Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Ronald was chatting with director Zeffirelli when Niceta came to see him.

Zeffirelli thought Ronald knew Russian, but when he learned the truth, he fell down laughing. He took a sip of red wine and spit it out again. He looked at the label and said it was from Napa, California, and complained:

"California red wine can only be used to wash socks."

"Then you can only wash red socks." Ronald replied.

"Hahaha..., Ronald, I'm very happy today, especially when I saw you on stage to receive the award. But I will go back to Italy to direct an opera soon. There is no place for me in Hollywood. Remember to write to me then. letter."

Seeing how sad he said it, Ronald quickly asked what was going on.

"The MPAA gave 'Endless Love' an Release it with an x ​​rating. That's giving up the box office effort."

Ronald nuzzled at Brooke Shields, who was opposite him. Was it because of her passionate scene?

"No one knows that this is the first time for PolyGram to operate a theatrical film. It is also the first time for me to encounter this situation. We don't know what to do. I don't care. I will try my best to ensure my creative intention this time. If it still x level, then I will go back to direct the opera 'La Bohème', just as Pavarotti needs an opera for him to perform."

"Ronald!" Niceta gestured to him that the real person he wanted to see was here. When Diane saw this, she quickly ran over and took Ronald's hand and walked together.

Spielberg found a quiet place and waited for Ronald to come over to talk about the et script. Ronald saw that in addition to Spielberg, there was also a couple present. The man had a beard and the woman had short hair.

Niceta introduced forward, "This is Ronald Lee. These are..."

"This needs no introduction, Mr. Spielberg, and Mr. Lucas, and..." The two great directors have both given interviews on TV and been interviewed by Time Magazine. Ronald read them all.

"This is my wife Martha, hello Ronald."

"This is Diane Lane. She played the role of Love at Sunset Bridge." Ronald introduced Diane.

"Do you think she looks like Luke Skywalker's mother when she was younger?" Lucas saw Diane and asked about his wife. It just so happened that he was recently discussing with Lawrence Kasdan the outline of the prequel story after the end of the trilogy.

"Don't be rude, George. Not everyone wants to hear your Star Wars stories." Martha said with a smile.

"I highly doubt you can find such a person in America, Mrs. Lucas," Ronald replied with a smile.

"Hahaha……"

Everyone exchanged pleasantries, and Ronald briefly introduced his experience.

"Do you know Walter? Oh, we are good brothers. He can have the opportunity to direct his own movie? That would be great." George Lucas was very happy to hear the new trends of his old friend. After the success, he and Martha bought I got a new house and walked around less with my old friends from the zoetrope company.

The Lucas couple were mainly curious about what kind of person they were. Their old friend Spielberg wanted to meet them. After satisfying their curiosity, they left. They bought a large piece of land to build their new home and have been very busy recently meeting with designers.

This time, if several subordinates had not won the Academy Award for Special Contribution, they would not have come to Hollywood, which is out of place.

"Ronald, I really like your evaluation of et's script. I just happened to meet you this time."

Spielberg told Ronald the reason for meeting him.

et's script went through two more drafts, and Spielberg fully adopted Ronald's, or perhaps his own, ideas that coincided with Ronald's. The bad kid was removed and the bicycle scene was added.

This time I want to chat with Ronald in person to see if there are any new inspirations and ideas.

The two chatted for a while, and Ronald found that he didn't quite understand Spielberg's ideas. The ET movie that Spielberg imagined seemed to be very different from the movie he imagined.

Spielberg was excited to talk about some scenes that he considered very ordinary, and this incongruity deeply puzzled him. Is it because he has never dreamed of a movie, so he lacks the ability to turn words into audiovisuals?

Ronald thought about it seriously and said:

"Mr. Spielberg, I don't quite understand the scenes you are talking about. When I write a script, I usually have a complete picture in my mind, but this time here, it seems to have failed. I can't imagine what you see in your eyes. that world."

"I understand your dilemma, Ronald." Spielberg smiled and nodded. "You don't have the opportunity to observe with me on the set like Zemeckis. Well, I directed it and George produced it. The new movie 'The Lost Ark of the Covenant' will be released soon. After watching this movie, you will understand the problems with this type of movie. We will talk about it then."

"Oh, Ronald, you are so awesome. You can chat and laugh with directors like George Lucas and Spielberg. Although I still don't understand what you are saying." Diane now said to Ronald It feels a bit like admiration. Why didn’t you think that Cousin Donald was a powerful person before?

"Ah, this is nothing, they are also human beings. The gap between people can be very huge, but it should not exceed the scope of imagination. Even if I cannot achieve their huge success, it is impossible not to completely understand what they are doing. Say anything, the conversation is no problem.

Besides, they are all representative directors of New Hollywood. They are not like the powerful people in old Hollywood who are ranked based on seniority and are difficult to contact. "

Ronald explained. This group of directors were all influenced by the hippie movement, just like their editor Walter Mersey, who were relatively easy to talk to in the film industry.

Niceta came up to him and asked, "How was it? How was your chat with Steven?"

"He asked me to watch his new film The Lost Ark of the Covenant, but he didn't say anything else."

"Why, didn't he chat with you?"

"We talked, but I couldn't keep up with his rhythm, so he asked me to watch the new movie. He said that Zemeckis also watched him on the set before he understood his way of thinking. Who is Zemeckis?"

"Robert Zemeckis is the screenwriter of Spielberg's failed work '1941'. Legend has it that he was also Spielberg's apprentice.

The movie was a box-office disaster, and Steven had no new film dates for a long time. This time it was Lucas who asked him to direct The Lost Ark of the Covenant, otherwise Steven would have been silent for a year or two.

Hollywood tolerates all kinds of eccentricities and outrageous behaviors of stars, including alcoholism, domestic violence, and drug abuse, but there is only one behavior that cannot be tolerated, and that is losing money. "

"Isn't it okay for Spielberg to do that?"

"Yes, that won't work either. If it weren't for the support of Lucas and the helping hand of Eisner, the president of Paramount Pictures, it would be difficult for a director like Spielberg who often overdues filming schedules and goes over budget. Received such a large-scale production worth 20 million yuan.

I heard that Lucas rejected several studios and insisted on using Steven to direct. "

"So now this ET will also depend on the box office results of The Lost Ark of the Covenant before the studio is willing to invest?"

"You're smart, Ronald, that's what it is. Universal's Tom Mount just couldn't stand the box-office failure of Spielberg's last film and vetoed the ET project. Now he's in talks with Columbia's Frank Price, Hopefully we can get investment.”

Columbia's president, Price, was a personal connection to Ovitz. What Niceta hopes more is that the ET project will cooperate with Universal, so that CEO Sheinberg of Universal's parent company MCA can cooperate with his old friend Spielberg to suppress Tom Mount of different factions.

And I can sell a favor to Xinberg. With this favor, I can accomplish a lot of things.

Frank Price, Ronald was thinking that name too.

The circle of the eight major Hollywood studios is very small, and there are all these familiar faces coming and going. Columbia president Frank Price, who bought his script for Jane Fonda, is now working on a new project with Spielberg.

"By the way, what's the progress of my sold script now?" Ronald asked.

"Jane Fonda reconciled with her father Henry because of the filming of On Golden Pond. Henry Fonda's health is very poor, and she now spends a lot of time with her father. In addition, she is not satisfied with the revised script, and the entire project is now on hold. state."

"That's right!" Ronald cursed secretly, and the three of them walked back to the banquet hall.

"The decision for the fast-paced Richmond High School is now in the hands of Tom Mount, and he still wants David Lynch. But now that Lynch has a bad reputation, we have a good chance. You are always ready to go. Mount for interviews. You never know when he will abandon Lynch."

After Niceta arrived at the banquet hall, she took Ronald aside and explained in detail.

"During the interview, you mainly talk about your filmmaking style, image quality, and other aspects. Simply put, it is what kind of movie you want to make."

Ronald nodded repeatedly.

"Originally, these words should not be said on the night you win the award, but since you live in New York, I have to explain it first. When you go back, you can make a draft and then practice it with a friend. I will also give you a mock interview on the long-distance phone. .Adequate preparation is the prerequisite for success.

If you have the chance, you can always fly over and explain your ideas to Tom Mount face to face. "

As expected, Niceta had much better connections than Richard, and within a few days, she had already figured out Universal's views on the film.

"Hi, Ronald." Someone called him again.

Ronald looked up and saw "Tess" star Natasha Kinski, accompanied by Demi Moore.

"Hi, Natasha, hi, Demi." Ronald greeted them with a hug according to Hollywood rules.

"I almost didn't recognize you, Ronald." Kinski smiled. "До6рыйвечер."

"I actually don't speak Russian." Ronald explained the counselor's request again.

"Hahaha", Kinski smiled happily. She is a language genius, but she can speak Russian.

"Ronnie, I..., I'm already married to Freddy." Demi Moore smiled at the other side, feeling extremely regretful in her heart. Today I saw the images of Ronald taking the stage twice on the TV broadcast in the outfield, and I started sighing.

But you have to look beautiful and sexy in front of him, and don't let him forget about you, so that you can have another chance in the future.

"Oh, when, I haven't congratulated you yet." Ronald replied with a smile.

Natasha Kinski looked at Demi with amusement in her heart. Her stardom is much worse than mine, first it was Polanski, and then Coppola, but the director still likes blond beauties like herself with a high nose and deep eyes.

Demi's black hair actually mostly plays intellectual women, just like Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". The sexy protagonist is always the blonde one.

"Who is that? Is that your friend?" A middle-aged woman in the distance looked at Timothy Hutton, looking at Natasha Kinski and Demi Moore, and didn't go up to strike up a conversation, which was a bit strange. If you look closely, he seems to be a little afraid of the tall young man.

"No, it's just a familiar screenwriter." Hutton squinted his eyes and drank. "I will familiarize myself with the script of 'Lights Out' as soon as possible, Ms. Lansing."

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