[Chapter 664: You Keep Fighting, I'm All for It]
After the awards ceremony wrapped up, as expected, there was a lot of commentary. An R-rated film winning so many awards was unprecedented in Oscar history.
While there might not have been much controversy over the other awards, the disagreements among the audience regarding Best Picture and Best Director were quite apparent. Prior to this, although there had been so-called IMAX films, none could compare to Jurassic Park. Many believed that for this reason alone, Best Picture should have gone to Jurassic Park.
You have to ask, how great was the guy who first turned silent films into talkies?
Hmph, those old-timers were just too stuck in their ways. They wanted to bask in their past glories while rejecting any change. Just like that Charlie Chaplin; how good he was at acting didn't matter. When it came to his own interests, wasn't he the one who staunchly resisted talkies?
Some defended Jurassic Park, while others spoke up for The Silence of the Lambs. Among them was the media buoyed by William White.
The involved parties had accepted it, but those armchair critics were really just bored. Didn't they see the expression on Mr. Rich's face when he looked at that beautiful woman? His eyes were glued to her. My God, that girl was stunning.
"See, Nastassja, what did I tell you? This girl is a troublemaker, and I've not even laid a finger on her, and now my eyes are just glued," he chuckled.
Giggling, Nastassja couldn't contain her amusement. Of course, she knew William White had no ulterior motives. At his level, to put it bluntly, if he wanted to sleep with someone, he'd just say so straightforwardly. No beating around the bush; it just made him a subject of ridicule.
"The tabloids reported that it's mainly because of your usual style. Haha, if you two partnered on a movie, you'd at least hog the front page for a week!"
"Partnership, Nastassja, are you kidding? Don't you know about the curse of the Oscar Best Actress? This girl has her share of troubles, and with that curse? My goodness, it's better to stay out of it. Who knows what kind of mess could come up?"
"Curse? I've never heard of it."
"The Best Actress brings bad luck for three years; every project ends up a flop. If they marry, it's best to expect a divorce within a year. If there's a boyfriend, you can bet he's cheating. Hehe, just check the past; there are hardly any exceptions."
...
While the two of them exchanged gossip about other people's misfortunes, the controversy surrounding the movie about the assassination of Kennedy, JFK had finally ignited a firestorm.
Conspiracy theorists claimed that this film was made to unveil the truth, while most thought it was a complete joke. If it were really as you say, wouldn't that be bullying the Kennedy family?
The strangest part of this whole thing was that the Kennedy family had effectively stayed silent on the court ruling.
This implied the real puppet master remained uncovered. If the killer was ever confirmed, well, that was entirely unacceptable.
"Master, is it really worth such a fuss over just one movie?"
"Tanner, haven't you noticed? I prefer to slap a disclaimer right at the beginning of my films."
Haha, the closer you got to reality, the more you needed to clarify. You see, I stated it was purely fictional, yet you still insisted on taking it personally -- that's not my fault.
"Master, this matter has its oddities. There are powerful forces at play behind the scenes. Otherwise, where would all this chatter come from for such a lousy film?"
William White was also feeling the pressure; he certainly knew better. And this group of people had already begun setting their sights on him.
"Tanner, be careful. Right now, I only hope they can escalate their fight. If not, when will we ever root out those bugs lurking in the shadows?"
"I got it, Master. Should we instigate them a bit? Make their scuffle even fiercer?"
"Haha, just don't reveal anything; as for the rest, feel free. By the way, keep an eye on that organization for me. I don't want anyone caught in the crossfire. Sigh, with all the fighting in Africa, there is a real shortage of laborers." Although William White laughed, there was no joy in his eyes. He needed to send a signal to the outside world: those who provoked him would find themselves in a dire situation.
"Master, let's install an electronic marker when we toss them into the mine. These guys are definitely not any good."
"Hehe, we have something better. Any time they leave the designated area... bang, there'll be a minor explosive setup. And since they're known as the cripples, let's just turn them into real cripples."
Tanner didn't see anything wrong; in his view, those guys deserved to be dealt with severely. Setting sights on the master was simply foolish.
...
All the outside drama didn't affect the Kennedy family. To them, it was just like a Donkey and an Elephant in a fight -- no reason to get dragged into it.
As for the truth, all parties who knew it were long gone. Given how troublesome the other side was, if they wanted to avoid total eradication, it was best to tread lightly. Let them keep tearing at each other; if something unexpected arose from it, well, that would be their misfortune.
Thoughts of revenge were long gone for them. Those people were simply crazy; better to avoid any contact.
...
William White was busy; he needed to get his film Blade shot quickly. If all went smoothly, he hoped to shoot a bit more. At the very least, the outdoor scenes had to be wrapped up.
If it dragged on until late April, who knew what kind of problems would arise?
Some suggested that there was no need for an IMAX version of Blade. This format probably wouldn't even match the box office of The Departed.
Actually, it depended on your understanding. For a tightly packed narrative, of course, IMAX was essential. The big ship wasn't really suitable, and story-driven films didn't need it at all.
Action was crucial; the audience had to feel the scenes hitting them head-on. Otherwise, that IMAX would be pointless; the viewers wouldn't connect with it.
Watching all the stunning vampire beauties in the venue, William White sighed. My God, the guy had big eyes and plenty of thoughts. Sadly, appetite was just so limited.
"Dear, you seem off in the last couple of days."
William White shot Nastassja a glance, thinking, isn't it your fault? My back still felt uneasy.
"Anyway, Nastassja, you know it never wears out. Hmph, I might've been a bit of a playboy, but you can't say I'm indecent."
Nastassja laughed, genuinely enjoying it. This guy actually dared to claim he wasn't shameless.
"After being bitten, you might have a rough time if you're not careful. Hahaha, I just realized men could be so fragile."
William White was left speechless; my dear, what kind of logic was that? Find someone who wouldn't be afraid to face it.
"Hurry up; we borrowed this place for just two hours. If we go over, those people from Seoul will charge us more."
Seeing that he was about to stubbornly change the subject, Nastassja didn't push her point any further. Knowing when to stop was, after all, a virtue.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.