Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"After the filming in the Cayman Islands, except for those who came to unpack and debug the equipment in advance, other staff members can stay here for one more weekend. The crew will be responsible for your food and accommodation, and the rest will have to be paid by yourself..."

"Oh yeah!"

The filming in the Cayman Islands allowed the crew to shoot very efficiently, but it also created a lot of tension. Shooting in this resort every day, but having no time or money to walk on the beach, go diving, or hook up with beautiful women, the hormones of the natural "artists" on the crew had no place to vent, so they almost vented themselves into the filming.

Moreover, Ronald and several of the leading actors also had male and female friends visiting the studio, and this inequality only exacerbated the complaints. The crew stayed here for a few weeks. After completing the filming, they had to go to Washington, D.C. to film the remaining FBI-related scenes, so they were asked to go directly there. Ronald was probably worried for a few days. Those who voluntarily go to Washington to work on the front line will receive double pay plus bonuses. Now even the labor unions can't raise any objections.

After a long flight, Ronald arrived in New York first, and Helen had returned to her apartment, looking forward to the fruits of their hard work in Cayman. And Ronald still has to meet a lot of people...

"Dafoe and Klein's auditions are here, can you take a look?" Jonathan Demi came over and watched with Ronald the replacement actor they were looking for for the leading actor Andy, but Demi was extremely dissatisfied with both of them. Even British actors Jeremy Irons and Gary Oldman were not interested in inviting him.

Willem Dafoe and Kevin Kline were both willing to play the lawyer Andy, but the performance based on the two-page script they were given (the main plot was not revealed) made Jonathan Demme discover a major question.

But Demi insisted not to say what the specific problem was. He just wanted Ronald to take a look. If the two of them had the same impression, then there was really a problem.

"Okay, oops, I'm exhausted. I really can't go to the resort to shoot movies in the future..." Ronald sat down and took a bowl of takeaway chicken soup to replenish his energy. This is a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown that specially adds wolfberry and wolfberry. Codonopsis pilosula, simmered over low heat...

"Oh, God...they, they..."

"You noticed it too, right?"

"Yes, they are all hated..."

After reading the details of the two auditions, Ronald discovered a problem. Both Willem Dafoe and Kevin Kline, after playing the sick Philadelphia lawyer Andy, have a kind of hatred that makes people have no sympathy at all.

This disease originally made the mainstream society feel uncomfortable, but the two actors, whether because of their appearance or temperament, both had a gloomy and uncomfortable feeling. This feeling is projected onto the audience's mentality and becomes a feeling of "you deserve it".

Andy was originally meant to make the audience feel pitiful and feel the misfortune of a good person in trouble. If the main feeling after seeing the male protagonist is the feeling of "you fucking deserve it" and the feeling of gloating about misfortune, then the whole movie The movie just doesn't hold up at all.

This is not a question of the actors’ or directors’ evaluations. It might lead to a box office disaster.

Miloš Forman, who won two Oscars for Best Director that year, encountered Waterloo on "Valmont." There are many reasons to explain the super failure of this movie, but the heroine Meg Tilly, compared to Michelle Pfeiffer who played the same role in another "Dangerous Liaisons", undoubtedly makes the audience feel pity for her. is one of the important reasons.

This is not Ronald Guangguang’s own idea. CeaSre conducted a sample survey of the audience for this movie. American audiences also have very different perceptions of the roles played by the two female stars.

"What you say makes sense, but why? Tilly and Pfeiffer, there is not much difference in acting and appearance between the two?" After listening to Ronald's statement, Jonathan Dem agreed with that pitiful character. He couldn't get up, but he was a little unclear about the root cause of the problem and kept walking around.

"I'm not being objective, but have you ever thought about the impression they have on the audience with the other characters they play?"

"I think what you said is very objective..." Jonathan Demi gave a high-five. That may be the point. Before the movie that made her famous, Michelle Pfeiffer had played pitiable characters. Basically, as soon as the audience sees her, they have the feeling of being a poor woman that evokes memories of the past.

Meg Tilly did not follow the path of a typical Hollywood star. Her ex-husband was a Hollywood producer and was often able to find her various types of roles. She has tried all these roles: innocent, femme fatale, ascetic, and wanton.

Therefore, there is no impression engraved in the memory of the audience. When they see her, they cannot have the feeling of pity and that she must be right, an innocent victim.

And among the actors chosen for "Philadelphia Story", none of them have the kind of people who can make the audience feel pitiful at first glance. Not even Daniel Day-Lewis, who Jonathan Demme wanted in the first place. He can only use his acting skills to convince the audience, but he does not have the ability to make the audience feel right at first sight.

"Are we really looking for Tom Hanks?" Ronald thought for a long time. Among the actors in Hollywood who are familiar with him and can play the leading actor Andy, it seems that only Tom Hanks is the most suitable...

"Maybe Tom Hanks is the most suitable?"

Jonathan Demme hesitated for a moment, but still expressed his similar choice.

"You go to him first. If Rita has any complaints, come to me and I will try to convince her..."

Ronald knew that the biggest obstacle to inviting Tom Hanks to star in this movie this time might be his wife Rita Wilson. Three consecutive movies have kept Hanks working non-stop. Even if he was given a star on Hollywood Boulevard, he couldn't be used like a machine.

...

"Hi, Rita, I'm filming in Washington DC now. If you have anything to say, can we talk after I finish filming?"

Sure enough, Rita Wilson was very angry. After Tom Hanks received Jonathan Demme's invitation, he was somewhat interested in playing this role, but Rita was extremely angry and called Ronald's assistant directly, requiring him to answer the phone immediately.

"Ronald, Tom has just finished filming Sleepless in Seattle. You know how picky director Nora is. She has to read the lines word for word without making any mistakes. The clothes have to match the background color, and they have to match the color she approves of. This movie has exhausted Tom physically and mentally, and I haven't even mentioned the previous movie A League of Their Own. You won't let Tom film the third movie like this, right? We were all planning to go on vacation." "Ah, yes, vacation, we should go on vacation. It was my negligence. I just came back from the Cayman Islands and I'm very familiar with it. There are seven miles of beautiful beaches, which are perfect for couples. Do you like it? I'll arrange a plane to pick you up and fly directly to Grand Cayman Island. There are executive suites at the Marriott Hotel, as well as professional seaplanes and diving instructors. Of course, you can't take a plane right after diving. You have to wait for 24 hours. Don't worry about everything. I'll arrange everything..." "Ronald, Ronald De, ... you know that's not what I'm talking about. If you let him continue to star in your movies, I will complain to the Screen Actors Guild..."

"Rita, listen to me, I don't mean to force him. I definitely don't mean to overwork Tom. This movie is really suitable for him, he is the most suitable, there is no one better than him in Hollywood... Do you understand what I mean? Jonathan is the best director..."

"Hey, Ronald, if you don't come up with a perfect reason, I, a Greek woman, will get angry. I won't have the courage to oppose him then. We all need our wives to take good care of us so that we can have room for creation..."

Tom Hanks, who was next to the phone, also spoke, half-jokingly helping Rita and Ronald to ease their rising anger...

"If you want to give a reason, I do have one, I was just about to say it..."

"What reason?" Rita Wilson also asked. As long as the reason is not convincing enough, she will insist on giving up the role.

"Jonathan Demme is a very good director. I am sure that he and Tom will make a movie that will be praised by critics and audiences all over the United States. This is definitely an opportunity for Tom."

"Wow, Jonathan is a good director, but he doesn't hit the mark in every movie. Your record is much better than his."

"You mean you want me to direct? I don't have time. I have to edit the movie I'm about to finish shooting."

"Tom can wait and take a break..."

"Uh..." Ronald thought about it for a few seconds and gave up. He knew his level. This kind of subject matter and story were not very suitable for him to play. In fact, this story is very plain. It is not his forte to shoot the true meaning from the plainness. He still prefers the commercial movies with ups and downs in the plot.

"Oh, yes, Jonathan actually has a secret. I have seen many of his movies. When he wants to shoot something and is full of creative passion, there will be a wonderful chemical reaction. Shotgun Lulu and The Silence of the Lambs are all like this. Even his earliest work, Orange Is the New Black, is a low-cost exploitation film full of social reflection.

The works that the studios want to impose on him can only be regarded as a commercial film director who is above average, not great."

"Huh?" Rita Wilson's voice was a little lower. Indeed, The Silence of the Lambs won five major awards, which is the third time since Hollywood had Oscars.

"Tell you, why not give Jonathan a chance and let him talk to you too? He and I have good friends who died of the same disease... Hey, if I didn't understand it myself and he handled this subject better than me, I wouldn't give it to him.

If Emile knew that I gave this movie to a random director, he would definitely jump out of his bed and call me to object..."

Ronald said, and he became sentimental.

"I understand. How is Emile?" Rita is also an actor. She is always very sensitive to such emotional things. What's more, what Ronald said makes sense, so she is inclined to agree.

"He didn't respond well to Dr. He's experimental treatment. I am trying to keep him comfortable now..."

"Do you think Tom has a chance to play this role..." Rita Wilson still hopes that her husband will win the Best Actor Award, so she asked again.

"I don't know, the subject matter of this movie is so sensitive that if we had the right time and the right people on our side, a nomination would be a real possibility. But I can't guarantee it, Rita. Otherwise I'd be lying to you. "

"Okay, but I'm going on vacation with Tom first...he's too tired."

"Of course, you don't have to worry about anything, I'll take care of everything for you..."

…

After settling the Tom Hanks matter, Ronald began the final filming of the movie Sugar-Coated Trap in Washington, DC.

"Ed, very good." Ronald gave a thumbs up to actor Ed Harris, who had just finished filming and was about to take a rest.

The FBI detective played by Ed Harris is very different from similar characters in ordinary movies.

In usual Hollywood movies, the FBI is either very stupid and evil, or very smart and righteous. It depends on whether the FBI is a positive or negative character in your script.

But in this sugar-coated trap, the FBI is fighting wits and courage with the protagonist Mitchell. Although their professional legal knowledge is definitely not as strong as that of the protagonist Mitchell, they are also full of humaneness and finally get the chance to punish the law firm where Mitchell works for engaging in tax evasion and money laundering. After the evidence, he also turned a blind eye to Mitche's behavior of protecting himself and rescuing his brother.

It can be said that this FBI detective is an ordinary person, neither a good person nor a bad person. He has coerced and deceived the protagonist, and also helped and understood him.

The bald actor Ed Harris didn't want to be in the movie. It was Tom Cruise, his good friend who wanted to work with him, who agreed to play the role.

However, after filming some scenes, he put aside his original prejudice against the movie, especially since Ronald gave him enough space to improvise and he was able to listen to some reasonable suggestions he made. It was not as he originally imagined. The kind of commercial film director who only catches the progress of filming.

"Hey, you made me happy. Hahaha..." Ed smiled. After all, it was not a movie he liked. It would be nice if everyone got along harmoniously.

"Does he like me? Or is he perfunctory with me?" Ronald asked the photography director on the side after Harris left.

"It doesn't matter, he performed very well on camera anyway..."

"Hahaha……"

Ronald also laughed. In fact, he didn't attach much importance to the performance of this character. He was more of a scene that was easy to grasp and was not one of those characters that had a greater impact on the movie.

"Ronald..."

Just as he was talking, Ed Harris walked in again, "This gentleman wants to find you. I saw that he was very anxious, so I brought him in."

"Oh, thank you." Ronald looked back and saw little George walking in. "George, why are you here?"

"Is there a convenient place to talk?"

…

"Qianlong Ascension is going to be released according to the original plan? Who did you listen to? Didn't they agree to the modification?"

"Oh, Ronald, don't you watch TV?"

Little George turned on the TV in the trailer...

"George Perot announced today that he will return to the presidential race. He expressed confidence in gaining votes and public support. As his running mate for vice president, he chose not to choose John Silber, the president of Boston University who had been highly popular before. , but chose his temporary partner during the previous election registration, the deaf Admiral James B. Stockdale.”

"You don't mean that?"

"Yes, the Navy no longer supports us. The budget cuts led by my father and Cheney have even forced them to abandon the subsequent upgrade development of the F-14."

"What?" Ronald was speechless. You didn't develop such a beautiful fighter jet? "Little George, I have to say, this is really disappointing. I have to say, I don't support your father in this matter."

"Instead of saying that, is there anything you can do to prevent the release of this movie that slanders my parents?"

"I'm afraid it's difficult. Legally, this video is a newsreel. According to the bill, Hollywood can use it, even if the White House doesn't want to. You can only stop it through legal action, but that is after the movie is released."

"OK, I understand. I'll tell Barbara, thank you."

"I said, aren't Warner Brothers worried about your father's wrath now? He is still the owner of the White House?" Ronald didn't understand. Could it be that the support of the Navy allowed a studio to dare to offend the commander-in-chief?

"No, they didn't dare because they had the support of the navy, but they saw the possibility of my father losing the election."

"So, will he?" Ronald was stunned for a moment, and then slowly said this.