Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 1021 Return to Ronald

"Today I bought all kinds of Chinese-style vegetable dumpling for breakfast, you can try it." In the morning, Ronald had already gone for a run, and by the way, he ordered a box of morning tea from a Cantonese-style restaurant, a lot of steamed stuffed buns, dumplings Anyway, Americans call it dumpling, which is just right for Helen who likes to eat vegetarian.

   "Hmm..." Helen, who was wearing silver silk pajamas, came over to have breakfast with a little laziness. She's about to fly to British Columbia to film the rest of "Into the Deep," and her beau bought her breakfast as usual to make her happy.

  Helen is as full of advanced ideas as any girl growing up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This way of getting together with Ronald every once in a while makes her feel perfect. The two sides slept soundly after the fierce battle last night, and both of them felt full of energy.

  Under the influence of Ronald, Helen also gradually ate a small amount of meat, eggs and milk, her weight was well controlled, and her spirit was much better than those of the skinny Hollywood actors.

  …

Ronald bid farewell to Helen at the airport and returned to work at Daydream Films. His agent was waiting for him in the office. The first sentence was: "Miss Basinger invites you to go to her house to watch movies... Continue Discussing editing selections for 'Love You for Nine and a Half Weeks'."

   "Oh, Richard, you are my acting agent, not...an agent..." Ronald saw that Richard was so concerned, it was a bit too much.

   "I'm just passing on a message. A good agent will tell the client all the appointment requirements, and a better agent will screen in advance... The best one will arrange in advance who the client needs to meet..."

   "You really...", Ronald shook his head and sat down.

   "To be honest, I really came here to find a star for you to meet. The original owner of your small house who paid the deposit. Mr. Nicholson wants to meet you and have a chat."

   "Okay, you can arrange it for me." When Ronald heard that it was Jack Nicholson, the owner of the small house, who made an appointment, he agreed. For Hollywood movies, financing follows the stars. It is not a bad thing for me to see more of these male stars.

"He is hesitating whether to join Warner Bros.' Batman...Maybe when you meet, he will talk about it." In the afternoon, after Ronald finished his work, Richard came to remind Ronald again that the night and For Nicholson's meeting, Ronald needs to know some background, so as not to be awkward during the conversation.

   "He plays Batman?" Ronald asked.

   "No, he plays the villain clown." Richard said something. Batman is played by director Tim Burton's friend, Michael Keaton, a former comedian. As for the villainous clown, Warner Bros. pushed for a big star to play it.

  Jack Nicholson is a little hesitant about this, and Warner is vigorously publicizing. Director Burton found a replacement, another comedian Robin Williams. This guy's popularity is much worse than Nicholson's, so even though the director likes him, the distributor Warner still tries to sign Nicholson as much as possible.

   Except for some senior executives of CAA, this matter has not been spread in the circle. Ronald knew the background and was able to appear well-informed.

   "In addition, Miss Basinger is trying her best to win the heroine..." Richard said another sentence after finishing his business.

   "Oh, for God's sake, Richard...", Ronald waved his hand.

  Hey, I want Richard to be too active. Ronald, who was sitting in the car, was thinking about Kim Basinger, that tall German blonde beauty.

   "Ronald...how long has it been since we saw each other?" Jack Nicholson is the kind of character who usually doesn't want to deal with people deliberately. But if he's trying to impress you, few can resist his Hollywood flair charm.

   "If we count from the time we talked, it was at Jane (Fonda)'s house seven or eight years ago..." Ronald didn't expect Nicholson to be a very enthusiastic person.

   "Ha... We should meet more often. I always feel that you have the same smell as me..." Nicholson took a few breaths deliberately after finishing speaking.

   "It must be because of Roger Corman. I worked in his company for a long time, and he gave me that twenty-minute director training class."

"That's right..." Nicholson sat on the sofa in the living room of his Mulholland Drive house, leaned on the cushions, and then pointed Ronald with his hand, "I'll just say you The use of film budgets is very clever, and he is a rare director in Hollywood who knows how to use money."

  Speaking of Roger Coleman, Jack Nicholson has opened his memory. He met Roger Corman at an acting class. After that, not only as an actor, but also as a screenwriter, he wrote several scripts with good box office for Coleman. In the end, he tried his hand at directing, before he found a foothold in Hollywood as an actor after his success with "Easy Rider."

"Let me tell you, Roger made me a screenwriter and actor for ten years, and he, the bastard, wouldn't give me a penny above the union minimum wage. Fortunately, Peter (Fonda) and Dennis (House Pu) that movie 'Easy Rider', I snatched it up..."

   Jack Nicholson also told a past story that few people know. The film "Easy Rider", which opened the history of the New Hollywood movement, was first invested by Roger Corman's New World Pictures.

  After that, AIP Films, which was in charge of distribution, did not trust Peter Fonda and added a lot of additional terms. It just so happened that Jack Nicholson was familiar with people from Columbia Pictures, and secretly contacted Columbia, asking them to poach Peter Fonda.

   Roger Corman could have enjoyed box office and critical success as a producer. In the end, Jack Nicholson, who had been paid the minimum wage for ten years, pried off the project and lost the opportunity to make a famous photo history. You must know that Easy Rider is largely imitating Coleman's previous work "Wild Gang".

  Jack Nicholson was not only successful as an actor, but also made a lot of money. In addition, he himself replaced Bruce Dunn, the original supporting role candidate, and stole Dunn's luck. He became a big success in Hollywood and has been popular until now (Bruce Dunn has been half popular...).

   This was the first time for Ronald to hear the details of the case from the parties involved. It seems that, after all, one should not treat artists with the same cost attitude as one treats Fuhuadao. If you blindly squeeze manpower, you might lose a lot more.

"I'm here this time, and I also want to ask you, what do you think if you pay the film salary and replace it with after-the-fact revenue sharing? Is this a good idea?" Nicholson saw that Ronald was a little distracted, and poked him . In fact, what Nicholson wants to know most is this.

  The delayed crisis has also spread to Warner Bros. The "Batman" project has been postponed for more than half a year, and the budget has been overrun. Distributor Warner is trying to cut its biggest cost, the stars' paychecks.

   At this moment, he turned his brains to Nicholson, the biggest brand, and proposed a plan to exchange his salary for a share.

   Nicholson is a little undecided. He's been living in poverty for a decade, and if it weren't for Coleman's frequent minimum-wage programs, he might have given up on acting.

   Such people are very sensitive to money. Before Nicholson wanted to change to a bigger house, he wanted to buy another one in Hollywood Park, which is closer to the business district. But the sudden tightening, he smelled something wrong, and immediately stopped the loss and ran away.

   Sure enough, the current "Batman" crew can't even pay his salary, and he has to pay his salary after the movie is released and after receiving the box office share.

   "If the quality of the movie is good, splitting is a better choice, it depends on your expectations for the quality of the project."

   "So..." Nicholson was very confident in his acting skills. According to Hollywood rumors, Ronald made a lot of money from the independent release of "Dirty Dancing". Otherwise he wouldn't have taken over his house. What this man said deserves respect.

   "It seems that I have to talk to Warner. If the heroine is also suitable, this movie may be a big hit." Nicholson is now inclined to accept.

   "Who did Vicki Vale choose as the heroine?" Ronald also felt that the big sales of the Superman series actually indicated that American audiences were interested in this kind of comic book adaptation. Just to help someone ask the heroine.

   "I'm looking for Sean Yang, the woman in Blade Runner..." Jack Nicholson became more interested in talking about female stars.

   "God, how dare you choose this crazy woman?" Ronald was taken aback. This actress was neurotic. It was not normal to meet her when she was cast last time.

   "Oh yeah?" Nicholson frowned slightly after hearing this man's deeds, and his mouth crooked. There is actually a crazy woman who keeps forcing the director to retake because she thinks the filming is not good. Playing against this kind of actor, wouldn't you go home late every day?

  Do you want to exert some small influence on the film crew? "I'll see what I can do..."

   "Hmm...", Ronald thought, so Kim Basinger has a chance? I went to watch a movie at her house by myself, and my words were tough...huh? Why did you think of this again? It was Richard who kept mentioning her name in front of him.

   Ronald and Nicholson hit it off because of Coleman and drank a lot of beer.

   "I'm right with you, you have to spend the money worth it, and don't spend it if it's not worth it. An idiot like Stallone, if Cannon doesn't film him, his cash will be in trouble.

   I originally wanted to build a second home in Hollywood Park, but there are a lot of houses around Mulholland Drive that have been sold for significant price reductions. I'm going to buy the neighbor's house and expand it..." Nicholson took Ronald up to the rooftop and swiped around, not far away could see Marlon Brando's house.

   "What a good idea...", Ronald also felt that this method is good. Buy more, expand the house, and use the neighbor's place as a fence. Why don't you come to your new house like this? Two and one? When the sales share of the next video tape arrives, I can find a designer.

   "Do you have any advice about the pay dividend?" Jack Nicholson had never tried this way of paying the pay before, and wanted to learn more from Ronald.

   "If possible, talk about the video tape and overseas box office." Ronald raised his beer and took a sip.

   "Video tapes are really so profitable?" Jack Nicholson knew that overseas markets would bring him a lot of dividends, but video tapes... When his agent goes to negotiate, there will always be a balance between the two. If you really want to make money from video tapes, then you have to increase the share of this channel.

  Ronald showed an expression that, of course, most people I wouldn't tell him, "So where do you think I got the money to buy the house from?"

"Hahaha..." Nicholson smiled so that the corners of his mouth crooked, "You are a good friend, Ronald. Do you have any female companions who want to play Batman? Go to the audition, and I can help you with a few words. "

   "Huh?" Ronald didn't expect Nicholson to reciprocate him like this.

   "It seems that you are not quite used to the nightlife in Hollywood. Take it easy, Ronald, Hollywood is a city of dreams. As long as you help others realize their dreams, they will give you anything in return."

  Jack Nicholson's nightlife is just getting started, and once Ronald makes an appearance at his party, he finds it too risqué for his taste.

  But what Nicholson said still makes sense, Ronald decided to practice it. So Richard contacted Kim Basinger and went to her house at night to discuss film editing skills.

   "Gold?" With a new mindset, Ronald came to Basinger's residence.

   "Is that you, Ronald, come in, the door is open." Basinger's magnetic voice came from the intercom at the door.

   "I'm coming in..." Ronald walked into the door and closed the door smoothly. It was very dark in the room except for the light in the living room which was connected to the kitchen.

   "Gold?" Ronald asked.

   "I'm here...baby", and sure enough, Jin's voice came from the living room.

   Turning the aisle, Ronald's eyes lit up. The white light was shining brightly, the door of the refrigerator in the kitchen was opened, and a large bucket of ice was placed on the dining table. There are strawberries in large glass pots not far away...

  Beside it is a large bucket of milk and a bottle of high-quality honey.

  Ronald couldn't help swallowing his lips, isn't this the reenactment of the scene in "Love You for Nine and a Half Weeks"?

  Basinger was wearing a white shirt, a men's size, and the hem barely covered her... two long legs just like that, sitting on the cooking table.

  The toenail polish on her toes, matched with her blond red lips, is exciting.

  Ronald understood that Basinger had heard the good news from Richard, and that his failed casting had hope again, so he must repay Ronald well. Let him remember his passion and help him fulfill his wish.

"Hmm..." Basinger simply lay down on the cooking table with a coquettish sound, his two smooth long legs stretched out, his chest puffed up, his head arched backwards, and his golden curly hair flowed down like a waterfall , the fiery delicate body seemed to be trembling with excitement... "Come and conquer me..."

   Ronald also saw a white cloth strip, and Basinger was well prepared. Ronald took the cloth strips and blindfolded Basinger's eyes.

   "Are you shaking?" Ronald suddenly realized that Basinger was not excited, but stimulated by the cold on the metal and marble cooking table.

  It's really not necessary to reproduce the movie 100%. Ronald put his arms around Basinger, put her arms around his neck, and let her long legs wrap around his waist. One exerted strength... and hugged Basinger firmly, "Miss Basinger, it's time to go to the bedroom..."

  …

   "Why, you don't like..." Kim Basinger asked differently when she saw that Ronald didn't want to stay in the kitchen too much. She saw too many men and wanted to reproduce every scene in "Love You for Nine and a Half Weeks". For example, Jon Peters, who has a good relationship with Warner.

   "That's just a movie, I know it's absolutely uncomfortable to shoot. I don't want to be the leading actor in a movie, I just want to be in a warm bed with you..." Ronald reached out his hand again, letting Basinger lean on his shoulder. Replaying a movie made me chilly, which couldn't be more comfortable than a bedroom.

   "Oh... my God", Kim Basinger hugged Ronald comfortably. She is already in her thirties, and it is not easy to keep a man's heart without some tricks. Ronald is really a gift from God, not having to play the role in that movie made Basinger feel a lot easier.

   "Everyone wants to conquer me, but only you can make me happy. Let me repay you..." Kim Basinger smiled and stroked Ronald's sculptural face.

  (end of this chapter)