Exploiting Hollywood 1980

In the last week of July, "Superman IV - Peace Mission", which has attracted the attention of millions of comic fans and movie fans, was finally released. Cannon claims to have spent 40 million to create a super special effects blockbuster and won...

There was a lot of curses.

Although it premiered at the Royal Family in London and was attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the film was really poorly shot, especially the special effects. In the end, Cannon obviously didn't invest any money in the special effects. In the decisive battle between Superman and the bad guy, the two fat guys looked like paper men in the air, without any sense of three-dimensionality.

Christopher Reeve, who plays Superman, was revealed to have ruined the film series and his own career by cursing a cannon at a friend.

However, in order to further improve the box office performance, the film's actors still have to appear on various talk shows. Today it’s the turn of Margot Kidder, who plays Louise, and the show of Upper Texas film critic and old lady Bobbi Wygant.

The old lady would take time out to come to Los Angeles every month, record all the upcoming movie-related talk shows at once, and play them slowly after she returns. She found a large room in the Hilton Hotel, took an assistant and a cameraman, and started lining up to interview the stars of various movies.

Ronald's "Dirty Dancing" was a small production, but he had a good personal relationship with the old lady, so this time Barbie Wygant specially put a gag on Ronald after recording the interview for "Superman IV" , allowing the cast of "Dirty Dancing" to be interviewed.

"Is it really as bad as the movie reviews say? I haven't watched it yet." Ronald was resting outside the room, waiting for his turn. He asked a young actor, Jon Cryer, what he thought of Superman IV. In this movie he plays Luther Jr., the nephew of the villainous Luther.

Ronald once saw him crying outside Demi Moore's apartment, begging her not to break up. This man still had some innocence.

"Oh my gosh, it was so bad. Two weeks before the release, I happened to be in New York and I met Christopher Reeve, and he said to me, don't take any chances, Minahan Golan and Yora Gobulos. We ran out of money for the special effects, and the special effects on this movie are simply worse than the first one nine years ago.”

Sure enough, innocence is too much.

Ronald thought to himself. The movie was made and released. Most of the creators know whether it is a bad movie or not. The reason why we still have tough words and advocate for bad movies in the media is due to the special nature of the movie business.

Every movie is a new product development. Whether the audience will like it or whether the director will be able to achieve his goal is still unknown.

After taking the photo,

The director, editor, and producer had seen the entire film and knew it was bad, but the audience didn't know that. No matter how good the main creator is, at this time, he can only talk hard, hoping to trick more viewers into watching the movie in the cinema and make up for some losses.

Of course, they can't unconscionably say that the movie is very good, as this will break their trust in front of the audience. The audience has a good memory on such things, and will make a note in their notebooks for actors who talk nonsense.

Therefore, more often than not, they will be like Margot Kidd, who plays the heroine Louise, who is being interviewed by Barbie, neither saying good things nor bad things, but going around in circles to tell some interesting details. .

"Well, movies are not comics. It is impossible to draw two people exactly the same with a pen. It was nine years ago that Chris and I played Superman and Lois together for the first time. So we used Another method is deduction.

After so many years, Superman and Lois must love each other more and become better friends. Just like a couple who has been married for many years, they have a deep understanding of each other and may be dissatisfied with some aspects, but they still love each other deeply. other side……"

Listening to the interview with Margot Kidd, and looking at Jon Clare who is very enthusiastic about gossiping about him... Hey, he still needs experience.

"Pfft..." Standing next to Ronald was the second female lead, Cynthia Rhodes, who was about to be interviewed by Bobbi Wygant. She couldn't help laughing when she saw the stupid Jon Clare.

"Hehe..." Jon Clare touched his head. Cynthia Rhodes was also a tall, fair, and elegant mature woman, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

"You and Christopher (Reeve) have collaborated on the fourth Superman film. What do you think of working with him?" Bobbi Wygant's question came out again.

"We're almost there..." Ronald nodded to Cynthia Rhodes and cut off the conversation with Jon Clare. This guy was not strict with his mouth and might leak something in front of others.

I heard Bobbi Wygant inside repeating the question just now. This was to change the position of the camera and re-record her question.

The reason why Cynthia Rhodes, the second female lead, is here to be interviewed today is because Jennifer Gray, the lead actress who was scheduled to be interviewed, has not yet had her scandalous affair.

Mickey Kanter arrived in Northern Ireland, quickly contacted the military police there, and released Jennifer Gray on bail. His boyfriend, Matthew Brodick, was released on bail by another prominent New York attorney.

After discussing in Belfast, the two lawyers reached a consensus that the charge in this matter should be changed from "dangerous driving causing death" to "careless driving." In this way, even if he is convicted, he does not have to actually serve a sentence. . There is a high probability that this can be resolved with fines and suspended sentences.

The military police have records of the investigation of the two parties after they woke up, and they contain content that is quite unfavorable to the two young Americans.

Both Brodick and Gray said they had an argument before driving, which is good evidence for the prosecution.

In order to prevent this evidence from being admitted by the court, the two barristers tried their best to find flaws in the evidence. Both young people were diagnosed with concussions, and as we all know, after a concussion, people will have blurred memories, and even under the deliberate guidance of some people, they will think that some of the things they say are what they have actually experienced.

With the testimony of a prominent brain surgeon from Northern Ireland, the pair quickly overturned this testimony.

Matthew Brodick changed his story, saying that after he woke up in the hospital, he remembered nothing and had no idea why he had broken legs, a collapsed lung and a pneumothorax.

Jennifer Gray also changed her story, saying that because she was wearing a seat belt, she suffered whiplash injuries to her neck after the collision. The impact on the headrest and front window caused a concussion and spinal cord damage to her neck. Can't remember anything.

This denial aroused the anger of the victim's family. Expose this trick in the local media and describe this lawyer-incited fabrication of evidence as a "travesty of justice." It caused great dissatisfaction among the local people.

For a time, the investigation and follow-up reached a temporary deadlock. Jennifer Gray also cannot leave Northern Ireland. Her father, Joel Gray, had flown to Belfast to stay with Brodick's mother, Patricia Brodick, a famous New York painter and socialite.

Ronald also had a phone call with lawyer Mickey Kanter yesterday, asking whether Jennifer Gray could return to America safely, how her health was, and whether she would be able to make it to the premiere of "Dirty Dancing."

Kanter said on the phone that his physical condition was relatively optimistic. Jennifer Gray's neck injury is not fake and she now has to wear a special neck brace to be able to move around. The doctor said it would take a week to remove it.

The case is now at a deadlock. The Northern Ireland military police department is unwilling to let reckless young people like Matthew Brodick escape easily. They use local media reports and public opposition to create quite a big problem. of waves.

Although the two young men were released on bail, they could not leave the hospital. When they went out, they would encounter demonstrators with slogans saying "Fairness" and throwing eggs at them.

Northern Ireland has been plagued by chaos all year round. The great-uncle of British Crown Prince Charles, the first Lord Mountbatten, was assassinated by people from Northern Ireland. The public demonstrations here are very worrying. The parents of the two young people want to get them back to America as soon as possible.

But Kanter still had good news.

Matthew Brodick's father is the late James Brodick, an actor. But his mother, Patricia, whose maiden name was Bio, was the leader of a Jewish family in New York. Her father was the president of a famous advertising company in the 1930s.

This group of Jews are Ashkenazi Jews who speak Yiddish. It turns out that there are a large number of Jews in Germany and Poland, and they are also the group of Jews who gained a lot of money and power in America after the war.

Matthew Brodick's mother mobilized her family's powerful network and contacted New York State Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan of the Donkey Party.

This Senator Moynihan is no small matter. He has been a staff member of the Commander-in-Chief since the Kennedy era, and later served as Ambassador to the United Nations, taking over the position of the current Deputy Commander-in-Chief. All in all, this is a senator with a strong network.

Moynihan is not a Jew, but behind his back he represents the interests of Ashkenazi Jews in eastern America. He once made a very pro-Israel speech to defend the Palestinian-Israeli issue.

According to Matthew Brodick's mother, Moynihan, in his capacity as a New York state senator and senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has written to the British government and the local government in Northern Ireland demanding the release of the two young men. people.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is a very powerful committee. Now the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland are looking to America for help on the issue of the Republican Army. Presumably Senator Moynihan's letter will settle the matter and allow the two actors to return home.

"Then I'm going in?" Cynthia Rhodes had her hair tied into a bun today. It no longer hung down like a girl, and she had the charm of a mature woman. Coupled with her outstanding temperament as a dancer, no wonder it made Jon Cryer's eyes go straight.

"Cynthia, I'm glad we meet again."

"Nice to meet you too, Barbie."

The interview between the two began. Ronald looked at Cynthia Rhodes at the door and couldn't help but think of what she said to him last night.

After receiving a call from Cynthia who came to replace Jennifer Gray at various press conferences, Ronald spent a very romantic night with her whom he had not seen for a long time.

Cynthia was exactly the type that Ronald liked, with a dancer's figure and the gentleness of a southern girl. The two lingered for a long time, and finally collapsed on the "California King"-sized hotel bed exhausted.

This size is much larger than the average king size, and it is just right for Ronald's tall body. He and Cynthia have no trouble lying down.

Ronald was very grateful that Cynthia came to the rescue from her hometown of Nashville, and did not care about any compensation issues, nor did he care about the fact that this opportunity to appear in the media originally belonged to the heroine Gray.

Moreover, Cynthia Rhodes is more than three years older than me, very mature and understanding. This made Ronald very happy. He usually always had to take care of his female companion, and it was rare for him to be well taken care of by his female companion.

Ronald couldn't help but think about getting along with Cynthia for a while. Whether she wanted more resources or more money, he could satisfy it. Getting along with the eldest sister and the little sister is indeed a different experience.

Ronald turned his head and saw Cynthia's blushing face and smiling mouth, about to speak.

Cynthia touched his face and spoke in advance, "I don't think you will consider marrying me, right?"

"Uh..." Ronald was stunned for a moment.

"Stop talking, I understand what you mean," Cynthia smiled, "I have always liked you, ever since you saved me from Stallone's brother, but I am a girl who grew up in a southern town. My parents are both devout believers. They taught me to grow up to be a southern lady from an early age.

So, I don’t want to start a relationship that doesn’t work out. "

"I don't know, it's too much for me all at once." Ronald could only say that he couldn't digest it. It seemed a bit troublesome to get married or become an official girlfriend.

"It doesn't matter, but I also have a suitor, although he is younger than you. He is six years older than me, and he is a singer. I am considering whether to agree to his pursuit. He seems to be serious."

"I'm over six years older than you. Is there an age difference between you?" Seeing that Cynthia regarded him as a close friend and shared some emotional issues, Ronald cheered up and helped her analyze it from a male perspective.

"I hesitate for this reason too. I'm still young now, but what about ten years from now? What about twenty years? What about twenty-five years? Women in America age very quickly..."

"Don't think so. You are a dancer. Anyone who sees you will first lose 5-8 years of your age."

"Hahaha... you are really good at talking. Do you mind if I bring him to be the best man at the premiere in New York?"

"Uh..." Ronald choked up, "As a director and producer, of course I don't mind having an extra singer at the premiere, but as a man, I do mind it."

"Hahaha... You can't be my boyfriend." Cynthia hugged me, but she was just an ideal bed partner.

…

"Cynthia, what do you think of the filming process of 'Dirty Dancing'?" Bobbi Wygant's question brought Ronald back to the present.

"Director Ronald is great. His grasp of the beauty and rhythm of dance is first-rate. We all remember 'Break Dancing', right..."

"Ah, yes, break dancing is still fresh in my memory. I wonder if this Dirty Dancing will also set off a dance trend."

"I don't know, but our backup dancer Ortega is very strict with us. We have to dance continuously every day, from morning to night, which makes me have a psychological barrier to dancing. Maybe next, as a girl from Nashville, I should try being a singer.”

…

Another week passed, and Superman IV's box office dropped off a cliff. The media received a lot of bad reviews, and it had already lost half of its box office.

Not to mention the newly released "007: Dead by Daylight", even the newly released biopic "La Bamba" reflecting on the early death of rock wizard Ritchie Valens was not mentioned, and it was relegated to the 1937 grandpa movie " Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" went behind.

"There will be many guests at the New York premiere. Patrick Schwytz and his wife, Cynthia Rhodes and her male partner Richard Marcos are all confirmed to attend, as well as many female members of the New York Film Critics Association. You'll come too, and dance with Schwyz in turn. And you'll be there with Helen Slater."

Michelle Cannold, who is in charge of distribution, is constantly confirming the film's release schedule.

"Here in Los Angeles, we don't have enough celebrities to invite, so it's up to you."

"I found Tom Cruise, and he agreed to come with his new wife Mimi Rogers." Ronald also mobilized all his connections.

Mimi Rogers asked Cruise to hold a very small, very private wedding ceremony because of her belief in Scientology.

Cruise seemed to love his wife and Scientology auditor so much that he didn't even tell his agents Paula Wagner or Ronald. The ritual was completed secretly.

Ronald and Wagner only found out about his marriage after reading the newspaper, and they were so angry that they called to complain. Wagner angrily quarreled with Tom and warned him not to make such important decisions in private in the future.

Ronald always thought that Tom Cruise would ask him to be the best man, so he got married secretly. Even if it is a private ceremony and no one else is invited, it does not prevent you from finding your best friend. Even Spielberg asked him to marry him.

But Niceta advised him not to be too angry, "This is just his first wedding. Hollywood people never attend first weddings. You still have a chance to be the best man."

Tom Cruise knew he was in the wrong, and immediately agreed to attend the premiere of Ronald's new movie after he and his new wife returned from their honeymoon.

"Awesome, anyone else?"

"Michael Douglas will come. There are more directors than others, and I actually don't have many close friends with stars. Cameron and Gale will participate, and Chris Columbus, the director of Adventures in Nanny, will also come."

After all, it was Ronald's first movie that he produced and distributed with his own money. These good friends agreed to come and support it, and added one more interview gimmick for the media, all to help Ronald increase the box office.

I haven't seen Cameron for a few days. I heard that he is currently researching new technologies.

The first film about Columbus did well at the box office. Although it did not beat Disney's re-released classic "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", it is still expected to stay in the theaters for four to five weeks. It seems that there is hope for repayment.

Once a director has a blockbuster movie, the road ahead will be easier.

"My former boss and teacher, Roger Corman and his wife, will also come. He said he would help me figure out whether this movie can make money."

Ronald laughed and asked Cannold to add Coleman's name. The old man was very happy when he heard that he had learned his method, made a musical at a low cost, and handled the distribution and other business by himself.

Coleman said that he is good at looking at the box office trends of movies from their premieres and will give him a prediction when the time comes.

"Where's your escort for the Los Angeles premiere?"

"Diane, I invited Diane Lane. Like me, she also needs exposure." Ronald knew that Diane's new film will be released in September, and now she also needs some media space. In the spirit of everyone helping each other, she was invited to attend the premiere in Los Angeles.

"How's Jennifer (Gray) doing? Can she attend the Los Angeles premiere?"

Cannold is determining the protagonist's itinerary.

“She had just been brought back from Northern Ireland by her father, Joel, and it would take a few days for the protective belt around her neck to be removed. Joel asked my assistant director Emile to plead with me and let my daughter only go to the premiere in New York. I agreed."

"Poor Jennifer, she lost so many opportunities to show up out of thin air."

"Then what should I do? I can't let him put the TV around his neck, right?" Ronald said angrily.

The intimidation power of New York's Donkey Party Senator Moynihan was indeed extraordinary. After he came forward to write a letter, the Northern Ireland military police immediately agreed to release the two young actors on bail.

Then after some "investigation", the accident that night was also classified as careless driving. The two men did not need to wait in Belfast for investigation and could return to America.

That night, Matthew Brodick's mother chartered a flight and flew her son back to New York in his hospital bed, where he would receive further treatment.

Jennifer Gray also returned to New York. When she called Ronald, her mental state was not very stable. The car accident and the investigation frightened her so much that she cried a little miserably on the phone.

Ronald had no way to settle the score with her. Without the announcement of the heroine, it would always be weird, and he didn't know how much the effect would be compromised.

But speaking of it, Gray was also a victim in this matter, and Ronald couldn't ask for much.

Another thing that bothered Ronald was that after the movie's soundtrack was released, sales were very poor. This kind of old songs from the 1950s and 1960s has been reassembled and released into records. Unless it is a selected album by a record company, generally no one will release it like this.

The theme song "The Time of My Life" and "She's Like the Wind", which was written and composed by Patrick Schwytz himself, simply failed to hit the charts. After the DJ played it, it didn’t make any waves.

Fortunately, the record store didn't stock too many items, so the loss wouldn't be too great.

Ronald felt that for the first film to be fully produced and distributed by Daydream, it would be better to focus on the box office. Everyone was inexperienced and made a mess. As long as it can make some money at the box office, it will be successful.

"How much do you think we can make? How much will the box office be on the first weekend?" Michelle Cannold is the distribution director of Daydream Pictures. In fact, she has no experience in distributing theatrical movies. Previously, I was only responsible for distributing videotapes. He also began to look forward to the results of his first work.

After half a year of busy work, now there are female film critics pursuing it, so it can’t be too bad in comparison, right?

"It's hard to say, movie box office forecasting is a subtle art. It depends on how many weeks we can keep it in theaters.

On the one hand, our reviews are good, and many viewers may come here. On the other hand, it depends on their reputation after watching it, which depends on Cinema's score on the day of release. Their scores are quite reliable in predicting audience reputation. "

"It's just that the price is a bit expensive." Cannold whispered.

Various unexpected events have consumed a lot of the original reserve fund. Next, if the box office is satisfactory and additional marketing is needed, Douglas Jr. will need to invest additional money.

If the box office is not satisfactory, no additional budget will be added and the team will be disbanded.

It is estimated that Daydream Company will not be able to withstand the box office failure. Ronald can continue to be a director, but he will have to find a new job.

"No, our movie has such good reviews, it will definitely be a success at the premiere and the box office will be good." Cannold knocked on the wooden table with his hand to clear the unlucky thoughts from his mind.

"We also have to look at the strength of the competitors that will be released at the same time." Ronald clicked his tongue.

The new version of 007 performed poorly and the box office declined quickly. It drops by 30% every week.

It's not as good as RoboCop, and Ronald's "Love Is Not For Sale", which has become a nail on the box office list.

On the weekend when "Dirty Dancing" is released, the main new film is Orion's suspense film "No Way Out" starring Kevin Costner and Sean Young, and Minahan ·The two blockbusters "Masters of the Universe" produced by Golan.

"Although you are all my friends, I still want to curse your movie!"

Ronald looked at the film schedule and silently recited the Chinese mantra he learned from watching cartoons in Xujiahui, "The clouds follow the dragon, the wind follows the tiger, the Supreme Lord is as anxious as the law..."

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