In 'Edward Scissorhands', the overarching theme is innocence and warmth. Director Tim Burton chose an adult fairy tale to emphasize the core of warmth.
"Depp, your look," Arthur teased, looking at Johnny Depp dressed in tight leather and wearing a pale, bizarre makeup, dripping with sweat on the set.
After a week of shooting, it was Friday, and although Arthur had no scenes today, he still had to be there.
As a rocker, Johnny Depp already had a unique style. He lifted his hand with the large scissors and smiled, "Not bad, just that Florida's heat is unbearable in this outfit!"
"Indeed," Arthur shrugged helplessly. It was June, and they still had to shoot Christmas scenes. It was quite uncomfortable.
Johnny Depp and Arthur Smith shared the same agent, Tracey Jacobs, and quickly became familiar with each other.
Arthur knew Johnny Depp had a three-year marriage and was engaged twice after his divorce, the second time this year with an actress from '21 Jump Street'.
Arthur seemed to recall that Johnny Depp mentioned he fell in love with Winona Ryder while filming 'Edward Scissorhands'.
"Alright, don't go back tonight. After my scenes, let's go for a drink at a bar in Tampa," Johnny Depp said, winking at Arthur.
"Let's invite Winona too; she seems to have no plans," Arthur suggested.
"Sure, go tell her," Johnny Depp waved his large scissors.
Arthur nodded and went to Winona Ryder's resting area, "Hi, Winona!"
"Hey, Arthur, what's up?" Winona Ryder, now without her character's golden wig, sported her natural short black hair.
Arthur, who naturally had brown hair but had it dyed blonde for the role, said, "Johnny and I are going to a bar in Tampa tonight. Want to join?"
"Can I go to a bar?" Winona Ryder seemed a bit excited, as she had just turned 18.
Raised by hippie parents and often bullied as a tomboy in her childhood, she had few friends.
Arthur suddenly remembered something, "Are you 18?"
Many bars had age restrictions, some requiring patrons to be over 21.
Winona Ryder nodded, "I just turned 18 this year!"
Arthur nodded, "Alright, you'll be safe with me," he said, admiring her short hair, "You look great with short hair!"
"Thanks," Winona Ryder smiled, handing Arthur a glass of water after he sat down, "You're so different from your character in the movie."
"Haha, well, anyone would hold on tight to a girlfriend like you," Arthur laughed, touching his face, "But my character is really nasty in the movie!"
"Is the director not here today? I haven't seen him," Arthur asked.
"The director is promoting 'Batman,'" Winona Ryder explained.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Arthur scratched his head, "I heard 'Batman' grossed over $40 million on opening weekend. Amazing! After 'Edward Scissorhands,' Tim Burton will probably start working on the 'Batman' sequel!"
"Arthur, what have you been doing every night in your room?" Winona Ryder suddenly asked.
Arthur smiled mysteriously, "I've been writing a script, a teen comedy set in a high school!"
"Writing a script?" Winona Ryder's eyes widened in disbelief, "No wonder you disappear into your room after leaving the set."
In 'Edward Scissorhands,' Arthur played Winona Ryder's boyfriend, sharing several scenes with her.
After all, Arthur's character was the main antagonist in the film!
Winona Ryder said, "I used to live on a remote farm with my parents, where there was no TV or internet. I read a lot of books every day!"
"Ever thought about writing a script?"
Winona Ryder had chosen to homeschool due to severe bullying at school.
Seeing a hint of melancholy in Winona Ryder's eyes, Arthur patted her shoulder, "Hey, cheer up! It's better to be happy! Do you know what happened to me in LA before coming to Florida?"
"What happened?" Winona Ryder, intrigued by Arthur's mysterious tone, leaned closer.
"Three guys tried to rob me behind a bar in Northridge, San Fernando Valley."
"You got robbed?"
"No, after dragging me into an alley, they ended up getting beaten up by me," Arthur laughed, "If you ever come to Northridge, LA, no one will dare bully you!"
"Hey, Arthur, you're only 20. It's still summer break," Winona Ryder laughed, punching Arthur on the shoulder.
Arthur shook his head, "I took a break from school. I'm focusing on my career now. *Edward Scissorhands* is my first project!"
"Alright," Arthur stood up, "Tonight, let's see the world with Depp."
Johnny Depp was a rising TV star, known for his rebellious nature, with a penchant for drinking and smoking marijuana.
"Sit down," Winona Ryder pulled Arthur back, "You have no scenes today. I heard the director and screenwriter talking about you. They said you have a deep understanding of the script. Is it true?"
"Well, sort of," Arthur rubbed his hands, smiling at Winona Ryder, "When this movie comes out next year, you and Depp will be stars. Don't forget about me then, and remember to give a preferential price. Depp might be difficult. His style matches Tim Burton's too well. He'll probably stick to these quirky roles," Arthur said, shaking his head.
'Edward Scissorhands' marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. These quirky and bizarre scripts were hard to come by. Depp's most memorable role for Arthur was in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series.
"Are you planning to make movies?" Winona Ryder was surprised. During their scenes together, Arthur, known as a social butterfly on set, had become her friend.
She reminded him, "Arthur, making movies isn't easy. You've got potential. You should focus on acting!"
"Don't worry, you've got to have dreams," Arthur stood up again, "I'm going over there. I'll find you later."
Arthur headed towards the set, shouting from afar, "Hey, dear Robert, your pants are falling!"
Young Robert, who played the heroine's brother in the movie, raised his head, "Oh, you think I'll fall for that, Arthur?"
Arthur clicked his tongue, ran over, and fist-bumped Robert, "Where's your mom? Why isn't she here?"
"Over there," Robert pointed, "Planning next week's shoot."
"Where are you going this weekend?"
"Mom said we're going to the library!"
"Well, congratulations then..."
Arthur quietly stood aside, waiting for the assistant director to continue the next scene. The planning, camera work, lighting, and sound control on set were all a learning experience...
*****
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In the evening, at a bar near the Tampa Bay dock, Johnny Depp brought Arthur and Winona Ryder over for some fun. Johnny Depp's current fiancée, Sherilyn Fenn, was also there.
The 24-year-old seductive actress Sherilyn Fenn met Johnny Depp while filming the TV show 21 Jump Street. Currently, Sherilyn Fenn is filming the drama Wild at Heart, directed by David Lynch.
"By the way, is Nicolas Cage the male lead in Wild at Heart?" Arthur asked, leaning back in his chair.
Sherilyn Fenn nodded, "Yes, and Laura Dern is the female lead. I'm a supporting actress!"
Johnny Depp chuckled, "Arthur, it looks like you know his real identity."
"Of course, his real name is Nicolas Coppola. He changed his surname himself," Arthur said. How could he not know about the famous Coppola family?
Nicolas Cage was still a newcomer, mainly known for his roles in indie films.
"Nicolas Coppola?" Winona Ryder was taken aback. "Is he…?"
"Yes, he's Francis Ford Coppola's nephew," Arthur explained to Winona Ryder beside him. "And I heard Francis Ford Coppola is planning to shoot The Godfather Part III for Paramount. There's a role for a daughter in it. You two should try sending in your resumes!"
"Arthur, your information is very accurate. I'm friends with Nicolas, and The Godfather Part III is real." Johnny Depp confirmed it.
Sherilyn Fenn joked, "Getting noticed by Coppola isn't easy. The Godfather Part III has a lot of attention."
"There's no harm in trying," Arthur shrugged indifferently. "Look at me. I also sent out a lot of resumes and auditioned for several productions before being chosen by the Edward Scissorhands team."
"Alright, let's drink first," Johnny Depp raised his ringed hand and poured another round for everyone.
"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses together.
The atmosphere quickly became lively, and Arthur noticed that Johnny Depp was indeed a heavy drinker, knocking back whiskey one glass after another.
"Arthur, why don't you go dance?" Winona Ryder asked when Sherilyn Fenn and Johnny Depp headed to the dance floor, leaving Arthur sitting on the couch.
Arthur glanced over, "Who would keep you company if I went?" He realized that Winona Ryder had social anxiety.
"Well, thank you," Winona Ryder smiled and said, "Actually, I can manage on my own."
Arthur shook his head, "It's alright. I don't really like this kind of atmosphere either. Look at the restless crowd in the dance floor. I used to be like this in school. Looking back, I wasted a lot of time!"
"So, what do you want to do?" Winona Ryder noticed that Arthur was different from typical youth.
"I was thinking, since I've finished my script, maybe I should call my agent and ask her to help pitch it," Arthur said, knowing he couldn't get the money to film it himself. He planned to sell it for some money and fame.
As a newcomer, he didn't expect a high price.
"Then try it. It won't hurt," Winona Ryder suggested.
Arthur nodded, "Yeah, tomorrow I'll find a place to print the script, and then I'll call my agent!"
"Hey, Arthur, Winona, we're heading to Los Angeles now. Do you want to come?" At that moment, Johnny Depp, looking a bit dazed, walked over with Sherilyn Fenn in his arms.
"I'm not going back," Arthur said, glancing at Winona Ryder beside him.
Winona Ryder also spoke up, "I don't have anything to do there. I'll go back to Lutz with Arthur."
"Alright, see you next week!"
"Bye!"
Soon, Johnny Depp and Sherilyn Fenn were driven to the airport by Depp's assistant.
Arthur watched Johnny Depp's dazed look, thinking he must have been doing something in the restroom earlier.
"Let's go back too," Arthur said, ready to organize his script and have it printed tomorrow.
"Okay," Winona Ryder picked up her bag and left the bar with Arthur.
Back in Lutz, Winona Ryder asked Arthur, "Tomorrow you are going to…?"
"Tomorrow, I'll go to Tampa to find a print shop to print the script. When Ms. Jacobs comes over, I'll give it to her to pitch," Arthur said. He had mentioned this in Tampa, so why was she asking again?
Winona Ryder nodded and kissed Arthur on the cheek, "Today was fun. I'll go with you to Tampa tomorrow!"
Then, she ran back to her room.
Arthur touched his face. Was his charm this strong now? Wasn't this Johnny Depp's girl?
Shaking his head, Arthur returned to his room to organize the script. American Pie was a future popular comedy film series, a low-budget project with broad appeal.
There should be no shortage of discerning producers or directors.
The next day, a car drove on Route 41 in Tampa, with Winona Ryder happily stretching her hand out the window, feeling the wind.
"Winona, are you happy today?" Arthur stopped the car at the Hillsborough River.
With the sun shining brightly and the sea breeze from Hillsborough Bay blowing, Winona Ryder held Arthur's arm, enjoying the view together.
Standing on a piece of land protruding into the bay, with Old Tampa Bay on the left and Hillsborough Bay on the right, Arthur wrapped his arm around Winona Ryder's shoulder and pointed ahead, "The scenery in Tampa Bay is indeed beautiful."
Winona Ryder, hugging Arthur's waist with a smile on her face under her sunglasses, said, "Next week we have to come back to get the script!"
Arthur nodded. He would first have the typist organize the American Pie script and then print two copies, to be picked up next week.
With no help, he had to find people to do everything. Arthur was worried that Tracy Jacobs might not be diligent; otherwise, he would just hand over the handwritten draft to ITA to handle.
"It's noon now. Are you hungry?" Arthur asked with a smile.
"Yeah, a little," Winona Ryder leaned on Arthur, "Let's find a place to eat slowly!"
Arthur looked around, "Let's go, there's a restaurant over there!"
He then leaned down and kissed Winona Ryder, who responded with a passionate kiss.
After the kiss, they walked towards the restaurant. "After lunch, we can rest at Riverwalk Park and then take a boat tour of the Hillsborough River in the afternoon. How about that?"
Arthur ran his hand through the beauty's hair, "Of course, no problem. We have time!"
*****
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