King of Hollywood
Chapter 481 - 202: The Incomprehensible Script

Chapter 481: Chapter 202: The Incomprehensible Script

The screenwriters from the review department left with confusion and incomprehension: why would the Miracle Director want to write a script that no one could understand? However, it did not stop them from quickly organizing the script and returning it to Adrian. All the writers in Bossworth Film’s review department knew this was a good deal, and even the contracted writers from other movie companies—let alone other big firms—envied them.

There were generally two scenarios: Adrian would give an outline, and they would fill in the details before he reviewed it, revising it repeatedly until he was satisfied. The other scenario was Adrian writing it himself, but because of the rush to finish, it was quite disorganized and needed to be formatted into a standard script by them. But either way, it was a sure win; the scripts filled out from an outline either sold well or had good reviews, and for those that they helped organize, Adrian didn’t skimp on listing their names in the screenwriter column.

Not to mention the generous rewards, and those writers from Bossworth, having been squeezed for more, had their own set of techniques for storytelling. Several who left Bossworth were also favored by many producers, enough to make others green with envy. Speaking of which, film screenwriters in Hollywood had a lower status than television writers. Film screenwriters either finished a script and then sold it to a producer or film company, or they were under contract to complete a certain script, and once the movie was produced, they were out of the picture.

But television writers were different, with many popular TV series being written as they were filmed, and even taking the audience’s wishes into consideration. Not long ago, ABC conducted a survey on their website on whether Raymond should break up with his current girlfriend; with a 73% approval rate, the supporting actress saw the remainder of her scenes for the next three episodes cut. Plus, they held some rights to the script, so television writers had relatively more power, with many minor actors trying to get the writers to give them more lines.

Well, leaving that topic aside, once the script was organized, it was time to select actors and start work, which Adrian planned to complete within two months. This was not part of his plans for the year; he was whimsically following up on a chance encounter. Besides the almost-completed "Shakespeare in Love" and "Elizabeth," set for release later in the year, there was also "The Matrix" waiting for the summer blockbuster season and a film prepared for Monica after summer. The sudden decision to write a new script and start filming right away was also due to some people starting to grumble again.

The 70th Oscar ceremony was approaching, and without a doubt, the most talked-about film was "Titanic," the super blockbuster. Nearly 300 million dollars in investment returned 2 billion at the global box office, along with an unprecedented 15 nominations. No one would underestimate James Cameron again, and of course, Adrian, who invested, contributed to the script, and took part in the production, even less so. Such massive box office returns, even with various dividends and expenses deducted, still netted several hundred million in pure profit. Nobody mocked him for having too much money to burn anymore, and the Oscar nominations acted as a tonic, rekindling interest in the moribund ship, stirring a wave of envy and resentment.

For every admirer, there were detractors, and while Adrian solidified his reputation for impeccable judgment with "Titanic," he had no nominations at this year’s Oscars, despite at least having a screenplay nomination last year. This was not surprising, as the only film of his released last year was "Eyes Wide Shut," taken over from Stanley Kubrick. Since Kubrick’s films were never favored by the Film Academy and Adrian’s involvement in the "Titanic" script but refusal to sign his name, it was quite normal to have no nominations.

Some took this opportunity to criticize him, saying that the Oscars were finally unbiased, implying he had exhausted his talent and was heading downhill, and with sarcasm, some said Adrian had meticulously analyzed Kubrick’s work, even learning how to miss out on nominations.

Those previous points were of no consequence, typical media methods to attract attention, but the latter view sparked much comment. As time passed, "Eyes Wide Shut" was extensively analyzed and compared with Kubrick’s earlier works. Like those films, it gathered increasing praise over time, at least regarding color and music soundtrack.

If this were a work of Kubrick’s, people would have bestowed all manner of praise on it. But the issue was that it happened to be from Adrian, who, not even thirty years old, had already won the Oscar for Best Director and was excessively young in the directing industry. Moreover, he had considerable achievements in screenwriting and production, as well as being a super-rich media mogul.

Such a person could produce commercially successful films, ones the Film Academy liked, but to produce Kubrick-style films—that is, those purported to be a "deep exploration of humanity," "anti-human nature of the system," and so on—was something that many critics, who viewed the sanctity of film art as inviolable, were reluctant to believe. Even after the film’s release and the confirmation that the paralyzed Kubrick gave it a thumbs-up during its screening, many still refused to believe it.

"Adrian could easily have modified the film, made it less obscure, touching on themes without going too far, and then he would not have missed out on all the nominations," one critic wrote, seemingly out of concern for him. But what they were really saying was evident to the discerning reader, revealing much about these people’s absurd opinions.

Adrian originally paid them no mind; they were just enjoying running their mouths, defensively supporting their idols. Every criticism, including any mention of being replaced, was intolerable. Despite the immaturity of this behavior, it wasn’t exclusive to the young, and not every critic could objectively see things.

He couldn’t be bothered to respond and rejected all interviews. Those comments would soon vanish without any need for his attention, until he met Naomi Watts.

The beautiful woman, born in the United Kingdom and raised in Australia, really had a rough time. She had been a model and a minor office worker, never quite finding her place, until she finally seized an opportunity to become an actress. After several fruitless years in Hollywood, she could only get roles as an extra in various TV shows or movies, and she was on the verge of a breakdown until she played the lead role in David Lynch’s "Mulholland Drive" and became an overnight success, a prime example of a late bloomer.

Yes, David Lynch, not David Fincher. Different last names, completely different directorial styles. Although Fincher enjoys shooting films with profound themes and a sharp, impactful editing style, his films are essentially comprehensible. Lynch, who gained fame earlier, was different—his earliest work "Eraser Head" was an obscure and difficult movie. It was "Twin Peaks," after several bumps from film to television, that was somewhat understandable. Others, such as "Blue Velvet" or the Cage-starring "Wild at Heart," were painfully incomprehensible.

Moreover, his work had become increasingly erratic over the years. His film from last year, "Lost Highway," provoked many of his former supporters to issue strong criticisms. Consequently, David Lynch had begun to reflect, and a few years later came "Mulholland Drive," a film supposedly requiring a high IQ to comprehend, but unfortunately, he no longer had the opportunity to make it.

That’s right, the screenplay that Adrian had written was "Mulholland Drive," completed within two months just in time for the Cannes Film Festival. They liked to complain, so he was going to use facts to show them he could shoot anything.

It wasn’t for spite; he had just come across it and thought of many interesting things. Truth be told, although Hollywood was full of beautiful women, and Naomi Watts was on the older side, she was still among the best. If she was willing to go all out, she wouldn’t have ended up in the state Adrian found her, and this was why he got the idea.

Even the most determined people would change after hitting repeated dead ends. Extending a helping hand when she was most vulnerable and in need of help, winning her over was a piece of cake. That’s why Adrian put on quite the performance following her that night. Not entirely an act, as half of what he said was sincere. He genuinely found her impressive, a woman who kept persevering was always attractive, irresistibly compelling one to hold her close and shape her into the image he desired.

Besides, he had indeed seen her audition tapes for a few of the supporting female roles in "A Time to Kill," but he hadn’t paid much attention then. The sense of familiarity upon seeing her that night was indeed influenced by memories from his past life, but even his impressions from this life were not bad. Given that, what was the problem with using "Mulholland Drive" to thrust her into stardom and then slap some people in the face? Moreover, he could... He quickly conceived of a plan that would serve several purposes with one deed.

As for David Lynch, who cared about his thoughts? Since he had copied so much already, what did one more matter, especially since Adrian wasn’t exactly fond of him? Lynch’s trademarks, as mentioned earlier, were his peculiarity and penchant for counter-mainstream editing, chopping his films into such a mess that it was impossible to figure out the story.

Adrian might not like Stanley Kubrick, but he at least maintained some respect for him. Despite Kubrick’s slow pacing, lengthy plots, and plenty of inexplicable dialogue, his films at least had a complete storyline and played a significant role in advancing film technology, such as the groundbreaking effects in "2001: A Space Odyssey" that had influenced both Lucas and Cameron.

Lynch, however, had completely abandoned any logical storytelling. Even his first works had some semblance of a framework, but later, it was just a random collection of unrelated scenes—as if one took all the sentences from a novel, scrambled them, and then haphazardly reassembled them. Each word would be familiar on its own, but put together, it was incomprehensible.

Nevertheless, a film is not a novel; it has visuals and sound. Therefore, Lynch’s films were filled with bizarre, violent, and erotic images to captivate audiences and let them fill in the blanks—a well-known ability. Viewers tend to complete unfinished stories in their own imagined ways, seemingly wrapping them up in a neat circle. And nobody wants to admit to a lack of understanding, much like the Emperor’s New Clothes.

This was precisely what Adrian hated the most, and especially after making, or shall we say, copying so many films, he doubled down on his belief: a good film must first have a captivating story. Whether it’s film, painting, or music, entertainment is the primary purpose. Only after fulfilling the need for entertainment should one ascend to discuss art. To bypass entertainment in favor of art is simply backwards thinking.

So despite Lynch not abandoning his tricks in "Mulholland Drive," by adding a seemingly plausible main storyline, the film immediately garnered acclaim. Then came a variety of conjectures and interpretations, as if each scene held a profound significance.

The possible interpretations and analyses abounded, hinting at all sorts of meanings as if every shot carried deep purpose.

In his past life, he had read plenty of film reviews—whether from China or the United States—and found it amusing that these people, brimming with a sense of superiority, failed to understand that any film school graduate could create such movies. Lynch could make as many as he wanted, and as they basked in the sunlight, pontificating on the film’s allegories, Lynch was probably hiding in some corner, looking at them either with pride or with scornful amusement.

Enough about that; the editing department took only one day to get everything sorted out, and Adrian began to make preparations. The film required very little.

The knock, knock, knock at the door was followed by Charlize appearing at the entrance: "Sir, there is a young lady outside wishing to see you. She said she had an appointment."

"You could have said that over the phone or just let her in, Charli," Adrian looked up and smiled slightly. Although Charlize addressed him formally as ’sir,’ her lips turned upward in a subtle smirk of irony and resignation, making her seem both defiant and adorable.

"I thought this would be more formal," Charlize shrugged, her tone laced with indiscernible mockery. However, Adrian had no intention of arguing over it at that moment, and with a wave of his hands, he said, "Alright, my dear, please let her in."

The stunning secretarial assistant huffed lightly and turned to walk away, ever so stubborn. The knocking soon resumed, even though the door remained ajar after Charlize left.

"Come in, Naomi. I’ve been waiting for you for quite a while," Adrian stood up and gestured invitingly.

Naomi came in with a reserved smile, then sat down in front of the desk. Dressed in a white suit, she looked very spirited today—fine eyebrows, a prominent nose, and rosy lips none of which lacked refinement. She had evidently dressed meticulously, her soft waves cascading over her shoulders. With her long legs sheathed in flesh-colored stockings, and her five-inch heels, she radiated the sensuality unique to a mature woman.

"Sorry, I’m a few minutes late," she said with an apologetic smile.

"No problem, waiting for a lady is a virtue," Adrian responded with a smile. "You look very beautiful today."

The undisguised admiration in his voice made the corners of Naomi’s mouth curl slightly, "Thank you, you can call me Nami, Ed."

"All right, Nami," Adrian nodded, a hint of brightness flashing in his eyes, then he passed a document from the desk to her, "The reason I asked you here today is that we have something to discuss. Take a look at this first."

Naomi took the document, and upon glancing at the cover, she trembled slightly; how could she not recognize what he was giving her? Fortunately, she quickly regained control of her emotions, looked deep into Adrian’s eyes, and then began flipping through it. The office remained quiet for the next several minutes, with only Charlize bringing in coffee once. Naomi read the script slowly, savouring before turning each page, and although sometimes she furrowed her brows in confusion, she didn’t look up to ask anything. This pleased Adrian, who sat across the desk, ostensibly reading documents but stealthily watching her.

"I’ve finished," Naomi said after closing the script and taking a long breath, "I’m sorry, Ed, I didn’t understand the story, except for the female lead hiring a hit on her lesbian lover."

"That’s normal, I never intended for it to be easily understood," Adrian laughed, "You can take it home and read it carefully over a couple of days. I need you to really ponder the protagonist’s mindset, and then we can discuss the story."

"You mean... you mean the female lead?" Naomi hesitated, her breathing hastening slightly.

"Yes, I’ve told you, you’re a very promising actress. So I’ve arranged this script for you to play the lead role, with me directing. We’ll finish shooting and editing within two months and then submit it to the Cannes Film Festival in May—if they’re willing, perhaps they’ll award me another Palme d’Or," Adrian said the last part nonchalantly, but considering his achievements, no one could doubt him.

So Naomi bowed her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, which wasn’t something she could be blamed for. In just over a week, her life had changed dramatically, and now she was about to play the lead role in a film directed by the Miracle Director, a fact that spoke for itself.

"You won’t disappoint me, will you?" Adrian asked softly at this moment.

"No, absolutely not," Naomi raised her head, her voice firm even though her eyes were slightly red, but no tears fell. She then stood up, "I will take it and reflect on it."

"I’m looking forward to your thoughts," Adrian stood as well, speaking with an encouraging tone.

Naomi hesitated, then lowered her voice, "Ed, I... can I invite you to dinner tonight?"

Adrian raised his eyebrows in surprise but didn’t reply.

"Just some simple food at my apartment, you know I... I just... want to express my gratitude..." Naomi’s voice trailed off, her gaze turning away, betraying a hint of shyness.

"I’d be happy to accept," Adrian smiled, his eyes sparkling again, "but unfortunately, I have a reception to attend tonight, so let’s say we discuss the script next time, which is just a few days away."

Though somewhat disappointed, Naomi managed a small smile in response to his gentle gaze and nodded.

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to support it by casting your recommendation votes and monthly votes on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.)