Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"The response in Colombia has been positive, and my feedback from various news channels also said that the attendance rates everywhere are pretty good. If your estimate is correct, word-of-mouth spread, the box office on Saturday and Sunday will be better."

Weintraub called Ronald on Saturday morning. He went through the cycle of frustration and excitement several times last night. He got feedback from Colombia in the early morning and finally couldn't help but talk to Ronald. Ronald shares the good news.

"I know, everything is as expected." Ronald replied perfunctorily.

"Now we hope to stay on screen for a little longer. Columbia's distribution department said it will probably be more than ten weeks." Weintraub continued to chatter.

"Um... um..." Ronald finally listened to the other party's nagging and hung up the phone.

"Who's calling?" The sleepy Diane hooked her arm around Ronald's neck, "Hehehe..."

"It's my producer. It seems that the box office response last night was good."

"Your movies always get high box office." Diane's eyes were pierced by the sunlight coming from the curtains that Ronald opened, and she threw herself into Ronald's arms. "It's just that the film critics don't want to say Kind words for you.”

"Hey, yes." Ronald hugged the girl tightly in his arms. Last night, Diane came to Los Angeles to audition for a new movie. The two reunited after a short separation, which had its own sweetness.

I really don't like film critics. Except for the first "Fast Time", which had a few good words from the New York film critic Pauline Carr, the film critics in the famous New York media were reluctant to review his films.

The two brothers in Chicago, bald Sisko and glasses Albert, are always at odds with themselves, always giving themselves very low scores, and then criticizing the plot.

Even though his two exploitation films were blockbuster hits, they were not liked by film critics.

"How was the audition for your new movie?" Ronald asked Diane.

"Hmm... um... um..." Diane buried her head in Ronald's chest, unwilling to mention the failed audition.

"Streets of Rage" was released last week. Not only Diane, but also the film's producers and directors were hit hard by the market, and their prospects in Hollywood have become bleak. Although the casting director politely asked Diane to go back and wait for news, everyone understood that it was just a courtesy.

"I..." Ronald also shook his head,

Not to mention my proposal to act with Diane. After being rejected several times, he understood that actresses who had received systematic acting education would not lower their status to act in low-cost exploitation films as long as they still had a way to go.

Even if these movies are hits, they will not do much good for the actor's stardom. Unless you are desperate and have to start from scratch on the ladder of fame, or you have no pursuit of acting skills and just want to make money by making movies, everyone should try to avoid falling into this kind of movie.

This has nothing to do with the close relationship between the two, but is determined by the Hollywood industry. Ronald slowly stroked Diane's short hair to help her recover from the depression of the failed audition.

"Ah, I also had an appointment with producer Joe Silver. He said that 'Streets of Rage' might be suitable for the European market and asked me to go to Europe with him to sell copies."

After sleeping sweetly in Ronald's arms for a few more hours, Diane suddenly remembered that she had a date today and hurriedly got up and put on her clothes, "Where are my pants?"

"Here", Ronald found it on the floor on the other side of the bed and handed it over. The two of them were very passionate last night and their clothes fell all over the floor.

"Honey, I'm leaving first." Diane hurriedly got into the bathroom and took a shower. After getting dressed, she said goodbye to Ronald and left.

“Drive carefully”

"I know, Ronnie."

The beauty left in a hurry, leaving Ronald alone at home. Diane's ambition is still to be a female star. For this goal, she is unwilling to stay by her side for a long time.

For an actress who once saw the status of a top female star in Hollywood to give up her acting career and become a trophy wife to prove her husband's status, she is definitely not willing to do so.

In this case, it would be good to maintain the current relationship, and maybe I can help her in the future.

"Ronald, look at today's New York Times."

Ronald was having brunch when he was interrupted by a call from Weintraub.

"I haven't gone out to buy a newspaper yet."

"No, I'll read it to you." Weintraub seemed very excited on the phone. It seemed that the New York Times had said a lot of good things.

"Janet Maslin, The New York Times," Weintraub cleared his throat.

Much of "The Dragon King," the best part, seems like a fortune cookie motto.

In a Hollywood-style take on Eastern wisdom, a teenager named Daniel is taught one lesson after another about life. His mentor is an old man named Mr. Miyagi, played by Noriyuki Morita (PAT).

Miyagi is first seen trying to catch flies with a pair of chopsticks. Throughout the film, Mr. Miyagi maintains an eye-catching, even hilarious, eccentric style.

Mr. Miyagi easily becomes the perfect surrogate father figure for Daniel, thanks to the old man's patience, understanding, and seemingly infinite knowledge.

His prodigious mastery of karate was another asset in Daniel's mind, as the boy had just moved to California from New Jersey and often found himself being ravaged by big blond bullies who dressed like Michael Jackson. Mr. Miyagi teaches him how to protect himself and become a man in the process. "

"Giggle..." It seems that this film critic does not like MJ's diamond bling bling dressing style. There are indeed many street teenagers who imitate, Ronald smiled.

""The Kid", which was released simultaneously at the Ziegfeld Cinema and more than a thousand other cinemas across the country today, may become a long-lost, truly heart-warming double drama. The young screenwriter and director Ronald is not satisfied with Just get things done.

His films are packed with extras, from supporting characters who impress in their own right, to the unexpected climactic clincher. If some of the montage shots under the sun could be deleted, the rhythm of the film would be more suitable for modern audiences.

This movie is essentially a fairy tale. Ronald Lee's wonderful directorial skills often make us forget this, and feel that the friendship between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi is so real. So much so that I fell in love with it. "

"Ronald, it's me, the Los Angeles Times."

Weintraub was so stunned that every time there was a new film review, he would call and read it to Ronald in person.

“Yes, he’s a bit silly for a fairy tale movie.

Yes, he has the cliche that all sports movies have, a frustrated kid who, under the guidance of a coach full of experience and wisdom, defeated a strong opponent and won the championship.

Yes, his romance is like our first date in high school, overly cautious to protect the pg rating.

But, we just love it.

This film, written and directed by Los Angeles-based emerging director Ronald Lee, is so unpretentious yet so intoxicating.

This is not just a sports movie, but a kid's hero's journey. It’s a dream shared by everyone who has experienced being bullied by someone stronger than you in school. The weak triumphs over the strong, and justice triumphs over evil. …like a teenage version of ‘Rocky’.

To all the parents out there, if you haven't seen this movie yet, I suggest you go with your kids right now and they will feel this inner courage and strength. "

"Hmm... I'm not Rocky!" Ronald was very happy at first, but then he saw others saying that his story was like Stallone's "Rocky". How exactly was it similar?

"Ronald...it's me again, this time with The Hollywood Reporter and Variety Weekend Edition."

"Unexpectedly fascinating..."

"A great family movie that your kids will love."

"Ronald..."

"I said Jerry, I still have dinner, can't we talk tomorrow?" Ronald received another call from Weintraub. This man really enjoyed it. The movie reviews released today all praised "The Dragon King". In fact, Ronald was also happy, but it was a bit unbearable to be interrupted again and again.

"No, watch TV, PBS channel, Cisco and Albert are talking about your movie."

"Oh?" Ronald turned on the TV, wondering what they would think this time.

"Having seen Rocky, we know how the movie ends. One obvious problem is that the movie is too long, maybe thirty minutes too long, and the story is told too slowly.

It only tells a typical Hollywood hero story, that is, how a child transfers to a new school and is accepted by his classmates. Better not by dating the most beautiful girl.

I gave him a thumbs up, just over the line. "

"Sisko doesn't like our movie?" Ronald was chatting with Weintraub while watching it. This was something he didn't expect. In the Chicago duo, Sisko always tended to give himself high marks. That one.

"His Tribune readers are middle-class and certainly don't like the plot of a poor boy picking up their daughter." Weintraub knew Sisko's thoughts very well.

"No, no, no, this is not a movie about integrating into a new school, at least not completely. I appreciate it very much and give it two thumbs up." Fat Albert unexpectedly gave it high marks.

"This movie is not like Rocky, where you can predict the ending just by looking at the beginning. I disagree with you. The focus of the entire movie is not on the final game, but on teaching."

Albert pushed up his glasses and continued to comment.

"This is the first time I have seen in a martial arts movie that fighting is not the focus. The focus is on the philosophy of martial arts. This philosophy is not only used in martial arts, but can also be used in life."

"What happened? Has the sun risen in the west?" Ronald asked Weintraub in surprise.

"His Sun newspaper has many blue-collar readers. Perhaps their children are being bullied by children from wealthy families at school. Perhaps when they were young, they were also attracted to the rich girls on the flight?"

"Who doesn't?" Ronald chuckled. It turns out that film reviews also depend on the composition of their readers. Only from the readers' perspective can they enjoy this bowl of rice for a long time.

Ronald hung up the phone, opened the pizza he ordered, picked up a piece while it was hot and ate it.

"Ring ring ring ring..." The phone rang again.

"Hey, Jerry, I'm eating pizza, stop reading movie reviews to me." Ronald thought there was some new movie review coming out.

"Ronnie, it's me." Aunt Karen's voice came from the other side of the phone.

"Oh, aunt. Hello, I thought it was someone else. Why are you calling me tonight?" Ronald asked. Aunt Karen rarely calls him outside of her routine greetings on weekends.

"I called to congratulate you on finally making a good movie. I asked Donna to buy a ticket immediately.

I...I was very touched. The movie seemed to take me back to the past, when I had just lost Steve and took Donna with me alone. "

"Aunt, it's all over. In fact, when I wrote the script, I wrote it based on you as Daniel's mother. She is very optimistic, loves her children, has a strong personality, and works hard..." Ronald began to comfort him, already a little bit more embarrassed. Aunt Karen.

This was the first time that his aunt liked his movie so much, and Ronald was more excited than the praise from the film critics.

"Ronnie, you must come to see her next time you go back to New York. I have something to tell you."

"Can't you say it on the phone? I like to hear you praise me, aunt. Your praise is more important to me than what all the film critics say."

"Haha, you did a great job, Ronnie. I'm glad that the movie you made is just like the Hollywood movies I used to watch when I was a kid, giving a voice to all ordinary people."

After chatting with his aunt for a while, Ronald ended his busy day.

The opening weekend of "The Kid" has passed quickly, and on Monday morning, the new box office numbers for the movie were released.

"The Dragon King" made $5.6 million. It ranked fourth after "Ghostbusters," "Gremlins," and "Tales from Hell", surpassing "Star Trek: The Search for Spock," which was declining rapidly at the box office.

Although the first week box office is not as high as the first week of "Break Dance". However, it received collective praise from film critics in magazines and newspapers, which was considered Ronald's first experience.

"Ronald, Ned Tanen from Universal, and Katzenberg from Paramount all called and made an appointment with you."

Agent Niceta called.

"Huh? Why?" Ronald was surprised.

"All the reviews for Longwei Boy are all good. Your performance shocked the top seven executives in Hollywood. In their eyes, you can not only make blockbuster exploitation films, but you have been upgraded to a director who can lead mainstream Hollywood feature films. , they start to trust you.”

"It turns out that there is a benefit to film critics saying good things." Ronald put down the phone and muttered to himself.

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