Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 789 The Lady of Scientology

   "This script doesn't have the structure of a three-act play!"

   Ronald returned home and read the script of "Rain Man" in one go. He closed the script, picked up a cup of black tea, let the temperature of the cup warm his hands, and finally understood why there were two big directors who were already interested in directing, and then decided to quit.

  The script of a movie generally consists of three stages. The characters and the environment are introduced at the beginning, and there are dramatic conflicts in the middle. Various conflicts gradually develop. When it is inevitable and the situation must be broken, it enters the end.

   But this "Rain Man" script, although the characters of the two brothers are very exciting, but there is no obvious three-act play structure. It's as if a story is moving at a constant speed to the end.

   The story is actually quite simple. Brother Charlie Babbitt, a retailer of parallel imported luxury cars, suddenly receives news of the death of his feuding father. With a bad business, he wanted to inherit his father's estate with hope.

   arrived in Cincinnati, where his father was, but in his will, most of the inheritance of three million dollars was left to an older brother Charlie had never heard of, Raymond Babbitt, who was mentally weaker than ordinary people.

  The angry Charlie secretly went to the medical facility where Raymond lived, kidnapped his brother Raymond, and wanted to get half of the inheritance from the trust administrator, the dean of his brother's nursing home, to fill the shortfall.

   During their journey to California, the two brothers gradually discovered the long-lost family love. Charlie wanted to get custody of Raymond, and the dean of the nursing home offered to give Charlie half of the estate and let him give up custody of his brother.

   But Charlie didn't want to part with his brother. In the end, Charlie lost the case in court. The two brothers parted ways. Raymond promised to go to Cincinnati to see his brother often.

   This plot looks simple, and it is the kind of movie that requires extraordinary acting skills to allow the audience to recognize the characters before they can sympathize with the feelings of the two brothers.

   Obviously, both actors and directors are eager to take on this huge challenge. A good shot is very likely to receive favorable treatment from film critics and awards.

   But the disadvantage is also on this. The script itself lacks drama. If the actors are not well chosen, and the audience cannot be understood by sympathy, empathy by understanding, and finally deeply moved by brotherhood, this movie will be very powerful.

  Without finding the right actors, or lack of chemistry between the actors, the film will be a double failure at the box office and awards.

   Whether it's Sidney Pollack or Spielberg, they're all great directors, and obviously they haven't found the right actors to star in. Anyway, they don't lack any projects, and if they can't find suitable actors, they would rather not shoot.

   "Fortunately, I have Dreamland to help. As long as you follow the casting in the dream, you can find the most suitable actor." Thinking of this, Ronald happily took a hot bath and went to bed early to wait for the Dreamland to come.

  The light gradually brightened, and a burst of music played.

   "The KFMU radio station in Los Angeles, every morning, FM97.1 broadcasts on time for you. First of all, I bring you a new song by Madonna, "Open Your Heart (OpenYourHeart, I hope you like it."

   Ronald stretched out his hand and touched it left and right, and found that he was still lying on the bed. The sun was dazzling and he couldn't open his eyes. He touched the brand new Sony recorder on the bedside table with his right hand and pressed the switch.

   This is a new tape recorder recommended by Budd after returning from New York. The electronic watch can be turned on and used as an alarm clock in the morning.

"Why didn't you dream? It's because the movie is not good, so I haven't seen it in my previous life? But Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman should not be famous, right? People act?"

  Ronald rubbed his eyes and finally opened them.

   "Let's go for a run, and then go to the club to practice." Ronald took a shower and went to the karate club opened by Darryl Vidal, the stand-in for Longwei Kid, and practiced against him for half an hour.

After the release of Longwei Kid 2, the business here is even better. Darryl Vidal changed to a bigger clubhouse, and put a photo of himself and Miyagi actor Morita Noriyuki on the wall behind the front desk of the clubhouse superior.

   "You really want to have something on your mind." Vidal doesn't take classes personally anymore. He only takes some advanced classes and receives celebrity students in Los Angeles.

   "I seem to have suddenly lost inspiration and I'm a little distressed, so I want to come here to practice and free my brain." Ronald smiled bitterly, he really didn't find any rules about how to dream about movies.

   "There is a saying in karate, you can try to adjust your breathing and then meditate." Vidal taught Ronald a set of traditional karate methods.

   "Is it useful?" That night, Ronald took the Japanese-style futon woven by high-grade rushes sent by Vidal, tried to adjust his breathing, and sat quietly for half an hour before going to bed.

   "KFMU Radio Los Angeles...Bringing you today is Bon Jovi's new song, Living by Prayer (Livin'onaPrayer

   "Shxt..." Ronald pulled the recorder out in anger.

   Any Japanese Zen way is useless.

   Over the next few days, Ronald tried hot springs, Jane Fonda's aerobics, and Kim Catroll to exercise, all to no avail.

   "You slept well, nothing was wrong."

   A doctor from a private hospital in Los Angeles across from him took the electrodes on Ronald. You have a high percentage of deep sleep, and I have never seen a Hollywood person who sleeps as healthy as you. Many actors and directors actually suffer from insomnia, and they want me to prescribe drugs, so you can rest assured.

   "No, I didn't dream..."

   "No, people dream during the REM period of sleep. You said that you didn't have a dream, but the quality of your sleep is actually high, and you quickly forget the content of your dream before waking up."

"But I just want to remember what I did in the dream, I... I sometimes dream of some inspiration." Ronald whispered to the doctor that he actually didn't mind the poor quality of sleep in exchange for more frequent dreams See movie.

   "This is more common among artists. Sleeping is actually a subconscious arrangement of our daily thoughts. When you wake up in the morning, it is normal to remember some inspirations in your dreams." The doctor began to write reports to Ronald.

   "In this way, I have a small method for you to try. Put a note or a tape recorder by the bedside. In the minute you wake up, try to write down your dreams so that it is not easy to forget."

   "Oh..." Ronald began to change his hospital gown and put on his own.

   I can't remember this? I didn't dream.

   "How is it? What did the doctor say?"

   Outside the door, Bud and his agent Richard, who came back from New York, looked at Ronald and the doctor.

   "It doesn't matter, Mr. Li only has poor sleep condition occasionally, so there is no need to prescribe medication. If sleep condition occurs again, then we will see if it needs to be controlled with medication."

   "Oh, that's great." Richard's heart fell to the ground. He was the most nervous when he heard that Ronald was going to see a doctor specializing in sleep.

   "I'll just say you're fine." Little Bud grinned.

   "No, I have something to do." Ronald looked unhappy, this is the dream of inspiration, is this biggest support leaving him?

   I also know the main character, and I read the script over and over again. All the necessary conditions are met. Why can't I dream of it for several days.

   "How's it going, Ronald? How do you read the script? Which role should I play?" Tom Cruise's phone also called.

   "Um...um...I haven't quite figured it out yet." Ronald shied away.

   "Or you can guarantee the building. Mimi and I are in the technology center of Scientology. The confidentiality here is very good, and we can chat as much as we like."

   "Uh... ok"

  Although I don’t want to go to the place where the staff in Scientology are all nervous, but I don’t have the answer, maybe it’s better to go once. Ronald thinks he's made several blockbuster movies, and maybe he can make it without dreaming?

   "Hello Ronald, my name is Kelly, Kelly Preston, and I'm Scientology's assistant. I'll be your temporary assistant this time."

   In the technical center of Scientology, a beautiful young blonde is waiting for Ronald at the front desk.

   "We met. When I made my first movie, 'Fast-Paced Richmond High School', you came to audition." Ronald looked familiar to her, thinking of the past years ago.

   "Yeah, in fact, we first met earlier. When we were filming 'Endless Love', I went to New York to audition."

   "Yes, it seems that I have you." Ronald nodded, "Why are you here now?"

"I already believe in Scientology, and they have helped me a lot, so I'm here to help do some volunteer work. You're coming today, and Scientology's president David said that I'm also from Hollywood, so let me come to be your assistant."

   "Where's Tom?" Ronald looked at Kelly Preston, who had a sweet smile. Over the years, she seemed to have grown more charming.

   "He's doing an audit with Mimi. I'll show you some of our technology centers first?" Preston naturally came over and took Ronald's arm, showing him around the Scientology Technology Center.

   "I've heard it many times, what does that audit mean?"

   "It's a form of Scientology that helps us achieve a purer mind and body."

   "Huh? Just use that multimeter to measure it?"

"Hahaha, that's not a multimeter, it's an instrument invented by L. Ron Hubbard, the inventor of Scientology, that can measure the degree to which your Heitan is contaminated by the remnants of cosmic villains, as long as you actively participate in Scientology The activities of the base can remove the pollution and restore the purity of the Shitan, so that it can be boarded in a spaceship later."

   "What Shitan? What pollution?"

   Ronald felt as if he had heard it wrong, did Preston mean Scientology? How does it sound like science fiction?

"Hee hee hee, I have Scientology's advanced information here, called Znu, if you want to see it, I can secretly show it to you. Anyway, if you participate in Scientology, you will become a senior member in one step, and you can have permissions. Look at our Znu mythology."

   Preston said, getting closer to Ronald.

With curiosity, Ronald led her into a luxuriously decorated room, where several young people were mopping the floor hard. Seeing Preston come in, he saluted her and exited. , leaving the room for her and Ronald.

"This is our high-level teaching, and ordinary people who are beginners are not qualified to read it." Preston watched them go out, and then took out something written in a sheepskin book from a safe-like box, very similar to Scrolls.

  Preston put the sheepskin horn on the table with Xenu written on it.

   She pulled Ronald gently and opened the Znu book to read with him.

   "75 million years ago, the universe was ruled by Znu, the leader of the Galactic Confederacy, with a total of 26 stars and 76 planets, including Earth (then Earth was called Teegeeack).

  To solve the overpopulation problem, Zenu sends billions of aliens to volcanoes all over the earth. The vehicles carried by these aliens are spaceships similar in appearance to DC-8 airliners.

   Then, Znu detonated a nuclear bomb, killing the aliens. The spiritual bodies they left behind, but tenaciously stayed on the earth, polluting the earth, which is the main reason for causing spiritual damage to human beings..."

Ronald suddenly had a delusion in his life, and if Preston hadn't clearly stated that this was the advanced teaching of Scientology, he seemed to feel ten years younger, back in high school, and dating the most beautiful **** the cheerleading team, and the date His girlfriend Preston is talking to himself about the "Star Wars" plot.

   "So, Scientology's auditing equipment can reduce the evil substances of the galactic villains remaining in our bodies. After getting more and more pure, we can board the spaceship when the Galactic Emperor Zenu returns to Earth."

   "You must be kidding me, aren't you? You want to do this sci-fi movie?"

Ronald looked at Preston with a smile on his face, the beautiful and virtuous air of a southern woman, if it weren't for the absurd words that came out of her mouth, such a tenderness that was different from the blunt character of most American girls. It's very refreshing for women to be alone.

   "No, this Zenu doctrine is relatively advanced. You haven't done an audit, so it's normal that you don't understand it now..."

  Preston pulled out a thing like an electrician's multimeter, came up and asked with a smile, "Do you want me to do an audit for you now?"

   "Next time..." Ronald made up his mind never to come here again.

   "Ronald, it's great that you came, how did you read the script? How do you feel? Let's work together again?"

  Tom Cruise, who had finished auditing with his girlfriend Mimi Rogers, looked refreshed and came to see Ronald.

"Kelly, have you met? She is the most beautiful church member of our Scientology, and the most professional and gentle one. You have time to ask her to audit you once..." Mimi Rogers was beside her. .

   "Next time, you need to pick a time to do this kind of thing." Ronald looked at Cruise with the same sincere smile as before, always feeling that something was wrong.

   "Ladies, give us a moment." Cruise asked Mimi and Preston to leave first, and communicated with Ronald by himself.

   "I know it's a little too strong for you, but they do help with my dyslexia, and I think it's good. If you don't want to, you can come as my friend, it's not exclusive here."

   "Okay, by the way, what did you say before? Which one?" Ronald diverted the topic.

   "Ah, I said it would be better for me to play the older brother, or the younger brother. What do you think of the script? I was very excited after listening to the script. The story of this brother is so good, I think the two protagonists will be very enjoyable to play."

   "Tom, I ask you something, you'd better tell me the truth." Ronald became serious.

   "What?" Cruise had a heroic look on his face, and the newly made dentures made his temperament reborn, very positive, Ronald could feel the upward spirit of the American people, condensed into magical facial features.

   "You want to make this movie, is it for the Oscars?"

   "Huh, I think the Oscars are biased against me. I think in terms of money, my performance can rival Paul Newman's, but they won't give me a single nomination.

   This is a very good script, and Mr. Ovitz also promised me that if I agreed to act, he would give me the best support. "

   "If you want the Oscar, you'd better play the mentally handicapped brother."

   Ronald patted Cruise on the shoulder and said slowly.

  Although I didn't dream of the original version, Ronald had read the script many times.

   The two protagonist brothers of this movie are actually unequal. The chance of being nominated as a mentally handicapped older brother is much greater than that of a normal younger brother.

"why?"

  Tom Cruise loves both characters very much. He asked Mimi Rogers to record the dialogue and recite it by himself. Both are a bit hard to give up. It's a little strange to hear Ronald so unequivocally optimistic about playing the mentally handicapped brother.

   In his opinion, both roles need good acting skills, and it's not that there is a possibility of nominating a double-click gun like this year's "Field Platoon".

   "I recently met a lot of old directors from the golden age, such as Billy Wilder, and learned a lot about acting." Ronald organized the language.

   "Acting is acting as a reaction, but this mentally handicapped brother rarely reacts."

   "You mean, acting as brother Raymond needs better acting skills?"

   "On the contrary, playing the younger brother Charlie requires better acting skills. Because you don't get any feedback from the opponent, and his role requires you to make various reactions to foil his stupidity."

   Ronald smiled and analyzed it technically.

   "And the audience's reaction was different. Charlie was the kind of car retailer they used to encounter, with a sly side. If you don't act a little bit, then they can see it's wrong.

   And Raymond is slightly mentally handicapped, we don't see this kind of person very often, so as long as your acting has some characteristics, they will think that the acting is very similar.

   So, in my opinion, it's still better to play Raymond. The technical difficulty is small, but the response will be good. "

"But the actors are responsible for the nomination of the Oscar for Actors. Will they know that acting is still more difficult than Charlie?" Tom Cruise heard for the first time that he looked at acting from such an angle. There are too many differences in what I usually hear, and I am a little dubious for a while.

   "Haha..." Ronald laughed, what acting skills do those actors know? How many understand the mystery? Acting is an art of practice. Many actors actually act with enthusiasm. From a technical point of view, they still have to be directors who stand behind the camera.

"Of course, this is just my opinion, for your reference." The current Tom Cruise is no longer the young man Ronald drove to fill his teeth. Besides, what Scientology he trusts now is also very It's a problem, it always feels like a sci-fi movie, not a serious sect.

"I will consider it carefully, your opinion is very important to me, Ronald." Tom Cruise thought for a while, and felt that what Ronald said was technically correct, but the Oscars are not those of the audience. Yes, you have to get the actor's approval.

   Besides, there is a problem of image. Overall consideration is also required.

   "Actually, you should play your brother Raymond. You are so handsome, and you have to play a mentally handicapped man to have a dramatic effect. If you play a normal handsome guy, it will have no impact."

   Ronald gave another reason, and the more he said it, the more he felt right. If you really want to direct yourself, then let Tom Cruise play a mentally retarded, in order to attract the audience's interest. As for the Oscar vote, if the audience praises it, do the actors still have a choice?

   After the two finished talking about the project, Ronald slipped away before Preston came to pester him.

  …

   "What happened to that Scientology? Isn't it Cult?"

   Ronald arrived at CAA and told Nisita about some strange things he had heard. Tom Cruise's main agent is his wife Paula, and if Cruise's scandal involving Cult...

   "Hey..." Nisita sighed, "Paula is worried, this Scientology is still a religion that is legally registered in America and enjoys tax-exempt status.

   At first we thought Cruise was just for Mimi, and the treatment of dyslexia, but we didn't expect him to believe it. "

   "That Mimi seems to be very active, I think she is a smart person."

   "Tom told Paula that he might propose to Mimi." Nisita said his biggest worry, "Mimi Rogers' father is a follower of Scientology founder Herbert."

   "Scary Woman", the same thought flashed through both Ronald and Nisita's mind.

   "Speaking of Rain Man, what do you think?"

  Nisita didn't want to continue talking about those troubles in front of Ronald.

   "I haven't decided yet, I just think that if Tom is going to play his brother Raymond, the chances of getting an Oscar nomination are much better."

   "Playing brother?"

   "Yes, this is a tricky choice. It requires less acting skills, but the effect is good."

  Nisita listened to Ronald's technical analysis and nodded in agreement.

   "I agree with you, but in the end it depends on Tom's own choice and what Ovitz means."

  "Um..." Ronald understood. Another star who was interested, Dustin Hoffman, was an authentic Jew who immigrated from the dark land on the Dnieper River in Eastern Europe.

   told Nisita what he meant, and Ronald went home.

   After taking a good hot bath and lying on the bed, Ronald was still thinking about the crazy things he experienced today.

   Is Scientology a Science Fiction Readers Association, or is it a legitimate religion?

really weird!

  Thinking about it, Ronald fell asleep.

   A red sun shines on the foggy sky, the skyline of Los Angeles is lined with skyscrapers, and some power lines are nearby.

   A red Ferrari flew into the picture from the right side of the sky and moved slowly to the left.

The    dream came quietly when Ronald was not expecting it.

   Ronald, who was overjoyed, hid his happy thoughts, and didn't want to be too happy to scare away his dreams.

   "Is this a sci-fi movie? Ferraris flying in the sky?"

   Could it be that you were stimulated today? Heard that whimsical story of Scientology? So you have to see related things before you can dream?

  The Ferrari slowly slides into the frame, then slowly descends.

   "Isn't this the sequel of Back to the Future?" There is no title in the title, Ronald began to think about it, the sequel found Ferrari as a sponsor? Changed DeLorean's sports car?

  The camera jumps to the next picture, the car is landing on the ground, and the foreground of the picture is the handsome young face of Tom Cruise.

  The protagonist of the sequel has also changed? Ronald was surprised that there was no reason why Michael J. Fox wouldn't play it?

   "My grandma and your grandma

   Sitting by the fire

  My grandma told you grandma

  I'm going to burn your flag"

   A burst of brisk, rhythmic music reminded in the background.

  Tom Cruise smiled at the Ferrari that was put down by the crane. The number was written on the car. Next to him was a person who looked like a customs officer and was still talking to Cruise's character.

   "Oh, it's still Rain Man." Ronald understood, it was Tom Cruise at the dock picking up these parallel imported cars.

   "No, why did he still play the normal brother Charlie?"

   Ronald sighed, Cruise didn't seem to listen to him.

  The dream began to blur, and then became clear again. Cruise's Charlie gets angry with his father after hearing the will.

  He found a way and met his brother Raymond. Raymond also knew his younger brother and ran out of the nursing home with him.

   "It's still the older brother played by Dustin Hoffman", Ronald looked at the image of the older brother who tilted his head and kept repeating a sentence.

   "What acting skills do you need? But outsiders, and those film critics, will definitely praise Hoffman for his good acting."

   On the contrary, in every dialogue and every opponent's play, Tom Cruise has to use all his technical methods to face the camera alone, and perform alone without the stimulation of the opponent.

  Although it doesn't look very difficult, such a one-man show is actually the most difficult to perform.

   "Pop..." Raymond accidentally dropped a jar of toothpicks on the table during the trip.

   Dustin Hoffman immediately counted the number of toothpicks.

   "Is this mentally retarded? Is this adding drama to himself?" Ronald was delighted, and Dustin Hoffman must have changed the script. This is just a bit of a quirk.

   "Los Angeles KFMU Radio, every morning, FM97.1 broadcasts on time for you..."

   Ronald woke up from his dream, it was already morning.

   "Little Bud!" Ronald knew that it must be Little Bud who helped him connect the tape recorder again.

   "Don't turn this radio on in the future, I don't like getting up in the morning and listening to the radio..."

   (end of this chapter)