Exploiting Hollywood 1980

Nora Ephron had a strong desire to be a director. After "When Harry Met Sally", another movie she wrote, "Biscuit", was also filmed. On the set, the guidance of the actors by the female director Susan Seidelman was like a directing student who had not graduated compared to Ronald.

This made her think "I can be a director too". After meeting with Ronald and Helen Slater, she expressed a strong interest in directing "Happy Together". Of course, one of the prerequisites was that she had to revise the script, which was really terrible.

Helen felt okay about the script, but after hearing Ephron's professional comments, she immediately supported her.

"I'm actually a little worried about my directing ability. Can you come to the crew to guide me for a few days?" While Helen went to the bathroom, Nora Ephron immediately confided in Ronald.

"You've actually done very well. The most important thing for a director is that when you don't know what to do, you should show the actors and the work team that you have everything under control. You didn't ask this question when Helen was here just now. I think you are a genius director."

Ronald agreed to go to her for a day when the filming started, and Ephron was relieved. This threshold must be crossed. With someone like Ronald to help cross it, when I am interviewed by reporters in the future, I can say that I was taught by Ronald Lee.

"Why? Nora, you seem very happy." Helen, who came back, saw Ephron smiling so happily and asked curiously.

"Because Ronald promised me a big thing." Nora Ephron was happy to tell.

"Ahem... I promised her that she would be mainly responsible for the casting..." Ronald coughed quickly. How could he forget it just after praising her? He must not show his weakness in front of the actors.

"Really? What do you think of me?" Helen was also very happy. She posed and said to Ephron half-jokingly. Helen was the designated heroine, but the director recognized her, so there would be less trouble when filming.

"Of course, I always think that you are another version of Sally in When Harry Met Sally, more beautiful and more considerate..." Ephron understood Ronald's meaning and praised the actor, which is also one of the basic skills of a director.

"Hehehe..." Helen was very proud of being praised. If it weren't for the fact that Sally's role was so different from her personality, Ronald would definitely choose her. Thinking of it, she looked happy and looked at Ronald with spring in her almond eyes.

Yeah, he is much more handsome than Harry, and he is also an upgraded version.

"Then it's settled. I will start looking for the male lead. You have to cooperate with the audition and see the chemical reaction... Don't be annoying..."

...

First determine the female lead, and then go to the male lead for an audition. This abnormal behavior of chemical reaction is generally specified by the director or producer. The female lead must be this way, unless there is a rare script centered on the female lead.

In addition to Helen's audition, Ronald's other girlfriend Diane also started discussing the issue of the male lead's audition with the director.

"The male lead of this script, Edward Lewis, is a Gekko-like character. He is charming and disdains to hide his extreme selfishness, and even takes pride in it."

Ronald, who had just flown to Los Angeles, went to Diane and discussed with Penny Marshall, the director of "3000". This is a project led by Ronald, and he appointed the female lead and even the director, so any important decision must be approved by him before it can be advanced.

"I don't think Michael will agree to repeat the Gekko-like character, but I will give him a call." Ronald knew that Penny Marshall meant for him to invite Michael Douglas, who best fits the image of this role.

"In fact, you can tell him that the audience has two feelings about his performance in Wall Street. On the one hand, they are satisfied with his portrayal, and on the other hand, they are dissatisfied with his lack of real punishment. This movie allows him to perform an ending that the audience really likes." Penny Marshall really likes Douglas and tries to work with him.

"I will convey it..." Ronald thought to himself, you really don't understand the minds of stars. How can a star be willing for his character to go bankrupt and have nothing in the end?

"Then I'll wait for good news. The script has been revised. I'll discuss it with Lawton." Penny Marshall said and stood up to say goodbye.

"Diane..." Ronald saw the director off and hugged Diane as soon as he closed the door.

"Hmph..." Diane ignored him, dodged, pushed Ronald's hand away, went to the refrigerator to get a can of Coke and drank it, and rolled her eyes at Ronald.

"What's wrong? Do I smell?" Ronald pulled up his clothes and smelled them. No? His genes are also good, and he doesn't have that kind of unpleasant body odor when he sweats.

"Hmph..." Diane threw the latest issue of "The Hollywood Reporter" on the table and turned around and went into the room.

"What's wrong?" Ronald picked it up and saw that there was a small column at the bottom of the seventh page. There was a photo of him, side by side with the headshots of Helen and Nora Ephron.

This is a small news that every crew has when they start a project, which is used to pave the way for future marketing.

"It is reported that the leading actress of Happy Together is confirmed to be Helen Slater. She performed well in the recently released 'The Depth of Love'. That movie was also produced by Ronald Lee's company and was the debut work of director Cameron Crowe.

And this movie repeats all the success codes of that one. It was produced by Ronald and starred by Helen. It is the debut film of a director who was originally a screenwriter. Reporters learned that Ronald had always invested in Helen Slater's films. Including the then-sensational comedy The Secret of Success and Sticky Fingers - another film directed by a female director and a daydream investment.

It seems that Ronald Lee admires Helen Slater very much, and people are infinitely looking forward to what kind of surprises their true cooperation as director and heroine will bring to the audience. "

"Shxt!", Ronald yelled, what is Daydream's marketing department doing? Are you hyping up the boss's scandal? what happened? Who pays them wages? Looks like it needs some rectification.

Diane was indeed jealous. Ronald also invested in several of her films and found Diane roles that would make her stand out in big productions. But speaking of it, Helen is the heroine in every movie, although most of them are vase-type roles.

But the heroine is a heroine after all.

"Diane,..." Ronald walked in and asked Diane to carry his body, "I..."

"I really don't know what's wrong, I can't control myself. I..." Diane hugged Ronald. Ronald had always been very good to him over the years. The two have not officially announced that they are boyfriend and girlfriend, but this emotion is difficult to control, and even she, who has been acting since she was a child, cannot hide it.

"I'm sorry, Diane..." Ronald held her, kissed her face gently, and sucked away all the tears that silently shed. Although Diane is not the most beautiful woman he has ever experienced, she is the easiest to get along with. Ronald is also reflecting on whether he owes Diane something? In the future, I have to find a good script and praise her.

Diane's body was shaking, but the beautiful memories of their relationship took over. She held Ronald's waist... tighter and tighter.

"Dear, please..." Diane requested.

"Hey..." Ronald kissed Diane and reached out to touch the drawer of the bedside table.

Hey...why not? This is not the Four Seasons Hotel Hollywood. Why isn't there even that? Ronald slowly climbed over Diane and reached out to touch another cabinet.

"Wait a minute, I'll make a call..." Ronald apologized and went to touch the phone on the bedside.

"What are you doing?" Diane hugged him and refused to let him go. What was the interruption at this time?

"I'm going to call room service...what..." Ronald said in Diane's ear.

"Fuxk...what do you think I am? A street girl from 3000? Do you want me to take out a row and let you pick a color you like?" Diane got angry and pushed Rona away. De, hit him hard several times.

"I'm doing this for you too..." Ronald was speechless for a moment.

"You bastard, bastard..." Diane increased her strength and used her fists on Ronald's chest.

"Are you serious?" Ronald was hurt by the beating. He used tricks from wrestling and judo techniques and locked Diane's wrist with his hands to prevent her from hitting her again. Do you have anything to say? .

"Huh... um... let go..." Diane tried hard to break free, but couldn't get out even after several attempts. Such a struggle made her sweat all over her body and her face turned red.

"What do you want to do?" Diane glared into Ronald's eyes, but those sweet memories came back to her mind. "Who do you think I am? Do you still have to worry about me having an STD? I'm not Madonna..."

At the beginning of the year, Madonna still couldn't hold it back and filed for divorce again in court to end her marriage to Sean Penn. By Hollywood standards, this is a declaration that the two are single again.

In the following months, Madonna kept changing male partners, and celebrities such as JFK Jr. and Warren Beatty. I also go out with choreographers, hairstylists, fitness coaches and other ordinary people. Gossip magazines also photographed her visiting famous STD doctors in Hollywood several times, and everyone immediately admired her boldness.

"Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean that at all." Ronald was startled. Although that thing has the effect of preventing STD, he meant another main function.

"Hmph..." Diane was a little funny. He put his arms around Ronald's neck and pulled him down. "Don't worry, I've calculated the days."

…

More than half an hour later, the two lay contentedly together and chatted.

"I don't care, you are mine, Ronnie, don't leave me" Diane rubbed Ronald's toes with her toes.

"I won't..." Ronald felt itchy. After Diane got angry with him just now, it seemed that the experience between the two of them was particularly sweet, and his whole person was in a kind of warm happiness.

"I don't care what happens to you and her. You are not allowed to let me see you and her in front of me..."

"Ahem... I can't..." Ronald thought to himself that this requirement is not very high.

"Don't let gossip magazines spread such scandals again..."

"I won't. There must be something wrong this time. I'll explain it to them when I get back."

"Hmph, anyway, don't let me see these again..." Diane buried her head next to Ronald and moved closer to him.

"Isn't this the same as Jane Morgan did to Weintraub? Could this kind of good thing also happen to me?" Ronald began to daydream.

…

At night, Ronald returns from daydreaming. He lost his temper. But my colleagues innocently said that they did not reveal it themselves. And they have not yet submitted "Happy Together" to the Producers Alliance and MPAA for filing. The project establishment news of the Hollywood Reporter was not reported by Daydream.

Still angry, Ronald immediately called private detective Frank McPike to investigate who leaked the secret.

His anger hadn't subsided yet, and he had to coax Diane again. Therefore, the "Street Fight" production team headed by Kenzo Tsujimoto, who arrived by plane, were taken to the Hilton Hotel as soon as they got off the plane. Ronald changed to a new hotel overnight.

"Miss Diane Lane, please accept our apology in person..."

Several game designers, male and female, from Kenzo Tsujimoto to the next, knelt on the ground and bowed their heads to Diane seriously to apologize.

"What, you don't have to do this. Now we are all a community of interests." Diane was shocked. She had shot commercials in Japan and had never seen polite Japanese people apologize like this.

"Thank you, Miss Diane, for your magnanimity." Kenzo Tsujimoto stood up and introduced the team to Diane and Ronald. "This is the game producer Yoshiki Okamoto, this is the programmer Nishitani Ryo, and this is the music designer. Shimomura Yoko..."

Ronald quickly asked them all to sit down and asked the hotel to send them some coffee and snacks. This apology is too grand. But it seems that Diane is in a better mood. Well, the etiquette of Japanese people still has merit.

"We all admire Diane-san. All the scenes and plots in this game were designed after watching Diane-san's 'Streets of Rage'." Nishitani Ryo is a big talker and has leaked all the details of game design. .

At that time, Kenzo Tsujimoto really had no creativity. Seeing the popularity of Double Dragon, he could only imitate and develop his own games. Because the concept design time was very tight, he found several urban youth-themed movies directed by Walter Hill and asked the production team to watch them more for reference.

There was not enough time, so several key members of the production team, who liked "Streets of Rage" starring Diane the most, set up three video recorders in the office, used Polaroid cameras to take pictures of their favorite scenes, and then used them to draw pictures. Level and character designs.

Such a hasty game has become Capcom's best-selling product because of the charm of the movie itself. Now that the copyright issue has been resolved, sales in America are also very good.

Diane laughed out loud at the Japanese's exaggerated tone of voice. It seems like it was really because of the movie she was in that this gaming masterpiece was created.

Ronald felt that it was time for them to apologize, as long as it could make Diane happy... Ronald was satisfied and announced on the spot that he would invite their production team to stay in Los Angeles for a few more days, and he would pay for all the expenses.

Richard then came over and acted as a tour guide, taking several talents to visit the Hollywood crew and locations. Those people also made special requests to go to the Air Force base where "Top Gun" was filmed (they didn't understand English well and thought it was the Air Force) and to watch "Hand Man" on the beach where Ronald's other movie "Break Dance" was filmed. Performance. It is said that it is to accumulate materials for the next game development.

…

"What are Niceta and Richard doing?" In the largest office in CAA's new building, Ovitz was asking his secretary about the movements of several of Ronald's agents.

"Mr. Niceta is preparing casting candidates for Ronald's new project, and Richard seems to be helping Ronald handle some personal matters..."

"He might as well become Ronald's little follower...hum," Ovitz said, and the current matter must be kept away from Ronald's eyes and ears.

"Make me a reservation at Chasen's restaurant," Ovitz chose a restaurant that Hollywood stars like to hang out. He knew that the VIP from Australia liked to check in at this kind of luxurious restaurant that showed his status.

"Okay", the secretary did not hesitate. Although it was a temporary decision, which famous restaurant in Hollywood couldn't immediately clear out a table with his boss's name?

"Mr. Scars's private flight has arrived. We have picked up him and his wife and are heading to the Beverly Hilton Hotel." Another secretary came in to inform.

Ovitz straightened his tie and prepared to go.

Sony's chairman informed himself a few days ago that he would give up the plan to acquire shares through agreement with small shareholders and instead buy shares from the major shareholder Coca-Cola on the open market.

This made Ovitz, who had already negotiated the terms of the deal, very dissatisfied. After all, in addition to the consulting fees from the acquirer, he also had to collect consulting fees from the small shareholders. Those people were tired of Columbia Pictures. The stock price is weak, and the cost of selling to Sony is no less than that of Sony.

He decided to secretly introduce a new bidder, the Australian media tycoon who had just reached an agreement with MGM shareholders, the president of Qtex Group, Christopher Scars, who had just turned 40. This man is still dissatisfied with MGM, the seven major studios that have declined, and he wants to try Columbia Pictures, which has been producing various classic movies in the past ten years.