King of Hollywood
Chapter 402 - 124 A Character

Chapter 402: Chapter 124 A Character

"You’ve surprised me again, Ed, although you’ve given me plenty of surprises before," Spielberg said with emotion after moving his gaze away from the stream of people entering.

"Maybe it’s because I’m fundamentally different from you and Stanley in some ways," Adrian shrugged, showing little reaction.

"That’s exactly what surprises me the most," Spielberg shook his head, "I know you’re different from me and Stanley, Ed, but you managed to persuade Stanley to take over his new work, and it’s nearly complete. I know Stanley; he’s slower than anyone else when it comes to filmmaking. He’s too much of a perfectionist. It takes him at least a year or two to finish anything, which is why he has so few works. But you..."

He stopped speaking and gestured with his hand, his eyes intent upon Adrian as if waiting for an explanation.

"Just persuasion for now. We’ll only know how it turns out after it’s made. Maybe it’ll be completely different from what Stanley wanted to express, or maybe it’ll turn into a second-rate erotica, like some media suggested. Who knows?" Adrian waved his hands with some exaggeration, deliberately avoiding a direct answer to Spielberg’s unasked question.

"Don’t think I’m a fool, Ed," Spielberg laughed, "I said I understand Stanley. If he hadn’t seen something in you that he recognized, he would never have agreed to let another director take over his work. Not even if it meant leaving this world with regrets. He’s more stubborn than you think."

"Well... to be honest, I read ’Dream Story’ before, back in college," Adrian scratched his head and gave a wry smile, "The tabloids should have told you, I was nothing but a wastrel back then. That book was regarded as erotica in those days. Over time, as I got more involved in making movies, many of my views started to change. I started to understand certain inexplicable emotions, like the crisis between husband and wife."

At this, Spielberg uttered a soft "oh," then looked enlightened. Adrian laughed as well; his reputation as a playboy was well known—not just to the general public but, even more so, to those within the industry—especially since Spielberg’s two goddaughters had both been to bed with him.

"I had the idea of turning it into a movie back then, but I knew Stanley had already got the adaptation rights early on, and besides, my thoughts on the matter were different from his, so it was just a thought. Until one day I heard from Clarkson that he had unfortunately suffered a stroke and might not be able to finish the film," Adrian continued, "At first, I just wanted to give it a try; after all, it was a good opportunity. As I learned more about Stanley’s life, my interest in taking on the project grew—not about how to get the production rights from Stanley, but about how to make the film the way Stanley envisioned it."

He paused and looked at Spielberg, choosing his words carefully before speaking again: "Maybe I wanted to prove myself, or maybe it was just a simple tribute to Stanley. He is, after all, a director with a unique style. For that, I locked myself in a room for five full days to craft some ideas based on the script. I was fortunate that Stanley approved, and I finally got the director’s role for ’Eyes Wide Shut.’"

Taking a deep breath, Adrian smiled and patted the thoughtful Spielberg, "Okay, Steven, let’s not delve into these things anymore. Sometimes I can’t even understand them myself; it’s as if those images just appear out of nowhere in my mind. All I have to do is connect them properly. I may be fundamentally different from you guys in some ways, but in others, I’m fundamentally similar. So let’s change the subject. Today is the premiere of your new film. I’ve missed the set visit, missed the test screening, and I definitely can’t miss this."

"Alright, let’s go inside," Spielberg, who seemed about to say something more, let out a wistful sigh, then smiled and made a welcoming gesture with his hand. He couldn’t help feeling wistful; a few years ago, Adrian was respectfully in his office, asking him to screen ’Jurassic Park’ for half a day, and now he was giving Spielberg a somewhat awe-inspiring feeling.

Spielberg had founded DreamWorks with Katzenberg and Geffen, wanting to exert influence in the business world, certainly due to having won the Oscar for Best Director with ’Schindler’s List,’ fulfilling a wish and achieving fame at the same time, possibly influenced by Adrian. Unexpectedly, just as their ambitious new company was taking its first steps, Adrian’s AC Media had already acquired ABC and become a major media conglomerate.

Well, maybe business-wise he couldn’t compare with him, but in the realm of film production, Spielberg still had a say. Yet, Adrian had quickly become the youngest ever Best Director at the Oscars, and now he had even gained the approval of Stanley Kubrick to make his unfinished new film—Spielberg had heard about the condition that if Kubrick didn’t approve, the film couldn’t be released—and besides, the script for today’s premiere came from Adrian. Spielberg suddenly felt old; it was no wonder he had so many questions just now.

He quickly adjusted, though. Adrian, although young, was in a league of his own at present, so it didn’t matter even if he had to look up to someone in the future. Spielberg, even after setting down the megaphone, was still a savvy businessman. DreamWorks had a share in AC Media, and Adrian always held him in high esteem, so why quibble over these things?

Spielberg had a feel for what Adrian was thinking, which was why he had gone through the trouble of concocting such an elaborate story. It was only now that he realized he might have gone a bit too far. Ever since he took over the film, familiar directors and producers had been surprised by his actions. Many were aware of Kubrick’s style in filmmaking. What would people think if he produced a movie "almost near" Kubrick’s style in such a short time?

Even if he was known as the Miracle Director, even if he had created many miracles, and even if people always subconsciously sought explanations for the inexplicable, still... he had to remember that Adrian’s goal was not solely Nicole Kidman; he wanted to use this opportunity to add more luster to his own aura. But adding too much could dazzle to the point of blinding, and not being able to match this level in the future wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Moderation was key, and knowing what to keep and what to discard. How Adrian had smoothly reached this point in his career was not just a matter of luck or the advantage of a rebirth; it was also due to his always cool-headed nature and the control of his desires, doing things without leaving any loose ends.

Of course, these were all possibilities, meaning they might not happen. But caution never hurt. Rather than allowing people to speculate wildly, it was better to proactively provide an explanation to guide the conversation. As long as an industry insider of repute took on his explanation and spoke on his behalf, any potential problems would be much lessened. Spielberg was an excellent target for this.

Well, now was not the time to speak of this, and it wouldn’t be settled in one or two attempts. So having found his place, Adrian chatted and laughed with others as he waited for the movie to start—the main event of the evening was the premiere of "Saving Private Ryan."

It goes without saying that the opening ten minutes were extremely violent, bloody, and real. The intense scenes at Omaha Beach weren’t replicated a hundred percent, but they were more brutal than any other war film’s battle scenes. DreamWorks had put in a great effort for this premiere, having a special discussion with the theater about the sound effects, making them outstanding and immersing the audience as if they were on location, even causing a woman to scream when a flamethrower soldier was hit and exploded.

Spielberg’s control over the pacing was indeed top-notch. After the intense scenes, the audience wasn’t given a moment to relax as rows of female typists and a narration with a heavy sense continued to grip them. He also knew exactly how to cater to the American mainstream values, like Ryan’s mother receiving three notices of death and the subsequent debate about whether to extract the youngest child, climaxing with Eisenhower picking up Lincoln’s letter.

The rest was history: Tom Hanks’s Captain Miller leading eight men on a rescue mission, one full of happenings, showcasing the cruelties of war and paradoxes, such as sacrificing eight to save one. These were all beautifully captured in the film. When they finally found the youngest Ryan, he refused to leave, insisting on staying to defend the bridge, displaying a man’s sense of duty.

It was a difficult battle. Though perhaps not as intense as the previous battles, its cruelty was on par with the opening landing fight. Especially when a German soldier slowly stabbed a knife into one of the squad member’s bodies, Adrian heard a familiar scream.

The film finally ended, with the eight-man squad wiped out, but Ryan survived, living as Captain Miller had advised him to, by marrying and having children. That such imagery lauded American mainstream values, yet juxtaposed with the harsh reality of war to convey an anti-war message, made Steven Spielberg a first-class director. Even Adrian couldn’t help but feel a touch of regret.

But he quickly bounced back; there would always be other great films, and he had saved quite a few good things for himself, so it didn’t hinder his praising in the lounge afterward: "Terrific, though I knew it would be an outstanding film, it still exceeded my expectations. If it were me directing, I definitely couldn’t have achieved this effect."

"If it were anyone else saying this, I’d agree, but you..." Spielberg shrugged, semi-jokingly, with a somewhat meaningful look.

"I’m serious, Steven," Adrian shook his head, "like the scene after the landing battle, when Captain Miller shakily takes a drink from his canteen. I had envisioned this shot when I was writing the first draft. In my mind, it should be from top to bottom, showing the trembling hands and canteen first before his somewhat unfocused eyes. But obviously, your idea was far more superior."

He spoke with genuine sincerity, as this scene was indeed one Spielberg had crafted, which he remembered well from a past life. Naturally, it surfaced from his memory while drafting. Yet this current version, although still Spielberg’s creation, had undergone significant changes. He chose to introduce it from the side, then made a fast and slow switch at the moment when Captain Miller looked up to drink, giving the shot a more profound sense of survival after a calamity.

Such changes that not only happened but also improved the scenes occurred in several other parts of the entire movie. That’s why Adrian would marvel like that.

"And Tom’s outstanding performance," Spielberg laughed, "He was at the peak of his form at that time, so that’s why we got such an effect. The next day when we shot it again, we couldn’t reach that level."

"That seems about right, it looks like you’ve got another signature piece on your hands, Tom," Adrian turned his head to speak to Hanks.

"Thank you, it’s an honor to work with you all," Hanks was as modest as ever.

"Hey, Steven, is Tom kissing up to us?" Adrian raised an eyebrow and deliberately asked.

"Generally speaking, we never deny our own merits, so... I suppose he is," Spielberg responded, playing along with a laugh.

"Well then... speaking of honors," Hanks showed a resigned expression, "do you two directors feel honored to work with me?"

Adrian and Spielberg exchanged a glance and then all three of them burst into laughter. After several minutes of such conversation, as the number of guests in the lounge began to dwindle, probably because the reporters outside had started to leave as the movie let out, Adrian took his leave, but he wasn’t planning to go home.

"Hey, River, Joaquin, how’ve you been?" He went straight over to the Phoenix brothers.

"Hi, Ed, it’s really great to see you." River smiled as he shook hands with Adrian, always grateful to him.

"I have to say, your performances in today’s movie were pretty good despite the short screen time," Adrian said, patting them both.

Joaquin Phoenix played a doctor in the eight-man squad, the first to fall in battle, while River portrayed the one being rescued, only appearing toward the end. Although their screen time was limited, both performances were strikingly memorable.

"Thank you, it’s largely thanks to your recommendation," River shrugged.

"Come on, River, I’m not blind. The media’s reviews of you are almost back to what they used to be," Adrian said with a smile and a shake of his head.

Even though Heat was criticized for its slow pace and the lead actors’ showdown attracted most of the attention, River still had some highlights. He then appeared in a low-budget film, playing an honest young man seduced into crime in his naiveté and then desperately struggling to get out of the trap. This role was a stark contrast from his previous, more carefree screen image.

The film didn’t make much at the box office, but it had a decent reputation, especially for River’s performance, which many critics praised. The negative news resulting from his drug rehab had thus been mostly erased.

"To be frank, you brothers are both incredible. I don’t even need to mention you and Joaquin, but Silver’s debut film is about to be released. If it weren’t for the fact that you two are his big brothers, I might have scheduled it before ’Saving Private Ryan’," Adrian joked.

As one of the two golden movie periods of the year, summer, how could Adrian not arrange a money-making film? ’The Sixth Sense’ had been eagerly awaited. As the youngest of the Phoenix family, Silver had also inherited a considerable acting skill, performing in it no less impressively than Haley Joel Osment.

"We’re very grateful to you, Ed, really," Joaquin said with deadpan seriousness.

"And thank Silver for us," River added with a smile and a shake of the head for his younger brother.

"If you’re about to thank me, you might want to have a serious talk with Silver. He’s very talented in acting, but his biggest interest lies in singing. Sure, many people both act and release albums. You two probably guest star in Keanu’s band from time to time, don’t you? But if you try to juggle both, you might end up being mediocre in both," Adrian shared, "Personally, I really hope he will go far in acting, but it’s ultimately up to him. If he really wants to pursue both, that’s fine too, and maybe he’ll achieve remarkable success in both areas someday."

"I’ll talk to him, Ed," River promised, noding after exchanging a glance with Joaquin.

"Great," Adrian clapped his hand, then looked at River with a smile, "So, let’s talk about you, River."

"Me?" River looked puzzled, "What’s up?"

"A role," Adrian’s smile remained, "a good role. I don’t think there’s anyone more suited to it than you, so I really hope you’ll take it."

He then spread his hands apologetically towards Joaquin: "Sorry, Joaquin, but this film doesn’t have a major role where someone dies and doesn’t meet anyone else."

"Um... no problem..." Joaquin immediately laughed.

The joke was a reference to Spielberg, who had complained to Adrian that although River and Joaquin didn’t look extremely alike, standing together, they still showed a resemblance as brothers. Thus, Spielberg had a headache over assigning their roles. Since it was a story about saving the youngest Ryan, having both brothers go to the battlefield and die didn’t seem appropriate, so he finally decided to have Joaquin’s character die earlier as a solution.

"Can I know what kind of role it is?" River interjected.

"Simple, an honest cop," Adrian replied with a smile, "a straight-arrow cop from Los Angeles in the 1950s." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for support, your support is my biggest motivation.)