Sleeping next to Li Hualong, Yang Meng slept very beautifully, she felt that Li Hualong had an indescribable smell, this smell could make her feel happy and calm, and sometimes it would stimulate her desire.

The next morning, Yang Meng woke up before Li Hualong.

After Yang Meng woke up, he didn't get up immediately, but lay on his side, propped up his head with his palms, and looked at Li Hualong with a smile.

When Li Hualong opened his eyes, he saw Yang Meng looking at him with a smile, he was not frightened, and asked with a smile, "What are you looking at?" ”

Yang Meng smiled slightly, did not answer Li Hualong's question, and asked rhetorically: "Last night, you said that the acquisition of Universal Pictures Company is very troublesome, what is the trouble?" ”

"What did you dream about last night?" Li Hualong asked with a smile.

"I didn't have any dreams, you answer my question first."

"Okay!" Li Hualong pondered for a moment and replied, "Do you know the situation of Universal Pictures? ”

"I know a little, this company is a well-known old Hollywood film company." Yang Meng smiled.

"The company is now officially called MCA Universal, and although it is involved in the film industry, this company is mainly producing TV shows, and I just want to buy the film business of this film company for the time being, as well as Universal Studios. After the completion of the acquisition, I will set up Universal Media Group, which will include Universal Pictures and Universal Music, and it is possible that we will be involved in TV production in the future, but in the short term, it will definitely not. In the future, I may let a few of my children immigrate to the United States and let them take over my business in the United States. ”

"Oh. I see what you mean, you want MCA Global to spin off. Yang Meng muttered, seeing Li Hualong nodding. She smiled and continued, "It's troublesome, and the management of this company should be very opposed to the spin-off. ”

"Probably, as long as the majority of shareholders support it."

"Are you going to buy Universal Pictures entirely, or are you going to give MCA Universal a stake in it?"

"I'm interested in a wholly-owned acquisition." Li Hualong smiled, "If MCA Global insists on holding a part of the shares. As long as I can obtain absolute control, it is not that I cannot accept the other party's conditions. If this is the case, then MCA Global will change its name, and the word 'Universal' cannot be used. ”

"It's not the word 'universal,' it's the English word 'universal.'" Yang Meng said with a smile.

"That's right!" Li Hualong smiled and kissed Yang Meng on the cheek. "My wife is so smart."

Yang Meng smiled slightly, thought for a moment, and nodded: "If you let this company spin off, you buy the film business, as well as Universal Studios, it may take a lot of time to negotiate." ”

"I'm not in a hurry, it's best to be able to buy Universal Pictures, if I can't buy it, I won't force it too much."

Li Hualong vaguely remembered being in another time and space. In the nineties of the twentieth century, Japan's Matsushita Electric followed the example of Sony to acquire MCA Global, and spent a huge amount of money after the acquisition. It was found that the benefits were not ideal, and some things could not be replicated. Sony's acquisition of Colombia has Norio Ohga, but Panasonic does not, so Sony can digest Colombia, but after Panasonic eats the world, it can only have indigestion under huge cultural differences.

Li Hualong is very clear that if the entire MCA Universal Pictures company is acquired. The more money you spend, the higher the risk. If he could buy the movie business and Universal Studios at a reasonable price, the cost would drop a lot, and the risk would drop dramatically, after all, he knew that there would be a lot of box office hits in the future.

……

Li Hualong asked Goldman Sachs for the help of MCA Universal's film business and Universal Studios, and the acquisition negotiations went smoothly, and the acquisition agreement was finalized in less than half a month.

At the end of March, Li Hualong, Yang Meng, and a group of more than a dozen people left Hong Kong by plane and arrived in Los Angeles.

Before coming to the United States this time, Li Hualong did not inform his business partner, Hugh, the founder of "Palyboy" magazine. Hefner.

When they arrived in Los Angeles, Li Hualong and his entourage found a hotel for one night, and then flew to New York the next day.

After sleeping in Los Angeles for one night, Li Hualong had not yet recovered from the jet lag, and on the way to New York, he slept on the plane.

When the plane arrived over New York, Yang Meng saw the cityscape below the plane, gently pushed Li Hualong, and called softly: "Aaron, we are in New York." ”

Li Hualong opened his worried eyes, rubbed his face with both hands, tilted his head and looked at the scenery below through the plane window.

"It's really worthy of an international metropolis, there are so many high-rise buildings."

"Can you see the height of those buildings?" Yang Meng asked with a smile.

"I can feel it." Li Hualong smiled heartily, "New York, I'm here!" ”

"When you get off the plane, you can shout again!"

Li Hualong nodded with a smile, and said secretly in his heart: "When I get to Wall Street, am I going to call the ATM and I'm coming to withdraw money?!" ”

In New York, Li Hualong and his party stayed at the RIA (Waldorf Astoria) Hotel in Manhattan, a top hotel with a long history.

At the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Li Hualong met with Mike Brown, vice president of Goldman Sachs. Doyle.

Before Li Hualong came to the United States, with the assistance of Goldman Sachs Group, he bought many stocks of listed companies in the United States.

Although Li Hualong is a big celebrity in Hong Kong, even if he praises Bruce Lee as an international superstar, there are very few people in the United States who know him.

In the eyes of the senior management of Goldman Sachs Group, Li Hualong is a big customer who cannot be missed, and he must provide high-quality services for him, and only if Li Hualong is satisfied, Li Hualong will become an important source of income for Goldman Sachs Group.

The day after Li Hualong came to the United States, he was in Mike. Accompanied by Doyle and other Chinese people, he came to the world-famous Wall Street.

Li Hualong felt that the market value of many well-known companies at this time was very low and the stock prices were very cheap, and if he bought the shares of these companies now, he would hold them for more than 30 years. You can definitely get a good return on your investment.

Seeing that the stock price of the stock he was going to buy was cheap, Li Hualong was secretly happy and felt that the wealth was about to roll in.

this day. Li Hualong spent more than $100 million to buy stocks, and for the huge US stock market, the investment of more than $100 million could not affect the stock market at all, and the Dow Jones index fell by nearly 2 percent.

In the next few days, Li Hualong continued to invest money to buy shares of listed companies in the United States, and at the same time. Li Hualong's acquisition of MCA Universal's film business and Universal Studios has completed the final formalities.

April 6. Li Hualong formally signed the acquisition agreement.

A few days later, Universal Media Group, Universal Pictures, and Universal Music Group were incorporated in Los Angeles.

The later Li Hualong read the historical materials of the eight major Hollywood companies on the Internet, and before deciding to acquire Universal Pictures, he collected a lot of information about the eight major Hollywood film companies. Among them, Universal Pictures is the most interesting to him, and the information is also the most detailed.

Universal Pictures ranks second in seniority among the eight Hollywood companies, second only to Paramount in terms of establishment, but Universal Pictures may be the one that has been sold the most times among the eight Hollywood companies, from 1936 due to the inability to repay the loan to hand over the company to others, in 1962, the United States Music Company merged with Universal to form MCA Universal, 26 years. Universal changes owners frequently, and it is sold here and there, just like an ordinary commodity. There were four changes of owners.

Li Hualong remembers that if the historical trajectory had not changed, Universal Pictures would have been sold to Toshiba in Japan, Toshiba could not operate, and eventually sold Universal Pictures, Canada and France acquired Universal Pictures one after another, and the plane in which Li Hualong was riding before the crash. Universal Pictures was acquired by General Electric, a U.S. company that merged its NBC. NBC Global is established.

The founder of Universal Pictures was a Jew named Carl? Laimer, who started his laundry business in New York and saw the movie for the first time at a nickelodeon theater while traveling in Chicago, was immediately intrigued.

As a Jew born to do business, Karl? Rather than just dwelling on his fascination with movies, Laimer saw a business opportunity to make money.

In 1908, Karl? Laimer in Inventor Thomas? With Edison's support, a film company was opened. Soon, in order to avoid Edison's monopoly, Karl? Laimer moved the company to the West Coast. In 1912, Karl? Laimer merged eight smaller film companies from others to form Universal Pictures. Unlike Roy, the parent company of Paramount, Fox and MGM, focused on operating movie theater chains at the beginning of its establishment, Universal focused on making films.

In 1914, Karl? Laimer bought 230 acres north of Hollywood to build a large filming base, and Universal Studios officially opened in March 1915. For a long time, Universal's soundstage was the largest in Hollywood. In order to increase revenue, the park was later opened to visitors, and now the theme park has become an important source of revenue for its parent company, Universal, like Disney Park. Interestingly, many visitors to Los Angeles think that Hollywood is synonymous with Universal, because the Universal Studios theme park is commonly known as "Hollywood" in the region.

In Hollywood, Carl? Laimer was known for his cronyism, with more than 70 people at Universal Pictures having a relationship with him, and since then, he has defied public opinion to appoint his 21-year-old son, Carl Jr. Laimer serves as president of the company. Brothers in battle, fathers and sons in battle. It is more reliable for your own relatives to use, and it would be even better if there were a few more shrewd and capable people among them. However, family businesses also have their inherent flaws. Even if outsiders are reused in the company, they will still have no sense of belonging, and they will still treat themselves as outsiders, which is not conducive to the company's internal unity and weakens the company's centripetal force.

In 1925, Owen Irving, the general manager in charge of the production business, was in charge of the production business. Salberg didn't talk to Carl because of the salary issue? Laimer talks, and usually feels like an outsider in the company, so when the newly formed MGM beckons to him, Owen? Salberg immediately jumped ship. The incident had disastrous consequences for Universal, as MGM was in Louis? Meyer and Owen? Under the leadership of two strong men, Saarberg soon took the place of the leader of the global production industry.

Li Hualong saw Carl? When Lemmer wrote about nepotism, he thought of the time and space in which Li Hualong lived in later generations. Zou Wenhuai left the film company and set up his own business.

Run Run Shaw is a person who values talents, and he excavated Zou Wenhuai, a general. During his tenure as the production manager of Shaw Brothers Film Company, Zou Wenhuai was actually the company's second-in-command, and made Shaw Brothers Film Company a dominant position in Hong Kong.

If Zou Wenhuai had not left Shaw Brothers Film Company, perhaps in the 80s, Shaw Brothers Film Company could still occupy a very important position in the Hong Kong film industry, but Run Run Shaw could not give the "confidante" Fang Yihua in order to make up for it. pulled Fang Yihua into the company and entrusted him with important tasks, which indirectly emptied Zou Wenhuai.

Zou Wenhuai was angry. took away a large number of Shaw Brothers ministers such as He Guanchang and established Golden Harvest on his own, thus ending the situation of Shaw Brothers being a dominant family in the Hong Kong film industry and dealing a major blow to Shaw Brothers.

After the memories of Li Hualong from two different time and space were fused together. A lot of history has changed, the nascent Li Hualong founded Huayi Brothers Pictures, and it took a few years to become the overlord of the Hong Kong film industry, and he recruited Zou Wenhuai before Run Run Shaw and gave him plenty of credit.

Huayi Brothers Film Company is a private property owned by Li Hualong, and there is only one shareholder of Li Hualong, but it does not affect the company's management personnel to have a strong ownership of the company. Because Li Hualong, the boss, is very fair, and capable employees can be promoted and raised as long as they make achievements. Employees who contribute to the company can get good remuneration, and are willing to give trust opportunities.

……

Under competitive pressure, Carl Jr.? Laimmer persuaded his father to start buying and building movie theaters, and at the same time began producing high-quality films, such as "Show Boat" and "Broadway." 1930 year. Universal produced the company's first full-color film, The King of Jazz.

Because it was the time of the Great Depression, it was precisely these high-quality films. It caused problems for the Laimmer family, high quality means high cost, and the shooting of the blockbuster soon ran into financial problems, and finally Universal had to take out a loan from a bank.

By 1936, unable to repay the loan, the Lemmer father and son had to hand over the company. Universal was sold for the first time.

With a lesson from the past, the new owner Cheever? Karting no longer makes big productions, but only gives the green light to small productions.

During this time, Universal produced a large number of low-budget films, mostly Westerns, musicals, horror and burlesque. These little pieces won't cause the company to go out of business, but they won't make it grow either. For example, the company can only be at a level of food and clothing, and they can't run well-off. In this kind of situation, the only star of the company, William? Wheeler and Margaret? Sullivan also left for his own future.

After World War II, British billionaire Arthur? Rank's film company, founded by Rank, bought a quarter of Universal's shares. This is the second time Universal has been sold, albeit only in part. Newcomers, new people, the company began to change course, producing and distributing large-scale, high-quality films, during which the David? Ryan's "Seeing Each Other Night" (1946), "Lone Star Blood and Tears" (1947), "Orphans of the Fog" (1947) and Lawrence? Oliver's Hamlet (1948).

In 1952, Decca Records (DA) acquired Universal. This is the third time Universal has been sold.

In 1958, after the United States Music Company (MCA) cooperated with Universal in 1950 to shoot "Winchester 73" (R73, also known as "Invincible Serial Gun"), it bought a studio covering an area of 1/5 square kilometers in Universal. Dai, Lana? Turner and Gary? Grant also became a signed actor for Universal.

In 1962, the United States Music Company simply officially merged with Universal, and the new company was called MCA Universal. This is the fourth time Universal has been sold. The new owner brought what Universal had always dreamed of, all of the directors and star clients of the United States Music Company, but it didn't bring Universal back to its full recovery.

Throughout the '60s, MCA Worldwide focused on providing television films and films for television screening. At the same time, Universal Studios was opened to tourists as a tourist center in Hollywood, which increased some profits.

Entering the 70s, MCA Global introduced the George? Lucas's "Painting of the United States" (1973) made the company a fortune, and now the company is working with Steven? Spielberg cooperated to prepare for the filming of "Jaws", which is expected to start filming in early May.

Li Hualong knew that after the release of "Jaws", it would be a big hit at the box office and would become the most profitable film of Universal Pictures since its creation.

Since Li Hualong moved the idea of acquiring Hollywood studios, he began to think about writing out the plot outlines of some Hollywood movies that sold at the box office in his memory, and then went to Hollywood to find professional screenwriters to improve the script, and when the script met his requirements, then his Hollywood film company began to shoot these movies.

What is the most expensive in the 21st century? Talent!

Li Hualong remembers this classic line in the later movie "No Thieves in the World", and he thinks that this sentence is also very appropriate in the seventies of the twentieth century, in fact, he thinks it is appropriate no matter what era it is used in.

Li Hualong remembers the names of many of the world's top directors in later generations, some directors have not yet become world-class directors, and some directors have not yet set foot in the film industry. (To be continued)