Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 654 Charity Fundraising Party

   "What's the latest news?" Ronald asked his agent, Nisita.

  After filming and packing, Ronald would routinely go on vacation for a few weeks, completely forgetting that he liked certain shots while filming. When editing in this way, you won't be disgusted by the many shots of a certain shot, or liked by another shot, so that all shots are treated equally, and the quality of the shot can be judged from an objective standpoint. .

   "Stallone's Rocky 4 just shut down. I heard that director Avelson had a falling out with him. Stallone is preparing for the later stage."

   "I know about it, Weintraub is vying with Stallone to sign Bill Conti for the soundtrack." Ronald nodded.

  Bill Conti was the soundtrack of the first Longwei Kid. He was abandoned by Stallone's Rocky 3 at the time, and now of course he prefers to choose Ronald, who respects him and cooperates happily.

   "When will Rocky 4 be released? Won't it touch my two movies?" After all, this is an all-American idol, Rocky's latest turnaround boxing match.

   "Don't worry, they are in a hurry, it will be released by the end of the year."

  Ronald raised his eyebrows, "So anxious?"

   "Stallone seems to be short of money right now and desperately needs another blockbuster movie to fix his finances."

"Zac's 'The Bad Guy' was having some trouble, the chemistry between the two leads was great, but Disney thought it needed a big star to boost the box office. Now they're re-engaging with Diane Keaton to convince her to come Play the heroine."

   "Well... just don't get in the way of Helen Slater's supporting role" Ronald listened to some of the latest developments in the industry.

   "Is there anyone looking for me when I'm not here?" Ronald asked another agent, Richard.

   "Jim Cameron has gone to the Pinewood set in London to shoot the Alien sequel. You were in Hawaii when he called."

   "John Hughes called and said he wrote a script based on your idea called 'Beauty in Pink', I hope you don't mind. If you want to direct..."

   "How am I free?" Ronald interrupted Richard.

"I replied to him like this, the script is here, based on the core of the story you said, a girl, with the help of a boy's best friend, changed her face to go on a date with another boy she had a crush on, and finally met the boy she had a crush on. , and found out that he loved that buddy."

   "Is it really the same? Is he still looking for his muse, Molly Ringwald?" Ronald flipped through the synopsis, and Hughes did indeed quickly write a script from what he said last time. The script is not thick, and it seems that he will use another trick to let the hero and heroine improvise on the set.

"Yeah, but his male muse, Anthony Michael Hall, turned down the role. Hughes's interest in 'Pink Pink' has waned a bit, maybe back to Chicago to direct another of his films, so now looking around the world for a director substitute."

"It's not the era of the big studios, it's hard to keep working with one or two actors for a long time." Ronald had heard that John Hughes wanted to work with these two underage actors in more than a dozen movies. I have been filming until they are not suitable for youth films, but I didn't expect the third male lead to run away.

   "Hey, that's not right. Did Hughes get it wrong?" Ronald flipped through the script and asked.

   "What went wrong?"

   "The gender was wrong. I told him that a boy had a crush on a girl, and with the help of another best friend, he caught up with that girl. After dating, he felt that his best friend was more suitable for him."

   "Is it okay?" Richard flipped through the notebook, but Hughes didn't mention this question.

"How can it be okay? It has a lot to do! Our conservative values ​​in America make it difficult for a girl to choose the loser among two boys. Conversely, it's okay for a boy to choose a girl, as long as she is beautiful. ."

   "Is there any other phone number?" Ronald looked at Richard who was nodding frequently, and flipped through his phone book. He had to talk to John Hughes about this question.

   "And Elizabeth Taylor, she invited you to the charity party..."

   "Shhh, wait a minute," Ronald answered John Hughes.

"John, I'm Ronald. I read your script, and I don't have time for the second half of the year, so I have to work on editing. I'm calling to ask you, is your script 'Beauty in Pink'? Reverse the gender of the male protagonist?"

   "No, no, I never meant to teach you... me? I don't have time to direct. That's okay, I don't have the idea of ​​signing the script..."

   "Hum..." Ronald threw the phone back on the base, making a loud noise.

   "Ronald, you are still the Ronald who helped him selflessly. But he is no longer the John Hughes who can accept criticism with humility."

   Nisita spoke slowly.

   "Okay, anyway, don't blame me if it fails at the box office in the future. This movie obviously has major flaws. The genders of the male and female protagonists should be reversed, so that the audience will like the ending."

   "Since you are so sure, why don't you write it yourself and make a version?"

   "Well..." Ronald pondered for a long time, "It's okay, but I've also handed it over to other directors. I'm not very interested in making such low-cost movies now."

  I didn’t dream of a movie, so be honest. Whether my vision can really grasp the trend that American audiences like to watch has not yet been verified.

   "By the way, what did you say about Elizabeth Taylor's charity party?"

"It was a fund-raising party for Rock Hudson's illness. She rented a space in the Los Angeles Coliseum, and all the audience had the opportunity to sign autographs and take pictures with the stars who went, but they had to pay expensive tickets. The stars who went to attend, There are also requests for donations.”

   "I still have to raise money, right? How much do I have to donate?" Ronald picked up the invitation and looked at it, "Who is going?"

   "They're all celebrities, and there are many of your old friends. You're a director and a junior in the industry. It shouldn't be too high, just a few thousand dollars."

   "Okay, I have to go socialize."

   "Thank you for inviting me, Ms. Taylor." Ronald kissed the face of Elizabeth Taylor, the sponsor of the charity gala, twice.

   "Thank you for coming, Ronald." Next to Elizabeth Taylor is another Lock Hudson friend, veteran actress Doris Day. Ronald also went up and kissed twice.

   "Here's my check."

   Seeing the numbers above, Elizabeth Taylor's face was noticeably better. The fundraising activities they launched this time are mainly for Rock Hudson and other poor people with the same disease.

   "You're much better than that old Ronald, he's been a little weird since he went to politics."

   The two veteran actresses were not arranging the chief commander. Ronald didn't dare answer the call, so he could only listen awkwardly beside him.

Since the    commander made a televised speech on the disease, he was quickly cast aside by his old friends in Hollywood.

   This is not only because he forgot his old friend, but also vaguely accused Lock Hudson of his orientation in his speech. And because he didn't get experts to declare a state of emergency, pour government money into investigating the epidemic, and fund labs to invent faster tests and possible treatments.

  Since he embraced the evangelical church for the campaign, the values ​​of the great leader have become increasingly conservative, not only accusing Hollywood of too much violent eroticism, but also beginning to respect traditional marriage in the relationship between men and women.

   This makes his behavior of divorce and remarriage look extra funny. Perhaps this was the real reason the Grand Commander was furious when he heard his ex-wife's name.

   "Michael", Ronald saw the hottest star right now, "Back to the Future" actor Michael J. Fox, and came in with Jennifer, a classmate from the acting class.

   He happened to leave the two veteran movie stars, and left the place of right and wrong without making a sound.

   Fox talked to him about the grand occasion after the movie was released. "Back to the Future" made him an A-list Hollywood star. This is thanks to Ronald's recommendation, and the idea of ​​sleeping in the van to take advantage of the commute. Otherwise, he's going back and forth between the two crews of the movie and TV series "Family Bonds," sleeping only two or three hours a day and can't stand it.

   "Family Bond's ratings are very good. I plan to use the summer vacation every year to shoot movies, and then make TV dramas at other times."

   "That's good news for your audience."

   The two talked very much, and Fox's girlfriend Jennifer laughed happily. The more Hollywood stars she met, the more opportunities she had to audition. Now John Hughes' new film, also has the opportunity to audition for a supporting role, for her, her career has opened up a fast lane to her.

   "Meet again", Ronald saw the star Cher with a wig at the entrance of the stadium again. This time it's an explosion of black.

   Seeing her surrounded by a group of photojournalists, Ronald stepped forward to provide the service of the male guest, stretched out his arm for her to carry, separated the reporters, and let her enter the gym.

   "Where's Stoltz?" Ronald looked around, but did not see Cher's little boyfriend, Eric Stoltz.

   "What, do you want to take his place? Now is a good opportunity." Cher also joked about Ronald.

   "Haha..." Ronald knew at a glance that Cher had broken up with her little boyfriend again, and he didn't know who her next boyfriend would be. I only admire Cher, who is much older, and has no idea of ​​going forward as a boyfriend or girlfriend.

   Thousands of spectators came to the scene, and all tickets and donations were turned into charitable donations to support disease research. Celebrities were invited to say a few words.

   In the second half, the famous movie star Burt Lancaster read a statement in place of his good friend Rock Hudson.

   "It's very hard for me to have this disease, but if I can help 12,000 other unfortunate patients, at least I know my own misfortune and can have some positive meanings."

   Hearing such heartrending, yet affectionate remarks from big Hollywood stars, the audience below was very sad, and some Hudson fans burst into tears.

   Several girls in dresses, carrying donation boxes, climbed up and down in the seating area, and persuaded the audience to donate more generously.

   "I'm announcing that the audience, and the star's donations, have exceeded $1 million."

   The host came to the stage and announced loudly to the guests.

   "Wow wow wow..."

  Ronald is also applauding hard, this long charity gala is finally coming to an end.

   "Thank you, thank you." Elizabeth Taylor, walking slowly through the tables of guests, thanked each guest who donated.

   "Ronald, thank you." Elizabeth Taylor sat down beside Ronald and lightly hammered her waist with her hand.

   "Ms. Taylor?" Ronald asked concerned.

   "Just call me Elizabeth. It's alright, I'm a little sick in my waist, old problems. Thank you again for your generosity, Ronald, there are not too many stars like you who put out checks directly."

   "Oh", Ronald nodded and handed a glass of water to the old shadow queen, "Do you know anything about this disease? It seems like Mr. Hudson's current condition?"

   "Hey, he's very difficult to move now." Elizabeth Taylor sighed, "This kind of disease is very violent, that is, it takes a few months."

   "Oh", Ronald couldn't help but worry, "I heard that mosquito bites can also...?"

"That's not true. Locke went to the most advanced Pasteur laboratory in the hair country. Experts there said that for the amount of blood mosquitoes suck, to achieve effective infection, more than a few hundred mosquitoes must bite people together. "

   "Oh, then I'm relieved."

   Ronald breathed a sigh of relief, it seems that this is a disease that is especially spread among certain oriented people.

  …

   A few days later, Ronald was on vacation at his hotel in Palm Springs and was having breakfast in the morning when he was on the TV news and heard breaking news.

"Actor Rock Hudson, died yesterday at the age of 59, following a recent year of battle with a new disease, which has just been named by the Pasteur Institute, and the University of Maryland Medical Research Center in my country. "

   "He was found not breathing this morning at his home in Beverly Hills by the nurse who was looking after him."

   "So soon?" Ronald was a little surprised, and a few days ago he entrusted a friend to read the message.

"Rock Hudson has a career in Hollywood for nearly three decades. He has co-starred in movies with many female stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Doris Day. In the history of Hollywood, the total box office of participating movies is more than He's taller than Cary Grant and Elizabeth Taylor."

   "Rock Hudson's will, does not want fans to send flowers. He hopes that all the donations he has received before will be handed over to the America...Disease Research Foundation. He also donated $250,000 to the foundation."

   Ronald watched the news while eating, and many fans wanted to rush into Hudson's house to say goodbye to the idol.

After   , the TV station reviewed the life of Locke Hudson, and also broadcasted the answer of the former commander, which implied Hudson's orientation when interviewed by the TV media.

  At least in Los Angeles and Hollywood, such attacks on the dead have provoked a lot of resentment.

  The Great Commander lost the "non-stick" feature of bad news for the first time. This time, it was not so easy for him to separate the relationship between bad news and himself. He couldn't take the blame for the bureaucracy.

   (end of this chapter)