"Some birds aren't meant to be caged..." "You don't even want to call me your Godfather!" "While you're young, write down your stories and share them." "Never look back, never go home." "One day, looking back, we'll realize that saving Private Ryan was our masterpiece in this chaotic war." "I'm willing to do anything for you, except betray my people." "When God closes one door, He opens a window somewhere else." "Freedom!" "The world is more interesting with you in it."
In the Kodak Theatre, precious gemstones symbolizing the movies began to fall on the big screen. On their smooth surfaces, heroes came to life, telling their stories. The Shawshank Redemption, Papillon, Cinema Paradiso, Saving Private Ryan, Ben-Hur, The Sound of Music, Braveheart, The Silence of the Lambs. In the end, the precious gems formed a small mountain, and at the peak stood the symbolic golden man, representing the Oscar.
The host, actor, writer, and director Steve Martin, stepped onto the stage. Over his twenty-year career, he had become a well-known comedian and a friend to many present. Seeing him, many guests rose, applauding.
The camera panned across the hall, capturing the celebrities seated in the front rows. Eric was seated in a prominent spot in the first row by the aisle. He didn't know Steve Martin personally, so he clapped formally, but the camera unexpectedly caught him, and Eric had to smile and stand, clapping his hands.
"Damn it, who seated me here? Academy, damn you," Eric grumbled as the applause died down, and everyone took their seats.
Steve Martin smiled and began: "Thank you, thank you, everyone! You know, last year, I didn't host the ceremony because no one invited me." The hall erupted in quiet laughter.
"But this year, I'm here again thanks to your support. Of course, except for France and Germany!"
Note: Link to Steve Martin's speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIzPhEecXN0
These words caused an explosion of laughter as Martin was referencing the war. Although the U.S. claimed the support of 49 countries in military action against Iraq, only the U.S., the UK, Australia, and Poland were actually involved. Germany and France, as EU members that often supported the U.S., opposed the war this time and openly condemned it.
"Look at you all, here are producers, directors, writers, and actors. If we were all locked in here together, I'd eat you in that order!"
Laughter erupted again. The camera showed Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Harvey Weinstein, and Eric.
"Damn it, why am I in the same shot as Weinstein!" Eric muttered, clapping his hands.
"Damn it, why am I sitting next to this MGM guy?" thought Harvey Weinstein, laughing heartily.
Ever since the Cooper family took control of MGM, they had become competitors to Miramax, often clashing at the same premieres and box offices. Weinstein believed this was done deliberately, although Eric actually had no personal grudge against him.
Eric knew well what a scoundrel Weinstein was, but if he didn't provoke him, Eric didn't intend to make an enemy out of him either. After all, Miramax was backed by the giant Disney.
It could be said that the Weinstein brothers were simply unlucky with their schedule. The competition in the market was too fierce, and Eric couldn't afford to wait. If there were any conflicts over release dates, it was inevitable competition. What? You suggest I avoid you and compete with The Lord of the Rings? Why don't you do it yourself?
Especially after the announcement of the release dates for Transformers, the tension between the Cooper family and the Weinstein brothers began to escalate.
Meanwhile, on stage, Steve Martin continued his witty jokes.
"This year marks the 75th Oscar ceremony. Remember, the first ceremony was held just nearby, at the Roosevelt Hotel."
"You can walk out, stroll down Hollywood Boulevard, turn a corner by the prostitutes—oops, I mean charming ladies—and you'll see it. In 1929, all the stars gathered there, except Joan Rivers."
The hall erupted in laughter again. The camera showed several African American stars clapping joyfully because black people were previously forbidden to participate in the ceremony, and this joke was a reference to racism.
After joking about politics and social issues, Steve Martin turned to the celebrities, including Ben Affleck, Will Smith, and Tobey Maguire.
"Nicole Kidman is also with us today. Suddenly, I remember a rumor that she always wears a fake nose, except in The Hours."
The camera immediately focused on the cast of The Hours. Nicole Kidman, to match her character as much as possible, had indeed altered the shape of her nose. Many viewers, after watching the film, couldn't recognize her, which sparked heated discussions.
Hearing the joke, Nicole covered her mouth with one hand and lowered her head, while with the other hand, she waved, signaling not to joke about her. Her co-stars Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore laughed loudly and clapped their hands.
This year, The Hours attracted the most attention. All three actresses were nominated for an Oscar, which created some tension. Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore were competing for Best Actress, while Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep were competing for Best Supporting Actress.
And each actress was nominated for a different film: Nicole Kidman for The Hours, Julianne Moore for Far from Heaven, and Meryl Streep for Adaptation.
"Nicole, don't lower your head, you look stunning."
"And we also have a new face here, Eric Cooper, the director of Transformers, from whom everyone expects a lot. But here's the mystery: can he actually direct?"
The camera switched back to Eric, and the hall erupted in quiet chuckles. He noticed that Peter Jackson was laughing louder than anyone.
In such a situation, you had to do something—either support the joke with some funny gesture or, like Nicole Kidman, modestly deflect it. But Eric wasn't going to give up. He pointed two fingers at his eyes, then gave two big thumbs up.
It was an obvious signal: "Let's see who wins. I'll show you a real show."
The hall exploded with applause and excitement. Everyone loved a spectacle, and the louder, the better. For the stars, this was especially interesting: Eric's statement caused a real buzz.
If the film succeeded, even on a mediocre level, it would silence all critics. But if the movie flopped, all his words and actions would be remembered and mocked for a long time.
Many in the hall were laughing to themselves, like Harvey Weinstein and Jack Nicholson. They thought this rich kid was too confident, thinking filmmaking was just a game.
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