Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 219 Withdrawal of the Film Release
"Raging Bull" was released, and Martin Scorsese asked the teaching assistant to give everyone movie tickets in class, "I'm sorry because of this movie, I missed a lot of classes this year, please tell me what you think after watching it how?"

To catch up with this year's Oscars, and to get the screen time required to enter the awards, "Raging Bull" was shown in art theaters across the country during the last two weeks of 1980.

"Is it good?" Ronald asked Li Ang and Spike Lee who had already seen it. The three students surnamed Li hit it off immediately and always sat together to discuss movies.

"An art classic, it's probably Scorsese and Bobby De Niro's best film," Spike said.

"Yes, it tells the life of the Italian-born boxing champion Jack LaMotta. The boxing scene is very exciting, and the camera scheduling is unmatched. It may be the best boxing scene in history." He got better a little bit and spoke longer sentences.

"Oh?" Ronald raised his eyebrows, he couldn't miss it. "I want to take my cousin to see what you said."

"That might not be appropriate."

"Why? Because it's R-rated?"

"Not only is the boxing scene a bit gory, but it's black and white, which kids don't like."

Black and white film?Ronald thought, Scorsese can really play.

"Ronald, this may really be my swan voice. It will be difficult for me to make movies in Hollywood. I plan to go to Italy with Isabella. Some people in Europe like my movies. Maybe I You can also apply for government funding to make some art films.”

When Scorsese saw Ronald who came to thank him, he felt emotional and said a few more words to him.

"I've been working on a script for the last six weeks and haven't seen your work, Marty. Why so pessimistic? But I've heard plenty of critics in New York swearing good things about your new film."

"United Artists didn't spend any money on the marketing of the movie, Ronald. They're going through a high-level change. The president, Andy Albeck, was fired from the parent company and replaced by an accountant from the parent company, Pan Am. He will only Settle accounts.

This time Raging Bull can only be screened in 180 art theaters, and if it can't make some gains at the Oscars, the total box office will not be very good.

Moreover, there are rumors in the circle that Pan American, the parent company of United Artists, intends to sell United Artists as a whole.The last major artist-led studio in Hollywood is about to... heck. "

"Why, because Paradise Ticket Office failed?
"With a production cost of 400 million, the box office was less than 100 million after it was released for more than a month.

Pan Am has long been dissatisfied with the management of United Artists, especially the two films "Midnight Cowboy" and "Last Tango in Paris". Despite Pan Am's objections, United Artists insisted on not cutting the controversial scenes, and was rated X by MPAA. .

Afterwards, Pan Am removed the words under the banner of Pan Am under United Artists' title, and fired several executives who insisted on artistic principles, and they went to establish a new company, Orion Films.

Although President Andy Albeck was ridiculed as a salesman, the United Artists under his rule last year had Rocky 2, 007: Iron King Kong Breaks through Space City, Manhattan, and Black Horse, all of which achieved box office success. , but who knew that Cimino could overshoot the original budget of 600 million for "Heaven's Gate" by so much?

Pan Am has long given up the idea of ​​using United Artists to promote, and the failure of Heaven’s Gate made them completely lose their patience..."

"If Hollywood has taught me anything? It is to keep making money to stay in this industry. I have not made money for two consecutive films, and it is difficult to convince producers to invest in my films." Scorsese concluded. arrive.

"Hey, it's all made by Heaven's Gate..." Ronald sighed.

The three-hour, four-and-ten-minute "Heaven's Gate" received rave reviews after its release, notably from senior film critic Vincent Canby of the New York Times, who likened it to "walking in circles for four hours in one's own living room." hour," even viciously speaking of Fat Michael Cimino, who sold his soul to the devil Mephisto in "The Deer Hunter," and now Mephisto is collecting the bill.

Of course, Ronald doesn't think the critics are right. Heaven's Gate is terrible, but Deer Hunter is not as good as it is, and it doesn't deserve the evaluation of "sell your soul for it".

"Yeah, did you know? United Artists is withdrawing the release of 'Heaven's Gate' and re-editing it."

"Ah? What kind of operation is this?"

"Michael Cimino signed a letter in the newspaper, asking United Artists to let him withdraw the three-hour four-ten-minute version, re-edit it into two and a half hours, and re-release it next year."

"So United Artists agreed?" Ronald thought for a while, thinking that it was a bit stupid for United Artists to agree to withdraw the film that had already been released.The newly installed president may not be familiar with the film, which will only lead to more fierce criticism from film critics, "Look, we are right, the director admitted that he was wrong, and he has to re-edit. Then they will pounce even more fiercely."

"Otherwise? If you disagree, Michael Cimino has more reason to say that United Artists ruined his movie. After all, he is the winner of the Oscar for Best Director."

Ronald thought of Martin Scorsese in front of him, who hadn't been nominated for an Oscar for Best Director yet.His "Taxi Driver" was critically acclaimed, earning Golden Globe and Directors Guild nominations for Best Director, but no Oscar nominations.

"But Cimino's films are hard to edit, aren't they?" Ronald said.

Michael Cimino is the kind of director who is good at creating an atmosphere. It is difficult to edit out excess film in his films. It seems that it is wrong to cut out any section, and can only keep the lengthy narrative.

"This is where he is smart. Directors and artists in the film industry are always suppressed by the producers and forced to cut their films short. Cimino took advantage of this, and now some people in the film industry are talking about it. The new president of the Arts forced Cimino to cut the film by a third."

"Obviously he asked for it himself, this fat guy is very cunning." Ronald thought to himself.

"I see you have also been nominated for Best Director by the Golden Globe Awards, Marty, will you go to the awards dinner then?"

"I'm not going, Bobby De Niro is chasing Best Actor this awards season, and I don't have a chance, United Artists' financial situation doesn't allow me to do anything this awards season.

You know the tradition of the Golden Globes, they like the presence of stars, this year there is a big star Robert Redford's directorial debut, he will definitely go, so there is no need for me to go..."

"By the way, why did you say that too? Ronald. Is your screenplay also nominated?" Scorsese reacted and asked if Ronald was also nominated.

"No, it's the best original song. I'm writing lyrics. I want to gain some knowledge." Ronald smiled.

"Good luck, young man."

The next day, Ronald went to the cinema to see "Raging Bull."Sure enough, this black and white film is very powerful, and the use of black and white light and shadow is wonderful.Especially the last ring, Jake LaMotta's last bout.

Scorsese used magic-like light and shadow to express the strength of the boxing champion's opponent very powerfully.When the opponent is approaching, light and shadow suddenly enveloped him, giving people a great sense of oppression.The audience seemed to be on the scene, just like facing the black boxer with exploding muscles in the boxing ring.

This kind of scene also fully expresses the feeling of the old hero Jack LaMotta's twilight.

The entire film is black and white, except that the images shot by Jack LaMotta himself with a family camera are in color. This part of family warmth has a very documentary quality.

Contrary to the usual treatment, the film's narrative is in black and white, while the referenced "pseudo-documentary"-style footage is in color.

Ronald didn't know why Scorsese handled it like this, maybe it was because Scorsese wanted to make a classic black and white film like old Hollywood?
The cinematography of this film is not below those classic old Hollywood films.Ronald himself is a photographer. He knows that black-and-white photography and color photography can almost be regarded as two kinds of art. Black-and-white photography has only one variable of grayscale, and it relies entirely on light and shadow to create image effects and convey emotions to the audience.

Among the directors of this generation, only Scorsese and Peter Bogdanovich, who was involved in the murder of the female model Stratten some time ago, can also direct black-and-white films.

It just so happens that these two are also loyal fans of old Hollywood movies.Scorsese taught classic film appreciation at New York University, and Bogdanovich also interviewed a series of older Hollywood directors, and earned a lot of royalties for publishing books.

Only fans will shoot black and white films, this kind of lost art in Hollywood.

While the entertainment media is giving raging bull its praises, it keeps attacking Heaven's Gate.

Ronald turned on the TV and watched the entertainment news.There are interviews with passerby viewers above.

"The music is good and the photography is top-notch, but the story is just awful."

"I can't understand the director's story at all. Terrible movie."

"I think the movie needs a good edit, to be honest."

In the end, a beautiful woman was interviewed, "I think the movie is too long and boring. I think I will fall asleep halfway through."

"Look, it has nothing to do with me at all, it's just that Cimino's filming is so bad that he dozed off." Ronald yelled at Donna and Diane Lane when he saw this.

The two little girls giggled and collapsed on the sofa. They had all heard of the origin of the nickname "Sleepy Lo", because they yawned during an interview while watching Michael Cimino's movie.

"Raging Bull, this weekend's box office is 64, ranking fourth. The average box office for a single venue is 150 US dollars. The total box office so far is [-] million..."

"Hey, have the TV stations started broadcasting the box office rankings of movies now?" Ronald found the Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety from the table.Sure enough, a special column was opened in the newspaper, listing the weekly box office and total box office of the movie.

"Is this putting directors in a boxing ring and having them fight each other?" Ronald didn't like it that much.

"I think it's very good. Film critics always tell the truth. I still decide which movie to watch based on the box office figures. It's not easy to be deceived." Aunt Karen said.She was tidying up the living room, and it would be New Year's Day soon.

The film review columns in the New York media all gave Marty a high evaluation of "Raging Bull".Ronald glanced at a few newspapers.

The announcement of the New York Film Critics Circle awards gave Raging Bull a very high evaluation, the vane of Oscar.

At the upcoming New York Film Critics Circle Film Awards, Martin Scorsese is nominated for Best Director, Robert De Niro is nominated for Best Actor, and Joe Pesci is nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

These awards from the film critic circle, as well as the Directors Guild Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award, will be awarded one after another from now until the Oscar nominations are announced.

The judges of these awards highly overlap with the judges of the Oscars, so they are very indicative.It seems that "Raging Bull" has a good chance of being nominated for an Oscar, and even winning.

Moreover, Scorsese and the two actors are of Italian descent, and now Italian descent is very influential in the film industry.Thanks to Francis Coppola's The Godfather Part I and Part II, movies reflecting the life of Italians were sold well, and the influence of Italians in the film industry is also growing.

　Chapter 164, R-rated movies and teenage actors, are already available.Refresh if not necessary.

　
(End of this chapter)