King of Hollywood Chapter 422: 144 Better Than Expected

Chapter 422: Chapter 144 Better Than Expected

“I must admit, it is an issue that is difficult to ascertain yet impossible to avoid. From start to finish, I never believed that Adrian could produce a work in the style of Kubrick, despite his excellence. There are essential differences due to differences in thought, lived experiences, and accumulated ti. Kubrick’s greatness lies in how he consistently pinpointed the darkest aspects of humanity and society in his films—a quality nearly unmatched. Yet today, it has been broken by a young director.” —Washington Post

“It’s clear that normal rules do not apply to Adrian. It’s uncertain whether his ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ is what Kubrick intended, but it’s also uncertain if it’s not what Kubrick wanted. The film is so similar yet slightly different, making it impossible to make a definite judgnt. The Miracle Director truly lives up to his na.” —Variety

Two days later, those reviews finally ca out, but they were either ambiguous like the ones above or focused solely on analyzing the plot without touching on the controversy.

“Overall, this is still a movie about a marriage crisis. The director astutely captured the distrust between the couple. The husband rely solved a potential scandal for his employer, while the wife grew suspicious after previously seeing him entangled with a pair of female models, which almost led her to be explicitly seduced by an old man.

Although the wife controlled her impulses through rationality, the seeds of doubt had been planted, and with the director’s step-by-step guidance, conflict finally erupted between the couple. The husband also uncontrollably began to suspect his wife, with rich imaginations and sudden passion making him impulsive, eventually getting involved in an underground party organized by the upper class, orchestrated by an old classmate, and placing himself in danger.

After finally escaping, the husband began to pursue the truth, which seed almost unrelated to the first half of the story. However, the director hinted through a few shots that it was precisely because of the earlier trust crisis that he was so desperate for the truth, as if it would clarify whether his wife had truly been unfaithful. In the end, under the confrontation with his forr employer, the husband finally realized how dangerous his situation had been and recognized the importance of family, eventually returning to his wife and bursting into tears. It seed to be a happy ending, but the wife’s last line in the mall brilliantly told the audience that so things will never conclude, leaving endless room for speculation.

Whether it is the intricate composition, the stark contrast in colors, or the music that seed to observe from the sidelines, all tightly followed what the story wanted to express. The party in the middle appeared debauched, but on careful observation, it lacked any erotic undertones, possessing only a chilling eeriness. The director used this thod to interpret the longstanding the: the dehumanization of humanity by material society. This is a thought-provoking work!” —renowned critic Morris Sheden

Most people did not deny the significance the film aid to convey, which was difficult to define precisely. Most also acknowledged that, at the least, this film continued one of Kubrick’s thes as stated by Morris Sheden: “the dehumanization of humanity by material society.” Whether it was ‘Dr. Strangelove’, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘The Shining’, or ‘Full tal Jacket’, this the was very apparent.

But there were still those who dissented, such as Ms. Marcelline Maggie: “Adrian produced a work that panders to the audience. Although he mastered Kubrick’s style in form, he completely missed the essence, especially the absurd party scene. Whether it was Nicole Kidman’s portrayal of the wife or Vanessa Shaw and others as the prostitutes, all appeared extrely vulnerable. The only resistance, too, because of the husband’s insincere confession, easily evaporated into thin air. It seems he never realized what the original novel intended to express nor did he truly consider Kubrick’s thoughts, rely dabbing arbitrarily after doing enough superficial work!”

This is clearly a display of being a sore loser. There were those who sang a different tune, like critic Aiden Caron who harshly criticized the film for being overly ornate and focusing on form, with its slow pace scarcely raising any interest. However, it’s normal for this type of critique, especially since this critic has never seen eye to eye with Kubrick; as early as the ’80s, he criticized ‘The Shining’ and ‘Full tal Jacket’ as worthless, which explains his perspective.

However, Ms. Maggie had previously claid to be a fan of Kubrick, but while most people are still pondering whether it aligns with Kubrick’s style, she wrote such a review, implying she’s too proud to admit defeat. Such individuals can be найд everywhere; even if the evidence is presented right before them, they can pretend not to see it, especially now when there are countless areas up for discussion.

Kubrick’s hardcore fans continued their relentless attacks on Adrian—it’s a common ailnt of fandom. Once they elevate their idols to a pedestal in their hearts, they will not allow others to touch it; even if there are mistakes, they must argue and twist words to present it as good. While Adrian also has many hardcore fans, because of his involvent in diverse topics and his style not always being consistent—which so might call slightly scattered—it’s hard for them to compete.

However, these people soon split. A small portion truly studied Kubrick’s films and, after watching ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ several tis, albeit reluctantly began to face up to it. But more people liked Kubrick to stand out and flaunt their taste. Once this unique feeling was disrupted, they beca very angry and dissatisfied. Kubrick’s films were originally niche, allowing them to express themselves, relying on the cohesion among those who enjoyed them regardless of the reason for their liking. But now facing this divide, their words carried much less weight.

In early March of 1997, the most debated topic in the dia was not the predictions for the 69th Oscars, but rather various controversies surrounding “Eyes Wide Shut.” As the film was released in Europe, European critics and directors unanimously praised the film itself, naturally enjoying its tone. However, the debate continued as to whether Adrian’s production was in line with Kubrick’s style.

These factors combined led to a surprising increase in box office revenue over a weekend, much to Warner’s delight. Warner then allowed Clarkson to disclose Kubrick’s reaction to the film after watching it, which, after being confird by Kubrick’s daughter Anya, sparked even more discussion.

What did it an for him to shake his head first? Then, despite being paralyzed from a stroke, how was he able to give a thumbs up? Was Kubrick both dissatisfied and satisfied, or satisfied but with regrets? If it were regrets, then what about? Many critics racked their brains trying to find the answer, sending nurous interview requests to Adrian. Those who had been opposing just for the sake of opposition seed to have been slapped in the face; even though a few continued to shout, they had been disregarded by the public.

The Miracle Director had once again created a miracle, which beca the most talked-about topic among ordinary people. But those questions would never be answered, as in mid-March, Stanley Kubrick unexpectedly suffered another cerebral hemorrhage in his sleep and passed away. People within the industry, whether they liked him or not, all expressed their condolences, while also casting a mysterious aura around Adrian.

“Anya said he passed away peacefully, content with fulfilling a heartfelt wish. I must say, you are impressive, Ed. I’m finding you more and more inscrutable. If it were , I could never have done it so well,” Spielberg said at a reception, before asking Adrian if he would like to take over the production of “AI.”

Of course, Adrian politely declined the offer. “Stanley initially proposed producing and you directing it; you shouldn’t shirk this responsibility, Steven. I believe you are fully capable of producing this film. As for , I can only say I was lucky. After all, Stanley had already conceptualized ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ before, and I rely expressed his ideas.”

It was better for Spielberg to produce “AI” after all. Having achieved the objectives he initially set out with “Eyes Wide Shut” — even exceeding his expectations — was there really any film he couldn’t produce? If the Miracle Director wanted to, he surely could create miracles, couldn’t he?

On another note, ever since the release of “Eyes Wide Shut,” the tabloids had been relentless with various gossip about Nicole Kidman. At tis, they claid Tom Cruise was dissatisfied with her bold performance in the film and had started to give her the cold shoulder; at other tis, they suggested she was secretly dating the male actor with whom she had passionate scenes in the film — who could bla her when she seed so engaged in those shots.

Despite Nicole and Cruise occasionally displaying affection in public, they were sotis captured in photos that suggested a strain in their relationship, and rumors of a potential divorce began to circulate more intensely. As for the subject of the affair, no one was able to identify him; firstly, he scarcely had a full frontal appearance in the film, and secondly, the film company claid they hired a male model for those few scenes and could not disclose any information to protect his privacy.

Everyone knew this was nonsensical; as soone in the entertainnt industry, how could one not seize the opportunity for significant publicity? Yet, interestingly enough, no one, not even Tom Cruise—who made indirect inquiries—could obtain any answers.

“Let him remain an eternal mystery,” Adrian said during an interview.

Ultimately, he did appear on a talk show, naturally choosing ABC, the network he owned, to support his company. This decision frustrated other networks, with several CEOs grumbling privately, wondering why their owners couldn’t generate the kind of sensation that Adrian did.

During the entire interview, Adrian spoke eloquently and did not shy away from many topics. Despite being the boss, ABC did not offer him any privileges, and the talk show host Jon Stewart, who had been aggressively recruited the previous year, bombarded him with questions, seemingly eager to ask everything he had accumulated over ti.

“I’m not particularly fond of Stanley’s films, after all, our views differ in many respects—though I had never t him before.”

“It’s hard to describe that feeling, it’s like you reach out your hand without aning to and catch a strand of hair floating in the air, only a few microns in diater.”

“I understand their feelings. At first, I didn’t believe I could really finish the work, but once I started, I never thought about these things. I just tried as best as I could to simulate Stanley’s way of thinking and strive to complete it. As I said before, although Stanley and I had many differences, I respected him a lot.”

“They were excellent, both Nicole and Tom. Stanley inviting them to play this couple couldn’t have been more appropriate; they both gave their all in portraying their roles.”

“Yes, the pressure was imnse, since in the history of Hollywood, such scenes had never been fild before. As for the rating, that’s a matter for the MPAA. If they think it’s fine, what more is there to question?”

After the broadcast, ABC’s ratings inevitably rose by several percentage points, and the public beca even more curious about Adrian. A young director who wasn’t particularly fond of Kubrick, but out of respect took over the directorial baton after he had suffered a stroke and was paralyzed, and miraculously helped him fulfill his wish without leaving this world with regrets—sounds incredible, doesn’t it?

Thus, in the eyes of the ordinary people, Adrian began to appear great. However, the critics found a perfect excuse. They claid that since Adrian didn’t much like Kubrick, how could he possibly produce a film in his style? They believed Kubrick had been misled to agree, and the subsequent reactions were probably sarcastic.

Look at where they’ve gotten to now; sadly, after half a month of debate, not many people cared about their comnts anymore, as these matters had not gathered as much attention as the debates about the movie ratings.

“Once the New York Tis raised doubts about the rating of ‘Eyes Wide Shut,’ more conservatives joined the fray. They all believed that rating this movie R was highly inappropriate.”

“The definition of R is that the film contains adult content, including nurous scenes of sex, violence, drug use, and profanity; while NC-17 is defined by clear sexual intercourse scenes, a lot of drug use or violent scenes, and profanity, etc. Anyway, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ fits the latter rather than the forr. One can say that the MPAA has been negligent in this area,” stated a spokesperson for a conservative group publicly.

But the head of the MPAA imdiately rebutted, “According to Section 14, Article 17, the jury mbers have the right to classify movies according to their own views. The rating process is evaluated by five professionals and is subject to two reassessnts. Therefore, such accusations are utterly baseless.”

The confrontation was lively as both sides exchanged fiery words, but no matter how many criticized the inappropriate rating, it was useless; the rating had been set and the movie was already being screened in major theaters. Even if the MPAA were to admit the rating was inappropriate, it would be too late, and the MPAA wouldn’t allow outsiders to ddle anyhow.

“This is the advantage of having a say in the MPAA,” Adrian said to Claude.

“You had it all planned, didn’t you?” Claude replied.

“Yes, I had it already planned, just need your support,” Adrian nodded.

“Don’t worry, if everything goes smoothly, you won’t have to wait too long,” Claude said with a confident smile.

Well, let’s not talk about this, as it still requires a few months. anwhile, the dia debates about ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ are still ongoing, even more so than the original had ever caused. It’s sothing to be proud of.

However, as the end of the month approached, the Oscars were fast approaching, and various predictions began to dominate the pages again. Also, Adrian made a few rare TV appearances, so the fervor was gradually declining—at least, it allowed him to focus more on other aspects, such as—

“Woohoo!” Drew shouted as he jumped into a high kick, even rubbing his nose with his thumb akin to Bruce Lee, appearing quite adorable.

Caron tried to follow with a similar kick, but instead of lowering her foot, she tried to keep it straight, tilting her body to form almost a straight line with her other leg. This stance didn’t last long, only a few seconds before she staggered almost falling, but Adrian caught her imdiately.

“Although I know you’ve trained well, don’t overdo it,” he teased.

“Camy just wanted you to taste her leg skills,” Drew said with a chuckle.

“I’ve tasted them already,” Adrian quipped. Indeed, he had already experienced them; both won draping a leg over him was a bit tricky but thrilling.

Since their threeso, Drew and Caron had based their friendship more or less on mutual support, which wasn’t all bad, even if it always involved the three of them. Adrian was still able to satisfy them easily, and he himself could have more fun.

Beside them, Kelly Hu’s expression changed subtly. How could she not understand the implication? However, she was clearly good at fitting in; she had gotten along well with Drew and Caron over ti, so even if she realized sothing, she would pretend not to notice it, although she inevitably glanced at Adrian occasionally.

Such actions naturally did not escape Adrian’s notice, had he not already tried Kelly’s leg skills as well, which were also quite delightful.

“Alright, it’s ti to start shooting,” noticing the director’s hand signal in the distance, Adrian made a gesture, “Now let see how you apply your training results in the actual shoot.”

This was one of the reasons he took the ti to visit the set of ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ Yuan Zhenyang, who was responsible for their training, had affird their diligence, and Adrian wanted to see the actual shooting results because the next movie he was directing, ‘The Matrix,’ was about to start production soon. (