Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1296 Jack Nicholson's Addiction to Acting

"This is too... How could they not have a video recorder?"

Ronald ran into a little trouble with his Oscar PR for "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Other People's Money."

Many judges who received the videotapes sent by Ronald told him through his agent that although they really wanted to watch his movies at home, they could not enjoy them because they did not have a VCR.

How could anyone in Hollywood not have a VCR? Who doesn't have a pile of videotapes at home, ready to use for business research? Even Spielberg, who keeps a large number of film copies at home, sometimes has to watch VHS tapes for convenience.

"The latest VCR has been upgraded with S HD function and Hi-Fi audio output, you know..." Richard said to Ronald with a smile. These people just wanted to get a free VCR with the latest features.

"I suggest you give him a VCR as a gift. You've already given him a gift certificate in the videotapes, so why not be a good person to the end? Otherwise, he'll only be half happy. When he looks at the two videotapes, he'll think you still owe him a VCR, and then he won't appreciate your kindness..."

"Damn, these actors are really..." Ronald felt that he really had to spend some money on this matter, otherwise it would have a counterproductive effect and it would be better not to do it.

"Let me remind you that this is a violation of the rules of the Academy of Motion Picture Technology and Arts. Film stakeholders participating in the Oscar selection are not allowed to give gifts to judges who are qualified to make nominations..." Michael Gray was also present, and he came to stop it as soon as he heard it.

"Damn it..." Ronald had no choice but to pick up the phone and call his private lawyer Lindsay Doll for advice.

"If you want to be completely compliant, you can't just give one gift. Otherwise, it will still be suspicious and people will talk about it. A suspicious gift can only be mixed in with many other gifts to avoid attracting other people's attention..."

Lindsay Doll is a practicing lawyer in New York and is very familiar with the public relations of such companies. There are many listed companies in Manhattan that want to please securities analysts, and there is a mature set of practices on how to do so as not to violate SEC regulations.

Ronald readily followed suit and used the dividends from his own stocks to buy a lot of products from the company he owned. He then packaged them into coupons for a discount club, made a package, and gave another big gift package to the judges who gave away the videotapes.

As a Hollywood celebrity, it is normal for a company that specializes in selling coupons to want you to expand its influence, right? Everyone knows that celebrities have connections, which is equivalent to giving you a free trial. If you use it well and recommend it to your friends, it means saving a lot of marketing costs. It is also legitimate to bring it to court.

Since celebrities often give interviews, they can get good results just by mentioning a product. So it's normal for mature consumer product companies to send samples for this promotion, right?
So, soon, a hodgepodge gift package containing coupons for McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Coca-Cola, etc., as well as Microsoft Windows 3.0 software, was sent to the addresses of all of Ronald's target objects.

The most important one is of course Sony's VHS recorder. It is a high-end product with the latest S-terminal and Hi-Fi audio interface. The definition has been increased from the normal 250 lines to 400 lines.

"How come Sony has also released a VHS format video recorder?" Ronald also got one home. After installing it, the image was indeed clearer and the sound was stereo.

"They lost the war on videotape formats..." Richard, who came to report on his work, replied with a smile.

In the decade-long videotape format war, Sony's Beta format was still defeated by VHS. Every few years, Sony would always release an upgraded Beta format that was ahead of VHS in video clarity and sound, but each time it was quickly caught up by VHS.

And VHS always leads in capacity. The latest LP-format VHS tapes can even hold the extended version of "Dances with Wolves" (more than three hours long).

So, starting last year, Sony also surrendered and started making VHS format videotape players. Of course, Sony maintained its usual high standards, and all details were better than those of JVC and Pioneer, the founders of VHS. Even the remote control had more functions and was densely packed with buttons.

……

The Golden Globe nominations have been announced, with Warren Beatty's "The Silence of the Lambs," starring him and his pregnant girlfriend Annette Bening, receiving eight nominations.

Next are movies with similar three or four nominations, such as The Silence of the Lambs, JFK, Thelma and Louise, Prince of Troubles, etc.

Ronald's "Other People's Money," Laura Dern's "A Rose That Hurts Easily," and Bette Midler's "For the Boys," all without big PR budgets, received just one major nomination each.

They are Laura Dern's Best Actress in a Drama, Bette Midler's Best Actress in a Comedy, and Diane's Best Supporting Actress (the Golden Globe Awards for supporting actors are not divided into categories).

Because there is no direct competition, the two friends can still maintain a harmonious relationship. Diane and Laura Dunn chat at home about what clothes to wear and how to match jewelry.

Ronald was in a meeting with Bob Reiner and others outside. The film project of "A Few Good Men" has now reached a critical moment.

Ronald was ready to invest some money as a major investor in the film and break up Ovitz's packaged project. Bob Reiner still wanted his favorite James Woods to play the villainous colonel. His Castle Rock Productions was a small-scale company that mainly served him and a few good friends.

For him, box office and the overall quality of the film are not contradictory. James Woods' acting, which can instantly switch between good and evil expressions, is an important asset. The most important dramatic moment in this movie is that the colonel appears as a good guy at the beginning, but it is not until the third act that he is gradually revealed to be the culprit behind the ordering of soldiers to abuse their comrades.

Robert Reiner didn't understand why Ronald was so concerned about Demi Moore's participation. Annette Bening auditioned while pregnant and performed very well.

The role of the female lawyer is not a very important one. She only needs two qualities to be competent. The first is that she looks good in a uniform, which makes people feel sexy at first glance. The second is that she needs to have certain acting skills. She needs to be able to match the looks of Tom Cruise and the acting skills of James Wood, and not be obviously weak in one shot.

Moreover, if it was Diane Lane who wanted this role, he could understand it. But now it is Demi Moore, she and Annette Bening are both female stars backed by big-name male stars, and each of them has their own strengths.

As long as Bening takes some time to recover after giving birth, her level of voluptuousness and sexiness is not much different from that of Demi Moore, who gave birth a few months earlier. In fact, female actors will have a rebound period of glamor due to the influence of hormones after giving birth.

So if we talk about the pros and cons of the two, Demi Moore is slightly better in terms of sexiness, and Annette Bening also has a slight advantage in acting. Reiner has no particular preference between the two.

Ronald smiled and said, "It's very simple. Demi Moore is in his camp and became famous for starring in his movies. Annette Bening joined Warren Beatty, which means she joined Ovitz's side. It's that simple."

Now it's not about calculating with you the comprehensive score of the star's cost-effectiveness, acting skills and appearance. Now it's about dividing you into camps and using whoever is your own.

"But if you use Demi Moore, James Wood won't come..." Bob Reiner was a little painful. Although getting Ronald's investment was a great thing, in addition to the cooperation between the handsome Tom Cruise and the beautiful Demi Moore, he had good relations with Columbia, Samsung, and Disney, and he must have taken advantage of the distribution schedule.

But in this "Few Good Guys", the most crucial role is definitely the villain Colonel. Without a suitable acting talent, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore would definitely not be able to support this key part of the play.

"He's not the only one who can play the role in Hollywood, right?" Ronald thought. It wasn't him in the dream, and he was more suitable than him...

"Unless you can find Marlon Brando or Jack Nicholson..." Bob Reiner was devastated. Brando now acted based on his own preferences, and he had always been anti-war, so he was definitely not interested in this movie that essentially spoke well of the military.

Jack Nicholson... well, after making 60 million, he now asks for more than 10 million for supporting roles. Whether he can pay or not is secondary, but Tom Cruise's 12.5 million is unbalanced, and the salaries of Demi Moore and others will also be unbalanced. If the salary structure of the entire film collapses, the male and female protagonists may even have to withdraw from the show.

Ronald is so confident. If he finds an unsuitable actor, it will be difficult for him. Should he find an excuse to withdraw from the project? No, Ronald is also an expert in directing. Let's be honest. If I change an ordinary actor, I can't direct him to the level I want. Why don't you find someone else?

"Don't worry, I will find the right person..." Ronald reassured Reiner and ended the meeting.

"Hi, Diane..." Reiner waved to Diane and Laura Dunn and left.

"I have to go out for a while to help Bob find actors..." Ronald went over and kissed Diane on the forehead.

"Okay..." Diane waved with a smile...

"Oh... I know this movie. Many actresses want to play it. Don't you want to play it?" Laura Dern deliberately made a surprised sound beside her. Diane and she both played rock girls in the past, and she was not necessarily much better than herself in the same movie.

Now that she is with a big director and has a lot of resources, she still has to make great sacrifices in the movie to get a Golden Globe nomination. Diane can get a nomination just by wearing lawyer's work clothes, shaking her hips and smiling. To be honest, she is a little unconvinced.

What a chance, why not give your bestie some eye drops? Ronald nominated Demi Moore to star in the film. Who knows what's going on inside?
"I don't want to act. I've already played the role of a lawyer..." Diane answered with a smile. Her current requirements for the script are either that it must be a type she has never played before, or that it must be directed by Ronald. There are only a few good guys. Neither of these two requirements meets her, so she has no interest in competing for it.

"Why, do you want to act? I'll ask for you?" Diane also changed the subject. Girlfriends are used for comparison to create a sense of superiority, but the heroine needs a sexy bomb. Are you interested in the supporting role?"

A quick and accurate blow directly hit the heart of the bestie, leaving Laura Dern speechless. She played a slut in "Rambling Rose", and the young men in the town lined up to have an affair with her, but to be honest, that performance was not very convincing...

……

"Ahahaha, Ronald, you're here. Come on, let me introduce you to each other. This is Jessica, this is Rosemary, and this is..."

Jack Nicholson was in his bachelor's nest, wearing pajamas, leather slippers, a cigar in one hand and a brandy bottle in the other, looking debauched.

"Wow..." Ronald looked at the beauties in bikinis blowing kisses to him in the indoor swimming pool. He cried out that he couldn't take it anymore. He sat on the chair, tilted his head, pulled out a bra from under his buttocks, and threw it aside. "I came here to find you to act. It's a good role with a lot of room for development. If you don't want it, I'll find someone else..."

"What play?" Jack Nicholson put down the bottle, took out a pair of glasses and put them on, "There are only a few good guys, which one should I play?"

He didn't get the title of emperor by chance. His biggest characteristic is that he is crazy about acting. Once he gets a good role, he will immediately lose his frivolous expression and show the seriousness of playing the clown.

After reading two pages of the colonel's script brought by Ronald, Jack Nicholson's expression became serious. It was really powerful. He admitted that he was a criminal in court. A villain with extraordinary pride would rather admit his crime than have his beliefs insulted. It was really powerful!

Ronald smiled slightly. The last scene of the stage play he saw was weak and not powerful enough. Finding flaws in the colonel's testimony in the flight log was too stupid. Didn't the hero's lawyer find someone to verify the colonel's testimony before? Why did he wait until the last scene to use it? It was particularly deliberate.

He basically rewrote the story, and the lawyer played by Tom Cruise actually did not find any inconsistencies in the flight records. He just decided to take a risk and defraud the colonel. If the colonel did not fall into the trap, then his lawyer's license might face disciplinary punishment for fraud in court.

In the end, the colonel did not confess his guilt because of the evidence, but because his lawyer challenged his consistent requirement that soldiers be mentally strong in order to maintain the morale and safety of the US military at the Guantanamo base next to Cuba.

In other words, the colonel believes that his action of letting the soldiers physically punish the coward is just. He is the typical bad guy who thinks he is not wrong. This can give the audience a greater shock in the drama, making the lawyer's behavior in the last scene truly heart-wrenching.

Sure enough, this story deeply attracted Jack Nicholson. He put down the script and shouted upstairs, "Rebecca, Rebecca, call my agent."

A beautiful woman came down with a baby, picked up the phone and started dialing.

This is Jack Nicholson’s official girlfriend, Rebecca Broussard. It can only be said that Ronald doesn’t understand the world of Playboys. His regular girlfriend and temporary girlfriend don’t interfere with each other. This management ability is top-notch in Hollywood.

"This is the advantage of not getting married..." Jack Nicholson boasted to Ronald quietly. He knew very well the envy on the guests' faces when they saw this scene.

"But you can't enjoy your family either... forget it..." Ronald waved his hand. Why was I talking to him about this?

"Very good, I'll take the role, will you direct it?"

"Bob Reiner, he's more suitable for this kind of drama adaptation... I'll be the producer."

"He's good, so let's say 10 million. My current market price is 12 million. I'll give you a discount..." Jack Nicholson was in a good mood.

"Five million, it's just a supporting role. If I give you five million, you'll be the highest paid supporting role in Hollywood..."

"That won't work. Now I don't care whether I play the main character or the supporting role, the price is the same..."

"But you can't play such a good role..." Ronald knew that Jack Nicholson was still eager to play a role. He had made enough money from those bad roles. Five million was a fair price.

"My agent won't agree..." Jack Nicholson curled his lips.

"You played the Joker and earned 60 million, and you also had lawyer Mickey Kent to help you keep an eye on the subsequent share of the profits. What does money mean to you? This role can be passed down to future generations..."

"Fuck you..." Jack Nicholson worked for Roger Corman for ten years, always getting minimum wage. Now that he's successful, Ronald helped him get the role that paid more than anyone else could earn in ten years. Plus, he was so excited about the role that he really wanted to act in it.

"I can't make things difficult for my agent, so I'll shoot for ten days and then the price will be right." Jack Nicholson looked at the script, estimated the length, and came up with a solution that had the best of both worlds.

"Two weeks plus a possible five days of reshoots. Ten days is too short. Of course, we can tell the public that it was ten days..."

"Let's do it..." Jack Nicholson was happy. He had played a lot of bad roles to make money, and now he could finally enjoy playing a difficult role.

"Jessica, Rosemary, here I come..."

With that he jumped into the swimming pool with a bang, splashing water all over the place. All the beauties were scared and screamed, it was very satisfying.

……

"Jack Nicholson agreed?" Bob Reiner was very shocked when he saw the contract. Could he actually invite the most suitable actor?
"Five million, the salary is reasonable, but he can only shoot for two weeks..."

"No problem, I'll just concentrate on filming his scenes together..." Reiner looked at Ronald with a strange look. His ability to integrate resources is even stronger than Ovitz's.

(End of this chapter)