Hollywood (我就是好莱坞) Part I

Chapter 84 - Lost in Los Angeles

  "I want to know why you asked Kapoor to turned down all those films offers. if not some people directly handed those scripts to me, I wouldn't know I received these offers."

Julia grew more and more agitated, and finally pointed at Eric nose and condemned: " Disney even offered a $6 million fee for a movie called 《Lost in Los Angeles》, you didn't ask my opinion and Directly turned down the $6 million, ah, how can you so overbearing, I'm not your puppet, so would you please show me some respect ... ... "

Eric leaned back against the sofa, and allowed her to vent her anger as if she was a wild little cat. At the same time he started thinking of 《Lost in Los Angeles》, and couldn't help but laugh. Because the script writer name is J. F. Lawton, he was the original screenwriter of 《Pretty Woman》 in his past life.

When he was is Richmond, many film companies ignored CAA ban on UTA and directly sent scripts to Julia and Al Pacino and several other actors who stared in 《Pretty Woman》. If UTA only have inferior small actors, Then Hollywood studios may fear the influence of Michael Ovitz,

But now, with 《Pretty Woman》 on fire, UTA with Julia and Al Pacino as the two pillars, and Jason Alexander in the supporting role is also a minor celebrity. In the direct drive of there interests, many film companies have ignored the scruples between CAA and UTA, especially the big six film company's who hate CAA. Eric even speculated, that the big six studios in an attempt to show that they don't fear Michael Ovitz, issued a series of invitations to the UTA actors.

Al Pacino was waiting patiently for Eric promised 《Scent of a Woman》, so he directly declined all the offers he got.

But Julia can not be so reckless, after receiving the scripts, Kapoor screened all of them, excluding the high price the movie scripts offered to her were all bad scripts, and the few that looked good he sent them to Eric to review.

Eric have seen the script of 《Lost in Los Angeles》, when he heard the name of the screenwriter, Eric influenced by his curiosity, specifically asked Kapoor to send him a copy of the script.

J. F. Lawton obviously revised the original "3000" script again, into a love story with a male Protagonist as the main character. As mentioned before, in his past life, 《Pretty Woman》 was at first a script called 《3000》, a black drama about a prost.i.tute in Los Angeles living in bad conditions, but in the filming process was modified into a romantic comedy.

But in this 《Lost in Los Angeles》 the story was about a successful businessman who travel to Los Angeles, who not only did he get lost, but also all his luggage was stolen, the quite successful businessman, Homeless by accident, was saved by a kind-hearted prost.i.tute who give him a temporary shelter, after some twists and turns, like a Cinderella and a prince they fall in love and lived happily ever after.

Anyway, the story with 《Pretty Woman》 story are almost the same, but you cannot say that there's any plagiarism, because the story was modified in a very clever way, otherwise Disney such a giant film company will not let Eric catch them plagiarizing him.

In Eric's view, 《Lost in Los Angeles》 and 《Pretty Woman》 have a very similar story, if they use Julia as the main heroine again, certainly the film will not lose any money, after all, the film budget is not high.

But if they want to achieve 《Pretty Woman》 high box office again, then that's basically impossible, just like when a person eat a bowl of Steamed Rice, and get full, if you put an apple and a g
la.s.s of juice in front of him, he might eat them, but if you put anther bowl of Steamed Rice then ... ...

"Hey, are you listening to me? Why are you laughing?"

Hearing her questioning sound in his ear, Eric come out of his absent-minded thoughts, see Julia standing close and looking smugly down at him, a faint trace of anger started showing on his face.

"Did you finish?" Eric asked, looking carefully at the Julia eyes.

"Well," Julia nodded, looking at his eyes, she suddenly realized her blunder, and hurriedly sat back in her place.

These days she became accustomed to people trying to curry favor with her by using flattering words of praise, it was inevitable that her ego will grow big, But when she saw Eric serious expression, she suddenly remembered ... ... This guy doesn't need to curry favor with her, but she is the one who need to please him ... ...

Thinking of These Things, Julia involuntarily bowed her head, and with a guilty conscience glanced at him.

"I've been talking to Kapoor on the phone every day when I was at Richmond, the movie for Al Pacino has been set, so the discussions were all about your next movie. As for 《Lost in Los Angeles》 I also asked Kapoor to send a copy of the script by fax, and read it carefully."

Hearing that Eric paid private attention to herself, Julia felt a touch of guilt for her previous behavior.

"I'm sorry." she said is a small voice.

Eric waved his hand and said: "I am not trying to take credit for your success, I just want to tell you, I have not forgotten that night promise, I said that I would put a girl named Julia Roberts into the same league of Hollywood legendary actresses, like Vivien Leigh and Audrey Hepburn."

"I'm sorry." The girl voice rang again.

"But now I'm a little disappointed with you now, this first time success has made you so impatient. What do you want to do?"

Eric scolded her in calm voice, she couldn't help but want to refute: "I ... ..."

Eric interrupted what she wanted to say: "Now, with the fame you have, like you said, Disney has given you a $6 million paycheck offer, few actresses in Hollywood can reach that height... ... If you are short of money, go to the bank and get a loan, the banks are generous to Hollywood stars... ... All you have to do now is try to carefully consolidate your position in Hollywood, and for you to go a little further, you'll have to be careful."

"I understand."

"No, you don't understand yet. I know you still feel like you've been wronged, 6 million dollars for 《Lost in Los Angeles》 is indeed a very high price. Last year, Tom Hanks stared in a movie called 《Big》 he was paid only $2 million. But if you take this movie, you will be consuming the box office appeal you got from 《Pretty Woman》, this is not problem of one plus one equals two, but a subtraction. Have you ever seen a star in a short period of time, filmed two completely similar movies and had great success? Hollywood big movie studios know that, that's why when they make a movie sequel or trilogies, they separate them by a few years, waiting until the audience expectations rise to the highest, before shooting a sequel."