บท 321: Chapter 322: Not So Nice to Hear
[Chapter 322: Not So Nice to Hear]
"Eric, take a look. The situation isn't exactly what you imagined. Carole Bouquet, Nastassja Kinski, Isabelle Huppert, and Isabelle Adjani -- these top European actresses either declined the invitation or expressed interest in the story but requested that you tone down the intimate scenes," Jeffrey said as he handed Eric a pile of correspondence in the office.
Eric took the stack and silently browsed through the responses. After a while, he shook his head with a bitter smile and said, "Looks like I was too naive."
"Of course, trying to get a top actress with great acting skills to star in Basic Instinct is tough. Even these European stars might accept the film's content, but if they want to make it in Hollywood, they won't easily take on roles like this. It could significantly impact their image here. If they have no intention of pursuing Hollywood, then even more so; this script wouldn't appeal to most European actresses accustomed to indie films."
"By the way," Eric suddenly looked down at a few messages in his hand. "Carole Bouquet's agent replied, saying she's very interested in the film. You should reach out and see if we can get her to fly to Los Angeles for a meeting."
Jeffrey glanced at Carole Bouquet's information and chuckled, "Eric, this French actress does fit the character of Catherine Tramell best. However, she just won the Cesar Award for Best Actress this past March. I assume it won't be easy to convince her."
"Then let's package it right. I have a film that has a female lead available for her to try out, and it's a big-budget project with an investment of no less than $60 million."
"I didn't know about that," Jeffrey perked up. "What is it?"
Eric smiled and shook his head. "That's a secret for now, and it might not even be my next movie. I've already instructed Stan and his team to begin work on the effects for Ghost while gearing up the pre-production tech development for Jurassic Park. So, my specific plans after Ghost haven't been set yet. I might prepare Jurassic Park or some other simpler effects films to gain more experience."
"Fine, I won't pry," Jeffrey said, "But Disney is not happy with the progress on Ghost. They want you to start filming as soon as possible."
"They know my pace," Eric replied. "Even though this film involves effects, they're not particularly complex. I plan to shoot the parts that need effects first and hand them to Stan for post-production. It won't take more than a month, and if all goes well, we'll wrap up by mid-June, leaving nearly a month for promotional work. That should be enough time."
"I told them the same," Jeffrey chuckled. "However, Eric, I think we should prepare a backup plan. Several local second and third-tier actresses have sent in their materials; why not consider some of them? I think there are some good options in that pile."
"Then please hand me those files before you leave, and I'll choose some for a simple audition," Eric said.
Just then, Jeffrey's assistant knocked on the door and said, "Mr. Hansen, Mr. Williams, Mr. Roger Spottiswoode and Mr. Don Johnson have arrived."
"Let's go," Jeffrey said to Eric. "Looks like we have a director and a lead actor confirmed now."
...
Eric followed Jeffrey to a small meeting room, where the three men quickly stood upon their arrival. When Eric saw Melanie Griffith there, he was momentarily surprised but soon relaxed, as Melanie was Don Johnson's wife.
To be honest, Don had always been merely a television actor. Compared to his wife Melanie Griffith, he lacked her level of fame. Eric figured Melanie was probably there to support her husband -- after all, they had only been married for just over a year, and their marriage was still in the honeymoon phase.
Eric had picked Don Johnson for the role of Nick in Basic Instinct based on his recollection of a certain film, while he felt that Michael Douglas, the original actor, was simply too old for the part. Although he was a good actor, Eric sensed that Michael lacked the intensity to fully embody a hotheaded detective like Nick.
As Eric shook hands with the couple, he suddenly recalled another individual. Given the timeline, he figured his rebirth hadn't impacted the appearance of Don and Melanie's daughter, Dakota Johnson. In another timeline, Dakota had starred in a well-known film called Fifty Shades of Grey. To some extent, the Griffith family could be considered a Hollywood dynasty, but they ranked far below the Coppolas or Fondas in terms of influence.
"Mr. Williams, is there a problem?" Don Johnson asked, noticing Eric's curious gaze directed at the couple.
"Oh, sorry, I was just recalling something," Eric replied with a smile, turning to the other guest, Roger Spottiswoode, a middle-aged man in his forties with a slender face and glasses. In another life, his most famous movie was Tomorrow Never Dies.
However, at this point, Roger Spottiswoode, despite being 45, had yet to achieve significant recognition as a director. After Jeffrey suggested him, Eric decided to watch some of his previous work and discovered that he excelled in drama scripts like Basic Instinct. More importantly, Roger offered his services quite cheaply and didn't ask for final cut rights, so Eric quickly settled on him.
After some pleasantries, the three men took their seats.
"Mr. Spottiswoode, you've had the script for several days now. Why don't you share your thoughts on the film?"
"Certainly, Mr. Williams," Roger Spottiswoode nodded. "I believe Basic Instinct, on the surface, tells the story of solving a murder case of a perverse nature. However, in essence, it portrays a primal desire, a wild passion. It's evident from the script that Nick, as the detective, is essentially the same as the murderer, Catherine Tramell. Deep down, both of them harbor a destructive tendency. Hence, during Nick's undercover work, he accidentally kills an innocent tourist out of excitement.
Moreover, once the rock singer is killed, Nick immediately suspects Catherine is the real murderer. Following that interrogation scene, due to Catherine's provocations, Nick's deep-seated desires are awakened, leading to his rough behavior towards Beth..."
Roger Spottiswoode, despite not having had a notable career thus far, demonstrated a strong understanding of the script. Everyone in the meeting room nodded along attentively.
Eric realized that Roger Spottiswoode might follow in Jonathan Demme's footsteps; Demme had risen to prominence thanks to The Others and had since become a top Hollywood director. Roger, likely seeking to seize this opportunity, was ready to capture the spotlight, knowing that Basic Instinct was relatively unconventional compared to Eric's other scripts. Ultimately, since Eric personally penned it, any controversy would likely target him, and if the film succeeded, Roger would also benefit.
The group spent the entire afternoon discussing various aspects of shooting Basic Instinct. After work, Eric returned to his estate with a hefty stack of potential actress files.
...
As he pushed open the door to the villa, a petite figure came to greet him.
"Hi, Vicki, when did you get back?" Eric embraced her and gave a kiss.
"I landed at 10:30 this morning. It was dreadful; I never want to endure such a long flight again." Virginia complained, linking her arm with Eric's. She had just returned from a film awards ceremony in Europe. She had initially wanted to invite Eric to join, but he had unfortunately been too busy. Besides, if he attended every award ceremony, he would be worn out. Ultimately, Jonathan Demme had been preoccupied filming The Silence of the Lambs, so he had to let Virginia go on her own.
"Honestly, I detest long-haul flights as well. My trip to Venice was an absolute nightmare," Eric said with a laugh. "Since you're back, stay here for a while. I'll be heading to New York in a few days; you can help look after the house."
"I'm not going to help you with that," the woman playfully retorted. "By the way, this afternoon, a guy named Michael Krauss dropped off a sample of your new book. I looked it over, and the story is brilliant, but it's a bit short."
Virginia said, strolling away for a moment before returning with a hardcover book featuring the cover design Eric specifically requested, with the title The Matrix written in green lettering.
Eric looked at the cover and nodded. "Not bad; I didn't expect it to be published so quickly."
Settling onto the sofa, Eric began to flip through the pages. Virginia quietly put away Eric's coat and briefcase before coming over to sit beside him, naturally leaning into him as Eric wrapped his arm around her waist.
Virginia giggled a few times before lying down on the sofa, resting her head on Eric's lap. As he gave her waist a gentle squeeze, her face quickly flushed, and her breathing grew slightly quicker.
"Have you decided on your next movie yet?" Eric casually asked.
"Not yet. I've received tons of scripts, but they're all horror films. Since The Others just wrapped, I'm worried that if I keep acting in horror movies, it'll be hard for me to transition to other genres. So, I want to try something different."
Virginia said as she moved the book away and looked at Eric with sparkling eyes.
"Alright, I'll keep an eye out," Eric replied.
"How about you write me a script?" she suggested.
Eric chuckled while playfully pinching her cheek. "You really are greedy. Are you auditioning for Basic Instinct?"
Virginia happened to have seen the script for Basic Instinct, giving Eric a mock glare and challenging him. "If you let me audition, I'll do it."
Pretending to be annoyed, Eric flipped Virginia over, playfully smacking her behind a few times. Virginia squealed and collapsed against his legs.
"Okay, get up now," Eric said, trying to contain his laughter.
"Ouch, you're terrible! You're completely inconsiderate!" Virginia complained with a blush on her cheeks, but she quickly got up.
"I don't have any scripts that fit for you at the moment, so you should let Kepler help you choose, or bring me some to take a look at," Eric explained. After seeing her nod, he added, "By the way, please bring me that briefcase I had earlier. I have some work to finish."
"It's after hours now," she said, but still got up to retrieve the briefcase.
Eric pulled out a stack of actress files from the bag and began going through them, occasionally picking out one he found appealing and placing it aside.
"What are these for?" Virginia asked with curiosity, picking up a file to look at.
"Candidates for the female lead in Basic Instinct," Eric explained. "Most of the top European actresses have rejected the offer, and Hollywood's top actresses won't take it either. I can only choose from the second- and third-tier actresses."
"Honestly, many of those secondary actresses have pretty solid skills."
"Of course, but I don't have the time to sift through like I'm picking pearls from sand. I need to use first-tier actresses wherever possible; it adds some assurance for the box office."
Virginia sighed lightly and soon thought about how lucky she was. "Eric, you focus on your work. I'll go make dinner. What do you want to eat?"
"Anything is fine, you decide," Eric replied, not looking up.
Knowing Eric meant what he said and never was picky about food, Virginia rose and headed to the kitchen.
...
Eric was just halfway through when the phone rang behind him. He got up, grabbed the cordless phone, and pressed the button to answer. Jeffrey's voice came through, "Jeffrey. What's going on?"
"..."
After a brief exchange on the phone, Eric paused, then replied, "Alright, let's talk on the phone. You can give the number here to Carole Bouquet's people."
"..."
"No problem. I'll hang up now." Eric pressed the hang-up button, placed the cordless phone on the coffee table, and continued sifting through the actress candidates.
About ten minutes later, the phone rang again. Eric picked it up casually, and an accented female voice came through: "Hello, Mr. Williams. This is Carole Bouquet."
...
Half an hour later, Virginia emerged from the kitchen, calling Eric to eat. She saw him still on the phone, pacing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, gesticulating animatedly. She decided not to interrupt.
After a while, Virginia finally saw Eric hang up. He tossed the cordless phone onto the sofa and collapsed onto it, appearing tired.
She walked over and asked with concern, "What happened?"
"Nothing much, I invited a French actress, Carole Bouquet, to play the lead in Basic Instinct, but she declined as well."
Virginia couldn't help but feel a little smug, realizing that Eric -- of all people -- had trouble securing a star for his film. But seeing Eric's frazzled state, she quickly held back her amusement, offering, "Well, take your time selecting. There are still plenty of others willing to audition. Hmm... Carole Bouquet, wasn't she the spokesperson for Chanel No. 5 a few years back?"
"Yes, and she also played a Bond girl," Eric nodded.
"I recall now; she's known to be quite a character. After starring as a Bond girl, she refused to be typecast and returned to France to work in independent films."
"Forget about her. If she refuses, she refuses," Eric lamented. 'That's just the way Hollywood is; casting always has its ups and downs. Even Steven Spielberg and James Cameron have their share of challenges. I remember back in my past life, it took Cameron months to convince Fox to let Leonardo DiCaprio play Jack in Titanic.'
"Let's eat first," Virginia suggested.
Eric nodded and stood up, heading toward the dining room.
...
It was already past ten at night when Virginia, wearing pajamas, curled up on the bed with a pillow in her arms, watching as Eric continued pacing the room on the phone.
"...I don't care. They had enough time since the morning and can't make it, that's unfortunate... Tomorrow, I'll finalize the female lead for Basic Instinct. Yes, right on the spot. New York called an hour ago; Roy and the others have been waiting there for a week, and both main characters are already there. I can't waste more time. Alright, I'm hanging up."
Sighing, Eric finally ended the call, placed the phone on the nightstand, and then tiredly collapsed onto the bed. He pulled in Virginia's soft body and greedily inhaled her sweet scent, feeling an immediate tension ease in his heart.
Virginia gently massaged Eric's temples and said softly, "Eric, do you really need to rush so much? You're already so talented; why wear yourself out like this?"
"These plans were originally set for the first half of the year. Unfortunately, due to that incident at the beginning of the year, I lost over three months, and that's why things are this way," Eric explained, his tone laced with exhaustion. "I just feel time is tight, and there's too much I want to accomplish."
"I truly wish I could help you, but sadly I can't do anything," Virginia responded softly.
Eric chuckled, tightening his grip around her waist just a bit more. "Actually, you can help me -- be my giant pillow. I like holding a woman while I sleep."
"Is it just holding while sleeping?" she teased, her voice laden with innuendo as she reached to turn off the lights in the bedroom, plunging the room into dimness. The soundproofing was excellent, so although the wind blew outside, there were no crashing waves, and everything felt eerily quiet.
"Yeah, just holding while sleeping," Eric said, his head resting on Virginia's generous bosom. Not long after, his eyes began to droop, and he quickly dozed off.
Virginia stared for a moment before tenderly pulling the blanket over both of them.
...
In Firefly Films' audition room, a woman in a simple jacket sat back in a chair, relaxed, with her legs crossed. She casually fished out a cigarette from her pocket, a faint, indifferent smile lingering on her face.
"You can't smoke here, Miss Tramell," the assistant behind the camera called out.
The woman glanced flirtatiously at the assistant's position and replied, "You going to sue me for smoking?"
After lighting the cigarette and taking a puff, she exhaled tendrils of smoke.
After a brief pause, the assistant asked again, "Can you tell me about your relationship with Mr. Buz?"
"I've kind of been in a sexual relationship with him for over a year. I enjoy making love with him; he isn't afraid to try new things. I like that kind of man who can give me a great deal of pleasure," she said, smoking while unabashedly voicing her desires.
"Have you two played S&M?" the assistant inquired once more.
The woman smiled mischievously. "You guessed it."
"Do you tie him up?"
"No."
"You've never tied him up?"
"Never. Johnny likes to use his own hands; I like his hands."
...
Just as the assistant was about to continue, Eric interrupted, "Alright, that's enough."
The woman's expression immediately shifted to disappointment, and she felt somewhat resentful. Firefly had given her hardly any preparation time; she received the audition invitation that morning and rushed over, barely having an hour to get ready.
However, despite her annoyance, she dared not express it in front of the young director. Otherwise, there would be no chance left: "Mr. Williams, I think I could try again."
"No need," Eric replied. "Miss Nielsen, while your appearance fits Catherine Tramell's character very well, your performance didn't evoke much of Catherine's essence. You seemed too restrained, cautiously walking a tightrope. I understand this might be due to the limited preparation time. But the more fundamental issue is that I don't see any potential in you for this character -- nothing that projects the kind of aura Catherine embodies. So, I can only say I'm sorry."
Despite Eric's patient explanation, the woman still felt somewhat begrudging. After thanking him, she exited dejectedly.
Once she left, Jeffrey couldn't help but speak up, "Eric, I think your mood is off; you seem too rushed. How about we take a half-hour break? This way, the actresses can prepare a bit longer. We only have eleven women left; we have plenty of time to finish the auditions."
Eric sighed, glancing at his watch. There was still ample time. He had already eliminated eight auditioners on the spot, and if he continued at this rate, they would end up with nothing again, and casting the lead for Basic Instinct would remain unresolved.
"Inform them we'll take a half-hour break," Eric stood up and said to Jeffrey. "I'm going out for some fresh air."
"Sure, go ahead," Jeffrey nodded.
...
As Eric opened the door and stepped out, the auditioning actresses waiting on the hallway benches stood up as he passed by.
"We're taking a half-hour break. You can prepare a bit more in the conference room over there," Eric addressed the actresses, then walked to the other end of the hallway.
Several of the women exchanged glances, several eager to follow but ultimately deciding against it.
Arriving at the restroom at the end of the hallway, Eric was just about to wash his face when a woman suddenly emerged. She bumped right into him, losing her balance and falling to the floor while Eric stepped back.
The woman was initially a bit angry, but when she realized it was Eric, she quickly stood up in a fluster. "I'm sorry, Mr. Williams. I didn't mean to."
"No problem; it's my fault," Eric shook his head, assessing the woman with striking eyes. "You're Joanna Pacuła?"
Her eyes lit up, and she nodded quickly, "Yes, Mr. Williams! I can't believe you know me. By the way, about the audition..."
"There's a half-hour break. You can prepare a little longer," Eric said, feeling a spark of interest. "Miss Pacuła, could you say that again?"
"What?" Joanna paused at the mention of a break, sensing the opportunity.
"I mean, your first statement."
Joanna Pacuła thought for a moment and, although unsure, replied, "I'm sorry..."
"Yes, that's it! Say it a few more times," Eric leaned against the wall, casually pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
Joanna Pacula felt her heart race as she realized he wanted her to keep apologizing: "Mr. Williams, I really wasn't trying to."
"Wrong. Not that line," Eric waved, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." The woman tightly clutched her red purse, repeating the phrase over and over. She felt the young director was somewhat peculiar; she had merely bumped into him, and he was putting her through this! For a moment, Joanna worried that she would miss out on this audition.
"Alright, stop," Eric finally interrupted her. "The accent was off; it didn't sound good."
"..."
"I checked your materials last night; you're from Poland and were an actor at the Polish National Theatre?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"Why come to America? Isn't a national theatre better than being a third-rate actor in Hollywood?"
After a moment of silence, Joanna replied, "Because of political reasons..."
Eric nodded, not wanting to pry further, as he had no interest in politics. He scrutinized Joanna Pacuła anew. She was the same age as Sharon Stone, the original lead in Basic Instinct, but Joanna appeared much younger; she could easily pass for in her twenties.
"You hardly look thirty-three," Eric remarked.
Joanna's expression dimmed as women typically avoided their age, especially reflecting on the hardships she had faced. Since 1980, she had been confined due to political upheaval in Poland, and although she finally immigrated to America, the man who helped her never looked back and married another woman instead.
Over the years, she drifted in Hollywood alone, feeling like a wandering soul. Although she starred in a low-budget horror film last year, it only grossed about a million dollars -- nothing that would elevate her career.
The more Joanna thought about it, the sadder she became. She glanced at Eric, noting that she was being forced to apologize for something that wasn't even her fault. It felt like the entire world conspired against her, and tears welled up in her eyes without her realizing.
"Uh, what's wrong?" Eric asked awkwardly when he noticed Joanna was tearing up, scrambling to find a tissue and handing it over. "Don't cry."
She accepted the tissue to wipe her eyes but only grew sadder, eventually choking on her words. "You horrible Americans! That jerk who sent me here to the States just abandoned me. You... you're just as bad. I accidentally bumped into you, and this is how you treat me? You're all just bullies!"
Eric raised his hand in alarm, finding Joanna's emotional outburst rather chaotic and unsustainable. He finally grew impatient, raising his voice, "Alright, that's enough!"
The sudden silence startled her. She touched her tears, realizing her current situation and instantly regretting her outburst. This opportunity was now completely ruined.
Once she calmed down, Eric inquired again, "So, what made you want to audition for this movie?"
"What?" she asked, still confused.
"I'm asking about Basic Instinct."
"What's that to you?" Joanna asked quietly, still processing this twist.
Eric thought for a moment before responding, "Honestly, I don't want you in this film. You should pursue something more mainstream. Since you were in the Polish National Theatre, you must have reasonable actings skills."
"Do you think I don't want to be in a mainstream film?" Joanna replied, "But I have no opportunity to do so. I've auditioned numerous times and been rejected every time for all kinds of reasons. I can't compete with local actresses."
Eric again pondered, then said, "Let's do this -- don't participate in today's audition."
*****
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