บท 183: Leading Actors
For the four main characters in the film, Clark has already spoken a name that satisfies Levi with his first choice itself, which makes him quite happy.
Compared with the American version in memory, this person is more suitable - Martin Sheen is a bit older. In the script, the police officer is very charismatic and interacts a lot with the undercover agent, which can also move the audience.
His death is also a significant turning point to attract the audience's emotional changes. Martin Sheen's age is not suitable. His age is not like the image of a tough guy on the screen. Such a person is very good at playing an old politician, but a tough guy captain, he's not a good fit.
In contrast, Liam Neeson is much more suitable.
And there are still three roles left. How Clark chooses makes Levi look forward to it even more.
"Next, the identity of the gang boss has to be considered. According to the age and role mentioned in the script, I think if you need to show the effect you want, I'm afraid you can't do it unless you find Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, or Al Pacino. Any of them can play this character well."
After talking about the police, it came to the gangsters, and this time, Clark's tone is more hesitant.
Compared with the more consistent image of the tough guy and the captain on the screen, everyone has different opinions on shaping the gang boss. The images are more diverse, and it is not easy to determine who to look for. In particular, Clark only skimmed through the script roughly and was unsure who would better play this role.
He is very clear that this role is not so easy to play: this task needs to show a kind of intelligence belonging to a gangster. He can deal with the police for many years and is definitely not an idiot. And at the same time, he also needs to show a hidden ferocity and tyranny, whether it is smashing the undercover police, slapping the table in the police station, or directly sending someone to kill the captain; this kind of ferocity needs to be shown between talking and laughing. This person's interpretation is definitely complicated.
Therefore, considering his age, it is natural that this character is best played by those famous Hollywood talented actors. And Dustin Hoffman is obviously not suitable to play the gangster - the height of 1.65 meters is a fatal flaw, so only three people are left to choose from.
"If you want me to say it, I think Robert De Niro might be better." After thinking about it, Levi answered.
In his memory, Jack Nicholson played this role in the American version. Nicholson did a great job. At least as a neurotic and somewhat crazy boss, there is no problem with the characters he created, and he is absolutely worthy of his own status as an actor. The acting skills of this old guy are indeed amazing.
However, Levi didn't like the American version of the script very much. He hopes to portray the gangster boss as more affluent, closer to the image of a hero. In the American version of the movie, in order to shoot a more realistic police film, what Nicholson needs to show is the arrogance of the gangsters. However, the movie Levi wants to shoot has a greater component of wits, and what needs to be shown is the wisdom of the gangsters. For such a request, an absolutely crazy interpretation is not suitable for him.
He quite appreciates Eric Tsang Chi-wa's performance in the Hong Kong version: Although his appearance, temperament, and size are not like a gangster boss, he has performed a very unique image of both cruelty and cunning. That's what Levi wants his actors to show.
Of course, Levi believed Nicholson could also be very good. But the problem is, with preconceived impressions, Levi fears that he won't be able to make Nicholson play very differently.
In contrast, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are more suitable. It's just that Al is definitely unwilling to play this role — Levi has been in contact with Al Pacino, and he knows that he is not recognized by the media for his outstanding performance in The Godfather. It doesn't matter to him that others have won two Oscars. He has always had a grudge, and he is more resistant to playing the role of the gang boss.
So, here comes Robert De Niro.
As for Levi's choice, Clark immediately agreed, "That's right, De Niro has the widest range of plays, and his performances must be the best. I just don't know if he has a schedule, so let's get in touch and give it a try."
Unlike Liam Neeson, De Niro never worried about not having a role to play. Moreover, Clark is not sure whether De Niro, who is getting older and starting to transition to comedies, will take over the contract. However, since Levi proposed it, he should give it a try first.
"I will contact him... But, Nick, you have to be careful. De Niro's salary is about 10 million now. You haven't negotiated the protagonist yet. This salary is a bit high."
"Don't think about the budget; just talk about the characters first." Levi waved his hand, "Let's talk about the protagonists. Who do you think is more suitable for the two protagonists?"
"Let's talk about the secondary character first, the undercover gangster in the police station. Almost all this character needs in the play is a quiet performance. The only place he can express his emotions is to rely on his tone and eyes. On the one hand, he needs to show the temperament of a successful person, but on the other hand, he also needs to show his inner pain - not being able to have big expressions and lines is a huge problem in itself. It's hard to find such a person."
"Actually, I think there's someone good..." Levi thought awhile and then asked, "What do you think of Tom Cruise?"
It was not Levi's own idea to let Cruise play this role. He mentioned it when he was chatting with the original author. When he asked Mak Siu-Fai who wanted to play this role, he gave this answer.
"Let Tom Cruise play with Liam Neeson? How many fruit boxes do you have to prepare for him? I don't think it's a good idea." Clark shook his head, "First, his height; second, his line skills are not particularly good. Besides, and most importantly, he is shooting Magnolia now, and he has no time at all, so it is impossible for us to let him participate in our play."
"You also missed something. After all, Tom Cruise is an idol-level actor in Hollywood. The role in this play is a villain. He might not be willing to shoot it even if it was given to him." Levi added, shaking his head again. "Actually, I don't think it is very suitable, but this is what the screenwriter meant... Forget it; let's not consider him; let us think about who is suitable."
In fact, Levi thinks Tom Cruise is good, at least in the end. In terms of the image of a successful person, he is similar to the Hong Kong version of Andy Lau. As the original author, Mak Siu-fai has a good vision. It's a pity that Tom Cruise can't arrange his life, personal image, and performance time, and Levi can't use him - this kind of regret, which even the big-name director can't avoid.
And speaking of this, Levi immediately popped up another name, "Do you think Matt Damon is okay?"
Clark thought for a while, then shook his head, "His acting skills have hardly improved in the past two years; compared with Good Will Hunting, it's even regressed. I don't think he is very suitable. Moreover, he is suitable for acting as a genius who looks ordinary and almost cowardly but has a meticulous heart and extraordinary intelligence. What we want is a person with mature outside and a twisted heart."
This is the American version of the actor, but in Clark's eyes, he is obviously not suitable either. Levi agrees with his idea: Matt Damon made his debut very smoothly, but his acting skills are not very polished.
Of course, it's not impossible to polish his acting skills. According to Levi's observation, his acting skills can soar whenever he plays with Affleck. However, Levi is not interested in arranging a role for Affleck, so he still doesn't consider Matt Damon.
"So, I still have another candidate." This time, Levi thought about it before he said, "Do you think Brad Pitt is okay?" This is the last candidate that Levi prepared, and this candidate also made Clark frown.
"His acting skills are good, and his performance is hard enough. However, his performance always feels unnatural, and the performance traces are too heavy... And there is another problem. I remember that he has not acted too much in the image of a successful person, right? Can he play such an image?"
"Temperament can be tempered; not everyone has the temperament of George Clooney, who is born handsome in everything he plays. He is full of temperament. He lacks training in this area and has never acted in this area. This is true, but with his hard work, he can still try to act in such a play."
For this role, Levi believes that Brad Pitt can also try - now Pitt has yet to become the star of future commercial films. From 1994 to the present, he has basically been shooting literary films and honing his acting skills. He still attaches great importance to acting; whether it is a wild and unruly image, a gentle image, or a crazy image, he has acted in it, but the image of this successful person may not be able to act.
And even if he can't act, he can try something else. Levi didn't like Pete's way of dealing with the world very much, but Levi was still willing to believe in letting him act.
"If you say he's working hard enough, I believe it, but is he willing to act well?" Clark asked hesitantly.
"Of course, believe me, he will love this script very much." Levi laughed.
As far as he can remember, Brad Pitt bought the right to adapt the script in North America. He loves the play enough. It is precisely because of knowing this that Levi believes that he will do his best for this play.
*****
Thanks and kudos for my patreons
Cherif Doghri
Scott DePaepe
MMMCMXCIX, or 3,999
Britanna
Mandy G
Adam LV
The Main Man
You can read advanced chapters on my Patreon account: https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง 
Sayonara816
Sayonara816 If found any issues, please let me know. I will update the chapter.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง