Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"This way, they will send more good scripts instead of asking me to play Instructor Charlie from 'Top Gun' again."

Kelly McGillis's voluminous waves have been trimmed to a shawl length. The blond hair color was not maintained, but some of the original brown background was revealed. The curly hair was straightened a little, and a pure bang was left, which did not have a unique charm.

McGillis was troubled. She had an orthodox and systematic theater education. She went to high school at the Pacific Academy for the Performing Arts. After getting her high school degree, she went to Juilliard College, one of the highest-level drama schools in New York.

All her preparations and dreams were to become a performing artist. She also received critical acclaim for her previous role as an Amish widow in "The Witness."

But who knew that it was the "Top Gun" directed by Ronald that really made her famous. What was originally thought to be a ridiculous aerial combat movie turned out to make her a big star. Eight and a half out of ten scripts received by agents feature sexy doctors, teachers, instructors, and other similar characters.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you a star," Ronald joked, stepping forward to give McGillis a warm hug.

"Giggle..." Kelly McGillis also laughed, "At least, this aerial combat MV has allowed me to get invitations from major production heroines that I couldn't get before. I have more options."

After becoming famous in "Top Gun", Kelly McGillis has become the most popular poster image of a female star in American high school boys' locker rooms and behind their bedroom doors. I don’t know how many teenagers are showing off their youth to the image of her flaming red lips.

This made the script she received suddenly rise to a new level, and she will soon star in the upcoming movie "The House on Carroll Street", which tells the story of the experiences of left-wing Hollywood progressives who were persecuted by the Un-American Committee after World War II.

There are also several favorite movies that show complex dramatic conflicts between people, waiting for her to start filming. This is all thanks to the popularity brought by "Top Gun".

So this time, when she was needed to support "Top Gun" and be reunited with her old friend Ronald, McGillis immediately agreed.

The two set off to a haute couture shop, where McGillis ordered a black dress.

It didn't have the sexy elements that Ronald expected, it was backless or low-cut, it was just a simple black evening dress. Paired with the square-framed glasses that McGillist specially wore, Charlie lost his charming and sexy temperament.

The beautiful elements of her whole person,

It seems that everything is restrained and she becomes an intellectual beauty. He really has the temperament of a lecturer.

Ronald knew in his heart that McGillis still didn't like the positioning given to her by "Top Gun". From the appearance, makeup and clothing, she deliberately avoided the influence of Instructor Charlie.

"You still need some feminine elements." Ronald took out a pearl bracelet, opened it and helped McGillis put it on. Out of thin air, some feminine softness was added to the dress she wore that tightly wrapped her figure without revealing anything.

"Giggle...thank you", McGillis looked in the mirror. Even if a female star wants to avoid a sexy image, she is not opposed to jewelry that can make her more beautiful.

…

"Oh, let's see, this is Kelly McGillis, the heroine of Top Gun. She doesn't look like Instructor Charlie today. Next to her is director Ronald Lee."

Fast forward to the night of the Oscars dinner. Ronald and McGillis, who was dressed conservatively, were captured by ABC TV's live cameras at the entrance to the Dorothy Chandler Hall, giving them an entrance shot.

After entering the venue, Ronald found a seat at the back of the hall and sat down. Here's where some of the cast and stars who were nominated for smaller awards sat.

Ronald unexpectedly met Roger Coleman here.

"Ronald," Coleman said with the same smile on his face.

"Hello, Roger. Are there any films from your new company nominated this year?"

"No, it's not a movie shot by my new company. It's a horror movie I made before. Someone bought the rights to remake it. It was also nominated for the best original song."

"Oh, then we are competitors." Ronald joked with Coleman.

"Haha, isn't it? My 'Little Shop of Horrors' film was shot in three days with a bet. Unexpectedly, Geffen Pictures liked it very much and even hired Steve Martin and John Can Dee will star."

"Candy", Ronald then noticed the fat John Candy next to him, and quickly hugged him and said hello. The Canadian comedy star is also making a name for himself in Hollywood. He and Steve Martin also star in John Hughes' new film "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles", which will be released later this year.

"It's a very good script, and Mr. Coleman's film was the source of a lot of my inspiration."

A few people chatted in the back. This "Little Shop of Horrors" is very interesting. Originally, Coleman improvised the script in order to make full use of the setting of another movie, and then found Jack Nicholson and others. starring people.

Nicholson plays a weirdo who likes to go to the dentist. The whole movie has a very absurd quality. It tells the story of a man who bought a green plant and found out it was a piranha. He killed many people and later died with it.

For some reason, this shoddy movie was picked up by Broadway, and was adapted into a play a few years ago. It was well received by theater critics, who said it told the tragedy of people being alienated by material society.

Because it was well received off-Broadway, Geffen Pictures found Roger Corman and bought the rights to remake it into a movie. Roger Corman used less than 30,000 US dollars to shoot the movie in three days. The remake cost 25 million US dollars to produce and attracted big names.

Fortunately, the box office revenue was less than 40 million, and I barely lost my pants. Ronald admired the owner of the record company who decided to invest. This kind of whimsical idea of ​​remaking a small-budget B-level movie into an ensemble drama with big-name stars was simply admirable.

Ronald turned around, nodded and said hello to David Geffen, the new Hollywood player who made this decision and the owner of the record company.

After these record bosses came to Hollywood, their style of play was really "refreshing".

ABC bought the broadcast rights for this year's Oscars ceremony, so the hosting style has also changed.

They hired Samuel Goldwyn Jr., the son of Hollywood tycoon Samuel Goldwyn (who was one of the three companies that merged to form MGM) to produce this show, so they used a lot of new technology. thinking.

For example, comedian Chevy Chase was chosen as the host instead of previous talk show hosts or movie stars.

"Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the 59th Academy Awards. In fact, I am a substitute host. I am sorry to tell you that Jim and Tammy Barker cannot attend."

"Hahaha……"

Ronald sat in the back, laughing with his friends.

Jim and Tammy Barker are one of the most amazing people on television. They and their wife are evangelical TV hosts. They always say on TV that you should not go to the doctor if you are sick. This is nonsense that is not religious enough to fool ignorant people into buying their gospel audio and video tapes.

Although he looks good, he is actually a liar who makes money by taking advantage of the gullibility of the poor people. Fortunately, they have recently been investigated for tax evasion, and Jim Buck was also charged with rape. So their gospel TV station has changed hosts and its ratings have plummeted.

Each time the substitute host would repeat, I'm sorry to tell you that Jim and Tammy Barker can't be here.

This was quoted here by Chevy Chase, which immediately caused everyone to laugh knowingly.

Chevy Chase's first joke worked so well, it was like turning on a machine cannon, and he teased Disney about how boring it was to make a live-action movie. He also said that Minahan Golan gave Stallone a salary of 12 million. Is it because their English is too poor? One salary is given by the star to the film company.

Ronald didn't laugh as loudly as before. This host simply made jokes out of anything that hurt his heart.

The camera pushed towards Minahan Golan, and Ronald could see that he was laughing so hard that the muscles in his face were shaking.

"This year's nominees are really very '80s. Platoon is like a bad American Army recruitment ad, and Top Gun... is like a Navy recruitment ad."

The camera gives two seconds each to Oliver Stone and Ronald himself.

Ronald kept smiling, already feeling very uncomfortable with this host. Your mouth is too mean.

"Children who have fallen out of favor have sex in a swimming pool without waking the neighbors. The Hannah sisters, with Woody Allen playing an exhibitionist and Michael Caine playing the sisters."

Ronald stopped laughing. The host had escalated to a personal attack. Such words are very harmful to the actors.

Fortunately, the host who spoke so rudely went down soon. Ronald feels that the transformation of this year's awards show has failed. This kind of comedian who relies on his bad words to rise to the top is not suitable for hosting this kind of award show. He always hurts others, and those who are hurt also have friends. I am afraid many people will not be too happy.

"Don't take it to heart, he has always been so dishonest." John Candy noticed Ronald's unhappiness and came up to say some words of relief.

The awards continued, and Ronald was happiest when his friend Cameron's "Alien 2" won the Best Sound Design Award. Although it is not his award, this technical award is also an affirmation for him.

After the winner Don Sharp took the stage, he specially thanked Cameron and Gale for their encouragement and support.

Ronald applauded furiously below.

Later, the Best Visual Effects Award was also awarded to "Alien 2". The award guests specially invited "Captain Kirk" William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy who played Spock. As the two stars of the well-known "Star Trek" TV series, the award for visual effects, which has a strong science fiction flavor, is a high recognition.

There were four winners on stage this time, and the representative who spoke also expressed special thanks to Gale for his support and Cameron's overall design for allowing them to win the award.

The camera focused on the Camerons and his wife.

"Cameron was thanked twice," Ronald clapped and was happy for them. Alien 2 was not nominated for Best Director, Best Film and other awards. It is already very good to be thanked like this.

At this year's Oscars, special arrangements were made for Marlene Matlin, the heroine of "Children of God". After she took the stage, she spoke in sign language and was even accompanied by an interpreter.

She took the stage to present Platoon with its first award of the night, Best Sound Effects. "Platoon" includes a lot of heavyweight award nominations tonight, and best sound effects is an appetizer.

The next award for Best Actress was an accident. Jane Fonda, Sigourney Weaver, Sissy Spacek and others did not win.

The award was given to last year's best actor, William Hurt, who played her lover in "Children of God". In reality, the two are also dating and living together. Hurt opened the envelope and found that it was Ma Lin Danlan. He excitedly signaled Ma Lin to come on stage with sign language.

Marlene Matlin once again took the stage and became the youngest Oscar-winning actress. The speech was also typed in sign language and translated simultaneously by an interpreter on the spot.

This year, in order to make the broadcast time more compact, a reminder device was also used. Any winner who spoke beyond the specified time will be reminded with a "beep" sound. Only Marlene Matlin is exempt from this requirement because she is disabled.

After applauding for a while, Ronald felt a little bored. The host is very tasteless, and the winner has little to do with him.

Suddenly, Oscar-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss, who had played "Jaws", came on stage and began to speak.

"Every few years, the chairman of the Oscar organizing committee will award an Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the film industry..."

"Who is it?" Ronald realized that a special award was about to be awarded.

"It must have something to do with Richard Dreyfuss," Roger Corman said with enthusiasm. This kind of award generally requires many people to promote it at the same time before it can be awarded. The artistic value of Coleman's exploitation films cannot be affirmed by the organizing committee. Only with this Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, and relying on many friends in the industry, he has some hope.

"Could it be?" The more Ronald thought about it, the more he felt that it was Spielberg who won the award.

In the past two years, in order to suppress the great commercial film director Spielberg, the Oscar judges did not even give him a nomination for best director for such a good movie as "The Color Purple". And he didn't win any of the subsequent films that were nominated for Best Director.

If Spielberg doesn't come to the Oscars in anger, it will be everyone's loss.

"This time, they picked Steven Spielberg for his significant contribution to the film."

Sure enough, Spielberg stepped out from behind the scenes. He received the spherical commemorative award trophy, which looked completely different from the statuette, and gave an acceptance speech. He started by naming the earliest directors, and finally talked about himself, claiming to be their successor, and spoke for several minutes.

Because Oscar owes Spielberg a lot, he didn't get a "beep" this time when his speech timed out.

"I must be holding it back," Ronald and everyone stood up and applauded Spielberg, who should have won the award long ago.

In recent years, the Oscars have become increasingly distant from films that are truly commercially successful.

Before the 1960s, big-selling commercial films, such as "Gone with the Wind", would also be big winners at the Oscars. But at this year's Oscars, among the top ten at the box office in 1986, only Platoon was nominated for the five major awards.

"Top Gun," which ranked first, and "Alien 2," which ranked among the top ten, only won a few technical awards. There is such a disconnect between art and business. In the final analysis, it is because too many people voted, and most of the seats were taken up by members of the Screen Actors Guild.

The Oscars are no longer like the way they were in their early days, a big gathering for everyone in Hollywood to entertain themselves, and to award insider awards to the films that performed outstandingly last year. It is an outsider's award that is broadcast on public television, with advertising worth tens of millions, and people across the country eager to watch.

Therefore, the criteria for evaluating the best movie, director, leading actor and actress, and best script have changed from whether it is a blockbuster to whether it is artistic.

After interspersed with some performances and editing for a while, the Best Foreign Language Film Award was awarded.

This time, it’s Minahan Golan’s cannon-shot The Assault. Awarded in the name of the Netherlands.

Minahan was so excited that he ran up to accept the award on behalf of the director, and then began to thank the people on the list.

"I am grateful to the main creators of the film. This award should belong to them. I am also grateful to the main creators of other films who have been able to stand here and contribute to Cannon Pictures, such as Ronald..."

Ronald couldn't help but be moved below, Minahan was still thinking about himself. Even if I beat around the bush, I have to thank myself.

"Beep..."

Minahan Golan, who was still thanking, was reminded. The organizing committee didn't like this Israeli, and the best foreign language film was also a minor prize, so they didn't want him to take up too much time.

"I would also like to say that we are not the initiator of the increase in star pay, but because Hollywood is too indulgent of stars and does not reflect all their value..."

Minahan also wanted to argue that he was not the culprit for raising stars' pay.

"Beep……"

A louder electronic sound knocked him down.

When the award for Best Original Song was presented, Terri Nunn, the lead singer of the Berlin band who was persuaded by Ronald to participate in the medley performance, heard the news that she had won the award.

She also jumped on the stage, "I'm very happy. If the director Ronald hadn't asked me to come, I might not be here today to say to my mother, Mom, I love you!"

Her thank you was short, and she shared time with the songwriter for her speech. This time there was no beep to urge her.

Next up was another person Ronald didn't expect, Paul Hogan, the star of "Crocodile Dundee."

"I'm from Australia, and the organizing committee asked me to come up and say a few words. Several big awards are about to be awarded, so I'd like to remind everyone not to get too excited and save time.

Those who have won awards should not be too hypocritical in their speeches. For example, I think so-and-so who was nominated together with me is more qualified to receive this award. If you really think so, tell us first and we will change the list of winners in the envelope. "

"Hahaha……"

The audience burst into laughter again. Ronald felt that Hogan's humor was much higher than that of the mean-mouthed Chevy Chase.

"Those who didn't win the award don't have to pretend that I'm happy that they won the award. I took a sixteen-hour flight here, and they also nominated me. If I didn't win the award, I guarantee that I would Your face won’t look good. If you don’t win the award, you don’t have to pretend to be happy. If you burst into tears or rush out of the awards hall, I guarantee that everyone will think you are real.”

"Hahaha……"

Ronald felt that Paul Hogan's satirical performance of those who won and those who did not win was simply profound. And he's not from Hollywood, which is more appropriate.

But Hogan's irony didn't happen tonight.

Ronald found that the connotations chosen by ABC TV were too strong.

Just like when Richard Dreyfuss awarded Spielberg a special award just now, the two have a connection. This time, Bette Davis, a veteran actor from the golden age, was invited to present the award for Best Actor.

It was easy to guess that the winner was her contemporary Paul Newman.

"The prize is...pause for one second at this moment..." Bette Davis was still pretending, and everyone had to pretend to hold their breath.

"Paul Newman."

"Sure enough, he won the award," Ronald applauded with everyone.

"It seems that when you play opposite a big star, you are the one who suffers." Ronald thought of Tom Cruise, who played opposite Paul Newman in "The Color of Money." If you want to win an award, you are definitely going the wrong way.

The final Best Director Award was presented to Elizabeth Taylor, a veteran star who has always been anti-war and supports charity.

Ronald looked ahead at Oliver Stone.

The implication is too obvious.

"I'm very happy that such a movie can be favored by the judges. Maybe some people will know what the Vietnam War is about after watching this movie. I thank the actors for their cooperation, and I also want to thank Ronald for giving me some tips. Only then can we find the right actors.”

"Thank you again. I have been thanked more times than Cameron." Coleman said to Ronald next to him.

"Hey..." Ronald smiled, "It's not a good thing to say."

Oliver Stone took an anti-war stance, and his sentence just now revealed what the Vietnam War was about. It was a subtle criticism of his own "Top Gun" for glorifying the air war.

"I hope we never see a war like Vietnam happen again in our lifetimes."

"Whoa, whoa, whoosh..." Ronald couldn't help it, so he stood up and applauded together with everyone.

"Anyway, let's not let America fight a bad war again, right?" Ronald complained secretly. In fact, the audience still likes to watch his own movies like "Top Gun" in which America beats its Cold War opponents. He talks about being anti-war, but his box office is still high.

Please remember the first domain name of this book: . :