Hollywood starts with a broker

Aaron wasn't particularly concerned about what was happening with Disney, but the potential deal involving Time Warner was a different story.

The successive sales of Columbia TriStar and MCA Universal had already changed the face of Hollywood, and now another major media group might be up for sale?

In Los Angeles, Burbank, Aaron, having returned from his Caribbean vacation, attended the American premiere of "The Crying Game."

"The Crying Game," which had just been showcased at the Toronto Film Festival, had garnered considerable praise from film critics!

Aaron and Dawn Steel sat in the theater's lounge, discussing Time Warner for a few days.

"If I remember correctly, besides the ailing Steve Ross, Gerald Levin holds the most power at Time Warner right now."

Gerald Levin had been frequently staying at Steve Ross's East Hampton, Long Island villa, where he was recuperating from his illness, since Christmas last year.

Through Steve Ross's family, after gaining Steve Ross's favor, he seized the opportunity to convene a board meeting this spring and ousted his old rival, N.J. Nicholas.

"Yes, Steve Ross seems to have regarded Gerald Levin as his successor!"

Dawn Steel spread her hands and said, "Steve Ross's prostate cancer is already in its late stages; he doesn't have much time left."

Aaron leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on his knee, "This Seagram Group that's acquiring Time Warner is quite interesting."

"Seagram's Gin, Martell, Chivas Regal are all theirs, and now they want to venture into Hollywood's entertainment industry?"

Moreover, the Seagram Group is now a major shareholder of the DuPont Group, and the DuPont Group's shares are Seagram's largest asset; the liquor business certainly can't compare to the military-industrial complex!

"I heard that the president and CEO of Seagram, the 40-year-old Edgar Bronfman Jr., wants to enter Hollywood,"

Dawn Steel explained.

Edgar Bronfman Jr.? This is the third generation of the Jewish Bronfman family.

"Edgar Bronfman Jr. is operating through CAA; Michael Ovitz recommended Time Warner to them, with its film, television, publishing, magazines, and cable TV, games, and so on."

"Time Warner's comprehensiveness, except for the lack of a movie theme park, is the most extensive!"

Hearing Dawn Steel say this, Aaron also felt that there was nothing wrong with it.

As long as Seagram sells its DuPont shares, it will have a large amount of cash flow; after all, DuPont is too profitable, which is indeed irresistible for Hollywood.

Aaron stood up, smiled, "Hollywood isn't that easy to navigate; these wealthy families want to gain a foothold in Hollywood; money alone is not enough!"

Look at Sony, look at Panasonic; Japanese companies are waving around large amounts of capital!

Because "The Crying Game" is being distributed by Crescent Films as an art film, the scale isn't large; the movie has to rely on its own word-of-mouth.

Because this movie has a huge twist and is very controversial, the publicity mainly focuses on suspense!

In the theater, as the screening of "The Crying Game" began, Aaron also sat in his seat to enjoy it; this independent film is no worse than "Boyz n the Hood":

Stephen Rea plays Fergus, originally a member of the Irish Republican Army. One day, they kidnap a British black soldier, Jody (played by Hollywood actor Forest Whitaker), who is guarded by Fergus. In their daily interactions, Jody and Fergus begin to get to know each other and gradually develop a friendship.

Later, Jody asks Fergus that if he is killed, please have Fergus visit his girlfriend Dil (played by Jaye Davidson) in London.

Soon after, the Irish Republican Army sends Fergus to carry out the mission of executing Jody. In the depths of the jungle, Fergus lets Jody go, but unfortunately, Jody is crushed to death by a British tank that came to attack the Irish Republican Army camp.

Fergus escapes from the Irish organization, changes his name, and comes to London to find Jody's girlfriend Dil, whom Jody had told him about before his death.

Fergus finally finds Dil, a beautiful black woman, in a nightclub.

Fergus develops feelings for Dil, and he begins to pursue her. Soon after, when the two fall in love, Fergus is surprised to discover that Dil is actually a man, just with delicate features and a penchant for cross-dressing, always dressing as a woman.

After this painful discovery, the relationship between the two begins to reverse. Dil falls madly in love with Fergus, and Dil is now willing to do anything for Fergus. Fergus is also increasingly moved by Dil's sincerity.

Soon after, Fergus's girlfriend Jude from the Republican Army suddenly appears, and she is very angry at Fergus's betrayal.

She tells Fergus that the Republican Army has already sentenced him to death, and she orders Fergus to assassinate a judge and die with him.

Fergus knows that he cannot escape, but he wants to settle Dil before he dies so that Dil is not implicated by him.

So he has Dil put on men's clothing and move into a hotel. Dil can't bear to see Fergus go to his death, so she quietly ties the sleeping Fergus to the bed, delaying his time to assassinate the judge.

Jude and her partner are waiting for Fergus to appear, but he does not show up. His partner tries to carry out the mission himself but is killed.

Jude drives away and heads to Dil's apartment. She rushes into the apartment with a gun, but Dil shoots and kills Jude first.

Fergus tells Dil to leave immediately. He sits down and waits for the police. After wiping the fingerprints off the gun, he pulls the trigger himself...

Without exception, one shot, one shot, one content, one look!

"The Crying Game" is quite controversial, receiving both good and bad reviews:

Mick LaSalle, a critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, reviewed the film "The Crying Game": "Irish director Neil Jordan's fascinating new film is both a political thriller and a love story, combining various sexual and political currents into a dreamy narrative."

Wesley Lovell, a critic for The Hollywood Reporter, believes: "Finding oneself in chaos constitutes the perfect metaphor in 'The Crying Game,' a film that explores race, identity, sex and perception during a turbulent time in Ireland."

Kenneth Turan, a critic for the Los Angeles Times, commented: "Suspenseful and emotionally complex, cleverly mixing politics with matters of the heart, 'The Crying Game' is something unexpected, a challenging new way to tell a very old story."

Richard Corliss, a critic for Time Magazine, commented: "Neil Jordan examines, in an exciting naturalistic style, the poignant questions of life and death, sex and friendship, duty and loyalty, freedom and bondage, masculinity and femininity, and all the ambiguities in between."

Perhaps, Aaron has already found the person to direct "Interview with the Vampire"!