"Richard Schickel, in addition to writing film reviews for Time magazine starting in 1965, is also a film historian and celebrity biographer. He has written for Cary Grant and James Cagney
, Gary Cooper has all had film biographies.”
"Wait a minute, what is a movie biography?"
Ronald was sitting in a cafe in Manhattan, listening to the private detective Frank McPike opposite, telling the background of the film critic who wrote extremely negative reviews. When he heard the new term film biography, he asked.
"Aren't you from Hollywood? It's probably the kind of biography that doesn't involve the subject's personal life, but only writes about the movies he has made. It's for fans, not fans."
"Oh, please continue." Ronald learned a little more about the background of this film critic with a typical Jewish surname, Schickel. This kind of biography requires authorization from a major film company, but does not require the person and
The authorization from the family clearly shows that it is a good deal for the biographer to make money by publishing a book. The fact that it fell into the hands of this film critic reveals something.
"He himself is also a university professor and is the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship at Yale University. He studies the history of American film and the history of Jewish persecution in Eastern Europe before and after World War II. In addition to Yale, he also has teaching experience at the University of Southern California and the University of Southern California.
Open classes and teach.”
"Which movie studio is he closely associated with?" Ronald asked.
"Actually, he plays more of a neutral role. On the surface, he treats all movies equally. In fact, he doesn't have much preference for most movies. It's just that he always prefers some movies related to Jews.
It's to attack or praise."
Frank McPike handed over another folder, which contained Richard Schickel's evaluations of Jewish-related films over the years, which were collected inside.
As he flipped through page after page, the more Ronald read, the more he felt that this Sickle was not simple.
…
Two days earlier, after seeing the content of a negative review submitted by Richard Schickel, Ronald called Michael Douglas and complained to him that the Jews did not follow the rules and did not keep their words.
We originally agreed to a truce with the old men of the Jewish gang and stopped criticizing Ronald's "Dirty Dancing". Then this person came out and slandered Ronald. Finally, he even personally attacked Ronald himself.
Michael Douglas went to his father to inquire about the situation, and then flew to New York in person to apologize to Ronald for the incident.
According to Douglas, this was the work of some extremists among Jews who refused to integrate into mainstream American society. Real Jews would not participate in such obscene actions that violate their oaths.
Michael Douglas assured that his father would tighten control in the future and that major Hollywood film critics would not attack "Dirty Dancing" beyond "normal reviews".
"Can you control it? Don't have film critics like this coming to our public screenings, only to write something that is a personal attack on me."
These Jews always talk nice, but do something else. When the time comes, they are said to be extremists, which have nothing to do with us mainstream Jews.
Ronald didn't want to be fooled again. It was enough to believe him once.
Douglas also laughed. As the eldest son of the Jewish boss of Hollywood, of course he knew the games played by his ethnic group. But Hollywood is no longer a suitable place to play such games, and the ethnic groups are not what they used to be.
The distinction is so clear. In the third generation of immigrants like them, many people do not choose to marry within the ethnic group, even the Jews.
"I can guarantee that there will be no problem with film critics in the mainstream media, but Richard Schickel, you have to be careful. I have known his name since I was a child, and he also has a strong circle in the New York Film Critics Association, such as New York
These people from the Post and the Washington Star..."
"Thank you for telling me." Ronald also felt the kindness of Michael Douglas. His list was equivalent to selling to Ronald those people within the Jews who wanted to take this opportunity to cause trouble.
…
Armed with the list, Ronald hired private detective Frank McPike to investigate the backgrounds of Schickel and several other film critics on the list Douglas had given him.
Mr. Detective is very efficient. Judging from the documents, this Schickel is really not simple.
From the beginning, he was a passionate advocate for Jewish values, an attack on anti-Semitic sentiment in society, and a campaign for Jewish inclusion in America's upper class.
The famous Hollywood director and actor Elia Kazan was greatly praised by him. The reason was simply because Kazan, as a Greek immigrant, had joked on many occasions that he had a Jewish nose.
When the HUAC Committee swept through Hollywood in the 1950s, it was originally an organization that opposed all extremist forces. Schickel campaigned for the founder of HUAC, Senator Samuel Dickstein.
Who would have thought that when Hollywood really started to engage in whistle-blowing and everyone got through, the mainstream senators, who were mainly of Anglo-American descent, replaced Samuel Dickstein with Senator Martin Deis from Texas.
In charge of the work of HUAC.
This Texas cowboy, Martin Deiss, in addition to his fanatical opposition to the infiltration of the Seville Union, was also a fanatical anti-Semite. In the years when the HUAC committee in Hollywood was making waves, not only a large number of practitioners who were sympathetic to Seville were included
The blacklist also eliminated many Jews.
Michael Douglas's father, Kirk, was almost included in the unpatriotic list and banned from filming. Fortunately, he had the full support of the Jewish gang behind him, and he also united with many wealthy businessmen with Jewish backgrounds to contribute money, so he was able to keep the only movie in Hollywood.
Jewish male star.
This is why later, Kirk Douglas took the lead in hiring the seven blacklisted Hollywood gentlemen and asked them to write scripts for him under pseudonyms. He also won the Oscar for Best Screenplay. Screenwriters who use pseudonyms are not easy to receive awards.
Kirk Douglas collected it on his behalf.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The Jews who stole chickens and lost rice had no choice but to change their ways. Instead of pursuing the cultural expansion of the Jews, they switched to a more covert method to achieve class crossing.
They began to invade the Hollywood production business and portray positive images of Jews in movies. To some extent, the movies they produced also included Jewish protagonists and integrated some orthodox American Puritan values.
Kirk Douglas was a mainstay at Warner Bros. in which his character always went to church on Sunday (the Orthodox Jewish Sabbath is on Friday), spent Christmas, and always survived in the end. And those who did not integrate into
The characters with mainstream American values were all shot to death in the end.
And this Richard Schickel is one of those more die-hard Jews who refuse to integrate into the mainstream. Whenever there is content in the movie that reflects the shortcomings of Jews, he will jump out and shout "anti-Semitic!"
…
"Every source of information proves that there is a group of Jewish film critics who are waiting for my movie to be released on the weekend and collectively release very negative reviews of the movie."
Ronald read all the detective's investigation materials, made some phone calls, and asked his agent, Italian-born Niceta, to gather information.
Based on various sources, Ronald is sure that there will be a wave of people coming to criticize him when "Dirty Dancing" premieres.
So Ronald convened several executives from Daydream and held an internal meeting with his two agents to discuss countermeasures.
"It doesn't really matter, right? Our movie has a very good reputation in the preview screenings. Their reviews can only have an impact on the number of viewers who come to watch the movie in the first week. As long as the reputation grows, our long-term box office will increase.
It should still be possible." Michelle Cannold thinks so.
"No, why should we give up the first week to our competitors? And before the movie is released, no one knows what the result will be. If the bad reviews in the first week are bad, it is not impossible for us to be in the theater for a month.
." General Manager Eddie is more stubborn. Although he is also Jewish, he is angrier than others when it comes to his company's income.
"Do we have any means to fight back?" Ronald asked.
"Do you remember Pauline Carr?" Agent Richard came over to interject. He is also Jewish, so he is very active. He must defeat those bugs in the ethnic group in order to win a bigger deal with Ronald.
of trust.
"Remember, I was a film critic from The New Yorker. She also asked me to make a film that reflects the reality of America." Ronald smiled bitterly. He may not necessarily be able to reflect reality, but he was reacted by reality.
"Her prestige and status in the New York film critic circle are on par with Schickel's. Why not ask her to write a counterattack? Moreover, this film originally has a female as the narrative protagonist. Since they have written a counterattack
Jue’s card, we can also play the female film card.”
Ronald pondered for a moment. It’s not that he didn’t want to invite Pauline Carr. But on the one hand, he went to her house last time and was educated by her with high hopes. This time the movie may not be able to satisfy her.
expect.
On the other hand, Pauline Carr has entered semi-retirement and does not write film reviews in the New Yorker magazine every week. She only reviews movies that interest her when she sees them.
If Ronald were to improvise, go to Pauline Carr, screen a special screening, wait for her to write a review, and get the New Yorker's pages, he might not be able to make it to the upcoming premiere.
"All the resources we can mobilize now are worth a try, Ronald." Another agent, Niceta, is of Italian origin, and it is easier for him to speak.
"These Jews have always acted in groups. We have to find ways to get along. One advantage we have is that according to convention, film reviews must wait until after the movie is released. If we can delay the release of the movie,
On the one hand, it can disrupt their rhythm. On the other hand, we can also release praise from equally heavyweight film critics to offset their influence."
Jimmy Lehner, who is in charge of the soundtrack album, raised his hand and spoke, "I don't understand movie marketing and distribution, but I have to remind you. Our record release plan is based on mid-July. In this way, the movie can replace the record's marketing activities.
.
But if you want to postpone the release of the movie, the record will inevitably go on sale without the release of the movie. In this way, we will have to spend an extra amount of money to go to radio stations in various places for public relations and let the DJs there play the new songs from our record.
.”
"Can't it be postponed until it is released together with the movie?" Cannold asked next to him. He really didn't want to give up the marketing method of records and movies serving as each other's advertisements.
"This is not a movie release. You just need to get the consent of the cinema. Besides, August is the end of the summer season. If you move the release to that time, the cinema may be happier. The distribution channel of the record is determined one year in advance.
Yes, I don’t think it’s possible to postpone it.”
"There are also program times we have booked on MTV and other television media. If you want to postpone the release, these will have to be rescheduled. We may not be able to find the right time to put on the program to coincide with the movie premiere." Canno
De also expressed his worries.
"These are all details. The opening weekend and the following five-day working week are our seed audiences. These people serve as our base, and their reputation will determine the number of moviegoers in the second week.
If there is no deliberate attempt to be shady, we can still bet on the audience's reputation. But if, as Ronald said, someone wants to deliberately release extreme negative reviews and jointly attack "Dirty Dancing" in several media, can you be sure that we
Can the seed audience really keep us in the theater until the third week?"
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! General Manager Eddie, it turns out that many of his cover girls participated in Hollywood productions. In fact, he is more interested in theater distribution than Cannold, who was originally responsible for video distribution.
Have some experience.
"The week it was originally scheduled to be released, the latest James Bond movie was released, as well as Orion's 'RoboCop'. I heard that the movie received very good reviews. If there is a larger scale than expected,
Bad reviews..." Niceta whispered in Ronald's ear, he had a lot of internal information about CAA.
"So, Ronald, what do you want to do?"
Everyone's eyes were focused on Ronald.
After being silent for a while, Ronald came to a conclusion. He raised his head and said, "Jimmy, give me a list of the fees for DJs at all radio stations who need publicity for the release of the record.
Michelle, go and negotiate with the major TV stations about the possibility of moving the ads we place. For David Letterman and Bobbi Wygant's shows, I personally called them.
In addition, please help me contact Pauline Carr, Richard. We will have a special screening for her.
Niceta, could you help me contact the three protagonists, Patrick Schwytz, Jennifer Gray, and Cynthia Rhodes, and ask them if they can change the schedule of the marketing campaign?"
…
"This is such an old story, Ronald." Pauline Carr criticized Ronald bluntly after watching Ronald's special screening of "Dirty Dancing" for her.
The 'Good Times' in 1938 and the 'Morning Star' in 1958, to put it bluntly, are the same tune. In one summer when I grew up, everything changed."
"Pauline, I know, this movie has not met your expectations of me... Ahem, but now..." Ronald saw that Pauline Carr didn't seem to be very satisfied with the movie, and insisted on being like the old one.
Madam, please ask for a favor.
"But I really like this movie you made. Do you know why?" Pauline Carr pushed up her tortoiseshell glasses.
Looking at Ronald's confused eyes, Pauline smiled and said, "Because the version you shot is for girls.
Those old movies are often boys' versions. The male protagonist deals with his love with a beautiful woman in a bumpy way. In the end, he always finds himself in rebellion and finally returns to mainstream values. This is a boy's fantasy of adulthood.
.
But your movie, on the contrary, is a girl's dream.
I think little girls will like your movie very much. The handsome boy with small eyes and muscles, the hot dance, the rich and enlightened father, and the idiot-like sister are all the best things in their dreams.
Your "Dirty Dancing" movie may very well mean to girls what "Star Wars" means to boys, satisfying all their beautiful dreams of growing up."
"So, are you willing to find other film critics in New York to write good reviews for me?"
Ronald was overjoyed.
"Are there extreme Jews who are dissatisfied with you? They are always like this. They will shout anti-Semitism at the slightest negative portrayal of the Jews. If the Jews cannot integrate into this new world, they will still hold on to the old concept of having no motherland.
, many things are unavoidable. There are always people in my ethnic group who cannot see this clearly."
Pauline Carr, who is also a descendant of Polish Jewish immigrants, is quite open to negative Jewish plots in movies. As long as she does not deliberately portray those Jewish stereotypes, she can completely accept the creation of characters from an artistic perspective.
"There are some people who want to jointly issue some extremely negative reviews when I premiere." Ronald nodded and admitted.
"Huh, Richard is here again. This movie doesn't even name the heroine Baby Houseman and her family as Jewish. Regardless of any ethnic group, this story is not inferior at all. Why is it like this?
When watching this movie, you should not look at it from the Jewish perspective, but from the perspective of women's own liberation.
You also handled the abortion very well in it. The character of Cynthia Rhodes was informed of her situation by the doctor, and it was the woman, not the man, who decided whether to keep the child."
Pauline Carr obviously saw in the script the nascent enthusiasm for women's liberation during the Kennedy era in the 1960s. She also came from that era, and had a similar experience when she was young.
"Don't worry, Ronald, you have my vote on this matter. All of us female film critics in New York will be on your side."
"Thank you very much."
"Also, how is the movie you shot for MGM going? I was in New York and heard rumors that you are getting closer to realistic themes. I will watch it in advance when the time comes."
"That movie will be released at the end of the year. Of course I will invite you to watch it as soon as possible."