Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 523 Selling Break Dance to the Eastern Faction

   "Breakdance" was doing so well overseas that Minahan happily treated Ronald to a feast.

   Remembering Natasha Kinsky's plea, Ronald asked Minahan what he thought of "Mary's Lovers."

   "I didn't have a strong preference for releasing this movie. If the price was right, I would buy it. If the price was too high, I wouldn't want it. But your movie made us a lot of money, and my priorities changed."

  Meinahan picked up a white napkin and wiped his mouth, "For Cannon to gain a foothold in Hollywood, low-cost exploitative films have no future. So I hope to sign some famous directors and let them make films for Cannon.

   In the golden age of Hollywood, directors and stars all signed long-term contracts with studios. The studio is their home, and they only make films for the studio. If we can have one or two famous directors who have signed long-term contracts, stars will be attracted to come to small and medium-sized companies like Cannon to make films. "

  Ronald understood what Minahan meant. To a certain extent, his strategy was a bit like CAA, which was to attract stars to join by signing screenwriters and directors. With stars, there is an opportunity to expand the scale of the company. Otherwise, if you always shoot a low-cost production of one or two million, you will never have a chance to rank among the top seven.

   "So, I didn't buy 'Maria's Lovers' because of Natasha Kinski, but for director Konchalovsky, who could bring us an Oscar nomination."

   "It seems that Kinski is not a qualified star in his eyes. Although he can win at the European Film Festival, no audience in Hollywood is willing to go to the cinema just to see her." Ronald thought.

   "Do you think her new film has a chance to win the Palme d'Or?" Ronald knew that "Paris, Texas" was a hit at this year's awards. If it can win the award, "Maria's Lovers", also starring Kinski, may have a higher commercial value.

   Ronald tried his best to learn from Minahan, and he still had a lot to learn in terms of film business operations.

"Maybe," Minahan was in a good mood, "This year's jury chair is a Briton, and the jury includes both America's senior director Stanley Dornan and the famous photographer Vadim You of the Solville Union. Sufu.

   So I don't think the grand prize will go to John Huston, who is still shooting in his seventies in America, and although 'Paris, Texas' was shot in America, the director and production company are all from West Germany. Choose them in a few popular movies, and the judges from the Eastern camp are less likely to disagree strongly. "

   But there is no connection between European film awards and American box office. "

   Ronald agrees with this, that most American people have a kind of complex of the Chosen Son, and everything is the best of America.

   "Let your friend Kinski come, I'll give her a better condition, we just need more directors who are willing to sign long-term contracts with us." After that, Minahan looked straight at Ronald.

"I'll tell him." Ronald smiled. It's impossible for him to sign a long-term contract with Meinahan. It's impossible for him to be tied to a company like Cannon. The movie he wants to make is still one of the seven majors. A compelling company.

   Natasha Kinski was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from Ronald and immediately invited Ronald and Minahan to the premiere of "Paris, Texas".

   "Paris, Texas" director Wim Wenders is a West German and looks a little shy and tall.

   He was a go-getter in the New German Cinema movement in West Germany. This is a subsidy project funded by the West German government in the 1970s to expand its cultural influence. At that time, a generation of stars represented by Natasha Kinski's father Klaus Kinski was also presented.

   However, this kind of government-funded project does not produce many blockbuster films, and leaving the market is only a tool for the director to realize himself and award awards. The New German Cinema movement quickly faded, and Wim Wenders had to borrow money and space from Hollywood to make his new film.

   "Congratulations, you made a great movie", after watching the premiere, Ronald complimented Wim Wenders.

how to say? This movie is really well done, the actors' performances are precise, the emotional expression and narrative are very standard. But this can only be understood by viewers who have a similar life experience to the protagonist.

   After all, it is not an eternal story of revenge, love, and defeating an opponent that has remained unchanged for thousands of years, but a story of a frustrated middle-aged man looking for his past memories.

   Soon the guests at the scene came one after another to congratulate the director and starring actors. Ronald quietly left the creative team, and he went back with Minahan.

   "So East Germany also succumbed to the pressure of the Soviet Union and participated in the boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics? For political purposes, didn't you ruin the hard work of athletes for four years?"

   "You can't say that, it was you Americans who first created a boycott in the last session. We can say it's just a tit-for-tat."

   "But Yuri, your late former secretary general, took a positive attitude towards participating in the competition. We have prepared the Olympic Village for you in Los Angeles, and there will also be a documentary filming team to follow the shooting of athletes from various countries."

   "You know old friend, we are now the new General Secretary Constantine."

   A voice of conversation drifted into Ronald's ears.

   He felt that this Russian-accented English was a little familiar, and he looked closely, Huh?

   "Mr. Counselor, I didn't expect us to meet here."

  It turned out that the person who spoke was the Cultural Counselor of the Souvelle Union who sat with Ronald when he received the Oscar for Best Theme Song Lyrics.

   "Aha, Ronald, I didn't expect to see you here. Let me introduce to you. This is the mastermind behind your Hollywood, the number one cultural enemy of our alliance, Mr. Jack Valentine, president of the American Film Association."

   "Hello, Mr. Valenti," Ronald also recognized the president, who often speaks at the Oscars.

"Hello, I've heard of you." Jack Valenti shook Ronald's hand warmly, "Your name is a bit wrong, Mr. Counselor has been transferred back to China and is now working as a commissioner in the Union's Film Bureau. "

   "Congratulations, Mr. Commissioner."

   "It's nothing, I'm just here to accompany Mr. Yusuf, a member of the jury, on a routine basis."

   Hmm... Ronald understood the meaning. Konchalovsky of "Maria's Lovers" defected to the hair country under the pretext of making a new film, which happened a lot in the early 1980s.

  The general secretary has tightened the policy, and for the honorary position of the judges of the Cannes Film Festival, a trusted official should be sent to accompany the artist. Yusuf is a minority in the league. He has been a photographer with Tarkovsky for a long time, and he goes abroad to participate in competitions all year round, so the above is not very relieved.

   "What do you think? Do you think the league should boycott the Los Angeles Olympics this time?" Jack Valenti looked at Ronald with interest, wanting to hear the young director's opinion on the issues they were arguing about.

"Me? I think it should come. If there are no athletes from the league and the Eastern camp, then the competition will not be at the highest level." Ronald answered decisively, such as gymnastics. See America's?

   "Hahaha", Jack Valentine was very satisfied with this answer and glanced at Mr. Commissioner.

   "Not all the Eastern camps participated in the boycott. Some countries chose to participate, such as China." Mr. Commissioner did not choose to continue arguing about this kind of thing, but stated the facts.

   "Oh?" Ronald heard the unexpected news and was refreshed. Does the Olympic Games come soon in summer? At that time, you can go to see the athletes of the motherland in the previous life.

   "When you return to Los Angeles in the future, you can come to participate in the exchange activities of our Film Association." Jack Valenti felt that Ronald's ideas were in line with America's mainstream values, advocating freedom and competition. He was invited to participate in more association activities in the future.

   "Mr. Commissioner, I also brought a film I directed to Cannes this time. I would like to ask, is there a chance to sell it to the league?"

   "Hahaha", Mr. Commissioner was amused by Ronald's typically American mercenary attitude.

   "Accurately, we do bring in a small number of American films, but those are all censored and in line with the country's values. And generally only pay a buyout price."

   "Oh..." Ronald was a little disappointed. It seemed that it was not so easy to sell the movie to the Eastern camp. In their opinion, would "break dance" be some kind of capitalist dance?

   "If you really want to..." Mr. Commissioner dragged his voice.

"Hey, I forgot to introduce. That fat man is the producer of the movie. I wonder if it's possible to invite Mr. Commissioner to dinner?" Ronald understood the other's suggestion, and hurriedly called Zhenghe and Jinski to negotiate. Minahan, please invite the commissioner to the best restaurant in the country.

"Hmm..." The commissioner scooped up a spoonful of high-quality Black Sea caviar, "Did you know? This is a specialty of our Black Sea. Our country's annual export volume is very limited, but it can be found in any high-end restaurant in the country. Commonly eaten."

Commissioner    talked about something that had nothing to do with the movie business.

   "Is this because of? Smuggling?" Ronald asked tentatively.

"Yes, truckloads of caviar, crude oil, and various specialties of Mother Goose and Ross were all transported to East Germany with the army train, and then transferred to West Berlin through various unknown underground channels, and even your United States. And when they go back, they bring back cheap TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and... movie copies."

   "I think Mr. Commissioner studies literature and art, and he must need the latest large-screen TVs and VCRs." Ronald asked.

   "And your wife also needs some perfume from the hair country, and Italian bags, they are all good materials for studying literature and art", Minahan immediately received.

"Thank you for your kindness. I say this to remind you that although our camp cannot freely import Hollywood movies, the good movies shown in West Berlin will appear in East German cinemas in a month, and then continue to show others. Eastern European countries spread.”

I see.

   No wonder West German publishers are delaying their decision. The copies they buy are not only screened in their own country, but also distributed through underground channels throughout Eastern Europe. In this case, they will have to look at the East German region's acceptance of the two films "Breakdance" and "Hot Street Guys" before making a decision.

   "I don't know what principle is used to select movies in East Germany?" Ronald asked Mr. Commissioner again. Minahan snapped his fingers, called the waiter, and added two brandy to Mr. Commissioner for him to take home to taste.

   "Hehe, you know, East Germany is also called a satellite country of the Soviet Union by you Americans. In terms of movies, the attitude of our alliance can also properly affect their preference for movies."

   "Then ask Mr. Commissioner to say something nice."

Mr. Commissioner    got two bottles of brandy and was very satisfied when he saw the word "XO" on it. Ronald is his old acquaintance, and he was promoted and returned to China because Ronald chose "Moscow does not believe in tears" and won the Oscar.

   It's safe to do a little deal with an old friend like this, and this kid and that fat producer are very good at it.

   So he spoke up, "No, you should let me criticize me severely."

   "Why?" Ronald and Minahan looked at each other, confirming that the Commissioner wasn't joking.

   "Have you ever heard the saying that the more forbidden something, the more widespread it is."

   "Oh..." Ronald understood, in the Eastern camp, the more it was not allowed to be released, the more the audience wanted to see what was not allowed inside.

   "I think 'Hot Street Boys' is doing a good job exposing capitalist exploitation and racism in America. Those black people in the slums are forced to dance in the streets. This is the work of American realism.

   And the "Break Dance" with the same theme did too much beautification of their poor life. Blacks and Latinos can work in supermarkets, can afford tape recorders, wear synthetic clothing that only the wealthy can afford, and ankle-protecting foot covers that only ballet students can afford.

   We don’t like this kind of landscaping work. "

   The next day, the Commissioner of the Souvelle Union Film Bureau, when interviewed by the media, also commented on the Hollywood films exhibited at the Cannes Film Festival, and praised Orion's films fiercely.

   "Happy cooperation! Hans!"

  Minahan happily signed a high-value buyout agreement with a local German importer, which is enough to supply the entire Eastern Europe in addition to West Germany. Now copies of "Breakdance" can be distributed to underground theaters in Eastern Europe and even in Moscow and Leningrad.

On the other hand, Minahan also happily paid a higher price to buy "Maria's Lovers" by Andrei Konchalovsky, a director who defected from the Union, and is ready to make persistent efforts at the Venice Film Festival. contest on.

   This is the first battle for them to start their artistic name and attract more directors to make movies.

   (end of this chapter)