Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 221 Scramble for David Lynch



Chapter 221 Scramble for David Lynch
Tom Mount is the president of Universal Pictures. He is tall and tall. He wears a dark handmade suit with a white shirt and a blue tie, giving him the aura of a Hollywood elite, unlike Wall Street. Fan Er, with some artist 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 in The Godfather.

But the words that came out of his mouth were not at all like the godfather, more like a salesman who came to sell 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 talking too much.

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

Tom Mount was confronted with a quiet young man.His hair was brushed up from the roots, which gave him a strangely rebellious air about his chubby, college-school-like face.

"Oh, yes. It was a tough film to make. It took me years to make and stop, and then I wanted to screen at the New York Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival, but it was rejected. I pushed a A trolley from the supermarket, containing all my copies, begged the person in charge there, but to no avail.

If it wasn't for the opportunity given to me by the Los Angeles Film Festival, I would not have had the opportunity to continue my career as a director. "

It was David Lynch who was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture (Series) and Best Director for "The Elephant Man".

His two big eyes were wide open, and he kept looking at the two young men sitting on Tom Mount's right hand.The one with shoulder-length hair is the novelist Cameron Crowe, and the one with shorter hair is Ronald Lee, who adapted the screenplay.

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

"Hi, yes Mr. Lynch. Now Hollywood knows about your talent through the Elephant Man. I don't think your film will be rejected by any film festivals anymore. On the contrary, those film festivals may come to ask you for it to the film festival."

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Mount."

Tom Mount got choked up, Hollywood stars used to talk and keep flattering each other, and the orthodoxy of refusing to work with each other is that this is really a very good movie, but I still have to see my timetable.

He is not used to Lynch's direct conversation style like this.Having heard of Lynch's reputation a long time ago, Tom Mount also brought two screenwriters to discuss.

He loosened his tie, leaned his body back slightly, and his body language began to relax, and the words that came out of his mouth did not have the momentum of a president.

"These two are the original author of 'Fast-paced Richmond High', Cameron Crowe, and the adaptation of the script, Ronald Lee. I assume you have read the script, 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 started to ask questions to the two authors.

"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 when they speak."

"I was in the 12th grade of a high school. I went undercover for a year and finally attended the prom. So the way of speaking in the novel has real prototypes to find..." Cameron Crowe replied.

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

The girls there are more vain and like to buy famous brand clothes and bags.Going to the beach to surf, playing tennis and other high-class lifestyles, coupled with poor English grammar learning, speak very characteristically and add Like as a modal particle.

Like, "Nancy, Like, she's a bitch. The other day she went to the beach, Like, trying to seduce my boyfriend Jack. I Like, I went up and grabbed her by the hair and gave her a Like in the face, come on one time."

In the script, Ronald retained a lot of valley accent dialogue written by Cameron Crowe.Not only that, the Italian character Spiccoli is a master surfer, which is also the favorite sport of the high school girls there.

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

I've seen 'fast paced' scripts, very skillful, well controlled in pace and length.I also tried to write a script 'Looney's Rocket' myself.But I haven't adjusted the plot well after adjusting for a month, how did you do it? "

When David Lynch saw the two authors, they had a lively chat.That's why President Tom Mount had asked them to come.Hollywood's new favorite director has some eccentricities and prefers to communicate with artists.

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

Ronald also talked about his writing method.

David Lynch said that he had to read the script in depth to learn Ronald's method.Now he is busy with public relations for "The Elephant Man" and striving for awards, and he needs to wait until the end of the Oscars 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 'Elephant Man'?" Ronald said.Eraserhead is more like a student project, and "Elephant Man" is a commercial production.

"It was Transcendental Meditation that gave me inspiration," Lynch said with an unexpected answer, "I've been promoting 'Looney's Rocket', but no producer is willing to invest in me.

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

"This buddy is not joking, is he?" Ronald thought, you might as well say that you are lucky.Everyone ended the meeting.

"This SOB, he must have been invited by other directors. As soon as we talked about the 'fast-paced' filming, he avoided the subject." Tom Mount scolded his subordinates in the office, "Go and ask, who wants to invite the director?" David Lynch."

The subordinate came back soon and whispered his name in Tom Mount's ear.

"This lucky guy. Keep up the good work, the offer has raised his profile. George is not that easy to work with, and if he can choose 'fast-paced Richmond High School', we can even get a $600 million investment. "

Ronald didn't know that David Lynch was being sought after by Hollywood, and he made an appointment at Jane Fonda's house at night.

"Ronald, nice to meet you." After the face-to-face ceremony, Jane Fonda took out the leg warmers given by Aunt Karen, "Is this produced by your company? My lawyer checked the records In the future, tell me that the patent belongs to you."

"Yes, but these two pairs were knitted by my Aunt Karen herself."

"I like this little accessory. It not only keeps my legs warm, but also can modify the shape of my legs. The seller of the video tape is willing to let me wear it to do aerobics during the video. I want to use this as a purchase. , with a videotape for mail order sale, would you like to supply me?"

"Of course, Jane. You can ask your lawyer to call my Aunt Karen. Our leg warmers have been sold to the big cities on the west coast, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco."

The two finalized the cooperation in a few words, and Ronald was very happy. This kind of mail order business may sell tens of thousands of leg warmers. With a fixed delivery channel, the leg warmer business can go up a level. Order knitting machine to do small factory production.

"I heard from my agent that you have finished another script?" Jane Fonda finalized the cooperation, so she could chat with Ronald about the industry's trends.

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

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

"Don't George direct himself?" Ronald asked.

"The fifth part was not directed by him either. Originally he hoped to ask his old friend Steven Spielberg to direct the sixth part, but the Directors Union had a falling out with George because Star Wars did not put the list of main creators in the opening credits. Steven is directing Star Wars VI."

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

Ronald took this news to heart, and went to CAA the next day to raise it with 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 the rumor, Star Wars VI Revenge of the Jedi. If David Lynch goes to direct Star Wars, then 'fast-paced Richmond High' loses his biggest package factor, an upcoming A young director nominated for an Oscar for best director. That would probably be pretty low budget."

"All I'm asking for is an opportunity to direct independently, and I'm a student of Roger Corman, and any low budget from Universal, in my opinion, is very rich."

"Yeah, I forgot that you graduated from Roger Coleman University." Nisita smiled, "If David Lynch rejects Universal, I will do my best to get you this director opportunity, I ensure.

In addition, I have some scripts that Spielberg likes here, and he wants to find someone to independently evaluate them and give some revision opinions and directions, but the pay is not high.

But I think it is an opportunity. Spielberg has a close cooperation with Universal, and he is also considering getting involved in the production business recently. In short, he is now evaluating a lot of scripts, including many youth themes. "

"Of course I would." Ronald nodded quickly, and being familiar with Spielberg is definitely not a bad thing.

(End of this chapter)


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