Exploiting Hollywood 1980

"Thank you for coming. I hope we can continue to cooperate with you..."

Ronald and Douglas stood at the door of the screening room for the film show, shaking hands with the cinema operators one by one.

"Huh...", Douglas let out a long sigh, "Fortunately you reacted quickly and asked Aaron Russo before he made trouble. These operators now know that he and Steve Tisch failed to snatch the script from you before, and now they are purely here to make trouble.

Not only that, some people also think that our movie is being fought over by two companies, and they are more confident about the box office."

"Happy cooperation", Ronald and Douglas shook hands tightly. The two old friends from the wrestling team saw that they were here to deliberately make trouble this time, and they cooperated tacitly to control Aaron Russo and stopped his attempt before the damage was caused.

"The buyers in New York are very respectful to our movie and have booked enough copies. But..."

Michelle Cannold, the distribution manager of Daydream, put his coat behind his back and stared at Ronald.

"Douglas Jr. is a shareholder of the company and also a good friend of mine. You can talk to him about anything."

"Then forgive me for being frank. There are one or two Jewish buyers who are not optimistic about the number of copies they have booked. They seem to have received calls from some foundations asking them to lower their expectations for 'Dirty Dancing.'"

"Sit down and talk," Ronald pulled the two to sit down, snapped his fingers, and asked his colleagues to bring three cups of coffee.

"Thank you," Ronald took the coffee and shared it with the two, "So how is the order situation for 'Love is Not For Sale'?"

"Basically in proportion, it is allocated with Dirty Dancing." Cannold wrote two numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to Ronald and Douglas Jr.

The two circulated it and felt that it was better than expected.

"It seems that the Jewish community still has opinions about Dirty Dancing? Didn't Michael Douglas say that it was okay before?" Douglas Jr. had seen the pre-sale figures from other regions brought by Ronald before, and they were all optimistic. Only something unpleasant happened in New York. If the copies here don't sell well... wouldn't it make him seem unqualified as a director?

"We have done everything we can. Even if they want to make trouble, they don't know how to do it most effectively." Ronald said that he didn't need to think about how those bugs in the dark would come back to make trouble for him.

"Film critics, TV ads, we have done everything we should do." Douglas Jr. also thought so. "Movies are not fast-moving consumer goods. Whether the audience buys them or not is a one-time deal."

"Our sales journey has come to an end. Let our colleagues in the distribution department follow up in the next few places." Michelle Cannold organized the release of the national theater for the first time. He followed Ronald across America and was responsible for the organizational details of each place. He was much more tired than Ronald. It was appropriate to say that he had worked hard and made great contributions.

"Wish us good luck."

Ronald stood up, nodded goodbye to his two companions, waved his hand and didn't let his agent Richard follow him, saying that he wanted to stay alone for a while.

...

"The dice have been thrown. It depends on God's favor next."

Standing on the ferry to Staten Island, Ronald looked at the towering World Trade Building opposite and breathed a sigh of relief.

Douglas Jr. is right. Unlike fast-moving consumer goods, short-term sales data can be roughly predicted by analyzing competitors' products, channel investment, and comparing the sales of old products.

Coca-Cola's new diet version has a new packaging, but compared with the marketing advertising, sales will not be greatly affected. After all, people who drink Coke will not have a major change in taste in just one month and all go to drink Pepsi.

But movies are another matter.

Every new movie is a huge unknown mystery when it comes to the market.

Will the box office be good? Will teenagers like the protagonists? Will they like their stories? Will other movies released at the same time constitute a direct competition? Everything is unknown.

After shooting a hit movie, the next one has to start all over again, completely guessing the audience's taste from scratch.

What's worse is that even if you want to shoot a sequel and continue to move forward according to the successful formula. The stars, screenwriters, and directors who make up the formula will have their salaries increased significantly. And their professionalism will regress significantly.

Unlike companies that have successfully created a cola or a chewing gum, Hollywood products - movies, every time they have to go through the high risks and high failure rates of developing new products.

"Ronnie, are you under a lot of pressure for this movie?" Aunt Karen fried pork chops at home, and she felt a little different before Ronald's movie was released.

"I don't want to talk about this, aunt. I came to your house just to enjoy your food and cookies."

"Oh, then you've come to the right place." Aunt Karen went to the kitchen to bring out the freshly baked cookies, poured a little into a small basket, and handed it to Ronald.

"Well, the new formula tastes better." Ronald ate a piece and immediately praised.

"Ronnie, I'm proud of you. Your movie this time will definitely be as successful as in the past." Auntie couldn't help it. She saw that Ronald was more worried about the new movie this time, so she advised him a few words.

"How is Donna?" Ronald wisely changed the subject. He didn't come to make his family worry, but to secretly reminisce about the warmth of the family and resist thinking about the result of the dice roll.

"Oh, Donna, she is enjoying the hustle and bustle of Wall Street now." Aunt Karen's expression changed when she talked about her daughter.

"Teresa Kate from the factory told me a lot about Wall Street. The competition there is crazy. I think the company in Long Island is still suitable for Donna. She hasn't come back to see me for several weekends. Fortunately, she is just an intern on Wall Street."

"Relax, the investment fund in Long Island is very good. It manages funds for Ivy League universities such as MIT, Harvard, and Yale." Now it was Ronald's turn to comfort his aunt.

In his bedroom specially reserved by his aunt, Ronald looked at the ceiling and couldn't sleep.

Since he entered the industry, all his money has been invested in this movie. Although there is a dream endorsement, it is impossible to say that he is not nervous.

The filming and editing of the film were done by the best people he could find. The sales of copies along the way, except for the last stop in New York, exceeded expectations. A large amount of money was invested in MTV advertising and posters on site.

Most importantly, film critics from all over the world have arranged special sessions for film critics. Private collusion has also been done. In short, there is no omission.

Aaron Russo and Steve Tisch, who are making trouble, and some powerful Jewish people who are looming behind the scenes... Where else can they start to destroy their plans?

Besides, the final box office of a movie does not depend on how many audiences can come at the beginning, but how many audiences can continue to be attracted by word of mouth, and how many weeks the movie can last in theaters across the country.

Ronald is very confident in his work. Even if there are unexpected places, it can only be postponed, but not destroy the success of "Dirty Dancing".

But why can't he sleep despite his confidence? Several hours passed, and it was almost three o'clock in the morning. Ronald still stared at the ceiling motionlessly, unable to fall asleep.

Spending your own money, it's still really scary...

Ronald had no choice but to get up and find a bottle of red wine and drink a glass, then began to practice yoga breathing, "exhale... inhale..."

...

"Ah..."

Ronald suddenly realized that he was dreaming. In his dream, he saw a panicked face on the screen, but there was no screaming, and the electronic background music was rendering this moment with a tense rhythm.

But Ronald was startled, as if this person was also looking at him in his dream. The close-up of the face filled the entire screen.

The face was very big, and it didn't look like an American's expression. He opened his mouth wide, and his eyes changed from fierce to panic... One, two, three... Under the rhythm of the electronic sound, it seemed to be shot in slow motion.

The bearded actor began to gradually move away from the screen.

"This seems to be on the top of a skyscraper." Ronald found that he was dreaming of the slow-paced movie with a strong literary atmosphere that he dreamed of on the plane to Cannes.

The actor began to wave his limbs, and in the background, two people in uniform looked at the person falling from the building with very unbearable expressions.

The camera cuts back to the building, and the shot of the man falling took several seconds of slow motion.

"No way?" Ronald was even more nervous.

Why is the rhythm of this movie so slow?

At the beginning, it took more than a minute to discuss the secret of physical recovery on the plane. At the end, the man committed suicide by jumping off the building (should it be suicide?), and slowly fell from the top of the building, which took at least 30 seconds.

All the movies he directed before were very commercial and fast-paced movies. Why did he dream of such a slow-paced movie?

Could it be?

Could his "Dirty Dancing" fail at the box office? No one invested in his own movie, and he was forced to transform and make this kind of slow-paced movie with a strong literary atmosphere, and turn to the route of award-winning?

"This is too miserable," Ronald was sweating. If this is true, wouldn't he be laughed to death by those who attacked him for only making commercial exploitation movies?

"No," Ronald thought more and more, "I'd rather make a low-cost exploitation film, even if I have to work for Roger Corman again, than make this kind of movie."

"Bang..." The character who jumped off the building fell to the concrete floor, and the two men in uniform looked reluctant.

"I hope that's not a hostage," said one of the black men.

"Wait... Hostage?" Ronald couldn't figure it out. Could this be a reflective film about how kidnappers are forced by life and accuse the American system?

"Ronnie, Ronnie... Are you awake? So late today? I prepared breakfast for you."

"Ah... I'll be there, wait..."

Aunt Karen's call came, interrupting Ronald's dream.

"What's wrong with you? You don't look good." Aunt Karen handed Ronald orange juice and asked him with concern. This movie is different from the previous ones. Ronald is under a lot of pressure. Maybe he didn't sleep well last night.

"Nothing, I didn't sleep well last night." Ronald picked up the sandwich and started to eat.

It's really terrible!

This is truly a collection of all my nightmares. Am I going to make a movie that goes against all my previous ideas?

Definitely not. "Dirty Dancing" will be a box office success, and I won't make that terrible movie. Even if it fails... Actually, it may not fail... There is no need for me to make the movie I dreamed of.

But... If the box office is not good, and I lose most of my personal property, is there a possibility that I will be forced to make the kind of movie I have always opposed?

"Ronnie... Ronnie..."

Ronald, who was getting more and more worried, found that Aunt Karen was holding the receiver to him.

"Ah, I was distracted."

"Your phone is from Douglas Jr."

"Doug," Ronald took the receiver, checked it to distinguish the receiver from the receiver, and then greeted the other side.

"Ronnie, the results of the film critics' special are out. Those two bastards in Chicago said a lot of bad things to us."

"What? Why the hell did they take the money and not do the job..."

"Ronnie..." Auntie made a gesture to Ronald with her index finger on her lips, indicating that he should not swear.

"Sorry, Auntie." Ronald picked up the receiver and walked to the other side of the room.

"Tell me, what the hell is going on?"

...

"This is what happened. Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's film reviews were faxed over. They severely criticized "Sex and the City". Ebert even said it was a morally corrupt film."

An hour later, Ronald, who had hurried to the New York office of Daydream, sat down with distribution manager Michelle Cannold and Douglas Jr., and was on speakerphone with Eddie Cohen, the general manager in Los Angeles.

"What about the reviews of Dirty Dancing?" Ronald was relieved to hear that there was a big problem with the reviews of "Sex and the City". He quickly asked about the reviews of "Dirty Dancing".

Both films were scheduled to be released in mid-July, but "Dirty Dancing" was the one that mattered to Daydream Pictures' financial situation.

The first batch of soundtracks had been produced, and workers had packed them. They were already lying in the warehouse, waiting to be released in large quantities in retail channels around the country after the premiere.

MTV's advertising time has been purchased, and the trailers of the male and female protagonists' wonderful dances have been edited and sent to MTV.

The protagonists Patrick Schweitzer, Jennifer Grey, and Cynthia Rhodes have cleared their schedules and are preparing to promote "Dirty Dancing" from Los Angeles to participate in an interview with Barbie Wygant, all the way to New York to participate in David Letterman's late-night show.

All the bullets have been loaded, waiting for the final critics to publish the already written film reviews after the two premieres in Los Angeles and New York.

The chain of film marketing is like this, film critics and TV commercials attract the first batch of audiences. Then the quality of the film determines the reputation and how many subsequent audiences it can attract.

At this juncture, the two Chicago critics with the greatest national influence and their own film review programs on PBS TV stations actually had problems and gave bad reviews to their own films.

"What did they say about Dirty Dancing?" Cannold was also anxious and asked Eddie on the other end of the phone.

"I'll fax you a review that's just above the passing line."

"Read it to me." Ronald couldn't help but feel anxious.

"Uh... OK..."

Eddie was a little surprised by Ronald's anxiety, and took out a film review and read it to the two of them.

"Sisko said he gave the film a just-passing recommendation because he liked Jennifer Grey's outstanding performance in the film."

"Fuck, this guy was also bought by the Jews, and he praised the only Jewish protagonist in the movie." Ronald got angry when he heard it. How could he take money? No, he took sponsorship from the Chicago Film Critics Association, and high travel discount coupons for the most important members and families of the Film Critics Association, so why didn't he give himself a good review?

"Albert said he gave it a thumbs down and didn't recommend it. Because the plot is too boring and too predictable, it's a boring love story between two men and women from different classes and races."

"Fuck..." Ronald was about to curse again.

"And don't be in a hurry." Eddie continued, "But for those fans of musicals, or fans who like director Ronald Lee's previous film Breakdance, this is a very recommended movie. The dance is great, the male lead Schweitzer has a muscular body, the dance is sexy, and the chemistry between him and Gray is very good. It is worth watching for men and women in love."

"Is this... a good review... or a bad review..."

Ronald was speechless after listening.

You said it was a bad review, but in fact, they still said a lot of points worth watching for the target audience - teenage couples.

You said it was a good review, so what about the attack on the clichéd plot?

...

"Ronald, you don't understand this."

After discussing, Ronald and Cannold still made a long-distance call to Roger Ebert in Chicago, asking him why he took the money but didn't do anything.

"You don't understand, when it comes to film reviews, it doesn't matter whether it is a good review or not, what I say is important. You said in the media package used for film marketing that the target audience of this "Dirty Dancing" is teenagers, especially teenage women, and I just say what they like to hear.

When they heard that it was a romance film with a sexy male protagonist, how could they care about the literary nature of the story and whether it reflected reality? For a girl who wants to enjoy a romantic movie with her boyfriend or sister on the weekend, the cliche story is good news. "

"Is that so?" Ronald didn't believe it. "Then why do you give me a thumbs down?"

"You have to ask yourself this. Preston Robert, the sponsor of the New York University School of Art, the chairman of the New York Giants, and the talker of the Tisch family, personally explained it. How did you offend him?"

"I just had a little friction with his son. Why did the old man invite him out?"

Ronald understood that this was scolding the younger one away, and the older one came out to vent his anger on his son. The old emperor spends money everywhere to sponsor literature, art and sports, and everyone in the film industry wants to sell their face.

"Little Steve is his only promising son, and Preston Robert values ​​him very much." Roger Ebert finished. The Chicago Film Critics Association has also received a lot of sponsorship from the Tisch Foundation.

"Okay, you can help." Ronald roughly understood after hearing this. The Jews are still not satisfied with the plot of this movie, and some old diehards still want to mess up the movie. Jewish girls are all cute, how could they be abducted by Irish gangsters?

"I have a good reputation in the industry and I never speak nonsense that goes against the facts. If you have a good movie in the future, you can also come to me to watch the film critic show. Ronald, we have known each other for a long time. I am looking forward to your next movie." Movie. I heard Colombia liked your finished film.”

"It's the end of the year," Ronald knew he was talking about, "The moonlight is sultry."

"That's it?"

"Huh, huh?" Ronald was almost confused by Albert.

"Dirty Dancing, you helped me. That movie Love Is Not For Sale, what's the matter with you? Are you still accusing me of having moral issues?"

"Am I talking about you? Look again..." Albert also raised his voice, "I'm talking about director Rush, who paid to rent a cheerleader to be his girlfriend. What values ​​is this promoting?"

"This..." Ronald thought, and it was right. Film critics also have to take into account the mainstream values ​​of society, and this plot is a bit deviant. A universally accepted moral code in America is that between male and female lovers, a woman can fall in love with each other for the sake of the other's success (measured in terms of money). But you can't charge money. If you clearly mark the price and charge money to become the other party's girlfriend, that's selling.

"This is a movie," Ronald thought, and was almost confused by him again, "Besides, didn't it criticize this kind of value in the end?"

"Ronald, it's hard for me too. Your film company has two movies, and I'm just one short of the quota of negative reviews..."

"You bastard."

"Don't be like this. I can comment just to attract viewers for you. There are so many movies that I haven't commented on. If I tell you the plot, there won't be many male teenagers who want to see how to spend money to rent a cheerleader and become themselves. Girlfriend?”

"Okay, you're right this time." Ronald hung up the phone.

"Fuck, whatever these critics say makes sense."

…

The film critics in Chicago, at any rate, were very helpful in helping Ronald attract audiences.

But unexpectedly, film critics in Ronald's hometown actually launched a comprehensive criticism of "Dirty Dancing". In particular, Time Magazine, a magazine with a huge readership across the country and even the world, gave a very bad review of "Dirty Dancing". It's almost like blatantly scolding.

"If the minor flaw in Eleanor's script is that the ending is too tidy and inspiring. Then director Ronald's mistake is fatal. The low-brow sexy singing and dancing in the film can indeed attract some audiences, but the original script should have Some reactions to reality are completely eliminated. We can't help but wonder whether director Ronald has enough rationality and judgment to direct this story from the JFK period. After all, he was still biting his pacifier at that time..."