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I remember the last time I watched the Star Wars movie in theaters was the 9th "Rise of Skywalker" released in 2019.
Star Wars Skywalker Rises promotional pictorial
I hadn't known much about the Star Wars movies before. Don't say it's a little white. Even the most basic character structure is unknown. During the movie, I always wanted to leave the scene. I don't know what the movie is saying, what it's acting, what it's trying to say.
but
It wasn't until I watched a TV series "Light and Magic Industries" that I deeply realized how magnificent George Lucas and his Star Wars series of movies were. Thus I felt the genius of George Lucas, whether from the writing of the film script or the shooting method.
correct
Such a thick script writing value, plus the dreamy charm of the Hollywood film industry. But why can't it impress Chinese mainland audience? Let's find out today.
The intervention time is not correct
(1) Beginning
Released in the United States in 1977, "Star Wars A New Hope" was the beginning of George Lucas's Star Wars Empire. As soon as the movie was released, it was a mess, and it can be said that it is difficult to find a ticket.
The Star Wars premiere in 1977 was a box office hit
What's even more amazing is that George Lucas lent his own industrial light and magic special effects production team to director Spielberg along with the script "Raiders of the Lost Ark". In this way, It finally achieved Spielberg's status as the director of Hollywood's three giants.
Spielberg talks about filming Raiders of the Lost Ark
What is also breathtaking is that after watching the film, James Cameron, the director of the three giants of Hollywood, quit his job as a truck driver to make a movie.
James Cameron resigned after watching Star Wars and made a movie
So you can't help but say that the star wars opening is so grand that the shock led to a new trend in the film industry.
But; But the crux of the matter is, what was the scene in the 1978 Chinese mainland?
Politically, the Gang of Four has just fallen;
Economic reform and opening up are about to begin, and the problem of food and clothing for the people has not yet been solved. The four modernizations have not yet been advocated. Material needs have not yet been met, and spiritual needs are still far away.
At this time Chinese mainland it can be said that there are few screens showing movies. It was still shocking to see Star Wars A New Hope shown in the imax Hall today, but it was a distant thing at the time.
1977 Unprecedented cinematic special effects dynamics
As a result, the future star wars "Empire Strikes Back" and the third "Return of the Jedi" are not related to Chinese audiences on the big screen. Because our mainland was releasing a giant Chinese film at that time.
The movie "Shaolin Temple" Jet Li
(2) Intervention
In 1999, the mainland released "The Legend of the Ghost of the Star Wars Prequel"
Legendary Pictorial of the Ghosts of Star Wars
After the release of the film, there was no big wave. It only grossed 20 million yuan.
The level of special effects production in the film has reached a fairly high level, but the bells and whistles bring the audience only a visual experience, stemming from the unfamiliarity with the basic character structure. The first big screen release did not accumulate many excellent fans.
Ghost of the legendary special effects production
At that time, the domestic Hollywood blockbuster introduction mechanism experienced 5 years of development. From the initial introduction of Harrison Ford's "Outlaw" to Arnold Schwarzenegger's "True Lies" in 1995, to the release of "Titanic" in 1998, it reached the realm of a crowded alley. From general audience to accumulating fans. At this time, Chinese audiences have also awakened their desire for high-quality films. But the most critical factors for the success of the above three films at the box office and in terms of fan accumulation are:
1. The character structure of the film script itself is simple; The audience can find the core of the director's main heart in the process of watching the movie, 2. Plus wonderful editing, fascinating special effects pictures. Enough to attract the audience to evolve into fans.
3. The movie release time node is just right.
Outlaws, True Lies, Titanic Pictorial
But The Legend of the Ghost in the Prequel to Star Wars didn't impress the audience deeply.
1 There are differences in cultural traditions
The life of the protagonist in the movie is too far away from us, and there is still a considerable gap between the character structure and our cultural genes in the script creation. It feels like it's neither good nor bad. After watching the movie, I will finish watching it.
2 Theater reform is in full swing, and the projection hardware cannot keep up.
There are also the most critical factors, around 2000 is the key year for the large-scale reform of the mainland cinema line screening market. Due to the increase in the cost of film production, many film studios have stopped producing films. Limited by the Hollywood cinema introduction mechanism that can only get 10 films per year, many theaters have closed their doors. Or increase the level of cinema screening, improve the quality of cinema services, market-oriented operation. Either theater disassembly and transformation into other industries (many theaters are converted into stage drama services, and the government is used for meetings). As far as my city is concerned. The political, cultural and economic centers of prefecture-level cities also have only one cinema open for business. After the renovation, the first film released in 2002 was Ang Lee's Hulk. At that time, the ticket price had reached a staggering 20 yuan.
3 Alternative viewing conditions interference
And because the price of VCD DVD is gradually falling, pirated CDs have been popularized. Has gone into the hands of prospective fans or pseudo-fans. Many viewers can watch the movie on TV or on the computer, on a CD-ROM.
The Star Wars character structure itself is quite complex. Without doing enough homework, I hastily looked at the pirated version from the VCD. It can only leave a feeling of being forced for many friends who want to become Star Wars fans.
The feeling of being forced
But it has to be said that a good movie is ruined if it is not watched in the theater.
(3) Miss the best time for fan accumulation
Since 2002, the Chinese mainland market has gradually relaxed the number of restrictions on the introduction of Hollywood blockbusters and adopted a sub-account model. Many excellent films have entered the audience's field of vision. The most critical factor in this is the reform of cinemas and the improvement of the level of cinema screening. In addition, the income level of the people has increased year by year. Material consumption has been satisfied. The quest for the spiritual life dimension is increasingly inflated and full.
Avatar queues up to buy tickets
When Avatar was released in 2010, the national cinema movie IMAX screen was only about 100 screens. It is difficult to meet the needs of ordinary people. Today, the number of theaters in the prefecture-level urban area where I live has reached 11. Each theater has about 7 screens. Wanda Cinema occupies the center of the city.
From 2003's The Lord of the Rings, 2004's Pirates of the Caribbean, 2007's Transformers, and 2010's Avatar. By 2012, The Avengers. Many excellent Hollywood blockbusters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, Harry Potter, and 007 have accumulated a considerable fan base.
Avatar, Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Lord of the Rings, The Avengers, Pirates of the Caribbean
Their most critical factor is that each episode tells a story. There is no mutually structured storyline between each episode, just a simple expression of some details of the past and the future. Even if you didn't watch the previous episode or the next episode, it doesn't matter.
It is in the case that the improvement of the above screening conditions and the story structure are very different. From 2015 to 2019. The mainland has successively released a Star Wars series sequel trilogy and two sequels. Namely Star Wars Episode VII Force Awakens, Star Wars Episode VIII The Last Jedi, Star Wars Episode 9 Skywalker Rises, Star Wars Gaiden Ranger Solo and Star Wars Rogue 1. Even 2016's "Rogue 1" invited Chinese actors Zhen Zidan and Jiang Wen did not save the market. And other movies often 4 billion, at least 1 billion box office is really considered pediatrics.
Rogue 1 grossed 478 million at the box office
The script creation is too thick and inconsistent with mainland fast food consumption
Famous Hollywood directors have their own characteristics and strengths. Arguably George Lucas led Spielberg and James Cameron into the new film industry revolution.
These three directors do not perform computer-made special effects. They have one thing in common, which is
If the James Cameron film script is centered on directly attacking human nature. His masterpieces Avatar and True Lies can be glimpsed from this. Then the Spielberg film script takes happy entertainment as the starting point. His masterpieces "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Jurassic Park" can be seen. Even a movie like Titanic is based on love. In addition to the big scenes derived from the animation and music, when you watch it, you can deeply understand the director's intentions.
The above two directors in the film script creation character set up is basically the front and the negative, the relationship between the protagonist and the supporting role. You'd be hard-pressed to find a third important character in their films.
When you mention Spielberg, you say, "Wow, he made a lot of movies." Being a big Hollywood director, I really enjoy watching his films. ”
When you say of James Cameron, "You give a thumbs up, he made two big movies, Titanic and Avatar, and I'm looking forward to his next one." ”
But on the contrary, George Lucas is a systematic, systematic, and spatial creative process in the script architecture process.
This is like Jobs's Apple notebook MAC, everyone says good, but it is difficult to use. But if you are used to mac Apple's system, but it is difficult to get rid of. It will always be said that the Apple notebook plus MAC system is the best in the world.
This also officially fulfilled why George Lucas sold Pixar Pictures to Jobs at that time. He once said a sentence before selling, I will see which crazy enough person can buy him.
George Lucas sold the film company to Jobs
Didn't expect two crazy enough people in the world to have ever made a deal.
George Lucas's Star Wars has at least seven or eight people in the main line. There are no less than 20 other supporting characters. The story spans a very long timeline. The cost of expressing the director's mood of the story as a whole is very large.
Another key issue is that even fans have to replay and learn from previous movies before a new episode of a movie. Whether it is the cost of time, or the cost of value. Both are a huge test for the fan base.
Since entering 2017, the short video consumption of Douyin and Kuaishou micro-platforms has gradually entered the vision of ordinary youth. Yoko Spicy quickly became popular around 2020 with a 10-minute video (without any pejorative meaning here).
How to get a compliment in 15 seconds, tell a story in a minute, make a movie in 5 minutes. Video consumption has entered a fast-food rhythm.
TikTok, Kuaishou & Spicy Yoko
This is indeed a matter of an epoch. Ordinary people live too tired, when they are students. Go to high school entrance examination university, no time and no energy; After joining the work, performance needs to be evaluated, and promotion needs capital; After starting a family, children need to be cared for, and parents need to be supported. Where is the time to savor a movie.
Especially in the post-epidemic era of theaters, in the first few years of the epidemic, the theaters lost money year after year and were on the verge of bankruptcy. Chinese mainland movies are phenomenal consumer movies if they can exceed 3 billion yuan. In fact, more than 90% of many movies are less than 500 million or so. A lot of movies are made and don't make money.
So. The times chose short videos, plus the pressure of life. At the same time, the epidemic has aggravated the accumulation of fans of cinema movies.
In short, the "Star Wars" series of movies started early but rushed to a late episode, and at the same time encountered other obstacles. Star Wars' box office and fan accumulation have been very unsatisfactory.
The life values of the film structure do not coincide with the short and fast pursuit of young people today.
(1) Today's Young Chinese people have evolved from dreaming of becoming the second generation of officials 20 years ago to the dream of becoming the second generation of the rich 10 years ago. Today, they feel that social divisions have gradually converged, and there is only one way to lie flat. Just like Ge Youliang, honestly be an ordinary person, do nothing, and nibble on the old people gradually become the pursuit goal of the current young people.
Ge You lie
Everyone dreams of overnight fame and overnight riches. Online platforms spawned the first group of rich people who had previously entered. The online platform sells the fame and prosperity of Wei Ya and Li Jiaqi. Young people see even more shortcuts to success.
Via and Li Jiaqi
I don't know that anyone's success has its own inevitability and accident, and the reason why Wei Ya and Li Jiaqi are successful is also tempered by their continuous exploration and failure.
(2) The post-one child era promotes people to be more lazy, without any beliefs and pursuits.
People are always lazy animals, and the reason why science and technology are so developed is actually to urge people how to improve and progress in life even if they are more lazy.
Wheels were developed to save effort.
In order to run faster, the discarded groom driver invented the car.
In order to convey information more quickly, the telephone was invented.
In order to be able to video call the phone, 5G and even later 6G7G8G have been developed.
……
But man must not lack faith. Without the pursuit of the spiritual level, we are like robots on the assembly line, eating, drinking and having fun every day. The Star Wars movie is in The Empire Strikes Back. An educational dialogue between Master Yoda and Luke Skywalker is enough to prove that people want to succeed. It is necessary to overcome many difficulties and believe that you are constantly pursuing yourself
Yoda and Luke Skywalker in Empire Strikes Back
It is the fulfillment of Mencius's words: First of all, we must suffer his heart and mind, and work his bones and bones.
(3) The concept of life framed by the Star Wars script is: People must believe in themselves. The Force is right next to me to germinate. The effort of the self is the best interpretation of the Force bursting out.
However, the above-mentioned structure of life values still requires the joint efforts of parents and society. In order to make the young fan base continue to understand.
When I was young, I once learned an article saying that Einstein was criticized by his teachers for making very poor handmade chairs when he was a child. But when the teacher criticized Einstein, he did not expect Einstein to come up with a worse handmade chair.
postscript
The Star Wars series has been around for 44 years since its release in 1977. He didn't just give George Lucas a great return on his wealth. The most crucial thing is that he led the beginning of the film industry Light and Magic. His films have won many awards. Under his leadership. Best Special Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Supporting Actor. It fully presents the state of the Hollywood movie Grand Slam. He was also received by President Reagan, who had been an actor. He was given the title of the originator of the film industry.
(1) The creation of the film script should build a short and smooth storyline at the right time.
The accumulation of Chinese film fans is mainly young people, and their work and life pressure is indeed very large, how to let him experience the charm of "Star Wars" in two hours. It is the first thing that screenwriters of film scripts have to consider.
(2) Attract fans by movie fans, and convert fans with fans. Strengthen the foundation of the fan group. It can even be said that the fans can provide the construction of the storyline, and even the fans can decide who will play the character.
When Fast and Furious was released in 2001, the film was still a small-budget film production. Later over time. Accidentally, it became a big IP. Before filming the screenplay for Fast & Furious 7, Universal urged Hollywood action actor Jason Statham to join the worldwide recruitment of scriptwriters and cast-build fans. Indeed, in the movie "Fast and Furious 7", the addition of Jason Statham added a strong injection to the box office.
Jason Statham in the movie Fast and Furious 7
(3) Fan group building is not an overnight process, and it is difficult for the fans who have accumulated in the Star Wars series to quit, but it is really difficult to break through the ability to absorb fans under the existing foundation.
At this time, we can think of another line of electronic products, Apple's laptop MAC.
First of all, the market share of Apple Notebook Mike has not been high. The conservative estimate of the world's share is only 15%. But in the past two years, Apple, in particular, has used its own chips M1 and M2 in notebooks. Plus Apple's silky, closed, smooth system. Coupled with the ability of Apple's mobile phone to continuously absorb powder. Add to that the apple iPad family barrel effect. Apple's ecology is gradually fully opened.
Can we boldly guess whether Disney's next Star Wars movie can be cooperated with Apple officials.
I'm now a Star Wars fan. Whether you are a star wars fan or a quasi-fan, or a fan who is about to become a fan, please pay attention to, like, and collect in time. Thank you.