Hong Kong: Rise of the Kings

Everyone has an American dream.

The United States has always been weaving this American dream externally.

Starting from the time when the Statue of Liberty held a torch to guide immigrants on their voyage, countless people came to this North American land with the "American Dream" in mind.

Use sweat and hard work to build this "golden country".

Hollywood in the United States is the best promoter of the American Dream. Almost every movie produced by Hollywood has a shadow of the American Dream.

Dreams are beautiful, but reality is cruel.

Countless people came to the United States and came one after another. In the end, the American dream was shattered and they wandered for a lifetime, lonely and helpless.

These were little guys like Stallone, new immigrants.

They have no roots in the United States, they are ownerless duckweeds, working, starting a business, surviving, struggling, and wailing-——

All this is reflected in "Rocky", which is currently in theaters.

What are the criteria for a good movie?

nice!

What is good-looking?

It’s resonance!

It’s a sense of immersion!

"Rocky" does this.

Hollywood movies have always been full of inspirational movies.

To be precise, inspirational work is actually a very simple technical task. As long as you master the fixed routines, anyone can make a film that makes people excited.

A small person, unsuccessful, underappreciated, self-improvement, hard work, a few montages suddenly turn into a master, the final climax is close-up, slow motion, exciting music, and then The crowd cheered, what a tall image. The result is a superficial connotation exposed beneath the passionate exterior.

But this movie is different. Why did Rocky become a legend? It's because he transcends the superficial inspirational spirit and the vulgar routines of inspirational films. Rocky acknowledges from the beginning that some things in this world are:

——Can’t do it.

--What?

——I can't beat him.

——Apollo?

--right.

He lost the game in the end and did not go beyond the limits of ordinary people.

This is so uninspiring.

This movie has few heroic words, the protagonist does not have a tall image, and even the final climax has no slow motion or exciting music. We only see two strong men: the white one was beaten into a dog, and the black one was beaten into a dog. Tired into a dog, both dogs stink equally. After the fight was over, the film ended hastily.

The film even seems dull most of the time. Surprisingly, there is no domineering villain responsible for humiliating the protagonist and stimulating the audience's sympathy and hatred.

A dull knife cuts flesh and kills people without blood. Isn't it more terrifying than a sharp blade? What a bunch of frogs waiting to die in warm water.

"It took you so long to help me, and it took ten years for you to come to my house. I don't want your help, don't preach to me! Talk about your heyday... Mike, what about mine? At least you still had your heyday, I am nothing. Day after day, I am nothing.”

Rocky is such a loser. Most of the time, he didn't even get a chance to vent his complaints.

The anxious Rocky finally found the answer on the eve of the competition. He said to his girlfriend:

"Forget it, Adrienne, it's a fact, I'm nobody. But it doesn't matter, you know? Because I keep thinking, it doesn't matter even if I lose, it doesn't matter even if he breaks my head, because I I just want to fight it out. No one can get through it with Apollo, and if I can get through it, and I'm still standing there when the bell rings, I'll know for the first time in my life that I'm not a piece of shit anymore. "

This is what makes Rocky better than traditional inspirational people: he is real and sincere, and can instill strength into people's hearts. Therefore, the final game seems to be the climax of the whole film, but in fact it is just a natural result.

When Rocky trains hard in the early morning, runs to high places and is intoxicated by himself, he is already his own king.

…

The movie ends——

The entire cinema was silent.

There was no applause, no noise, no sarcasm.

Everyone watched in silence as the subtitles came out at the end of the film. At this moment, everyone was asking themselves, am I a loser? Have I finished the boxing match of my life?

"Sarah, why is this?"

Stallone looked around in surprise.

He didn't dare to expect applause, but at least the audience had to react.

His wife Sarah didn't understand either, so she had to comfort Stallone: ​​"Maybe, everyone just..."

She didn't know what words to use to comfort Stallone. She was afraid that this failure would hit him too hard.

"It's okay, honey! I can bear it!" Stallone held his wife's hand, "Don't forget, I wrote this play, I acted it, and the person I'm playing is myself. At least I finished my own boxing match."

Seeing Stallone like this, his wife Sarah felt relieved.

"let's go!"

"Well, let's go."

Stallone took his wife's hand and was about to get up and leave——

Sudden--

Bang bang bang!

There was applause behind him.

Stallone and Sarah were stunned for a moment and turned to look.

Pauline Kael clapped excitedly.

She never hesitates to applaud excellent films.

Her applause directly set off the whole audience.

The scene was like a tinderbox being lit————

boom!

The applause continued.

more and more.

getting bigger.

One after another.

The audience stood collectively and paid tribute to the big screen.

Stallone and his wife Sarah looked at each other and couldn't believe what they were seeing.

"Look, he's Stallone!"

"He's the star of this show!"

"God, he's right there with me!"

I don’t know who discovered Stallone and immediately pointed at him and yelled.

"Stallone, I love you!"

a female audience member screamed at Stallone.

Stallone went from being surprised to calm down, hugging his wife and saying, "I love you too, but I love my wife even more!"

As he spoke, Stallone also kissed his wife Sarah gently on her forehead.

Bang bang bang!

There was thunderous applause again.

Pauline happened to see this scene, and she already had the title of tomorrow's "Rocky" movie review deep in her heart——

"Life is a boxing match, only love is invincible"!

…

After the screening of "Rocky", the popularity was not limited to this movie theater. In the United States, all Fox theaters in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Those who pursue the American dream applaud this drama.

Losers in life, applaud this drama.

This night————

Countless people have difficulty sleeping.

Because of the advent of "Rocky", the whole night turned into day.

Applause is the only embellishment!

…

Fox Film Corporation.

President Ryder did not go home. Instead, he smoked a cigarette in the office and waited anxiously for news.

He looked at the phone from time to time, expecting it to ring soon.

There were seventeen or eight cigarette butts thrown at his feet, and the ashtray on the table was already full.

Although US$300,000 is not a lot, it is the first drama in Fox's "Six Dragons Plan". If this drama fails, Fox's reputation will not only be tarnished, but it will also have a huge negative impact on subsequent development.

Of course, these are secondary.

Now Fox has just made a big splash with Bruce Lee's "Way of the Dragon."

But after all, that drama was not shot by Fox, and even if it was a hit, it would not be attributed to Fox.

Now Fox, especially under the leadership of Ryder, needs a drama to prove its strength.

"God, how is this show going?" Ryder was unsure.

The Hollywood media had collectively badmouthed "Rocky", which made Ryder less confident about the drama.

In fact, he has also watched the sample film of this drama, and found it not very inspiring. If it were him, he might change the ending to a comeback, with the protagonist defeating the boxing champion Apollo.

But Du Yongxiao insisted on Stallone's original script and asked Ryder, why is Venus beautiful? Simply because she is flawed.

The shortcomings of this drama are the key to its uniqueness.

Touching, derived from reality!

Of course Ryder understands this, but he understands better that art comes from life, and art can be modified and exaggerated.

But no matter what, Du Yongxiao decided to support Stallone's original script, and Ryder's opinion had no choice but to give up.

Now Ryder feels that he should have fought hard at that time, so that he might have a greater chance of winning the show.

Just when Ryder was feeling uneasy————

Jingle Bell!

The desk phone rang.

Ryder was startled and looked at the phone.

He had been looking forward to this call all night, but now he was a little afraid of it.

Ryder crushed the cigarette in his hand and reached out to pick up the phone. He tried it, but he was afraid it would be bad news.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and picked up the phone, feeling that the phone was extremely heavy.

"How is the situation in the theater...?"

Ryder's voice was so low that even he could barely hear it clearly.

"Explode! Explode!"

News came from over there, and the voice was excited.

"What?" Ryder suspected that he didn't hear clearly.

"Boss, the show "Rocky" was a hit! After the show, the audience stood up and applauded!" The person on the phone recounted the situation in each major theater in one breath.

Ryder clutched the phone tightly, his hands shaking.

He felt that everything was too unreal, like a dream.

It wasn't until he finished explaining everything on the phone that Ryder woke up from a dream and was once again convinced that "Rocky" was really a hit.

"Hahaha!" Ryder looked up to the sky and laughed so hard that he almost burst into tears.

This was his most beautiful counterattack since he took office!

Fox, alive!

I don't know how long it took, but Ryder hung up the phone. He couldn't calm down for a long time, and the smile was still on his face.

He walked around the office, excited and ready to shout.

"What should I do now?"

"God, I'm so excited!"

"Yes, yes, call Mr. Du to report the good news!"

After being excited for a long time, Ryder finally remembered that he should call Du Yongxiao to announce the good news.

"But has he slept?"

"You must have been awake. You must be waiting for good news like me and everyone else in Fox!"

Ryder rubbed his hands excitedly and immediately picked up the phone and dialed the phone number where Du Yongxiao lived.

beep---

beep---

beep---

After a few blind tones, there was no movement on the other side of the phone.

"Uh, what's going on? Why is no one answering the phone?" Ryder was surprised. He looked at the phone and wondered whether it was broken here or there -

Little did he know that on the other end of the phone, Du Yongxiao was fast asleep in bed. As for the phone, he had put it aside so that others could not get through even if they beat him to death.

For Du Yongxiao, it is not a miracle that the drama "Rocky" will be a hit.

So he just wanted to have a good sleep without being disturbed by anyone.

At this moment, he turned over and hugged the beautiful girl Sakuragi Rin beside him.

Sakuragi Rin also wrapped her arms around her, hugged each other, and fell asleep happily.

…

Paramount boss Carlos didn't sleep either.

He has been on the line with major Hollywood media, asking Fox what is "Rocky" like?

The answers I got were almost all: "It's a small production costing 300,000 yuan. Except for some gimmicks and appeal of Muhammad Ali, it has nothing interesting at all!"

After receiving such an answer, Carlos's heart finally calmed down.

For Fox, he is a must-win.

Among the seven major Hollywood film companies, he is going to stage a shocking "snake swallows the elephant", Paramount swallows up Fox!

Therefore, Fox must not rise and must continue to decline.

He, Carlos, is the Hollywood hero and the one that all the big guys in the film industry look up to.

As for that damn Chinaman Du Yongxiao, go to hell! Stupid and lowly Chinese pig!

He had just brewed a cup of coffee and before he had even taken a sip, the phone rang————

Carlos knew that the show "Rocky" had gained word-of-mouth.

He excitedly grabbed the phone, waiting for the bad news about the "Rocky" drama.

But--

"Old, boss! It's not good!"

A confidant's stammering voice came from the other end of the phone.

“‘Rocky’ exploded!”

boom!

Hearing this, Carlos almost exploded.

"How is that possible? Are you mistaken? Those reviewers all said that this drama is completely uninteresting and is simply rubbish!"

"Boss, you can't believe what those guys say! If you give them money, of course they will do what you want! I'm at the scene right now. This show is really a hit, and many audiences are applauding them!"

Carlos couldn't bear it anymore and staggered.

The phone fell from his hand and hit the ground.

Ula's voice came from the microphone, shouting unclearly: "Boss, what's wrong with you? Boss -"

Carlos held onto the table with one hand, letting his arm support his nearly falling body.

He never dreamed it would be like this.

"Rocky" exploded?

Doesn't that mean Fox is alive?

Then how can I annex it?

How else could Carlos be a movie hero? How to dominate Hollywood?

Carlos was shaky.

th!

"No, I haven't lost yet! I still have a trump card! Although this trump card is a bit despicable, why should I care about what tricks I use to deal with that Chinese guy?"

Snapped!

Carlos slapped the table with a vicious look, "Du Yongxiao, you damn Chinaman, do you really think you can dominate Hollywood and rely on Fox to dominate? No, this is not your Chinese game. field!"

At this moment, Carlos has decided that he will win Fox no matter what the cost.

As for his trump card——

The Kolobo family, one of the five largest gangs in the United States!

He decided this time that no matter what conditions the other party offered, he would accept it. He had only one purpose, to make that damn Chinese guy Du Yongxiao kneel on the ground and hand over Fox's hands obediently!