Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 221 Scramble for David Lynch

Tom Mount, the president of Universal Pictures, is a tall, dark handmade suit with a white shirt and blue tie that gives him the air of a Hollywood elite, not exactly business like Wall Street. Fan Er, there are also some artist's temperament.

  From Ronald's point of view, Mr. President's sunken eye sockets, high forehead, and neatly combed hair are a bit like the old Corleone played by Marlon Brando, the godfather.

   But the words that came out of his mouth were not like a godfather at all, more like a door-to-door salesman selling vacuum cleaners to housewives. I want to sell the vacuum cleaner to the other party, but I am afraid that I will scare the other party away by saying too much.

   "I saw your first feature film 'Eraserhead' and it was a crazy movie, but I really liked it."

   Tom Mount was confronted with a quiet young man. His hair was brushed up from the roots, giving him a strangely rebellious air to his chubby, college-aged face.

"Oh, yes. That film was made very hard, and I spent several years, on and off, and then like to show it at the New York Film Festival, and at the Cannes Film Festival, but it was rejected. I pushed a A cart from the supermarket, with all my copies, begged the person in charge there, but it didn't work either.

   If it wasn't for the chance that the Los Angeles Film Festival later gave me, I would not have had the opportunity to continue my directing career. "

   is talking about David Lynch, who was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture (Drama) and Best Director by virtue of "The Elephant Man".

   His two big eyes were wide open, constantly looking at the two young men sitting at Tom Mount's right hand. The shoulder-length hair is the novel author Cameron Crowe, and the shorter hair is Ronald Lee, the screenwriter of the adaptation.

  Ronald was also looking at David Lynch, a man whose first impression was quiet. When President Mount spoke, he listened carefully, not the kind of person who only cared about expressing himself.

"Hi, yes, Mr. Lynch. Now Hollywood has learned of your talent through the Elephant Man. I don't think your film will ever be rejected by any film festival. On the contrary, those film festivals will probably come and ask you. to a film festival."

   "I'm afraid so, Mr. Mount."

  Tom Mount got choked, Hollywood stars used to talk and keep touting each other, and the orthodoxy for refusing to work with each other is that this is a really good movie, but I'll have to look at my schedule.

   The way of conversations like Lynch's direct conversation made him not used to it. Having heard Lynch's reputation long ago, Tom Mount also brought two screenwriters to discuss it.

   He loosened his tie, leaned back slightly, and began to relax in his body language, and the words that came out of his mouth lost the momentum of the president.

"These two are the original author of the 'Fast-Paced Richmond High School' novel, Cameron Crowe, and the screenplay adaptation, Ronald Lee. I think you've read the screenplay, and if you have any questions, you can Communicate directly with them."

   "Oh, this is a very interesting novel and a very interesting script." Lynch faced the two authors and began to ask questions.

   "How did you write the Valley Speak of Southern California High School? I still don't quite understand what they mean by inserting a Like between the subject and the predicate."

   "I was in the 12th grade of a high school, went undercover for a year, and finally attended the prom. So the way of speaking in the novel, there are real prototypes that can be found..." Cameron Crowe replied.

  The so-called valley accent is a way of speaking among girls from various upper-middle-class families in public high schools in Southern California, especially in the Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles.

  The girls there are more vain and like to buy designer clothes and bags. Going to the beach for surfing, playing tennis and other high-class lifestyles, together with poor English grammar learning, and adding Like as a modal particle when speaking very characteristically.

For example, "Nancy, Like, she's a bitch. She went to the beach that day, Like, and actually tried to seduce my boyfriend Jack. I Like, I grabbed her hair, and gave her face a Like, here you go. a bit."

  Ronald retained a lot of the Valley Dialogue written by Cameron Crowe in the script. Not only that, the Italian-born character Spiccoli is a master surfer, which is also the favorite sport of high school girls there.

   "And you, Ronald, I know you. Nominated for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) at the Golden Globes, you're one of the writers.

   I've seen 'fast-paced' scripts, very skilled, well-controlled rhythm and length. I also tried to write a screenplay 'Rooney's Rocket' myself. But I haven't adjusted the plot for a month, how did you do it? "

  David Lynch had a lively chat when he saw the two authors. That's what President Tom Mount had asked them to do. This Hollywood new favorite director has some quirks and prefers to communicate with artists.

   "This is an adapted propositional composition, Mr. Lynch. It also took me a long time to adjust the proportions of the group portrait. I used sorting cards and rehearsed the composition on the wall..."

   Ronald also talked about his writing method.

  David Lynch says it takes a little more reading of the script to learn Ronald's method. Now he's busy doing public relations for "The Elephant Man" and rushing for awards, and he has to wait until the Oscars are over to have a lot of time.

   "Is there anything you want to ask me?" David Lynch said.

   "Of course, how did you become the director of the first feature film 'The Elephant Man'?" Ronald said. The eraser head is more like a student work, and "Elephant Man" is a commercial production.

   "It was Transcendental Meditation that inspired me", Lynch said an unexpected answer, "I've been selling 'Rooney's Rocket', but no producer is willing to invest in me.

   When I was meditating in the house one day, a voice suddenly told me, why not try directing someone else's script? As a result, the first producer I asked gave me the opportunity to direct 'The Elephant Man'. "

   "Isn't this dude joking?" Ronald thought, you might as well say you're lucky. The crowd ended the meeting.

"This SOB, he must be invited by other directors. As soon as he talks about the 'fast-paced' shooting, he avoids the topic." Tom Mount scolded his subordinates in the office, "Go and find out who wants to invite the director. David Lynch."

   The subordinate came back soon and said a name in Tom Mount's ear.

"This lucky guy. Keep following up, this offer boosts his value. George is not that good to work with, if he can choose 'fast-paced Richmond High', we can even get a 6 million investment. "

   Ronald did not know that David Lynch was now being sought after by Hollywood, and he went to Jane Fonda's house for an appointment at night.

"Ronald, it's nice to meet you." Jane Fonda took out the leg warmers from Aunt Karen after the veneer. "Is this from your company? My lawyer checked the records. In the future, tell me that the patent belongs to you."

   "Yes, but my aunt Karen knitted them herself."

"I love this little accessory, it not only keeps the legs warm, but also modifies the legs, and the seller of the video tape is willing to let me wear aerobics while recording. I want to make this an optional item , along with the videotape for sale by mail order, would you supply me?"

   "Sure, Jane. You can ask your lawyer to call my Aunt Karen, our leg warmers have been sold to big cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco on the west coast."

The two agreed to cooperate in a few words. Ronald was very happy. This kind of mail order business might sell tens of thousands of leg warmers. With a fixed delivery channel, the leg warmer business can go to the next level and order knitting. Machine to do small factory production.

   "Listen to my agent, you finished another script?" Jane Fonda has finalized the cooperation and can chat with Ronald about the trends in the industry.

   "Yes, a youth novel. Universal wants David Lynch to direct."

   "Oh, it's him. Then your competition is not small. George Lucas also wants David Lynch to direct his sixth Star Wars movie, which is tentatively called Revenge of the Jedi."

   "Didn't George direct himself?" Ronaldo asked.

"The fifth film was not directed by him. Originally, he hoped to ask his old friend Steven Spielberg to direct the sixth film, but the director's union fell out with George because Star Wars did not put the main creator list in the title. Steven directs Star Wars Part VI."

   "George now just wants to enjoy life with his wife Martha. He hired a famous architect to build his estate in the suburbs of San Francisco. David Lynch is really a good candidate..."

   Ronald took this news to heart, and went to CAA the next day to ask his agent Nisita, "If David Lynch goes to direct Star Wars, will I have a chance to be a 'fast-paced' director?"

"I've heard this rumor, Star Wars: Revenge of the Jedi. If David Lynch goes to direct Star Wars, 'Fast-Paced Richmond High' loses his biggest package factor, an upcoming A young director nominated for an Oscar for best director. That's probably a pretty low budget."

   "All I asked for was an opportunity to direct independently, and I'm a student of Roger Coleman, and any low budget from Universal seems to me very plentiful."

"Yeah, I forgot that you graduated from Roger Coleman University." Nisita laughed, "If David Lynch turned down Universal, I would try my best to get you this directing opportunity, I ensure.

   In addition, I have some scripts that Spielberg liked here. He wants to find someone to evaluate them independently and give some revision opinions and directions. The compensation is not high.

   But I think it's an opportunity. Spielberg has a close cooperation with Universal. He is also considering getting into the production business recently. In short, he is now evaluating a lot of scripts, including a lot of teen themes. "

   "Of course I would." Ronald nodded quickly, it's not a bad thing to be familiar with Spielberg.

   (end of this chapter)