《新方世玉》聾威震全球
‘The Young Hero of Shaolin’ Shocks the Whole Worlb 口林大衞
聯城影業公司主持人——楊帆對本刊記者透露:
《新方世玉》自1983年12月全片殺靑後,班師回港,即一直埋頭忙於幕後配音工作,兩週來已使電影界轟傳,視為是驚天動地的頭條號外——《新方世玉》影片拍的認眞而精采,一世紀才出這樣的一部片。
最敏感的是來自世界各地片商,發行專家,都雲集來香港要求看工作拷貝,爭先恐後的搶購《新方世玉》,楊帆笑着對記者說,僅十餘個國家收入已逾兩千萬港元。
楊帆飮了一口咖啡,深急地對記者說 :"現在的電影是大博大的時代,須投巨資,拍好片,才能封上蝕本門。現在拍電影要進軍國際市場,眼光要遠大。所謂一 、二百萬的製作,二年前已被逐個淘汰, 很簡單一個道理:要了解觀衆同樣付出18 元買一張票看一場電影,當然要選好的、 滿足的。
楊帆出示所簽定各埠合約給記者們看 :星馬售出値150萬,泰國三家公司競投標後,由泰國金城電影公司周獵夫君以40 萬髙價購得版權,美加地區唐人街中文版 ,賣埠更是破歷史新紀錄,美國龍威機構賴錫年以美金十二萬元搶下版權,現已公映,天天爆棚。
菲律賓又是締造最高賣埠紀錄,溢利影業公司以六萬美金購得此片版權,創國語片版權費最新紀錄。此外日本三家公司正議價中,有東映、東寶,及另一家專門發行西片公司。德國、比利時、英國、荷蘭、西印度、非洲、中南美洲、中東、法國及摩洛哥等地……半個地球,不到二週工夫,《新方世玉》已全部售出,香港春節後四條中西片院線破天荒聯映,楊帆說 :"這是香港戲院商,看完試片一致鼓掌 決定的。"
美加地區•搶閘推出• 旗開得勝
美國片商賴錫年,二月前由美國羅省親自坐飛機到廣州,探班及參觀正在柏攝的《新方世玉》情形,由於聯城公司投資浩大,製作認真,新的橋段,及個個真功夫演員。……
賴氏對《新方世玉》在美加華語版發行有一定信心。十二月初賴氏又由美國飛來香港,要求聯城公司趕工,預計聖誕節在美加地區同時全面推出,賴氏說:由於聯城公司製作認眞,投資浩大,海報照片印製一流,美加地區影迷寫信及電話給戲院催映,已造成未映先轟動之情況。
楊帆說:聯城公司集結幕後一流精英,以三倍的酬勞給參予幕後配旨工作人員,以三週快速時間,終於在十二月廿六日全片完成,賴氏當晚迫不及待的,携了八部拷貝飛回美國,於十二月卅日在美國紐約新都戲院,羅省文華戲院,加拿大溫哥華及多倫多同時推出聯合首映。
上映以來已連滿四週,每天人山人海的排長龍,聯城公司發行首腦蔡先生說:《新方世玉》在美加上映時,公司同仁擔心,美國天氣太寒冷,在零下10度的天氣,香港報紙及電視每天報導,美國天氣寒冷凍死一百多人,是60年的破紀錄寒冷的天氣——上映四天後賴氏以電訊傳眞來了捷報——那是令人鼓舞的好消息,一切的顧慮一掃而空。
《新方世玉》上映以來,連日場場客滿,戲院被熱情影迷要求出售站票,以致造成刷新一切國片在美加上映紀錄。
賴氏說:票房的走勢强勁,中國及越南難民是主要觀衆,黑人觀衆也是一傳十的蜂湧而來看《新方世玉》。
德國鬼佬片商,
大叫"望的福"
(WONDERFUL)
在德國擁有三百多家戲院的影業鉅子—— A. B.卡拉里,在上個月聖誕節後,他接到聯城公司發行部電報後,他放棄了 西人最珍視的聖誕黄金假期,於聖誕節的第二天,專程坐飛機來香港溝買《新方世玉》。
看了試片後,德國片商對楊帆豎起大拇指說:"望的福"(Wonderful)為理 ,為理顧(Very, Very Good)。他繼續的說:世界發行專家追求的"新、奇、異 "三字,《新方世玉》影片全佔了。
Since the announcement in our 46th issue in respect of the film "The Young Hero of Shaolin” working process in China, The Director, Mr. Yeung Fan of Luen Shing Film Products disclosed to the reporter as follows:-
“The Young Hero of Shaolin '' was com-pleted in December, 1983 and the whole procession returned to Hongkong, the news of the completion of this master production was spreaded rapidly shocking the whole film products world by saying that this film is a representative master piece in this century.
The film buyers from all over the world came to Hong Kong asking for working process copies and also the film “The Young Hero of Shaolin” too. Mr. Yeung disclosed happily that the income in ten more coun-tries reached twenty millions dollars. He added too that as to avoid lossing money, big investment is a must in order to develop into international market and look for the future. When one spends $18 and he expects to see a very good film. Some contracts signed by the oversea buyers were shown to the reporters too. Singapore buyer offered 1.5 millions, Thailand Golden City Film Studio got the right in $400,000 and Loong Wai Group of America offered US$120,000 for the right. Moreover, Philippines offered US$60,000 which has broken the past record of Chinese film market. Japan plus many European buyers are still under negotiation. During Chinese New Year, many major theatres in Hong Kong put on the show of this film.
The American film buyer Mr. Lai Shak Lin went to Kwongchau personnally to see the work process and he has strong confidences to distribute this film in America and Canada and expected to put on show in Christmas. Under the co-operation and assistance of all workers, this film finally completed at 26th December, 1983 and Mr. Lai took eight copies back to America immediately and put on show at 30th Dec., 1983. in New York and Canada too. Mr. Choi of United City worried very much of the cold weather in Ameria 10 degree below zero as hundred people died. However, the enthusiasm of the movie fans like Chinese and Vietnam refugees and negroes too rushed to theatres to see the film.
Mr. A.B. Carlili, the Germany film distri-butor, who occupying 300 leading theatres in Germany came to Hong Kong two days after Christmas particularly. He said, also, 'Wonderful, wonderful”. He also said that all famous distributors all over the world are dreaming for a film like “The Young Hero of Shaolin” which consists of “New, Strange and wonderfulness''