I am Hollywood

Chapter 377: Chapter 378: If You Mess Up, Pay with Your Flesh



[Chapter 378: If You Mess Up, Pay with Your Flesh]

Katherine Bigelow paused from her meal, her previously straight posture slightly leaning forward, her hands resting on the dining table. A look of curiosity flashed in her eyes.

Although she always referred to Eric as "little guy," this was merely her teasing him after realizing he had some ideas about her upcoming film project. When it came to movies, anyone had to admit that Eric's achievements in under three years had surpassed what most filmmakers accomplished in their entire careers. So when Eric began talking about her film, Point Break, Katherine took him seriously.

Eric spoke slowly, "What I see is a sense of loss and struggle, a profound desperation from people who find it hard to break free from the constraints of rules. Out of this despair, the group led by Bodhi recklessly burns themselves out, heading toward destruction. Because of desperation, Angelo Pappas becomes unambitious, like many numb people who occasionally reflect on their past glories before dying a pitiful death during a mission. And because of despair, Johnny Utah confines himself to the hunt for Bodhi, moving like a zombie, and ultimately he finds Bodhi, only to descend into confusion again."

"That's... surprising," Katherine Bigelow said, her eyes widening slightly, her tone tinged with a bit of nostalgia. "I've asked Jim more than once how he felt about the script, and he just said: 'Oh, darling, this story is incredible.""

"So you see, even the people around you can hardly grasp the depth of the script's themes, let alone the average audience. Their attention often goes to the adrenaline-pumping surfing and skydiving scenes. After watching, they think it's just a cool story. As for the film's commentary on the rigid social structures and the desire for change, ninety percent of the audience will fail to understand that."

Katherine frowned, appearing contemplative. After a moment, she asked dejectedly, "Why is it... like that?"

"It's simple, really. Because your influence isn't strong enough."

Katherine shot Eric a glare. "I know I can't compete with you, little guy. Feeling proud, are you?"

"I'm serious. If you had enough influence, people would naturally pay more attention to your works and would delve deeper into their meanings. Then the concepts you want to express would be understood. Take Jim's Terminator for example; to many fans and media, this sensational work issues a complaint against mankind's relentless development of nuclear arms and the anxiety surrounding nuclear war -- a pretty tragic theme, right? But many know it's not really like that; the inspiration for Terminator simply came from a fever dream Jim had in a little inn in Rome."

Katherine initially nodded along, finding Eric's comments about Terminator amusing, unable to suppress a laugh. "I'll definitely tell Jim what you said today when I have the chance."

Eric thought to himself, you probably won't have many opportunities; the pre-production for Terminator 2 was already done, and shooting would start in early September. After returning from New York, Eric had attended a meeting with the creative team behind Terminator 2. From the way Cameron and Linda Hamilton exchanged glances, the cliche story of the passionate director and his sexy leading lady had already begun, and it seemed likely that the completion of Terminator 2 would coincide with Cameron and Katherine's breakup.

Of course, Eric had no intention of bringing this up to Katherine; that would be stirring the pot. Even if Cameron was at fault, it would certainly put Katherine off.

"I believe Jim would agree with me," Eric replied with a smile, returning to the previous topic. "So, if you don't want to be a niche filmmaker, you need to try to expand your influence. There are many ways to do this: filming controversial topics, creating box office hits, or directing award-contending films, among others. But producing films on controversial topics carries a lot of risks and could backfire, leading to public disdain. So, I think the latter two methods are more practical."

Katherine shook her head, playful sarcasm mixed with jealousy. "These methods are easier for you; you're a little monster."

Eric chuckled. "Fine, I'll take that as a compliment. The truth is, I have a script that could give you enough influence. If you make this film, I think any movie you want to create afterward will garner significant attention. I just don't know if you're brave enough to take it on."

"Brave... enough?" Katherine Bigelow responded slowly, locking eyes with Eric. "Little guy, are you discriminating against me because I'm a woman?"

Eric replied, "At least in my memory, no female director has tackled similar themes." "Wait, let me guess," Katherine said, now intrigued, resting her chin in thought. "Something that female directors rarely touch, hmm... like the script you wrote for Basic Instinct?"

"Of course not. Many female directors in Europe have been much more daring than Basic Instinct."

"Then, a Western?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Not quite. Ah, I remember, I deliberately watched the music video you directed for Martini Ranch's Reach. I loved your Western cowgirl look -- it's very cool, it really makes you..." "Shut up, no teasing the big sister," Katherine shot him a playful glare, though her lips curled into a faint smile, clearly not offended by his comment. "Let me think for a moment."

Eric shrugged. "Okay, here's a hint. What do you think Americans, and the entire West, have been most concerned about in recent months?"

"Of course, it's the Middle East. There's going to be a war, right? You're not suggesting I should make a war movie, are you?"

Eric snapped his fingers, disregarding the curious looks from around the room. "Bingo! And it's definitely not a small scale war movie; rather, it would be an epic World War II film, with no budget constraints. You can spend whatever you want. We have enough time to prepare, as I plan to release it on June 6, 1994, exactly fifty years after D-Day. So, are you willing to take it on?"

Katherine Bigelow hesitated for a moment. If Eric was serious, the budget for this film would certainly far exceed that of Point Break. Unlike Cameron, who was reckless, Katherine had a passion for filmmaking and loved expressing her viewpoints through film. However, she understood that if she took on this massive project and it failed, it could mean a long silence or possibly permanent exit from Hollywood for a female director.

"Eric, can you tell me about the script first?" In the end, she couldn't resist the temptation, but she asked this question to gauge if she could walk away from the offer if the script didn't

suit her tastes.

Eric noticed the changes in Katherine's expression. He was confident that the script he had in mind would pique her interest. He meticulously analyzed Katherine Bigelow's previous works, remembering her Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker and later entries like Zero Dark Thirty. Many of Katherine's projects had a strong personal style. Both her early work, Near Dark, and the later Zero Dark Thirty exuded a cool despair. Although there was a twenty-year gap between Zero Dark Thirty and Point Break, both films featured male and female protagonists who ultimately completed their tasks: one discarding an FBI badge, the other shedding tears devoid of joy, even in winning Best Director for The Hurt Locker.

Intriguingly, Eric's chosen story centered around hope. Despair and hope seemed like two extremes, yet they often intertwined like brothers.

"It's a story about saving one out of eight," Eric explained. "On June 6, 1944, after D-Day, three brothers from the Ryan family died in battle on the same day. Their mother received three death notifications in one day. The youngest son, James Ryan, parachuted behind enemy lines, leaving his fate uncertain. To give this grieving mother a sliver of hope, military brass dispatched Lieutenant Miller and his eight-man team to infiltrate the war zone and locate James Ryan to bring him back from the battlefield..."

Eric's eloquence came through as he spoke. Having the entire film in his mind allowed him to narrate the story smoothly. Katherine listened attentively, unaware that many patrons in the restaurant had gradually filtered out. The assistant director in charge of the shooting schedule noticed how engrossed they were and chose not to interrupt them, even as their filming time approached.

In Eric's view, Saving Private Ryan wouldn't just be another quintessential American film; it was worlds apart from the mainstream movies he had seen.

The film authentically depicted the brutality and horror of D-Day, portraying a cast of ordinary soldiers each with distinct personalities. Throughout their mission, the group of eight was filled with doubt and conflicts; some may have even died questioning the "why" until their last breaths.

This exploration of war and deep examination of humanity clearly resonated with Katherine Bigelow, who still felt a little like a rebellious artist. She understood that as a woman, if she could create such an epic war film, it would likely cause a global sensation. In an industry where female directors often faced discrimination, Katherine Bigelow had a strong desire to prove herself, surpassing many.

Noticing her intrigue, Eric coaxed her like a salesman, "So, Katherine, what do you say? Are you interested in taking on this script? Even if you haven't directed a film with such scale, that's not a problem. Since it's slated for the fiftieth anniversary of D-Day, you have nearly four years to refine everything before the June 6 deadline."

Katherine Bigelow didn't respond immediately. Instead, she inquired, "From what you're saying, this film's budget will likely be over double that of Point Break. Aren't you afraid that I

could mess up this project?"

"If you mess up, you'll pay with your flesh," Eric thought evilly to himself but said aloud, "Not at all! I believe in your abilities, and besides, you'll have me to support you."

"If you're going to meddle in the production like many Hollywood producers, I won't take on

this film."

"Once you approve the script I write, I won't interfere overly with the film's production. I just mean that if there are difficulties, I'll step in to help. But I believe four years is ample time to

iron out any issues."

"Then first, write out the script for me to review," Katherine Bigelow remarked, noticing the dwindling number of patrons in the restaurant. "It's time to get to work."

"I'll get that script to you as soon as possible," Eric replied as they both stood up and walked

out of the restaurant side by side.

...

In the days that followed, Eric frequently visited the Point Break set. One week later, the first draft of Saving Private Ryan was completed smoothly, and Eric presented it to Katherine. After reading it, she looked captivated and even suggested numerous revisions. For trivial details, Eric was happy to agree, but when it came to the core substance of the script, he wouldn't back down and stood his ground in discussions with Katherine.

Thus, amidst the filming of the movie, crew members often caught sight of the director and producer deep in conversation, occasionally finding themselves in heated debates. This left many feeling anxious, worried that their disputes might disrupt the filming. But their concerns proved unfounded; as September came to a close, filming progressed smoothly toward completion, and neither Eric nor Katherine stirred any serious conflicts. During the month, while keeping an eye on Point Break, Eric also closely followed events in

New York, flying back there two or three times.

...

As October rolled around, after two months of buildup, the U.S. troop presence in the Persian Gulf reached five hundred thousand, and war seemed almost inevitable. International oil prices crossed the $40 mark in early October. However, as military forces increased in the Gulf

and the U.S. collaborated with Saudi Arabia to stabilize oil prices, the growth of oil prices stagnated despite surpassing the $40 mark.

As a matter of convention, most people believed the next oil price surge would occur the moment war broke out.

But Eric knew that once warfare commenced, fueled by the United Nations' relentless offensive, oil prices would actually drop rather than rise. That would be a development for the

next year; for now, it was time to tally the first round of harvests.

*****

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