diymy Chapter 131 Harvey
Chapter 131 Harvey
Chapter 133 Harvey (Please subscribe, add to your favorites, and vote with monthly tickets)
"Jeffrey, you should know that Woody Allen can't make a good film like 'Canal Street'!"
John Searles got straight to the point.
He wasn't trying to discredit Woody Allen; in fact, Xu Shengjie knew in his heart that Woody Allen wasn't suitable for "Canal Street."
The reason is simple: Woody Allen is a representative of "intellectuals".
He represents the middle-class intellectuals in the United States, not the lower classes.
He can film small, romantic scenes very well.
The portrayal of desire and emotion between men and women, and between women themselves, is very nuanced. It demonstrates a deep understanding of the struggles and emotional dilemmas of the middle class. But this is too niche! After all, it represents only a very small social group.
The American middle class was doing well in the 1990s, belonging to the backbone of society.
but----
Xu Shengjie, who traveled from the future, had a general idea that in the minds of both the upper and lower classes in the United States, the middle class should not exist.
Lower-class Americans feel that, as human beings, why are you able to live such good lives?
Meanwhile, high-ranking Americans felt that they were all cattle and horses, with no real difference.
Woody Allen's focus on these subjects is, how should I describe it?
"Petty bourgeoisie"!
He's better suited to stories with a "petit-bourgeois" feel.
It's that kind of "I don't care about the dignity of a great power, I only care about the two ounces of flesh in my crotch" attitude that's very popular among the middle class.
But that's all.
Older white men think this is fucking boring; the lower classes think, "I can't even afford to eat, how can I be in the mood for flirtation? If I need something, I'll get straight to the point. Romance is a waste of time."
Spike once said in private: Woody's vision is too narrow.
Actually, the two are quite similar, except that Spike focuses on the Black community, while Woody is concerned with matters between men and women, or perhaps it's like a middle-aged man who's bored and has nothing better to do, whining about his anxieties, confusion, and bewilderment.
"John, if I may be so bold, I know you've always been concerned about the living conditions of the underprivileged."
His films are cruel and realistic.
For example, his screenplay for "The Woman in Red" is a work that starkly exposes the current state of American society, and it is very poignant.
But John Searles was too sharp!
Sharp, giving off a cold and cruel feeling.
But Canal Street—doesn't need that kind of sharpness.
"But do you know Chinatown?"
Xu Shengjie said with a wry smile, "I actually wanted to keep this novel for myself to film."
Because I'm worried that entrusting this to you might result in some inexplicable elements being mixed in. When you're filming stories about the East, especially those about Chinese Americans, you always seem to adopt an arrogant attitude, adding your own interpretations. You don't even know anything about Chinatown, yet you assume that filming some Chinese elements constitutes a Chinese American film—
Uncle Atu————”
"I've been living in Chinatown for a month now."
"what?"
John Searles said, "Jeffrey, I understand your concerns."
But please believe me, I will portray this story with a fair and impartial attitude. Since my last visit to the set, I've secretly moved into Chinatown. Over the past month, I've gained some understanding of Chinatown and developed some ideas about it.
I've even learned some Chinese!
"Really?"
"Hey, you idiot, you son of a bitch."
"you----"
Xu Shengjie couldn't help but burst out laughing when he heard John's awkward Chinese.
"Who did you learn from?"
"There are two people in the basement downstairs from me, they're from China, um, a young couple, I guess."
He's from Beijing, right? His accent is a bit awkward, but his pronunciation is pretty clear.
In fact, Xu Shengjie had been hesitant about whether or not to film this story himself.
Theoretically, he should have made it, but although the film received rave reviews, its box office performance in the original timeline remains a mystery.
It won some awards, but it doesn't seem to have been released in theaters yet.
Of course, he can understand.
This film was shot by a Brazilian director and is not widely available in Europe and America.
Especially in the United States!
He didn't think Americans would be interested in a story that took place in Brazil.
But if this happened in America, they might be interested! Plus, with the groundwork laid in the novel, it should do quite well.
But, after all, this is a story about a minority group.
Moreover, the fact that the main characters were of Chinese descent made him uneasy.
This movie has to be made, but whether he should direct it is another matter.
John was a suitable candidate; he genuinely enjoyed the story. Most importantly, this opportunity allowed Xu Shengjie to earn John's gratitude. For Xu Shengjie, this undoubtedly meant expanding his network of contacts for the future.
John is an independent filmmaker, but he has extensive connections and a high status within the film industry.
Moreover, he is a professor in Columbia University's film department, and his social status is quite remarkable.
"Jeffrey, I know, there's no evidence without investigation. I really like 'Canal Street,' and I also really like the character of Uncle Tu. To some extent, I think he represents the current living conditions of Chinese Americans."
They had hoped to become part of the United States, but ultimately—
I understand your concerns; you're afraid my style is too cold, too sharp, and will ruin the warmth of this story.
I can assure you, I will restrain myself!
For the next six months, I will continue to live in Chinatown, to understand and integrate myself. I am confident that I can film this story well.
"Are you a member of the American Communist Party?"
Xu Shengjie suddenly asked a question.
John Searles paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "I'm not, but my father is."
However, during the McCarthy era, he was forced to withdraw—and because of this, he suffered greatly for the rest of his life.
"John, I can't guarantee I'll give it to you right now."
But I can promise you that I will let you know immediately if I decide not to direct this story.
"It's a deal!"
John also knew that Xu Shengjie couldn't make a promise right away.
This "first time" was enough to satisfy him.
"Haha, you're a generous guy, I'll be waiting for your good news."
He paused here, then suddenly asked, "When will 'Lola' be finished? Have you decided who to release it?"
"John, do you have any suggestions?"
"First of all, don't consider Columbia and Disney. They are both in the process of adjustment right now, and their distribution is very messy, so it's not a good fit. — Danny said the other day that he was planning to approach Universal, but I don't really recommend it! It's not that Universal is bad, but such a big trust is not very friendly to a newcomer like you, even if you are very popular recently."
My suggestion is to find a secondary issuer company.
Miramax, Buena Vista, and New Line are the top three publishers to consider.
Harvey Weinstein of Miramax is a man of questionable character, but his abilities are truly outstanding, and he has a strong network of connections in Europe and the United States; Buena Vista is a professional distribution company under Disney, and it is very professional.
I heard you have connections with Disney? That would be much more convenient.
WarnerMedia's new line is also very strong. Moreover, their parent company is currently developing the East Asian market, and recently released some films, so they will likely pay close attention to Chinese elements, potentially securing good resources.
As for the other companies—”
John Searles thought for a moment, "You can take your time to learn about them and try to get in touch with them."
But *Lola* must succeed; it will bring you unimaginable benefits in the future.
John is gone.
Xu Shengjie continued working.
But his mind was a little unsettled, so he got up, left the editing room, and used the base's public phone to call Danny Airo.
He repeated John Sells's words.
Dani Airo agreed.
"Recently I have been trying to reach out to some publishing companies, including big companies like Universal and Paramount."
John is right, these big companies are very arrogant. They know you, and they know your talent, but they're not willing to offer generous terms, and they're even a bit harsh. Just like John said: you're a newcomer.
I was originally planning to contact other companies.
But now that you've said that, what are your thoughts?
"Miramax, I remember you worked with them before, didn't you?"
"You mean Harvey? That bitch is definitely capable, and he likes to work with Chinese people—I heard he's currently negotiating with film companies in Hong Kong to buy the rights to some Hong Kong films. As for that bitch's character, it's really not good. But you're American, and you're popular right now, so I don't think he'll cause trouble."
As for the new line and Bowei —
It's not bad!
Boway is very professional, and New Line, adhering to its parent company's strategy, will also offer you some benefits at this time.
But if I had to choose, I'd choose Harvey!
Harvey!
That guy's reputation will collapse in the future, and his fate will be tragic.
But what does that have to do with me?
I have to admit one thing: this guy is really capable. It's true he's screwed over a lot of filmmakers at Tokyo University, but don't even think about screwing me over!
Xu Shengjie thought about it and then made a decision.
"Louis, talk to Harvey and see what his attitude is before we make a decision."