Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald still faxed his experience and analysis of "God Is Crazy" to New World Production.

Roger Coleman admired Gale Hurd's talents very much, and she gradually started to get started with some things. After receiving Ronald's fax, Gale made a long-distance call to confirm the viewing effect of "God Is Crazy".

The film broke box office records during its run in South Africa. However, the social impact of South Africa's imprisonment of black leader Mandela also made Coleman stop the idea of ​​​​introducing it after hearing Gale's report. The motto of New Age Productions is to take no risks.

Ronald continued to watch movies in Montreal.

It must not only meet the aesthetics of American audiences, but also have a strong story and be cheap. It’s really not easy to find movies that meet all three criteria.

Just when Ronald suspected that he was going to leave empty-handed, the second screening film of the Soviet Union delegation was released.

The name of this movie is very strange, called "Moscow does not believe in tears (; does not believe in tears)".

After asking officials from the Soviet Union State Film and Television Committee (goskino) whom I met last time, I learned that this is an old Russian proverb, and its real meaning is that Moscow will not be moved by tears. When you encounter setbacks, you should wipe away your tears and rely on struggle to win the favor of fate.

The plot of the movie is a bit cliche. In 1958, three young girls from a small town, Katarina, Lyudmila, and Antonia, went to work in a factory in Moscow and lived in workers' dormitories. One of Catalina's relatives was a university professor. When she showed them a house while they were on vacation, Catalina pretended to be the professor's daughter and held a party with her two girlfriends.

Rudolf, a Moscow TV cameraman, takes a fancy to Caterina's social status and pursues her. Caterina was afraid that Rudolf would look down upon her because of her origins, so she lied that she was the daughter of a professor. When the two were discussing marriage, Rudolf went to the factory for an interview and accidentally discovered Catalina's true identity.

Rudolf's mother refused to let her son marry Caterina, a girl who came to the city to work. Catalina was already pregnant at this time. She asked Rudolf to borrow money for an operation but was rejected, so he had to give birth to her daughter. Raising her daughter alone with the help of two girlfriends. Catalina worked hard and got into college.

The structure of the film is very classical, with an intermission at one hour and ten minutes. This is the two-act structure of old blockbusters like "Gone with the Wind." There is an intermission for the audience to use the restroom to touch up their makeup.

Ronald also went to the bathroom,

He increasingly feels that the film reviews he hears from the audience here are more reliable than the film critics. But most people spoke French, which he couldn't understand. I overheard several audience members conversing in English, and most of them lamented that they didn't expect there to be unwed mothers in Suville.

Ronald felt the same way. This story would be much more harmonious if it happened in America. Pregnancy out of wedlock, single mother, young man from small town to big city, no matter how you look at it, it is all a story that is unique to America. No wonder goskino officials said that the movie broke the attendance record in Suville. The audience there has never seen this kind of plot, right?

Went back to our seats to watch the second half. The time has arrived in 1979, Catalina graduated from university and has become the director of her factory. Lyudmila divorced her alcoholic hockey player husband and is still looking for a rich husband. Only Antonia married the country farmer Volodya and had several children to complete the family.

The divorce rate in this movie is almost as high as America's. Ronald was even more convinced that the director was a little off.

After visiting her friend Antonia in the countryside, Caterina met Guosha, a fitter, on the train back to the city. Guosha fell in love with Caterina at first sight and immediately began to pursue her. However, he mistakenly thought that Catalina was an office clerk, so that a strong man and a weak woman could last long. Instead of ending in divorce like my last marriage.

Guosha helped Caterina's daughter Alexandra fight off the gangsters and played the role of a father. Just as the two were getting closer and preparing to get married, Alexandra's biological father, photographer Rudolf, went to the factory to shoot an advertisement and recognized Caterina.

Rudolf rashly breaks into Caterina's house for dinner and reveals the secret that Caterina is the director of the factory. Guosha was angry at Catalina's deception and left home on the spot.

Two friends, Lyudmila and Antonia, decided to help Katerina find Gusha. With a few clues, Antonia's husband Volodya finally found Guosha, who was drinking at home, and the two solved their knot by drinking together. Eventually Guosha returned to Catalina's house and the family had dinner.

How did Ronald feel after watching the movie?

The movie is certainly a good one, and it did well at the box office in Suville. But this kind of routine is already common in American movies. And after all, the movie is shot in another world, and there are some subtle differences in culture that the audience may not necessarily accept.

Moreover, the movie lasts two hours and twenty minutes, and there is an intermission. Movie theaters in America have some trouble scheduling the movie.

Thinking about these disadvantages, Ronald chatted for a while with the officials from the National Film and Television Commission whom he met last time.

Can feel the other person's obvious frustration. The film received a cold reception from buyers. Although they all congratulated Sewell for making a box office hit, they were not interested in importing it to their respective countries.

One of the functions of the National Film and Television Commission is to promote Suwei culture to the outside world. This film participated in the West Berlin Film Festival in the first half of this year and received nothing. The West Berlin Film Festival, which was influenced by American capitalism, certainly did not want to see this film.

Despite all the controversial plots, there was a happy ending in the end. The judges did not vote for this kind of film that did not profoundly reveal the dark side.

Seeing Ronald, the officials became energized again. If they could get American film producers to introduce this film and land it in American theaters, it would be a great achievement and they could be included in the annual summary to ask for credit from the top.

He couldn't help but think of the commission's secretary-general's instructions to him before leaving to make Western audiences aware of Sewell's artistic achievements.

After thinking for a while, he took out his trump card.

"Mr. Ronald, our Seville National Film and Television Committee, in order to allow the American people to see the real life of the Sewell people and deepen the understanding between both parties, we can sell you a few copies of this film at a symbolic price. Copies. As long as you can guarantee a theatrical release.

If you can secure a commercial release in theaters in America, you can contact the Soviet Embassy or Consulate in the United States and the Cultural Counselor to order more copies, and we will discuss the price at that time. "

"Is this..." Ronald's mind raced. It was in line with Coleman's philosophy. Nothing risky was like getting a movie copy for free. Many art theaters needed movies to fill in the commercial release slots, and they were willing to accept it. This kind of copy, like late-night theaters in New York...

"You know, Comrade Director. America is a commercial society. If the audience does not accept this movie, the theater chain will lose money and we will lose money..."

"No, we have already included it as a candidate for this year's Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and submitted it to the Oscars. We will definitely not lose money."

"This? Will your Soviet Union movies also participate in the Oscar selection?" Ronald was a little surprised.

"Of course, Sewell's films have won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film twice." Comrade Director Comrade began to talk endlessly about Sewell's film achievements.

It turns out that as early as 1969. The series "War and Peace" directed by Bondarchuk won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. This movie, starring more than 120,000 Soviet troops, aroused great repercussions in the West, and took in 58 million rubles at the box office worldwide.

The other one was introduced by Roger Corman and filmed by Japanese Akira Kurosawa in Suville, "Desu Uzala" won the 1976 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Since the investment belonged to the Soviet Union, this film was also considered as the Soviet Union's choice for the Oscar, and the award also belonged to the Soviet Union.

Ronald was overjoyed. If this "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" can be nominated for the best foreign language film, then some people should be willing to go into the cinema and try it. It would be even better if you can win a prize, and with the almost no cost of copying, this is a sure-fire deal.

However, he still said calmly, "Comrade Director, the American people have a bad habit of not being interested in what is happening in other parts of the world. If it is a European audience, they will definitely go and watch the film festival nominees. of fine art, and the people of America..."

"I understand, I understand, this is also the distress I have as the National Film and Television Commission responsible for the work of the Americas Department." Comrade Director Comrade said that he understood Ronald's distress very well.

"Can we ask the main creative staff of the movie to do some publicity for our movie when they go to Los Angeles to attend the Oscars? You know, the American people worship heroes, and a Sewell movie won an Oscar. They might want to watch it. What kind of heroes can do such a feat?"

"Ah...ah...this, this has to wait for our committee to make unified arrangements." The director said awkwardly. Director Menshov was criticized by some conservatives for this film. Who told him to film some controversial scenes involving an unmarried mother and an alcoholic husband?

Although the general secretary-general of the Soviet Union is a movie fan, he personally made the decision to release the movie after watching it, and it also achieved good box office results. But those people have banned him from going abroad to participate in international film festivals on the pretext that his films have bourgeois tendencies and are afraid that he will defect.

On the contrary, it is Andrei Tarkovsky, the director of "Stalker". Although no one understands his movies, Europeans admire him very much and he often wins awards to win honors for the alliance. Now I can go abroad to participate in film festivals, and even go to foreign locations to shoot movies.

"In short, we will definitely support the release of this film in America." Seeing that Ronald seemed to want to quit, Comrade Director Comrade immediately started to put on his hat. This is for the mutual understanding between the people of the Soviet Union and the United States and is a great cause. "

"Hey, this business still has no future, if the main creative staff is not present."

"I will immediately send a telegram to my superiors to report this matter." The director said seriously, "Leave your address and we will instruct the Cultural Counselor of the Soviet Consulate in Los Angeles to directly allocate a few copies to you..."

"We are New World Company." Ronald quickly continued.

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