Chapter 552 Premiere
It would be a lie to say that Lu Yanhe only had expectations for the box office of "The Mist".
What convinced him to star in a movie was definitely not just the box office.
When the movie begins, a chaotic small-town party opens, introducing three young people. With just a few simple shots, the characters' personalities are revealed, and it is made clear to everyone that the three of them are hiding a secret that is currently difficult to say.
Director Muken's editing style is fast-paced and multi-shot.
In his films, you rarely see camera shots that linger for more than five seconds; the cuts are very quick.
Lu Yanhe didn't make his first appearance until about fifteen to twenty minutes into the movie.
It's that scene between him and Arne.
A gasp rippled through the theater as he suddenly dove down and appeared in front of Arne.
However, director Muken kept shooting wide shots and almost never gave him a close-up.
This was different from what Lu Yanhe had expected.
However, before he could wonder what was going on, a close-up shot of him suddenly appeared.
It was a look he gave Arne.
Hatred, anger, coldness, and a host of other emotions were conveyed in that single glance with a slow, deliberate silence.
Lu Yanhe suddenly understood.
All the panoramic shots beforehand were just waiting for this one close-up shot.
Without uttering a single word, just with that one look, the audience can realize that this is no ordinary ghost; he and Arne have crossed paths in the past, and something must have happened between them.
The next shot shows Arne sitting on the ground, pale-faced, revealing a look of lingering fear and relief after surviving a close call.
The acting wasn't bad.
Arne, a young actor with years of stage experience, has excellent emotional control.
However--
Tom Wayne was a little confused. Was he just too biased towards Lu Yanhe?
Why did he feel that Lu Yanhe was completely leading Arne during the scene between the two of them just now?
The atmosphere and rhythm are all carried by the ghost played by Lu Yanhe.
Arne reacted like someone who had suddenly encountered a ghost; his reactions were all correct and authentic—but he lacked a sense of control and mastery in his performance.
Tom Wayne's suspicion stemmed from the fact that Lu Yanhe's sense of rhythm and control in the film took advantage of the character relationships and the fact that the scene itself was about an Asian ghost frightening Alvin. He couldn't tell whether this was due to Lu Yanhe's acting reaching a new level, or whether this advantage allowed him to project such a powerful aura of control over the entire scene.
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What kind of horror movies are considered classics and are popular with audiences?
In the past, people might have really just looked at which one was bloodier or more terrifying, and watched their adrenaline surge.
However, with the development of the film market, people's requirements for various types of films are getting higher and higher.
Because the audience's threshold is getting higher and higher.
Therefore, looking at the recent blockbuster horror films in North America, whether it's *Get Out*, *Joker*, or even *Megan*, which is marketed as a horror film but is actually a soft science fiction film with thriller elements, the number of scenes that directly deliver a visually terrifying impact is decreasing.
Lu Yanhe had always suspected that it was to broaden the audience and encourage viewers who couldn't handle horror scenes to go to the cinema to watch the movie.
In short, horror movies are increasingly focusing on "themes".
For example, "Get Out" is terrifying because it addresses the life-and-death threats and threats to dignity that Black people have faced for hundreds of years.
For example, the horror of "Joker" lies in the childhood trauma, violence, and discrimination it evokes.
Horror movies, especially blockbuster ones, are increasingly shifting from direct, audiovisual horror to situational horror.
A significant portion of "The Mist" uses audiovisual presentation to depict its horror, but the overall theme of the film is not that of a typical horror movie.
Because the subject of terror is itself a victim and a vengeful force; it is not purely evil.
It is the surface of terror, but the arson attack that took place years ago is the inner layer of terror.
Lu Yanhe likes this kind of contrast.
The contrasting and opposing relationships between the characters in "The Mist" was a key factor that attracted Lu Yanhe to the script.
Putting aside the surface-level horror and thriller elements, the story itself is a very old theme. It's not innovative; in fact, it's somewhat rehashing old ideas. But filmmaking never really needs a particularly innovative theme or story. Ninety-nine percent of movies tell stories that others have already covered. The key is the storytelling technique and the pacing.
The performances of the four young actors provided a very solid foundation for the film's narrative.
There's a saying in martial arts films: how strong an action actor is doesn't depend on how well they fight, but on how well the actor they're fighting performs.
The actor is the subject of the presentation.
Whether a film is well-made or not ultimately depends entirely on the actors' performances.
The actors' performances are authentic, and everything makes sense.
If an actor's performance is superficial, no matter how good everything else is, it won't be able to draw the audience into the story.
The demands on the actors' performances in "The Mist" were not lowered just because it was a horror film.
At least Lu Yanhe didn't have that feeling when he was on set.
On the contrary, Mooken is a director who has high standards for actors' performances. He cares a lot about whether the actors' performances can draw the audience in. He often observes the reactions of the crew on set, and if the crew's reactions are clearly not engaged, then that take is definitely unacceptable and will have to be reshot.
Lu Yanhe hadn't expected that watching a horror movie he acted in would give him goosebumps in several parts.
He doesn't usually watch many horror movies, mainly because he's easily scared. He thought watching a horror movie he starred in would be better. After all, he played the scary guy—
However, he overestimated himself and underestimated the power of film.
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Muken Sorge was secretly observing the reactions of the people around him.
This is one of his favorite things to do when watching a movie he directed in the cinema.
He already knew exactly what a movie was like.
By the time a movie reaches the theatrical release stage, the director has already watched it countless times during the review and editing process, to the point where he's sick of it.
At the premiere, what he really wanted to see was everyone's reaction to the film.
This is the most authentic feedback.
Based on what he observed, the public's reaction to the film was quite positive.
Almost everyone was watching the movie intently, very focused.
If a movie can keep viewers watching this far and still be focused on the next episode, it means the movie is very captivating.
For a horror movie, this is the most important thing.
If a horror movie can't keep the audience fully focused on the plot, then the movie can be considered a failure.
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Tom Wayne actually had mixed feelings.
He didn't know how to describe his feelings about watching the movie. On the one hand, the director's direction, the camera language, and the actors' performances all gave the horror movie a very high quality—which is very different from the roughness of many horror films.
However, on the other hand, he always felt that the film was... too direct and obvious. Whether it was the attitudes of the other people in the town or the actors' lines, they all touched on the antagonism, conflict, and hatred between outsiders and the local natives from time to time.
The concept is too obvious, and the theme is made no attempt to conceal it.
Like many genre films.
Tom Wayne has never been one to make films that explicitly state their themes. Yet this film possesses a strange sense of unity—much like someone who arrogantly boasts about their achievements. He's just as unlikeable, but compared to those who are pretentious, this arrogance is merely unpleasant; you don't feel he's putting on airs. You feel that besides his arrogance, he actually has something substantial to offer.
The same goes for this movie.
In his eyes, the shortcomings are obvious: it lacks cinematic artistic beauty. But the strengths are equally clear. The film clearly didn't intend to lean towards art-house cinema after the actors' superb performances. It maintains a "yes, I am a horror film" attitude from beginning to end, basically including all the elements of a horror film, only used by director Muken in a more sophisticated way than ordinary horror films.
Tom Wayne was somewhat worried that his positive feelings towards the film outweighed his negative ones, perhaps because of his admiration for Lu Yanhe.
He didn't want his judgment to lose objectivity because of personal relationships.
Although he was well aware that no matter how objective he tried, film reviews were inherently subjective.
This is simply a matter of personal aesthetics.
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The Asian ghost, played by Lu Yanhe, spared the character played by Lily Williams at the last moment.
But at this moment, no one felt relieved that Lily Williams had survived.
They were surprised to realize that the film only revealed everything at this point: the main villain at the beginning was actually a victim whose family was massacred, and the seemingly innocent victims in the town who were attacked by ghosts were actually the real perpetrators.
The ending left everyone present still immersed in emotion.
Especially during Lu Yanhe's final climax, his emotions suddenly erupted—
Apart from a few audience members, everyone present was familiar with the film. They knew very well that this movie was almost entirely a one-man show by Lu Yanhe.
It wasn't that the other actors' performances weren't good enough, but rather that Lu Yanhe's performance made this Asian ghost character, who was already in a completely dominant position, the key figure who kept the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the entire film.
Whenever he appears, everyone can't help but hold their breath.
This captivating performance rhythm is the kind of aura that only a great actor can possess.
He completely embodied the feeling that this was his home turf in the film.
“Lu Yanhe’s performance was outstanding,” Tom Wayne heard someone say next to him.
He had no doubt about the truth of this statement.
In the movie, the only one who can truly rival Lu Yanhe is the exorcist played by British actor Jamie Wilson.
Jamie Wilson, a world-renowned actor, plays a quirky exorcist in this film, a role that subverts his previous screen image and is very captivating.
His two scenes with Lu Yanhe were particularly brilliant.
Unfortunately, Jamie Wilson did not attend the premiere today.
He was not the lead actor in this film; he was filming on another set at the time.
If he were here, he would definitely be the superstar everyone is watching today.
Tom Wayne was also a little curious as to why Jamie Wilson would come to play an exorcist in "The Mist" who was completely different from his previous screen image and even a bit of a disaster.
Many of the action and spy movies he starred in have grossed over $100 million worldwide; horror films have never been his forte.
Of course, at this moment, everyone's attention is still focused on the actors present.
The applause lasted for quite a while.
Tom Wayne saw Lu Yanhe receiving congratulations from those around him.
It goes without saying that everyone who came to the premiere today was moved and amazed by Lu Yanhe's performance.
Just by looking at the enthusiasm everyone is showing for Lu Yanhe at this moment, you can tell their attitude.
You know, Americans have always been quite arrogant.
Americans themselves acknowledge this; they believe they are the best and most powerful in the world.
The same applies to the acting field; they believe that the best actors are always in Hollywood.
Hollywood has always welcomed top actors from around the world. It is through this attitude and approach that they ensure Hollywood's leading position in the film production industry.
Of course, they also have to admit that in the field of art films, they still can't compare with those European countries or the top international film festivals, a fact acknowledged by American film critics themselves.
This is why the Oscars don't have a unique status in the world like the one Lu Yanhe came from.
Tom Wayne looked at Lu Yanhe surrounded by people and suddenly thought that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the movie "The Mist" should achieve a very good box office performance after its release.
Lu Yanhe's performance in the film will surely be seen by people in the film industry.
The media outlets attending the premiere today alone will certainly not hold back their praise.
If Lu Yanhe is willing to act in more movies in Hollywood, the Hollywood film companies will certainly not be stingy with opportunities.
Hollywood is a place where resources are poured into the hands of those who deserve a chance, like a frenzy.
When it comes to pursuing fame and fortune, Hollywood is definitely at the forefront.
It's just a matter of whether Lu Yanhe will choose.
Just then, Tom Wayne suddenly heard someone next to him looking at their phone and exclaim in surprise, "The video of Lu Yanhe being told to go back on the red carpet has gone viral on Twitter. Everyone is talking about it, and someone has started a hashtag #SupportLuYanhe#."
Tom Wayne glanced at them with some surprise, took out his phone, and opened Twitter.
That's true.
Several people on his homepage shared the video and expressed their opinions, showing anger and condemnation towards the person who attacked Lu Yanhe.
Lu Yanhe's name appeared on Twitter's global trending list.
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There isn't any today.
See you tomorrow.
(End of this chapter)
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