Wang Xiaohu plans to use only 500,000 US dollars to shoot "Rocky", yes, 500,000, which is equivalent to 3 million Hong Kong dollars, such an investment is definitely in the low-cost category in Hollywood, and no one will believe that such a film will have good box office results. [Full text reading]

With the filming of the boxing club scene in "Rocky", Gao Luos, who is far away in Los Angeles, is still carrying out all kinds of satirical and sarcastic activities, because "Enter the Dragon" is about to be fully released in the United States in a week, and he wants to make Wang Xiaohu stink for 10,000 years through a series of behaviors.

"Aren't you going to do something about it, Tiger?" Winterdur took several copies of the day's newspaper, and said to Wang Xiaohu with some anxiety: "Even if you come forward to clarify." ”

Wang Xiaohu smiled, lowered his head and continued to look at the shooting plan, and replied in a tone that couldn't be more bland: "Lao Wen, what are you asking me to clarify?" Anyway, the mouth grows on Gao Luos, and if I make any clarification or counterattack, it will make that bastard proud, so let's let him continue to be a clown. ”

Wang Xiaohu closed the shooting plan, patted Winterdur on the shoulder and said: "Old Wen, calm down, our task now is to finish filming as soon as possible, as for that bastard, let him continue to toss, wouldn't it be better if someone helped us promote it for free?" ”

"Oh God, strange oriental thinking." Winterdur shrugged and said, Anyway, Wang Xiaohu is not in a hurry at all, what else is there to worry about. "I almost forgot, on New Year's Day, you're going to attend the premiere of "Enter the Dragon" in the United States."

is different from the memory, "Enter the Dragon" is the first overseas version of the public screening, which is not unrelated to the American New Year's Day schedule, as for the Hong Kong side of the public screening, it will not be opened until the Spring Festival, this is the plan agreed between Wang Xiaohu and Bruce Lee, if it is not for the quality of the film, Warner Bros. would not have recommended it so hard to be broadcast on New Year's Day.

"It seems to be a bit difficult!" Wang Xiaohu frowned and said, "You know that my schedule is very tight. ”

"Hey, this is your directorial debut in Hollywood, shouldn't you be there? I think you're going to be thrilled to death! Winterdur said in a tone of great anticipation: "Come and participate, don't worry too much about a small production like "Rocky"!" ”

Wang Xiaohu smiled and did not explain, small productions may not be without popular box office results, the investment in "Rocky" is halved compared with the previous life, as for the reason is very simple, because the script was personally finalized and made, the salaries of actors and filming staff in 72 years are far less inflated than in 76, and the two leading actors are newcomers, and the cost savings can no longer be saved.

“no。” Wang Xiaohu's tone of refusal was very firm: "When the time comes, just let Bruce participate, I am no different from him." "When Bruce Lee attends the premiere, he can go to Yan Jinghai's funeral again, hey, at the end of 72, things are really not ordinary.

Seeing that he insisted, Winterdur had to shrug his shoulders and said helplessly: "Well, this is a pity. ”

"Don't sigh, old man, you're going to help me get Bill. Kandy invited. Wang Xiaohu smiled and said, "I need him to make the music for "Rocky". ”

Bill. Kandy is a little-known composer, but he will not keep a low profile from now on, because "Rocky" will make him shine, and a song "gonnaflynow" will be a turning point in his life. Kandy's tunes have also become almost the most frequent Oscar appearances. It would be a win-win situation to poach this talented composer to work for Rocky.

"Oh my God, Tiger is always an obscure guy every time you mention a person's name, God knows Bill. In which corner of the globe is Kandy hidden. You're too strong! Winterdur hugged his head in distress and said, but complaining is complaining, but Winterdur still did what Wang Xiaohu wanted, he knew that Wang Xiaohu would not dig such a person for no reason, there must be a certain reason and purpose.

"Rocky" is set in an alternative setting, not before 1972, but two years later, in Philadelphia in November 1975.

This is how the story begins, Lodge, known as the "Italian stallion". Balboa is a boxer who lives in poverty in Philadelphia. He is approaching 30 years old and is no longer the best age to pursue a career in boxing. At the same time, he was in a terrible situation, often reduced to the point where he could barely make ends meet, and had to earn money by collecting debts on behalf of his loan sharks.

National Boxing Heavyweight Champion Apollo. Clifford came to Philadelphia to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the United States and held a boxing contest where the winner could receive a $150,000 prize. However, when his opponent withdrew from the contest due to a temporary injury, Apollo had the idea to choose an unknown fighter as his opponent to show the spirit of the American Dream, and Rocky was chosen by Apollo for his nickname "Italian Stallion".

Rocky was immediately the subject of interviews by television and newspaper reporters, and Apollo even claimed to knock Rocky out in a few rounds. Although Lodge understands that his chances of beating Apollo are low, as no opponent has ever been able to play Apollo in the entirety. But in order to prove his ability and change his fate, he trained hard non-stop, and even created his own boxing by playing frozen raw beef, vowing to support until the last round.

In the boxing match, despite being at the outback, Rocky used his tenacity to sustain 15 rounds, causing Apollo to break his ribs and nearly knock him out. In the end, Rocky lost by points, but his spirit of perseverance was eventually supported by the crowd.

People who haven't seen it will think that this is a boxing action movie, but Wang Xiaohu knows that "Rocky" has nothing to do with boxing, except for a total of 20 minutes of boxing at the beginning and end, this is an inspirational film under the banner of boxing, reflecting the story of the grassroots people living in the United States, struggling and striving in the chaotic and helpless world of confidence, focusing on the hardships of the life of the American little people and the yearning for a better life. Boxing was nothing more than a vent for Rocky to live or to the current state of America at the time.

If it weren't for wanting to hone Stallone, but also cater to the appreciative tastes of Americans, and make a staggering amount of dollars, Wang Xiaohu would not be able to shoot "First Blood" directly. Of course, he has been resisting such an impulse and continues to shoot this bloody film that looks boring and boring, but is actually very stuffy and full of connotation. (If you watch "Rocky" now, you'll have this complicated and tangled feeling.) On December 24, that is, Christmas Eve, before dawn, Wang Xiaohu pulled Stallone up and said: "Sylvester, get up and get up, today we are going to shoot the most classic scene." ”

"Boss, let me rest for a while." Stallone curled up on the bed with the quilt in his arms and said vaguely. Four days of intense shooting in a row had already exhausted him.

The most tired of the entire crew is probably the starring Stallone, because the other four leading actors are all performing an eight-hour work system, Wang Xiaohu will concentrate on filming their scenes in half a day every day, and the rest of the crew have adapted to Wang Xiaohu's style of continuous combat.

Even photographers Xie Dongshen and Li Qingsheng are used to this, they have been comfortable for several years, how can they slack off when they encounter such an opportunity, not to mention that Wang Xiaohu is still their Hong Kong hometown, they are desperate to the point that they can no longer work hard, even so they are also busy and very energetic, and the shooting skills of the master and apprentice have made significant progress under Wang Xiaohu's requirements.

"Damn it!" Wang Xiaohu stepped forward and lifted the quilt hard, and Stallone's body also turned around on the bed with his strength, and then he finally woke up from his sleep, and saw Wang Xiaohu with angry eyes, and quickly changed into the dirty gray sportswear and went out after a little wooden grinning.

A pickup truck was parked in front of the hotel, Xie Dongshen and Li Qingsheng were sitting in the back controlling two cameras, and the unrelated staff had been driven to the front street by Wang Xiaohu to make a cameo appearance as an early riser of Philadelphia citizens.

"Okay, Sylvester, I repeat, don't be too fast when you run out of the Philadelphia neighborhood, we're going to shoot twice, the first time asking you to run with a lot of effort, and the second time asking you to be in good spirits and running at a faster pace, understand?" Wang Xiaohu stood on the pickup truck, holding a horn and shouting loudly.

"Boss, I'm ready!" Stallone made an OK gesture when he was ready to go, and Wang Xiaohu nodded and shouted: "Acttion!" ”

The use of running to drive the plot forward was unique in Hollywood at the time, and the contrast between the different rhythms of the two scenes drove the plot and showed the different states of the characters. Among them, the first time Rocky started running on the streets in the morning light was when Rocky had just received an invitation to a boxing match and jogged in the empty streets of Philadelphia in the morning light; Another time was before a boxing fight, where Rocky was running in the streets.

Therefore, in this simple plot, the film forms a complete symbolic relationship through the contrast between the empty street in the dark and the protagonist who jogs in the morning, and this symbolic relationship forms a harmonious resonance relationship with the style of the whole film. The short time of Rocky running in the morning light for two minutes and twenty seconds becomes the key to the whole film.

The shooting of the jogging went smoothly, Wang Xiaohu and Xie Dongshen watched the camera in the pickup truck, the car was moving slowly, Stallone slowly followed the running, one camera captured the picture of Stallone running, and the other was an auxiliary to capture the bits and pieces of the citizens of Philadelphia.

"Good." As the car drove out of the slums of Philadelphia, Wang Xiaohu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and he said with a smile: "If we follow this progress, everyone can have a comfortable Christmas Eve tonight." ”

Xie Dongshen frowned at this time and said: "Boss, please come and take a look at this set of shots, I always feel that the car is shaking too much, which affects the smoothness of the picture."

(To be continued)