Exploiting Hollywood 1980

  Chapter 917 The truth about adults

   "Harris Glenn Milstead, commonly known as Divine, died in his sleep last night at the age of forty-two, two weeks after the release of his first theatrical film 'Hairspray'.

  Ricky Lake, who played the role of his daughter in the movie, found an accident. After notifying the Southern District of New York's Attorney General's Office, John Waters, the director of the movie "Hairspray," and several actors sat in the room for several hours.

  They were friends of Divine, and they stood around their friends as the body was carried out of the hotel, preventing the media from taking any pictures of it.

  The Attorney General of the Southern District, Mr. Rudy, announced that an investigation into the death of this controversial actor will be arranged as soon as possible. According to sources in the forensic department who did not want to be named, the cause of death is likely to be cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure caused by alcohol abuse. "

   Ronald was listening to news reports on TV while talking on the phone with Cameron Crowe about script revisions. The accidental death of Divine this time caused quite a stir in the news.

  Everyone is curious about this cross-dressing artist. His previous performances in John Waters' low-budget movies, his controversial identity, and his super obese figure are all things to talk about.

   This time in "Hairspray", I managed to play a normal role, and I played it very well. He has been approached by an agent for the lead role in "The Last Nightmare," the latest installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street horror flick.

   Who knew that just when the future was bright, Divine died on the eve of becoming famous.

   Cameron Crowe also knows this peculiar actor and feels sorry for him. "I heard he doesn't have a family yet, and he doesn't have kids."

"Don't mention it, his parents are also very dissatisfied with his life. Director Waters said that this time he will be buried next to his grandmother's tomb in his hometown of Baltimore." The method is also unhealthy. It is said that the future remuneration has been paid in advance, and now he still owes a lot of debts behind him. His parents love him.

"He was discovered by Ricky Lake, who played his daughter in the movie. Now the little girl is scared to death, and her spirit is affected, so she can't participate in the subsequent marketing activities. I don't have time to take care of it. I entrust it to Director Waters to handle it. .”

  Ronald has done his best to this man, and even used his own relationship to contact the Southern District of New York Prosecutor's Office, so as not to be investigated by the NYPD and cause even more negative news. The movie is an orthodox musical, and this kind of exposure will make the audience think it is another vomiting horror movie directed by Waters before.

  The heroine, Ricky Lake, will stay in New York and will not participate in the following road show. After Ronald notified her parents to take care of her, she also made her do odd jobs on the set of "Working Girl", and was watched during this time.

  …

  After filming the office scene, Ronald moved to Staten Island with the crew. There is a furnished apartment house here as a residence for Tess and her boyfriend Mick.

  Today’s filming is the scene where Tess went home alone after listening to the lecture after a disappointing day.

   Ronald looked at the room, the set was done very professionally. There are three camera positions shooting simultaneously. Trying to accurately show the birthday party prepared for Tess by her boyfriend Mick, best friend Xin and her friends.

   This is also a script design that strives to display background information intensively in a short period of time. Cameron Crowe made some changes to Kevin Wade's script. In this way, many people are willing to hide in a small room and give Tess a surprise party, which shows that Tess is a woman who has many friends and everyone likes her very much.

   On the other hand, the small room also indicates that the economic conditions of her and her boyfriend Mick are not very good. In the original script, there was also the story of Tess's mother being ill for a long time. Cameron Crowe deleted them, leaving only a few scenes, and enough information was enough.

  Director of photography Michael Ballhaus has been busy for a long time, hiding one camera in a vase recessed in the wall, and the other has been placed in the room for a long time, but he couldn’t find a suitable position. It can take pictures without being caught by the other two cameras.

  Ronald couldn't help but miss the British photographer who worked with him in "Moonlight Alluring". His ability to hide the lens is excellent.

   "Why don't you find a few more extras to block the camera." Michael Ballhouse was busy for a long time, but he gave up. In this movie, Ronald strives for the smooth performance of the actors, and gives up a lot of editing methods. This scene also hopes that Tess can't find anyone when she goes home, and then the plot of pretending to be surprised is finished in one shot.

   "Huh...", Ronald let out a long breath. This is the first time that this kind of film that focuses on the continuity of the performance has been made. I have never encountered many problems before, and they affect my whole body.

  For example, if the performance is to be completed in one go, then a camera needs to be placed in the room, and more group performances are required to block the scene, blocking the lens at the right time.

   And if there are more group actors, it is necessary to find some qualified actors. This film cannot destroy the overall credibility of the film because of a few group actors who are not good at acting.

   "Papa..." Ronald clapped his palms a few times, and asked Julia Taylor to call on the spot and find someone to fill in.

"Director, can I play a co-star?" Ricky Lake, the protagonist of "Hairspray", was Ronald's assistant again. Seeing this situation, she volunteered. scene.

   "Go to Sandra (Brock) to read today's script, don't steal the scene." Ronald patted her and asked her to try on clothes. After the test of the last movie, I can play this kind of small role.

   "Director, my younger brother came to see me. He is also an actor in Chicago. Can you give him a chance?" Joan Cusack saw that Ronald gave the little girl a chance, so she couldn't help asking for one for her brother.

"Is he there? Let him come over and take a look." Ronald was very careful. He saw the live audition of Joan's younger brother named John. He looks good and can indeed act, so that he will not appear low when the camera scans him. That kind of problem with costing movies.

Julia Taylor also had a lot of extras. After messy makeup on the scene, Ronald picked a few actors who looked like Staten Islanders working in Manhattan, and asked them to stand in the bedroom .

  In particular, an actor named David Duchovny is taller than Joan Cusack's younger brother. Ronald especially asked him to stand in front of the camera, which would have a better blocking effect.

  All departments were busy starting to make up, and when they were all ready, Ronald yelled: "Action!"

  The photographer held a large stabilizer (Steadicam) and took a close-up of Melanie Griffiths.

  She unlocked the door and came in. She called her boyfriend "Mick...Mick..." a few times, but there was no one. Tess remembered that her girlfriend Xin said that there was a surprise party today. She walked to the door of the master bedroom and opened it suddenly, but no one was there.

   Then she took another look at the living room, which was also empty. Tess, who already knew that there was a surprise party, had a warm smile on her face, thinking of the small guest bedroom.

  As soon as the door was opened, many people inside shouted: "Surprise!"

  The boyfriend played by Alec Baldwin, who was squatting on the ground, hugged Melanie Griffiths horizontally, and then kissed her.

  Ronald is very relieved of Melanie Griffith's performance, almost every shot of her is perfect in the first line. Usually the second and third are worse, this is the usual state of actors who rely on talent and reaction to perform.

   But for this scene, the more she shoots the appointment, probably because the handsome Baldwin ends with kissing her every time, and Griffith, who likes him unilaterally, then acts to kiss Baldwin a few more times as a benefit.

   "Surprise!" The last line, the next few group performances are especially hard. Joan Cusack's younger brother is very explosive. Although he is in the back row in this shot, almost no audience will find his reaction so natural and smooth.

   And that one whose main job is to block David Duchovny, it takes a second to jump out. But after a few pieces, he played very hard.

  For these group performers, this is a rare opportunity to be on camera. In the future, I can also write a line in my resume. I once showed my face in a big production in Hollywood theaters.

   After filming this lively scene, Ronald kicked out all the extras. The following is a private shot. Aiming for an R rating, this movie has a lot of truths that only grown-ups know. The following is a 30-year-old secretary who has no choice but to compromise on life.

   "Action!"

   Unnecessary staff members were cleared. Under the warm lighting of the scene, Alec Baldwin's boyfriend Mick was lying on the bed topless, showing thick chest hair. Look at a car magazine. Next to him was Tess's place, with a stuffed toy on the pillow. It represents the inner world of Tess.

  Baldwin put down the car magazine, as if he had discovered something eye-catching. He threw the magazine away, took the plush toy away, and said to the camera with bright eyes:

   "You look so beautiful..." Then he pulled back Tess's quilt and patted the bed a few times with his hand. Changing her tone, she said softly, "Come here, baby."

   Another camera is looking at Melanie Griffiths over there, and Tess is looking into a cheap full-length mirror, struggling to wear the **** lingerie that Mick bought her for her birthday. Facing the mirror, she tied the garter belt on top of the black patterned stockings she wore to work.

  Time had taken its toll on Tess, and gravity had made her less of a figure than a young woman. Tess tried her best to put on this **** underwear specially designed for boudoir fun, and turned her head to smile seductively at her boyfriend Mick. This time Mick's reaction gave her some confidence in her body just over thirty.

  Ronald’s camera was at a very tricky angle, so that Tess’s beautiful body appeared in the full-length mirror, but there was no tricky camera.

"You know what, Mick, I wish you could once, just once, give me a gift that I can wear outside. A sweater, earrings, whatever, something I can pass around outside the apartment thing."

  Melanie Griffiths spoke and posed twice. Under the camera, she was still that very charming actress.

   "Cut!"

  Ronald was particularly satisfied with this scene. Maybe Griffiths borrowed his admiration for Alec Baldwin into the plot. She acted very naturally, really like a pair of mature boyfriend and girlfriend.

   Tess is a blue-collar worker. It took eight years to obtain the equivalent education of an evening school. The salary of the secretary is meager, and she has to spend money to pay expensive tuition. So Tess has a small budget to make herself beautiful, making it difficult for her to find a white-collar boyfriend at work.

   Such a boyfriend who does catering, has no higher education, but has some spare money, is the best choice she can find. But Mick is vulgar, unromantic, and doesn't spend money on Tess's appearance.

   "Cut!" Ronald praised Griffith and Baldwin again. Said that their performances are very good, and they don't need to do any more guidance.

  “When I come to another article, I want to see a little different way of expressing what she said to Mick, less complaining, and more talking to herself, because she knows Mick will not change.”

  Ronald used this method to guide the actors, because he was the only audience of the two actors on the scene, and he had to carefully protect the actors' self-esteem and confidence. The chemistry between the two actors in particular is great, and it's best not to spoil it with criticism.

   "Okay, I understand." Griffiths was very happy when he heard Ronald say that, and she could understand such subtle adjustments, and immediately began to brew emotions, preparing to make another one.

"Cut! Very good, this print, that's it." Ronald mainly encourages such talented actors. He doesn't want to give them a frame and tell them how to act, but just give them a little feedback , allowing them to adjust themselves from the sole audience.

   Treated in this way, some talented opponents can jump out of themselves under this kind of good interaction.

   "Let's rest for half an hour, Alec, it's time for you to perform." Ronald said to Baldwin, the next play is his home.

   "I need a little time..." The expression on Alec Baldwin's face was a mixture of eagerness and slight concern.

   "The scene will be cleared below. Except for the director of photography and me, there is also a sound engineer and lighting engineer. They all leave the scene."

  Ronald asked everyone who had nothing to do with him to leave. The following scenes are R-rated. To respect the actors, let everyone who watched the fun leave.

  Tess and Mick, although they have lived together for many years, are not the best choice for each other. It's just that the two couldn't find a more suitable one for a while, and they got used to each other's existence, so they lived together. If it continued according to the habit, Tess might accept Mick's marriage proposal because he had no hope of promotion—if Mick thought If the old love is willing.

  The next scene is still in place. The plot is that Tess went to interview for a new position in the hedging department the next day, and found out that it was a scam. The manager just wanted to play with the beauty. She went home early in a rage and found that Mick at home was having an affair with another black-haired beauty without telling her.

   "Elizabeth?" Ronald explained to the black-haired actress who came to film an affair with Mick. This actress named Elizabeth Whitcraft looks very charming. Julia Taylor searched for a long time because of the need to expose the show. This is not a low-budget movie. Apart from sacrifices, the actors also need certain acting skills.

  The last one I found was Elizabeth. She had acted in two Alan Parker movies, and there were exposure scenes in them.

  After the scene was cleared, Alec Baldwin and Elizabeth Whitcraft put two layers of adhesive plaster on the key parts, and sat on the bed in the same bedroom in a woman-on-top position. Ronald gently closed the bedroom door, stepped back, and then signaled to the director of photography.

  In this scene, Action is not called to destroy the atmosphere, everyone is doing it automatically.

   "Kacha" Griffiths unlocked the door like in the last shot. After she came in, she suddenly realized something was wrong. There was a voice that both men and women knew.

  The photographer holding the camera stabilizer backed away while shooting at her, and Tess walked lightly to the door of the bedroom.

  After listening at the door for a few seconds, Tess, who was convinced that she had heard correctly, kicked the door open. Doreen, played by Elizabeth, is riding on top of Mick. Mick sat up in fright.

   "Why, no class today?" Mick, played by Alec Baldwin, said this line very well.

  People often say things they don’t know when they are in a very embarrassing situation, as if Mick was watching TV at home and saw his real girlfriend Tess come back.

  Elizabeth's Doreen also had a good reaction. Her first reaction was to cover her face. She couldn't find her clothes when she was riding on Mick, and she couldn't get out of it for a while.

   "No class..." Tess also froze for a moment, not knowing what to say. Melanie Griffiths had a look of disbelief on her face.

   "Um...it's not what you seem to be..." Mick played by Baldwin habitually quibbles.

  But the way Elizabeth is stuck on top of him, this reason doesn't make sense.

   "No, this is what you see, but I can explain..." Mick quickly changed his excuse.

  Griffiths face was full of disappointment.

   "No, that doesn't explain it either, Tess." Mick was caught straight and couldn't explain anything.

   "Bastard!" Melanie Griffith said softly, better than a thousand words, better than a loud shout.

  She turns and walks away...

   "Cut!"

   Ronald hurriedly delivered the bathrobe, both performers worked hard.

   "The pause in the line is very good", Ronald first let Elizabeth put on the bathrobe, and then praised Baldwin. He was born as a drama actor, so he can make his lines so funny and cruel.

  This is the truth of adults. Tess and Mick are not without feelings, but they are not so good.

   "Will I keep the frontal shots?" Elizabeth Whitcraft put on her bathrobe and tied her belt, and hurried over to ask the director. Exposing the performance is to show your face in front of the camera. If the director cuts out the frontal shot of himself afterwards, it will be in vain.

   "Don't you mind?" Ronald asked. Originally, he wanted Elizabeth to be a background, so that the audience could understand the plot, and he didn't want the audience to focus on this beauty.

   "I want a frontal close-up, and I don't mind showing my face in Ronald's movie." Elizabeth Whitcraft said very bluntly. If the movie sells well, she will be the focus of the audience's discussion, and of course she needs a shot.

   "Very well, I will arrange it right away. I will give you a close-up. Afterwards, Xin's wedding scene, you also come." Ronald regarded her as a dessert for the audience. An actor who works hard like this deserves an extra shot.

  (end of this chapter)