章節 327: Wandering
Lyman had some free time on his hands, so he decided to catch a movie called "Clean".
They were in Cannes, and the cinema screens here displayed a wide array of films, including those that weren't officially part of the festival. It was common for filmmakers without an official slot to find a spot to showcase their work.
As for why Lyman chose this particular film, it was solely due to the fact that Maggie Cheung played the lead role. He had been drawn in by the black-and-white poster, the enigmatic title, and, of course, her presence.
The director was a Frenchman by the name of Olivier Assayas. Interestingly, he was also Maggie's current husband.
The two had met in 1996, and Olivier, as a French filmmaker, had a deep appreciation for and acceptance of foreign cultures. He even directed a film titled "HHH: Portrait of Hou Hsiao-Hsien" because his favorite director happened to be Hou Hsiao-Hsien. He was a loyal fan.
Their first collaboration was on "Irma Vep", and it was perhaps during the making of this film that their hearts started to intertwine. Whether it was due to their shared interests or mutual admiration, their romantic journey began from that point. In 1998, they officially tied the knot.
Being from the Cannes film dynasty, this screening hall was quite impressive and spacious. When Lyman entered, it was already nearly full.
The movie itself followed a typical artistic path. It told the story of a once-famous music program host, played by Maggie, who had spent six months in prison for a scandal, while her husband had died from substance abuse. Everyone around her believed she was the cause of her family's breakdown, and her son had been taken away to be raised by his grandparents. The subsequent plot revolved around her efforts to regain custody of her son after her release from prison.
It was a common theme of redemption, characteristic of many art-house films. As a result, the film had a slow pace, and if not for Maggie's compelling performance and the depth of her character, it might have lacked significant appeal. It was somewhat gloomy.
Lyman understood the message the movie aimed to convey. It was nothing more than the age-old idea that "no one can go through life without making mistakes, but the real challenge is having the courage to face life anew after making those mistakes."
The movie's conclusion drove this point home, as the child's grandparents were won over by the host's newfound strength and independence and were willing to support her in rebuilding their family.
All in all, it was a satisfactory ending.
After the screening, scattered discussions among the audience members ensued. Lyman also left the screening hall, intending to explore other areas when he heard a familiar voice.
"Lyman?"
Turning around, he spotted a figure from a high school history book, one that resembled Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty - Quentin Tarantino?
Well, it was a fact that many directors didn't exactly have the most striking looks, as they didn't rely on their appearance for their livelihood.
Quentin Tarantino was no exception.
He was the chairman of the jury for this year's festival, and upon recognizing Lyman, he approached and greeted him.
Speaking of their past disagreements over a film, he had once been quite difficult with Lyman, but Quentin had never been one to hold grudges. That was all water under the bridge. Moreover, when it came to talented and skilled directors...
Well, it was Warner Bros. who had reached out to him through their connections and asked him to support Lyman. He had agreed.
"Quentin."
Lyman wore a look of surprise, and then he glanced at the other man who had followed suit.
The appearance of this man was rather ordinary, certainly not handsome.
"This is my good friend, Robert Rodriguez, also a film director," Quentin introduced warmly.
Indeed, Quentin was a loyal friend.
Later on, Robert's most famous work, "Sin City", owed much of its success to Quentin's unwavering support. To boost his own recognition, Quentin had even taken the initiative to shoot a segment and put his name on it, effectively promoting Robert.
The two had collaborated on many occasions, with Robert writing the screenplay for Quentin's "From Dusk Till Dawn". They also co-directed "Grindhouse", with Robert's segment titled "Planet Terror".
Robert had even directed "Alita: Battle Angel", a film with James Cameron as the screenwriter. He was undeniably a talented director.
However, at this moment, he couldn't quite compare to the two men standing before him.
They exchanged polite handshakes.
"Hello, Lyman. It's a pleasure to meet you," Robert Rodriguez smiled.
"I'm..."
"Your new film is being showcased this time," Quentin interjected, changing the subject. "We'll make sure to attend. How's the screening scheduled?"
"Tomorrow afternoon at 5 o'clock, at the Lueur Cinema," Lyman disclosed, sharing the information Warner had provided him.
"Great, we'll be there."
"Thank you."
...
In truth, they weren't all that close. If it weren't for their ties to Warner Bros., Quentin would have preferred not to cross paths with Lyman. After all, he held a deep gratitude towards Harvey Weinstein, and Harvey had a strong dislike for Lyman. As a result, Quentin's impression of Lyman wasn't particularly favorable either. Moreover, when "Kill Bill" was being screened, it was overshadowed by "Saw", a film produced by Lyman's Firefly Films. To say that Quentin didn't mind would be a lie.
But to call it a deep-seated grudge would be an exaggeration. They both relied on their skills, and neither could claim superiority to the other.
At the hotel.
"Robert, how did your discussion with Frank Miller go?" Quentin asked with concern.
Two months ago, Robert had expressed interest in adapting a comic book, one created by Frank Miller.
Frank was a true master in the world of comics and carried a significant reputation.
"He still has some reservations, but I'll work on convincing him."
Quentin had invested a lot into the "Sin City" project. As soon as Robert had the idea to adapt it, Quentin had gone directly to Harvey and the other executives to secure funding.
As for Frank, he simply cared deeply about his own creation and was hesitant to let others take control of it. Therefore, for the past few months, Robert had been trying to establish contact with and persuade Frank.
Quentin had known Robert for a long time, having maintained contact since his early days in the industry. Quentin had a genuine fondness for him.
In terms of their artistic styles, the two directors were quite similar, or perhaps, spending time together had influenced each other. Both favored unexpected twists, creating suspense through editing, and had a shared interest in exploring color and violence.
Quentin's films had a strong mix-and-match style, which could be described as paying homage to classics or, in a more pretentious way, as post-modern. On the other hand, Robert, with his background in screenwriting, placed more emphasis on story arrangement. He wasn't as whimsical but excelled in capturing character dialogue, often featuring chatterboxes.
They were a prime example of mutual assistance in the industry.
創作者的想法 
Shallowman
Shallowman I find it sometimes amusing the sheer unwillingness of mainland Chinese authors to use the preferred names of Hongkongers and Taiwanese. Like in this chapter, Maggie Cheung is referred to as Zhang Manyu
"Clean" - "Cleansed"
"Irma Vep" - "Evasive Fate"
"Grindhouse" - "The Cell"
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票