Chapter 197

After the incident, there were also many film people who supported Jiang Heng.

Zhou Xingxing, who had long been isolated by Xianggang film people, surprisingly publicly expressed his opinion to the media, enumerating Jiang Heng's huge contributions to Xianggang and Chinese-language cinema, and called on everyone to support Jiang Heng and his new film.

Zhou Xingxing also called to comfort and advise Jiang Heng, saying that some people in Xianggang just rely on their seniority to sell themselves.

In 1992, among Xianggang's top fifteen box-office films, Zhou Xingxing's accounted for seven, with the top five all taken by his films, yet he was still suppressed and looked down upon. The Hong Kong Film Awards had nominated him several times as a runner-up, and only in 2001, thanks to 《Shaolin Soccer》, did he finally receive recognition from the awards.

Even so, many people still did not acknowledge him.

Li Lianjie also called to vent his frustrations, saying that when he was in the Xianggang entertainment circle, he faced even harsher suppression, even experiencing death threats, but he dared not speak out due to the other side's great power; now he can speak freely.

In the end, advising Jiang Heng, he said that with his current fame and status, he is more valued by the state, not comparable to the declining forces of Xianggang's film and television circles; when it's time to act, just act, and don't give them face.

Cheng Long also called, but he was acting as a mediator, feeling that everyone is from the same Xianggang lineage and should seek harmony for profit.

Jiang Heng also didn't want to make a fuss, feeling that his response at the time was indeed not tactful enough; if he asked for a one-hundred-million salary, it would be their problem if they couldn't pay.

I originally thought that not responding would let the matter pass, but instead it intensified.

Zhang Jiazhen truly deserves the title of 'producer'; after studying film production at New York University, he returned to Xianggang to serve as production manager at Jiahe Pictures, later joined Mak Tung Hung Film Company, De Bao Film, and Xu Ke Film Studio, and began collaborating with Wu Yusen in 1990, during which time he also served as manager for Zhou Runfa.

And when asked how he viewed Jiang Heng and his new film, Zhang Jiazhen said that he was merely a commercial director skilled in special effects, and his films, aside from having good special effects visuals, had nothing worthwhile.

Zhang Jiazhen boasted in front of the media about Jiang Heng, which basically amounted to Wu Yusen boasting.

At the press conference preparing for the release of 《Red Cliff》, producer Zhang Jiazhen said that the film's total investment was 80 million US dollars, equivalent to over six hundred million yuan, making it the highest‑investment film in Chinese‑language cinema.

Mainland viewers just went to see it out of curiosity, so they all went; but after a few years, it will surely run out of talent and reveal its true nature……

As for the box office, it will also break existing records.

What can be tolerated, what cannot be tolerated!

In 1994, he partnered with Wu Yusen to establish the Hollywood Film Production Company, participating in the production of well‑known films such as 《Broken Arrow》, 《Face/Off》, 《Substitute Killer》, and 《Anna and the King》.

The headline also caught the eye: 'Producer Zhang Jiazhen blasts Jiang Heng, enumerating the Seven Deadly Sins!'

Coincidentally, 《Journey to the West: Flat Top Mountain》 was about to be released, with media promotion and interviews already plentiful, so Jiang Heng formally responded in an interview with 《Southern Weekly》.

One could say that Zhang Jiazhen's relationship with Wu Yusen is similar to that of Zhang Weiping and Zhang Yimou—they are old partners.

Later, he again teamed up with Wu Yusen to set up a film company, participating in the production of 《The Wind Talkers》, 《Bulletproof Monk》, and 《Memory Fragment》.

As soon as these named remarks were spoken, they instantly excited Xianggang media reporters to no end; after recording them and adding embellishments, a fiercely worded article was produced.

I used to really like Teacher Wu Yusen's 《Heroic Bloodshed》; truly, when I was young, watching it moved me deeply. Later, I didn't watch his films much, feeling they were all the same. But the times are changing, and audience tastes are changing too; as filmmakers, we should also make corresponding changes to adapt to the new era.

Why has Xianggang's cinema declined? Because it has exhausted those themes, leaving nothing new.

A viewer in his late teens or early twenties walks into the cinema, sees some toilet‑humor scenes and cops‑and‑robbers mind games, finding it novel and fun. But when he reaches thirty and arrives at the cinema door, seeing that it's still the same kind of film, he surely won't even think of buying a ticket!

Xianggang cinema has stagnated for too long, like an old man stuck in his ways, oblivious to outside changes.

For example, Korea, which used to be nothing more than a backyard garden of the Xianggang film market, has now produced an excellent film 《Memories of Murder》; being able to make such a film shows that Korean cinema is poised to rise!

At this point in the conversation, the 《Southern Weekly》 reporter couldn't help but ask, '《Memories of Murder》, what kind of film is this? Is it really that good? Will it be introduced for public screening in the mainland?'

Jiang Heng laughed: 'That's hard to say! Let's stick to the earlier topic—Xianggang cinema's decline, I think a very important reason is that new directors lack opportunities to break through. Resources, after all, all go to senior directors like Teacher Wu Yusen.'

'Don't you think highly of the film 《Red Cliff》?'

Jiang Heng nodded with a smile, 'I don't think Teacher Wu Yusen can pull it off well; the Three Kingdoms is a history most familiar to the people, but in Xianggang everyone tends to understand it through the lens of 'jianghu righteousness' rather than the grand historical picture.'

Upon hearing this, the reporter became very excited, saying that this directly meant Wu Yusen's 《Red Cliff》 would flop!

'Filming it this way, is the problem serious?'

Jiang Heng nodded, 'Of course, the struggle for hegemony in the Three Kingdoms is not a brawl of street thugs; if it lacks historical weight, I won't speak of other places, but at least mainland audiences would not accept it!'

'Then if Director Wu Yusen accepts your advice, this film might turn out well, a big picture with a six‑hundred‑million investment!'

Jiang Heng smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

If Wu Yusen would listen to advice, that would be strange!

Directors are generally a stubborn lot, insisting on their own ways.

Originally, in history, 《Red Cliff》 was a co‑production between the two regions, with many producers and screenwriters coming from the mainland.

For example, Han Sanping from China Film Group, Yu Dong from PolyBona, Feng Xiaogang's dedicated producer Hu Xiaofeng, and the renowned screenwriter Lu Wei.

Especially Lu Wei, who is no ordinary figure; films such as 《Farewell My Concubine》 and 《To Live》 were all scripted by him.

With so many mainland film people, how could they not notice that 《Red Cliff》's style is off?

They certainly could see it; it's just that they first believed in Wu Yusen's international‑director prowess, and second, the filming was indeed under the director's responsibility, which produced such a film.

Therefore Jiang Heng felt that the probability of Wu Yusen heeding advice was nearly zero.

However, after the interview ended, the 《Southern Weekly》 reporter stayed up all night to finish the manuscript, writing an article with rather sharp wording.

Once published, it caused a huge sensation.

Jiang Heng's meaning in the article is very clear: Wu Yusen is old, outdated, and can no longer adapt to the times.

Readers found this kind of sharply pointed, contentious article extremely stimulating, and at the same time became curious about the Korean film "Memories of Murder" mentioned by Jiang Heng.

What kind of film could make Director Jiang Heng praise it as good, and can it be seen in Neidi?

(End of chapter)