Chapter 822: 822
Everyone has the right to express their views on the film, but no one will be indifferent when they hear the other party criticize their own works, even if they know that "loyal words are against their ears", not to mention that the other party is still talking nonsense without basis. Own work is definitely an insult.
On February 17, 1984, a film called "Once Upon a Time in America" was screened in a small area in the United States, but it did not cause much response at that time. Italian director Sergio Leon was once invited to direct "The Godfather", but he declined the invitation in order to prepare for "Once Upon a Time in America", but when Sergio felt that everything was ready, the "Godfather" became very popular. This made the producers lack confidence in the same type of "Once Upon a Time in America". This time, "Once Upon a Time in America" was postponed indefinitely, and the first wait was eleven years.
During these eleven years, every year at the Cannes Film Festival, a well-dressed Italian handsome man would sit at the venue, holding a stack of 400-page scripts waiting for investors. It was not until 1983 that Sergio waited. An opportunity to bring "Once Upon a Time in America" to the big screen.
"Once Upon a Time in America" went to the Cannes Film Festival in 1984, and Sergio edited a 229-minute version specifically for the festival—the so-called European version, which was shorter than his favorite Director's Cut. Twenty minutes. After the film's premiere, the audience stood up for fifteen minutes, and even many film critics called it the greatest work of 1984, no one.
However, when "Once Upon a Time in America" was released in North America on June 1, it was met with bad reviews because the producer ignored Sergio's repeated protests and made drastic cuts and edited the film into one hundred and thirty-nine. Minutes, this is also the "American version" that will be criticized countlessly in the future. All the flashbacks in the film almost disappear completely. Sergio's well-intentioned Proustian structure was castrated into "America" and still exists. A single-line narrative that is hard to find in the past.
After the film was released in the United States, there was a lot of criticism and the box office was dismal. This super-high investment costing 40 million US dollars was only released for two weeks, and it earned 4 million US dollars at the box office, which was a complete failure.
Sergio, who was hit hard, never picked up the guide tube again and died in his hometown of Italy five years later.
Years later, when the director's cut of "Once Upon a Time in America" resurfaced, people realized how good the work was, and realized that it wasn't just a great gangster movie, it was a movie that was as good as Citizen Kane. "Comparable to absolute classics, "Once Upon a Time in America", "The Godfather 2" and "Goodfellas" are widely regarded as the three most outstanding works in the long history of gangster movies, but ironically, Sergio is alive. At the time, he had never received such affirmation.
Sergio's American dream was shattered, but he left a precious piece of film history. "Once Upon a Time in America" didn't do well at the box office, and it didn't get any Oscar nominations, but it didn't need that to prove its significance. It was one of Hollywood's greatest failures.
Imagine how Sergio felt when those film critics criticized the American version of "Once Upon a Time in America". His heart must be bleeding. He spent thirteen years in preparation for the work, but it turned out to be What a terrifying desperation it was to be reduced to such a situation that Sergio ended up being completely disillusioned with the film and dying.
When the European version of "Once Upon a Time in America" was released in Cannes, the most authentic historical evaluation of the film was the rush of praise. At that time, the film did not participate in the competition unit, but was only shown as a screening work, but people always praised it. After all, if "Once Upon a Time in America" entered the competition, then maybe the winner of the Palme d'Or would not have been "Paris. Texas".
Movies are actually a kind of art. People's aesthetics are always full of controversy about art. Art allows for the existence of disputes, but it does not allow insults. The brutal castration of "Once Upon a Time in America" by Warner Bros. was an insult; and Kazuo Ishiguro's prejudice against "Pulp Fiction" was also an insult.
In Hugo's view, Kazuo Ishiguro not only did not understand "Pulp Fiction", he should have refused to watch "Pulp Fiction" seriously. This kind of personal prejudice itself is an insult to the judge's identity. More importantly, Kazuo Ishiguro As a writer, his understanding of movies is even poorer. He can't understand the dark humor of "pulp fiction", he can't understand Quentin's handling of violent stylization, and he can't understand movies' interpretation of American pulp culture. , he can't understand the works of retro style in movies...
If it was an ordinary audience, Hugo could understand it, but he couldn't accept it; if it was a judge, Hugo couldn't understand it, and he couldn't accept it.
Therefore, Hugo's remarks just satirized Kazuo Ishiguro who didn't know anything about movies and was not qualified to be a judge; at the same time, he was also satirizing Kazuo Ishiguro's refusal to appreciate "Pulp Fiction" because of his personal prejudice, and he did not calm down at all. Watching slowly, naturally you can't appreciate the advantages.
Nicholas knew Hugo the most, so he immediately understood the deep meaning of Hugo's words. Hugo gave Kazuo Ishiguro a loud slap in the face. Dirty words", which made Nicholas almost couldn't hold back and laughed directly.
The reporters at the scene were all human, vaguely aware of the deep meaning of Hugo's polite words, and their expressions became wonderful.
Kazuo Ishiguro is just not used to dealing with reporters - because he is more used to dealing with his own words, but he is not a person who does not know how to socialize. On the contrary, he immediately heard Hugo's polite words. The hidden sharpness made him angry.
Hugo is just an unknown junior, but he is a writer who can win important awards for every work. The most important thing is that in his eyes, entertainers and writers in the entertainment industry are not on the same level. The authority was actually challenged, which made Kazuo Ishiguro very dissatisfied.
"'The Days End' and 'Pulp Fiction' are two completely different carriers. To understand books requires cultural heritage, but to understand movies does not require any conditions. If you compare the two like this, I will I don't agree." Kazuo Ishiguro was almost unable to hide his expression at this time, although there was still a slight smile on the corner of his mouth, but his words revealed his seriousness at this time.
The reporters were all excited immediately. In fact, generally speaking, when Hugo talked about the situation of the scene, even if there were thorns in the words, smart people would pretend not to understand, or they would use the same scene to fight back, and they would not pick it up. Ming, because once it is revealed, the scene words will no longer be "scene" words, and the situation will immediately become tense, and it will be hot at the touch of a button.
However, Kazuo Ishiguro still lacks some experience when dealing with this situation. Although he is forty years old this year, he has more or less the quirks of some writers. After understanding Hugo's "provocation", he thought Without thinking about it, he directly picked up the contradiction - of course, it is not ruled out that Kazuo Ishiguro's dislike of Hugo was at work.
Now the reporters are all waiting to see a good show. Although today is the premiere of "Money Empire", it seems not good for two people who are not even supporting roles to take the spotlight, but the reporters don't care. He looked at Hugo expectantly. Hugo didn't let them down either.
"Shouldn't art have no threshold? I only learned today that art is also divided into superior and inferior." Hugo said calmly and casually, and after finishing speaking, he showed a bright smile at Kazuo Ishiguro, "Then I wonder if Mr. Kazuo Ishiguro believes that the artistic value of literature is higher, or the artistic value of drama is higher?”
There are currently eight art forms recognized worldwide, architecture, sculpture, painting, music, literature, drama, film, and dance. Before the birth of the art form of film, theater was actually similar to film to some extent.
Hugo's humble and polite question immediately caught Ishiguro Kazuo, and the sentence "Mr. Ishiguro Kazuo" sounds like a curse now, but Hugo is not ready to give Ishiguro Kazuo a chance to answer, continue Said, "Hopefully Shakespeare doesn't come down from heaven and reprimand me for being rude."
Hugo's joke immediately made all the reporters in front of him laugh.
In fact, before the last century, art did have a threshold. The main reason was that poor people were constantly struggling for food and clothing. The spiritual life of art was a luxury, and not everyone could enjoy it. However, with the improvement of material level, after entering the 20th century, especially after the Second World War, the society gradually stabilized, the threshold of art has gradually approached, and in the 1990s, it became more and more close to the people.
Therefore, like Ishiguro Kazuo's idea that the "writer" is superior to others, not only will no one agree, but it will also cause a lot of ridicule. Just like the laughter of journalists now.
Like books, like music, painting, dance, etc., movies are all art forms without thresholds. As long as you like them, you can enjoy them. This is why movies can become an important component of popular culture.
Kazuo Ishiguro naturally knew this, but he just didn't think it through on the spur of the moment. At this time, seeing the laughter of everyone at the scene, things could not be understood any more, which made him very embarrassed, not only talking bad about others behind their backs It's really annoying to be caught on the handle, and then fall behind in a head-to-head confrontation!
"Everyone has their own different opinions on art, and I believe Mr. Kazuo Ishiguro does too. If there is a chance, it would be great if Kazuo Ishiguro could read 'pulp fiction' again. Of course, I will I pray that this time Mr. Kazuo Ishiguro doesn't fall asleep when he sees it." Hugo joked in a relaxed tone, making the originally tense atmosphere round again.
Kazuo Ishiguro, who was standing on the side, was about to explode, and now it's good: Hugo's face and lining belong to Hugo, and he is that bad guy who is not human inside and out! Kill the bastard today!