On October 11, 1971, Bruce Lee and Linda flew to Hong Kong with 6-year-old Li Guohao and 2-year-old Li Xiangning. Before the plane landed, they replaced the comfortable civilian clothes for the long-haul flight, because Bruce Lee expected reporters to come and greet them. However, what they never expected was that Zou Wenhuai would arrange for all the actors of "Big Brother Tangshan" to come and wait. Dozens of flashing lights and a large group of children lined up with flowers in their hands make the busy Kai Tak Airport lively and filled with a grand atmosphere to welcome the return of dignitaries.
Compared with Bruce Lee, Zou Wenhuai is even more determined to succeed or fail in this move. His first five films did not fare well at the box office, the newly formed Jiahe has been suppressed by Shaw, and his future depends largely on whether "Big Brother Tangshan" can be a hit. From the premiere to the advertising to the media exposure, Zou Wenhuai spared no effort to promote the film. Prior to its premiere on October 29, Bruce Lee gave interviews to print media, radio stations and television programs. Zou Wenhuai wants to reintroduce "Little Dragon" to older audiences who may remember the brave child star in the 1950s black-and-white didactic films. Zou Wenhuai and Bruce Lee did their best to promote the film, because their fate depended on the outcome of the premiere night.
Zou Wenhuai, Bruce Lee and Linda entered the cinema with a nervous mood. As we all know, Hong Kong audiences are notoriously difficult to serve. If a movie is terrible, they'll just yell out loud. "As the film started showing, we were watching the audience's reaction closely." Bruce Lee recalled, "At first, there was no sound. But in the end, they began to stir, clapping their hands over and over again. The audience is actually very emotional, if they don't like the movie, they will just scold, get up and walk away. "As Bruce Lee repeatedly heard the audience cheer for his role and performance during the film screening, he became more and more relaxed and confident. Seeing the first love scene of his life appear on the big screen, he leaned sideways toward Linda and jokingly said, "This is a fringe." ”
The premiere was in the audience with Mel Tobias, a renowned Hong Kong film critic and scholar of film history. "I don't know who Bruce Lee is, I just happened to see the premiere. I have a friend from Manila who wants to see the midnight show, and it happens that the midnight show of the day is "Big Brother Tangshan". Mel Tobias recalls, "After the movie, there was about ten seconds of silence, and suddenly they didn't know what hit them, and they started cheering wildly. They were stunned when they saw Bruce Lee get up from the audience, followed by thunderous applause. I felt at the time that this guy was going to succeed. The oriental and Asian way of expression in him gives us a sense of identity. ”
Bruce Lee in the movie "Big Brother Tangshan"
Bruce Lee's dream of stardom came true from that night. "I didn't think Big Brother Tangshan would break any box office records," he admitted, "but I do wish it could sell more." The audience's reaction left him a little overwhelmed. Linda said: "On the night of the premiere, the audience cheered and applauded, and Xiaolong's dream came true. After less than two hours of screening, Xiaolong became a dazzling star. When we got up and prepared to leave the cinema, we were immediately surrounded by a welcoming audience. ”
The box office figures were staggering and completely reversed Jiahe's fortunes. "Big Brother Tangshan" was only released in 16 theaters in Hong Kong, with a box office of HK$372,000 on the first day, breaking through the million mark in three days. As a film released only in Hong Kong, it grossed HK$3.2 million three weeks later. China Post estimated that 1.2 million of Hong Kong's 4 million people at the time bought tickets to watch the film, breaking the box office record previously held by "The Sound of Music," adding a little more patriotism to the Hong Kong-made action film. A local Chinese newspaper applauded: "Julie Andrews' film has been the subject of local film distributors trying to outdo at the box office since its release in 1966." However, only "Big Brother Tangshan" did it. It is worth mentioning that Julie Andrews's husband, Blake Edwards, was also a celebrity disciple of Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee went from star master to star.
Since his first appearance at three months old, Bruce Lee has starred in 23 movies, most of which have not been very good at the box office, and none of them have been as successful as "Big Brother Tangshan". What makes this movie unique? Obviously not a matter of film quality. Director Luo Wei said in a 1988 interview: "Looking back now, 'Big Brother Tangshan' was very simple. I didn't have much time, so I had to shoot things hastily. ”
Bruce Lee's brand new fight scenes are key to the film's success. Unlike most action stars who trained briefly for a movie, Bruce Lee was a true martial artist and master of the arts. The fights of the others in "Big Brother Tangshan" are like children fighting, while Bruce Lee is like a super whirlwind. Hong Kong audiences grew up watching kung fu movies, and when they saw the film, they could tell at a glance what was different about it. To prove the authenticity of his movements, Bruce Lee and Rowy used long shots — some lasting 20 seconds or even longer. Michael, another Jiahe director, said: "Bruce Lee would design a fight and then let the camera follow freely, so you know it's not fake." Don't forget, Bruce Lee was dealing with a local audience who knew what was real and what was fake, and you couldn't fool them. ”
But it is not enough to have real ability. Many outstanding martial artists have returned home when they entered the show business. What works in the ring doesn't necessarily work in a movie, and it's what gets the audience excited. Bruce Lee, who previously worked as an action director in Hollywood, knew how to express his skills in movies to make them look different. This is the art of exaggeration. In the movie, he can spin up and kick three bad guys in a row – but in reality, he may not be able to do it, but in the movie, the audience believes that he is fine. As one Washington Post film critic put it: "Bruce Lee's movements are pleasing to the eye, full of explosiveness, and elegant and funny." Ever since Steve McQueen rode a motorcycle in The Great Escape, Bruce Lee's action scenes have heard the audience's enthusiastic response again. His performances are a bit of James Cagney-esque arrogance and Steve McQueen's early alienation. ”
After 25 years as an actor, Bruce Lee finally learned how to combine action and emotion. From kato, the friendly maid in "The Green Hornet", to the violent Zheng Chao'an in "Big Brother Tangshan", this transformation is full of drama. This is the first time bruce Lee has starred in a leading role since bruce Lee starred in "The Lonely Sea of Man" at the age of 18. During these days of struggle, rejection, and hard work, he succeeded in acquiring the X-Factor— an indescribable trait that allowed Marilyn Monroe to leapfrog Sir Laurence Olivier from "star" to "great actor." Paul Heller, co-producer of Dragon Fight, said: "In front of the camera, Bruce Lee is the absolute focus. Some actors can be great actors, but in front of the camera, the performance is mediocre. The camera loves to capture Bruce Lee. His energy, talent and emotions can be expressed through the camera and the screen. "Bruce Lee found his own way to perform, and he could release the energy he had very well." I can feel it running and roaring inside me," Bruce Lee shared with his friends, "I'm more confident than ever because I've just played the lead role once." ”
Bruce Lee's exciting performance awakened public awareness. In 1842, Hong Kong's population was only 7,000, and by 1971, the number had soared to 4 million. Robert Clouse, the director of Dragons and Tigers, said: "Bruce Lee has made a great contribution to the Chinese national spirit. This is a good medicine for millions of working people and the poor. He rekindled pride and got his compatriots to cheer in hundreds of movie theaters. They suddenly feel much better about themselves, and in the new day, the pain and prejudice are reduced a little. ”
The success of "Big Brother Tangshan" is also due to a diplomatic event that shocked people at home and abroad, which completely exploded the nationalism of Chinese on the eve of the film's premiere. Most importantly, it involves the territorial ownership of some islands and Diaoyu Islands in the South China Sea. In 1895, China was defeated in the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War and forced to sign an unequal treaty, japan seized Taiwan and the Diaoyu Islands, and renamed several small islands such as the Diaoyu Islands "Senkaku Islands". After World War II, these uninhabited islands were placed under U.S. administrative control. On June 7, 1971, U.S. President Richard Nixon announced the transfer of power over the Diaoyu Islands to Japan. "Big Brother Tangshan" was released on October 30, and on November 29 of the same year, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment stating that the United States would support Japan in the event of an attack on the Senkaku Islands.
Chinese felt betrayed, and protests and angry editorials began to emerge. Li Zhongchen's classmate at La Salle College, The Mixed Eurasian Marciano Papstita, said: "I still remember that incident vividly, the Americans did a very stupid thing, gave the Diaoyu Islands to Japan. You can ask Chinese anywhere, any sect, any faith, or any political background — they fully support China on the Issue of the Diaoyu Islands. Until we were forced to make choices in 1971, we had no sense of identity. When the United States handed over the administration of the Diaoyu Islands to Japan, we realized that we were Chinese. ”
In an environment of extremely high nationalism, Chinese audiences liked Bruce Lee very much because of his brave efforts to stand up for China in "Big Brother Tangshan" and fight against the evil forces. His next film, Jingwumen, further exaggerated this nationalism, thus making the public like him even more. (Source| Bruce Lee: Myth and Truth, translated by Matthew Polly shi Xuguang || Tiandi Publishing House |)
