It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 88 Sacred Valley's Yearning for Art and Farewell to Hiroshima! (Seeking monthly votes!)
In mid-August, a major piece of news came from the domestic film industry:

"Zhang Yimou's 'House of Flying Daggers' has concluded its run with a box office of 1.56 million yuan!"

Although it failed to surpass the phenomenal box office success of its predecessor, "Hero," which grossed 2.5 million yuan, Zhang Weiping stated in front of the media:

"This film's profit potential is in no way inferior to that of 'Hero'! New Visuals is a resounding success!"

At the same time, he confidently stated that the film is expected to win a major award at the Oscars.

As expected, a new wave of comparisons swept through the public sphere, and Lü Rui was singled out and criticized.

Last year, his film "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" topped the 2003 box office charts with a gross of 1.5 million yuan.

Now, a year later, the record has been broken...

Zhang Weiping naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity to boast and show off, so he publicized it extensively, his words brimming with pride.

Lu Rui remained calm in the face of this.

He had neither the interest to refute nor the inclination to utter grand pronouncements like "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."

What truly intrigued him was Zhang Yimou's creative trajectory.

Having created visual feasts like "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers," he should theoretically have reached new heights in scene direction, color aesthetics, and narrative techniques.

However... the style of that film, "Half Lake Green," changed drastically, which is really puzzling.

What was Zhang Yimou's mindset when he made such a monstrosity?

Lu Rui couldn't figure it out, so he decided to put his doubts aside for the time being.

He plans to finish filming the last few scenes of "The Prestige" at Mount Wilson Observatory first.

On set, because Tesla's machine repeatedly failed in its tests, Hu Jun couldn't hide his anger and questioned him: "Can you actually build a magic machine?"

David Bowie frowned, his tone stubborn: "Give me time, it will work."

After saying that, he picked up Andy Serkis's black cat and started the buzzing experimental device again.

Electric currents flowed freely between the metal frames, but the cat simply sat quietly, showing no unusual behavior.

The expectation in Hu Jun's eyes instantly turned to disappointment, and he angrily turned and left.

He didn't care how much money he lost, because he was a super-rich second-generation heir. What he cared about was not being able to grasp the true "secrets of magic"!
However, just as he stepped out of the lab, the sight of several identical top hats and two black cats with the same fur color and expression scattered in the ruins caused his pupils to shrink in shock!

The experiment was a success?!

Hu Jun suddenly realized that what Tesla had created was not a "teleportation device," but a "cloning machine!"

He screamed almost maniacally...

Tesla rushed over and, after repeated checks, confirmed that the machine experiment had indeed been a success!
But the reality is cruel.

The threat from Edison's influence was so great that Tesla could only hastily debug the machine, ultimately leaving this fate-changing device to Hu Jun, while he himself was forced to embark on a journey of exile.

"Crack!"

The final shot taken at Mount Wilson Observatory in front of the cloning machine was officially captured.

With this, filming in Hollywood came to an end.

When Lü Rui shouted "That's a wrap!", cheers erupted on set.

Many Americans value living in the moment and rarely work tirelessly to build up their savings like the Chinese do.

Therefore, the end of their work means they can receive a generous salary and enjoy themselves to the fullest.

However, Andy Serkis and David Bowie's scenes are not over yet.

They also need to travel with Lü Rui to Shanghai to complete a three-day cross-border filming project.

"Lv, when are we leaving for your country?"

After more than ten days of filming, everyone had gotten to know each other well. Andy Serkis approached Lu Rui expectantly, asking questions, eager to see that ancient and mysterious Eastern country.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning." Lu Rui carefully put away the memory card, his gaze sweeping over the other person.

His profound mastery of dialogue honed through stage plays, his nuanced and nuanced performances, and his extraordinary dedication...

The collaboration over the past ten days left a deep impression on him regarding Andy's professionalism!

It just so happens that the production team for "Lurking" needs a male lead, and Lü Rui plans to have him audition for the role.

Of course, it's still early; casting won't begin until at least September.

Currently, Peter Griffin and James Wan are busy with the pre-production of "Insidious".

From location scouting and costume/prop design to art design, every step for a startup needs to be built from scratch.

But Lu Rui knew that as long as he could get through this "pioneering period", Ruixing Pictures would be able to establish itself in Hollywood!

……

Tomorrow we'll be heading back to China, and Lü Rui, true to his word, took Zhao Peng straight to the Holy Valley that afternoon.

To avoid suspicion, he specifically asked Peter to act as his driver, and the three of them pretended to be producers going to the Holy Valley to find actresses.

Hollywood has many B-movies, R-rated films, and even restricted films that go to San Diego to cast actresses, so the identity of "producer" is not questionable.

They're daring, they're daring to show skin, they're even willing to go shirtless for extra money—their main selling point is their professionalism.
“Jenna Holz, Jenna James, Jesse Jane, Delien Ross…”

As soon as the Cadillac Escalade entered the town of San Fernando Valley, Zhao Peng couldn't hide his excitement and started talking about it, demonstrating his excellent "aviator" qualities.

The individuals he mentioned were none other than the teachers at Saint Valley who had achieved great success in the new century, enjoying both high fame and popularity.

Jenna James, in particular, is hailed as "the world's most famous porn star"!
Peter, gripping the steering wheel, smiled knowingly and explained, "The Holy Valley is also known as the adult Hollywood, with over 300 adult film production companies located here."

To date, there are approximately 1500 actual performers on screen, but the number of people working in the industry is already comparable to that of mainstream Hollywood.

It's said that companies like Disney, Warner Bros., and Columbia have invested here..."

As they spoke, Kerr walked on and arrived at the door of a company called "Club Jenna".

The neon signs cast shadows on the car windows, creating an ambiguous atmosphere...

As soon as the car stopped, a lean man in a suit strode over in shiny leather shoes.

Lu Rui put on his mask and got out of the car with Zhao Peng and Peter.

"Welcome! It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Pavlin Hack, the executive manager for Club Jenna."

The man in the suit enthusiastically introduced himself.

Peter turned to Lü Rui and explained, "He has seven actresses under his wing for us to choose from, and they are currently filming here."

Lu Rui nodded silently, his gaze sweeping over the crooked pin on the other person's name tag.

This line of work, to put it nicely, is about being an agent; to put it bluntly, it's nothing more than being a middleman in a sex trade.

"Everyone, please follow me."

Parker Heck led the group through a corridor plastered with tacky posters and into the company building.

As he walked, he introduced, "Our company currently undertakes film and television shooting, various themed parties, customized script services, dress-up games... From Japanese maids to police uniforms, there are about three hundred sets of costumes in the prop room."

Lu Rui looked around curiously; it was his first time visiting an adult film production company.

Meanwhile, Zhao Peng, standing next to him, seemed to be "coming home," listening with great interest to Bai Wen Haike's introduction.

Unlike ordinary film companies, adult film production companies have many small rooms built inside, resembling film studios.

Along the way, Lü Rui saw living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, swimming pools, bathtubs, rooftops, the outdoors, lawns, sewers, libraries, supermarkets, subways, offices...

It has all sorts of scenes, mostly built with cheap plywood, resembling a small "film studio".

"Hack? Another new guest?"

As the group was touring the area, a magnetic voice suddenly came from the side of the corridor.

Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw a blonde woman with long, wavy hair wearing a bath towel walking gracefully towards me.

The snow-white fabric draped loosely over her shoulders, swaying gently with each step, her long, slender legs shimmering with a honey-colored sheen in the shadows.

Zhao Peng recognized the other person almost instantly!
"It's Jenna Jameson!"

“Boss,” Bai Wenheke greeted, “they’re new clients; they want to cast actors.”

"Oh."

Jenna casually glanced at the three of them, her gaze lingering on Lu Rui's Rolex for half a second longer, her bright red lips curving into a standard business smile.

“I’m going to the film set anyway, Heike, show them around.”

After saying that, she turned around and, as the hem of her bath towel fluttered, revealed a section of her butterfly-shaped tattoo.

"Ok."

Bai Wen Haike waved for Lu Rui and the others to follow, then hunched over and led the way. The group took the elevator to the third floor.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, a mixture of cheap perfume and sweat wafted out.

The familiar voice echoed in everyone's ears.

"Oh! Yes..."

Jenna frowned and clicked her tongue, then shouted, "Fiona! Tone it down! The whole corridor can hear your moaning!"

It is clear that filming is underway.

With a forced smile, Parker Heck turned around and tried to smooth things over: "It's easy to get too caught up in a role and lose control. In our line of work, when passion takes over, there's no stopping it."

Arriving outside an office-style photography studio, Baiwen Heckel drew back the curtains and introduced, "Inside is our company's number two star, Fiona. She has her signature big waves and a perfect figure, making her perfect for business attire..."

Lu Rui, Zhao Peng, and Peter looked inside together.

The desk was in a mess, and a blonde woman in a business suit was fiercely fighting with a man in a suit. Neither of them would admit defeat, a typical "boss and secretary" scene.

Further on, Snow White and the muscle hunter wrestle on a velvet bed, while Batman's muscular body under his suit pins down the Joker, who is covered in paint... The main theme is the bizarre!
"Do you need to buy the copyrights for these IP-based storylines?" Lu Rui's focus was somewhat unusual.

copyright?

Bai Wen's smile froze for a moment, then he put on a serious expression: "Of course! We are a legitimate film and television company. If we start filming without authorization, we will be sued and go bankrupt in no time!"

He extended his index finger and tapped the copyright certificate hanging on the wall.

The plastic frame reflected a cold, hard light, creating an eerie contrast with the sounds of "fighting" rising and falling inside the shed.

As they were talking, Jenna Jameson, who was walking at the front, broke through and stopped.

She turned around and deftly loosened the belt of her bathrobe: "I need to get ready for the shoot, excuse me."

The snow-white fabric slid off with a thud, revealing a naked body that gleamed with a warm glow under the overhead light.

Zhao Peng's eyes widened slightly!

He hadn't expected that this person had been going commando the whole way!
"Jenna is known for her dedication," Bai Wenheke said proudly of his boss.

Through the glass window, Lü Rui saw the prop master wrapping thick hemp rope around Jenna Jameson's slender waist.

She was playing a "bondage" type of fight scene!
Half an hour later, carrying a stack of actor lists and information, Lü Rui and his companions said goodbye and left.

Zhao Peng's cheeks flushed red, and he rubbed his hands together excitedly: "This is amazing! This is true art!"

Lu Rui glanced at him: "What? You want to get involved yourself too? Why don't you stay here, pick an actress, and design your own storyline? Write and direct it yourself?"

"No, no, no!" Zhao Peng shook his head, his voice righteous and his eyes burning with passion. "I don't want to be an actor, I want to be a director. I want to use the camera to capture the most primal tension of humanity. That's the ultimate romance of film!"

Lü Rui: "..."

No wonder this kid came to Saint Valley to be a director in his previous life; it turns out he had a deep-seated yearning for "art" in his bones!
……

On August 17, Lü Rui led the crew to land at Shanghai Pudong Airport.

The moment the hatch opened, a wave of humid heat, carrying with it the vibrant atmosphere of a neon-lit city, rushed out.

Stepping out of the airport and into the car, Andy Serkis gazed at the towering skyscrapers outside the window, his eyes filled with amazement: "This place is even more dazzling than New York!"

At the same time, his attitude towards Lü Rui became increasingly ardent.

During the return flight, Lü Rui inadvertently brought up the casting for "Lurking".

He happened to have no other work after finishing this film, so he was very excited and said that he would participate in the audition.

Back at the hotel, Lü Rui was just about to take a shower and tidy up when there was a sudden knock on the door.

Zhao Peng pushed open the door and entered, his expression unusually serious: "Brother Rui, I have to go back to the company first to keep an eye on the promotion of 'Everybody's Rival'."

In the ten days or so that he went to Hollywood, Lu Chuan had already started his publicity campaign.

Perhaps because she was trained by Jiang Wen, Lu Chuan performed exceptionally well in crying scenes!
During a media interview, he vividly recounted the hardships of filming "Kekexili," while his eyes welled up with tears for the protected animals that were being poached.

This combination of "playing the victim and emotional appeal" was indeed effective.

In addition, the film's subject matter and values ​​are very positive, so it has received a lot of praise since the beginning of its promotion.

If it weren't for plagiarism, this film would undoubtedly have become one of the best representative works in his directing career!
“Go ahead.” Lu Rui patted Zhao Peng on the shoulder: “Don’t panic. ‘Kekexili’ is just a documentary film. No matter how good the reviews are, its box office will not be as good as ‘Hitch’.”

"understood."

Zhao Peng breathed a sigh of relief and turned to leave.

That evening, Jiang Wen, Li Xuejian, Fan Bingbing, and others returned from their leave and rejoined the crew.

As soon as he got back, Jiang Wen took out the script for his new movie: "Take a look at this part of my plot design..."

He stood in the living room and said in a loud voice, as if giving a speech: "The sun hangs in the sky, the train 'clatters' past, and then suddenly comes to a screeching halt."

The woman jumped off the train and ran on the tracks, flowers blooming beneath her feet. The more she ran, the more vibrant the flowers became, creating a sea of ​​blossoms behind her.

Suddenly, she heard a child crying. A baby boy was lying in the flowerbed, his cries like an alarm clock, waking the whole world up…

At this point, Jiang Wen excitedly stood on the coffee table and shouted, "Alyosha! Don't be afraid! The train has stopped on it, and when he smiles, it will be dawn..."

Gu Changwei jumped up from the sofa, his eyes wide like light bulbs, his Adam's apple bobbing incessantly.

Going crazy!
Trains, running, flowers, sun...

Lu Rui gripped his sketching pen and sketched rapidly. On the storyboard, railway tracks stretched into the distance, and where the skirt of the running woman swept past, petals scattered like sparks.

Jiang Wen leaned closer, looking at the picture, and suddenly pointed to the scene of the sun rising, demanding, "Add a transition here where the mushroom cloud turns into the sun."

"Stop messing around!"

Lu Rui's brows twitched as he listened; he was genuinely afraid that Jiang Wen would be banned again.

In 2000, when "Devils on the Doorstep" went to participate in the Cannes Film Festival, it was banned because it contained too many metaphors and could not pass the censorship, thus violating the rules for participation.

In fact, Jiang Wen already knew that the movie would never pass censorship.

Many people are emphasizing that the Japanese people of today have nothing to do with the Japanese of the past, saying that his film "Devils on the Doorstep" portrays the Japanese people too evilly and that the mistakes of history should not be attributed to people of today.

This view is represented by Yan Lianke, who is the most admired Chinese writer among Japanese people and has many followers.

However, Jiang Wen never wavered in his belief.

In 82, when he was studying at the Central Academy of Drama, a group of Japanese exchange students came to his class.

Their gentle and refined demeanor was completely different from the image of the "Japanese devils" presented in the movies, which made him feel uneasy and confused.

In order to find out the truth, he plunged into the search.

He traveled to various places to visit people who had personally experienced the War of Resistance against Japan and listened to their accounts of that painful past. Later, he even went to Japan to study and read anthropological and sociological works such as "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword".

Gradually, through sorting out and reflecting, he finally managed to overlap and blend these two seemingly separate images in his understanding.

Finally, he suddenly realized!
In fact, the two are the same thing, just two variations that have emerged under different environments.

How could a devil possibly look like an angel?
How could an angel possibly look like a devil?
This realization sent a chill down Jiang Wen's spine!
He realized that even a seemingly gentle and refined Japanese person could easily transform into the brutal Japanese devil in people's minds!
So, he used the film "Devils on the Doorstep" to tear away the fig leaf.

The Japanese were never simply a product of history; the Japanese people of today are no different in essence from those Japanese of the past.

They are the Japanese devils!

Fear power but not virtue! Admire strength but abandon benevolence and righteousness! Those who commit many unrighteous acts will surely perish!

"Just draw it as I said, what are you worrying about? Do you think I'm going to actually find a 'little boy' to film the explosion scene?"

Helpless, Lü Rui could only draw him a mushroom cloud.

He sketched it based on the scene from his memory.

1945年8月6日上午8点，霓虹广岛，天气晴转蘑菇云，气温26～30万摄氏度。

bomb!

Goodbye Hiroshima!

"Hey! Don't write random things on it! I need these storyboards to reference when shooting the movie. It would be bad if the script supervisor and cinematographer saw them!"

Jiang Wen spoke words of dissuasion, but the wrinkles on his face smiled like a blooming chrysanthemum.

Gu Changwei, standing to the side, rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head, looking at the two of them as if they were patients with madness.

"You two are incredibly daring. Aren't you afraid this movie will be banned again?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Let them shut me down again if they dare..."

Jiang Wen grumbled and cursed.

He not only wants to make the film, but he also wants to take it to the Cannes Film Festival!

"Devils on the Doorstep" and "The Sun Also Rises"!
(End of this chapter)