Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 109 Taking Liu Yifei to see a movie
"I'm going to see a movie with Teacher Feng. You can come with me and listen to Teacher Feng tell you more about how other people perform."

"Well, I see."

Concubine Liu Yi put away her playful smile and responded seriously.

But she has been holding her breath, determined to hone her acting skills so that she can blind Lu Kuan's eyes.

She could watch a thousand movies by herself and still not understand what they were about. But with people like Lu Kuan and Feng Yuanzheng who understand movies and acting, even if Liu Yifei had average talent, she could still see some clues.

This is just like ordinary fans watching the World Cup and European Cup, who can only cheer when a goal is scored.

However, fans who play football themselves or know a little about football are often more concerned with capturing the formation on the field, the technical movements of the players, the coach's dispatches and other factors.

For practitioners like Lu Kuan and Feng Yuanzheng, the film festival is nothing short of a paradise for them.

You can watch films intensively in a short period of time, appreciate and absorb the nutrients of other filmmakers and actors, and have a collision and fusion of artistic souls.

Feng Yuanzheng was already flipping through the film festival guide.

"Xiaolu, apart from the opening film 'Frida', today we have Takeshi Kitano's 'Doll', South Korean director Lee Chang-dong's 'Oasis', and the American director's 'Ken Park'. The others look pretty ordinary."

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "It seems that Asian films are being treated well this time. So many films have been scheduled on the first day."

The Venice Film Festival has always had pro-Asian roots.

From Akira Kurosawa, Hiroshi Inagaki, and Takeshi Kitano in Japan, to Chang Yimou, Tsai Ming-liang, and Hou Hsiao-hsien in China.

From Iran's Jefar Panahi to many Asian directors, their works have won awards at the Venice Film Festival.

"Go watch 'Doll'. Kitano Takeshi has made too many violent and youth films. Let's see how his romance films are."

Several people walked side by side and passed by the theater where Lee Chang-dong's "Oasis" was screened. A group of Italian fans were holding banners and shouting.

I think it was to vent the anger at being blackened by the Koreans in the just-concluded World Cup.

Turning the corner to Hall 4, the door of "Doll" was already crowded with people.

After finally buying tickets to enter, the three of them could only stand in the aisle and watch Takeshi Kitano being interviewed on the stage, with laughter coming from the audience from time to time.

Kitano Takeshi is a unique person. If we want to compare him with domestic figures, we may have to combine several people to accurately describe him.

He is best known as a director, of course.

In August 1994, he was driving a scooter while drunk and had a car accident, with his brain bleeding and his cheek sunken.

After numerous surgeries and procedures of cold and heat therapy, he miraculously survived.

It is said that his first words after waking up were "I finally understand Oden's feelings."

Then he made a movie called "Fireworks" and won the Golden Lion at the 54th Venice Film Festival.

Before his death, Kurosawa Akira wrote to him, asking him to inherit his mantle. If we must find a director of similar status in China, it should be Zhang Yimou.

His second identity, which was also his initial debut identity, was a comedian, a crosstalk performer, and a manzai storyteller.

The TV stations of today's small business are dominated by comedians, who earn much more than actors.

Kitano Takeshi has successfully become one of the three giants in the world of everyday comedy, the other two being Akashiya Sanma and Tamori.

From this perspective, perhaps he can be compared to Uncle Benshan?

As for other miscellaneous identities like strippers, baseball players, dancers, AV actors, etc., there are too many to count...

The three of them watched with great interest as he joked with the reporters in fluent Japanese.

Reporter: Mr. Takeshi Kitano, I heard that your wife has been very strict with you since you cheated on her. How is the situation now?
The audience laughed. Those who came to support him were all his fans and had already heard of this anecdote.

In April this year, Japanese entertainment reporters revealed that Takeshi Kitano was in love with and living with an actress.

The actress's name is Yuuko Ohno. She has previously starred in "Fireworks" and is also on the cast list of "Doll", but she is not with them this time.

"Why are you looking at me?"

Boss Lu was reading gossip with great interest when he felt a pair of burning gazes coming at him. It was from Concubine Liu Yi, who had a look of contempt on her face.

The little girl frowned proudly and said, "Nothing, I just feel like none of you directors are good people."

Lu Kuan pretended not to understand what she meant, because she knew that she had too many things to worry about!
There is no better way than to endure some hardship on my part and develop her into one of my own in a few years.

Kitano Takeshi laughed when he heard this. He was a man who lived in his own spiritual world, and to him these could not be called scandals or black material.

You are a ruin yourself, so why do you care whether it collapses or not?
"That's a good question. My wife no longer gives me pocket money, and she refuses to divorce me. What a hateful woman!"

"I'm very poor, and this trip was sponsored by Yuko!"

The audience in the cinema burst into laughter and then applauded him.

The cultural tones of different regions vary greatly. Perhaps a playboy like Takeshi Kitano is more popular among movie fans in romantic Western European countries.

Without further ado, the film begins.

Liu Yifei was just an outsider watching the fun, Feng Yuanzheng was appreciating the acting skills of a few ordinary actors, and Lu Kuan was keenly interested in the director's techniques.

The content of the film is relatively simple, stringing together three love stories through the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, constantly touching upon the love philosophy of "loyal feelings are indestructible".

However, the camera language and three-act narrative structure contained therein are quite intriguing.

The movie ended soon, and Takeshi Kitano, as an old friend of Venice, received a three-minute applause from the audience.

This was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, with reporters and audience members raising their hands.

All he asked were the highlights of the film's soundtrack and costume design, gossip about Takeshi Kitano himself, etc. The lack of anything interesting made him drowsy and he wanted to end the premiere as soon as possible.

"Well, thanks to this fan, the soundtrack is by Mr. Hisaishi Joe, and the costumes are by Yamada Yoshi."

He looked around the scene boredly and saw Lu Kuan standing in the corridor with his hand raised high. His black eyes and black hair made him stand out among the Europeans and Americans.

"Thank you, my friend with the Asian face."

Boss Lu took the microphone and said, "Hello Mr. Takeshi Kitano, I would like to ask a few questions about movie lenses."

Kitano Takeshi gestured for him to continue.

"I noticed that you really like to use long shots and a strong sense of depth. The composition is also clear-cut, with strong and weak points highlighted. In the second act, you also used a lot of zoom techniques."

"Is this related to the film's four-season arrangement, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the structure of the film's numerous in-camera montages?"

Director Xiao Rizi's eyes lit up. He was delighted that his so-called ingenious design had been revealed in one sentence.

Otherwise, it would be like a dish made by a top chef but no one can taste it. How boring that would be!
"Excuse me, are you Chinese? Please come to the front of the stage to communicate."

Kitano Takeshi was delighted to see the prey. He heard that Lu Kuan's English accent did not sound like that of a Japanese or Korean, and he should be roughly Chinese.

Kitano Takeshi has a lot of exchanges with Chinese filmmakers.

Of course, the one who got the most money was Section Chief Jia. In 1998, Section Chief Jia had only 20 yuan when he filmed "Xiao Wu". After his film won a great success at the Berlin Film Festival, it caught the attention of the producer of Kitano Takeshi's studio.

His second work "Platform" successfully obtained a 500 million investment from Takeshi Kitano, who also vowed that he would never interfere and let him do whatever he wanted and shoot to his heart's content.

Later, "Platform" was successfully nominated for the Venice Golden Lion Award, and Takeshi Kitano also helped him contact overseas distribution resources and provided him with great support.

Since then, Takeshi Kitano's studio has appeared in Director Jia's films such as "A Touch of Sin", "Mountains May Depart" and "Ash Is Purest White".

This low-income director, who was highly regarded by Kurosawa, also developed a keen interest in Boss Lu at this time.

He invited Lu Kuan to the stage, and after a brief introduction, he couldn't wait to ask questions.

"Lu Kuan, you're the first person to recognize the camera language of this director's cut after it's finished. Are you also the director?"

When he felt sleepy, someone offered him a pillow. Boss Lu calmly introduced himself: "Yes, I am a director from China. My film is called Whiplash, and it will be screened on the morning of the 4th."

That's right, he spoke just to get attention.

Life is not easy, and young directors like him do not have many connections and qualifications for self-marketing. If he wants to achieve something at this Venice Film Festival, he has to find another way.

For example, asking Tian Zhuangzhuang to contact the jury chairperson Gong Li, or showing up uninvited to take advantage of Kurosawa Akira's popularity...

Zhang Jizhong: I’m familiar with this!

The reporters and the audience listened to the conversation between the two very cooperatively, and no one left early, which was a respect for the famous director.

"Great! You remind me of another talented film director from your country!"

Of course Lu Kuan knew who he was talking about, but the topic couldn't be changed at this time because he hadn't finished pretending yet.

"Mr. Kitano Takeshi, the movie is great, but I have a few small suggestions. I'm not sure if I should share them."

As we all know, when a person says "it's time to say it or not", the next words he says are probably not very pleasant to hear.

Lu Kuan’s purpose is of course very clear. He is here to take advantage of the popularity and attract attention.

It's just that he communicated from a professional perspective, his words were meaningful, and he didn't try to attract attention, otherwise it would be a disgrace to Chinese filmmakers.

"The film mostly consists of long shots and panoramic views, but there are also some shots shot with a telephoto lens, and there are strong signs of handheld shooting, such as the scene of the first couple playing in the snow."

Kitano Takeshi was a little shocked. He could see that the language of film shots was only considered an expert at best.

However, it is really amazing to be able to see some small details of the shooting tools and even the lens trajectory.

It is not difficult to roughly comment on what makes a dish delicious after eating it.

But being able to analyze what seasonings are used, and even whether the vinegar is poured directly on the vegetables or added on the side before being served, is a bit sensational.

He couldn't help but raise the microphone: "I'm looking forward to your suggestions."

"That's it."

“Handheld shooting certainly has the advantage of highlighting details and amplifying the characters’ emotions, but the disadvantage of instability is also obvious.”

"For example, the flashback scene of the hero and heroine playing in the snow, I think it can be shot with conventional photography, a large jib from top to bottom, and a track pan."

"This will give the overall image a stronger sense of depth and movement, and allow for some fades and transitions with the push and pull of the camera."

As soon as the words were spoken, the whole room fell silent, with only the sound of reporters snapping photos.

Of course the ordinary audience was quiet because they didn't understand.

Occasionally there are people in the industry who understand filming techniques, but how can they recall so many details after having only watched the film once?
Only Kitano Takeshi, who was lost in thought, was able to communicate with Lu Kuan.

He was brainstorming frantically at this moment, rehearsing and breaking down several details according to what Lu Kuan said.

In other words, these two people are playing blind chess!
Kitano Takeshi frowned for a while, then his eyes lit up at another moment. He actually felt that this way the effect would be better!
The bohemian movie fanatic eagerly shook Lu Kuan's hand and said, "Your idea is great. I can't wait to try it!"

Kitano Takeshi was still in the mood to talk and continued to ask Boss Lu questions.

"Lu Kuan, where do you get your inspiration for these photography and lenses?"

"You know, I often act in manzai due to lack of inspiration, and even dance and boxing matches."

The audience all cheered in a friendly manner, as fans knew that the manzai he performed were all dirty jokes and striptease.

I don’t know if this boxing match is serious or not, maybe it’s a hand-to-hand fight with the bikini girls.

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "Actually, I'm just repeating what others have said. Last month, I met Quentin at the Peking Film Studio and watched the filming of his new film, Kill Bill."

"You two are both directors known for your violent aesthetics. I think when you're out of inspiration, you might want to learn from each other!"

"Of course, it would be best if you could invite me when you discuss things. After all, it would be fantastic to be able to copy the ideas of two masters at the same time."

A master of dirty jokes, a veteran foot control, plus a gunner with broad skills, I think they can still create some erotic sparks.

Kitano Takeshi clapped his hands and laughed, and then led the audience to applaud Lu Kuan's humorous self-deprecation.

Most articles in the world are plagiarized. Movies are a form of literary and artistic work, so it is natural that people learn from each other.

Not to mention the distant past, next year Takeshi Kitano will be exhibiting his new film "Zatoichi" at the Venice Film Festival. This film borrows the style of "Kill Bill" and combines modern dance with violent aesthetics.

In an interview with reporters, he made no secret of the fact that this was inspired by Quentin and Yuen Woo-ping.

He defines this genre as entertaining violence.

I can only say that Boss Lu is a shrewd person. Every move of Kitano Takeshi's today hit a chord with him, making this unruly director of Little Life treat him as a close friend.

"I'm looking forward to seeing your movie. I'll show up uninvited, haha!"

This is exactly what Lu Kuan wanted to hear, and this is his ultimate goal.

The two shook hands firmly, showing a sense of mutual admiration. The audience at the scene might not understand anything else, but how could they understand this family-friendly ending?
There was another round of applause, which was given to Lu Kuan for his bold artistic creativity, and also praised the broad-minded Golden Lion Award-winning director.

Boss Lu's marketing strategy really depends on the person. Kitano Takeshi is a madman, a wonderful person, and a pure artist.

Why not try Chen Kaige instead?
I guess before Boss Lu could even say whether he should say it or not, the words "People can't be so shameless" had already come crashing down on him.

Feng Yuanzheng and Liu Yifei both applauded with pride. Being able to sit down and discuss with such a famous director really brought honor to Chinese directors on the stage of an international film festival.

After the screening, Lu Kuan accepted interviews from some reporters, trying his best to gain some publicity and win the favor of passers-by.

A few people climbed the stairs and went to the "Ken Park" exhibition hall.

"Ah! This!"

Liu Yifei was sharp-eyed and stared in amazement at the poster in front of the screening room. It showed a naked man and woman making love in an artistic manner.

Boss Lu clenched his fist, put it to his mouth, and coughed twice. "Well, Xiao Liu, you should go back first. This Ken Park movie seems a little inappropriate for children."

"Let me join Teacher Feng in criticizing the corruption of capitalism!"

(End of this chapter)