The four sat down around a round table, and Coppola said to Eric and Catherine: "It's like this, Tyronn has been preparing a World War II film based on James Jones's novel for these years, and the script has already been written. Well, I just haven't been able to find a suitable director, because I filmed "Apocalypse Now" back then, and he wanted me to direct, but I don't have enough energy to deal with this kind of war movie now. I watched "Saving Private After Ryan, Tyronn thought maybe Ms. Bigelow could give it a go."
Eric and Catherine are no strangers to James Jones. James Jones used to be the screenwriter of another classic film "The Longest Day" about the Normandy landing battle. In order to prepare for "Saving Private Ryan", the two had Find this video together.
Hearing what Coppola said, Eric has basically confirmed that the movie Terrence Malick is preparing is the "Red Alert" in his memory. The original time and space "Red Alert" was only late in 1998 It was released late, and Eric guessed that it should be Terrence Malick who had not been able to find a suitable director, so he had to act in person. Moreover, "Red Alert" was not only released in the same year as "Saving Private Ryan", but also competed together. In the Oscars in 1999, it was a pity that the two films basically had no winners and losers. Instead, they lost to the "peak work" "Shakespeare in Love" by the Weinstein brothers' Oscar public relations methods.
Catherine next to her heard Coppola's introduction, turned to Terrence Malick and said, "Terrone, can you briefly introduce this script?"
"Of course, although James Jones' original novel is not an autobiography, it is basically written based on his experience when he served in Guadalcanal Island in the South Pacific. You can read the original novel later, because I The plot of the original work has been greatly changed. Compared with "Saving Private Ryan", which explores the value of war, my script hopes to analyze the impact of cruel war on human nature. The story mainly revolves around a man named Charlie The troops of the infantry company spread out..."
Eric felt that Catherine's attention was getting more and more concentrated, and quickly ignored him and Coppola, discussing in detail with Terrence Malick as if no one else was there. You know this woman is attracted. The impact of war on human nature is such a philosophical proposition. It is simply the favorite of a certain literary young woman.
Glancing at each other with Coppola, both of them smiled without disturbing, and listened quietly and patiently to their conversation.
After half an hour, the discussion finally came to an end. Catherine turned her head and looked over with great interest: "Eric, what do you think of this story?"
"Well, the story is great. Firefly is very willing to invest, Tyron, have you done a rough budget?"
As soon as Eric finished speaking, Catherine glared at him lightly. She originally hoped that Eric could talk about the script, but she didn't expect this nasty little man to directly ask about the film's budget.
Eric was a little helpless, and said to his heart, sister, you are a god, you don't have to live, I am a businessman.
Terrence Malick did not have Catherine's dissatisfaction at all. He was already very satisfied when he heard Eric say that he was willing to invest. This project has been prepared for so many years, and several film studios I contacted directly rejected it because the risk was too high. There were times when Terrence Malick almost gave up.
"Eric, the investment of the film is about 50 million US dollars. I have shown the script to some well-known actors. Many people are very interested in this script. Sean Penn and John Travolta have given accurate promise, as long as they can get the investment, they are willing to join this film."
Sean Penn and John Travolta are both first-line plots at this time. If the two can join, the movie's box office will be guaranteed. This is also the purpose of Terrence Malick's disclosure of this news. Eric knew, in fact. "Red Alert" used to have a more flamboyant cast, save for Sean Penn and John Travolta. Also include George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody Hudson, Adrian Blodi and other Hollywood big names.
Although history has changed, Eric believes that as long as Catherine can successfully win the Oscar for best director this time, although the cost of 50 million is a bit expensive compared to the film's box office potential, the new best Oscar director and big names With the blessing of the actor's halo, it is not a big problem for the film to recover costs and achieve profitability through various channels.
Terrence Malick took Eric's thinking as a hesitation, and he also knew that an investment of 50 million US dollars was considered a big-budget film, but this story did not have much commercial selling point. After thinking about it, he said: "Eri Ke, if you think the risk is too high, as long as Firefly invests 25 million and agrees to distribute the film, I can find another 25 million dollars in investment."
"That's not necessary," Eric quickly made up his mind. The film investment is a bit higher, but the pressure to recover the cost is not great. It is impossible for Firefly to invest in commercial films all the time. It is also necessary to produce some award-winning films that improve the style. , said: "Firefly can bear all the investment, but I have one condition, Tai Lun, I hope that in addition to the screenwriter, you can also serve as the producer of this movie."
The former Cannes best director came back after 20 years, which was also a very important publicity stunt during the film's release.
However, when Eric proposed this condition, it was not this that mattered the most, but Terrence Malick's qualifications. Hollywood is a place that places great emphasis on seniority. Projects involving veteran directors and producers can usually attract powerful stars to join them, just like Woody Allen and Robert Altman, whose films have always been They are all known for their gorgeous lineups. Although Terrence Malick has not been out for 20 years, his qualifications and contacts are still there. Otherwise, today’s meeting would not have happened. Let him be the producer himself. Terrence Malick ? Malick will certainly be able to more easily pull together an already stronger cast for the movie.
Terrence Malick knows that the producer Eric mentioned is not the kind of executive producer who only has a name and does not participate in the specific production of the film. He has not participated in film production for twenty years. In this project , he has always only wanted to take up a screenwriting position. But after so many bumps into obstacles, he finally turned around, and Terrence Malick's persistence in his heart became much weaker.
Catherine's eyes flicked between Eric and Terrence Malick. He also persuaded at the right time: "Tayron, we had a nice chat just now, didn't we. I also hope that you can come to participate in this project together."
Many of the creative concepts Catherine just talked about coincided with him, and he cooperated with a like-minded director. It seemed that it was not so difficult to accept. After hearing Catherine's words, Terrence Malick nodded and said, "Okay, Eric, I will personally act as the producer."
"Then, I hope everyone has a good cooperation," Eric smiled and raised the goblet in his hand.
Because it is not a reception purely for entertainment. The participants were also quite old. After ten o'clock, guests began to leave one after another.
Eric and Catherine sent the guests away one by one. It was not until Coppola left the mansion in his own car that Catherine felt something unusual. Looking at the villa, there were only a few waiters who were cleaning up the mess. Asked: "Eric, where is the... master here?"
Eric pointed to himself: "Hey, it's right in front of your eyes."
Catherine was amused by Eric's actions, and said, "Why did you buy a house here?"
"It's an investment. Besides here, there should be some other places,"
Eric knew Catherine wasn't really interested. Just a simple sentence.
But in fact, apart from Pointe Manor, in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Malibu, and downtown Manhattan in New York, Eric has bought sixty or seventy luxury houses in recent years, ninety In the 1990s, most of the luxury houses in American metropolises were within a million dollars, but Eric knew that even after experiencing the subprime mortgage crisis in 2008 in his previous life, which caused the long-term downturn in the U.S. property market, big cities like Los Angeles and New York city. Because it attracts the rich and investors from all over the world, the price of luxury houses has always maintained a strong upward trend. Twenty years later, it is not uncommon to see luxury houses with a price tag of hundreds of millions. The investment at this time will get a return of ten times or even dozens of times in the future.
Of course, in addition to investment, investing in real estate can also offset personal income tax on the other hand. In order to avoid tax, both Firefly Group and Firefly Investment, Eric tried to avoid dividends as much as possible, kept the funds in the company account, and even served as the chairman of Firefly Group For the seat, Eric only received a symbolic salary of one dollar. However, the series of films he personally participated in as a director, producer and screenwriter can still bring him a large amount of related income every year, just like the past Victoria’s Secret show, because of personal investment, video sales Most of the share will be included in Eric's personal income category, and this alone will bring in 300 million US dollars. Chris once provided Eric with a series of investment plans, but because of the deep-rooted oriental cultural concept, Eric finally chose to invest in real estate, and he also enjoyed the feeling of having his own house wherever he went.
Catherine was really not interested in these, and she just hummed in a low voice when she heard Eric's words.
Back in the courtyard, the two sat at the round table by the pool and continued to chat about "Red Alert". Eric stopped talking about the boring budget data, and Catherine discovered that this little man has a deep understanding of the film. The analysis is no less than his own, as if he only listened to the script once, and he already has the whole movie in his mind. Unknowingly attracted by Eric's topic, and unknowingly distracted by Eric's topic, Catherine didn't realize that she had already started to chat about the past that was gradually going away, her father who wanted to be a cartoonist when she was a child Taught her to paint with paint, became interested in painting, and later went to school at the San Francisco Art Institute, worked, lived and studied in New York for ten years, became interested in film, began to shoot short films, and then...
Memories are often the things that can open up one's defenses the most.
In the middle of the night, just in the early spring, the surrounding area was quiet, not even the sound of insects, and the orange lights in the courtyard of the mansion seemed to be getting more and more confused.
A gust of cool wind blew by, and in the faint coldness, Catherine suddenly realized that the atmosphere around her was becoming more and more strange. The little man in front of her still had a faint smile on her body, but she faintly exuded a kind of loneliness like wanting to blend into the night, which made people involuntarily Let go of your heart.
Perhaps feeling some danger instinctively, Catherine subconsciously stood up.
Eric raised his head in doubt, and looked at the woman with a flustered expression: "Catherine, what's wrong with you?"
"I. Eric, it's late, I should go back." Catherine said with a trembling voice, making up her mind. If... If he asks to stay, he must refuse.
Well, be more firm.
Eric looked at his watch, it was half past eleven, he got up and said, "It's very late, I remember you always go to bed on time at ten o'clock, right?"
Catherine shook her head subconsciously: "No... well, yes."
Eric smiled. Said: "By the way, do you still remember the gift I said when I first came here? Let's go, I'll take you to see it."
"Eric, is it okay tomorrow, now, it's too late."
Eric walked into the villa and said, "A few minutes is enough. It's already so late anyway, and there are still things to do tomorrow."
Catherine looked at Eric's back. Subconsciously followed.
When he came to the living room, Eric took out the box that was placed in the cabinet and said, "Oscar will be here soon. I know you won't be able to remember these things, so I prepared a dress for you. I designed it myself. Let's see how it goes."
As Eric said, he carefully picked up a light gray silk embroidered dress from the box, which he made entirely from the dress Catherine wore when she won the best director in his memory.
Catherine stood by, but noticed the heart-shaped embroidery of different sizes on the upper body of the dress, and became flustered again. Said: "Eric, my agent said that he has contacted me for a dress sponsorship. I will try on the clothes in two days."
"Oh, then try this one first. Wear whichever one you think is more beautiful."
"Then, I'll take it back."
"If it doesn't fit, you need to modify it as soon as possible. Just try it here, and I want to see the effect." Eric looked at the woman's hesitation, and smiled harmlessly: "You won't even Don’t give me any face, this is my painstaking effort.”
"Then... well," Catherine's tone softened again, holding the box that Eric handed over, and following his guidance, she walked into a room next to her.
After dawdling for a while, the woman who had changed into the gown carefully walked out holding the hem of the skirt.
I don't know when the music came to mind in the living room, the voice was very low, but Catherine could clearly hear the song "Inducing ng-and-beautiul", an innocent and desolate singing, making people want to throw everything away and get lost.
Although there is an image in memory, Eric still feels a strong sense of surprise when he sees a woman walking out in a dress. Catherine's tall figure almost perfectly interprets the golden section, and her beautiful face with no traces of time still has a touch of aura. flush.
Seeing Eric getting up and walking towards her, Catherine unknowingly threw away the corner of her skirt and sent her right hand up. Then, the woman felt in a daze that she was being pulled into Eric's arms, and followed The music moved slightly.
The music was looped several times. Catherine tapped her chin lightly on Eric's shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Eric."
"Huh?" The little man's voice also came to my ears.
"I haven't made up my mind yet, I, I don't want to just be like this... I was tricked into going to bed by you, I, I want to go home..."
The woman's voice trembled slightly, not at all as capable and powerful as before, more like a little beast caught in a trap, pitifully begging the hunter to let her go.
Eric's heart softened immediately, and he said softly, "Okay, I'll take you home."
"I don't want you to send it. I can go back by myself. I... I have a car."
"Well," Eric let go of the woman's waist, and said: "The dress definitely doesn't need to be changed, let's change it first, this dress is not allowed to drive."
…
A few minutes later, Eric stood under the light yellow streetlight outside the mansion, looking at the white car shadow that was fading away, and Catherine drove the poor BMW car with an aura of fleeing.
Smiling, and sighing softly, Eric doesn't know what mood he is in now.
It was past twelve o'clock, and apart from the dim street lights, there were only a few lights left on this section of the street in the residential area.
Turning his head and looking at the gate, although the villa has all the living facilities, Eric didn't want to live alone like this, inexplicably, he suddenly expected a lively environment, so he remembered that it was always lively Noisy little girl.
Pick up the phone and dial, after a few beeps. Although there were two microphones separated, a lively atmosphere still came from above.
Xiao Nizi still didn't rest, even though it was early morning. Still at a party somewhere.
"Eric, it's so late. You still call me," the girl's tone was a little guilty, and the background sound became lower and lower, and soon disappeared.
Eric knew that the girl must have hidden somewhere quiet, with a doting smile on the corner of his mouth, he blamed: "It's so late, you're still crazy, be careful to have dark circles under your eyes tomorrow."
"No way. I'm just happy today. Hey, what can I do for you?"
"Let Natasha pick me up. I'm here on Carmen Street in the Hollywood Hills. This is the house we looked at together last time. There was a reception here tonight, and everyone left, and I was the only one left. .”
"Oh, I'll be there right away, you wait for me," the girl said. He didn't mean to ask anything at all, and hung up the phone hastily.
…
In Trousdale Manor, the party atmosphere in Drew's mansion was completely different from Eric's just now. A series of fluorescent lights in the courtyard completely drove away the night, and the sound of music resounded for a distance of tens of meters. Fortunately, here is a separate hill, except for the mansion of Elizabeth and Julia next to it, there are no neighbors that are too close, and the mansion of Elizabeth and Julia has not been resold, but has been empty, so there is no People report nuisance.
Because Eric doesn't like other men appearing in this mansion, the girl will only invite a group of girlfriends when she holds a party at her home, and she does have a little more girlfriends. A group of girls from Yingyingyanyan were frantically playing and singing. Dancing, splashing in the pool. There are even those who cuddle together and play kisses, all kinds of shameless, if there are men here, they will definitely be stimulated to have nosebleeds.
When Natasha delivered the ringing cordless phone to the girl, she was being pestered and chatted by Gwyneth Paltrow. Although she was also Spielberg's goddaughter, the identity of the girl at this time was far from Relying on Spielberg again, it was Gwyneth Paltrow who kept in close contact with the girl with some careful thinking.
Seeing Drew walking away hurriedly holding the cordless phone with both joy and panic, Gwyneth Paltrow cleverly realized who the caller was, her eyes flashed, and she followed without a trace.
Seeing Drew said this and got into a room, Gwyneth Paltrow took a glass of wine from nearby and waited quietly outside.
After a while, the door opened and seeing Drew coming out, Gwyneth Paltrow immediately showed a gossip-filled smile, and approached cordially: "Drew, is it Eric's phone number?"
"Yeah," the girl replied, ignoring Gwyneth Paltrow's reaction, she walked to the microphone in the middle of the courtyard, turned off the music, and took it from Christina Aguilera. The microphone clapped vigorously, and after a few muffled bangs from the subwoofer, everyone fell silent.
The girl stretched out her hand and hugged Christina who was next to her, kissed her femininely, and said to the microphone with a smile: "Hey, babies, I can only stop here today. I will give you ten minutes to go back to each house and move slowly." Yes, I will ask Natasha to throw her out. Ah, and those who are drunk, whoever takes them away, can sell them for supper on the way, um, that's it."
The girls all knew the character of the girl. Although she was smiling when she spoke, if it took more than ten minutes, this surly and crazy girl would definitely throw people out.
So there was not much hesitation in the action, and they were all ready to leave, but there were many girls who joked: "Drew, is your man coming back?"
The girl waved her little hand: "Yes, my king is coming soon, but I don't need you little Bichi to sleep with me, so get out of here."
Some girls also boldly said: "Drew, I'm still a virgin, can I stay and serve our king?"
"Get out, tomorrow I'll break it for you with a beer bottle. It's been two minutes, and there are still eight minutes."
Another girl with a greasy voice said: "I really want to be thrown by Natasha, they look very powerful at first sight."
"You dead lily, I'll ask Natasha to break your calf and throw it out, do you want to?"
"Drew, you are so violent."
After only five minutes of such arguing, a lot of girls basically dispersed. Xiao Nizi personally stuffed Christina, who was not yet old enough to drive, into a sports car and watched as she left. She checked the inside and outside of the car. Besides, after making sure that no one was left behind, he ordered the two maids to clean up as soon as possible, and drove away in a hurry with the twins. (To be continued.)