Summary of the Core Content
"Niulai" is a "bad movie" that cost only 160,000 yuan to produce. However, it became an internet sensation due to the collective mockery from viewers, memes, and social sharing, earning nearly 90 million yuan at the box office. It has been dubbed China's own cult film. It replicated the success of the classic American cult movie "The Room" by using "sincere clumsiness" to trigger a frenzy of criticism. Behind this phenomenon is the need of young people to release stress through "abstract culture," ultimately creating what could be called "mockery economics" – transforming viewers' desire to mock into consumer behavior, resulting in an absurd yet plausible business case for an era of economic pressure.
Detailed Analysis
1. Why is "Niulai" the Chinese version of "The Room"? How do cult movies work?
Cult movies are not necessarily good films in the traditional sense, but they excel in being uniquely bad: either with confusing plotlines or awkward performances that captivate viewers due to their apparent sincerity and clumsiness. The success stories of "Niulai" and "The Room" are strikingly similar:
- The Room: Released in 2003, the movie featured hysterical acting and nonsensical dialogue (for example, the protagonist crying and shouting "You sound like a chickadee"). Its initial box office was only 1,900 dollars, but it attracted more viewers through their criticism. Fans would throw spoons in theaters, shout out lines together, and even buy merch featuring the director's underwear. It continues to draw large crowds annually when re-release.
- Niulai: Produced by a mother and son over a period of five years (a non-professional team), viewers imitated the sounds of cows during the film, created their own promotional content, and brands and cultural tourism industries also took advantage of the buzz. Both movies share a common trait: they are genuinely bad, but the sincerity of the production (such as the mother's support for her son in "Niulai") turned viewers' mockery into enthusiasm, leading to a subcultural phenomenon.
2. How did a 160,000 yuan investment generate 90 million yuan? How does "mockery" turn into real money?
The profit model behind "Niulai" can be described as "mockery economics":
- The ticket entry effect: To criticize, you must first watch the movie; experiencing it is a prerequisite for joining in the frenzy. For example, viewers of "The Room" felt they needed to have watched it to understand and then criticize it. The same principle applies to "Niulai," with the initial laughter from early enthusiasts attracting more buyers.
- Viral spread: Memes on social media (such as screenshots and fan-made content) helped promote the movie for free, while theaters and brands further increased its reach.
- Commercial expansion: Not only did the box office soar, but related stocks also performed well, indicating that "mockery" has become a source of monetizable traffic. Calculating the returns, the 160,000 yuan investment resulted in a profit of over 560 times, demonstrating the commercial value of this strategy.
3. Why do people pay to watch "bad movies"? What viewers really seek is an emotional release
There are three main psychological reasons why viewers are willing to pay for "bad movies":
- The right to mock: Without watching the movie, one cannot participate in the criticism; buying a ticket gives them the status to do so. For example, if you haven't seen "Niulai," you might feel excluded from friends' conversations about its memes and thus decide to watch it.
- The joy of collective frenzy: Watching a bad movie alone can be boring, but laughing, imitating, and interacting with others makes the experience more enjoyable. As viewers of "The Room" said, "Reciting lines and mimicking scenes was the happiest观影 experience of our lives."
- Resonance with sincerity: Viewers' attitudes towards "Niulai" shifted from mockery to understanding, especially after realizing the 60-year-old mother's support for her son's film-making efforts and the team's learning process through trial and error. This contrast added warmth to the story.
4. The era has fueled the success of "Niulai": Young people's "abstract" culture and stress
The popularity of "Niulai" is not accidental; it reflects the emotions of our time:
- Abstract culture as a outlet: In 2025, "abstract" was named the annual keyword, reflecting the greater pressures young people face. Using memes and creative humor to express themselves provides an outlet for these emotions.
- Short-video platforms accelerate dissemination: AI and short videos have doubled the speed of meme spread, with a single screenshot going viral and attracting more curious viewers.
- Small pleasures in tough economic times: During economic downturns, people are more willing to spend on small pleasures like movie tickets, turning emotional consumption into a profitable business. Just as "The Room" continued to be popular during economic challenges, "mockery economics" taps into the emotional needs of young people.
In Conclusion
The success of "Niulai" is a combination of subculture, emotional desires, and commercial strategies. It may not be a good movie, but it serves as a reflection of contemporary youth and economic trends. As long as young people continue to have emotions to express, there will always be opportunities for "mockery economics."