Chapter 461 The Last Emperor

In late November 1987, after its successful release in Italy and some European countries, "The Last Emperor" began its global release.

This film, which is about to sweep all the awards at the 1989 film awards ceremonies, is finally pouring out to the people of this era with its mixture of gloomy and decadent images, grand and majestic momentum, and the heaviness of historical dynasties.

Such extreme beauty and heavy scars, while meticulously depicting the final afterglow of the last dynasty, also vaguely outline the oppression and erosion of history on individuals.

On the surface, it seems to show the tragic, hateful and lamentable life of the protagonist who is the last emperor; but if you really look into it, it actually shows more about that era and the people shrouded in the light and shadow of that era.

But there is no doubt that this 163-minute movie has shocked the world with its unparalleled rapidity since its release!

Looking at the bustling crowd in front of him, Zhuang Long, holding a glass of red wine in his hand, behaved in a neither humble nor arrogant manner as a successful and excellent actor should.

Strictly speaking, according to his personality, he has never really liked such banquets and social events.

However, in life, many things cannot always go as we wish. We always need to go against our own nature and wishes at certain times and occasions to work hard for a goal we want to achieve.

Although he loves this movie and this story, his love cannot be transformed into anything else. Instead, only the box office, awards, reputation and other things that seem to be tainted with worldly flavor in people's mouths are the key factors that can make an excellent movie get the due rewards.

Therefore, driven by various factors, he could only temporarily give up his "peace" and continue to follow the crew, traveling around the world to attend various parties and banquets to continue to build momentum for this movie that has consumed countless people's efforts.

Due to her busy filming schedule, Su Yun did not attend the Italian premiere with Zhuang Long. However, when the film was scheduled to be released in Los Angeles, Su Yun managed to squeeze out an evening in her busy work schedule and appeared as his female companion.

Although more people think that Su Yun is supporting her male artists and this film co-produced by China, Italy and the United Kingdom - over the years, who doesn't know which side Su Yun stands on?

From words to actions, it’s just a matter of making it clear!

However, Su Yun is extremely lucky that in this era, in order to fight against the superpower in the north, the United States can only hold its nose and desperately pull together its allies during this period, so that these two countries with common interests have temporarily put aside their old grievances and barely created a peaceful and friendly situation like a "honeymoon period".

With the support of the country's general direction, those people hiding in the dark have somewhat restrained their malice.

And I...may also be able to create an unprecedented new ending through hard work and struggle under such a political landscape.

"If nothing unexpected happens, you should have a place in next year's Golden Globe and Oscar awards." In the dim light of the theater, Su Yun tried to keep her voice as low as possible and spoke to him.

The rich colors of light and shadow reflected in the movie screen moved across her face, but could never conceal the light in her eyes.

Like a vibrant wildfire, it grew from a tiny spark into a raging prairie fire, traveling through time and memory, and frozen in the darkness as the two people quietly held hands.

She held his hand and whispered to him that she would do her best to arrange things so that he would win the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

It's not that I don't think he doesn't deserve an Oscar - even though many people think his performance in this movie is worthy of it, but some things cannot be contended with by ordinary strength, so we can only choose an easier option with fewer unspoken rules.

Otherwise, in people's perception of the Oscars, there would not be an unspoken rule that many people understand but find difficult to resist: "Nomination means winning": due to various reasons, some people and some works can only stop at the "nomination" stage.

For example, Su Yun's previous film "The Rooftop Postman" was not nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for some reason.

No matter how many people thought it was the best foreign-language film of the year, it just couldn't go any further.

In the absence of an opportunity that is big enough to turn the tide, these awards, which more or less imply political service, will not bend their self-righteous "noble" waists to give recognition to outsiders.

However, Su Yun actually no longer needs their recognition. She had already begun to build a relatively opposing Eastern cultural system before the storm of Western cultural hegemony came, and then gradually weakened the impact of this storm.

The reason why Su Yun continues to appear at such old-fashioned award ceremonies is simply to stir up trouble before her own award ceremonies officially rise, while at the same time she can use the momentum of these old-fashioned award ceremonies to develop her own strength.

After all, film, a new phenomenon that has only emerged in the past hundred years, must be considered a business before it is an art.

If the awards from these old-school award ceremonies weren’t enough to boost a movie’s box office numbers, Su Yun might not even glance at them…

After all, in this circle that emphasizes "pursuing the pinnacle of art", Su Yun is truly a lovably secular mudslide.

"Nonsense. I have so many people under my command. If I really want to pursue the pinnacle of art, will they be able to survive?" Su Yun secretly pinched his palm.

"That's why I think you're cute." Zhuang Long coaxed softly.

Although he himself is not a person who is greedy for pleasure, he has worked his way up from the bottom of society in his early years and naturally understands that even a penny can make a hero fall.

"That's more like it..." Su Yun hummed a few times, and couldn't help comparing the characters in the movie screen with the real people around him.

Many people in later generations said that the biggest glorification of the last emperor in this movie was to let Zhuang Long play the leading actor, which made many people who were obsessed with appearance naturally feel sympathy for the last emperor.

The most obsessed with looks among this group is undoubtedly Wu Yunmei, who has witnessed and personally worked with Zhuang Long in the film, playing the role of Concubine Shu in this movie. When faced with the interview question "What is your most profound impression of this movie?", she answered without hesitation: Zhuang Long's face!

Even Su Yun herself couldn't help but sigh that she can wear this half-bald hairstyle without affecting her looks, but instead giving off a sense of helplessness and heaviness. It is true that all factors including appearance, acting skills, and story come together just right to create such a wonderful scene.

A solitary figure stands alone and gloomy, with smoke rising from the background. The shot, which is like a poem or an oil painting, expresses the helplessness and sadness of a person who cannot control his or her destiny in silence.

However, what impressed Su Yun the most was not the scene when the protagonist was still young, but the image of the protagonist, hunched over, buying a ticket to go home after experiencing disasters and rebirth.

The Forbidden City of the past, the Forbidden City of today, has changed from a "home" where one lives but wants to escape, to a "tourist attraction" where one needs to spend money to buy a ticket to enter. It makes everyone in and out of the play feel an inexplicable sadness.

That is the helpless mood of human beings who are unable to resist the torrent of history. From ancient times to today, in such a great era, they are still pushed forward involuntarily.

To put it bluntly, Su Yun, who is now the inheritor of the Zhao family's declining glory, and the current generation of the Zhao family, are they not the "last emperors" who are struggling desperately to swim against the tide of changing times and amid the impact of internal and external troubles?

The only difference is that they can still try to find a way to save the nation and prevent the former dynasty from falling so tragically and becoming a sigh for people after dinner.

"I am still luckier than 'you'. At least, I still have hope and people's hearts on my side." Su Yun replied with a double entendre.

Hearing this, Zhuang Long smiled and said nothing more, but the two hands clasped in the dark were clasped a little tighter than before.

Although sometimes I really love and hate Su Yun's actions and philandering, I have to say that when I am with her, it is really difficult to feel resentment towards her.

Obviously, he was a little dissatisfied with Su Yun for promoting Zhang Querong to the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival, but he knew rationally that it was understandable: to compete for an international award, one needs the right time, place, people and one's own efforts. Before the opportunity came, it was impossible for Su Yun not to seize it and give it a try.

Especially the movie "Ladder of Love", which was originally intended to win awards. Su Yun tried her best to promote it. In addition to promoting herself, she was also working hard for the Chinese film industry.

After all, only with a “beginning” can there be an “afterwards”.

If we don’t seize this opportunity to make a “beginning,” we may not know when the next opportunity to make a “beginning” will come.

Now, Su Yun also intends to take this opportunity to make him another "beginning".

This time, the opportunities and difficulties they encounter will be greater than before, but the rewards they will get after success will also inevitably be greater than before.

We were watching the movie and whispering to each other. At the end of the movie, when the symbolic katydid came out of the jar, all those invisible constraints and years of vicissitudes seemed to disappear at the end of time along with this dim picture like a memory.

Looking at the aging figure on the screen and the charming and graceful figure beside him, Su Yun couldn't help but gently nudged him with her elbow: "So this is what you look like when you are old."

"Oh? What do you think?" Zhuang Long raised his eyebrows.

"Since ancient times, people cannot keep beauty in the world. Beauty leaves the mirror, flowers leave the trees..." Su Yun sighed in a similar way, and then continued, "However, compared to a youthful and beautiful but immature body, I still prefer a soul that has experienced many hardships but is wise and sensible."

Hearing the hidden meaning in her words, Zhuang Long smiled even more meaningfully.

It turns out that she is a person who likes to use both kindness and severity, giving a piece of candy while also giving a blow. While fighting for him, she also doesn't forget to hit him so that he won't become "spoiled and become spoiled".

The little girl who was once full of vigor and aggressiveness has now grown more and more slippery.

However, only with this kind of growth path can one secure this position that is the center of attention and the focus of everyone's reliance.

The only pity is that with so many people relying on her and looking up to her, her heart, which is neither big nor small, cannot be left to just one person.

Whether it is love, friendship or cooperative interests, they all have to occupy some place in it.

"To survive in this world, you certainly can't always maintain sharp edges, but one thing that makes me and the people around me very 'satisfied' is that... I know how to 'cherish the people in front of me'." Su Yun supported her chin with one hand and responded to him softly.

Therefore, everyone who stayed around her would feel that - although she was always restless, when she was in front of him, it was as if he was the only one in her heart and eyes, and he really felt that at this moment, he was her only true love...

Perhaps it is the natural scum that comes from the heart and is learned without a teacher that makes people addicted and unable to stop.

"Hey, Mary, do you want to take a picture with John?" When the two of them walked out of the theater hand in hand after the movie, a sharp-eyed and nimble reporter immediately rushed to their side, holding up a camera and shouted.

"Okay." Su Yun smiled politely at the reporter, then turned slightly to the side, changing the hand-holding to an arm-linking.

This is obviously a very typical pose for a couple in a good relationship to take a photo together. She did it so naturally that others didn't seem to notice anything. The single person in the middle of it suddenly felt as if it was an official announcement...

It's such a cunning little move that makes people reluctant to give it up.

After being beaten for no reason and then forced to eat a candy, Zhuang Long couldn't help but sigh in his heart.