Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 291 Swear In The Name Of My Child

"Here's what happened, there were two Israelis, and they made a teen comedy called 'The Last Virgin in America.' There were a couple of very similar things to 'Fast-paced Richmond High.'"

Nisita was in the CAA office, giving a quick briefing to Ronald.

"They signed a distribution agreement with MGM, so they sent the finished film to MGM for a test screening. But among the test audience, someone had seen 'Fast Pace' and told the investigators about it. M After conducting an investigation, GM notified Universal."

Ronald became more and more familiar with the two Israelis, MGM Publishing, "What is the name of this company? Who are the two Israelis?"

"Cannon Pictures, called Minahan Golan, and Yoram Gobros. The people at Universal nicknamed them Go-Go Brothers from Israel. (The initials of Golan and Gobros , the nickname is an ugly derogatory term)”

It really was these two fat guys.

"Is it really plagiarism?" Ronald was a little unconvinced. Not long after the editing of the "fast-paced" film was completed, how did Minahan copy it?Too late?
"There are indeed a few things beyond the possibility of ordinary coincidence." Nisita handed over a piece of paper, which was a briefing from MGM.

"One is that the heroine went to the hospital for an operation, and after seeing the mannequin, she vomited after thinking about her pregnancy.

The other is the male protagonist who has always had a crush on the female protagonist. His best friend is the man who made the female protagonist pregnant.

But they are unlikely to plagiarize your finished film. Now it seems that they plagiarized the script or some details of the original novel.There is a possibility that the script during the filming process will be leaked. "

"What does Universal mean?"

"The lawsuit against the other party has been delayed for a long time. Universal is not optimistic about the box office potential of their 'Last Virgin'. Moreover, they are foreigners. There will be no big distributors in Hollywood who are willing to offend Universal and take over their distribution business.

Of course, Universal also wants to ask for your opinion, whether it needs to be released in June in advance, so as to eliminate the impact of "The Last Virgin in America" ​​on the box office. "

Nisita lit a cigarette and took a drag, looking at Ronald.

"MGM has already rejected the release of the Cannon Films film because of the quality of the film, but Cannon itself has a little distribution capacity. They will try to contact the theaters themselves and find enough theaters to release it in late July."

Ronald thought for a while, and said to his agent, "Actually, I know these two fat guys. They met me at the Golden Globe Awards last year, and they knew that I was writing a script to adapt this novel for Universal."

"Is that so?" Nisita put out his cigarette, why don't we contact them head-on, see the quality of their movies, and then make a decision before it's too late.Your film is aimed at teenagers, and if it was released in July as originally planned, it would have made a lot of money at the box office. "

"Yes, I don't need to be afraid of them. Minahan's last movie 'Apple' was very bad, and was thrown trash by the audience in Montreal, Canada. I don't think his level will improve so quickly."

Ronald called Minahan Golan in Nisita's office.

"Hello, Minahan, I'm Ronald. I heard you copied my movie?"

"Hahaha", Minahan's rude laughter came from the microphone, "You are so joking, Ronald. How could I copy your movie?"

While procrastinating for time with laughter, Minahan gestured for his cousin Yoram to come and discuss with him.

"I also don't think you're so mean, I've helped you in Canada and Los Angeles.

But I got a letter from MGM that you made them release the movie 'The Last Virgin of America' which has a very similar plot to my 'Fast Pace Richmond High'. "

Ronald and Nisita, who picked up the other receiver and listened, flirted with each other, indicating that they were testing each other.

"Nothing, I assure you. I swear on my two daughters, I never plagiarized. At most...at most..."

Yoram next to him hurriedly wrote a word on the manuscript paper and handed it to Minahan.

"At best, it's a reference, a coincidence. Ronald, to tell you the truth, this 'The Last American Virgin' is a remake of the old film 'Lemonade' that Yoram and I were in Israel.

If you don’t believe me, you can come to me and I’ll show you. It’s a complete remake of our own Hebrew movie, and there is no plagiarism. "

Ronald on the other end of the phone glanced at Nisita and asked for advice.

Nisita made an OK gesture to him and asked him to agree to come down.

"Okay, my agent and I will go to your place now. If your new film is really a remake of your own old film, I won't mind. This kind of collision often happens in the film industry, but if..."

"Ah, I knew it, Ronald, you are a reasonable person. I'll get my subordinates ready, let's watch two movies together and compare..." Minahan hung up the phone while speaking.

"Minahan, you shouldn't swear on your daughter anymore." Yoram said to Minahan, "Last time you swore to the bank with you and mortgaged your two daughters to them without paying the money, your wife I am so angry that I want to divorce you."

Minahan waved his hand, "I can't help it, Ronald is not so easy to deceive. I have to give him a first impression that we didn't plagiarize, so that he will tend to think that the two ends of the plot are coincidences. I It took a lot of effort to get his script...

And we are in a bad situation in Hollywood. Ronald is a genius, and his scripts are infinitely creative. If we want to make a big production that shakes Hollywood, we still have to rely on him.

And his background and connections are unfathomable.At that time, he gave us a message, so that we can get on line with the big publisher MGM, otherwise we still can't find a distribution channel. "

Ronald and Nisita walked to Cannon Films not far away.There is no change from the last time here, and many employees still sit in the aisle to work.

"Please, please... Ronald. Let's go to the screening room. I will ask an employee who understands Hebrew to translate the dialogue of the original 'Lemonade' for you on the spot." Minahan waited for Ronald at the door, ruthlessly Hugged him fiercely, and then invited him into the screening room.

The old Hebrew movie "Lemonade" was played first, and an employee, standing by with a microphone in his hand, read out the dialogue of the characters in the movie.

Ronald noticed that the scale of this film is larger than the "fast pace" he shot.Moreover, in the several suspected plagiarized plots mentioned by Nisita, only the relationship between the two male protagonists and one female protagonist exists in "Lemonade", and there is no plot where the female protagonist goes to the hospital for surgery.

Then came the English-language screening of "The Last Virgin of America."In this movie, the heroine visited the hospital again after surgery in the movie, and saw the plot of nausea and vomiting after seeing the mannequin.

Ronald glanced at Minahan suspiciously. This must have plagiarized his own movie script, but the plagiarism was a bit strange.Why edit some inexplicable shots before and after?Could it be?Ronald quickly shut his mouth and held back his smile.

"Mr. Golan, this part of your plot is very similar to my client's script..." Nisita said to Minahan after the playback.

"Absolutely not. I haven't read Ronald's script at all. I just read Mr. Crowe's best-selling novel. Based on his novel, I wrote this plot. If there is a coincidence, it is also because of me and Ronald. Nader is both a playwright, and great souls tend to think alike."

Ronald didn't make a sound, just kept his mouth shut and looked at Minahan.

"I assure you, Ronald. If you insist on holding us accountable, we will have no choice but to fight.

But we are not enemies, are we?Our films are not distributed together, and I have decided to use Cannon Films' own strength to do the distribution.And the release time we set is two weeks later than your movie, so we won't have any competition.

Ronald, you helped me twice and I won't forget it.You are indeed a top playwright. I would like to buy your scripts at a high price in the future. If you are willing, I will also invite you to direct at a high price. "

Minahan said a lot, but Ronald still held back.

"Ronald, I will never forget the help you have given me. We have received financing from a Dutch bank, and we are about to start filming a multi-million dollar production. I will never forget you." Mina said rarely to Ronald Still not speaking, he stepped forward and hooked the sitting Ronald's shoulder.

"How? Would you like to?" he asked, shaking Ronald's shoulder.Minahan felt a little nervous. He noticed that Ronald's body was shaking, as if his anger could no longer be suppressed.

After ten seconds, no one spoke.In the end Ronald finally nodded, shook hands with Minahan, and then was hugged by Minahan, and kissed him hard on the cheek three times, left and right.

"Hahahaha..." After Ronald left, Minahan danced with Yoram in his arms, "We finally filmed our first movie in America and got Ronald's understanding. We're going to make it. This movie is going to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor and Actor."

"There is also the best supporting actor." Yoram is also very happy. It is very good news for the release of the film to avoid Ronald's legal measures. Ronald also knows the lawyer named Mickey, and his The means of the two Israelis had already seen it when they were negotiating with MGM.

"Yes, as well as Best Director and Best Picture." Minahan became happier as he spoke, picked up a glass and poured two glasses of spirits, and drank it with Yoram.

"These Hollywood producers are not even willing to play golf and tennis with us. This time, we must make a big splash and let them know us, Cannon Pictures."

"Hahahaha..." After walking out of Cannon Films and crossing a few roads, Ronald couldn't help it anymore, leaning against the wall and laughing.

"Is that the scene in the hospital?" Nisita saw him laughing so intensely, and gently patted Ronald on the back next to him.

"Yes, he actually made a montage with the scene of cutting the pizza, followed by the scene of the heroine being pushed onto the operating table. Hahaha..."

Ronald held back for a long time, and finally laughed enough.

Minahan is really a "director wizard". He didn't like the plagiarized passages. When the heroine went to the hospital for surgery, he parallel edited many scenes where the heroine went to work in a pizza shop to earn money to pay for her surgery.

Finally, when the heroine was sent to the operating table and the doctor picked up the scalpel, the scene was cut upside down to the scene of the heroine cutting pizza with a knife. "Swipe" to cut the pizza into two pieces.

"What kind of editing method is this? Hahaha..." Ronald felt as if he saw a cartoon.

"Just because of this you don't hold him accountable? Do you think the audience can't accept this editing method? The box office is not good in the end?" Nisita asked.

"That's one reason, of course. But the main thing is where the ending is, the hero doesn't win the beauty.

The male protagonist who earned money for the female protagonist to undergo surgery did not get together with the female protagonist. Instead, he saw the female protagonist reconcile with the handsome guy who let her get pregnant unexpectedly.

We Americans don't have this kind of hobby. The hero must win in the end and win the beauty. "

(End of this chapter)