Become a dramatist from today

South Korea's first-week box office was 12.6 billion won, equivalent to 9.87 million U.S. dollars, directly the third highest weekly box office in South Korea in 2022.

We all know that South Korea’s local film market is very strange. Even Hollywood blockbusters are not successful. Looking at the box office list throughout the year, only Du Miaomiao enters the top ten at the box office every year. This Du Miaomiao is a real big-investment blockbuster.

However, is it strange that a literary film has achieved such results in South Korea?

Very strange!

Farley, the president of Searchlight Company, asked his secretary to investigate, and the answer he gave was an eye-opener for Farley.

"It is often said that "The King's Man" is an excellent movie. Gan Chengjin is remembered by the audience for his acting skills, but how about it compared to Huang Baiyu?"

"Gan Chengjin has the charm of both men and women, so Huang Baiyou is the fusion of men and women."

"I look forward to better works from Gan Chengjin."

etc.

"Is "The King's Man" released at the same time as our "M. Butterfly"?" Farley asked.

"No sir, this movie has been released for more than ten years." The secretary replied.

"???" Farley didn't understand, "Then why do South Koreans use Chinese stars to suppress their own country's stars?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't know the answer either." The secretary was stumped.

Something was wrong. Farley silently said amen to the South Korean star named Gan Sung Jin, but the next moment he said that he would increase his efforts because the box office was more important.

Neon is different from South Korea. Neon may like this kind of plot where a man disguises himself as a woman, or he may find it exciting and be very enthusiastic about watching movies.

Neon Kingdom’s first-week box office was 2.265 billion yen, which is over 10 million U.S. dollars.

The results are not much compared to the animation theatrical version which made more than 10 billion in its first week. However, everyone knows how awesome the Neon live-action movie is. Only comparing to the live-action film industry, the results are quite gratifying.

There is not much money in other parts of Asia, mainly in Japan and South Korea. The combined revenue is 20 million US dollars. This figure is quite abnormal. In an instant, Searchlight, which could barely make back its original investment, seemed to still make a little profit at the box office.

When Huang Baiyou arrived in New York, the film festival had already ended. He came directly to start the road show. The person who came to pick him up at the airport was producer Morissa.

Morissa didn't like this Chinese actor in the past, but now he respects him quite a bit, because currently the crew of "M. Butterfly" has received the most media attention from Huang Baiyou, and there is no doubt that box office promotion will also rely on him.

"Are you tired, Mr. Standing? If you are, I will take you back to the hotel directly." Morissa said very gently, "If you are not tired, I can recommend you a very delicious Italian restaurant for dinner."

"..." Huang Baiyou was not used to the sudden enthusiasm, otherwise he would have returned to his previous unruly self.

"I'm a little tired after more than ten hours of flying. I want to rest first." Huang Baiyou said.

"No problem at all." Morissa immediately grabbed the luggage from the life assistant Wu Xiaoxiao, who subconsciously protected the luggage.

"Thank you for your hard work. Just let me pick up the luggage." Morissa took the luggage anyway. Wu Xiaoxiao was definitely not as strong as a white man.

Wu Xiaoxiao looked at Huang Baiyou helplessly.

"Ahem." Huang Baiyou asked hesitantly, "Is Mr. Morissa engaged in other industries now?"

For example, I became a logistics manager.

"I am still a producer. I have been in this profession for five or six years. Although I have not produced a particularly famous movie, I have done a good job." Morissa replied. He deliberately did not call the driver and drove to the airport to pick him up.

Along the way, Morissa took the initiative to talk about various topics. In fact, Huang Baiyou didn't like chatting at all while riding in the car. Besides, none of the topics Morissa was looking for interested him.

There is one small exception: "By the way, Mr. Standing, our film will participate in the Golden Globe Awards, and you may become the first Chinese actor."

"I think Babette has a higher probability of winning." Huang Baiyou started from a realistic perspective.

"But film critics think that your performance is better." Morissa said.

After half an hour, the car drove to the hotel, and Morissa even helped put the luggage into the elevator. Obviously the doorman can do these things.

They went on promotional activities together, but Searchlight was actually very confused. It was obvious that the local box office could no longer raise the box office, so why not let Huang Baiyou go to Japan and South Korea to promote it, and maybe it could bring in millions of dollars more at the box office.

The road show consists of three people, Huang Baiyou, Babette and director Conan Bolin. As an old friend, Fernanda has done everything she can, and it is time to shed her identity as the pseudo-heroine.

Huang Baiyou could feel the change in director Conan Bolin's attitude toward him. Although his expression was still unhurried, he thought about Huang's previous career.

It's a bit hard to describe, but Huang Baiyou feels like a master taught his apprentice a craft, but the apprentice's work is more loved by everyone, it's so complicated.

"Director Conan Bolling, this movie is the one with the worst reputation of yours. What do you think of it?" the reporter asked.

Which pot is not open to mention? Compared with Conan and Bolin's previous movies, they are all well received, and "M. Butterfly" has mixed praise and praise.

Conan Bolling responded: "If you want to satisfy the public, then you will be farther and farther away from expression, because expression will inevitably attract the disgust of one or more groups. This movie expresses everything I want to express. ."

This statement obviously did not satisfy the reporters, but today they all accepted the gray envelope and did not ask the question to the end.

The color of envelopes is very particular in Hollywood. Most of the paychecks mailed to screenwriters are in brown envelopes, while half of the paychecks sent by entertainment paparazzi to whistleblowers are white envelopes.

The main creative team of "M. Butterfly" went to the UK, France, and Germany for a roadshow, but the movie failed at the box office in France, but it was loved in the UK. I don't need to know the specific reasons, right?

The famous British film magazine "Sight and Sound" commented:

[‘East is East, West is West, these two people will never meet. ’ The lines of the film reveal its purport. While French diplomats discuss the folly of Chinese quarrels and mock the ignorance of Eastern countries, every turn designed by Conan Bolling and David Wong highlights the folly of Westerners, both of whom are deeply influenced by Orientalist ideas. Gallimard becomes an obvious victim, desperate to open himself up to the myths about China that he desperately wants to be true.

Gallimard is a cruel but romantic French man, and Song is a seductive Chinese woman. The film therefore foregrounds the theme and serves as a meta-narrative, examining orientalism in works such as the play M. Butterfly.

'If possible, keep some distance from your emotions. ’ Gallimard’s lines are more like speaking for the director, which is his clinical approach to drama. It’s a film about white people coming of age slowly, and Conan Boleyn’s attack on that narrative convention. ]

The top ten movies and TV shows reviewed by "Sight and Sound" are in a sense the most authoritative list. You can imagine the influence of this magazine.

The journey is tiring, but it is also the key to becoming famous in Europe and the United States. Huang Baiyou also has to face it in the best condition.

After another half-day flight and half-day interview, Huang Baiyou returned to the hotel and just wanted to fall asleep.

The phone rang.

"Bai You, I just received news... the crew of "Wuxin Master" has been suspended." Manager Chen Zixian called and said.

What was supposed to come came, and Huang Baiyou was not too surprised, because the temporary stability gained by getting angry would eventually lead to bigger changes.

Huang Baiyou asked: "Is it because of Ren Xian and Wei Gong?"

Chen Zixian heard this and said: "It seems that Bai You discovered the clues when he was on the set. Director Lin Bai resigned from the filming and stated that he would expose the excessive behavior of Wei Gong and Ren Xian on the Internet."

"Brother Chen, are you talking about expressing yourself?" Huang Baiyou grasped the key point.

"That's right, it's a statement." Chen Zixian said.

"So what's the attitude of the producers and actors?" Huang Baiyou asked.

"Of course the producers are coaxing both sides. Wei Gong and Ren Xian are ready to apologize. They wanted to ask you to be the peacemaker, but I refused. Let's not get involved in this kind of thing." Chen Zixian's idea is that Master Wuxin is anyway It won't be popular, it's a remnant of the previous dynasty, and it won't be broadcast properly.

Chen Zixian added: ""M. Butterfly" is about to be released in China. We have been suppressing the news about the film overseas. Even if there is sporadic news, it will not become a big deal. Now is the time. Bai You, record it. A promotional video.”

"Ok, no problem."

Even though "M. Butterfly" is a mixed bag, his achievements overseas have already allowed him to become a first-line actor. Jinyi Film and Television has been waiting for the right time to make a big move.

Come on now!

It was difficult to write these four chapters today, so I was slow. I went abroad to look up information for the film reviews, and wrote them based on foreign film reviews. The foreign reviews of the script and the movie were just like what I wrote in the book.

In addition, M. Butterfly was indeed a dud at the box office, but it was good in Japan, which is strange.