Chapter 111 "The Akumizu Literature Award Serial Murder Case" is a big hit! A different sa
Chapter 111 "The Akumizu Literature Award Serial Murder Case" is a big hit! A different satire from "I am a Cat"!
The film version of "Hear the Wind Sing" was once rated as the most anticipated novel adaptation film of the year by movie fans and readers. On the premiere day, all major cinemas were basically packed.
As a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the Akutagawa Prize, "Hear the Wind Sing" was also played at the celebration, during which countless literary big names came to show their support, as if they all had collective amnesia and forgot that the novel was written by Kitagawa Hide, whom they looked down upon.
Moreover, the Akutagawa Prize in the first half of this year was not awarded to Kitagawa Hide at all!
The original author Kitagawa Hide received an invitation, but he simply ignored it. Instead, on the premiere day, he happily followed a large group of people to the Musashinokan Cinema to watch his true tribute to the Akutagawa Prize - "The Akutagawa Literary Prize Serial Murder Case"!
Shizuko Kawaide mobilized her connections in the industry and did her best to help Hide Kitagawa promote the film. Unfortunately, the film could only be shown in single-theater theaters, so the promotional effect was mediocre.
A group of people came to Musashinokan in high spirits. Many book and movie fans who came here to watch the movie had already gathered at the ticket gate.
However, today is also the premiere day of "Hear the Wind Sing", and most of the traffic was obviously sucked away by the other party.
Kitagawa Hide was not as nervous as Saito Rena. His total expenditure for this movie was about 2200 million yen. As long as the box office could reach 5000 million yen, he would basically not lose money.
I have so many top IPs in my hands, and film and television adaptations are also the biggest source of income for my novels. I will just treat "The Serial Murder Case of the Ajimin Literature Award" as a test. If it becomes a hit, that's the best. If not, I will calm down and find the reason, and keep working hard in the future!
Because the film is only shown in a single theater, the ticket price is very low, 1500 yen for a single ticket. If you are a member of the theater, you can get a 1350% discount and only need 1800 yen. The ticket price for theater movies is basically between 2000 yen and 2500 yen, and a good seat may cost as high as yen.
"Is the script of this movie really written by Mr. Kitagawa? Looking at the promotional poster, I don't recognize any of the actors playing the main roles. Could it be that someone is using Mr. Kitagawa's name to make money?" Someone pointed at the poster on the wall and asked a soul-searching question.
"At first I thought it was fake, but you can see that they put up pictures of Mr. Beichuan outside to promote the film. If it wasn't written by him, the cinema wouldn't dare to do that!"
"Yes, yes. I heard from some friends who work in publishing houses that the original novel of this movie has been written a long time ago and may be officially released soon!"
Movie fans and book lovers were chattering while checking their tickets to enter the venue. Many of them came to watch out of curiosity, and many of them had just come from the "Hear the Wind Sing" performance.
Kitagawa Hide was relieved to hear that their reviews of the movie version of "Hear the Wind Sing" were very bad.
Nikkatsu and Kodansha did not disappoint him. These two groups have never disappointed anyone!
The audience took their seats one after another, and after a few sudden gunshots, the movie officially began.
"The Akumizu Literature Award Serial Murder Case" - the original novel's author is Kitagawa Hide. After these big words came into view, everyone's hearts finally settled down.
This is really a movie that Mr. Kitagawa made secretly by himself!
Considering the last Akutagawa Prize award and Mr. Kitagawa's remarks at the University of Tokyo, they all smiled meaningfully and became very interested in this movie again!
Soon, Ichiko Baka, played by Danki Shiro, appeared in the center of the screen wearing a white vest. He had a stable job, a kind family, and a good income. He was originally a middle-class person who could live happily in the post-bubble era.
However, his literary dream ruined everything!
The repeated failure of submitting manuscripts made Ichiko Malu begin to doubt his life and writing skills. His dissatisfaction was turned into words, and he wrote down the intrigues in the company.
Unexpectedly, this book "The Wolves of Big Business" became a hit!
After that, he was noticed by Kodansha and joined a strange small group of writers.
When the audience heard the name "Kōdansha", they all burst into laughter, and those who knew the business understood the situation tacitly.
As the plot deepens, they become intoxicated by the bizarre group of writers, the disgusting judges of the Mustard Prize, and the various dark sides of the literary world.
Before we knew it, most of the film was over. The entire audience was silent, and everyone was watching carefully, afraid of missing any part of the plot.
Up to this moment, no one had left the venue. Apart from the sound of the movie being played, the sounds of breathing around could be clearly heard.
Kitagawa Hide knew that this movie was a sure success!
In the last 30 minutes of the film, Ichigo Malu begins his "vote bribery" activities. The audience below is completely aroused and follows his perspective to see one hideous judge after another.
In the last 15 minutes, the movie finally reached its climax!
As soon as they saw the familiar scene of the Jieqi Award selection meeting, everyone in the audience exclaimed.
This is basically a one-to-one replica of the Akutagawa Prize award ceremony in the first half of the year!
Kitagawa Hide's sarcasm and contempt almost overflowed the screen.
To everyone’s surprise, “The Wolves of Big Business” was not selected!
Although we know that the protagonist's experience may be based on some of Kitagawa Hide's own experience, this is an exaggerated and comedic movie after all. No one thinks that after Ichiko Bakashi tried so hard to bribe the voters, his work could still be rejected!
But I was not selected.
There are also housewives and literary girls who have the same tragic ending as him, which is heartbreaking to watch.
Especially the scene where Mayumi Aso cried in front of the door of Kodansha with her big belly, which made people feel both funny and sad.
It turns out that the legendary Akutagawa Prize hides so many dark things?
Just when everyone thought the story would come to an end - satire works often do this, ending abruptly after revealing the darkest parts, leaving everyone with endless aftertaste and falling into deep thought.
"I Am a Cat" is like this. The novel ends with "we" drinking beer and dying. The literati continue to lick, and Hanyue chooses to be the son-in-law of the Jintian family. The capitalists are still at large.
However, this "Akira Literary Award Serial Murder Case" took an unusual path!
Everyone held their breath as Ichiko Malu got a shotgun and loaded bullets one by one at home.
"No way! Is this crazy?"
"This, does he want to..."
Quiet whispers came from all directions.
Then comes the most exciting climax of the whole film!
With a shotgun in hand, Ichiko Red Deer rushed to the judges' homes and delivered justice directly!
Bloody and exciting images filled their minds.
They finally realized that the "bang bang bang" sounds at the beginning were gunshots!
It’s so cool! It’s so cool!
The emotions that had been suppressed for a full 100 minutes were finally released at this moment!
Until the end of the movie, the subtitles started to appear, and the names of the main creative staff appeared one by one, the audience was still caught up in the frenzy and unable to extricate themselves.
Is this the truest literary award?
So it turns out that behind Mr. Kitagawa's failure to win the award, there were actually such a disgusting group of literary giants stirring up trouble?
Shameless, disgusting, yet painfully true!
"Clap clap-"
Thunderous applause resounded throughout the theater, not only in the Musashino Theater, but all the single-hall theaters that premiered "The Akutomi Literary Award Serial Murder Case" that day were filled with such sounds!
Teacher Beichuan did not disappoint them.
After lying dormant for several months and the completion of "I Am a Cat", Kitagawa Hide's new work made them feel its extraordinary charm again.
And it is a top-notch audio-visual enjoyment!
"Oh no! When will the physical book be released? I can't wait. I really want to buy it and read Mr. Kitagawa's original work!"
There are definitely differences between literary works and film and television works. The film gave them great expectations, and the original novel is likely to be more exciting than the adapted film! After all, the movie is only 120 minutes long, and in order to meet the tastes of most people and the needs of the release, some plots will be deleted.
Literary works are different, they can expose everything in a bloody way!
It strikes directly into people's hearts.
Kitagawa Hide, Saito Rena, Kawaide Shizuko and Iwai Shunji walked out of the Musashino Hall. Kitagawa Hide whispered, "Director Iwai, do you think the box office can meet my expectations?"
"What are Mr. Kitagawa's expectations?" Shunji Iwai couldn't say. Judging from the audience's reaction on the premiere day, the movie should have no problem making a profit.
"About 1 million yen." Kitagawa Hide made a rough estimate. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was ten times higher than the cost. If it could be shown only in single-theater theaters, he felt that it could be doubled.
"Definitely not a problem!" Upon hearing this number, Iwai Shunji immediately patted his chest and assured, "I think after Mr. Kitagawa releases the original novel, it should be close to 2 million yen."
If it can really reach 2 million yen at the box office, it will indeed be a good niche film in a single theater.
Kitagawa Hideki remembers that since the launch of the single-theater series, the highest-grossing film was the imported "Cinema Paradiso", which was released in 1989 and had a total box office of approximately 3.69 million yen.
"If we can reach 2 million yen at the box office, I will invite everyone to Ginza to have fun." Kitagawa Hide smiled and waved his hand, which immediately attracted cheers from the crowd.
As he spoke, he turned around and whispered with Kawaide Shizuko about the plan to release the single volume of "Akira Literary Award Serial Murder Case" in advance, so as to strike while the iron is hot and give the movie better publicity.
This book was published under Kitagawa Hide's Kitagawa Entertainment Co., Ltd., but in fact most of the printing and promotion work was done at the printing factory under Kawaide Shobo, but it is not stated on the surface.
Therefore, the royalties from the book will still be shared with Kawaide Shobo. Even if Kawaide Shizuko is willing to suffer a huge loss, Kitagawa Hide will resolutely not take any advantage of her.
Private friendships are one thing, but publishing a physical book might cost tens of millions of yen in publicity and promotion costs, so there is no way he would let Kawade Shobo publish it.
This time, Shizuko Kawaide was determined and directly cooperated with Hide Kitagawa at the highest royalty rate of 15%, and promised that all future physical books would be based on this royalty rate, and the sales share ratio would also be increased by an additional 5% and remain unchanged.
Kitagawa Hide felt warmed by the strong support from his big boss. He planned to write a better work for his next book, so that Kawade Shobo could completely crush "Gunzo" and no longer be in the embarrassing last place position!
After the 60th anniversary celebration of the Akutagawa Prize, Ichiko Sadaji and others, at the invitation of Ishihara Shintaro, walked into a single-theater cinema in Chuo Ward.
Shintaro Ishihara looked very bad, and his companion Airi Noma was shaking with anger.
"What's wrong? What's the matter?" Ichiko Sadaji followed them into the cinema with his hands behind his back, not understanding why they suddenly wanted to watch a movie together.
Shintaro Ishihara had a gloomy face the whole time, he really didn't know where to start.
Kitagawa Hide is a guy who doesn't know how to appreciate his kindness. Playing his song "Hear the Wind Sing" at this celebration and inviting him to watch is meant to help everyone reconcile a little.
Who let "I am a Cat" and the new haiku rub everyone to the ground?
The selection for the Akutagawa Prize in the second half of the year is imminent.
Kitagawa Hide's three works "A Wild Sheep Chase", "No Longer Human" and "I Am a Cat" are there. If the Akutagawa Prize continues to ignore it, especially "I Am a Cat", wouldn't that be a slap in the face of the Prime Minister?
But Kitagawa Hide just didn't come, and there was no intention of reconciliation at all.
He understood that young people are full of vigor, but when he learned that Kitagawa Hide secretly made a movie to satirize the Akutagawa Prize, Ishihara Shintaro could no longer sit still!
"The Akumi Literature Award Serial Murder Case".
The group of people reserved the entire place and sat down, their faces darkening.
It is self-evident what this mustard prize is.
In just over a month, Kitagawa Hide managed to accomplish such a big thing?
Ichiko Sadajiro suppressed his anger and watched.
As soon as the protagonist named Ichiko Baka appeared, he felt dizzy and dizzy!
How dare?
How dare he write like that?!
Airi Noma also looked extremely bad. Ever since "I Am a Cat" became a hit, employees in the company began to secretly call her "Mrs. Kaneda" behind her back. Her iconic big nose really fits the character in the novel!
That's fine.
What does Guangtanshe mean?
"All talk and no action?"
Airi Noma's teeth were about to break.
The movie plot continues to play.
The number of publishing houses and literary figures who have been satirized has increased. Especially the few people who are closely related to the Akutagawa Prize, almost all of them can be found in the movie!
And I don’t know if Kitagawa Hide did it on purpose. These actors are all unknown and their acting looks very funny. It’s simply a slap in the face!
"Bastard!!!" Ichiko Sadaji growled, and everyone around him was shocked.
Unfortunately, this roar could not change anything.
When Ichigo Malu shot "them" in the head one by one with a shotgun, the people sitting below felt a sense of absurdity, anger, and strangeness.
The thing is, this movie is pretty good!
The plot is beyond doubt.
It would be pretty cool if you could put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist!
Ichiko Sadaji felt like he was shot in the head by Kitagawa Hide with a shotgun!
The anger was rising layer by layer.
But before he could get angry, everything in front of his eyes suddenly went dark and he fell headfirst!
"Teacher Ichiko? Teacher Ichiko! Quick, quick, call an ambulance!"
Shintaro Ishihara quickly ran over to help him up, and yelled at the people around him.
The cinema was suddenly in chaos.
Just when they were in a panic and didn't know which way to go after being hit hard by Kitagawa Hide, the reputation of "The Akihabara Literature Award Serial Murder Case" slowly spread among various groups.
The number of viewers of "Hear the Wind Sing" is decreasing, while "The Akiyama Literature Award Serial Murder Case" unexpectedly became an overnight hit!
The next morning, Kitagawa Hide, who was still half asleep, received a call from Iwai Shunji.
"Moximoxi?" Kitagawa Hide rubbed his eyes.
"Mr. Kitagawa? Is that Mr. Kitagawa? Sorry to bother you! I, I'm so excited! The movie, the movie's premiere box office is out!"
Hearing him become so excited that he was almost incoherent, Kitagawa Hideya woke up: "Oh? How much is it?"
"The first day box office was 4790 million yen!!!"
(End of this chapter)