[Chapter 630: No Match at All]
While some of the Soviet gear might be knock-offs, this Alpha team was the real deal. There's nothing on land they couldn't operate. Even the flying toys in the sky were mostly easy to handle.
In the end, this group of people left no trace behind. To be honest, it was quite a waste.
If you compared the two, you'd be amazed to find that the story happening to Rambo would have fit the Alpha team much better. The Navy SEALs and Delta Force in the States would never perform like this.
As for the movie aspect, anyone who believes that is just plain foolish. Even without those outrageous plot twists, the differences wouldn't be that significant.
"Sir, something's not right here."
"Hey, who's stirring the pot now?"
Max forced a smile; he really didn't know how to respond.
"Well, sir, there's smoke everywhere in the Congo."
"Aren't we at the border? Is this group planning to go after the neighbor?"
"No, they're killing each other; they're seeing red. What I mean is, this group has gone crazy."
"Let's deal with them harshly. These guys need to learn a lesson. I've already bought the place you're staying in. By the way, we need to get a makeshift airport set up quickly."
"I got it, sir, but it looks like we're a bit short-handed."
"Then keep recruiting. By the way, with the Soviets out of the picture, they have no shortage of good people."
What was happening in the Congo was just a microcosm of Africa. Uganda, Sierra Leone, Somalia -- none of these places were peaceful.
William White was also curious. It was one thing for the brothers down there to cause chaos themselves. Now, those looking to cash in were creating turmoil too. Didn't they know that only a calm situation can make money?
Selling weapons? Don't kid yourself; the only stuff they could buy is from the Soviets. That's under the current special circumstances; if the Soviets weren't finished, they still wouldn't be able to afford it.
...
Amid all this external noise, it didn't faze William White's good mood. The final cuts of The Departed were complete, and today was the internal screening.
This film was genuinely interesting. William White thought its plot was more captivating than The Godfather.
An undercover cop versus an undercover gang member; that premise isn't common. The bad guys increasingly resemble good guys; in reality, he subconsciously wanted to be a good person.
"Uh, isn't that cell phone text still missing?"
"George, what's wrong? Didn't we talk about an ad? How's that scene? Is it forced?"
Lucas couldn't help but admire; he saw the CEO of Motorola, and this guy was grinning from ear to ear.
"Okay, this plot does count as classic. But I'm wondering, why are the cops so behind the times, using Morse code?"
"Ha! Because the FBI's broke, cough, okay, they're strapped for cash. Plus, haven't you noticed? All Hollywood robbery films demean them. Why should I help them be positive?"
"These two actors are solid, but they're not really my style."
"You're getting old, George. Today's audience prefers a more neutral vibe. Did you not see that action heroes' box office is shrinking unless they've got IPs like Raiders of the Lost Ark? First Blood and Terminator can barely scrape by."
Lucas was taken aback; he did have a vague realization before. Now that William White directly pointed it out, it became crystal clear.
"Tsk, neutral? That's not a good term."
"Just assume I can't shoot that kind of movie; I can't produce those punchy flicks."
As the movie ended, their conversation drew to a close. Investors and theater merchants were pleased as they stood up and applauded, while simultaneously mourning for Warner Bros.
What did you say? Oscars?
With three big productions competing, just making it to the nominations would be impressive. If you could outshine three of White Films' entries, rest assured, the Academy would be torn apart.
After all, a three-hour runtime made the plot drag unbearably. A courtroom speech could stretch thirty minutes. Fine, even if that actor's performance was top-notch, you shouldn't film it like that.
This Warner Bros. film was reeking of oddity. Those theater merchants couldn't provide simple fare.
Losing money to gain publicity?
Ha! You're welcome to have at it. The canvas won't be withheld, but don't expect more than that. If the opening weekend flops, then too bad.
...
As the release date drew closer, Oliver Stone felt the pressure mounting. Despite Jurassic Park dropping in screenings, it had grossed over half a billion in North America alone. Global box office was nearing a billion.
At this level of cinema, if it couldn't run for a year, it meant the boss's connections weren't solid. That said, even if William White was overbearing, what's it to anyone if he brought benefits?
"Oliver, are you still set on this?"
"Three hundred canvases? If I may say, that's below Warner Bros. standard."
"Do you understand what a billion-dollar global box office means, Oliver? Most importantly, it's not a one-time affair like E.T.. This is a massive IP. You think any theater merchant wants to offend a company like that? Also, we're only shareholders in the theater. Give me a reason to convince the shareholders."
Though Oliver Stone clung to his stance, he had no means to argue; who would be against cash?
So what, do you expect them to have their heads stuck in the sand?
In this world, if you've got money-making potential, you're in charge; if not, you're out of luck. There's no debate about it.
Blaming others for not understanding art?
Let's not joke; those fat cats never cared about art. It looked like the only option now was to try their luck in Europe. This was about all they could do.
Financing their own movies would be great; it was just that the timing sucked.
Why? Oliver Stone was also curious why this time frame was so critical. Wouldn't next year be better?
He still felt confident about the Oscars. William White's movies were just popcorn flicks -- no depth at all.
Damn, if you want to compete, then compete. The Departed was just a bunch of fresh faces. As for The Lion King, he didn't think an animated film could compete, even in IMAX.
Why didn't they delay that animated film till next year?
It's easy to criticize others, but he didn't consider that the release schedule had been set well in advance. This was him stepping into misfortune -- what did it have to do with White Films?
His crew was also discussing this issue, thinking the sequence was very important. Based on the information they had, it seemed William White didn't intentionally target Warner Bros. This blame clearly lay with them.
*****
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