บท 374: Chapter 375: Taking Advantage of My Family
[Chapter 375: Taking Advantage of My Family]
In the years before Eric's rebirth, the Oscars had become increasingly niche. Many films that won Best Picture struggled at the box office, a situation that reflected the broader environment of that time. However, in the 1990s, the prestige of the Oscars remained significantly high. Winning an Oscar did not just bring fame; it also brought substantial financial benefits.
Moreover, the treatment of Oscar nominees was worlds apart from that of Oscar winners. Simply being nominated meant that a film could enjoy a moment of glory before the awards ceremony, but after that, it would rarely be mentioned again. On the other hand, receiving Oscar recognition meant that a film would be eternally recorded in Hollywood history.
Since its debut in early June, The Silence of the Lambs had grossed over one hundred million dollars and received widespread critical acclaim. It had already established itself as a top contender for the upcoming Oscars.
Still, if The Silence of the Lambs didn't take home several major awards next year, it wouldn't have the same broad and enduring impact as it once had. Just like the sensational movie The Exorcist from the 1970s, which, without mention of the Oscars, outperformed The Silence of the Lambs in both box office and notoriety. However, thanks to The Silence of the Lambs winning multiple important Oscars, its status in the eyes of many surpassed that of The Exorcist. This is why many directors and actors relentlessly pursued the Oscar.
After the success of The Silence of the Lambs, Elisabeth became even more ambitious about making a name for herself in Hollywood. Ensuring that the film would achieve recognition at the next Oscars was a crucial part of her plan. This would allow their film company, started by three girls, to gain Hollywood's recognition and attract more talented filmmakers to collaborate.
After analyzing the situation, Eric noticed that Elisabeth took the project more seriously than the other two girls. Ignoring the recent tensions between them, she earnestly said, "Eric, since the industry isn't very optimistic about this film right now, perhaps we should look into delaying its release until next year. I remember that Orion's parent company is Metropolis Media. My father is friends with John Kruger, the owner of Metropolis Media. Maybe we can ask Mr. Kruger to have a word with the CEO of Orion."
While Elisabeth had already shown her sharpness while managing The Silence of the Lambs project, using her family's influence along the way, she'd successfully completed a great film as a first-time producer despite having little experience. Among the Murdoch siblings, Elisabeth was undoubtedly the most talented.
However, hearing this, Eric thought she was still a bit naive or, perhaps, lacked aggressiveness. He was certain that if Rupert Murdoch had been sitting across from them, that old man wouldn't bother with favors for a delay; he would most likely instruct his subordinates to take over the film's release.
"Liz, this is business, dealing with tens of millions of dollars. How much favor do you expect your father to call in for this?" Eric retorted.
Recognizing that Eric rejected her suggestion, Elisabeth quickly grasped his intention: "So you're saying we should take the film away from Orion?"
"Bingo," Eric snapped his fingers.
Elisabeth frowned slightly. "But hasn't an agreement been signed for distribution? That should complicate things, right?"
"It would be complicated for a film that is expected to do well. But Dances with Wolves isn't in that category. You have to remember that earlier in the year, we easily acquired the distribution rights for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because Fox didn't believe in its potential."
Before he finished, Elisabeth threw a cushion forcefully at his face. "You keep talking! You jerk, taking advantage of my family!"
Eric quickly caught the cushion and tossed it back, but it ended up in Julia's lap. Seeing Elisabeth grab another cushion, he immediately said, "Stop! If you hit me again, I'll retaliate."
Elisabeth paused, pouting reluctantly as she began to knead the cushion on her lap. She grumbled under her breath, "You just like taking advantage of my family."
"This is business. A deal is a deal. You know your father probably considered taking advantage of me too; he just wasn't successful."
Elisabeth huffed in annoyance before reluctantly asking, "Then what should I do?"
"It's simple, and you're quite good at it. From now on, you get to act like a little princess."
"I already am a princess," Elisabeth responded, lifting her chin proudly.
Eric nodded in approval. "Exactly! But you need to exaggerate it a bit. You must play the role of a spoiled little princess."
After he finished, not just Elisabeth but also Julia and Drew exchanged curious and puzzled looks.
Eric continued, not keeping them in suspense. "Here's how the story unfolds: Miss Elisabeth Murdoch produced a highly praised film. To ensure it wins an Oscar, the spoiled little princess unabashedly uses her family's influence in Hollywood to undermine films that might receive nominations.
Conveniently, there's a film called Dances with Wolves which, after internal screenings, received positive feedback. To prevent Dances with Wolves from competing for next year's Oscars, Elisabeth demands the film be delayed. The distributors of Dances with Wolves refuse to bow down to the Hollywood power players, and in a fit of anger, Elisabeth Murdoch throws a large amount of money to buy out all the rights to the film. And that's where our story ends."
"Wow, the plot twists and turns, full of negativity. Seems like it could be turned into a movie," Drew chuckled.
Julia smiled, "No wonder you're a top screenwriter in Hollywood."
But Elisabeth rolled her eyes. "Why do I have to be the villain? Why don't you take on the role of the 'Hollywood power player'?"
"I wouldn't let you do it for free," Eric pulled out his checkbook and quickly wrote a check, handing it over. "Here, spend my money. That should work, right?"
*****
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