Exploiting Hollywood 1980

   Chapter 431 Star Wars Celebration Party

  Toshiro Mifune regretted that he did not pass the audition. Weintraub explained to him the language and action scenes.

  "Longwei Kid" had to continue to look for Master Miyagi, while Ronald temporarily let go of the preparations for the film. He received an invitation from Spielberg and George Lucas to go to Lucas' Skywalker Ranch for a party celebrating the successful conclusion of the Star Wars trilogy.

  Skywalker Ranch, in Marin County near the San Francisco Bay Area. A large ranch covering an area of ​​4,700 acres, located in a place called Lucas Valley. Of course, this Lucas Valley was named by a local landowner in the early twentieth century, and has nothing to do with George Lucas.

  Due to the opposition of local residents, Lucas's plan to build the movie sanctuary in his heart was strongly thwarted. After getting down from the airport, the driver who picked him up also took Ronald around the protest signs that the neighbors hung up against Lucas's construction of the film production center.

   "Hollywood tycoons go back!"

   "We don't welcome Skywalker!"

   "Starfleet is the best!"

   Entering the Skywalker Ranch from the main entrance, Ronald saw a large expanse of grass, and only one house was completed, which was Lucas's first built his own residence.

   is the place where his wife, Martha, derailed the Renaissance glass craftsman.

  George and Martha Lucas have announced their divorce in front of their colleagues at Industrial Light & Magic. Martha will return to Los Angeles with her adopted daughter, and the two will share custody of the child.

The driver goes out of his way to gossip about the creator of Star Wars. According to him, Martha Lucas may take George $50 million to $100 million in cash at one time, as well as her daughter's high monthly payment. alimony.

  California's law on equal division of marital property cost George Lucas a lot. His cash was largely spent on divorce lawsuits, and even studio construction work with Industrial Light & Magic was forced to slow.

   "George, congratulations on the successful completion of your trilogy." Ronald entered the hall of the room and saw George Lucas standing there to greet the guests. But there was still a hint of sadness in his eyebrows.

   "Ronald, please be casual, just like at your own home." George Lucas also recognized Ronald, the young man he met at the dinner when he won the Oscar in The Empire Strikes Back. Let him communicate with the guests at will.

   Ronald nodded and left, looking for someone he knew in the crowd. At the Oscar dinner where they won the Best Original Song Award that year, George and Martha were still a loving couple, but by the time Return of the Jedi was released, the two had become strangers.

   The guests seemed to be complimenting each other on how powerful the last part of the trilogy "Return of the Jedi" was, but in fact, in their eyes, they were all inquiring about the most important divorce in Hollywood so far.

   Ronald felt a little bored. The two loving couples did not continue because of various things. He didn't want to gossip about this kind of thing. So he began to walk slowly down the hall, away from the exchange of these gossips.

   "Ronald, this way." A young man with glasses stopped Ronald.

   "Chris, hi, long time no see, how are you?" Ronald recognized as Chris Columbus, a screenwriter at Spielberg's Ann Bolling studio. Greeted him quickly and warmly.

   "I'm fine. My script is currently filming in Hollywood. I'm about to prepare the next script." Columbus replied excitedly.

   "That one...?" Ronald couldn't remember what script Columbus was writing when he was in Amberlin.

"Yeah, when we met, I was writing 'Gremlins,' and now Joe Dante is directing, and is directing that movie. I'm so excited now, seeing my script, that it could be made into a movie , which is a good feeling.

   Oh, sorry, I said too much, Ronald, your films are all self-written and directed, I must know this feeling better. "

   "The same can be said, what is this movie about?"

   "Tell me about a kind of elf, called a little monster, who originally lived in Chinatown and was later given to the grandchildren as a toy..."

Chris Columbus gushed about his script, "I'm sorry, but I said too much. The heroine in this movie is Phoebe Kay in your 'Fast-Paced Richmond High School' directed by you. tz."

   "Oh, yes? She's a pretty good actress."

   "Hey, yes, I've seen her on set, she's really a natural actress." Columbus is still in the stage of film production and shooting, and he is full of passion for everything.

   "So, will you direct your new film yourself?" Ronald chatted with Columbus while walking.

   "Mr. Spielberg said that I still need more training, so I will still be the screenwriter for the second film. When I have more experience, I can try to direct the film." Columbus pushed his glasses and said.

   Ronald frowned slightly, what preparation and experience do you need to be a director? If you don't become a director, you will never be able to learn the experience that a director needs.

"Why don't you start with a low-budget exploitative film? Now there's a good chance of making a movie that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. With a talent like you writing for Spielberg, it shouldn't be hard to find someone willing to take a risk on you. ."

   "Stephen said that I still need more exercise. Besides, I signed three screenwriting contracts with Amberlin. After I have finished writing the script and accumulated more experience on the set, I will start the adventure of directing."

   "That's right." Ronald didn't like the Jewish way of doing business. They always tried to take advantage of you until he took your last pair of underwear. Once your weakness is exposed to them, they will use it to hit you all the time.

   Even if Spielberg is a childlike artist, he is also a Jew. Columbus, as an excellent screenwriter, may have contributed more to Amberlin than he did as a director.

   And Spielberg's assistant-turned-manager, Kathleen Kennedy, an Irish woman and not a good woman to deal with.

   Had to wish Chris Columbus the best of luck.

   "Ronald, come here."

   Ronald looked up and saw that it was Elena, the wife of Francis Coppola.

   He greeted Columbus and walked to a nearby house to chat with Elena.

   "Ronald, you told me about your new film, Francis, and I watched it again. It's very good."

   "Thank you, Elena." Ronald found himself walking to the library unknowingly.

  The ceiling is covered with colorful Renaissance church-style glass, forming a dome through which the sun shines slightly.

   "This is it?" Ronald asked.

   "Yes, that is the library." Elena laughed. This is the place where Martha and the glass craftsman got along day and night and fell in love with each other for a long time.

   "What's going on with the two of them? Is there no room left?" Ronald looked at Elena, but fortunately these were all George Lucas' close friends, so he started gossiping with confidence.

"It's too late. George chose a bad director for the final part of the trilogy, and he had to fly to London himself to intervene in the shooting. Left Martha and the child in a fancy hotel in London alone. Lack of company, yes The main reason why Martha finally made up her mind.

  Ronald, don't be so busy with work in the future, forget about the people around you. "

  Elena is actually an excellent documentary filmmaker. She looks at Ronald like her own nephew and likes it very much.

   "Boom..." Suddenly in the hall, everyone's voice suddenly stopped. The crowd also began to part, and a woman came over, as if Moses parted the Red Sea, and the guests automatically parted.

   "Martha, come here." Elena beckoned to the woman.

   "Elena." It was George Lucas' ex-wife, Martha.

   "Hi, hello, Martha." Ronald also hugged her and said hello. At the dinner after the awards ceremony that year, Martha was kind to him.

   "These people, avoid me like the plague." Martha complained to Elena.

   "No way, George said, I don't want our old friends to have too much contact with you, especially on one occasion." Elena said.

   "But, my social circle is basically the same as George's." Martha said angrily.

   Ronald didn't know what to say, and silently handed a glass of champagne.

   Martha took it and drank it, "He's just an ice cube. I used to be a professional woman. Since he filmed Star Wars, I've become a housewife who can't wait for her husband every day."

"you and him?"

   "No, we're done early. I've got a divorce lawyer, Rodriguez loves me too, and we'll have a baby of our own."

   Ronald was very embarrassed to hear next to him, he wanted to leave but couldn't find a suitable excuse.

   Fortunately, Elena saw his embarrassment, "Ronald, Martha and I want to talk about a woman, you go over there first."

   "No problem", Ronald hurriedly fled the library.

   (end of this chapter)