Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 691 Old Friends and Old Enemies

Agreeing to Dongbao's matchmaking, Ronald and Nisita talked about the arrangement.He will continue to linger in Tokyo for a few days, Tom Cruise will go to Seoul, and the two will meet in Xiangjiang.McGillis and Cruise walked together. After she fulfilled the announcement task, she will be absent from the domestic announcement trip after returning to America.

Of course, since it was a friend from America who came to Tokyo, Toho had to arrange to meet Toyo's biggest star in Hollywood, director Akira Kurosawa.

"Director Kurosawa, we meet again."

"Ronald-san, your recent movies are getting better and better. I watched 'Top Gun' shown inside Dongbao. This kind of movie can only be made by young people like you, hahaha .”

When they came to Kurosawa Film Company in Yokohama, Toho staff acted as translators for Ronald and Kurosawa.

The pair met at this year's Oscars.At that time, Akira Kurosawa's "chaos" made him nominated for best director.

Unfortunately, he lost out to "Out of Africa" ​​director Sidney Pollack.

And he was unfortunately selected as one of the best picture award representatives, together with John Huston and Billy Wilder, to present the award to the director and producer Sidney Pollack.

The organizing committee obviously wanted to arrange a succession ceremony, allowing three old directors of the previous generation to present an award to the young and vigorous Sidney Pollack, to show that there are successors in Hollywood and endless life.

But this is tantamount to a humiliation for Kurosawa, who wants to win the best director Oscar.Afterwards, Ronald stepped forward to comfort him.

"This is Diane..." Ronald introduced Diane Lane, who had just arrived, to Akira Kurosawa.Knowing that Ronald was coming to visit Akira Kurosawa, Diane also wanted to come.

"Di Ansang needs no introduction. Advertisements for her diamond ring are everywhere now. Our boys are very distressed. If you don't buy a big diamond ring, your girlfriend won't accept a marriage proposal."

"Hahaha..." Diane was proud that Director Akira Kurosawa remembered his name.

Diane's appeal in the Japanese market is getting stronger and stronger, except for the two advertisements for diamond rings and lipsticks.She also received an invitation from a local fashion magazine, asking her to take a group of photos in kimono for the cover and centerfold poster of the magazine.

It's strange that some American stars are very popular in Japan, but some are treated coldly here.Perhaps some of Di An's features are more accepted by the people of Japan.Although there are no new works in the past two years, her role in "Street of Rage" has become more and more popular among Japanese teenagers.

In particular, the two theme songs that Diane lip-synced have been popular on the radio for a long time. The original soundtrack of this movie among high school students is still selling very well.And the videotape released last year has become a must-see introductory textbook for student gangs in high schools in Japan.

Everyone wants to be like the hero, defeat the enemy and win the love of the rock star.

Akira Kurosawa expressed his gratitude to Ronald for his visit. He is now in a semi-retired state and is still preparing the script for a new film, but no one in Dongying is willing to invest in him.

Akira Kurosawa also doesn't know why the audience in Japan doesn't like him, while audiences in other parts of the world rate and love him more than people in Japan.

"Why is that so?" Ronald scratched his head.

"If I knew this, there wouldn't be no movies to make." Kurosawa was also confused.

Ronald felt that it was a pity that a genius director like Akira Kurosawa was the best example of the "author's film" advocated by the new wave generation in Maoguo. A man decides that a movie is truly his own product.

Directors like Ronald are under the Hollywood system and require the cooperation of various commissioners.Compromises often have to be made.In Hollywood, a film is a collective achievement, and it has nothing to do with the author's film.

……

After visiting the great director, Ronald came to the headquarters of Dongbao Company again.

The top management of Dongbao hosted a banquet for Ronald and Diane.

In addition to Dongbao's people, there were also two pro-American bigwigs in the Dongying entertainment circle sitting at the banquet.

One is Johnny Kitagawa, the boss of Toshihiko Tahara, who is singing in front of the banquet hall, and the founder of Johnny's.

You can tell from the spelling of his name that he is an Americanized Japanese.In fact, Johnny Kitagawa was also a Japanese immigrant in California, and he returned to Japan to start his career after the war.

Johnny's older sister, Mary, was also at the party.They also have an older brother who died young and worked as an engineer for NASA's Apollo moon landing project.

"Toshihiko, why don't you come to say hello to your benefactor." Mary Kitagawa clapped her hands to the most popular male star under her banner.

Toshihiko Tahara obediently came over to say hello to Ronald, "Ronald-san, my breakdancing is not bad now, and it is now my ace project in variety shows."

"Sit down and talk, we are friends. Is Kazami-kun back now?"

"He is also learning the most advanced breakdancing techniques in Los Angeles and New York. When I called him, he was very excited. It seemed that he had found his dream. He also often talked about Ronald Sang's help, If it weren't for you, we wouldn't..."

Johnny's idol Tahara Toshihiko is very grateful to Ronald for being his friend. He is a little envious of Shingo Kazami who can chase his dream and dance in Los Angeles.Unlike himself, although he has been on the Red and White Song Battle for six consecutive years, Johnny's rules are very strict. At this level of banquet, he is just an entertainer to entertain the distinguished guests.

"Okay, Toshihiko, sing another song for Ronald-san and President Kadokawa." Mary Kitagawa watched him talking non-stop, and immediately asked him to sing again.

"Hi Yi", Toshihiko Tahara is going to sing. He is good at singing and dancing, and he can also act. He was once called the Michael Jackson of Japan.

Ronald couldn't stand it anymore, he grabbed his hand and shook it to express his gratitude.

"Toshihiko-san, come on. You are a singer, at any time, The Show Must Go On", Johnny Kitagawa, sitting at the top, knew about his sister's problem, and encouraged and comforted the best singer under his banner.

"Hi, thank you, President." Toshihiko Tahara went down to sing.

"Oh... oh...", another guest at the banquet, the president of Kadokawa Book Club, Kadokawa Haruki also hummed along with Toshihiko's singing.

He is a rich second-generation son. After graduating from university, he returned to his father's business, and Kadokawa Publishing took over.He imported many novels from America, translated them and published them, and invested in some films.

In the film and television entertainment industry, he is another entrepreneur who is more pro-American besides the Kitagawa family.

"Ronald Sang, your movies are always so fascinating. Have you considered accepting investment from our Dongying company to make a movie that reflects Dongying culture?"

Kadokawa Haruki talked to Ronald after Dongying MJ finished singing.

"This is also what confuses me. You Dongying have a master who our generation of directors admire, Akira Kurosawa, but he can't get investment in movies, but you want to invest in Hollywood." Ronald knocked on the phone after listening to the translator. He knocked on the table and said something.

"Master Kurosawa is of course good, but he spends a lot of money. Moreover, Kurosawa Films and Toho have a long history of cooperation. We have many companies with major interests in America and hope to invest in Hollywood.

I love Ronald Sang's films very much, and I hope to have the opportunity to participate in the production of Ronald Sang's next film. "

"If you want to invest in Hollywood, of course I welcome it. But the Dongying culture produced by Hollywood and the Dongying culture produced by Dongying Film Company seem to be two different things. My 'Longwei Boy' is considered a representative work of Dongying culture in America, but here audience didn't like it.

Hollywood producers don't give top priority to promoting culture, we just like movies that make money.If it happens to reflect a certain culture, that's the best. If it doesn't reflect any culture and just makes money, then that's fine. "

"Ronald-san is really a smart businessman and artist, which is admirable." Johnny Kitagawa came to smooth things over.Haruki Kadokawa was still thinking about what Ronald said. He really likes movies. If Ronald cannot be allowed to shoot Japanese culture movies, then it would be good to take the opportunity to make friends with a big Hollywood director and find opportunities for cooperation.

"The publishing industry is my family's business. If there are any suitable novels or scripts for cooperation, I will send them to Ronald Sang. I hope you can help us find someone we like to cooperate with in Hollywood. Of course, what we hope most is Working with Ronald Sand."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

"Come on, let our Johnny's boys come up and perform for the distinguished guests." Seeing that everyone was talking about the same, Mary Kitagawa clapped her hands to let a group of teenagers come in to perform for Ronald.

"These are the trainees we have recruited. It is a business method for industrial production of idols. Ronald Sang has the opportunity to teach them."

Ronald was surprised to see these boys who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old. It turned out that Japan's cultivation of idol stars is also an industrialized method.No wonder their products are so good and cheap, but this approach is placed on artists...

Thinking of this, Ronald asked, "What's your name?"

A big boy who took the lead understood Ronald's English, and he brought a few good friends out to introduce himself to Ronald.

"Issei Nishikori... Katsuhide Uedao... Noriyuki Higashiyama, we are the youth team!"

"Where's the chorus you're preparing?" Mary Kitagawa spoke up again.

Several boys lined up and began to sing to Ronald the song they had rehearsed for a long time.

"ベッドに横たわり、土升日の夜には
summer く も な い の 汗 だ く な な っ い い る
しかし、あなたの脳は、メッセージを货しました

そして、それはそれを送信している”

"Hahaha……"

Although they didn't understand, Ronald and Diane were already laughing together. It turned out that this male idol group called Junior Team sang the Japanese cover version of the opening song "Nowhere Fast" of Diane's "Street of Rage".

"You're really popular in Japan," Ronald quietly reached out to scratch Diane's itch.

"Hahaha..." Diane smiled happily.

Ronald stood up and told the translator that he was going to the bathroom.

The interpreter took him to the door. Ronald, who was going to the bathroom, suddenly saw two American men standing outside the door talking.

No, it's not very appropriate to say it, it's a burly man with a square jaw, training another handsome middle-aged guy with a dashing appearance.

"You put away your Hollywood set, this is Tokyo. No one knows who you are, you know? We've been to NHK more than a dozen times, and we still haven't got the money. I asked through my colleagues at Goldman Sachs, Here are two entrepreneurs, Kitagawa and Kadokawa, here to entertain important American guests.

They are rare entrepreneurs who are pro-American in Japan, put away your arrogance and face.Now you are the one going to ask them to invest.Honestly be a producer looking for investment.They might really be Little Japs, but they're a bunch of rich Little Japs."

It was rare for Ronald to see people being so aggressive in training others in public, so he didn't feel disgusted, but rather pleased.In particular, the person he reprimanded was also a person in a high position, and he was still his former enemy.

"Steve, I'll listen to you. I'll wait here to see if I have a chance to meet Mr. Kitagawa and Kadokawa."

"Hehehe..." Ronald looked at him with a flattering look, and couldn't help laughing when he recalled all the things the other party made things difficult for him when he was in a high position.

"It's you, Ronald?" The middle-aged handsome guy who was trained to be like a grandson saw Ronald, his face turned from green to white, and then from white to red, and he wanted to leave on the spot with shame and indignation.

But he was stopped by the square jaw who scolded him again, "Tom, what's wrong with you? Did you forget what I told you just now? Now is the time for you to ask someone."

Then he turned around again, his face quickly changed into a bright smile, and he stretched out his hand and said to Ronald, "Hello, Ronald. My name is Bannon, and I am your fan. I am now working for Mount Mr. Mount's production company works, and now I need to meet the two chairman Kitagawa and Kadokawa who invited you to discuss the financing of the new film, can you please introduce us?"

(End of this chapter)