Exploiting Hollywood 1980

After the TV debate, the president's poll numbers rose rapidly. The Democratic Party no longer had any hope, and the momentum of the election also declined.

John Lyman, the Secretary of the Navy who supported "Top Gun", began to focus on his new position in the next term after the president secured re-election. The bureaucrats of the Navy here, without the supervision of the top leaders, began to slow down the pace of script review.

Don Simpson found several script doctors, who were good at writing romantic scenes and action scenes, to supplement the script. Ronald got the new scenes they wrote on time and only checked them in general.

The script began to take shape slowly, and the two producers also began to look for the heroine of the movie and a group of male supporting actors who played pilots.

Ronald discussed the casting criteria with them. The heroine must be an actor who wears a uniform or a suit and is very sexy and has an intellectual temperament. The standard for the supporting actors is the concentration of hormones. As long as a group of male stars who can satisfy the female audience can't close their legs, the movie will be successful in casting.

Ronald, who was working on "Top Gun" in an orderly manner, received a call from Weintraub that day, asking him to come to his home for a chat.

Ronald knew that his wife had a close relationship with the deputy commander's wife Barbara, so he didn't dare to neglect her and asked Bud to take him to the villa in Beverly Hills.

"I have arranged to go to Japan to raise funds for the sequel to "The Karate Kid". During this trip to Japan, I have arranged for you to meet people from the big companies there. It is best to modify the specific plot based on the opinions of the presidents of the big companies in Japan who are willing to pay."

"I am busy preparing for the new film "Top Gun". Do I have to go?" Ronald said that he was busy preparing for "Top Gun".

"Of course, you must go. Many presidents and senior executives of companies like you to promote Japan's traditional culture and the past of the 442nd Infantry Regiment. Now the trade war between America and Japan is very fierce, and they really want to meet you, an American director who found the past of the 442nd Infantry Regiment fighting for America.

Senator Inoue of Hawaii specifically mentioned to them that it was your insistence that led to the inclusion of this story in the movie."

Ronald looked embarrassed. Going to Japan at this time and partying with entrepreneurs was really not what he liked to do.

Winterlaub saw Ronald's idea, and of course he had prepared a countermeasure long ago. Ronald is loved by the bigwigs in the Japanese business community. It is not easy to find a director in America who can film the disgraceful Japanese concentration camps in the past. This time, Ronald must be brought there anyway to achieve greater results in financing.

"Don't you like Kurosawa Akira? When you arrive in Japan, several major film studios such as Toei and Shochiku, as well as many celebrities in the literary and artistic circles, have arranged to have a party with you. We have also arranged for you to visit the filming site of Director Akira Kurosawa."

"Is that so?" Ronald wanted to go. In addition to going to Japan to see the film market there and feel the most dynamic economy in the contemporary era, he can also pay a visit to Kurosawa Akira, the Japanese film emperor.

Several major directors of the New Hollywood, Coppola, Lucas, and Spielberg are his fans, making Kurosawa Akira's films a kind of popular school. It seems that Hollywood practitioners who have not paid a visit to him cannot be considered successful and famous, and they must meet him to consecrate their works.

"It's settled, we will charter a plane to Tokyo next month."

Time passed quickly. Before the trip to Tokyo with Weintraub, Ronald went to New York again. He promised Diane to attend the premiere of "The Cotton Club".

Coppola wisely chose the Ziegfeld Theater in New York for the premiere. In Hollywood, this dull movie probably won't cause any waves.

In New York, where the story takes place, many celebrities in the entertainment industry who are particular about art and literature specially came to attend this event.

In addition to the movie star Susan Sarandon who lives in New York, there are also singer-songwriter Carly Simon (Carlysion), and British movie star Michael Caine and others who attended. The entertainment reporters were very happy and pressed the shutter countless times.

Ronald and his old friend Nicolas Cage who participated in the film were also photographed by reporters. They were also asked what they thought of Coppola's new work "The Cotton Club". Coppola has had several consecutive films that have not been well received at the box office. What does Ronald think of this time?

He had to say that he trusted Coppola's directorial work very much and was waiting to see it first.

Ronald also chatted with Michael Caine who arrived earlier. Caine, who had finished shooting two more movies, is a very free and easy person. He was born in a humble family and still retains the accent of the poor in the East End of London. A large family of relatives depends on him to make movies to give them houses and start families. He joked that the mortgage for his mother's house had also been settled.

"You know? My mother is very strange. I built a new house for her next to the old house. She lives very close to her old neighbors, but every Tuesday, she still takes the bus alone to buy candy, chocolate, etc."

"Maybe she just wants to go out for a walk. My aunt also lives in the new house I built for her. She often goes out to buy things and bake butter cookies."

"Our heroine is here," Michael Caine poked Ronald.

Ronald looked up and saw Diane Lane.

She was wearing an old-fashioned white low-cut dress, with a white fur coat draped over her shoulders, and she was walking in style with 20's makeup.

"Diane, Diane..." The entertainment reporters took a few photos, said a few words, and then let Diane go. Instead, they went to the back to surround the female star, the daughter of the famous movie star Judy Garland, the singer Li Shae Minnelli.

"Well..." Diane felt a little sad. Entertainment reporters are very snobbish. Maybe they also saw the prospect of poor box office for Diane's three major productions.

"Diane" Ronald stepped forward and called her.

"Ronald", Diane saw Ronald and shrank back, trying to hide from him.

"Diane, you and Ronald haven't seen each other for a long time. Let's talk more." Nicolas Cage came up, took Diane Lane's hand, and pulled her and Ronald together.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you hiding when you see me?" Ronald grabbed Diane's hand and pulled her into the theater and asked.

"I'm afraid you'll talk about my makeup and dress again." Diane pretended to be calm and smoothed her hair.

"There's something wrong with you. I came here today because I promised you to support the new film." Ronald tightly grasped Diane's hand that was about to be withdrawn and asked softly in her ear, "Are you What's the trouble?"

"Trouble? Me? No trouble." Seeing that he couldn't pull back, Diane simply denied it.

"Okay, let's talk slowly," Ronald sat down with Diane.

The reporters at the door rushed to interview the newly arrived actor Richard Gere.

"It is said that you had a quarrel with the heroine Diane Lane on the set. Richard, is this happening?"

"This is all nonsense," Richard Gere denied the rumors with a smile.

Soon the lights dimmed and Ronald held Diane's hand and watched the entire movie.

how to say? It seems the rumors are true. Coppola probably didn't have a script on the set and was waiting for the actors to improvise. In many clips, it can be seen that there is some chemical reaction between the actors, but there is no story connection overall.

"I really don't know how he cut out the whole film." Diane's hand was held for more than two hours, but she stopped struggling. She leaned her head against Ronald and said softly.

Indeed, Ronald also shook his head. This kind of improvisation without a script is indeed very difficult to edit into a story from many shots.

This movie is not like John Hughes' "The Breakfast Club". Although that movie was also improvised and shot in multiple takes, the overall plot framework was still there. The "Cotton Club" is much worse. The love story between the singer played by Diane and the trumpet player played by Richard Gere, as well as the revenge story against the gang boss who supported Diane, is very childish. , unlike Coppola’s work.

"Maybe he just wants to make a profit from it so that he can pay off the loan." Ronald couldn't help but look at Coppola. The bearded Coppola was sitting there, with no expression on his face.

"Oh, Diane, you really look like a showgirl from the twenties," Liza Minnelli came over to chat with Diane.

"We are going to have a party at Club 54 soon. Many powerful people in Hollywood will also be there. Come along, maybe someone will be willing to invest in your next movie."

Liza Minnelli uses her alcoholic husky voice to invite Diane to come to the party with her.

Ronald sat next to her, ignored by her. He raised his head and looked at Minnelli, who was dressed in gaudy fur, heavy makeup, and short hair. The expression on her face was kind and seductive.

Ronald suddenly thought, this expression looked very much like Shirley MacLean who invited him to the birthday party after the Oscars.

Could it be that she is also someone who works for powerful people in Hollywood...?

"Diane already has an appointment with me." Ronald stood up and declined the invitation for Diane with a smile.

"Oh, hahahaha, it's you, Ronald. Diane, don't forget to come to my party if you have the chance in the future."

Minnelli left Diane and invited another female star, Melanie Griffiths. She happily agreed to the invitation and left with Minnelli.

"Why don't you let me go?" Diane pouted, "It's rare for me to have someone to talk to about filming now." She took the fur in her hand.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you wearing costumes from the movie?" Ronald took the fur coat and put it on his arm. He had long discovered that Diane's dress and fur were both from the "Cotton Club" Clothes.

"I...I have no money." Diane had no choice but to tell the truth. She lowered her head and did not dare to look at Ronald, as if a younger sister who had made a mistake faced the most promising eldest brother in the family.

"Hey..." Ronald sighed. He couldn't ignore it and called "Bud" to a car outside the theater.

Little Bud drove a car and parked nearby. Ronald pulled Diane into the car and got in. Then he sat in the back seat, knocked on the driver's seat, and signaled Little Bud to drive back to the hotel.

"Tell me, what's going on? Didn't you say that you have accumulated millions in salary since your debut as a child star?" Ronald asked Diane to take a bath, change into comfortable pajamas, and then called The dining cart that arrived rolled over to her and cut the beef and bread for her.

"I bought a lot of beautiful clothes, jewelry, and high heels. I also heard that my mother invested a lot of money in the health food industry, but it didn't get back so quickly. In the end..." Diane hooked one foot on the chair. , happily ate dinner and answered while eating.

"Slow down," Ronald handed over a glass of soda.

"With the last bit of money I had, I bought a house in my mother's state of Georgia. Who knew, who knew that both movies failed at the box office and no one would give me a new movie script. I thought I would be paid for the new movie soon. Yes, it turns out... those second-hand stores were selling clothes and high-heeled shoes at 100% off, and I couldn’t bear to part with them.”

"Hehehe..." Diane looked at Ronald sheepishly.

"Hey," Ronald wiped off the sauce from the corner of Diane's mouth with his hand, "You and I will try on new clothes tomorrow, and I will see what roles you can play in the new movie."

"Really? Are you willing to give me a role?" Diane's eyes shone.

"Let's take a look. I don't know if you look good in a military uniform or a uniform." In short, you should follow me during this period and don't go to Minnelli's parties.

"I know that she has a purpose. I have been in Hollywood for so long, and I know that I will protect myself." Diane took a sip of soda water.

"Why, you still want to go?" Ronald turned around and stared at her with both eyes.

"Don't be angry, don't be angry, brother Ronnie, how could I go without you helping me?"