novellhall Chapter 380 I'll tell you all a joke
Chapter 380 I'll tell you all a joke
Chapter 379 I'll tell you all a joke
Within 24 hours of its release, the behind-the-scenes footage garnered over 100 million views on YouTube!
Dior, Chen Xun, and Jennifer all topped Twitter's global trending topics list.
Overseas netizens are going crazy: "Chen Xun is such a master! He's perfectly captured the charm of an Eastern man! How come I never noticed before that he looks so sophisticated in a suit!"
"That tarot card scene! It echoes his coin trick in '2 Broke Girls'! Eastern metaphysics colliding with Western tarot, what an amazing collaboration!"
"Maria is amazing! This is the first time I've seen a male character with such a significant role in a Dior haute couture go-go film, and it doesn't feel out of place at all. He and Jennifer are the two masters of this secret garden!"
"Help! I'm a straight guy, and I always thought Dior was a women's brand. But after watching Chen Xun's behind-the-scenes footage, I actually want to buy the same suit he's wearing!"
Weibo in China is also very popular.
#ChenXunDiorSecretGarden#
#Chen Xun's Eastern Charm is Killing Everyone#
The two terms immediately topped the trending search list.
Netizens flooded the comment section with comments: "Is this the aura of a Golden Globe-winning actor? In the secluded Parisian setting, he perfectly showcased the charm of an Eastern man, completely on par with Hollywood actresses. So inspiring!"
"I always thought that Asian men were easily overshadowed in the world of luxury haute couture, but Chen Xun completely took over! That calm and mysterious aura perfectly matches the theme of the tarot cards—it's amazing!"
"My boyfriend used to say that Dior was too girly, but after watching the behind-the-scenes footage today, he asked me to show him the new Dior menswear collection!"
Chen Xun's ability to drive sales is absolutely amazing!
"From Han Li's feng shui references to the clash between Eastern metaphysics and Western tarot in Dior's GG collection, Chen Xun has truly mastered cultural export! It's not a forced piling up of elements, but a genuine fusion of core elements—it's amazing!"
What surprised Dior even more was that within 24 hours of the release of the behind-the-scenes footage, visits to Dior Men's' global website surged by 400%!
The same haute couture suit worn by Chen Xun sold out immediately during pre-sales.
Men's apparel sales in the Asia-Pacific region increased fivefold.
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Countless male consumers who were previously uninterested in Dior menswear, especially male fans in China, were completely shattered by Chen Xun's first visit to a Dior store, which changed the public's preconceived notion that Dior was "more feminine".
In a hotel in Paris.
Jennifer scrolled through the online comments, then handed her phone to Chen Xun with a smile: "Look, our great actor Chen has now become the top Dior menswear seller. The brand just called my agent and said that sales have exploded. They're so happy they can't stop smiling, and they're going to give us both an extra bonus."
Chen Xun took the phone, glanced at it, and shook his head with a smile.
He accepted the endorsement simply because he thought it was suitable, but he never expected it to cause such a huge reaction.
Jennifer leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder, looking up at him with sparkling eyes: "You promised, after we finish taking pictures of GG, you'd come with me to the flea market to find some old cameras, no backing out."
Chen Xun looked down at the smile in her eyes, reached out and ruffled her hair, and nodded with a smile: "No regrets, we'll go tomorrow. You can go wherever you want in Paris, I'll go with you."
A Parisian morning.
Chen Xun smelled the aroma of freshly baked crepes and the dampness of the Seine.
The most famous flea market in Paris.
The narrow street was lined with stalls, piled high with old cameras, old records, vintage jewelry, and yellowed posters.
The market was bustling with people, mingling with the shouts of the stall owners.
Wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, and dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, Jennifer squatted in front of an old camera stall like an ordinary tourist. Her eyes shone like stars as she held a 1960s Leica M3 in her hands, examining it from all angles, muttering to herself, "My God, this is in such good condition! The shutter is still working, and look, there's not a single mold spot on the lens!"
Chen Xun squatted down beside her, holding the magnifying glass the stall owner handed him, and helped her check the wear and tear on the lens: "Didn't you say you already had more than a dozen old cameras piled up at home? How come you still can't resist seeing them?"
"That's different!"
Jennifer glared at him, but couldn't suppress the smile on her lips: "This is a Leica M3, I've been looking for it for so long! My dad had one when we were in Kentucky, but my brother broke it, and I was sad for a long time."
She lowered her head and touched the camera body again, her eyes filled with undisguised delight. But when she saw the price quoted by the vendor, she frowned and muttered to Chen Xun, "He's asking for way too much. It's almost twice as expensive as the one I saw in Los Angeles last time."
Chen Xun couldn't help but laugh when he saw how much she liked it but was reluctant to spend the money.
He stood up and started chatting with the stall owner.
Fortunately, the stall owner also understood English.
He pointed out minor wear and tear on the camera body, slight shutter lag, and small imperfections in the viewfinder.
After a few words, the stall owner, who had been stubbornly insisting on a fixed price, suddenly relented and sold the camera to him for less than a third of the original price.
Jennifer stood to the side, watching him haggle with the vendor, her eyes wide with amazement.
When Chen Xun handed her the camera, she snapped out of her daze, her face filled with shock: "You actually know so much about cameras!"
"I learned it when I was filming."
Chen Xun had learned a lot about photography equipment on set before.
I never expected it to come in handy now.
He ruffled her hair: "Are you satisfied now?"
Clutching the camera, Jennifer, like a little girl who had just received her favorite toy, tiptoed and quickly kissed him on the cheek, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "I'm so satisfied! Chen Xun, you're amazing!"
When passersby looked over, Jennifer realized she had been too excited. She quickly grabbed Chen Xun's hand and squeezed into a nearby alley. Hiding in a secluded corner, she looked at her camera over and over, muttering, "When we get back, I'll buy film and take lots of pictures of you, pictures of you in a suit, pictures of you on set, and pictures of all of you."
Chen Xun leaned against the wall, watching her mutter to herself.
We're used to seeing her radiant on the red carpet, but it's rare to see her so happy and girlish right now.
Are you hungry?
Chen Xun reached out and tucked the stray hairs that had been ruffled by the wind behind her ear: "There's a crepe stand up ahead, want to buy one?"
"I want it with chocolate sauce and banana!"
Jennifer nodded immediately, holding her camera, and naturally took his hand, following him out of the market.
The two of them spent the whole day wandering the streets of Paris like any ordinary couple.
Holding a warm crepe in her hand, Jennifer strolled slowly along the Seine, taking pictures of Chen Xun non-stop with her newly purchased old camera.
Fortunately, this was an old street in France, and not many people could recognize them at a glance.
When they reached the Bridge of Locked Hearts, Jennifer pulled Chen Xun along and bought a brass lock from a small shop at the bridgehead. With a marker in hand, she wrote their names on the lock stroke by stroke. Then, she stood on tiptoe, hung the lock on the bridge railing, and threw the key into the Seine.
"You still believe in this?" Chen Xun asked her with a smile.
"I didn't believe it before, but I do now."
Jennifer turned around, reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, looked up at him, her eyes full of seriousness: "I want to keep you by my side."
The setting sun casts a golden glow on the Seine.
Chen Xun lowered his head and kissed her.
The evening breeze carried the dampness of the river, mixed with the scent of her perfume.
After three days of fun in Paris, the two had to board a flight back to New York.
The studio for the Joker talk show has been set up.
The most crucial and climactic scene of the entire film is about to begin filming.
Jennifer insisted on going to New York with him, ostensibly to "observe and learn from the Golden Globe-winning actor's legendary performance."
Chen Xun knew that she was worried that the scene would be too psychologically draining for him and wanted to stay with him.
The day after the plane landed in New York, Chen Xun took Jennifer to a photography studio in Brooklyn.
The studio is a replica of a primetime talk show studio from the 1980s in the United States.
The deep red curtain, the dark brown wooden podium, the fan-shaped seating arrangement, and the stage lights were all adjusted to have that warm yet dazzling feel from back then.
Multiple cameras were arranged according to the original live broadcast perspective, and even the backdrop of the studio was printed with the classic logo of "The Murray Frank Show".
Stepping into this place feels like stepping back into a stand-up comedy show in the 80s.
Robert De Niro was sitting in a guest chair on stage, discussing the script with Todd Phillips.
Seeing Chen Xun enter, he immediately stood up with a smile and shook hands with him.
The legendary Hollywood actor looked at Chen Xun with admiration in his eyes: "Chen, I watched the subway scene and the staircase dance clips you filmed before. They were brilliant. I haven't seen such a spirited performance in many years."
"Mr. De Niro, it is an honor to work with you."
Chen Xun's tone was very sincere.
In his past life, he watched De Niro's performances on screen countless times.
Travis in "Taxi Driver" is practically a textbook example for all method actors.
For him, being able to share the stage with this legendary actor is also a rare opportunity for growth.
The two went over the lines with the script. De Niro readily agreed to the few performance adjustments Chen Xun suggested, even saying with a smile, "You are the absolute lead in this scene. You can act however you want, and I'll follow your rhythm."
Jennifer, watching the two act together, was filled with excitement. She pulled Todd aside and whispered, "Director, can I be a cameo in the audience? Just sit in the audience, like a little Easter egg."
Todd immediately smiled and nodded, "Of course! It's our honor to have an Oscar-winning actress as an extra!"
Jennifer immediately ran happily to change into a regular sweatshirt, tied her hair into a ponytail, and mingled with more than 200 extras. She sat in the middle of the audience, like an ordinary audience member, waiting for filming to begin.
An hour before filming began, Chen Xun went into the dressing room alone.
The makeup artist gave him a full clown makeover, with white greasepaint covering his entire face, red smile lines extending from the corners of his mouth to his cheeks, his green hair neatly combed, and he was dressed in his signature bright red suit.
When he came out of the dressing room again, his whole aura had changed!
He was hunched over, his hands were clasped together nervously, his eyes darted around, and he walked with a cautious gait.
At this point, he had become Arthur Fleck.
The clown who stepped onto this stage with his last glimmer of hope.
Jennifer sat in the audience, watching him walk onto the stage, and her heart skipped a beat.
Even though she already knew how good Chen Xun's acting skills were, the shock of seeing him completely transform into another person in an instant still gave her goosebumps.
"All departments, take your positions! Murray Frank's live broadcast scene, first take, get set!"
Action!
""
The clapperboard fell, and filming officially began.
The stage spotlight shone on Chen Xun.
The glaring light made him squint slightly.
He stood in the center of the huge stage.
In the wide-angle lens, his figure appears exceptionally small, like a speck of dust thrown into a crowd.
With his head down and his hands constantly fidgeting with the seams of his trousers, he staggered to the guest chair and sat down, not daring to lift his head. Facing the applause and cheers of more than 200 audience members, his body trembled slightly, and his voice trembled almost imperceptibly as he spoke his first line into the microphone: "Hello everyone, I am the clown."
Just as rehearsed, the audience burst into laughter, their shouts rising and falling.
Jennifer sat in the crowd, watching his timid and ingratiating demeanor, and felt a pang in her heart.
Behind this humble act of flattery lies the recognition Arthur had never received in his entire life; he staked all his dignity on a chance to perform on stage.
The following dialogue is a clash between Arthur and Murray.
De Niro's Murray, with his condescending mockery, repeatedly interrupts Arthur, making fun of his jokes and leading the audience to laugh at him like a clown.
Chen Xun's character, Arthur, initially appeared cautious and tried hard to please, but his eyes gradually changed.
When Murray laughed and mocked him again, saying, "Your jokes aren't funny at all, you're just a pathetic scumbag," he suddenly raised his head, looked directly at the camera, and looked directly at Murray.
His previously evasive gaze became incredibly resolute.
He sat up straight, no longer hunched over, placed his hands on the table, and gradually increased the speed of his speech. His gestures became more and more firm, and his voice went from trembling to steady, and then to filled with suppressed anger as he denounced this cold world: "Tell me what is right, what is wrong, what is funny, and what is not funny."
You set the rules, you laugh at those who are trampled underfoot, you treat me as a joke, as a source of amusement, but have you ever thought that it is this society that has forced me into this state?
"I've never been happy for a single minute in my life. Do you think killing Murray makes me a bad guy?"
"But people die on the streets of this city every day, people starve to death, and people are evicted by their landlords. You never care about that. You only care whether I tell a funny joke on camera."
His voice grew louder and louder.
The audience, initially laughing, gradually quieted down, then grew shocked and fearful.
Only Arthur's voice echoed throughout the entire studio.
More than 200 extras were completely drawn into the role by Chen Xun's performance. The smiles on their faces gradually disappeared, replaced by fear and confusion. They even forgot the rehearsed reactions and were completely immersed in the performance.
Todd, sitting in front of the monitor, held his breath, his eyes glued to the screen, afraid of missing a single detail.
Jennifer sat in the audience, her blood seemingly frozen.
She watched Chen Xun on the stage, watching him gradually transform from a humble and timid nobody into a accuser with crazed eyes.
The despair and anger emanating from her very bones could pierce straight into her heart, even from a distance of more than ten meters.
She had acted in countless plays and won an Oscar for Best Actress, but she had never seen a performance like this before.
He just sits there and delivers his lines, and you're convinced he is Arthur Fleck, the Joker driven to the brink by the world.
When Murray angrily slammed his fist on the table and berated him, "You're just making excuses, you're a murderer!"
Arthur suddenly laughed.
He looked at Murray and said slowly, "I'll tell you all a joke."
Murray frowned. "What joke?"
The camera gave Chen Xun a close-up shot of his hand, which slowly reached into the inside pocket of his suit and grasped the revolver.
The camera rapidly switches between shots of him and Murray, completely reversing the original power dynamics at this moment.
Murray, who was previously in a superior position, has become the passive party, while Arthur, who was originally insignificant, has become the one in control of the whole situation.
"You wouldn't understand!"
After saying this, Arthur suddenly drew his pistol, pointed it at Murray's forehead, and pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
The moment the gunshot rang out, the screen instantly went black, leaving only the piercing gunshot and the screams of the audience.
There were no direct scenes of bloodshed, but this gunshot had a more psychological impact than any explicit violent scene, like a hammer slamming into everyone's heart.
"Cut!!!"
Todd's voice was trembling uncontrollably.
The entire studio erupted in thunderous applause.
More than 200 extras, along with all the staff, stood up and clapped enthusiastically for a full two minutes without stopping.
De Niro stood up, walked over to Chen Xun, and patted him hard on the shoulder, his eyes full of genuine admiration: "Chen, your performance just now was one of the best I've ever seen in my life. You'll win an Oscar for this role, I guarantee it!"
As applause erupted, several attribute orbs slowly floated down from the direction of the stage:
[A villainous character with a legendary status in film history, delivering a powerful and explosive performance +50]
[Method Performance: Three-Tiered Emotional Progression Control +40]
[The pacing of the scenes and the reversal of power dynamics +35]
[Ability to create psychological impact without dialogue and through subtle facial expressions +30]
[Comic book adaptation characters' depth of humanity and ability to express social issues +32]
"Absorb it all!"
Chen Xun watched as the attribute orbs continuously merged into his body.
His grasp of method acting and the soul of his characters has become increasingly profound.
Just then, Jennifer ran over from the audience, holding a bottle of water, and handed it to him.
She looked at Chen Xun's still-present clown makeup, her eyes filled with heartache and barely concealed pride. She reached out and gently touched his cheek, her voice trembling slightly: "Chen Xun, you were just—so amazing! I was sitting down there, and I even felt like you really turned into Arthur."
Seeing the worry in her eyes, Chen Xun reached out and pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry, I'm back."
"