King of Hollywood
Chapter 422 - 144 Better Than Expected

Chapter 422: Chapter 144 Better Than Expected

"I must admit, it is an issue that is difficult to ascertain yet impossible to avoid. From start to finish, I never believed that Adrian could produce a work in the style of Kubrick, despite his excellence. There are essential differences due to differences in thought, lived experiences, and accumulated time. Kubrick’s greatness lies in how he consistently pinpointed the darkest aspects of humanity and society in his films—a quality nearly unmatched. Yet today, it has been broken by a young director." —Washington Post

"It’s clear that normal rules do not apply to Adrian. It’s uncertain whether his ’Eyes Wide Shut’ is what Kubrick intended, but it’s also uncertain if it’s not what Kubrick wanted. The film is so similar yet slightly different, making it impossible to make a definite judgment. The Miracle Director truly lives up to his name." —Variety

Two days later, those reviews finally came out, but they were either ambiguous like the ones above or focused solely on analyzing the plot without touching on the controversy.

"Overall, this is still a movie about a marriage crisis. The director astutely captured the distrust between the couple. The husband merely solved a potential scandal for his employer, while the wife grew suspicious after previously seeing him entangled with a pair of female models, which almost led her to be explicitly seduced by an old man.

Although the wife controlled her impulses through rationality, the seeds of doubt had been planted, and with the director’s step-by-step guidance, conflict finally erupted between the couple. The husband also uncontrollably began to suspect his wife, with rich imaginations and sudden passion making him impulsive, eventually getting involved in an underground party organized by the upper class, orchestrated by an old classmate, and placing himself in danger.

After finally escaping, the husband began to pursue the truth, which seemed almost unrelated to the first half of the story. However, the director hinted through a few shots that it was precisely because of the earlier trust crisis that he was so desperate for the truth, as if it would clarify whether his wife had truly been unfaithful. In the end, under the confrontation with his former employer, the husband finally realized how dangerous his situation had been and recognized the importance of family, eventually returning to his wife and bursting into tears. It seemed to be a happy ending, but the wife’s last line in the mall brilliantly told the audience that some things will never conclude, leaving endless room for speculation.

Whether it is the intricate composition, the stark contrast in colors, or the music that seemed to observe from the sidelines, all tightly followed what the story wanted to express. The party in the middle appeared debauched, but on careful observation, it lacked any erotic undertones, possessing only a chilling eeriness. The director used this method to interpret the longstanding theme: the dehumanization of humanity by material society. This is a thought-provoking work!" —renowned critic Morris Sheden

Most people did not deny the significance the film aimed to convey, which was difficult to define precisely. Most also acknowledged that, at the least, this film continued one of Kubrick’s themes as stated by Morris Sheden: "the dehumanization of humanity by material society." Whether it was ’Dr. Strangelove’, ’2001: A Space Odyssey’, ’The Shining’, or ’Full Metal Jacket’, this theme was very apparent.

But there were still those who dissented, such as Ms. Marcelline Maggie: "Adrian produced a work that panders to the audience. Although he mastered Kubrick’s style in form, he completely missed the essence, especially the absurd party scene. Whether it was Nicole Kidman’s portrayal of the wife or Vanessa Shaw and others as the prostitutes, all appeared extremely vulnerable. The only resistance, too, because of the husband’s insincere confession, easily evaporated into thin air. It seems he never realized what the original novel intended to express nor did he truly consider Kubrick’s thoughts, merely dabbing arbitrarily after doing enough superficial work!"

This is clearly a display of being a sore loser. There were those who sang a different tune, like critic Aiden Caron who harshly criticized the film for being overly ornate and focusing on form, with its slow pace scarcely raising any interest. However, it’s normal for this type of critique, especially since this critic has never seen eye to eye with Kubrick; as early as the ’80s, he criticized ’The Shining’ and ’Full Metal Jacket’ as worthless, which explains his perspective.

However, Ms. Maggie had previously claimed to be a fan of Kubrick, but while most people are still pondering whether it aligns with Kubrick’s style, she wrote such a review, implying she’s too proud to admit defeat. Such individuals can be найд everywhere; even if the evidence is presented right before them, they can pretend not to see it, especially now when there are countless areas up for discussion.

Kubrick’s hardcore fans continued their relentless attacks on Adrian—it’s a common ailment of fandom. Once they elevate their idols to a pedestal in their hearts, they will not allow others to touch it; even if there are mistakes, they must argue and twist words to present it as good. While Adrian also has many hardcore fans, because of his involvement in diverse topics and his style not always being consistent—which some might call slightly scattered—it’s hard for them to compete.

However, these people soon split. A small portion truly studied Kubrick’s films and, after watching ’Eyes Wide Shut’ several times, albeit reluctantly began to face up to it. But more people liked Kubrick to stand out and flaunt their taste. Once this unique feeling was disrupted, they became very angry and dissatisfied. Kubrick’s films were originally niche, allowing them to express themselves, relying on the cohesion among those who enjoyed them regardless of the reason for their liking. But now facing this divide, their words carried much less weight.

In early March of 1997, the most debated topic in the media was not the predictions for the 69th Oscars, but rather various controversies surrounding "Eyes Wide Shut." As the film was released in Europe, European critics and directors unanimously praised the film itself, naturally enjoying its tone. However, the debate continued as to whether Adrian’s production was in line with Kubrick’s style.

These factors combined led to a surprising increase in box office revenue over a weekend, much to Warner’s delight. Warner then allowed Clarkson to disclose Kubrick’s reaction to the film after watching it, which, after being confirmed by Kubrick’s daughter Anya, sparked even more discussion.

What did it mean for him to shake his head first? Then, despite being paralyzed from a stroke, how was he able to give a thumbs up? Was Kubrick both dissatisfied and satisfied, or satisfied but with regrets? If it were regrets, then what about? Many critics racked their brains trying to find the answer, sending numerous interview requests to Adrian. Those who had been opposing just for the sake of opposition seemed to have been slapped in the face; even though a few continued to shout, they had been disregarded by the public.

The Miracle Director had once again created a miracle, which became the most talked-about topic among ordinary people. But those questions would never be answered, as in mid-March, Stanley Kubrick unexpectedly suffered another cerebral hemorrhage in his sleep and passed away. People within the industry, whether they liked him or not, all expressed their condolences, while also casting a mysterious aura around Adrian.

"Anya said he passed away peacefully, content with fulfilling a heartfelt wish. I must say, you are impressive, Ed. I’m finding you more and more inscrutable. If it were me, I could never have done it so well," Spielberg said at a reception, before asking Adrian if he would like to take over the production of "AI."

Of course, Adrian politely declined the offer. "Stanley initially proposed producing and you directing it; you shouldn’t shirk this responsibility, Steven. I believe you are fully capable of producing this film. As for me, I can only say I was lucky. After all, Stanley had already conceptualized ’Eyes Wide Shut’ before, and I merely expressed his ideas."

It was better for Spielberg to produce "AI" after all. Having achieved the objectives he initially set out with "Eyes Wide Shut" — even exceeding his expectations — was there really any film he couldn’t produce? If the Miracle Director wanted to, he surely could create miracles, couldn’t he?

On another note, ever since the release of "Eyes Wide Shut," the tabloids had been relentless with various gossip about Nicole Kidman. At times, they claimed Tom Cruise was dissatisfied with her bold performance in the film and had started to give her the cold shoulder; at other times, they suggested she was secretly dating the male actor with whom she had passionate scenes in the film — who could blame her when she seemed so engaged in those shots.

Despite Nicole and Cruise occasionally displaying affection in public, they were sometimes captured in photos that suggested a strain in their relationship, and rumors of a potential divorce began to circulate more intensely. As for the subject of the affair, no one was able to identify him; firstly, he scarcely had a full frontal appearance in the film, and secondly, the film company claimed they hired a male model for those few scenes and could not disclose any information to protect his privacy.

Everyone knew this was nonsensical; as someone in the entertainment industry, how could one not seize the opportunity for significant publicity? Yet, interestingly enough, no one, not even Tom Cruise—who made indirect inquiries—could obtain any answers.

"Let him remain an eternal mystery," Adrian said during an interview.

Ultimately, he did appear on a talk show, naturally choosing ABC, the network he owned, to support his company. This decision frustrated other networks, with several CEOs grumbling privately, wondering why their owners couldn’t generate the kind of sensation that Adrian did.

During the entire interview, Adrian spoke eloquently and did not shy away from many topics. Despite being the boss, ABC did not offer him any privileges, and the talk show host Jon Stewart, who had been aggressively recruited the previous year, bombarded him with questions, seemingly eager to ask everything he had accumulated over time.

"I’m not particularly fond of Stanley’s films, after all, our views differ in many respects—though I had never met him before."

"It’s hard to describe that feeling, it’s like you reach out your hand without meaning to and catch a strand of hair floating in the air, only a few microns in diameter."

"I understand their feelings. At first, I didn’t believe I could really finish the work, but once I started, I never thought about these things. I just tried as best as I could to simulate Stanley’s way of thinking and strive to complete it. As I said before, although Stanley and I had many differences, I respected him a lot."

"They were excellent, both Nicole and Tom. Stanley inviting them to play this couple couldn’t have been more appropriate; they both gave their all in portraying their roles."

"Yes, the pressure was immense, since in the history of Hollywood, such scenes had never been filmed before. As for the rating, that’s a matter for the MPAA. If they think it’s fine, what more is there to question?"

After the broadcast, ABC’s ratings inevitably rose by several percentage points, and the public became even more curious about Adrian. A young director who wasn’t particularly fond of Kubrick, but out of respect took over the directorial baton after he had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed, and miraculously helped him fulfill his wish without leaving this world with regrets—sounds incredible, doesn’t it?

Thus, in the eyes of the ordinary people, Adrian began to appear great. However, the critics found a perfect excuse. They claimed that since Adrian didn’t much like Kubrick, how could he possibly produce a film in his style? They believed Kubrick had been misled to agree, and the subsequent reactions were probably sarcastic.

Look at where they’ve gotten to now; sadly, after half a month of debate, not many people cared about their comments anymore, as these matters had not gathered as much attention as the debates about the movie ratings.

"Once the New York Times raised doubts about the rating of ’Eyes Wide Shut,’ more conservatives joined the fray. They all believed that rating this movie R was highly inappropriate."

"The definition of R is that the film contains adult content, including numerous scenes of sex, violence, drug use, and profanity; while NC-17 is defined by clear sexual intercourse scenes, a lot of drug use or violent scenes, and profanity, etc. Anyway, ’Eyes Wide Shut’ fits the latter rather than the former. One can say that the MPAA has been negligent in this area," stated a spokesperson for a conservative group publicly.

But the head of the MPAA immediately rebutted, "According to Section 14, Article 17, the jury members have the right to classify movies according to their own views. The rating process is evaluated by five professionals and is subject to two reassessments. Therefore, such accusations are utterly baseless."

The confrontation was lively as both sides exchanged fiery words, but no matter how many criticized the inappropriate rating, it was useless; the rating had been set and the movie was already being screened in major theaters. Even if the MPAA were to admit the rating was inappropriate, it would be too late, and the MPAA wouldn’t allow outsiders to meddle anyhow.

"This is the advantage of having a say in the MPAA," Adrian said to Claude.

"You had it all planned, didn’t you?" Claude replied.

"Yes, I had it already planned, just need your support," Adrian nodded.

"Don’t worry, if everything goes smoothly, you won’t have to wait too long," Claude said with a confident smile.

Well, let’s not talk about this, as it still requires a few months. Meanwhile, the media debates about ’Eyes Wide Shut’ are still ongoing, even more so than the original had ever caused. It’s something to be proud of.

However, as the end of the month approached, the Oscars were fast approaching, and various predictions began to dominate the pages again. Also, Adrian made a few rare TV appearances, so the fervor was gradually declining—at least, it allowed him to focus more on other aspects, such as—

"Woohoo!" Drew shouted as he jumped into a high kick, even rubbing his nose with his thumb akin to Bruce Lee, appearing quite adorable.

Cameron tried to follow with a similar kick, but instead of lowering her foot, she tried to keep it straight, tilting her body to form almost a straight line with her other leg. This stance didn’t last long, only a few seconds before she staggered almost falling, but Adrian caught her immediately.

"Although I know you’ve trained well, don’t overdo it," he teased.

"Camy just wanted you to taste her leg skills," Drew said with a chuckle.

"I’ve tasted them already," Adrian quipped. Indeed, he had already experienced them; both women draping a leg over him was a bit tricky but thrilling.

Since their threesome, Drew and Cameron had based their friendship more or less on mutual support, which wasn’t all bad, even if it always involved the three of them. Adrian was still able to satisfy them easily, and he himself could have more fun.

Beside them, Kelly Hu’s expression changed subtly. How could she not understand the implication? However, she was clearly good at fitting in; she had gotten along well with Drew and Cameron over time, so even if she realized something, she would pretend not to notice it, although she inevitably glanced at Adrian occasionally.

Such actions naturally did not escape Adrian’s notice, had he not already tried Kelly’s leg skills as well, which were also quite delightful.

"Alright, it’s time to start shooting," noticing the director’s hand signal in the distance, Adrian made a gesture, "Now let me see how you apply your training results in the actual shoot."

This was one of the reasons he took the time to visit the set of ’Charlie’s Angels.’ Yuan Zhenyang, who was responsible for their training, had affirmed their diligence, and Adrian wanted to see the actual shooting results because the next movie he was directing, ’The Matrix,’ was about to start production soon. (To be continued. If you like this novel, you are welcome to vote at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)