Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 143 Next Premiere

  The lights in the theater turned on again, and the audience looked at each other, then began to whisper, culminating in a constant background noise.

   Ronald and Antonia discussed it, got up and went to the back to check the situation. At the entrance of the screening room, director Alan Parker's face was ashen and scary. In the shadows, his face was like an amphibian, and his mouth was full of swear words that he never repeated.

Producer David da Silva was wiping sweat with a handkerchief, and after wiping the sweat off his forehead, he turned the handkerchief over, and wiped the sweat from his neck, and the sweat came out of his forehead again, like a soaked piece of water. Sponge, squeeze out the water as soon as you squeeze it.

"This is an unacceptable situation. We made a total of 2 70mm copies. If one was damaged during the first screening, you have to pay for it." Alan Parker grabbed the director of the cinema and began to chatter. How expensive is a 70mm copy.

   Ronald glanced in from the gap in the crowd. A man was sitting on the ground, covering his forehead with a towel in his hand. The blood was still oozing out, which was very scary.

  The man is the projectionist, he may have been careless, or he may not have been properly trained, and he forgot to lock the copy after loading the film into the reel barrel above the projector.

After the high-speed motor is turned on, the offset of the center of gravity causes the film to be torn off. The whole film flies out and hits the wall, and the axis of the center of gravity of the film winder also flies out. It hits the wall alone and bounces back. Broke the projectionist's forehead.

   "Now is not the time to be held accountable. There are nearly 1,000 spectators and guests outside. Let's think about how to show it." Ronald pulled producer David Da Silva and said in his ear.

   "Yes, yes, can the film still be picked up? We need to keep showing it." David da Silva reacted, if the premiere doesn't show, it will really make headlines tomorrow.

   This headline is not what movie marketing needs.

  The person in charge of the cinema and his subordinates discussed a few words, first carried out the injured projectionist, and then replaced another projectionist, and began to pick up the film on the spot.

   Ronald shook his head and walked back, the aisle was already surrounded by spectators watching the fun.

   "It's unfortunate that there was an accident at the premiere of the movie." Ronald whispered.

   "No, this is a good omen." The one who spoke was Cerebral Menbert, who was also watching the fun.

   "Huh?" As soon as Ronald looked up, he saw Diane Lane and Bert, and chatted with them a few words.

   "In Hollywood, an accident at the premiere is generally considered a good omen." Bert has been a teacher in an acting training class for many years and is quite familiar with Hollywood anecdotes.

"The earliest was Clark Gable's 'It Happened One Night', which premiered with a screening accident, and not only did it sell well at the box office, but the film also won an Oscar slam. Best picture, best director, best actor and actress, The five most important awards for best screenplay were won together."

"And then there's 'Gone with the Wind'. It is said that there was a screening accident at the premiere, and it still holds the record for the largest number of moviegoers, and has won four of the five Oscar awards. Ronald, I heard that you also signed Screenwriter, I think you also have a chance to win the award."

   The three laughed and returned to their seats.

   "It was a screening accident. It is estimated that it will start again soon." Ronald whispered to Antonia. The two of them waited peacefully in their seats, hand in hand.

   After ten minutes, the lights dimmed again. After MGM's Lion's Roar, the film that followed was shortened by a section, and Ronald felt the picture jump and skipped the subtitles of Alan Parker's work.

   After the movie opened, there was a subtitle of "Selection Audition", and then it was followed by the scene where the protagonists were interviewed for admission.

   Ronald felt that Alan Parker did not tell a complete story, nor was it a group portrait, but interspersed fragments of various characters according to time.

  The movie cuts a lot of scenes of Ronald's sports student participating in an art school admissions interview, leaving only ten seconds. But it is also a complete joke, and many viewers laughed out loud.

   Then the subtitles for "Year 1", "Year 2"..."Graduation", in chronological order, divide the film into different parts. It's a bit like a video "Facebook", which cuts together the life segments of art school students from admission to graduation.

  Ronald participated in the filming of the entire film, and did not participate in the post-production process. He never expected that Alan Parker cut the whole film into such a state that there is no complete story. Can audiences like this mosaic-like movie?

  It's hard to say, according to Ronald's secret observation, at least a few singing and dancing clips are still very exciting, and the audience can't take their eyes off it. But switch to those plots that expose the dark side of society, and there are audiences who go to the bathroom one after another.

  The 2 hours and 20 minutes of the movie ended, this time without Barbra Streisand taking the lead, the audience spontaneously began to applaud, and politely continued for a few minutes. Ronald didn't know for a moment whether the audience was applauding for the wonderful plot or because the lengthy movie was finally over.

   Ronald and Antonia said yes, and hurried to the bathroom to line up and listen to the audience's immediate feedback. Ronald was in the men's bathroom and Antonia went to the women's.

   Ronald observed the male audience, mostly discussing the figure of the actress dancing in ballet, discussing the wonderful dance dance, and a few good interludes.

   But no one talks about abortion, interracial couples, coercion to make adult movies, these deeply exposed negative social plots. Even they are not necessarily aware of the existence of these plots.

   I'm afraid Alan Parker is going to be disappointed. What the audience loves more is the explosive singing and dancing. Instead of this, it is better to remove these plots, at least it can be rated as PG, more song and dance dramas, and more box office.

  The queue for the women's restroom is much longer. Ronald was waiting for Antonia in the aisle when he happened to bump into producer David da Silva, who also came to eavesdrop on audience feedback.

   "What do you think? Ronald?" David was a little nervous and asked Ronald to relieve himself, expecting a reassuring answer.

   "I think the audience likes cabaret..." Ronald explained his observations and thoughts to Da Silva. "If you cut out those negative social scenes, maybe you can still get a PG rating."

   "No, that's not the main reason." Da Silva explained the reason for the R rating, ""

   "What? Swearing, there is nothing swearing in this movie?"

   "Yeah, I don't think it's a lot of foul language, but the rating committee has counted 12 Shxt, 64 Fuxk, 13 Axshole, and 7 bxtch."

   "Can't these be deleted or re-dubbed? If it can be rated as PG, there will be many more teenage audiences. Isn't these the main audience for this film?"

  Ronald was quite incomprehensible.

   "Director Allen insists that we shouldn't be too deadlocked with him."

Da Silva looked a little regretful, "You don't know, Alan Parker's first cut version has a full 10 hours, MGM ordered him to cut it to less than 2 hours, and he wants to keep the 4-hour version. "

   "This...isn't any movie theater showing it for 4 hours?"

"He wants to make the next episode, but the publisher also thinks it is a fantasy. After many negotiations, Allen agreed to cut it to within 2 hours and 30 minutes. This is already his bottom line. If we want him to cut the foul language, Then he threatened to burn the film, preferring not to show it in America."

  “…”

Ronald felt that the director was a little too obsessed with exposing the dark side of America. Like Roger Coleman's idea, putting these real dark sides in the background can also have the effect of exposing, and there will be more. It's not better for more people to come to see your movies to receive social education.

   was thinking, Ronald heard Antonia calling for help "Ronald, Help!"

  Antonia is recognized in the bathroom, surrounded by female audience members, shouting her character Hillary's name and asking for her autograph.

   Antonia, who had never seen such a thing, was frightened and ran away quickly. Loudly calling Ronald to come to the rescue in the corridor outside the bathroom.

   Ronald hurried forward, protected Antonia, and led her to the lounge behind the front desk. The protagonists in the lounge all looked disbelieving. Before the opening, they were passers-by ABC, and there was no reporter interview.

  Two and a half hours later, they could no longer walk, and they would be surrounded by spectators when they went out.

   "Hahaha, I just said, you will become famous overnight." Diane Lane, who also hid in the lounge, was proud of her foresight.

   "So...the movie is done?" Ronald thought to himself.

   comforted the frightened Antonia, Ronald went out to the producer Da Silva to ask about the evacuation arrangements of the protagonists. As soon as he went out, he was surrounded by dozens of spectators, and when they saw that he was not the lead actor, they all sighed in disappointment.

   Among the remaining people, Gene Ray was the first to react and locked the door. However, he soon danced to celebrate his fame. Irene Cara played the piano in the lounge. They were all young people. Soon everyone realized that they were about to become famous, and they all danced to celebrate.

  Ronald found the producer Da Silva in the VIP lounge on the other side, and talked about the situation where the starring actors were blocked by the audience in the lounge to sign autographs.

   "I'm afraid they have to sign autographs for the audience. If this situation is avoided, the audience will be very disappointed." It was Brooke Shields' mother Terry who spoke.

  Da Silva agreed, and hurried out to arrange autographs and take pictures. He still has a whole bunch of lead actors to arrange.

   "Listen to my mother, you want to ask me to shoot a clothing advertisement, is it the kind of woolen sleeves that are put on the feet in the movie?" Brooke Xiaosi's pleasant and clear voice came.

   "No, Miss Shields, it's Calvin Klein's jeans."

   "Jeans?" Brooke Xiaosi lost interest in an instant.

   "It's the kind of tight fit that's very fashionable."

   Brooke Xiaosi regained her interest, "Mom?"

   "Okay," said Terry, the mother and manager. "Ronald, please send my daughter some samples first. I want a size 4."

   "Okay, no problem." Ronald looked Brooke Shields up and down, a girl who was close to 6 feet tall, wearing a size 4? Waist is only 26? (equivalent to medium foot 1 foot 9

   "And that wool foot cover." Brooke Shields didn't forget the fashionable equipment in the movie.

   "It's called a leg warmer, and I'll bring it with you." Ronald said.

   (end of this chapter)