At the end of the 19th century, modern cinema was born in France, and soon two completely different concepts were born - literary films and commercial films.

After the Renaissance, Europeans had a relatively strong artistic and cultural heritage, and early European filmmakers always regarded film as art, and the development of the film market was relatively slow. Having learned how to make movies from Europe, Americans quickly saw movies as a new means of making money.

As a result, the concept of commercial films has become popular in the United States.

To this day, Hollywood in the United States is known for its commercial blockbusters in the global box office market. European films are very niche, and generally only the moment of European film awards will attract the attention of filmmakers from all over the world.

In the early days of Hollywood, through big stars such as Chaplin and Monroe, box office appeal, and huge amounts of money were earned. Since then, Hollywood has become obsessed with blockbusters with a bright star cast. He is also keen on making stars and making big names.

However, after the emergence of the special effects movie "Star Wars", Hollywood's business concept has quietly transformed from a traditional blockbuster based on star casts to a special effects blockbuster based on computer special effects. Special effects require more money than a star blockbuster. Since the development of film special effects technology, the output of Hollywood movies has been decreasing, but the average total investment per film has continued to set new records.

Cinema in Hong Kong.

Because of the small size of the local box office market, although Hong Kong films are also known for shooting commercial films, Hong Kong filmmakers are more willing to make 10 films for 5 million Hong Kong dollars than a big production for 5 million Hong Kong dollars. Because making 10 movies, the risk is often low, as long as a few movies are big hits, you can make a big profit. But 5 million Hong Kong dollars to shoot a movie, the yield is often far lower than 5 million to shoot 10 films.

Baolong Film Company's version of "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" has been released in Taiwan before "Modern Bodyguard" landed in Taiwan.

The employees of Taiwan's Powerlong Film Company have successively tracked and reported the Taiwan box office data of "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang", which does not seem to be too ideal.

"The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" has invested NT$4.5 million one after another, but it was released in Taiwan on June 10, and two weeks after its release, it only achieved a box office of NT$1.2 million.

Of course, the movie critics in Taiwan also expressed great disappointment. Gu Long's "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang", written and directed by Gu Long, is far inferior to those Gu Long dramas made by the aging Shaw Brothers movies.

If you don't look at the Baolong version of "Chu Liuxiang" carefully, you may think it's okay, but you are afraid to be careful in everything. The audience only felt that the plot of this movie was old-fashioned and unattractive, but the film critics watched it carefully, and most Taiwanese film critics who had seen the movie were disappointed that the actors' performances were very inauthentic, and they seemed very stupid and stupid, and they were not as aura as Hong Kong's ancient dragon dramas, and they were like a farce.

At this time, the major movie theaters in Taiwan are also preparing to introduce the blockbuster "Modern Bodyguard", so they have withdrawn some movies that are sluggish at the box office.

In recent years, Taiwanese theaters and Taiwanese audiences are proud to watch Hong Kong films, and rarely watch Taiwanese local films.

In the 90s, Taiwanese directors believed that Taiwanese films could not develop and were suppressed by well-made Hong Kong films. Therefore, the Taiwan authorities began to impose many restrictions on the number of Hong Kong films introduced.

Later, Hong Kong films declined, and Hollywood and Korean films entered Taiwan, carving up the Taiwan market, which was previously monopolized by Hong Kong films.

Since then, the living environment of Taiwan's local films has not improved.

When Hong Kong films were popular in Taiwan, Taiwanese directors could at least learn a little from Hong Kong films, and when films from other regions entered Taiwan, Taiwanese filmmakers basically lost their ability to learn and improve, and they basically went to shoot TV series.

"1.2 million box office, NT$!" Gu Long was a little disappointed. With a movie ticket of NT$30, only 40,000 viewers went to see his "Chu Liuxiang".

Zhang Shaojie comforted: "It's better than most Taiwanese directors." Many so-called big-name directors in Taiwan, with a box office of only a few hundred thousand NT$, rely on winning awards and applying for subsidies from the Taiwan authorities to make a living, laughing out of their big teeth. ”

Gu Long couldn't help but say a little bitterly, "You know, it's different from those people. I really want to make a commercial blockbuster that is called a good one. Although there was a premonition of a box office hit before the release, this kind of 'neither good nor popular' really makes people lose face! ”

Zhang Shaojie said with a smile: "Brother Gulong, I don't blame you, it's Chu Yuan, Zhang Che and others from the Shaw Brothers to the old-fashioned martial arts filmed by the director, it's really good." If the director's skills, as well as the actors, post-production, and other related hardware conditions, can't beat Shaw Brothers, then the audience will naturally express disappointment! ”

Gu Long reluctantly accepted this consolation - it was not a shame to lose to Chu Yuan, Zhang Che, and other gold medal directors of Gu Long dramas. After all, most of the comments of film critics compare the Baolong version of "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" with Chu Yuan's "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang", as well as with the ancient dragon dramas that Zhang Che has filmed in the past.

In essence, it is still a classic ancient dragon drama by other directors, defeating Gu Long's own ancient dragon drama.

If directors such as Chu Yuan and Zhang Che hadn't filmed so many classic Gulong dramas, presumably the current Baolong version of "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" should be profitable with the appeal of Gu Long himself!

"The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" hit the street.

But it does not mean that the company's operation has completely failed, in fact, after Zhang Shaojie joined the company and became an important shareholder. The focus of Baolong Film Company's career has temporarily shifted to the filming of "The Legend of Double Dragons of the Tang Dynasty".

"Chu Liuxiang" has Chu Yuan and Dillon's classics in front, which made Gu Long's "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang" shoot by himself hit the street.

However, the popular novel "The Legend of Double Dragons of the Tang Dynasty" is on the screen for the first time.

With the popularity and appeal of "The Legend of Double Dragons of the Tang Dynasty", if it is filmed well, a new classic will be established, and Baolong Film Company will also rely on this martial arts classic to further become famous and become a well-known film production company!

The first half of Gu Long's life was spent in absurdity, and at this time, it was not easy to hope that when he started a company seriously and established a career, he was naturally more attentive than young entrepreneurs!

The preparation of the film version of "Datang" is not progressing very quickly, although Zhang Shaojie's investment is in place, the first batch of 2 million Hong Kong dollars of investment, and then injected 1.5 million Hong Kong dollars into Baolong Film Company, which is counted as the principal of Zhang Shaojie's shares. Although Gu Long said that he gave him 45% of the shares for free, Zhang Shaojie still felt that he was at ease by paying for Baolong's capital increase in exchange for equity.

Under the premise of not affecting his stock market investment plan, Zhang Shaojie's activity funds that can be used are basically invested in Baolong Film Company.

For the time being, if you don't use computer special effects, then this money is enough to hire a luxurious crew in Hong Kong in terms of prices and salary standards in the 80s.

Gu Long is the producer, Tsui Hark is the director, this has already been decided. The rest is to invite Cheng Xiaodong and Yuan Heping to join the crew and serve as martial arts instructors.

In terms of actors, Zhang Shaojie is optimistic about Lin Qingxia to play Fu Junzhuo.

Although the rest of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are the protagonists in the film, Zhang Shaojie let Tsui Hark call the shots in the choice of actors.

As a producer, Gu Long has just been hit by "The Legend of Chu Liuxiang", and he has no confidence to interfere with the director's shooting. After all, the few films directed by Tsui Hark since his debut have not been excellent at the box office, but they have not lost money.

"Don't worry, Shaojie! My film vision is indeed a little older, and the filming is based on Tsui Hark, the new *wave* trend director! Gu Long smiled, "As a producer, I'll do some logistics and do some services for the crew!" ”

Tsui Hark said: "Hehe, it's the first time to shoot such a big production, I'm a little nervous, but I will shoot a satisfactory masterpiece under the supervision of Mr. Gu Long and the guidance of Mr. Zhang Shaojie!" ”

Zhang Shaojie said: "After the second half of the year, my investment in stocks can be withdrawn, and it is estimated that there will be at least 10 million funds, which will be used in film production in the future!" In addition, my monthly manuscript fee for "The Legend of Double Dragons of the Tang Dynasty" is now roughly more than 1.5 million Hong Kong dollars. And "Modern Bodyguard" I also have a 5% box office dividend. So, the question of money, don't worry, I can supply enough capital at any time! ”

Tsui Hark, Gu Long and others were also full of confidence when they heard Zhang Shaojie's assurance.

"Hehe, in fact, I also made a two-handed plan. First of all, I used my idea to design a new martial arts movie with unprecedented martial arts action! If there is money in the back, then post-production, find a Hollywood computer special effects studio to do it. If there is no follow-up funding, it doesn't matter, because I am confident that it will be a blockbuster without special effects! Tsui Hark smiled confidently.

Zhang Shaojie nodded and said, "It's good if you have confidence!" ”

Gu Long said with a smile: "In fact, I have a hunch that under Shaojie's guidance, Tsui Hark will give full play to his personal style, if Cheng Xiaodong and Yuan Heping can break through the shackles of previous movies in martial arts action design, if Lin Qingxia and other excellent actors join." Then, this will be a blockbuster film that will replace martial arts films into a new era! ”

Zhang Shaojie said: "I agree! Now the martial arts of dismantling the moves at a glance, as well as Bruce Lee's realistic style of kung fu movies, and Jackie Chan's exaggerated action movies, in my opinion, cannot be regarded as the true style of martial arts movies. A real martial arts film should be like an ink painting, full of aura and artistic conception. ”

As the three of them discussed. The movie "The Legend of Double Dragons of the Tang Dynasty: Enlightenment" has had too many unconventional ideas before it was born, and if these ideas can really be realized, then it will mean that Hong Kong's new martial arts movies will come out ten years ahead of schedule.

Moreover, this is still a new martial arts with special effects! In the future, the future of "The Legend of Double Dragons of the Tang Dynasty: Enlightenment", whether Tsui Hark has the ability to shoot the artistic conception of "A Chinese Ghost Story", "Smiling Proud Jianghu", and "New Dragon Gate Inn", which contains too much suspense and too many ideals

(To be continued)