Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 301 The Unexpected Counterattack

"ET The Extra-Terrestrial" was released and the box office exploded over the weekend.

Among the film critics, the movie didn't make much waves. Albert and Sisko, who were famous for their TV film review programs, didn't even write their film reviews in their columns. Only the film critics in New York were saying good things about it.

But audiences loved the movie, regardless of what the critics said, and weekend theaters were packed.

"Opening weekend so far is $300 million," Richard said to Ronald in his office.

"300 million? Doesn't seem to be as much as imagined?" Ronald continued.

"Stupid, that's the box office for one day on Friday. It is estimated that it will reach 450 million on Saturday, and it is a foregone conclusion that it will exceed 1000 million in the first weekend. It may hit 100 million."

Nisita slapped Ronald lightly. The young director was too confused to be expecting the release of his movie.

"So much?" Ronald came to his senses, "Then where is Tom Mount?"

"His days are counting down, along with a bunch of old diehards who support him. Tick tock, tick tock..." Nisita has also received a lot of anger from Mount.

"No one expected that the new generation of parents would take their children to the cinema to watch ET. The previous model of children going to the cinema by themselves has been replaced by the new model."

Ronald felt the same way.With the intensification of the urbanization process, the original hall theater next to the residential area has gradually declined due to the large-scale entry of minorities such as blacks and Latinos into the city center.

Most of the current moviegoers are white middle-class families who live in the suburbs. To watch a movie, they have to drive into the city and go to a new multiplex theater in a department store complex.

In this case, young children must be taken by their parents when they travel, instead of being taken by brothers and sisters like before, or a few friends go to the cinema together.On the contrary, the box office of ET, a movie aimed at children, doubled several times.

When the first day of ET was released on Friday, Ronald also went to the movie theater in the department store where he filmed "Fast-paced". Listen clearly.

"When are we leaving?" Ronald asked.Today, he came to the CAA office on the weekend to meet his agent and attend Vic Morrow's funeral.

Jennifer's mother, Barbara, Vic's ex-wife, still organized the funeral of her ex-husband, but she hoped to make the funeral a small-scale family-style, so in addition to inviting Ronald, the director of her daughter's first big screen work, and several Other than friends in the circle, no other insiders were invited to participate.

Nisita didn't want to let go of this opportunity to build a relationship. He took the initiative to contact Spielberg. After obtaining Spielberg's consent, he contacted Barbara on his behalf and expressed condolences to her family.

Barbara also knew that Steven was mainly busy with the release of ET, and he was not at the shooting site on the day of the accident, so it had nothing to do with the accident. She forgave Spielberg, but the accident had little to do with him.

Both parties agreed to use methods in the film industry to resolve the accident. Spielberg promised that after "The Twilight Zone" is released, he will spend a large sum of money to compensate Moreau's two daughters, and give Jennifer some circles. opportunity within.

Barbara agreed not to initiate a civil lawsuit, but a settlement between the lawyers of both parties, so that one of the most powerful directors in America would not be stained as a defendant in a death case.

Vic Morrow, a prodigal son with alcoholism, domestic violence and abandonment of his family, finally fulfilled his promise after his death and paved the way for his daughter Jennifer in the entertainment industry.She was given the promise of Spielberg, and a large financial compensation to her ex-wife and another eldest daughter.

"Go now, I'll take a black tie."

Attending the funeral was a very formal occasion, and Ronald and Richard, Nisita, both wore black suits, black shoes, and black ties or bow ties.

They went to the funeral this time, and they also meant to pay tribute on behalf of Spielberg. It was not convenient for Steven to attend the funeral. He was afraid that it would arouse more speculation from the reporters, so he simply asked CAA's agent to help with the conversation.

When they arrived at the scene, everyone put on black sunglasses to cover their not-so-sad eyes.Ronald came to Jennifer Jason Lee, hugged her, and asked her to mourn.

He noticed that Phoebe Cates, who played Stacy's best friend and best friend Linda in the movie, was also there.They seem to have become best friends in reality.

Ronald and her gaze nodded.

Soon, the relatives and friends who came were quiet, waiting for the priest's eulogy.

Although Vic Morrow was a Jew, he had already abandoned Jewish religious customs and was known as a secular Jew during his lifetime.Plus Barbara raised her two daughters in Christian customs.

So the funeral was held in a family church, and the priest specially reserved an area for today's funeral, separated from the outside world.Prevent reporters from disturbing the peace of relatives.

"Almighty God, you are the source of life, you have saved us through your Son, please pay attention to Vic Morrow. His righteous deeds at the last moment of his life are like a righteous man, and he will be ranked with you... Amen. "

"Amen" Ronald joined the crowd in paying tribute to the silence.

"What is he doing here?"

"Let him go, he is not welcome here."

"Murderer, murderer!"

The quiet mourning ceremony was broken by a loud condemnation.

Ronald raised his head and looked at the source of the noise. It was a bearded man, who seemed to have been hit hard, staggered from the aisle into the church, and walked into the funeral crowd.

"It's John Landis," Richard whispered in Ronald's ear.

"I know." Ronald looked at Jennifer and Phoebe Cates, the look of disgust on their faces also showed that they knew that this was the person directly responsible for the accident, the director who forced the filming in disregard of the rules and safety requirements And producer, Landis.

John Landis stepped onto the podium, took out a piece of manuscript paper, and started to give a speech at the funeral in a grand manner.

Barbara and Jennifer, as well as other relatives, were already shocked by this shameless behavior, they were speechless for a while, and they didn't know what to do to stop each other.

Ronald was also stunned by his shamelessness. This person appeared at the funeral without the consent of his relatives, which was a great offense to the deceased and his relatives. He didn't know why he was here?

Show off his cheap sympathy?
Landis gave the priest an uglier-than-cry smile and began to read his eulogy.

"Vic Morrow is my friend...

After he started shooting, he once said to me that this is the best movie he has made in ten years...

On the day of his unexpected death, I also thanked me for giving him this opportunity to participate...

I'm proud to have directed Vic in what Vic believes to be the best performance of his career..."

"vomit!"

Jennifer Jason Lee felt extremely uncomfortable and began to retch.

Barbara patted her on the back, pulled Jennifer into her arms, and whispered to Ronald next to him, "This is bullshit, Vic called me during the filming, and he said this The movie is a piece of shit."

"If you feel uncomfortable, you don't need to put up with him." Ronald offered to help Jennifer and Barbara, "I can help you drive him away."

"Thank you, I don't want Vic's peace at the last moment to be broken by shameless people like them."

"They should have come here on the advice of the lawyer." Nisita, wearing sunglasses and covering her mouth with her hands, approached Ronald quietly, and said to him and Barbara.

Barbara forgave Spielberg, who was not there, but had no intention of forgiving John Landis.Now that the criminal investigation is still going on, she plans to see what charges Landis will eventually be charged with.

"Vic is a dedicated person. At the last moment, before the filming started, he also consulted with Steven on the method of acting."

"That's enough, you've said enough. I think the relatives of the deceased don't want to hear these excuses. They want a peaceful funeral. Mr. Landis."

Ronald saw that he brought the words to Spielberg, and immediately came out to stop the other party's nonsense.

"Lies! Murderers! Murderers!"

Several relatives and friends, along with Ronald, began to accuse Landis.

Landis swayed with a look of horror on his pale face.He almost fell down, but luckily he grabbed the edge of the podium to stabilize himself, then bowed his head to Barbara and Jennifer's family to apologize, and left the scene in a hurry.

"Well done." Nisita came up and secretly praised Ronald, and then went to comfort relatives.

"What happened that night, was Mr. Spielberg there?" Ronald was also a little uncertain, and secretly asked Jennifer.

"No, Vic was filming at two o'clock in the morning, and there was a clear cut-off time on the film. Spielberg was busy with the release of ET at that time, and he may have visited the set two days ago, but in the end the helicopter flew low. , and insisting on illegal child labor, Landis did it all."

Jennifer took one look at Phoebe and dismissed the rumors that Steven was there.

"This rumor seems to be prepared." Ronald thought to himself.

"It's Tom Mount and John Landis coming together." Back at CAA's Nisita, after several phone calls to get the latest news, he finally came to his conclusion.

"Mount was hit by the box office of ET Alien, and his job was at stake. Landis also faces criminal charges, and future charges of huge civil damages.

His lawyer advised him to adopt a bundling strategy, using his and Spielberg's co-producer status to tie him and Steven together.

And Mount accused Spielberg of dragging him into the water, trying to influence ET's box office, and he will not sit still. "

"Katherine Kennedy called to thank you, Ronald. She said Steven already knew about your stopping Landis at Vic's funeral and he would remember."

"Is Mount trying to destroy Universal's interests to keep his own position?" Ronald asked.

"I'm afraid so, Ronald. I heard he's jumping up and down, desperately meeting those old-fashioned folks at Universal and parent company MCA, seeking support from his umbrella.

Sinberg is said to have decided to hold a board meeting to clear him out when the dust settles on ET's The Extra-Terrestrial release.

We also have to be careful, before he leaves, apart from attacking Steven, the only weapon he can use to attack Simberg is probably 'fast-paced Richmond High School'. "

Sure enough, within a week, Tom Mount's counterattack came as scheduled. The MPAA re-examined "Fast Pace of Richmond High," giving the film an X rating.

(End of this chapter)