Chapter 1676
A chilling thought
This "Too Young Too Native" scene took six or seven takes to get right.
Five of those repetitions were requested by Chen Kexin.
Just as Zhang Yuan had thought, the director intentionally placed this scene in the first scene to set the tone for the film.
This is not a movie about the American Dream or how great and advanced America is.
On the contrary, it is a thought-provoking work that, under the guise of youthful inspiration, criticizes the worship of foreign things.
Therefore, the director attached great importance to this scene, not only to show the personalities of the three main characters, but also to demonstrate the theme of the story.
The remaining two of the seven takes were reshot at the actors' request.
It's just that it wasn't Zhang Yuan's request.
His understanding of the character is firm and unwavering.
At this moment, Chen Dongqing, who has just entered the campus, is undergoing the transformation from a rural boy who has never seen the world to a top student at China's top university.
Since it's just the beginning, I can't shake off that simple and natural, sunny vibe.
Positive and optimistic, but with a slight sense of inferiority.
He had met the real Yu Minhong and read a lot of materials, confirming that Yu Minhong during his university years was indeed like this.
The saying that those who are insecure are bound to be arrogant is exactly true.
At this moment, Chen Dongqing was just a follower behind Meng Xiaojun and Wang Yang, two popular figures on campus.
He admired their confidence, composure, and ability to remain calm in the face of studying and big cities, while he felt inferior in comparison.
He wanted to be like them.
Of course, in the end he didn't become one of the two, but far surpassed them.
When Zhang Yuan was having dinner with Lao Yu, he asked him a question.
Have you ever thought about studying or working in Lighthouse?
Old Yu gave a firm negative answer.
Of the three founders of New Oriental, Yu Minhong is the only one without any experience studying or working in North America.
But Zhang Yuan knew he was talking nonsense.
Actually, Lao Yu had always wanted to study in North America, but the year he graduated, North America tightened its policies on Chinese students, and his grades weren't good enough.
Later, he secretly ran TOEFL classes behind the school's back to make money, also in order to save up for his own further studies in North America.
But as they kept making money, they realized they'd made a fortune...
So Lao Yu wants to go to North America, but he's a realist. He doesn't admire foreign countries; he just chooses whichever path is easiest.
He decided to give up North America because he could make money in China.
Unlike those who would rather give up high salaries and comfortable conditions in China to go to North America to wash dishes, he is not stupid.
But the fact that he sent his wife and children to settle in Canada proves that not being able to go to North America back then was a lingering regret for him.
Old Yu's denial in front of him was clearly an attempt to cover up his inability to go, and he was pretending not to want to go.
Based on his own understanding and observation of Lao Yu, Zhang Yuan set his own character's aspirations, but not in the same way as Meng Xiaojun's worship of North America.
It was simply because I admired Meng Xiaojun and envied his ideals.
He delved into the character's thoughts, finding that it wasn't simply a matter of black and white, or that he hadn't been to North America because he thought it was bad.
Most people are confused in their 20s, unsure of what the future holds.
Only a very small number of people have life goals at a young age.
With understanding and conviction, he brings subtle differences to each of his performances, which Director Chen is very satisfied with.
If every performance is the same, then I'll become a Yang Mi fan...
He would proactively offer directors the choice.
There's no need for repeated back-and-forth communication, after all, he has worked with Chen Kexin before and they have a good understanding.
The two times the actors called for a reshoot, it was Deng Chao who made the suggestion.
Zhang Yuan had heard before that Deng Chao was quite a "dramatic" person on set.
They have a lot of ideas, especially when they get excited about filming; they come up with an idea every minute and improvise in all sorts of ways.
Why was his appearance on Running Man so popular later on?
Intelligent and willing to think, but not necessarily right.
One moment I feel I should do it this way, the next I feel I should do it that way.
Zhang Yuan somewhat understood how he had been tricked by Big Beard and Yu Min back then.
Directors often deliberately ignore people with these kinds of ideas, giving them no creative space whatsoever, which can drive them crazy.
Being too active is also not good; it wastes everyone's time, and most of his ideas are not feasible.
Just look at the comedies he's made.
So after the first day, Zhang Yuan planned to wind him up.
“Last time you mentioned having dinner, I was too busy.”
"It's my treat today," he said, using the excuse of treating them to chat with the two of them.
"Don't let the small size of this restaurant fool you, I made a reservation in advance." Zhang Yuan led the two people to a restaurant located downstairs in a residential building.
It's not too big or too small, but the decor looks a bit dated.
"Don't you have to complain."
"How could I?" Deng Chao quickly sat down.
Zhang Yuan started ordering food.
Pan-fried pork tenderloin, braised oxtail, whitebait diced fish, milk-fried mixed vegetables, stir-fried tripe with coriander, chicken and scallop soup...
We ordered all local specialties.
"Another single-serving gluten noodle dish, please," he ordered, pointing to the menu.
Gluten is fried until it puffs up and forms a ball. Tianjin's gluten is unique and tastes especially good.
Not only the three of them, but also the main cast and crew are here, so we can order more.
"There are also main dishes, which need to be reserved and will be served shortly."
As the dishes were served, Deng Chao and Tong Dawei, one from Jiangxi and the other from Liaoning, and Chen Kexin, from Hong Kong, realized that they had never heard of most of the dishes on the table, let alone seen them before.
A single dish of milk-fried three kinds of ingredients opened their eyes.
People even use milk powder to cook vegetables?
It's stir-fried meat and offal, and it doesn't taste sweet, but rather savory.
This was quite novel, and the group exclaimed in surprise.
Chicken and scallop stir-fry also has a unique texture. The stir-fried tripe with coriander stems is very particular about the cooking time, and it also has a touch of pepper and vinegar from the side of the wok.
The braised pork tenderloin looked strange to these people.
This dish involves first spreading a large egg crepe in a pan, then placing a slice of pork tenderloin on top and cooking it. Finally, it's flipped in a large spoon, requiring skill to prevent it from falling apart.
Turn it over so the egg is on top, and it has to be whole, without breaking a bit. Then thicken it with a thick sauce, and add a slightly sweet soy sauce flavor.
Everyone has seen Dragon Ball, and the three-eyed guy in it is called Tien Shinhan.
What is Tianjin cuisine?
In reality, it was just the Japanese copying the recipe, using the technique of pan-fried pork tenderloin. The so-called famous Japanese dish, Tianjin Rice, is actually just pan-fried egg fried rice.
It didn't taste very good; it was sticky and gooey.
"What is this?" Deng Chao asked, his curiosity piqued as the final dish was served.
"This is the dish we ordered."
Zhang Yuan stood up and introduced the situation.
It was over a hundred years ago when Einstein came to China that he enjoyed the braised sea bream.
It's also a famous dish in Tianjin, topped with a whole piece of shark fin. It's not the kind of broken shark fin soup you usually get; it's much bigger than a regular large shark fin, about the size of a small washbasin.
Below are the eight pieces of lamb stew, all simmered in broth.
The cost of ingredients alone for this dish is over a thousand yuan, not to mention the selling price.
Chen Kexin, a Hong Kong native, got excited when she heard it was shark fin; they love to eat it where she's from.
"Our leading man is so magnanimous, let's all raise a glass to him."
"Everyone, please start eating and don't be shy."
"Come on, this dish is a rare find," Zhang Yuan said, inviting everyone to eat together.
After eating and drinking for a while and experiencing the local Tianjin specialties, Zhang Yuan offered Chen Kexin cigarettes, and they started chatting after lighting them.
"Chao, I noticed you seemed a bit hesitant about your performance as Meng Xiaojun today."
"Really?" Deng Chao put down his chopsticks.
“I think you’re not firm enough, you’re a bit hesitant,” Zhang Yuan said after taking a puff.
"Tsk..." Chao thought for a moment before opening his mouth.
"I have a question after reading the script, and I thought I'd ask you."
"You said."
"Our play seems to be satirizing those who go to North America with dreams in their hearts," Deng Chao said.
"Why do we look alike? It is." Zhang Yuan answered decisively, while glancing at Chen Kexin.
"In today's scene, the dialogue says that discrimination in North America will never disappear, and my character refutes that."
“I’m a little unsure, especially with you here,” Chao said, looking at him.
"Am I affecting you?"
"Your presence affects me."
Zhang Yuan: ...
Then I go?
"That's not what I meant," Chao quickly explained.
"You think you're in Hollywood, right?"
"Yes." Zhang Yuan nodded in acknowledgment, "It is indeed I, Zhang Yuan."
"Filming in North America would definitely be very lucrative."
"It's alright," he replied casually.
Seeing his expression, Tong Dawei knew that he was more than just okay.
That number might scare you.
"A place where you can make a lot of money must be a good place." "My character says that the American Dream is about equal opportunities for everyone, and only North America can achieve that."
"To refute the teacher."
"Is this statement correct or not?" Deng Chao hadn't been overseas much.
Of those present, only Chen Kexin lived overseas in her early years, and Zhang Yuan frequently went abroad to film, so the two of them were relatively familiar with each other.
Others learn about North America from what others say, in magazines, and in movies.
If Zhang Yuan, as an actor, can make a lot of money overseas, then why should our show criticize those who go to North America as being foolish and naive?
This is where the contradictions of Deng Xiaoping lie.
Who wouldn't want to go to Hollywood to make money and become famous!
Since we all want to go, is it reasonable to criticize this?
He overthinks things and doesn't completely separate the character from himself.
Zhang Yuan nodded.
The 7s and 80s were a period of "going abroad fever" in China, with a large outflow of people settling in North America, Britain, France, Canada and other places.
Li Mingqi is the actress who played Rong Momo.
Teacher Li is a very kind person. When filming "The Return of the Condor Heroes", she mentioned that in the 7s and 80s, the Central Philharmonic Orchestra, where she worked, was an established unit.
Half of her stage actor colleagues have immigrated!
Now, when old colleagues get together, a lot of them have to go back to China to meet up.
I knew how impressive it was to go abroad back then.
Even if these people were just ordinary workers overseas, their income and living conditions were the envy of their friends back home, because China was so backward at that time.
Zhang Yuan did not give Deng Chao a direct answer.
"Chao, have you ever been to Shanghai?"
"I've been there. I don't know where Sun Li's hometown is, but I live there often," Deng Chao replied with a smile, showing no embarrassment at following his wife around.
The couple plans to send their child to school in Shanghai, where there are many international schools, making it easier for the child to study abroad in the future.
"You must have been to the Bund too."
"Correct."
"You must have seen it. On both sides of the Bund, on the Puxi side, are the Customs House and various colonial-era buildings."
"On the other side of Pudong, there are new buildings such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, with high-rise buildings standing tall."
Which side do you think represents the new era?
The Huangpu River connects two sides: on one side are colonial buildings left by foreigners, and on the other side is a financial center built by the Chinese people.
It's clear at a glance which is the old era and which is the new era.
As Jiang Wen said in her movies, Pudong is the future, and the future is Pudong.
“Let me tell you something else,” Zhang Yuan said, giving another example.
"My company is currently preparing to release a Hollywood blockbuster called Pacific Rim."
"It tells the story of giant mechs fighting monsters."
"Mechs need to be piloted by people, and the male protagonist is a mech pilot."
“Logically speaking, a male protagonist like this should be considered a top-tier talent, right?” Zhang Yuan said with a smile, “At least equivalent to an astronaut, so he should be cherished like that.”
"However, the male protagonist was injured after piloting a mech to fight a monster."
"In this battle, he and his brother were fatally wounded while protecting civilians."
"My brother was killed in action, and the mech was severely damaged."
"The male protagonist forcibly drove the mecha back to the shore from the sea, and was then forced to retire."
"The general in the film spent several years repairing the mecha and found the male lead again, wanting him to return."
"When the general found him, the protagonist was screwing screws on a construction site, earning work points to eat."
Zhang Yuan paused for a moment after speaking.
"Think about it carefully, what's wrong with the plot I've described?"
Deng Chao shook his head.
I don't see anything wrong with it.
"It's just a typical Hollywood movie formula."
“Yes.” Zhang Yuan nodded: “But look at it from a different perspective.”
“I will describe it again in the context of Chinese language.”
"The male protagonist was seriously injured in a fight with the enemy in order to protect the people's property. He continued to fight on the front line despite his injuries, and even after his brother was killed, he fought to the last moment."
"But he was held accountable afterward and ended up as a struggling household who barely made ends meet by working as a construction worker."
Deng Chao was stunned after hearing this.
For this kind of content, no matter which government agency in China it happened to, the agency leader could prepare to pack up and leave.
Are you asking a hero who protects the people's property, or a family member of a martyr, to go to a construction site and tighten screws?
In General Fan's words, they've really lost all sense of shame.
They should not be treated as role models and treated with the best food and drink, but rather the people should see that the country will take care of everyone who makes a contribution.
If this were true, overseas television stations like the BBC would have to broadcast it non-stop to smear China's image.
But in Hollywood movies, this is just a normal trope, very common.
So the beginning of Pacific Rim is actually the story of the male protagonist, a good North American boy, being ruthlessly "killed" by capitalist society after giving everything.
If you look at it from a different angle, you'll see what's terrifying about it.
Hollywood, as the propaganda machine of North America, has never hidden this reality.
Because that's part of their system.
People keep telling you that there are countless examples like this in Hollywood movies.
Many villains were "killed" by North American society and then turned to the dark side.
What's terrifying is that it's common, so people don't take it seriously.
Is it reasonable that a carefully selected mech pilot could be so ruthlessly killed?
What doesn't make sense in China makes sense in North American movies.
"Think about it again now." Zhang Yuan raised his hand and pointed.
Not only was Deng stunned, but the rest of the crew members present also fell silent.
Hmm...right?
Why is it like this?
How come we never noticed this before?
Zhang Yuan helped them activate their spiritual vision, so they will be able to detect things when they watch Hollywood movies in the future.
"But...aren't you going to North America to make money, and you're planning to buy a house?" Deng Chao was still conflicted.
"Buying a house is like making a movie; it's all about making money and investing."
"Why wouldn't you make money if you could?" Zhang Yuan retorted.
Don't you have any aspirations for performing on a global scale?
“Yes, but that doesn’t contradict my opinion that there are problems in North America.” Zhang Yuan pointed to the almost completely eaten sea bream: “Just like you and I both know that shark fin is bad and harms animals.”
"You were eating happily just now."
"Work is work, and life is life."
Deng Chao was speechless for a moment, then he came up with a brilliant idea.
"Then Sisi also went abroad a long time ago."
You can't really say anything about your own woman, can you?
"Yes, she was affected by the aftereffects of the overseas study craze and went with her mother."
"Because people like her mother were the main group of people who went abroad back then."
“But you’re thinking about something.” Zhang Yuan looked at him intently.
"If North America is really that good, why did she return to China to develop her career?"
Deng Chao was completely speechless.
He was defeated by his own problems.
“Even if she has North American citizenship, it won’t be easy for her to get by with her Asian face.”
There was another point that Zhang Yuan didn't mention.
Since their family's connections are mainly in the country, they naturally have to go back to China.
Zhang Yuan patted Deng Chao on the shoulder one last time.
"If you were given my experience overseas, you wouldn't even last a week."
"Believe me, it's not a good place. There are plenty of people who regret going abroad, but they just refuse to admit it."
"Your current dilemma is good, just like the character Meng Xiaojun is also conflicted."
"From initially longing for North America to finding that all I could do after arriving there was wash dishes."
"You just need to manage this psychological gap."
Zhang Yuan felt that his current state was probably due to studying the script and immersing himself in the character.
Another point is that he's the only one among them who's made it in Hollywood, and he's the most famous.
They easily associate fame with Hollywood.
There is a connection, but not the whole story.
Just because North America has a developed economy, does that mean it must be a perfect paradise?
It can also be a hell for the poor and people of color at the same time.
Zhang Yuan said no more and let him figure it out himself.
He then went to the kitchen to take photos with the master chefs, greet them, and learn some recipes for Tianjin cuisine.
The following day on set, the scene from the previous day continued.
Deng Chao's resolve has clearly strengthened considerably.
It seems my words were effective.
He's quick-witted; he should be able to figure it out soon.
There weren't any major problems on his end, and things calmed down considerably afterward.
Zhang Yuan's side was bustling with activity, as he soon welcomed a group of fellow performing arts enthusiasts... (End of Chapter)