The lights in the theater came back on, and the audience looked at each other, then started talking quietly, and finally merged into a continuous background noise.
Ronald and Antonia discussed it, got up and went to the back to see the situation. At the door of the screening room, director Alan Parker's face was ashen and frightening. Under the shadow, his face looked like an amphibian, and swear words that he never repeated came out of his mouth angrily.
Producer David da Silva was wiping sweat with a handkerchief. After wiping the sweat on his forehead, he turned the handkerchief over and wiped the sweat on his neck again. As a result, sweat came out of his forehead again, like a piece full of water. Sponge, water comes out when squeezed.
"This is an unacceptable situation. We made a total of two 70mm copies, and one was damaged during the first screening. You have to be responsible for compensation." Alan Parker grabbed the person in charge of the cinema and began to chatter. How expensive are 70mm copies.
Ronald glanced through the gap in the crowd and saw a man sitting on the ground, covering his head with a towel in his hand. Blood was still seeping out, which was scary.
The man was the projectionist. Perhaps he was careless or lacked thorough training. After loading the print into the film barrel above the projector, he forgot to lock it.
After the high-speed motor was turned on, the center of gravity shifted and the film was torn off. The entire film flew out and hit the wall. The plastic shaft in the center of the film winder also flew out, hit the wall alone and then rebounded. Injured the projectionist's forehead.
"Now is not the time to hold people accountable. There are nearly 1,000 audiences and guests outside, so let's think about how to show it." Ronald grabbed producer David Da Silva and said in his ear.
"Yes, yes, can the film still be spliced? We need to continue showing it." David da Silva reacted. If the premiere cannot be shown, it will really make the headlines tomorrow.
This is not the kind of headline a movie needs for marketing.
The person in charge of the cinema discussed with his subordinates and first carried out the injured projectionist, then replaced him with another projectionist and began to pick up the film on the spot.
Ronald shook his head and walked back. The aisle was already surrounded by spectators.
"It's really unlucky that there was an accident at the premiere of the movie." Ronald said in a low voice.
"No, this is a good sign." The speaker was Big Brain Bert who also came to watch the fun.
"Huh?" Ronald looked up and saw Diane Lane and Bert, and chatted with them for a few words.
"In Hollywood, screening accidents at premieres are generally considered to be a very good omen." Bert has been a teacher in acting training classes for many years and is quite familiar with the ins and outs of Hollywood.
"The first was Clark Gable's 'It Happened One Night'. There was a screening accident at the premiere. As a result, not only was it a box office hit, the film also won an Oscar. It included Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actor, Winning the five most important awards for Best Screenplay together."
"Then there's 'Gone with the Wind'. It is said that a screening accident also occurred at the premiere. It still holds the record for the most viewers and won four of the five major Oscars. Ronald, I heard that you also signed Now that you’re a screenwriter, I think you also have hope of winning an award.”
The three of them laughed and returned to their seats.
"It was a screening accident. It will probably start again soon." Ronald whispered to Antonia. The two of them waited peacefully on their seats, holding hands.
Ten minutes later, the lights dimmed again. After MGM's The Lion's Roar, the film that followed was shortened due to splicing, and Ronald felt the screen jump, skipping the subtitles of Alan Parker's work.
After the movie opens, there is a subtitle of "Selection and Audition", and then it is followed by scenes of the protagonists undergoing entrance interviews.
Ronald felt that Alan Parker did not tell a complete story, nor was it a group scene, but interspersed fragments of various characters according to time.
The movie cut out a lot of footage of the sports student played by Ronald participating in the art school entrance interview, leaving only a dozen seconds. But it was also a complete joke, and many viewers laughed out loud.
Then there are the subtitles of "First Year", "Second Year"..."Graduation", dividing the movie into different parts in chronological order. It's a bit like a visual "Facebook", interspersed with clips of the life of art school students from enrollment to graduation.
Ronald participated in the filming of the entire movie and did not participate in the post-production. He never expected that Alan Parker would edit the entire movie into such an incomplete story. Will the audience like this mosaic-style movie?
It’s hard to say, but according to Ronald’s secret observation, at least a few of the singing and dancing sequences were still very exciting, and the audience couldn’t take their eyes off them. But switching to those plots that expose the dark side of society, the audience went to the bathroom one after another.
After the film of more than 2 hours and 20 minutes was played, this time without Barbra Streisand taking the lead, the audience spontaneously began to applaud and continued politely for several minutes. Ronald didn't know for a moment whether the audience was applauding for the wonderful plot or because the lengthy movie was finally over.
Ronald and Antonia said yes and hurried to the bathroom to line up and listen to the audience's immediate feedback. Ronald is in the men's room and Antonia goes to the women's room.
Ronald observed the male audience, most of whom were discussing the bodies of ballet actresses, the wonderful dance routines, and a few good interludes.
But no one discusses abortion, interracial couples, coercion into adult movies, the Catholic Church’s foolishness in not letting children go to the hospital and relying on prayer to heal their illnesses, these profoundly revealing social negative scenarios. They may not even be aware of the existence of these plots.
I'm afraid Alan Parker will be disappointed. What the audience loves to watch more is the explosive singing and dancing. Rather than doing this, it would be better to remove these plots and at least rate it at a PG level, with more singing and dancing, and more box office.
The queue for the women's restroom was much longer. As Ronald waited for Antonia in the aisles, he bumped into producer David da Silva, who had also come to eavesdrop on audience feedback.
"What do you think? Ronald?" David was a little nervous and asked Ronald to ease it, hoping to get a reassuring answer.
"I think the audience likes singing and dancing..." Ronald explained his observations and thoughts to da Silva. "If the negative social plots were cut out, maybe it could still be rated pg."
"No, that's not the main reason." Da Silva explained the reason for the R rating. "Several upper-body frontal nudity and the suggestion that unprotected sex among teenagers leads to abortion are moderate issues that the rating committee really rated as serious issues. It’s a foul language.”
"What? Swear words, there is no swear words in this movie?"
"Yeah, I don't think there are a lot of bad words, but the rating committee counted a total of 12 shxt, 64 fuxk, 13 axshole, and 7 bxtch."
"Can't these be deleted or re-dubbed? If it can be rated pg, there will be many more young viewers. Aren't these the main audience for this film?"
Ronald didn't understand.
"Director Allen insists, and we don't want to be in a stalemate with him too much."
Da Silva looked a little regretful, "You don't know, Alan Parker's first cut version was a full 10 hours, and MGM ordered him to cut it to less than 2 hours, and he wanted to keep the 4-hour release version. "
"No movie theater will show this... for 4 hours, right?"
"He wanted to make it into two parts, but the publisher thought it was a fantasy. After many negotiations, Allen agreed to cut it to less than 2 hours and 30 minutes. This is his bottom line. If we still want him to cut out the foul language, Then he threatened to burn the film and would rather not show it in America."
"..."
Ronald felt that the director was a little too obsessed with exposing the dark side of America. Like Roger Corman, putting these real dark sides in the background can also have the effect of revealing, and there will be more Wouldn't it be better if more people watch your movies and receive social education?
While he was thinking, Ronald heard Antonia calling for help "Ronald, help!"
Antonia was recognized in the bathroom and was surrounded by female audience members, shouting the name of her character Hillary and asking for her autograph.
Hillary, who had never seen such a thing before, was frightened and fled quickly. In the corridor outside the bathroom, he shouted loudly for Ronald to come to the rescue.
Ronald hurried forward, protected Antonia's surroundings, and led her to the lounge behind the front desk. All the protagonists in the lounge looked disbelieving. Before the show started, they were just passers-by and there were no reporters to interview them.
Two and a half hours later, they could no longer walk and would be surrounded by spectators when they went out.
"Hahaha, I told you, you will become famous overnight." Diane Lane, who also hid in the lounge, was very proud of her foresight.
"So...this movie is finally done?" Ronald thought to himself.
After comforting the frightened Antonia, Ronald went out to find producer Da Silva to ask about the protagonists' evacuation arrangements. As soon as he walked out, he was surrounded by dozens of spectators. They all sighed in disappointment when they saw that he was not the leading actor.
Among the remaining people, Gene Ray was the first to react and lock the door. But he soon started dancing to celebrate his fame. Irene Kara played the piano in the lounge. They were all young people. Soon everyone realized that he was about to become famous and they all danced to celebrate.
Ronald found producer Da Silva in the VIP lounge on the other side and told the story of the leading actors being blocked in the lounge by the audience asking for autographs.
"I'm afraid they have to sign autographs for the audience. If this is avoided, the audience will be very disappointed." The speaker was Brooke Shields' mother Terry.
Da Silva was convinced and hurried out to arrange autographs and photos. He also has a long list of leading actors to line up.
"I heard from Mom, you want to ask me to shoot a clothing advertisement. Is it the kind of woolen cover that is put on the feet in the movie?" Brooke Shields' nice and clear voice came.
"No, Miss Shields, it's Calvin Klein jeans."
"Jeans?" Brooke Shields instantly lost interest.
"It's a tight-fitting style, very fashionable."
Brooke Shields regained her interest, "Mom?"
"Okay," said mother and manager Terry, "Ronald, please send some samples to my daughter first. I want size 4."
"Okay, no problem." Ronald looked Brooke Shields up and down, a girl close to 6 feet tall, wearing a size 4? Waist size is only 26? (Equivalent to the middle ruler 1 foot 9)"
"And those woolen ankle boots." Brooke Shields did not forget the fashionable equipment in the movie.
"That's called leg warmers. I'll bring them to you." Ronald said.
multiple copies
