On the third day, the box office exceeded one billion.
On the fourth and fifth days, the box office continued to rise.
By the sixth day, which was Friday the 23rd, the box office jumped from 53 million the previous day to 80 million.
This was a very significant leap.
Because the previous single-day box office record held by Avatar was 60 million.
Although that was data from two years ago, a breakthrough is still a breakthrough.
It's very beneficial for the film's publicity.
Moreover, the weekend was just around the corner, anyone could see that a film creating a record of over 100 million in box office for a single day was about to be born.
It had to be Zhonghao Entertainment!
The cinema chains continued to increase the screen rate for this film.
The screen rate for Dragon Gate and Jinling was squeezed to less than 30% combined, while Lost on Journey 2 was increased to 58%.
Zhang Weiping cursed the theaters on Weibo for heartlessly pulling out.
There were also other people who cried unfair for such a patriotic film as Jinling Thirteen Cai.
Should box office really be the only standard for evaluation?
As a theater, should there be some bias towards patriotic films?
This made even Zhonghao Entertainment a bit embarrassed.
However, it's impossible to reduce their screen rate, because although film companies can strive for more screen rates, the real decision on how much screen rate a film gets is still arranged by the major theaters themselves.
Furthermore, the so-called patriotic film Zhang Weiping mentioned might indeed be an objective fact, but in terms of both promotion and the film itself, it is full of commercial vibes, really making it hard for people to love them more.
The film directed by Zhang Yimou, supposedly based on true events, has its plot overly fictionalized.
Since you're doing a Jinling-themed film, and you claim it's based on true events, you should keep some details that allow for fact-checking because this is a painful and real history.
If everything is fake, it's easy for people to extend the idea to the massacre being fake as well.
What's even more unacceptable, or extremely uncomfortable, is the film's use of overly sexualized visuals to satisfy Westerners' imaginations about Huaxia women.
Jinling was released in Huaxia and Miguo at the same time, and with a big international star like Bale, the two Zhangs certainly hoped to scoop a share of the Miguo film market, and could thereby aim for an Oscar that would bring them fame and fortune.
Therefore, the Miguo audience was crucial for this film.
To cater to the needs of the Miguo audience, the English name of the film was "The Flowers of War", clearly relying on Huaxia's beauties to grab attention.
During times of escape, a woman's basic common sense should be to conceal her beauty; wearing worn-out clothes, smearing dirt on their faces, are all reasonable methods.
In this film, the thirteen beauties wore the most beautiful cheongsams, put on makeup, laughed and joked as they arrived at the church, grabbing every opportunity inside the church to flirt and half-bare their chests, entirely inappropriate and unrealistic.
The most ridiculous scene was when, after changing into simple student uniforms, they decided to show the younger sisters the splendor of the famous courtesans of Qinhuai River: lining up horizontally to sing flirting ditties with patrons, and the lens quickly transformed into them flirting and singing in cheongsams.
This is a typical sacrifice of detail realism for visual splendor, at the cost of sexualizing Huaxia women.
If Lu Yu released Jinling Jinling to flatter Neon,
Then saying Zhang Yimou released Jinling Thirteen Cai to flatter Miguo is a bit excessive, but the old man's three views indeed do not align with the public's.
In pursuit of what's called commercialization and internationalization, he's become somewhat obsessed.
As a leader in the cultural field, Old Zhang showed no trace of the cultural confidence he should possess, either catering to Hollywood or on the road to cater to Hollywood.
Ambitious filmmakers hope to achieve cultural exportation.
However, Old Zhang was transforming himself to become like Hollywood, helping Hollywood expedite importation.
Of course, there were rumors, Zhang Yimou was forced.
There were eyewitnesses of intense arguments between him and Zhang Weiping during the shooting phase, and after the film's release, their relationship remained in a tense state.
But most people didn't believe he was forced.
The people of their generation mostly believed that only the foreign moon was round.
Even though the domestic film market had a great boom last year, showing the vast potential of the domestic market, they chose to ignore it.
Obsessed with gaining Hollywood's recognition.
Dragon Gate was relatively resigned.
Qi Hao defeated himself, using Lost on Journey 2 to knock down Dragon Gate Armor, can only say the movie indeed was not good, the audience didn't like it.
Stories of the filmmakers refusing Daoist rituals leaked somehow, leading to netizens joking from Xu Ke's perspective:
Not performing Daoist rituals, such a loss!
There was once a Daoist who came to me, I didn't cherish him, only when the box office flopped did I feel regretful, if heaven could give me another chance, I would shout to that Daoist—"Dad!"
Actually, Dragon Gate's situation is better than Jinling's.
Firstly, the production cost is relatively low, secondly, overseas sales are very good, rights have been sold to several dozen countries already.
Even countries like the UK sold for up to a million US dollars.
Loss is inevitable, but it won't be much.
In terms of reputation, this 3D film didn't receive the expected acclaim.
The special effects were indeed good, gorgeous, but in a martial arts film, it appeared unsatisfying.
Itchy without relief, lacking the cool feeling of flashing swords and fluttering clothes.
The audience even felt the action in Dragon Gate Armor was inferior to New Dragon Gate Inn.
Spend so much money, special effects improved, yet regressed.
Why is that?
Regardless of whether this film succeeded or not, Yu Huatian's character was successful.
One well-commended review online began by saying:
Xu Ke's Dragon Gate Armor can only count as half a good film.
There were two lines of dialogue that were memorable.
"People Eastern Depot doesn't dare to kill, I dare to kill; things Eastern Depot doesn't dare to manage, I manage; simply put, I manage those that Eastern Depot can manage, and I even more manage those that Eastern Depot can't manage."
"A solitary shadow on a cold river, past acquaintances in the martial world, why must we meet again as though never knowing each other."
The biggest success was the creation of the classic character Yu Huatian.
You could even say it's arguably the best of the year.
Calling it a classic villain image in film history is not an exaggeration.
Yu Huatian, as the Supervisor of the Western Depot, was highly skilled in martial arts, ruthless in his methods, his appearance stunning, exuding both bewitching and majestic aura with every move.
Many actors have played eunuchs before, or many played eunuch roles, but Yu Huatian in this movie is absolutely unique.
Only after him did people realize that eunuchs could be portrayed like this.
Not all sounded nasally, disgusted themselves while disgusted others as well.
The character setup itself was excellent.
Martial arts like Dugu Qiubai, styled like Dongfang Bubai, resplendent and noble, lethal allure wrapped in mystique.
Unlike typical villain roles, his evil carried a sense of restraint and grace, with a hint of cold yet alluring sensuality.
His high intelligence and unique charisma were his greatest weapons.
Qi Hao's performance deserves credit too.
He even played two roles in Dragon Gate Armor.
The other role, Feng Li Saber, was the complete opposite of the lofty Yu Huatian, he roamed the martial world as an information vendor relying on his mouth only.
On the surface, he's a cowardly weakling, but internally he's cunning and calculating.
In addition, he's an absolute "player" who flirts everywhere.
Two completely different roles, completely handled by Qi Hao with ease.
Look at the roles Qi Hao has played over the past two years.
First love senior, Mr. Tree, comic relief, uncle, eunuch... what a leap and transformation, Qi Hao's acting truly opened people's eyes.
When discussing acting skills now, Qi Hao definitely ranks in the first echelon.
The first echelon of all actors, not just the younger generation's first echelon.
He has already distanced himself from the younger generation of actors.
Of course, he still has room for improvement, and there are many roles he can still play.
As long as this billionaire boss is willing to act.
That's without a doubt.
Ever since he left home at fifteen or sixteen, heading north, walking this path for a lifetime was already destined.
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