Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Forty to thirty, McEnroe's serve is about to get match point."

NBC is broadcasting the third round match between John McEnroe and Vincent Van Patten at the US Open. McEnroe won the first two sets in a row. Ronald's friend Van Patten was trailing 2-0.

Ronald is sitting in the stands wearing aviator-style sunglasses, with Helen Slater on the left and old friend PJ Soles and her husband Dennis Quaid on the right. Two couples of men and women came specially to cheer for the leading actor of "Rock of Ages".

However, facing McEnroe, a genius who has been ranked No. 1 in the world for two consecutive years, Van Patten seems to have no luck in defeating him in Tokyo last time. In addition to being behind by a huge score of 0-2, the score in the third set was also 3-3. Five behind.

"Out of bounds!" The referee ruled that McEnroe's first serve was out of bounds.

"Okay!" Ronald saw that there was still a chance to tie the score and started to applaud.

"This is Ronald Lee, a famous local young director in New York." The NBC commentator was also a movie enthusiast. He saw the camera pointed at Ronald and Helen and announced his name.

"He directed 'Fast Richmond High', which is now playing in theaters. It seems that he is a supporter of Van Patten, a tennis player who was once a movie actor."

"Who is the beautiful woman next to him?" Another guest commentator asked, "Is she also an actress in Fast Pace?"

"Um, I don't know her. She's a beautiful woman, but she's definitely not the two heroines in Ronald's new movie." Jennifer Jason Leigh and Phoebe Cates, their posters have been sold like crazy. This Beauty is definitely not one of them.

"Oh, out of bounds again, double fault. The two sides are evenly divided. Can Van Patten save this game?" Another host asked.

McEnroe cursed and came to the referee, pointed to the opposite baseline, indicating that his serve did not go out of bounds.

His fiery temper is as famous as his football skills.

There was a long pause in play and the crowd booed. Ronald took the opportunity to whistle loudly to show his disdain.

"Come on, come on, drop the racket, yeah." Helen shook Ronald's hand beside her, and McEnroe got angry and dropped the racket again.

"With such a bad temper, maybe Van Patten has a chance." Ronald thought to himself.

McEnroe returned to his seat and took out a new tennis racket. Then he walked to the service line, looked at the opponent's position, tossed the ball with his right hand, and hit hard with his left hand.

"Ace!"

Ronald silently put down his hand that wanted to applaud. This serve was so powerful that it made a loud bang on the backboard.

"Bang." Another serve, Van Patten quickly moved over and returned the ball.

McEnroe had been waiting in front of the net and hit a volley to end the game.

"Three to zero. McEnroe, the No. 1 seed at this year's US Open, defeated former movie star Van Patten and entered the top 16."

Ronald put on his sunglasses again and clapped a few times. This time the old friend did not perform miracles.

…

"McEnroe's one-handed backhand is so confusing and very powerful. When I beat him in Tokyo last time, it was like I was playing in a Pythe Zone. I was on point no matter how I played. Today I didn't. That’s the state.”

In the evening, several friends went to a place found by Ronald's agent Eddie and held a party.

"What do you mean by playing in the field?" Ronald was very interested. Van Patten's singles level was actually one level behind McEnroe. Today's game showed it very clearly, but last time He defeated McEnroe to win the championship in Tokyo and seemed to be in particularly good condition.

"I don't know, it's like everything is in slow motion, the audience's shouts become very soft, as if..." Van Patten described the state at that time to Ronald.

"It's like there's a layer of film between you? It's like you're watching a movie?" Ronald felt that the state described by Van Patten was a bit like the feeling of dreaming about movie clips.

"Yeah, that's it. But I don't know how to get to that state."

"Will you come to make movies again in the future?" Helen asked this handsome guy.

"No, I have a feeling. My talent in playing tennis is much better than being an actor." Van Patten shook his head, "I understood when I was filming 'Rock and Roll' that my acting skills are far behind PJ. It’s not like you have any talent for directing, Ronald.”

"Hahaha..." PJ Sowers laughed upon seeing this.

"Are you the actor in the Burger King commercial?" Van Patten recognized Leigh Thompson who came to the party and asked her.

"Yeah." It was a rare opportunity for Thompson to attend a gathering of insiders. Her commercial had just been aired on the TV station, and she had some nicknames for a while.

Manager Eddie took her to the party because he wanted her to get acquainted with people in the industry and have some opportunities in the future.

"How much is the box office of your movie now?" The main purpose of PJ Soles' visit was to meet Ronald, who was the assistant and temporary director of the crew and has now become a blockbuster director in Universal.

"Twenty-eight million. However, Universal will not print more copies in the future. It is estimated that the growth rate of the box office will slow down."

One month after its release, Ronald's movie has already exceeded 28 million at the box office. Compared with the box office of more than 2.5 million in the first weekend, the box office multiplier in the first weekend has reached more than ten.

Although this number was initially due to Universal not releasing it nationwide simultaneously, seeing that there is still a lot of room for growth at the box office, no one dared to look down upon such a young director who made the hit movie Sleeping Beauty.

\u0026 Is the reason for alien piracy? "PJ has been in the film industry for a long time and knows a lot of insider information.

Ronald nodded, "Yes, Universal doesn't want to print more copies now, and is planning to allocate some copies to the central region after the box office on the West Coast slows down."

"Video tapes are really an evil invention. If the Japanese were allowed to sell them in America, no one would be willing to enter the cinema.

In the future, movies should no longer be released. Once they are filmed, they will be made into video tapes. From now on, everyone will just watch the video tapes at home. "Eddie interjected to defend Ronald.

"This is because you can't see anything more in the cinema than on TV, so everyone watched it on TV." said a girl brought by Van Patten.

"It can't be said that acting in movies is much more difficult than on TV. Only on the big screen will we be moved by the actors' performances.

And in a movie theater where everything is dark except for the screen, there is nothing else to disturb you. We were able to have two hours of quiet admiration without thinking about anything. Only in this way can we appreciate the art of directors and actors better. Rather than watching a TV show, you can watch it while chatting. "

Van Patten has made movies after all, pointing out the differences between movies and television.

Ronald couldn't agree more. Acting in movies is more difficult than in TV series. Any flaws on the big screen will be noticed by the audience. The TV itself is not big, so some details will be missed by the audience.

However, the average appreciation level of the public is not as high as that of practitioners in the film industry. Many viewers just want to watch a story. Box office and artistry are sometimes contradictory.

"So in the final analysis, we still have to show them something they can't see on TV." PJ's husband Dennis Quaid said.

Ronald agrees. Movies are rated more loosely than TV stations. The radically liberal X-rated movies failed at the box office, but R-rated movies are now taking off.

The reason why studios make R-rated movies with a smaller audience base is to add more things that TV stations can't see and attract viewers to go to movie theaters.

"So 3D movies are the key to saving movies. Audiences can only see three-dimensional images in cinemas."

Dennis Quaid talked about his new movie, he was selected to play "Jaws 3". The film was recently approved as a 3D film by Universal. The Jaws series created by Spielberg has finally begun to languish at the box office in its third episode.

In order to save this blockbuster movie series, Universal turned to 3D technology.

Dennis is a very masculine actor with a wide chin and looks like a traditional American male virtue and advantage.

PJ Soles looked at his husband with great affection. After playing several minor roles in his own movies, Dennis finally had the opportunity to be the leading actor in a major studio movie.

Also with bright eyes is Leigh Thompson.

Ronald's commercial was only played on TV and a few high school boys recognized her.

Her dream is still to be on the big screen. The "Jaws" series is the beginning of America's summer blockbusters. If you can show your face in the movie, you will become famous in one fell swoop.

"Where will Jaws 3 be filmed?" Ronald is very interested in 3D technology. This technology that allows the audience to see three-dimensional images has been around for a while in the 1950s, also to allow the audience to see a little bit. Pictures that cannot be seen on TV.

The most typical early 3D movie is "Murder" directed by Hitchcock and starring Grace Kelly. The phone calls and murders in it were all shown in 3D.

However, this stunt is not very interesting, and the audience will lose interest after watching it a few times.

This time in Jaws 3, maybe the shark will open its bloody mouth and bite the audience three-dimensionally? Ronald found it interesting.

"Filmed in Orlando, Florida, where Universal's water lot is located."

Ronald said that he knew and if he had the chance, he might as well go and take a look.

Several old friends from "Rock and Roll High School" had a great time, and Ronald called a car for them to take them out.

"PJ, it seems like your pace of filming has slowed down recently?"

Ronald asked P.J. Sowers while waiting for the bus.

"I am thirty-two years old. For women of my age, the importance of work will recede. Now I want to have a child with Dennis."

"oh."

Ronald nodded in understanding.

"Women will understand when they reach this age, and men may come later." PJ Sowers chatted with Ronald.

"Your girlfriend Helen is also an actor, right? She talked a lot about acting tonight."

"Yes, she wants to be a movie actress, and she is still looking for opportunities."

PJ talked to Ronald all the time, and the taxi arrived.

"Where's Dennis?" Ronald asked PJ to get in the car, but Dennis Quaid disappeared when he turned around.

"Dennis, your car is here" Ronald called back to PJ's husband.

"Just come!"

In the darkness of the party bar foyer, Dennis and Leigh Thompson were exchanging phone numbers.

"You have danced ballet and your body coordination is pretty good. The crew is still short of a water skier role. I can recommend it to the director. You can water ski, right? You also have some cheerleading moves."

"I will, I will, I was a cheerleader in high school, thank you Dennis." Lea Thompson didn't expect to find a chance to appear at the party. She hugged Dennis and kissed him on the cheek.

"Call me." Dennis Quaid hugged Thompson and waited for a time beyond the normal farewell of friends, then let her go and walked quickly to the taxi.

"Here we go, Honey!" Dennis and PJ's taxi drove away.

"Eddie, do you know where I can learn water skiing in New York?" Lea Thompson pulled her agent Eddie to inquire.