Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 401 Preview

"Ronald, you are great." Brooke Shields was lying on Ronald's right. She hugged Ronald and hung one foot on Ronald's body. She said happily, her face still blushing. .

   "Well, Brooke." Ronald kissed her too.

   "Go down, it's my turn." Helen on the left, raised her leg and kicked Brooke's leg off Ronald, then pulled Ronald over.

   "Well, Helen, are you here too?" Ronald was surprised for a moment, but seeing the two women did not notice, he turned to the left, stretched out his arms, hugged Helen and kissed him.

   "Sir, sir, we are going to the airport soon, please straighten the back of your seat."

  The stewardess touched Ronald's hands with his hands, and the professional voice reached Ronald's ears.

   Wake up, Ronald put down his arms holding the beautiful stewardess, "Sorry, I had a dream, how is the weather in Los Angeles today?"

   "It's a sunny day." The flight attendant went on to call the next passenger.

  Since Brooke Shields escaped from her room, Ronald was a little embarrassed to see her. Brooke was also busy filming and didn't have much time to face Ronald. . When Ronald set off to return home, the two just hugged each other and wished each other good luck.

   But this kiss made Ronald very unforgettable. When he was sleeping on the plane back home, he actually had a spring dream. Anyway, there is everything in the dream, and there is no need to be responsible. Ronald still misses it a little.

   went back to Los Angeles and slept for two days to relieve his exhaustion. After the jet lag was over, Ronald went to Atlantic again to discuss the release preparations for "Night of the Comet".

  Atlantic president Tom Coleman told him that "Girls in the Valley" is set to premiere at the end of April, and if all goes well, "Night of the Comet" could begin in May.

   However, the specific release time depends on the box office revenue of "Valley Girl" and the box office of other movies. Small distribution companies have no way to set the release time a year in advance.

   This May there is the latest episode of Star Wars, the blockbuster sequel from "Revenge of the Jedi" renamed "Return of the Jedi". There is also the latest episode of 007 "Octopussy" in June. It is expected that his film will be released in the middle of the two blockbusters at the earliest, and then it will hit the summer season, where the competition will be even more cutthroat.

   However, Ronald also sent the film to MPAA for rating and did two test screenings before the schedule was confirmed.

  The Atlantic was responsible for submitting the trial, and Ronald set up a trial screening. The general screening is divided into internal screenings for insiders and external screenings for general audiences.

  With the help of the new tape, Ronald was able to do two test screenings with working copies. Based on the audience's reaction, make a little finishing touches, then edit the negatives and print the copies.

   The first was an internal preview. Ronald invited all the people in the circle he knew well to give him advice.

  Cameron and Gail, Roger Coleman are friends on the New World side. Several leading actors of the "Fast Pace" crew, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, and screenwriter Cameron Crowe were all present. Katherine Bigelow and Willem Dafoe are friends over there in New York, who happened to be at the Los Angeles International Film Festival, and were invited to watch the film by him.

  Except for Tom Cruise and Diane Lane, who are busy with the new film, almost all the friends in the circle who can be invited come to watch "Night of the Comet".

  "Karala..." The final sound of the film rewinding ended, and the film with the editing traces finished. Ronald ordered his assistant to bring wine, drinks, and snacks, while he walked among the crowd to ask their opinions.

   "The special effects part is very good, I think our 'Terminator' also needs this style." Cameron and Gale praised Ronald's special effects performance.

   "How much did your title cost?" Cameron is very concerned about these details. This title and subtitles seem to be expensive to make.

"It's free. I made it from AMEX. Their ADO special effects machine wants to enter the film market. If you are interested, you can talk to their representative." Ronald pointed to AMEX, which was inventing films everywhere on the set. said the sales representative.

   "It seems to work well."

   "Yeah, I heard Helen say that the title of 'Supergirl' is also a special effect, and it will probably end up costing a million dollars to produce. Although the effect is not that good, it can be done at most tens of thousands of dollars."

  Cameron also asked by the way, he knows more about special effects than Ronald.

   "By the way, how's your Terminator financing going?" Ronald asked them both.

   Upon hearing this question, Cameron and Gale began to smile wryly and shake their heads. They found more than a dozen companies for financing, but they still had the same problem. Cameron's scripts were all very good, but he couldn't be trusted as a director. They're still working on Jim's debut.

   "Okay, let's find time to talk. I have an Israeli friend who owes me a favor. When he returns to Los Angeles, I'll introduce you to talk to him."

   The two chatted and then left early. Ronald sent them away, and went back to the screening room to continue looking for feedback.

  Ronald approached his writing partner Cameron Crowe. Crow was very excited after watching the movie, "Is this movie really worth $1.2 million? Why do I look like it costs more than the fast pace."

   "Hahaha, of course there are some tricks. Spend enough money on certain scenes, and some scenes are casual."

   "It's great, I have the opportunity to learn to be a director too. It's really interesting to turn the screenwriter into a video."

   "What are you doing now?" Ronald asked Crow.

"I'm still working on that project with Art Linson, and he still wants to make a fast-paced sequel, a social, independent story after graduating high school. This time he wants to be a director himself, maybe he saw your directorial work. , some inspiration and inspiration. I'm working on a script right now."

   "Good luck, what do you think of this movie of mine?"

   "Yes, I think your screenwriting skills have improved again. Several elements in this movie are actually well combined by the stories of the two protagonists. It doesn't feel like the fast pace is not connected enough."

   "Nancy, what do you think?" Ronald asked Crowe's girlfriend, Nancy Wilson, a rock band diva.

"I think the story is good, better than your last movie. The two heroines are cool, rock-n-roll, decisive, punch, fight zombies, guns and evil. Scientists fight, and in the end, there is romantic love, which I think looks good.”

   Ronald laughed, this is the feedback from the general audience.

   He then went to ask "Fast-Paced" heroines Jennifer and Phoebe.

   "Well, I don't think the two protagonists have much room for performance, and the characters here are relatively flat." Jennifer Jason Li opened her mouth to criticize.

"I enjoyed watching it." Phoebe Cates hurriedly pulled his good friend's hand, "It's not that kind of drama, anyway, I watched it very much from beginning to end, but there was no big explosion at the end, It's a little uncomfortable not to punish those evil scientists severely."

   "Hey, I don't have any money." Ronald laughed. Actors always look for the level of performance in advance, but this exploitative film is not a complicated performance, no wonder Jennifer from a family of actors does not feel challenged.

"Actually, there are still good performances. In the scene where the two heroines reunite at home, you can still see a good rhythm." Willem Dafoe joined in and began to chat with the two actresses about their acting skills. detail.

   "Ronald, let me ask you a question about the script."

"Please say."

  Catherine Bigelow also came over, "What day is the comet coming?"

   "Huh?" Ronald didn't expect Bigelow to pay so much attention to such details.

"In the radio station where the two protagonists go, the recording mentions that there are eleven shopping days until Christmas. If we count Christmas Eve on the 24th as the last shopping day, it means that the comet is in December Fourteenth." Bigelow counted to Ronald.

   "Ah, yes," Ronald nodded in agreement.

   "But when Regina convinced Samantha that everyone was dead, she said 'it's Saturday morning, where are the kids?', so the comet passed on Friday night."

   "Ah, this, you're right." Ronald didn't pay much attention to this issue either.

   "But this year's December 14th is Wednesday, which means your movie doesn't take place this year?"

   "Ah, how do you know what day of the week is December 14th this year?" Ronald wondered.

   "I have a calendar in the back here." Catherine picked up the notebook, flipped to the last calendar, checked it out, and said to Ronald.

   "It doesn't matter, right?"

   "Although you're a sci-fi film, it's good to have the details as accurate as possible."

  Ronald scratched his head. He didn't understand Bigelow's pursuit of details. The movie doesn't have to be so real, right?

   But he still asked someone to check it out. December 14th, 1984 was a Friday, so maybe the original film will be released next year? These two details were copied by him according to the lines in the dream.

"Ronald, Nee's movie is so good. When will you give me a role?" The guy who asked him was Marine Jahan, who was a dance double for heroine Jennifer Beals in "The Flash Dance". .

   "Haha, Marlene, when your Flash Dance is released, you won't be short of opportunities." Ronald chatted with her a few words.

   "Lightning Dance" was produced very quickly, and the copy has been made, ready to be released in April. The two producers, Don Simpson, and Jerry Bruckheimer, who were busy releasing, didn't invite them to a preview of their film this time.

   "I hope too, are you coming back for the premiere?"

   "Yes, I got the invitation. Will you go too?"

"Well, my husband and I both went back, but a lot of people in our crew became leading roles. Cynthia Rhodes, who played the bar dancer, went to star in Stallone's project. We all envied her and didn't know how to climb the the tall branch."

   "Hey, as long as 'Lightning Dance' can sell, you will definitely be famous, don't worry about not having a chance."

   (end of this chapter)