Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 580 Spend the money on the screen

   Navy Captain Pete Pettigrew was a tall, lanky man who had just retired from the Navy into the Reserves.

   This time, Ronald applied to the Navy and asked him to come over as a technical consultant for the crew, essentially serving as a communication bridge between the crew and the Navy.

   Pettigrew wears a navy jacket with a TopGun flight school hat and speaks well. Ronald asked if he had actually shot down a MiG-21 during the Vietnam War. He just smiled and said nothing, saying that practicing his own flying skills is more important than anything else.

   In response to some revisions to the script from the Navy that Ronald received. Pettigrew was quick to give his "personal advice."

  Some of the censorship opinions are actually unreasonable, but within the slow-moving bureaucracy, there is an instinctive conditioned reflex opposition to any part of the script that may cause them to be "responsible".

  For example, the early F-14 models were prone to stall and horizontal spiral problems in the high-angle attack state. In fact, the improved models of the F-14 after being equipped with the Navy have been well improved.

   Not to mention that exposing this early problem will not cause leaks. Even if the Alliance saw the plot of this movie and made corresponding tactical preparations, they would be surprised by the reaction of the American Navy after the improvement and equipment.

   But other issues that touch on the military's first regulations, such as falling in love with active duty soldiers, and violating traffic rules are really inappropriate. Pettigrew hopes that the crew can make changes on these issues.

  Otherwise, Pettigrew, who had been a squadron captain and a flight school instructor, could not imagine how much more difficult it would be for the recruits to manage if they all held the attitude of acting like this in the movie.

   In addition, the flight vertigo of the "Jaguar" is a problem that every fighter pilot will encounter. Although the probability is very small, the Navy has not yet had a good solution after it happened. Pettigrew hoped that the crew would not put too much emphasis on this kind of disease, for fear that the pilot would be overly worried after seeing the movie, and instead would induce vertigo in certain circumstances.

   See Pettigrew speaking with great sincerity and a real reason for the Navy's objection. Ronald and the two producers also agreed with him, and asked the two screenwriters to continue to revise according to his ideas.

   Ronald and both producers thanked him.

Pettigrew said humbly, "I'm just at the invitation of the Navy to make some comments that they are inconvenient to say. In fact, my task is to ensure that some of the relevant plots of the fighter flight are correct, and I don't want this to happen. The movie was made into a musical by you."

   "Cough cough..." Ronald was a little embarrassed. It turned out that in the eyes of the elite Navy pilots, what he shot was a typical Hollywood movie that deviates far from the truth. For the dramatic departure from the real world it seems very far.

   Temporarily obtained the true intentions of the Navy. Unexpectedly, the two screenwriters were very dissatisfied with the revision.

  The trouble with them is that, without the two typical plots of speeding and falling in love with a female officer, the character of the protagonist "Lone Ranger" is incomplete. From being a boy who only knew how to fight bravely at first, to finally becoming a mature flight school instructor, the personal transformation of "Lone Ranger" is not convincing.

  Ronald actually agrees with them to some extent, but cinema is an art of compromise and all opinions need to be respected. Ronald ignored the screenwriter's dissatisfaction and left this headache to Don Simpson to solve.

   Ronald went to Roger Coleman's dinner. This is his usual practice. For directors who have come out of the new world, after the first successful film is released, he will solemnly entertain them and put forward his own expectations.

  Cameron and Gail have arrived at the Greek restaurant in advance, and they take Coleman's banquet very seriously.

   Ronald stepped forward to congratulate them. "The Terminator" unexpectedly topped the box office for its second week in a row. Not only did it surprise Hollywood, but even the Chicago-based film critic duo, Sisko and Albert, gave Cameron's debut feature on TV.

   The two especially mentioned the "Terminator"'s succession to the film noir, the already very popular explosion scene. Said a lot of good things. But also pointed out that "Terminator" is taking advantage of the schedule, and when the new movie is released, their box office champion Lianzhuang may be coming to an end.

   "Gail, Jim, Ronnie." Roger Coleman and his wife Julie also arrived at the restaurant, and they settled in a quieter corner and began to eat.

   "Among the last directors who came out of the new world, you two make me the most satisfied". Roger Coleman sees Cameron and Ronald as directors who have inherited his exploitative spirit.

"But Jim and Ronald, obviously made movies that cost between $600 and $8 million, why do they say they're still making exploitative movies?" Gale, as a producer, didn't quite understand Coleman's evaluation. .

  Colman said something, "Whether an exploitative film is not made at a low cost, it is whether the money you spend goes to the screen for the audience to see."

   "The action scenes that Ronald shot, Cameron made a big explosion, and the audience saw it, it was the kind of production that knew your money was going there."

   "Hahaha", Gail was very happy and raised a glass to celebrate.

   Ronald laughed too. Gale probably thought it was Roger Coleman who particularly liked Cameron's films, so he praised it by making the sound of New World Productions.

   But Ronald knew in his heart that Roger Coleman was right. All the audience can see is the explosions, movements, dances, or elements of fighter jets fighting each other, rather than the depth of the actors' acting.

   This type of film that enhances certain characteristics of the film is, in the final analysis, the spirit of the exploitative film, exploiting all the elements of the blockbuster, all for the entertainment of the audience, not the self-entertainment of the actors and theatrical directors.

As for critics, how other directors and actors evaluate their own films is a secondary matter. The students taught by Roger Coleman all aim at the box office as their first goal. Consider other things.

   After a few people finished their dinner, they waited at the door of the restaurant for the doorman to drive the car.

   Ronald was drawn to the show on the TV hanging from the wall by the door. Today happens to be the second televised debate between the leader and the candidate of the Donkey Party, Mondale.

The host asked the question that all the audience who watched the first debate wanted to ask the commander-in-chief, "The commander-in-chief, you are already the oldest commander in history, I remember Commander Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. At times, you can only sleep for two or three hours a day. Is there any doubt in your mind, if you are in a similar crisis, will you have enough energy to deal with it?”

   "Oh, let's see how he answers." Gale looked at the TV screen with interest. Cameron also raised his head to look at the chief commander in the TV lens.

   "Not at all worried."

  The commander easily denied the doubts of the host and all the audience with his non-stick demeanor. He has this magic power, which makes people believe that what he said is sincere.

"I also want to make a statement here," the commander continued in a relaxed tone, "I will not make age an issue in this election campaign, and I will not exploitatively use the issue of age in the election campaign for political purposes. ."

  The camera swept to the former deputy commander, Mundell, the candidate of the Donkey Party, with a serious expression. The commander-in-chief has a tendency to accuse the Donkey Party of using age for immoral attacks.

   "I will not deliberately take advantage of my opponent's youth and inexperience to attack him."

   "Hahahaha..." Everyone in the restaurant burst into laughter.

   The Donkey Party candidate Mondale in the camera couldn't help but be amused.

   This revolving door attack was a hundred times better than what Ronald said. The commander was a natural joker, and Mondale's smile officially announced that any suspense in the re-election campaign was over on the spot.

"Mr. Moderator, if there is still time, I would like to say a few more words." The commander continued to stab his opponent, "Cicero of ancient Rome said that if the old man does not point out and correct the mistake for the young man, then There is no such thing as a successful country."

   "Hahaha... The commander deserves to be an actor who came out of Hollywood. His ability to tell jokes is really top-notch." Gal did not forget to mention the years of the commander's actor.

   "Hmm...", only Ronald saw the eyes of the commander who was holding a glass to drink water at the moment when everyone was laughing, an experienced old hunter, a sharp look after hitting the key point of the prey with one shot. "Add his killer instinct."

   Ronald added silently in his heart.

   "The joke is not afraid of getting old, and the plot is not afraid of being outdated. As long as it is released at the moment the audience expects, it can get good results."

   "The two screenwriters resigned." Don Simpson found Ronald again the next day and informed him of the latest revision progress of the script.

   "What? Why?" Ronald was puzzled.

"They feel that their labor is not respected, that it's crazy that we agree with the Navy, that this kind of movie is like a two-hour big music video, it's all broken stories and it can't be successful. So they don't do it anymore. The screenwriters, of course, according to the rules of the screenwriters union, they have to write their names on the script."

  Jerry Bruckheimer explained why.

   "Are we not going to eat steak without these two butchers?" Ronald waved his hand in disdain.

   "Why, can you do it yourself?" Don Simpson asked quickly, this is the best solution.

"I think it doesn't matter if I write or not, this is a high-concept movie, a fighter version of a classic western, who the **** is still looking for deep meaning of life and superb acting in John Wayne's movies What? We already have Tom Cruise, as long as the aerial combat is well done and the love between him and the heroine is heartwarming, I don’t think there is a problem.”

  Ronald shared his insights from chatting with Coleman yesterday and watching the debate of the great leader, "Even if it is a big MV, I can make the audience very excited."

   "Hahaha, I like your arrogance." Don Simpson was very happy that Ronald and his ideas were similar. In fact, the story of such a high-concept commercial film should be as simple as possible. The key is that the director is visually comfortable.

"What's more, the story is simple and the jokes are outdated. As long as the key rhythm is grasped, it can be convincing." There was still a word in Ronald's heart that he didn't say. , there's no reason why you can't.

   (end of this chapter)