The literary era since 1979

Chapter 445: The Originator of Police and Gangster Films

"Disaster!"

Under the gaze of the crowd, Fang Yan said bluntly: "No matter how much you try to remedy the situation, it will be useless."

Zou Wenhuai was surprised and doubtful: "Is there really no other way?"

"The entire story structure has been finalized, just like a house that has already been built. It is impossible to tear it down and start over."

Fang Yan said: "We can only repair the broken parts and cover them up as much as possible."

He Guanchang asked urgently: "How can we cover it up?"

Fangyan suggested: "Delete those useless plots that drag down the story rhythm, and fill it with some chase scenes, stunts and martial arts scenes like those in "Project A" by Cheng Long, so that the whole movie can at least have action scenes as a highlight..."

"You're right, I thought the same thing!"

Cheng Long clapped his hands and cheered, his face full of excitement.

Ho Kwun-chang glared at him, then explained to Fang Yan, "Mr. Fang is indeed an expert. Golden Harvest is also planning to do something similar with the Asian version of 'Police Story'. We will invite some professional screenwriters to revise the plot, and have Ah Long reshoot some of his own martial arts scenes."

Zou Wenhuai continued his words with a tentative tone, hoping that Fangyan could take on the responsibility of screenwriting.

"I can't stay in Hong Kong for too long."

Fang Yan shook his head and refused: "For a more complicated job like a repairman, Boss Zou should find someone else."

But he didn't say anything final, "But if Golden Harvest plans to reshoot or start a new production, I can help out."

"Mr. Fang, if you were to write "The Detective", how would you write this story?"

Zou Wenhuai and He Guanchang looked at each other.

Fangyan touched his chin and held up two fingers. "I think there are at least two directions."

When these words were spoken, everyone present was shocked. If an ordinary person said this, they would be regarded as "bragging".

It is not easy to come up with a completely new story outline based on "Dynasty" in such a short time.

What's more, they are two completely different versions. Even Wang Zuxian, who is full of confidence in Fang Yan, can't help but have doubts in her heart.

"Appreciate further details."

Zou Wenhuai gave a look to his secretary and others, asking all outsiders to stay away.

Soon, only five people were left in the screening room: Fang Yan, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung, and Sammul Ho.

Fang Yan took a sip of coffee before he started talking about the first version that could allow Jackie Chan to break into Hollywood.

Chinese detective Chen Jiaju is facing a family crisis and a breakdown in his relationship with his wife. In order to save his marriage which is about to fail, he takes a leave on Christmas Eve and comes to Los Angeles from New York to meet his white wife, Holly, from whom he has been separated for half a year.

On that day, he was invited to attend the Christmas party held by his wife's company. However, a group of international gangsters set their sights on the 6 million US dollars in bearer bonds stored in the building's vault. They blocked the building and took the party attendees hostage.

Chan Ka Kui managed to escape by chance and wandered around the building like a ghost, engaging in a fierce battle with the criminals alone. He successfully rescued his wife and her colleagues, successfully resolved the estrangement between the couple that had existed for many years, and successfully saved Chan Ka Kui's broken marriage.

The whole plot is actually a combination of "Rumble in the Bronx" and "Die Hard".

"Mr. Fang, isn't the character image of 'Chen Jiaju' too unconventional..."

Cheng Long opened his mouth.

"You don't fit the stereotypical super cop or positive hero persona, do you?"

Fang Yan said what he wanted to say but didn't dare to say.

Seeing Cheng Long nodding repeatedly, Wang Zuxian was also confused.

On the one hand, Chen Jiaju is a "crime buster", "Chinese detective", and "New York Sheriff" in his career. On the other hand, he is a "workaholic", "bad-tempered", and "steel straight man" in his family. He does not care enough about his wife and children, and handles family conflicts clumsily and rudely.

"If you had read my 'Guide to Using the 'Hero with a Thousand Faces'', you might not be so surprised."

Fang Yan said: "Heroes cannot have only one side. They can have flaws and shortcomings in their personality, but they must be brave and resourceful in major events. Only in this way can the character be more three-dimensional and the audience can feel that such a character has flesh and blood, and can empathize with and resonate with him..."

After listening to his clear and logical analysis, Zou Wen was so angry that he immediately asked someone to buy a batch of "Guide to Using "The Thousand Faces Hero"".

Especially when I heard that this user guide was circulated among major Hollywood companies and received wide acclaim from senior executives, producers, directors and others.

"Fang Sheng is a great talent. I have learned a lot from him."

He Guanchang laughed and said, "But I have a question. It seems that there are two plot lines in Fang Sheng's story. One is about the fight between police and criminals, and the other is about the family problems of husband and wife. I wonder what the purpose of writing it this way is?"

"Boss He is really thoughtful!"

Fangyan praised him for his keen ability to see that although the film is dressed in the guise of an action movie, its core is about family affection.

Cheng Long, Zou Wenhuai and others were also seeing this kind of action film centered on family for the first time, and they all cast inquiring glances.

“This is because the values ​​of the East and the West are different.”

In the dialect, he said: "The East emphasizes that 'country' comes before 'family'. Without the rise of a great power, there is no dignity for the common people, and the emphasis is on collectivism."

After taking a sip of coffee, he said: "In the West, the individual is emphasized, and oneself, family, and even clan are put first. Just like "Saving Private Ryan", it is a humanistic war film as a whole, but the story begins with 'family' as the entry point."

"I think I understand what Fang Sheng means."

Zou Wenhuai suddenly realized, "'Dynasty Warriors' is just a Hollywood action movie. The biggest difference is that the protagonist is changed from a white detective to a Chinese detective. But the story you told incorporates the concept of Western family. It turns a clichéd 'hero saves the beauty' into a heroic moment of a husband saving his wife, restoring his marriage, and returning to his family. This kind of story has never happened before!"

"This is a new model of action movies where an ordinary hero fights against gangsters alone."

Fangyan looked around and saw that everyone had different expressions and complicated eyes, with admiration, awe, appreciation, excitement, joy...

“A groundbreaking feat indeed!”

He Guanchang couldn't help but sigh.

“And there’s another benefit to a movie with family at its core.”

Fangyan explained that movies naturally have to attract a larger audience group and number in order to earn more box office revenue, and family-themed movies such as family tales are very suitable for families to watch together, so family is the safest choice as a movie theme.

Almost every big Hollywood production in later generations is a story of saving and being saved between family members, and a large number of family movies have in turn influenced and consolidated Americans' values ​​of family, such as "Ant-Man", "Avatar 2", "The Pursuit of Happyness"...

Especially in the "Fast and Furious" series, Vin Diesel simply called him "Family Man". Hey, Famu Lei!
"Makes sense!"

He Guanchang's eyes lit up, "Mr. Fang is worthy of being the best screenwriter at the Oscars. He really understands what European and American audiences want to see."

Wang Zuxian saw it all and kept it in mind, planning to report this important information to Fang Yihua as soon as she had the chance.

Zou Wenhuai sighed with regret and said, "I regret that I had met Fang Sheng earlier, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to make this kind of movie!"

"Mr. Zou, it's not too late now." Cheng Long's eyes were full of passion, "Mr. Fang, can you give me the script you just wrote?"

Seeing Fangyan smiling but not saying anything, He Guanchang pretended to scold him, "Ah Long, you are anxious again. Let Fangsheng finish his words first. There is another direction of adaptation that he hasn't mentioned yet!"

Cheng Long understood what I meant and apologized repeatedly: "I'm sorry, Mr. Fang, I was so excited that I couldn't control myself for a moment."

"Understood, understood."

Fangyan waved his hand.

Zou Wenhuai suggested: "In my opinion, it's getting late, why don't we go to Miramar and eat and talk."

"It's up to the host. I have no problem with that." Fang Yan said with a smile, "Xiao Xian, what do you think?"

Xiaoxian?

When Wang Zuxian heard him calling her nickname, her heart started pounding, her face turned red, and she said "hmm".

…………

Clearwater Bay Building, Sai Kung.

Fang Yihua knocked on the office door. "The people we sent to monitor Jiahe just wrote back and said that they went to the Miramar Hotel."

Run Run Shaw folded his arms and said, "Any news about that Wang Zuxian you planted?"

"Except for a phone call in the afternoon, there has been no further news."

Fang Yihua said: "Maybe the people from Jiahe were watching her too closely, so she couldn't find the right opportunity for a while."

Run Run Shaw pondered for a moment, "Tell her agent to wait in her room. No matter how late it is, as soon as she comes back, she should call you back and tell you everything she saw and heard at Golden Harvest today. We need to find out what Zou Wenhuai and Ho Kwun-chang are up to."

Fang Yihua nodded: "Fortunately Yanzi insisted on bringing Xiaoxian with him, otherwise I would really know nothing."

"He used this tactic of driving the wolf to devour the tiger very skillfully." Run Run Shaw laughed, "He deliberately used Golden Harvest to provoke us."

Fang Yihua asked: "What should we do now? Should we consider the conditions offered by Yanzi as soon as possible?"

"hold on."

Run Run Shaw raised his hand and said, "Let's first see how Mr. Fang brought Cheng Long and Golden Harvest to Hollywood. Even Zou Wenhuai and Ho Kuanchang have never done this. I want to see what tricks this young man has."

Fang Yihua followed his gaze and looked out the window, only to see the sky gradually darkening. As night fell, the entire port city was engulfed in a sea of ​​neon lights.

The Miramar Hotel was the first high-end hotel founded and operated by Hong Kong people at that time, and its VIP floor was covered with dark purple carpets.

The box was even more magnificent, with the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling sparkling and shining.

Wong Zu-Hsin, using the excuse that she was not good at drinking, drank orange juice while watching Fang Yan, Zou Wenhuai, Ho Kwun-Chang and others drinking and chatting happily.

In the past, it would have been unimaginable that Cheng Long, known as the "big brother", would only have the chance to toast Fangyan at the dinner table.

When they had almost finished drinking, Ho Kwun-chang started talking about the second adaptation direction of "Police Story".

“This other one is mainly aimed at the Asian market.”

Fang Yan said: "When I got off the plane, Director Xu reminded me that the security environment in Hong Kong is not good, and gangs are rampant and unscrupulous. I wonder if this is true?"

Zou Wenhuai admitted it without hesitation, and at the same time promised that he would not be harassed or threatened in Hong Kong.

Fangyan thanked him and offered a glass of wine. "This reminds me of the current crackdown in the mainland. The police are working day and night to eliminate gangs and evil, fearing no sacrifice. So I was wondering, can we make a police film with the Hong Kong police chief as the protagonist?"

"A police film?!"

Zou Wenhuai, He Guanchang and others looked at each other. This was the first time they had heard of the name of this type of film!
Movies like "Mr. Right" are generally called "hard-boiled detective films" or "action-adventure films" in Hollywood.

Hearing this new word, Cheng Long was stunned at first, then grinned and said:
"Is what Mr. Fang is talking about something like Project A, the police movie with the land and water police?"

“No, there is still a big difference.”

Fangyan waved his hand, "Project A is adapted from the story template of Lin Hai Xue Yuan, right?"

After receiving Cheng Long's affirmative answer, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, "So the essence of "Project A" is a bandit-suppression theme, not a police-bandit theme. For example, the novel "Criminal Squad" that I published in a magazine in the mainland is a veritable pioneering work."

"I wonder what Fang Sheng's "Criminal Squad" is about?"

Zou Wenhuai cast an inquiring look.

Fang Yan spoke briefly and then slammed the table: "So I think you can make a movie about Hong Kong's serious crime squad! Make Cheng Long a super policeman in Hong Kong! A super hero!" He looked left and right, "What do you think?"

Ho Kwun-chang praised, "Mr. Fang is indeed very observant. To be honest, the citizens of Hong Kong have long been fed up with this kind of security environment. They all hope that a superhero can emerge from the police force. But, how is Mr. Fang going to tell the story of this super policeman?"

Fang Yan once again tells the plot of "Police Story" vividly, with "Chen Jiaju" as the male protagonist.

"it is good!"

The more Cheng Long listened, the more excited he became. He couldn't help but clap his hands in approval, "Just clap like that!"

He Guanchang rolled his eyes at him and expressed his concerns: "Compared with the New York Sheriff, isn't the character of this Serious Crime Unit Chief, Chen Jiaju, too thin? Although he is full of passion and justice, he is too reckless and too radical?"

"This is because the core of the films is different. Although they are both police and gangster films, the first one is about the Western concept of family."

Fang Yan said: "The second is the Eastern concept of chivalry. Is procedural justice or substantive justice more important? It is precisely because Chen Jiaju is caught in this contradiction and repeatedly encounters difficulties that the audience will sympathize, feel indignant, and empathize with such a 'beautiful, strong and tragic' super policeman!"

"Beautiful, strong and miserable, beautiful, strong and miserable..."

Cheng Long kept muttering to himself, and suddenly he felt a shock, as if the door to a new world had opened.

"And this kind of story design is also to match his crazy and desperate performances."

Fang Yan said: "It's like the scene in Project A where they jumped off the clock tower. Only hot-blooded and reckless people can take such risks."

"That makes sense."

Zou Wenhuai couldn't help but understand: "But in this case, Aaron's Kung Fu comedy seems to be useless."

"No, it can be used as a seasoning or lubricant to balance the tense rhythm and serious atmosphere of the movie, but overall, what I want are those thrilling and desperate stunts and exciting action scenes, which are not available in Hollywood and cannot be replicated."

Fang Yan said seriously: "This is the key for Cheng Long to enter the door of Hollywood, and it is also the key for him to gain a foothold in Hollywood!"

All of a sudden, Zou Wenhuai, He Guanchang and others were enlightened, and the problems that had been bothering them finally found the answers.

Although Hong Kong films cannot compare with Hollywood in terms of special effects and scale, Jackie Chan's life-threatening stunts and Hong Kong's martial arts design are irreplaceable by Hollywood!

Cheng Long was so excited that he was shaking all over. He stared at Fang Yan closely and said, "Mr. Fang, please lead us to Hollywood again!" (End of this chapter)

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