Exploiting Hollywood 1980

“It’s a God-given script, and I love it.”

After reading the script, Jonathan Demme expressed his heartfelt admiration. In fact, all aspects of this movie are balanced just right. It does not support or oppose those minority groups, but just gives some humane care to those unfortunate people.

Compared with Demi's friend's documentary, it is obvious that a commercial film can have a greater impact on the public perception.

"But there is one problem." Ronald felt that he could not cheat Jonathan Demme, and put forward his concerns, that is, making this movie would not be favored by the Oscar judges, and it might also have a negative impact, so that it would affect to evaluate the director’s future works.

"Hahaha, Ronald, do you know what is on the most conspicuous place on the bookshelf in the study room of my home?" Jonathan Demi asked with a smile.

"I do not know"

"It's my Best Director Oscar. For me, after winning two Best Directors and a movie that can change public perception, I don't have to hesitate to choose."

"Okay, I will give you all my support. This movie is for our friends and for the opportunity to never have such a tragedy again."

"For friends"

As soon as the two shook hands, the matter was settled.

"Columbia will not come forward to distribute. A sub-brand like TriStar Pictures is just right. Our friend Mike Medavoy happens to like the script very much. You can raise a budget of about 20 million. If you need any stars, you can also Can be added.”

"Very good. There are no expensive scenes in the script. But my company also has to participate in the production."

"Of course, there's nothing wrong with that."

Ronald understood that Jonathan Demi wanted to participate in the production not mainly because of the income, but because he wanted to be one of the producers in this film as a way to express his gratitude to his friends.

"Your documentary, if this movie can be successful, it will probably not be a problem to distribute and sell to TV stations." Ronald added, if his friend's unfinished documentary legacy was turned into a movie like this Someone must have bought the accompanying documentary.

"Anything related to this project must be done with caution. I am worried that if it is exposed too early, there will be a lot of resistance."

"Understood, I will deal with it in the most prudent way."

After accidentally identifying the director of this film project called "Philadelphia Story", Ronald went to Washington, D.C., where there were many filming locations for the film, and Ronald himself needed to arrange them.

Diane, along with Demi Moore, Madonna, Tom Hanks and others, first got off the plane in New York and went there to attend the New York premiere of "Pink Alliance".

"The most famous hotel near the National Mall is the Washington Hotel. It only takes a few minutes to walk to the National Mall and the White House. You can take pictures of the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building in your lens. If I were you, Just choose the footage of FBI agents meeting here.”

"It's great here, George. If you were from Hollywood, I'd probably put you at the top of my list of professionals to work with."

This time in Washington, D.C., the person who helped Ronald look good was a non-staff person, the current eldest son of the general, the manager of the Texas baseball team, and the anonymous shareholder of a Hollywood investment company, George Jr.

"Hahahaha, you always make me happy." Little George was also very happy. In fact, he ended up losing money in business, and he couldn't compete with his younger brother Jeb even when he was helping his mother. Only with Ronald, whether it was investing or giving good things, Help from friends made him feel that he was very valuable.

Maybe it's like what Ronald said. If he wasn't the son of a general, he would definitely be a good man in Hollywood. After all, he handles the affairs of the baseball team and is very popular with the audience.

"I don't mean to be nice. Many people in Hollywood don't understand that the film production process is not as glamorous as on the screen. Just like this scene, I can guarantee that many people will add their own opinions on the film. Understand, have to say the symbolism of the roofs of the White House and Capitol Hill, and then try to let me give them a blank shot. As with every other job, common sense is most valuable, and George, my friend, you are a very common sense person. Man, I won’t lie to you about this.”

"Do you think so too? I'm considering whether to officially enter politics."

"I think serving the people is the most worthy job for you. To tell you something your mother doesn't like to hear, you are more charming than your brother, even more than your father."

Little George was so delighted by Ronald's praise that he used a little bit of power to help Ronald get the right to use this luxury hotel in Washington, D.C., for filming. He also asked the hotel manager to upgrade Ronald's room to a penthouse suite for free on the grounds that the great director Ronald needed to be seen and to provide free advertising for the hotel.

"Why is his approval rating suddenly so high?" Ronald invited Little George to have a drink, and suddenly found that the approval rating of the Donkey Party candidate shown on TV had actually reached 55.

"This is the advantage of not caring about face. His bus trip took several days to travel through thousands of miles of eastern and south-central states. In fact, it was all arranged in communities. He shot some footage from the airport to the communities, and then Went to the airport to catch the next attraction, so you know, we Americans like this.”

Little George seemed to have carefully studied the governor's propaganda techniques, and what he said was clear and logical. And because his father is "busy with state affairs", he doesn't like the hypocrisy of communicating directly with the people, so he only routinely expresses his approval for things that 80% of the people support, such as strengthening federal funding to research treatments for diseases. .

Unlike the last election, when Barbara asked Ronald to shoot a campaign advertisement, this time they are full of confidence. George Jr. said that not only was Roger Ailes, the campaign consultant who took to the streets, kicked out, but it was also difficult for him to speak to Barbara. The entire campaign operation was based on Barbara's idea of ​​Jeb's. Her younger brother, Jeb, was the son that Barbara chose to inherit the family business.

According to George Jr., despite the fact that the governor's approval rating is now very high, they will soon launch attack ads against him, just like the last term that slapped various labels on Dukakis to lower the other party's approval rating. The support rate is the same

Moreover, as the commander-in-chief in this term, there are many candidates from the Donkey Party, and the dirty information about his wife's youth would be enough for him to deal with it in a very embarrassing manner if only a little bit of information about his wife's youth was revealed.

In addition to the contrast between the governor evading military service and the commander-in-chief George Sr. flying torpedo planes in the service of the country, little Jeb also plans to launch a story about the governor's wife having a low IQ and failing the New York State bar exam twice, so she had no choice but to go to Arkansas to join the governor. , her lawyer qualification was actually obtained in Arkansas, where the exam difficulty is much lower than that in New York.

Ronald was not optimistic about this approach. The governor's wife has long since put away her professional style. She has big bangs and wears outdated clothes. She is simply a role model for southern women. Calling her stupid is not to help those conservative voters who believe that women should stay at home to take care of their children. ?

However, leaders seeking re-election in the White House rarely fail anyway, and now is not the time when I could speak up. Ronald sent Little George away and watched many iconic attractions in the top-floor suite, which will appear in the movie.

In the evening, Ronald ate in the room, and the night view was also a possibility to consider.

"A group of actresses from the Pink League attended the premiere in New York together with Tom Hanks. The New York audience spoke highly of the movie. This is their favorite female theme. It is expected that there will be another movie after Working Girl Will win the favor of New York women.

On the night of the baseball league live broadcast, when men discuss the game, now it is women’s turn to comment on the game.”

News of the New York premiere was playing on the TV. Diane, Demi Moore, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell and others all appeared in front of the camera one after another. This year, there is clearly a trend of female films rising in Hollywood. Thelma and Louise pushed the wave of independent female films that Ronald and Cameron insisted on to the top, and many projects suddenly emerged.

"Yes, I had a lot of fun making this movie. I got along very well with Diane, Demi, Madonna, and, by the way, Rosie."

The footage showed an interview with Brooke Shields. Rosie O'Donnell also came over to see if she would mention her. When she got her wish, she was very happy. She hugged Brooke and asked the reporter to take more pictures.

"Tell me, tell me, was Tom Cruise's first Hollywood movie shot with you? How was he at that time, was he cute?" Rosie O'Donnell is indeed Cruise's first movie A fan of a girl found out all the movies in which he debuted.

"Ah, that was a long time ago. At that time, he had not corrected his teeth." Brooke Shields thought about the past and glanced at Diane, who happened to look over as well. The two of them smiled, it was all in the past.

"The next person coming over is supermodel Cindy Crawford. Cindy, your new Diet Pepsi commercial has created a craze. Let's talk about it?"

"I just came to watch the movie. There are not many movies with female protagonists, but I like it very much and I will make more movies in the future."

"Will you also make movies? Cindy?" Reporters surrounded her

"What are you doing there?" Ronald looked at Cindy Crawford who had just taken a shower and put on a new version of high-end clothing. He pointed at the TV and asked her.

"I'm going to support women's films." Cindy Crawford came from New York specifically to express her condolences to Ronald. Pepsi's advertisement received a very good response, not only helping her to take the lead in the competition among supermodels, but also attracting endorsement invitations from many jeans brands. The endorsement fee for this kind of mass product is often much more expensive than that of high-end brands.

"What are you doing?" Ronald looked at her like this and seemed to have quite a bit of ambition.

"You're such a boring person. I'm just here to relax, handsome guy."

Cindy Crawford came over and hugged Ronald's head. The smell of shower gel and pajamas was very strong. Soon Ronald was lost in Cindy's alluring figure and that enchanting beauty mark.

"What's wrong with me? Is there something dirty on my face?" On the way back, Ronald picked up Diane and a group of other female stars, and then sent Tom Hanks and his wife to Seattle to film the unfinished "The Last Night in Seattle". sleep.

He found that Diane kept looking at her, smiling slightly, wondering if he still had a special perfume smell that had not been washed away, and he raised his sleeves and smelled it twice.

"Brookee stayed in New York. She said she would focus on modeling and other public affairs."

"Oh, that's good. Not everyone can climb up from the bottom of Hollywood." Ronald was relieved. It seemed that Diane and Brooke had communicated during the premiere in New York.

Sure enough, Diane grabbed Ronald's arm and fell asleep as soon as she got on the plane, hugging him tightly and sweetly.

"Roger, you can only play a cameo as an old lawyer in a company in this movie. Gangsters and those kind of messy businessmen are not suitable for your temperament."

After returning to his home in Los Angeles, Ronald invited Roger Corman to visit his home. On the one hand, he wanted to invite him to play a cameo in a sugar-coated trap, and on the other hand, it was about Corman's star on the Avenue of Stars, which was approved by the second review.

He invited Cameron, Jonathan Demme and others to attend Roger Corman's star dedication ceremony, which made Corman smile happily.

"It doesn't matter. If you have any roles like senator, justice, etc. in the future, you have to think of me." Roger Corman also understood that he was most suitable to play this kind of sanctimonious and well-dressed "hypocrite".

While chatting, the servant suddenly brought Jonathan Demme in.

"Jonathan, we just mentioned you. Roger's star is coming. You must come."

"Of course, I will definitely attend. I came to see you for another matter."

"Well, I'll leave first," Roger Corman was about to say goodbye, but was stopped by Demme, "Roger, can you also give me some ideas? What should I do?"

It turned out that Jonathan Demme's "Philadelphia Story" encountered great resistance. He was optimistic about the Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis from the beginning. This actor, who has recently starred in several influential movies such as Prague Love and A Room with a View, has a high reputation in Hollywood.

He has participated in movies that have high requirements for the inner performance of the characters. He is particularly good at using actions and expressions to lead the audience to feel the inner activities of the characters. Some people even praised him as the new Laurence Olivier.

It happened that Daniel Day-Lewis was also very thin, which was more in line with the situation of the sick protagonist. Jonathan Demme's first choice was him.

But Daniel Day-Lewis, who had already met once and had a good chat, rejected the role coldly two days later. He didn't even give a reason, but Richard learned through information channels that he would take on another work.

"Are you afraid of controversy?" Ronald was unhappy. Roger Corman made so many controversial social films back then. I wonder what this expert has to say?

"I have directed more than 200 films and produced more. The only one that didn't make money was the Invaders, which reflects racial segregation. I can only say that the only directorial work I am proud of is this one, because at that time, the big studios in Hollywood didn't have the courage to touch this kind of subject matter."

Ronald and Jonathan Demme looked at each other. Well, Roger Corman is also an old hippie with a fiery heart. He actually encouraged them to not worry about losing money for their ideals. This is a very rare thing.

"I thought about it for a long time. We may have to hide him in this movie."

In the evening, after Ronald made several phone calls and had a long talk with several friends, he came back to communicate with Demme.

Although Daniel Day-Lewis appeared in Hollywood as an Irishman, his mother was actually Jewish. So whether he is Irish or Jewish is a very changeable thing.

This time he gave up Philadelphia Story and took on a film about the Irish Republican Army. So it is hard to say whether it was because of the attraction of his father's ethnicity or his mother's ethnicity that made him reject Ronald's project.

Jonathan Demme was also quite frustrated. He didn't expect that there would be such strong opposition before the filming of this film even started. "How to hide it?" he asked.

"We will keep it secret and not show the full script to ordinary people. Just say it is a film about lawyers."

"Is this feasible? At least Daniel Day-Lewis already knows it."

"Of course, important roles cannot be kept secret. I think there is another way. If you want to hide a tree, hide it in the forest."