Chapter 72

The cinema facilities and decoration standards in the Manhattan district should be top-notch in North America!

The screen is wide and bright, the sound is surround stereo, paired with such an effects-heavy blockbuster as *Lion Camel Ridge*, it's definitely a visual feast.

Everyone in the audience was immersed, feeling deeply shocked.

But if we had to say who was most shocked, it was none other than Liu Xiaoli.

Before going abroad, she had been a dancer at the Wuhan Song and Dance Theatre, and had also played Lady Xiang in the song-and-dance drama *Chuyun*, making her somewhat of an insider in the Chinese-language entertainment circle, with some understanding of the domestic film market.

In her impression, Chinese-language cinema was Zhang Yimou's *To Live*, Chen Kaige's *Farewell My Concubine*, Jiang Wen's *In the Heat of the Sun*; it had the grand momentum of *The Great Battle* and the twists and turns of *Sweet as Honey*.

These excellent Chinese-language films share a common trait: their colors are all dull and gray.

Perhaps, Zhang Yimou's overemphasis on film coloration is the reason.

He sought to discard the old and establish the new, forging his own school.

In terms of effect, he indeed achieved that, and the title 'National Master' spread widely.

Audiences criticized him for not telling stories well, yet no one doubted his film visuals.

Liu Xiaoli's feeling at this moment was somewhat like that of compatriots seeing *Hero* for the first time; she had never imagined that the colors of Chinese-language film visuals could be so vivid.

Adding to that, the smooth story rhythm and the dazzling special-effects fights left her spellbound, unable to recover for a long time.

Leaving the theater, fragments of the film kept surfacing in her mind.

"I never expected Chinese-language cinema could be this good; this year's few Hollywood blockbusters seem unable to compare!", Liu Xiaoli, sitting in the passenger seat, exclaimed.

Her remarried husband also said: "Yeah, I've heard colleagues talk about how good this film is, I was still doubtful, never expecting it to be this good!"

"Xi Xi, what do you think?"

Liu Tianxian, sitting in the back, heard her mother's question, hesitated a moment, then said: "Ah, it's pretty good!"

Seeing her daughter a bit absent-minded, Liu Xiaoli wondered why, having come to see this film at her daughter's suggestion, she ended up feeling bored after watching it.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing, I'm just wondering how long it will take to finish my credits and end my middle school early!"

Hearing this, Liu Xiaoli's heart blossomed, and she told her husband: "Look, our Xi Xi is becoming more and more sensible!"

"Yes, smart and sensible!"

After the topic shifted, Liu Xiaoli didn't continue; the three drove home and each went back to their bedroom.

Merely looking at the pile of study materials piled like a mountain on her desk, her heart became restless.

One shocking scene after another from *Lion Camel Ridge* kept appearing before her eyes, and for the first time she felt the charm of cinema.

In the following days, Liu Tianxian remained relatively glum, and when Liu Xiaoli asked, she wouldn't say anything.

Until one day, mother and daughter were at home, and the daughter said: "Mom, there's something I want to tell you!"

Liu Xiaoli had long known her daughter had something on her mind, so she wasn't surprised.

"What is it? Go ahead and say!"

"I want to become a film actor!"

"What did you say?"

Liu Xiaoli froze; she had some ideas about her daughter's future, but had never imagined letting her become an actor, after all, the entertainment industry is notoriously tough, and she had heard a bit about that.

"How could you have this idea? Is it just because of that film you saw a few days ago?"

"Yes, but not entirely!"

Liu Xiaoli took her daughter's hand and sat on the sofa, saying: "Then take your time and speak!"

"I used to watch Audrey Hepburn on TV and felt very envious, wanting to be like her, but it was just a thought. After seeing *Lion Camel Ridge* a few days ago, I increasingly felt that film is great and wanted to become an actor."

Liu Xiaoli listened, stunned.

I never imagined that my daughter, so young, would have such thoughts.

Her expectations for her daughter were merely that she achieve something in dance!

"Xi Xi, it's good that at your age you have thoughts about your life; I'm very pleased. But wanting to become an excellent actor isn't easy—you'll have to endure much hardship and suffering; do you understand?"

"Compared to the little hardship you're currently enduring in your studies, everything else is nothing; do you understand?"

Liu Tianxian, however, did not waver; her youthful face showed firm determination: "Xi Xi isn't afraid!"

Liu Xiaoli swept her daughter into an embrace, eyes wet: "I'm afraid, you know how much suffering I've endured for you; how could I bear to see you suffer!"

Seeing her mother's heightened emotions, Liu Tianxian could only softly comfort her; the matter of wanting to become an actor could only be put aside for now.

Speaking of the North American film market, *Lion Camel Ridge* burst onto the scene, its opening weekend three‑day box office reaching an astonishing 55 million dollars; among Hollywood films released in 2000, it ranked second only to *Mission: Impossible 2*'s opening weekend of 57.84 million, and its North American box office total had already been tallied, reaching 215 million dollars.

What's more fatal is that the director of *Mission: Impossible 2* is Wu Yusen.

If the 2000 North American box office champion and runner-up were both taken by directors from Xianggang, the whole of Hollywood would lose face; for a time, newspapers were filled with news of the 'Chinese director threat theory'.

However, the reputation of the *Mission: Impossible 2* series is rock-bottom, and its box office performance can be described as a strong start followed by a decline.

*Lion Camel Ridge*, however, received unanimous praise from the start, and its final box office will surely surpass that of *Mission: Impossible 2*.

If a Chinese-language mythological epic were to take the North American yearly box office crown, it would be a laughingstock.

For a while, major media across the United States suddenly produced many criticisms of *Lion Camel Ridge*, leaving many viewers at a loss.

Because everyone around them who had seen it said it was good, and the media earlier had called it a surprise, how could it suddenly become bad?

Then, out of curiosity, they went to see it—holy shit, the visual effects are mind-blowing!

Throughout August, the North American summer box office became the domain of *Lion Camel Ridge*; the films released in the following one or two weeks all turned into cannon fodder, with not a single one able to compete.

*Lion Camel Ridge*'s performance also surged forward, breaking through 100 million dollars, then 200 million dollars, and finally securing a North American box office of 260 million dollars, temporarily ranking first for the year.

This result truly frightened Hollywood's major studios and countless filmmakers.

They couldn't really allow a Chinese-language film to monopolize the North American yearly box office champion, could they? Otherwise, where would their face be?

It's a pity that this year there aren't many strong contenders among the released films; if there were *Titanic* from 1997 with a North American box office of 659 million, or *Star Wars: Episode I* from 1999 with 430 million, how could this have happened!

When the news spread back domestically, it caused an even greater uproar, with many friends coming to congratulate Jiang Heng, as if *Lion Camel Ridge* had already firmly secured the yearly championship.

Jiang Heng however knew that, at year-end, Jin Kairui starred in the movie 'Christmas Monster', and the box office result was roughly similar to this.

Not to mention hoping to surpass it; even if it doesn't reach the box office of Lion Camel Ridge, the final reported box office will definitely be higher than that of Lion Camel Ridge.

They've always been dishonorable!

(End of chapter)