Chapter 183

This night in Beijing seems destined not to be peaceful.

Equally restless are the vast number of Chinese viewers and film critics who have just finished watching *The Dark Knight*.

As everyone knows, when it comes to getting on the job and online, if Chinese people say they are second, no country dares to say they are first.

Therefore, at 4:35 AM, it is not surprising that a short review on Douban was suddenly pushed to the top by more than 2,000 likes.

"Finished watching the world premiere in New York, trembling with excitement all over. Perfect score for lines, perfect score for action, perfect score for expressions, perfect score for dramatic tension. If I were a leader of the SARFT, I would definitely award Chen Nuo a special contribution award this year. Because on July 15, 2007, with his shocking performance, he proved to all directors, screenwriters, film companies, and fans in the world that our Chinese actors have stood up from now on!" This extremely mushy five-star review actually had 2,809 likes.

Below it are the voices of domestic fans who have just finished watching the movie.

"The reflection and depth presented by the script in terms of ideology gave Chen Nuo great room for play, so we saw a super Chen Nuo whose talent was fully bloomed, surpassing all his previous roles." Five stars, 1,611 likes.

"I couldn't stand the hype of the 'Nuo rice' (Chen Nuo fans) about Chen Nuo before, always thinking they were brain-dead, but now after watching the movie, I found that the brain-dead was actually me." Five stars, 1,281 likes.

"Chen Nuo provided sufficiently rich physical and facial performances, explosive, naturally flowing, and flashing with inspiration. These performances blooming from the depths of the soul made even an ordinary viewer who couldn't understand the movie realize that they were afraid they had witnessed the birth of an incomparable actor." Five stars, 891 likes.

"A dark-style superhero, the whole movie is so oppressive that it's hard to breathe, and Chen Nuo's interpretation of the Joker is wonderful beyond compare. From the first second he appeared, I was already on my knees." Five stars, 801 likes.

"Nuo rice, it's time for you to perform. At this moment, no matter how you hype it, no one will refute it." Five stars, 761 likes.

"I don't like this movie, whether it's the pessimistic thoughts on human nature it expresses or its dark and oppressive artistic style. Even its setting for the Hong Kong underworld makes me a bit sensitive. I can tolerate all this and decided to sleep and then watch it again immediately for only one reason. After seeing *The Zhang Yaba*, I saw Chen Nuo's performance that surpassed the norm again. I always said that he was a bit exhausted in *My Blueberry Nights*, and then I was slapped in the face immediately. This slap is painful, but it feels great." Five stars, 511 likes.

"Worship from a junior at the same school as God Nuo. Does our school have something like a Hall of Fame? I am willing to kneel on the ground and carry Senior Chen Nuo in. Saying he is the light of Beijing Film Academy, there shouldn't be any classmates who have objections, right?" Five stars, 371 likes.

In addition to these high-praise short reviews with excellent literary talent, if arranged in chronological order, they are the feelings of more ordinary viewers.

"Chen Nuo is really a damn acting maniac."

"Brother Nuonuo's acting is too divine."

"Movie tickets bought, ready for a second viewing."

"Great visuals, great plot, even greater Joker."

"Nuo rice can openly give five stars, because everyone is doing it."

That's right, facts have proven that Douban, which has just emerged in China, does not yet have a mechanism to prevent rating manipulation, nor does it have the ability to prevent viewers from being overly emotional when rating.

Otherwise, the bright 9.9 score hanging at the top would really have a sense of being unprecedented and unrepeatable.

Many people have some premonitions at this time that this scene will probably not appear again for many, many years, so they took screenshots to commemorate it.

However, after all, Douban at this time is just starting, and the professionalism of the long review area is still not as good as Sina Blog and Tianya Forum.

In the Gossip Jianghu section of Tianya, there was a user named "Black Mass" who shared his very professional viewing? feelings.

"This is a wonderful movie.

Both the theme and the atmosphere made me feel very satisfied.

During the viewing process, I seemed to smell the sweet fragrance permeating the air again. That taste had been smelled many years ago, and every second at that time was the ultimate enjoyment, just like every second I spent in the cinema.

The movie's viewpoint is almost identical to the values I formed many years ago. Everyone has an abyss of sin filled with dark mud in their hearts, which is where the evil of human nature is stored.

When seeing the Joker teasing the police and Batman again and again, I also felt the same way again and again.

Chen Nuo acted very authentically; his eyes that ignore rules and do whatever he wants are just like me when I was young.

I think he really acted out what a criminal, a heinous person, a pervert filled with madness and chaos in his brain, should look like.

He acted too realistically, so much so that I seemed to see myself in the mirror.

Like him, I firmly believe that tearing off the stupid pure white mask of the ignorant and exposing the ugly and twisted truth to the world is the only way to get redemption."

Reply on the first floor: "The real culprit of the Nanjing dismemberment case, Black Mass, appears in Gossip Jianghu."

Second floor: "Real Black Mass? So, you also went to see *The Dark Knight* and think Chen Nuo is a pervert like you, right?"

Third floor: "Real perverts all say Brother Nuo acted like it, so this Oscar is probably real."

Fourth floor: "It is said that Chen Nuo went to a certain place to live incognito for several months to act out this role. What do you think he went to do? It is suggested that the police investigate whether there have been any headless cases across the country from January to April last year."

Fifth floor: "The person upstairs is a pure idiot. Do you understand what acting is?"

Sixth floor: "Don't be angry, sister on the fifth floor. The moderators here are all 'Black Nuo' (anti-fans). Just get used to it."

Seventh floor: "Nuo rice really has no sense of humor; mention your Brother Nuonuo and they explode."

Eighth floor: "Why don't you go make this kind of joke with your mother? Idiot."

Tenth floor: "Stop arguing, I just came back from the cinema too, let a pure passerby say a fair word.

I have seen an interview with Peter Chan on the Internet before, which mentioned Chen Nuo.

Peter Chan said that Chen Nuo is the kind of actor who can gather the brilliance of the whole movie on himself, no matter what role he plays in the movie.

At that time, I thought it was Peter Chan's exaggeration for the promotion of *Perhaps Love*. Now I know what he said is true.

In this movie, is the Joker the protagonist? No, right.

Does anyone remember that the protagonist is Batman, not this Joker? No, right.

During this 144-minute long viewing process, has anyone seen anyone go out to the bathroom during the Joker's scenes? No, right.

When Chen Nuo appears every time, whether it's 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or more than ten minutes, does it make people feel like it passed in a flash?

When the real protagonist and his justice partners appear to uphold justice, does it make you feel a bit long?

I can even say this,

Christian Bale, this Hollywood powerhouse superstar, looks dim in front of Chen Nuo. No one can refute this, right?

Let's expand the scope a bit more.

Except for that prosecutor whose face was half destroyed and left some impression, who else do you remember in the whole movie?

After watching the movie, my first feeling wasn't how well Chen Nuo acted, but I remembered that sentence Roger Ebert evaluated Chen Nuo on his blog: Chen Nuo is a born superstar.

I think this should be the most appropriate evaluation.

Returning to the movie itself, this is definitely the peak work of the genius director Nolan since his debut. An extra mention, Nolan's brother Jonathan Nolan is also a genius and is the screenwriter of this movie. It is said that it was he who recommended Chen Nuo to Warner to play the Joker. Gossip, don't know if it's true or false.

From plot arrangement to line design, it is extremely solid. It also shows his superb directing skills, and it is indeed an excellent work. Moreover, it has almost booked the best movie of 2007 in the author's heart.

Friends who haven't seen it, hurry up and buy tickets.

This should be the second work after *Titanic* that is worth you and your family walking into the cinema."

11th floor: "Agree with the point of view upstairs.

Although I love Batman very much. But this movie can really only be said to be a one-man show belonging to the Joker. Even this should be Nolan's deliberate arrangement. Otherwise, how could the villain appear before the protagonist?

So much so that the Joker occupied all the attention of every viewer from the beginning of the film.

Coupled with Chen Nuo's extraordinary interpretation, his every move, every action and every frame, plus the unique soundtrack in the movie background, all brought people a thorough chill.

While feeling unwilling for Batman, I have to proudly admit that this should be a work that can make Hollywood look at Chinese actors squarely.

Chen Nuo really won a breath for Chinese filmmakers.

Well done!"

After the correction of the 10th and 11th floors. This inexplicable post actually started to get hot. In the following days, it was always pushed to the homepage of Gossip Jianghu, because viewers who finished watching *The Dark Knight* kept joining the ranks of the discussion.

In the end, this post actually became the number one hot post in the history of Gossip Jianghu, so much so that it pushed Black Mass to the forefront again. Finally, it was investigated across provinces, and it was found that it was just a 20-something young man who was just talking big, which was unexpected to everyone.

July 15, 2007, 6:00 PM.

"Hello everyone, welcome to continue watching *Entertainment News Report*, I am the host Mo Ling! Today, Hollywood director Nolan's new work *The Dark Knight* was released globally, and it immediately caused a great sensation in Hong Kong."

The next day, mainland media reported the explosive word-of-mouth of *The Dark Knight*, Beijing TV, Hunan TV, Oriental TV, Southern TV... Similarly, in other regions where *The Dark Knight* was released, local entertainment information programs including news programs reported the release of *The Dark Knight*.

The *Entertainment News Report* on Hong Kong TVB, which aired at 6 PM, naturally couldn't miss this hot spot, and the beautiful popular female host was reporting in Cantonese.

On the green screen behind her studio, the trailer for *The Dark Knight* was playing.

Car chases, explosions, gunfights, Batman 100% restored to the comics, and...

A Joker with his face covered in white mud, ferocious and terrifying.

Mo Ling smiled and said: "Among them, the most eye-catching is undoubtedly the Joker role played by mainland actor Chen Nuo. Speaking of Nuozi, I believe that the vast number of citizens who care about movies should be quite familiar with him."

"From *Perhaps Love* directed by Peter Chan to *My Blueberry Nights* released a while ago. He undoubtedly left a deep impression on our Hong Kong citizens."

"This time, I heard that he had a very outstanding performance in *The Dark Knight*. Today the film was released globally simultaneously, and many citizens in Hong Kong have walked into the cinema to watch... What exactly is it like? Let's look at the report from the scene."

The camera turned to a cinema with a long queue outside.

The reporter on the scene began to interview the queuing public. A Hong Kong girl said excitedly: "I don't like Batman, I came for Nuozi... I am his fan. Since seeing *The Zhang Yaba*'s house on the Internet, I heard that he acted very well this time, so I must come to see it as soon as possible."

At the same time, Taiwan's EBC Variety Channel was also interviewing a couple waiting to watch the movie at the Shin Kong Cinema in Shilin District, Taipei.

The boy smiled and said: "I originally wanted to watch *Transformers*, but she likes Chen Nuo, so we prepared to watch *The Dark Knight*."

The microphone was extended to the girl's mouth next to her.

The girl smiled and said: "What do I like about Chen Nuo? Um, a lot, he is very handsome, acts very well, and is also very gentle to his girlfriend. I like him and Cecilia So very much. Moreover, I have American friends who said he acted very well this time, and the word-of-mouth in the United States is very good, so I just came to see it..."

The Taiwanese girl spoke crisply and sweetly, sounding similar to the voice of a Japanese flower girl.

At the entrance of a cinema in Shinjuku, Tokyo, a pair of girls wearing JK skirts were stopped by a reporter from TV Tokyo's entertainment news.

"... Hi, we did just come out of the movie. Hi, the movie is very good. The part that attracts me the most? Eh~~ I think it's the Joker, Rin-ko, what about you?"

Another girl said: "I'm the same as Rumi-chan, although Batman is also very handsome, I think the Joker is cooler."

In Seoul, Kim Tae-hee, wearing sunglasses, hurried into the cinema to watch *The Dark Knight*, which became the content of the SBS entertainment headline report that day.

Hosts Choi Min-ho and Park Ji-yeon talked excitedly about this.

Of course, they were all reading the script.

"It seems that even Kim Tae-hee xi couldn't help but be attracted by Director Nolan's work. Min-ho xi, have you watched this movie?"

"Not yet, I plan to go again when I have a holiday tomorrow. What about Ji-soo xi, I heard you are a fan of Chen Nuo xi in the movie?"

"Yes. I am a fan of Chen Nuo oppa."

"Then I heard that he will come to Korea to promote the movie later, are you happy?"

"Of course, I really want to see him."

Not only in various Asian countries, but under Warner's global news offensive.

Media such as television, newspapers, and the Internet in various European countries are also reporting; in London, Paris, Brussels, Rome, and Berlin, there are Batman promotional activities. And cinemas in every place have long queues.

Many entertainment news talks are all discussing this movie that has been popular all over the world for one day and set off a wave of viewing.

On July 15, 2007, at 8:00 AM, at the scene of the famous CBS talk show *The Ellen DeGeneres Show*.

Host Ellen DeGeneres was interviewing *The Dark Knight* director Christopher Nolan and Batman Christian Bale.

Ellen DeGeneres wore her signature half-smile expression. This morning 8 o'clock talk show *The Ellen DeGeneres Show*, hosted by the most famous lesbian in the United States, is currently the highest-rated daytime entertainment program in the United States.

"Christopher, you know that the main audience of our show is housewives, please give me a reason for them to walk into the cinema."

Although Nolan is a serious and rigid Englishman in his bones, it doesn't mean he doesn't understand humor, so he immediately smiled and signaled to Bale sitting next to him: "I think this handsome gentleman is the reason they walk into the cinema. I guarantee he will only be cooler in the movie than he is now."

The audience burst into laughter.

Bale also laughed and added: "Actually, this story is still about a story of justice defeating evil. We guarantee that the bad guys in the end will get the punishment they deserve."

Ellen DeGeneres looked at the question card in her hand and asked with a smile: "Next question, we see that the Joker role in the film is a young actor from China. Christopher, why do you think it is appropriate for a Chinese person to play the American nightmare?"

Ellen DeGeneres seemed to want to play a meme, but Nolan didn't dare to play this political meme with her, and said seriously: "He is a very talented young actor. In the audition, he also showed his extraordinary talent. Choosing him as our villain role was our unanimous agreement."

As a talk show actor and the only host who has hosted the Oscars, Grammys, and Emmys in the future, Ellen DeGeneres obviously wouldn't let go of this interesting topic.

She turned to Bale and asked: "Christian, is your opinion the same?"

Bale smiled: "Yes, Ellen. You haven't seen him on the set, you can't imagine the incomparable acting talent of that young man. Watching him act is like watching your talk show, it will make people forget the time. Indulge in it."

Ellen raised an eyebrow: "Comparing me to the Joker, are you implying something?"

The audience laughed again.

Bale shrugged: "If you must think so."

The one hundred housewives invited to the scene laughed even louder.

Ellen said: "Okay, um, the last question, where is this Joker now?"

Nolan smiled: "He is currently promoting in Asia."

Ellen said: "So, you let him set off such a Joker whirlwind in the United States, so much so that my ears are full of Joker Joker Joker sounds these two days. As a result, you put him in Asia?"

Nolan was a bit embarrassed. This question was not in the pre-arrangement, so he had to say: "According to our previous plan, he is mainly responsible for the promotion in the Asian region. Of course, at the appropriate time, he will come to the United States to meet everyone."

As for when the appropriate time is, Nolan didn't say.

Because he knew that Warner and Chen Nuo were still negotiating, and some things seemed not to have been negotiated yet.

In the afternoon, when he went to participate in *Conan*, he was asked again.

Of course, that sharp-toothed guy Conan asked with his consistent sarcastic tone: "May I ask if your Joker is lost in the jungles of Asia?"

The next day, when he went to participate in the recording of *Late Show with David Letterman*, he heard the white-bearded, graceful talk show veteran talk about this matter again.

He joked politely: "If I were Barry Meyer, my private jet would definitely be over the Pacific Ocean, flying to China."

After the program recording, Nolan immediately called Michael Slane, "Michael, when exactly can you bring our Joker over?"

Michael Slane looked at the fresh Friday opening day box office results in his hand, his hands were shaking.

He said in an unprecedentedly serious voice: "Soon, I swear, it will be very fast."

(End of chapter)