King of Hollywood - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Kill Two Birds with One Stone
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Concorde Hotel was near the Berlin International Conference Center, not far from the film festival venue, so it was quite suitable for the cast and crew of “Silence of the Lambs” to choose it as their lodging.

In a small hall on the 8th floor of the hotel, cast members were holding drinks, chatting and laughing in small groups. Besides the actors, director, producers, and people from the film company, only a few were invited to attend.

“The key lies in the depiction of Buffalo Bill,” Adrian, standing with Kate, the director, and two lead actors, said eloquently. “Especially the portrayal of his twisted obsession with the skin of overweight women. This will surely provoke some feminists to protest. After all, films are an amalgamation of images, music, and performance, much different from novels.”

“Is that all? Aren’t you being a bit alarmist?” Jonathan was somewhat unconvinced.

“In fact, I think most women won’t have such thoughts, but you must know, Jonathan, no matter the viewpoint, there will always be extremists,” Adrian shrugged. “Of course, I don’t think they can make much of a fuss. It’s an outstanding film–your direction, Judi’s, and Anthony’s performance are all textbook quality.”

“I must admit, you’re very eloquent, Adrian,” Judi Foster said with a smile. She wasn’t particularly beautiful, yet she had a captivating aura, especially her gray-blue eyes that seemed to speak.

“Thank you, it’s my sincere opinion. I believe that not only will you and Anthony win Best Actor and Actress at the Berlin Film Festival, but you’ll also take home the Oscars for Best Actor and Actress at the beginning of next year,” Adrian said earnestly.

This flattery brought smiles to those around. Anthony Hopkins then half-jokingly asked, “Given that, Adrian, who do you think acted better in the film, Judi or me?”

“That’s not a good question, Anthony,” Adrian chuckled. “To be honest, both your performances are outstanding, making it hard to tell which is superior. However, from my perspective, I slightly lean towards Anthony.”

“Why’s that?” Judi asked, curious.

“Very simple. Anthony’s total screen time was only…” Adrian tilted his head in thought. “Less than 30 minutes, yet the impression left is as profound as Judi’s, so I lean slightly towards Anthony.”

“Is that so?” Judi smiled slightly. “But, although I had more screen time than Anthony, I consistently maintained a performance equal to his. How do you explain that?”

Adrian was momentarily stunned, then shook his head with a bitter smile. “Alright, my thoughts were not thorough.”

No wonder she was a Yale University graduate, able to render others speechless with a simple statement.

“It’s nothing, just a difference in perspective, no right or wrong,” Hopkins intervened smoothly at this point.

“No matter what, both of you are incredibly talented actors, and there’s a chance you might collaborate again,” Adrian said, raising his glass.

“I look forward to it. Your direction in ‘Memento’ was truly brilliant.” Anthony also raised his glass.

“There will be opportunities,” Judi joined in.

Although they said so, Adrian knew that to a large extent, this was only polite talk. After all, he had not been in this industry for even a year, even with two excellent works. Yet, it was precisely because he had two outstanding projects and left a good impression on them that no one definitively ruled out the possibility. A certain degree of tact was an essential skill for those in the entertainment industry.

Adrian was not concerned about these matters; he was simply establishing connections. Although he considered Hopkins in his upcoming plans, there was still some time until then. Currently, the person he wanted to win over was Jonathan Demme.

“By the way, Jonathan, do you have any other plans after this film?” Adrian asked suddenly after placing his wine glass on a passing waiter’s tray.

“Not at the moment,” Jonathan shook his head. “The promotion for ‘Silence of the Lambs’ has only just begun. Moreover, I’m planning on–wait, do you have something to discuss with me?”

“Yes, I have a concept that I’ve been unable to find the right person to direct–I’m too inexperienced–until I saw ‘Silence of the Lambs’ today,” Adrian did not hide anything. “Although it’s a completely different genre from ‘Silence of the Lambs,’ I believe your outstanding attention to detail could perfectly express this story through the lens.”

“Really?” Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “May I know what the story is about?”

“Alright, let me think…” Adrian organized his thoughts and then recounted, “It’s a story about homosexuality and AIDS. Andrew and Joe are two young lawyers in Philadelphia, both hardworking, with bright futures ahead. However, Andrew is a homosexual and unintentionally contracts AIDS…”

Adrian was narrating the story of “Philadelphia,” the film that won Tom Hanks his first Oscar. The director of the movie was none other than Jonathan Demme, standing before him. While watching “Silence of the Lambs” in the theater, Adrian recalled this movie, and then upon meeting Jonathan, naturally decided to bring him in to produce this film. Handing something that originally belonged to him back to him, while also showing a kindness, was a deal beneficial from every angle.

Adrian had watched “Philadelphia” many times, so he remembered the details vividly. He deliberately picked the most exciting parts to tell, many of which were Jonathan’s original ideas. Combined with Adrian’s flair for storytelling, it easily captivated Jonathan.

“Without a doubt, it’s a very valuable concept. May I see the script?” Jonathan asked, somewhat excitedly, right after Adrian finished speaking.

“Sorry, Jonathan, it’s just a concept, there’s no complete script yet,” Adrian spread his hands.

“Really?” Jonathan didn’t seem to believe it. “I heard from Barney Jacklin at Fox that you can complete six different yet quality-assured scripts within a few months.”

“Did he say that? That must have left a deep impression on him,” Adrian shrugged.

“Sorry to interrupt, could I know what you’re talking about?” Judi asked, cutting in at this point.

“That, well, you’d have to ask Adrian himself,” Jonathan passed the question back to Adrian.

“It’s nothing special, I just sold six scripts to four major companies in one go,” Adrian explained briefly.

“Six scripts sold at once?” Anthony joined the conversation, with a tone of surprise. “All completed in just a few months?”

“More or less,” Adrian didn’t deny it. Seeing that they seemed eager to inquire further, he quickly looked at Jonathan to change the topic. “Have you thought it over, Jonathan?”

“Certainly, there’s no problem, but…” Jonathan displayed a wry smile. “I’m currently busy with the promotion of ‘Silence of the Lambs,’ and I fear I won’t have time for quite a while.”

“It’s alright, I also need time to draft the script. I’ll save it for you–of course, if you’re willing, I can even prepare all the pre-production work, so it can start filming as soon as you have time,” Adrian said with a smile.

“Really?” Jonathan appeared delighted. “Then it’s settled.”

Even though it was a small party, Adrian gained a lot. Firstly, he forged good relationships with Jonathan Demme, Anthony Hopkins, and Judi Foster; secondly, he secured another critically and commercially successful film for his company; and lastly, it gave him the chance to connect with future Oscar winners–indeed, the film would use the “original cast.”

Unfortunately, his own influence wasn’t significant enough. Otherwise, others would be racking their brains to try to win him over. Reflecting in the mirror while getting undressed back at the hotel, Adrian thought so. But then he smiled, shaking his head. It had only been a year–no need to rush. There was still plenty of time; just once…

At this point, Adrian stopped his train of thought, recalling that apart from knowing a bit of the situation in the Gulf region from TV or newspapers, he had not contacted Claude at all. It was due to both trust and tension, as this was indeed a gamble, and he didn’t want to worry constantly, so he chose to remain uninformed until the results were out.

“Hey, darling, what are you thinking about?” Adrian turned around in his shirt, noticing Kate sitting at the vanity in a daze.

“Nothing,” Kate smiled when she snapped back to reality, though a bit reluctantly.

Adrian thought for a moment and understood her mind. Kate, still somewhat naive, was almost transparent in front of him.

“Alright, there’s no need to dwell on this. After you attend more such parties, you’ll naturally know when to say what,” Adrian walked over and hugged her from behind.

“But… I feel like a vase,” Kate muttered.

“Then you’re a very beautiful one,” Adrian said playfully. “From what I saw, you had a great conversation with Judi earlier, didn’t you?”

Suddenly thinking of something, he didn’t wait for Kate’s response and asked, “By the way, what mainly did you two talk about?”

“Just some female topics, is there a problem?” Kate turned her head in confusion. “Your voice sounds a bit strange.”

“No, I was just asking.”

Do I have to tell you she’s homosexual and you should stay away from her? But then again, most men find the fantasy of two beautiful women kissing quite enticing. This mindset is similar to how some women find it lovely when two handsome men kiss. It’s just that they don’t realize that the premise of this mindset is they can join in at any moment.

Adrian shrugged, discarding these thoughts from his head, and then suddenly lifted Kate up. “Alright, it’s late. We should do something else–try some new tricks?”

“You… I hate when you do that!” Kate’s cheeks immediately reddened. “You make me feel like… like I’m a… a…”

“Like you’re a what?” Adrian teased.

Kate’s face turned even redder. Although she seemed a bit angry, her coy tone already betrayed her true feelings.