous Hong Kong and Taiwan martial arts films, and are not only solid moves, but also amazingly beautiful......"

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" received warm applause from the American audience, and also made the Chinese compatriots feel extremely proud and honored. Director Ang Lee not only realized his beautiful fantasy of the martial arts world as a child, but also let the audience enter the martial arts world and dance with him. He also used his own views and strength to fulfill the dreams of every Chinese at home and abroad. ”

Countless eyes converged on the Oscars, wanting to see how many statuettes this film can get.