The Best Director

Chapter 355: Chapter 355: The Curtain Rises

“Rumors say that ‘Kung Fu Panda’ was banned by SARFT, making its mainland premiere on May 27th impossible?”

According to reports from , the planned North American release on May 13th, and the mainland China premiere on May 27th of ‘Kung Fu Panda’ has encountered more obstacles. Under the leadership of avant-garde artist Zhao Bendi and others, calls to boycott ‘Kung Fu Panda’ have grown increasingly fierce. Despite ‘Kung Fu Panda’ having passed the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television’s review, with no issues concerning content or style, rumors have been widespread that SARFT will delay the film’s release, or even implement a full ban.

To boycott or not to boycott? Why? This topic, which has caused widespread controversy among the mainland Chinese media and public, has extended far beyond entertainment to issues of culture, society, and more. NetEase stated, “Boycotting ‘Kung Fu Panda’ is a sign of cultural weakness,” Baidu Entertainment reported, “Zhao Bendi wants ‘Kung Fu Panda’ to ‘get lost,’ netizens call him boring,” the ‘Oriental Morning Post’ mentioned, “There’s a scheme behind boycotting ‘Kung Fu Panda’,” Tencent reported, “Artists boycotting ‘Kung Fu Panda’: ‘I’m boycotting American culture,'” and netizens urged, “5 reasons to boycott ‘Kung Fu Panda'”…

Some say that the trailers and story summaries depict the panda Po as lazy and gluttonous, damaging the image of the national treasure; others say the choice of animal roles for the supporting characters contains insulting implications towards China; still more point out that director Steve Oedekerk’s previous work, ‘Kung Pow: Enter the Fist,’ ridiculed and insulted Chinese Kung Fu. Flame Film and mainland audiences have always had a sweet relationship, and many supporters of ‘Kung Fu Panda’ question why Flame BOSS Wang Yang, as someone who practiced martial arts since childhood and is of Chinese descent, would slander Kung Fu, slander the panda, slander the Chinese people? What a joke!

Others call Wang Yang a traitor, accusing him of using Chinese elements to help the Americans make money off the sweat of Chinese people. They say he pretends to love China, but he’s never been truly one of us or a friend to us. He smeared the panda to please the Americans so that he could become more popular in America and enter high society.

Who are spouting these insane claims? Fans of Wang Yang on forums like Tianya, Mop, Baidu Tieba, and others simply scoff at these, knowing well the magical Wang’s attitude towards China and Chinese culture. For example, during the recent Lunar New Year, Wang Yang annually offers New Year’s greetings on his personal blog, website, and the Flame Film official site. This year, Wang Yang and Jessica filmed a New Year’s greeting video and uploaded it to YouTube.

“Congratulations and be prosperous! Congratulations and be prosperous!” At that time, various websites reported and shared the video, which was set in a living room. Wang Yang and Jessica were dressed in traditional red celebratory outfits, with beaming smiles. There was also a white Labrador wearing a “blessing” shirt pacing back and forth beside them. They both bowed and greeted with a smile, “We wish everyone a happy New Year! May you have happiness and good health, joyous family gatherings, and may all your wishes come true!”

Both spoke in Mandarin. Jessica, not as fluent, paused and turned to Wang Yang with a chuckle. Wang Yang continued with a smile, “We wish you all the best! But I know what most kids and adults really want to hear is that one line…” He spread his left hand, “Left hand getting red envelopes until it can’t hold any more!” Jessica spread out her right hand, laughing, “Right hand receiving gifts until it cramps!” They both laughed happily, high-fived, and Wang Yang said mysteriously, “Danny also has something to say to everyone.”

“Danny, what do you want to say?” Jessica fondly stroked Danny’s head, bidding him to sit, and both of them held up one of Danny’s paws to mimic a New Year’s bow. Just as Danny looked honest and simple, the video dubbed over his several barks: “Woof! Woof! Woof!” with subtitles reading, “Danny wishes everyone a Happy New Year! Happy-New-Year! Happy-Spring-Festival!” At the end of the video, the two of them wished again, “Happy New Year!”

This year Wang Yang continued to send New Year’s greetings on his blog, and since he was in China for location shooting during the festival, he uploaded many photos of the plum blossoms at Donghu, Wuhan, and lively street scenes. He personally translated a bunch of ancient Chinese poems about plum blossoms and the New Year into English, and even revealed, “The ending of ‘Firefly’ will contain a Tang poem.”

Fans who know him are aware that Magical Yang is a super “China expert.” As a third-generation Chinese immigrant, he speaks fluent Mandarin, writes handsome Chinese characters, and his extensive research into traditional culture is extraordinary. Consider Daniel Wu and Leehom Wang, second-generation immigrants who already struggle with Mandarin, and the latter comes from a prestigious literary family. Boycotting ‘Kung Fu Panda’ is just self-promotion by certain individuals, and perhaps those artists are actually delighted with the appearance of ‘Kung Fu Panda,’ for providing them with an opportunity to gain fame.

“`

However, when some people speak, others believe. For instance, some believe that the early-married Wang Yang is actually gay or bisexual, and recently, new internet rumors emerged claiming Wang Yang had publicly said things like “I am not Chinese,” “The quality of Chinese people is very low,” and “Zhang Yimou is garbage,” arguing that all his seemingly good intentions were just for the Chinese market. With no videos, no sources of reports, only shares and forwards, the number of people against Wang suddenly surged like a virus marketing campaign, and he faced a lot of backlash and criticism from prominent figures.

Not only is “Kung Fu Panda” to be boycotted, but that group of people now also wants to boycott “Firefly,” claiming that it aims to blacklist Wang Yang and that the world setting of “Firefly” smears the Chinese government and Chinese people. Apparently, the Star Alliance isn’t some righteous force, and they hope the broadcasting authorities will not approve “Firefly.”

Upon learning about his predicament on the Chinese internet, Wang Yang truly felt sad and frustrated; those people are completely unreasonable and cannot discern right from wrong! This is the so-called embarrassment, confusion, and pain of being an immigrant. In America, he suffered from racial discrimination since he was young, worked hard to break through the bamboo ceiling, and achieved success and acclaim. In China, on the other hand, there are people saying you are not welcome here, get out! What has he done to deserve such anger? Fabricated “insults to China”?! Aren’t they afraid that Wu Lao-tou will come out of his coffin and beat him up?! Ridiculous!

“Awesome Yang, ignore those boring people, always supporting you!” “Yang Yang, I’m waiting for your ‘Firefly’ this summer break! Looking forward to it!” “Uncle, calm your anger, us fried rice love you!” …

However, seeing the voices of support from his Chinese fans, Wang Yang felt his fighting spirit renewed. Regardless of whether it’s America, China, or anywhere else, there are people who like him and people who don’t. So let “Kung Fu Panda” and “Firefly” shut up all the Yang haters around the world! The more they predict failure and boycott, the higher the box office! He just didn’t understand why young girls called him “uncle”—did getting married turn him into an older Wang? “Fried rice” is the nickname of his fans, and he was curious enough to Google it and found it originated from “Yang porridge fried rice.”

Regardless, Firefly Films did not receive any bad news from the China Broadcasting Authority and the China Film Group Corporation, and despite the uproar, “Kung Fu Panda” is still set to release in mainland China’s theaters on May 27 as scheduled. The promotion of “Kung Fu Panda” in mainland China is not just about “to boycott or not to boycott.” Not a single piece of promotion—from posters to trailers—was missing, and the crew also adopted a panda baby from the Chengdu Panda Base, named “Po”; another panda named “Youka,” which attracted a lot of attention from tourists, was said to be adopted by Wang Yang and Jessica during their honeymoon.

This year’s Cannes Film Festival is set to open on the evening of May 11 local time in France, and the creators of “Kung Fu Panda,” including director Steve Oedekerk and Po’s voice actor Jack Black, will also head to Cannes for film promotion. Firefly & Blue Sky Studios are really confident about this hilarious and inspiring animated film—they haven’t even released it yet, and they are already preparing for the production of “Kung Fu Panda 2,” scheduled to be released in the summer of 2008, another three years later.

“Having nothing better to do,” Wang Yang also plans to head to Cannes, France, not only for the excitement of “Kung Fu Panda” but also to promote “Firefly” alongside Robert Downey Jr.

The North American box office champion for the week of April 29 – May 5 was captured by the new sci-fi film “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” which cost 50 million and took in 25.98 million in its opening week, with a Rotten Tomatoes freshness of 60%/54% and an approval rating of 65%, which can only mean the reception and performance were both very mediocre. This summer is indeed a gathering of sci-fi films, with great directors coming out with their new works, which made “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” seem somewhat insignificant and spared it from the sarcasm and ridicule of fans.

However, when the gigantic $130 million budget “Kingdom of Heaven” spectacularly collapsed, media and fans exploded! Its opening weekend grossed 19.63 million, with a Rotten Tomatoes freshness of 39%/51%, another “epic flop”! And the man behind it was famed director Ridley Scott—the 67-year-old Englishman who directed classics like “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “Bold Ambition,” “Gladiator,” and “Black Hawk Down”—was ridiculed by cold-hearted critics as if he had won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director three times in a row: “Ambitious, but dull,” “a failure”…

But Ridley Scott was indeed very wronged. Even though he is a great director, he did not have the final cut rights. After completing a 194-minute director’s cut of “Kingdom of Heaven,” 20th Century Fox thought it was too damn long and insisted on shortening the film. So reluctantly, Ridley Scott and editor Dody Dorn had to make the 145-minute theatrical version that is now being shown, and got smashed by the rotten tomatoes.

“`

Having seen the 194-minute version in his mind, a shockingly tragic spectacle, Wang Yang could only sigh; the 145-minute theatrical release was incomparable, and Ridley Scott should have used “Alan Smithee” as the pseudonym.

Alan Smithee is the undeniable king of terrible films, directing everything from movies to TV series to music videos, and making each as awful as can be. He isn’t a real person, but rather the official pseudonym of the American Directors Guild. Since its inception in 1968, directors who wanted to disavow any connection with a project due to various conflicts and refused to acknowledge their work could use this alias as a scapegoat to retain their reputation among audiences.

The practice was most prevalent during the 80s and 90s, but as some directors began to break the silence and discuss the pseudonym, Alan Smithee’s notoriety grew. In 1997, producer Joe Eszterhas saw a business opportunity in this name, and the action movie “An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn” was freshly released in 1998. With a production budget of 10 million, it only grossed $52,850 worldwide and won three out of seven nominations at the Golden Raspberry Awards.

It was a comedy that satirized Hollywood, as well as a story about how a director could meet with such horrible misfortune; it told of a rookie director named Alan Smithee who, while filming the most expensive action movie “Trio” ever, continuously faced interference from producers and leading stars (with Stallone, Jackie Chan and others making cameos as themselves), leading “Trio” to become a disaster. In the end, the director decided to wear the union’s bulletproof vest, but the tragedy was, his real name was Alan Smithee.

“A stupid gimmick resulted in a terrible movie.” “Shockingly bad.”… USA Today called it: “A steaming pile of garbage.” The worst negative impact was that it brought Alan Smithee to the attention of the media and the public, exposing the pseudonym, and the American Directors Guild announced the end of this alias in 2000. However, it was often less well-known new directors or TV directors who could wear this “vest”, and big-name directors who kept promoting from the start could never escape.

If Wang Yang botched this summer, no matter whether he signed as Alan Smithee, Kevin Smith, or Will Smith, the critics with a long-held grudge and eyes gleaming with malice would not let him off the hook, especially since he was producing it himself. But Wang Yang believed that “Firefly” wouldn’t need to bother any Smith.

How could he escape? Numerous media magazines listed “The Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of This Summer,” and titles such as “Empire,” “Variety,” “Hollywood Reporter,” “Salon,” “Vanity Fair,” and others all featured “Firefly.”

For instance, Yahoo Entertainment’s list: first place, “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,” directed by George Lucas; second place, “Firefly,” directed by Wang Yang; third place, “Kingdom of Heaven,” directed by Ridley Scott.

Fourth place, “War of the Worlds,” directed by Steven Spielberg; fifth place, “Iron Man,” directed by Ron Howard; sixth place, “Batman Begins,” directed by Darren Aronofsky; seventh place, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” directed by Tim Burton; eighth place, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” directed by Doug Liman; ninth place, “Escape from Clone Island,” directed by Michael Bay, tenth place “Fantastic Four” by Tim Story.

In addition, blockbusters like “Kung Fu Panda,” “Madagascar,” “Stealth,” and “The Brothers Grimm” would also appear in the top 10 of other media outlets.

Among these ten directors, three are Academy Award-winning Best Directors, five have been nominated, five rank among the top ten North American box-office directors, and six can be called major directors.

“The Father of Star Wars,” George Lucas, “the archeological find” Spielberg, “the precious gem” Wang Yang, “the good citizen” Ron Howard, “the gothic genius” Tim Burton, “the silver-winged gladiator” Ridley Scott; there’s also the much-anticipated “melancholic knight” Darren Aronofsky, the commercially capable “explosion maniac” Michael Bay, director of “The Bourne Identity” Doug Liman. Tim Story wasn’t so well-known; he relied solely on the comic reputation and over a hundred million in investment for “Fantastic Four” to push into the top ten.

Which of these six directors and Michael Bay isn’t a renowned figure? Who could use an Alan Smithee? It’s been a long time since the summer season has been this bustling, with all of them clashing together. Who will be the summer season’s box office champion? Who will become a hot favorite for the Oscars? This summer is destined to be a carnival for the media and movie fans.

Now, the one who takes the stage first is Ridley Scott, who’s already met his demise. Following this, the anticipated chart-topping “Star Wars Prequel 3” was slated for a global release on May 19th, and it was George Lucas’s turn to face the test. “Star Wars Prequel 3” was chosen as the opening film for this year’s Cannes Film Festival back in February, later it was rescheduled to be showcased on Sunday, May 15th, before moving on to preview screenings across America; its veil of mystery would be lifted before the official release date.

Among the ten directors, more than half of the North American critics had their eyes firmly on the anticipated chart’s runner-up and frequent third-place resident, “Firefly,” eyeing Wang Yang. Ridley Scott at 67, Darren Aronofsky at 36, Wang Yang at 25, but “Firefly” will enjoy the “highest” treatment from film critics. This young man is too arrogant, too infuriating—don’t blame them for being too strict; he’s asked for it! What fuels their fury even more is that this guy continues his privileges, maintains his mystery to the end—”Firefly” has no scheduled preview screenings! No Cannes, nowhere.

“Wang Yang ah, Wang Yang!” the critics sharpened their knives eagerly, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Wang Yang… Wang Yang!!!

As time passed day by day, the Cannes Film Festival was about to open, and Wang Yang was also ready to embark on his journey. “MUMA! MUMA—” On the lawn in front of the house, Wang Yang bent down and kissed his wife’s stomach crazily but tenderly. Nearly two months pregnant, her lower abdomen still didn’t show much change, only that her waist felt slightly wider than before, not as tight and slim. One kiss, two kisses, three—he planned to be away for a week, so he bestowed seven kisses before smiling at the baby: “Daddy’s off to Cannes! Sunshine, beaches, beauties, movies!”

“Have fun!” Jessica rubbed his head vigorously. A two-month pregnant woman could still fly, but she didn’t really want to leave home; she’d take care of the publicity work for “Firefly” on the Los Angeles side. Wang Yang puckered up, “Come here, French beauty, a farewell kiss! I will carry it with me for these seven days.” Jessica rolled her eyes coquettishly, but still leaned in with a smile playing on her lips: “You’re such a pain!”

※※

※※

※※

PS: Wow, I wish everyone a Happy New Year! ^0^(