I'm not just a director

Chapter 102 Why does God favor this Chinese kid so much?

Jiang Pei'an successively traveled to major cities in Europe and America.

Finally, April Fool's Day is here.

It's also the day "Saw" hits theaters.

When the movie was released on April Fool's Day, many viewers immediately thought, Lionsgate is joking, right?
However, think carefully about the content announced by "Chain Saw".

Well, they probably want to use April Fool's Day jokes to dilute the psychological shadow of the audience after watching the movie...

Some people may not believe it, but April Fool's Day is actually a traditional festival in China.

The earliest surviving record about the custom of April Fool's Day in the world is the "Jumen Guanglu" written by the monk Yifei during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Liu Che.

It records that "Ding Yin in April, the children used deception as a play, and the elders did not prohibit indecentness."

It means that on Ding Yin Day in April, young people will play jokes by cheating each other.

And the elders will not restrain them with etiquette that day.

Probably: Young people, just make fun of yourself today, we promise not to hit anyone!

As for today.
Mu Ji, a novelist in the Southern Dynasties and Southern Tang Dynasty, recorded in Volume [-] of "Old Things Before the Years":

"On the first day of April, the folks in the village still play tricks on each other. Don't be angry when you see a bully. It's also the story of chasing Song Taizu Tumubao."

It means that on the first day of April, people in the countryside are used to teasing people by deception, and those who are deceived should not be angry.

This is to commemorate Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin who set up an ambush to defeat the golden soldiers in Tumu Fort by fraudulent defeat.

Later, this kind of festival was introduced to the United Kingdom, and it is said that it has something to do with Zheng He's voyages to the West.

In February of this year, a scholar named Faye accidentally discovered a book called "The Story of the First Gong Fa Ke Donglai" among the ancient books collected in the Royal Library of the Vatican.

It records in detail the story of Zheng He's voyages to the West to preach "April Fool's Day", thus making up an important part of the spread of April Fool's Day to the West.

Nowadays, April Fool's Day in the West is not introduced into China in large quantities like later generations.

Chinese people will not use this as an excuse for malicious tricks and jokes.

Jiang Pei'an actually doesn't like this festival very much.

After all, after being hurt by someone, the perpetrator said lightly:
Today is April Fool's Day, don't you know?
Why can't you take a joke?
Just thinking about it is enough to make people's blood pressure burst!
But April Fool's Day is very popular in the West, which is probably one of the reasons why there are so few people in the West.

……

On April 4st, Jiang Pei'an and Sr. Brown returned to Vancouver to release the premiere ceremony in the city's largest theater.

Because the response was very good during the test screening, Lions Gate also invested a considerable amount of publicity costs.

The movie promotional poster was launched on the giant screen of Pacific Mall, the largest shopping mall in Vancouver.

Taking the Pacific Shopping Center as a point, thousands of electronic promotional posters were placed in the whole city.

Not only that, on the day of the premiere, many stars were also invited to help out.

Well, they are all local stars in Vancouver.

Although it is not well-known in the international arena, at least the audience can see it familiarly.

For example, Ryan Gosling, who is only 20 years old, the High Commander.

This later generation has some achievements, such as "The Notebook", "La La Land" and "Blade Runner 2049".

Now, he has only appeared in two movies in total.

But I can't help but have a handsome parent who has joined the "Mickey Mouse Club" and still has a fan base.

Jiang Pei'an secretly asked Old Brown why he invited these little stars who had nothing to do with the movie over.

He gets two answers.

First of all, these people have fans, and they are Canadians, so they have a lot of exposure.

Secondly, Lionsgate has brought into play its traditional performing arts to save money (stingy), these stars are cost-effective!
If you don't consider the second point, James Cameron's ancestral home is also Canada. As a director, is he big enough?

Keanu Reeves, the leading actor in last year's blockbuster movie "The Matrix", also obtained Canadian citizenship. As an actor, this is enough face, right?
Celine Dion is also Canadian, asking her to sing the opening song, isn't it too much?
Isn't that too expensive!

Jiang Pei'an nodded approvingly, Lionsgate, you know financial management!
……

The premiere was very lively, and there were many media present.

However, Lions Gate's background is insufficient, and its aesthetics are far worse than those of well-known film companies.

A grand premiere ceremony was made a bit like the opening of a domestic shopping mall by them.

Both grand and casual, both rustic and "luxurious"!
In particular, there are two big statues of Santa Claus at the entrance of the cinema.

It's still a long way from Christmas, isn't it?

Jiang Pei'an was puzzled by Lionsgate's confusing operation.

The answer is that Canadians love Santa Claus very much.

So regardless of whether it's a festival or not, it's just right to invite his old man over!
Well, it's more or less in line with today's April Fool's Day.

It is worth mentioning that in 2010, the Canadian government solemnly announced that Santa Claus is a Canadian citizen!
Subsequently, Canada also declared sovereignty over the Arctic region.

Because "it is a citizen of Canada - Santa Claus - who protects the Arctic."

Jiang Pei'an was unable to complain about Lionsgate's mysterious operation.

After the movie opened, he focused all his attention on the audience who were watching the movie.

Since it is an R-rated movie (under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian), only adults are present.

They were eating and watching movies with relish, and there were even couples whispering beside them.

But as the plot progressed, many people were dumbfounded when such famous scenes as "gillnet maze", "cleft palate tearer", "key in the stomach" and "leg sawing" appeared.

There were screams and complaints in the movie theater one after another, and several people got up and left the seat cursing.

Jiang Pei'an clearly heard the sound of someone vomiting.

And those viewers who are eating and watching the movie can't wait to throw away all the things in their hands...

After the biggest reversal at the end, everyone was shocked and stood up and applauded enthusiastically.

"It's really amazing! Jiang, a god-level director!"

"It's so enjoyable, I want to watch it again!"

"I have to say, never watch this movie while eating.

I don't think I've wanted to see anything like ketchup for the last month! "

……

After the premiere, it was the interview session, the flashes kept flashing, and the crowd was extremely crowded.

In order to avoid the misfortune of the last screening, all the media present were arranged by Lionsgate in advance, and the interview questions were relatively friendly.

Most of the media's interviews are related to filming and around Jiang Pei'an.

"Jiang, I heard that the test results of "Saw" were very good. We can also see this from the major newspapers and periodicals. What do you think about this?"

"Did you conceive the daunting killing mechanism and some high-IQ crime plots in "Chain Saw"? Why do you have these horrible ideas?"

"Can you talk about your relationship with Marisa? My colleagues and I are very interested."

……

After "Chain Saw" was released, the word-of-mouth during the previous test screenings was not stabilized, but there were more negative reviews.

It is also understandable that the audience for the test screening has been screened layer by layer.

After all, they already knew what kind of movie "Chain Saw" was in the announcement.

Moreover, most of the test audiences are fans of Jiang Pei'an's "Ghost Story".

Their preference for this type of movie makes them pay more attention to the plot structure and deeper things of this movie.

But the large-scale release is different, and the audience base has grown, and naturally there are more people who cannot accept the style of "Chain Saw".

Bad reviews are definitely inevitable, but Jiang Pei'an's mentality is very stable.

Since I chose to sell tickets for the screening, I have to withstand the complaints and complaints from the audience...

"Chain Saw" was not the only one released on April 4, and some other low-cost horror films were also released together.

After all, low-cost horror films are easy to make money, and a good publicity copy can almost make them pay back quickly.

But this year is a little different...

The audience unreservedly vented their dissatisfaction with them.

Bloody, violent, low-level, vulgar, scary for the sake of horror, nothing to watch!

In comparison, "Chain Saw" seems to be pretty good!

Excluding the bloody scenes, his storyline and suspense are well prepared, crushing the movies of the same period.

Don't be afraid of not knowing the goods, but be afraid of comparing goods!
Under the polarized comments, "Chain Saw"'s first week box office results in the North American market came out!

More than 1500 movie theaters participated in the first week of screenings, and the box office of "Chain Saw" reached an astonishing $2230 million in the first week!
You know, this is a restricted R-rated movie!

R-rated movies are restricted by movie viewing. On the one hand, they are not as good as those movies for all ages.

On the other hand, the schedule of daily sessions is also pitiful.

Under the "disadvantage", "Chain Saw" still broke through the siege and achieved a result that made the entire Lionsgate boil!

At the same time, the film also sparked excitement throughout North America.

You must know that this is only the box office results of the first week in North America.

What if it is the first month?

What if it is released globally?

Breaking through [-] million is almost a certainty!
It's just a matter of time!
This made many Hollywood directors envy and hate Jiang Pei'an!

Damn it, why is this Huaxia kid so favored by God.

Why do his movies always exceed [-] million? !

Together with the previously unknown Lions Gate Films, it was hated by many film companies.

Just relying on two horror movies, Lionsgate's popularity has been greatly improved internationally.

At the same time, the benefits brought by these two movies have also made Lionsgate a lot of money!
But in any case, the movie "Chain Saw" once again proved Jiang Pei'an's talent.

If a film worth over [-] million lies in marketing and distribution, what about the second film?

"Saw" wasn't the viral, fraudulent marketing that "The Ghost Story" was.

But it still proves itself with its own record, and it also proves the potential of R-rated movies.

Jiang Pei'an, this name resounds all over the world.

……

At the same time, Old Brown also told Jiang Pei'an excitedly that the dividends from "Ghost Story"...

Account arrived!
(End of this chapter)