Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 238 Can't imagine the picture

When   Nisita came to find Ronald to meet Spielberg, he was chatting with director Zeffirelli.

  Zeffirelli thought Ronald could speak Russian, but when he learned the truth, he broke down with laughter. He held up the red wine and took a sip, and then spit it out again. He looked at the label for Napa, Calif., and complained:

   "California wine can only be used to wash socks."

   "That can only wash red socks." Ronald replied.

"Hahaha... Ronald, I'm very happy today, especially to see you on stage to accept the award. But I'm going back to Italy to direct opera soon, there's no place for me in Hollywood, remember to write to me then letter."

   Ronald saw the sadness he said, and hurriedly asked what was going on.

"The MPAA gave 'Endless Love' an X rating for the third time. PolyGram asked me to revise it again and send it in for another rating. But Guber has been discouraged, PolyGram may drop the film, just let him Released with an X rating. It's like giving up on box office efforts."

   Ronald pouted to Brooke Xiaosi on the opposite side, did he mean because of her passion scene?

"No one knows, this is the first time that Polygram operates a theatrical film, and it is the first time I have encountered such a situation, and we don't know what to do. I don't care, this time I try to ensure my creative intentions, if it is still X level, then I'll go back to directing the opera 'Bohemian,' just as Pavarotti needs an opera for him to play."

   "Ronald!" Nisita gestured to him that the master he wanted to see was coming. Seeing this, Diane quickly ran over and took Ronald's hand together.

   Spielberg found a quiet place and waited for Ronald to come over and talk about the ET script. Ronald saw that in addition to Spielberg, there was a couple, a man with a beard and a woman with short hair.

  Nisita introduced, "This is Ronald Lee. These are..."

   "This needs no introduction, Mr. Spielberg, Mr. Lucas, and..." The two major directors were interviewed on TV and had an exclusive interview with Time magazine. Ronald has read it.

   "This is my wife Martha, hello Ronald."

   "This is Diane Lane, she played Sunset Bridge." Ronald introduced Diane.

   "Do you think she looks like Luke Skywalker's mother when she was young?" Lucas saw Diane and asked his wife. Just recently he was discussing with Lawrence Kasdan a prequel to the end of the trilogy.

   "Don't be rude, George. Not everyone wants to hear your Star Wars stories." Martha said with a smile.

   "I doubt that such a person can be found in America, Mrs. Lucas." Ronald replied with a smile,

"Hahaha……"

   Everyone exchanged a few words, and Ronald briefly introduced his experience.

"You know Walter? Oh, we're good buddies. Will he have the opportunity to direct his own film? That would be great." George Lucas was delighted to hear about his old friend's new direction. After his success, he and Martha bought I got a new house, and I walked around less with the old friends of the diorama company.

  The Lucas couple were mainly curious about what kind of people they were. Spielberg, their old friend, wanted to see them, and they said goodbye after satisfying their curiosity. They bought a large plot of land to build their new home and have been very busy seeing designers recently.

   If several subordinates hadn't won the Oscar Special Contribution Award this time, they wouldn't have come to Hollywood.

   "Ronald, I like your assessment of ET's script, I just came to see you this time."

   Spielberg told Ronald the reason for seeing him.

  ET's script was revised two more times, and Spielberg completely adopted Ronald, or his own ideas that coincided with Ronald's. Removed the bad kids and added the bike scene.

  This time, I want to chat with Ronald in person and see what new inspiration and ideas come up.

   The two chatted for a while, and Ronald found that he didn't quite understand Spielberg's idea. This ET movie in Spielberg's imagination seems very different from the movie he imagined.

  Some of the passages he thought were very bland, Spielberg was very excited to talk about it, and this incongruity made him deeply puzzled. Is it because he lacks the ability to turn words into audiovisuals without having dreamed of movies?

   Ronald thought about it seriously and said:

"Mr. Spielberg, I don't quite understand the scenes you're talking about. Usually when I write a script, I have a picture in my head, but this time at ET, it seems to be out of order. I can't imagine what you see in your eyes. that world."

"I understand your predicament, Ronald." Spielberg nodded with a smile, "You don't have the opportunity to watch with me on the set like Zemeckis. Well, I'm the director, George's producer. The new movie 'The Lost Ark of the Covenant' is coming out soon, and you can see what's wrong with this type of movie after watching it, and we'll talk about it later."

"Oh, Ronald, you're amazing. You can talk and laugh with George Lucas, with a director like Spielberg. Although I don't understand what you're saying." Diane said to Ronald now It's a bit of a feeling of admiration. Why didn't I think Cousin Donald was a powerful person before?

"Ah, it doesn't matter, they are people too. The gap between people can be huge, but it shouldn't be beyond the scope of imagination. Even if I can't achieve their huge success, I can't completely understand that they are in What to say, dialogue is no problem.

   Besides, they are all representative directors of the new Hollywood, unlike the old Hollywood power figures who are based on seniority and difficult to contact. "

   Ronald explained. These directors were all influenced by the hippie movement, and like their editor Walter Murkey, they were relatively easy-going in the film industry.

  Nisita came up to him and asked, "How is it, how was your chat with Steven?"

   "He told me to watch his new movie The Lost Ark of the Covenant, but he didn't say anything else."

   "Why, didn't he chat with you about ET?"

   "After chatting, I couldn't keep up with his rhythm very much, so he let me watch the new film. He said that Zemeckis was also watching him on the set to understand his thoughts. Who is Zemeckis?"

   "Robert Zemeckis, the screenwriter of Spielberg's failed '1941'. Legend has it that he was also Spielberg's apprentice.

  The box office of this movie was terrible, and Steven didn't have a new film contract for a long time. This time it was Lucas who asked him to direct the Lost Ark, otherwise Steven would be silent for a year or two.

   Hollywood tolerates all kinds of eccentricities and outrageous behavior of stars, alcoholism, domestic violence, drug abuse, but there is only one behavior that cannot be tolerated, and that is losing money. "

   "Isn't it possible for Spielberg?"

"Yes, that doesn't work either. If it wasn't for Lucas' support this time, and Paramount Pictures' president Eisner reaching out to help, it would be difficult for a director like Spielberg, who often shoots overdue and over budget. Received such a big production of 20 million.

   I heard that Lucas turned down several studios and insisted on directing with Steven. "

   "Then this ET now depends on the box office performance of The Lost Ark of the Covenant, and the studio is willing to invest?"

"You're smart, Ronald, that's all. Universal's Tom Mount just disliked Spielberg's last film's box office failure and rejected the ET project. Now he's approaching Columbia's Frank Price, Hope to get investment.”

  Price, the president of Columbia, is a personal relationship of Ovitz. What Nisita prefers is that the ET project cooperates with Universal, so that Simberg, CEO of Universal's parent company MCA, can cooperate with his old friend Spielberg to suppress Tom Mount of different factions.

   And he can sell a favor to Simberg, and with this favor, he can do a lot of things.

  Frank Price, Ronald also had that name in his mind.

  The circle of the eight major Hollywood studios is very small, and these familiar faces come and go. Frank Price, the Columbia president who bought his script for Jane Fonda, is now working on a new project with Spielberg.

   "By the way, what is the progress of my sold script?" Ronald asked.

"Jane Fonda reconciled with her father Henry for filming the Golden Pond. Henry Fonda is in poor health and she is spending a lot of time with her father now. Coupled with dissatisfaction with the revised script, the whole project is now on hold state."

   "Shit!" Ronald cursed secretly, and the three walked all the way back to the banquet hall.

"Richmond High School's decision is now in Tom Mount's hands, and he still favors David Lynch. But now that Lynch has a bad reputation, we have a good chance. You're always ready, go Mount there for an interview. Not sure when he'll dump Lynch."

After   Nisita arrived at the banquet hall, he pulled Ronald aside and explained it in detail.

   "When interviewing, we mainly talk about your film style, image quality, and other aspects. Simply put, it's what kind of movie you want to make."

   Ronald nodded again and again.

"These words shouldn't have been said on the night you won the award, but you live in New York, I have to explain it first, you can make a draft when you go back, and then ask a friend to practice it, and I will also give you a mock interview on the long distance phone. Adequate preparation is a prerequisite for success.

  If you have the opportunity, you can fly over and present your ideas to Tom Mount in person. "

  Nisita is indeed much more powerful than Richard's connections. In the past few days, he has already seen Universal's views on this movie, and it looks like it.

   "Hi Ronald." Someone called him again.

   Ronald looked up and saw Natasha Kinski, the star of "Tess", accompanied by Demi Moore.

   "Hi, Natasha, hi, Demi." Ronald hugged and greeted them in accordance with Hollywood rules.

   "I almost didn't recognize you, Ronald." Kinski laughed, "Добрый вечер. (Good evening

   "I don't actually speak Russian." Ronald explained the counselor's request again.

   "Hahaha", Kinski laughed happily, she is a language genius, but she can speak Russian.

   "Ronnie, I..., I'm married to Freddie." Demi Moore on the side smiled at each other, regretting it in her heart long ago. Today, I saw the video of Ronald on stage twice in the outfield, and I started to sigh.

   But in front of him, you have to be beautiful and sexy, you can't let him forget yourself, so that there will be opportunities in the future.

   "Oh, when, I haven't congratulated you yet." Ronald replied with a smile.

  Natasha Kinski looked at Demi with a smile in her heart. Her star career is much worse than her own, first Polanski, then Coppola, the director still likes her blond beauty with high nose and deep eyes.

  Demi's black hair actually plays more intellectual women, just like Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in "Gentlemen Prefer Beauty", the **** protagonist is always the blonde one.

   "Who is that? Are you a friend?" A middle-aged woman in the distance looked at Timothy Hutton, Natasha Kinski and Demi Moore. It was a bit strange not to go up to chat. Looking more closely, he seemed to be a little afraid of the tall young man.

   "No, just a familiar screenwriter." Hutton squinted and drank, "I'll be familiar with the script of 'Lights Out' as soon as possible, Ms. Lansing."

   (end of this chapter)