Exploiting Hollywood 1980

In the largest studio at Universal Studios on New York Street, the crew that Diane Lane was participating in was setting up the set, and director and producer Walter Hill was rushing to supervise the work.

Through Diane's introduction, Ronald met this director with excellent box office performance. He shot two hit movies in the past few years: "The Warrior" in 1979 and "48 Hours" in 1982.

Walter Hill is also a director who started out shooting exploitation films. His "The Warrior" tells the story of gangs on the streets of New York. He also appreciates Ronald's "fast pace" and takes Ronald and Diane to visit together.

CAA helped him to make arrangements in advance. Walter took Ronald to visit the sets in three studios. With them, there were also two newspaper reporters who interviewed and recorded the conversation between the two directors.

"This is the venue for the concert of the rock singer Ellen Ann, played by Diane." The two walked to a small studio where the carpenters were rushing to make the stage. . "Two live concerts will be filmed here, and the scenery alone will cost a million dollars."

A wooden stage with several old-fashioned microphones on it, and a worker installing neon tubes in the background. Below is a large audience area with seats in the front row, but the style is also very old, very much like a movie theater in the 1960s.

"This is really a big production, very impressive." Ronald was very envious, because he could make a movie with just one scenery.

"Please come over here, this is the cafe of the male protagonist Tom's sister." A slightly smaller studio next to it has already set up the cafe scenery, so that several studios can start shooting at the same time, which can save a lot of shooting time.

"This is the largest studio in Universal, and we will use it to build the night scene of Chicago and rebuild a Chicago subway station and city." Walter Hill was very proud, and the group walked to the last and largest studio. He introduced it to Ronald.

This studio is only slightly smaller than the one he saw at the Pinewood Studios in London where "Supergirl" was filmed. "Day for night?" Ronald asked, it seems that this movie has a lot of night scenes.

Day as night is a film shooting technique, which uses lights to simulate night scenes in indoors. Film is not good at exposing weak light, so when shooting indoor scenes in the daytime with weak light, it will appear the same as night on film. Many crews shoot night scenes in this way.

"No, that's not real. I will put a big tent outside this big studio to block all the light and shoot the real night scene." Walter Hill proudly introduced.

"Oh", Ronald was so excited that he couldn't speak. This kind of big money is really a waste of money. Who let Walter Hill find a good partner? Producer Joel Silver got a production budget of 15 million from Universal.

"At that time, we will invite a costume designer to customize the costumes for Diane's concert."

The two chatted happily and asked about each other's background. Walter Hill worked as an editor and screenwriter before he became a director. His experience is similar to Ronald's, and the two have a lot in common.

The two reporters recorded some details on the side to facilitate writing the manuscript.

"Ronald, this is our leading actor, Michael Pare." Walter introduced a man of medium height to them.

"Bonjour, Diane," Pare was a muscular man with a decadent look, and he seemed to have plucked his eyebrows and put on eye shadow. His voice had a harsh tone that made people uncomfortable.

"Ah, ah," Diane was pulled into his arms with a warm hug, and then hugged tightly, and finally wanted to kiss her.

Diane dodged twice, and finally was not kissed on the mouth. After breaking away from Pare's hug, she introduced him to him, "This is Ronald, my good friend, and also a film director." Then she hid next to Ronald and in the back.

"Ronald, eh?" Pare raised his chin towards him, as a greeting.

"Hello, Michael." Ronald knew that some actors would get into the role in advance, and Michael Pare might be showing the character of the leading actor in the play, so he didn't care.

"You are also a director, eh?" Pal took out a butterfly knife, a knife type that came from the Philippines, and the handle is two movable long handles.

Pal played with the butterfly knife in his hand, and snapped the handle together, revealing the sharp blade. Then there was another dazzling movement, and the blade was folded up.

"Oh, your knife skills are good. Which Chinese restaurant are you a chef in?" Ronald thought the other party was a little naive. Who was he trying to scare?

"In New York...restaurant, I worked as a chef there for three years." Pal began to brag about his experience again, how he admired Marlon Brando since he was a child, how he was discovered by a scout in a restaurant, and how he got this role through the relationship of the female star Nancy Allen.

"He is really a cook. No wonder his neck is so thick." Ronald picked his ears and turned back to find Walter Hill.

"That's all. Don't forget to mention my good friend, director Ronald Lee. His new film 'Night of the Comet' will be released soon." Walter Hill also noticed that Pal was being long-winded, so he quickly called reporters to take pictures of them.

"Walter, I've read Diane's script. Why is the script so thin? It seems that there is no name yet?" Ronald and director Walter Hill chatted casually after sending the reporters away.

"That's the common idea between me and producer Joel Silver. We think the important thing about this movie is the atmosphere, singing and dancing, the use of light, and color. In fact, the story is not that important. We just decided on the name, called "Streets of Rage""

"Streets of Rage?" Ronald thought it was not bad. This kind of plot that teenagers like, a war hero comes back to save his ex-girlfriend, and the ex-girlfriend is the coolest rock singer nowadays. Diane is actually a good choice. Maybe I just haven't seen this movie before, so I didn't dream about it.

"Yes, this is a high-concept movie. We asked many young people and investigated the coolest shots in their minds, such as customized sports cars, kissing in the rain, neon lights, trains at night, high-speed car crashes, fighting, rock music, motorcycles, leather jackets, and fighting for honor, etc."

"Oh" Ronald thought this was a new way, and he had never tried it before. "You will start shooting next month, right?"

"Yeah, we will start shooting on the 15th of next month, but we haven't found the actor for the villain yet. There are not many actors of this type in America."

"Oh, what kind do you need?" Ronald became interested, wondering what type of actor is rare in America.

"He should be a feminine villain, smart, thoughtful, cold and caring to his subordinates. People will know he is an evil villain at first sight, but they don't hate him."

"You know? I met an actor recently, maybe you can try him." Ronald thought of William Dafoe, the male lead in Kathryn Bigelow's debut film. He has a natural villain face, but he looks very smart.

When Ronald took out the "Loveless" poster from the box behind the motorcycle and showed it to Walter Hill, the director stared at it for a long time. It really has the temperament of the villain in the movie.

He took the poster and went to discuss with producer Joel Silver.

Ronald stayed alone in the studio and stared for a long time. His next movie would probably be a big production. It was really nice to spend lavishly for the artistic effect in his mind.

"Ronald, Ronald." Diane ran over, "You said you would go to the movies with me."

Ronald turned his head and saw that the male lead Michael Pare was waving his butterfly knife to bother Diane again.

"Yeah, let's go tell the director and leave." He stretched out his arm for Diane to hold, and the two went to say goodbye to the director.

"shxt!" Pare shouted, turning the butterfly knife with a rustling sound, and the knife flew forward. With this chic action, he vented his anger for a small setback in his battle to pick up girls.

"Dang..." The butterfly knife flew out backwards and hit the wooden wall, but was knocked crooked and fell to the ground.

"shxt!" Pare ran over to pick it up again, checked it for a long time with heartache, and wiped it carefully with his clothes.

"I'll take you to the hotel. Bert is still waiting for you." Ronald handed the red helmet to Diane and rode on the motorcycle first.

"Aren't you going to the movies?" Diane also climbed on top, hugged Ronald from behind, and complained.

"Haha, don't you want to get rid of that Pal's harassment? He might be too immersed in the role, right? Next time you come to shoot, remember to ask Bert to come to the scene, so he won't dare to act rashly." After Ronald's contact with Pal, he knew that he was just a cool little white face.

"Okay, but don't forget to go to the concert with me in two days."

"I won't forget it." Ronald stepped on the starter lever, turned the throttle, and the motorcycle drove forward.

"Toot, toot..." The sound of the motorcycle engine was low and irritable. Ronald blocked the cold wind of early spring in front, leaving only a little warm breeze, which blew around his body and blew to Diane behind him.

A few strands of Diane's long hair came out of the helmet, and were blown by the breeze, leaving a trace of warmth.