Once Upon a Time In Hollywood

Chapter 62 A film that emphasizes warmth and laughter

"This is John Hughes' best way to tell a story."

In a private movie theater in San Francisco, there were only two people sitting in the huge projection hall. George Lucas, with a beard, folded his hands and leaned on the seat. When he saw Kevin on the screen, he never knew When his family members disappeared, his face was full of bewilderment, and when he was excited to accept the reality, his eyes also narrowed an arc, "Start with the true portrayal of people in reality, and use short plots to make them empathize. After the public enters into it, Then use a dramatic approach to describe a story that the public usually wants to do but dare not do. In this way, the audience will naturally think this movie is very good, because the content on the screen is what they usually read. The life I long for..."

Although the film only lasted 20 minutes, the core of it has been seen through by Lucas.

Different from "The Shawshank Redemption", as a comedy movie for children, this can't be a thought-provoking and profound story, just tell something that can't be told, played, or enjoyed in ordinary times.

Deep thinking about that kind of thing should not be left to children. As long as it makes them happy, it is considered a success.

To put it bluntly, the frame structure of the whole story even reminded Lucas of "Spring Is Not a Day for Reading", in which Phyllis, a master of playing truant, also uses things that ordinary people cannot do to attract audiences of the same age of.

In other words, this kind of narrative technique is what John Hughes used to eat.

But unlike "The Breakfast Club" and "Spring Is Not a School Day", the audience of the movie "Home Alone" is children in every household. As long as the children are willing to watch it, the number of tickets sold will be geometric. multiplied.

After all, kids don’t go to the cinema alone, do they?

Compared with the first two movies, the rhythm of the movie "Home Alone" is more cheerful. Chris Columbus did not use long pen and ink to describe the unfair treatment suffered by the protagonist Kevin at home, but used fierce contradictions Reinforce it all, use short moments to highlight the problem, and then spend a lot of space describing a world that children would like to have.

In this way, the sense of exhilaration that the children expect will be washed away continuously. Even if the subsequent plot is absurd and false, they will think this movie is very good.

It's like 30 years in Hedong and 30 years in Hexi, don't bully the young and poor.

It's enough for the aggrieved thing to happen once, and then it's over when it's cool!

Because of this, when the cheerful music sounds, it doesn’t matter whether the protagonist Kevin rolls on the bed with popcorn, picks up 18+ books to read curiously, or picks up a toy gun and shoots his brothers’ hands. Running into the basement, these short and brisk plots all explain to the small audience how beautiful the world they yearn for is.

The little guys watching the movie in the theater, like the three kittens in "Puss in Boots", stared at the screen with wide eyes, dull expressions, and yearning...

That feeling is like seeing Panda in "Huolishaonianwang" for the first time.

Tianwai Silver Dragon! Duck!

Pan Qiliang! I bought and upgraded your VIP membership card again!

"Mom, is it really so happy to be alone at home? I also want to be like Kevin, staying at home alone."

"Dad, I won't go out for Christmas this year. You and your mother will go out with your brothers and sisters."

"I also want to stay at home alone! I also want to watch TV, eat ice cream, and play with my brother's toys!"

When words of envy come out of the mouths of these little guys like peas pouring out of a bamboo tube, the parents who accompany their children feel like they are sitting on pins and needles. At this moment, they feel that taking their children to watch the movie "Home Alone" It was simply a wrong decision - 'Want to drive us away and live a carefree, free life alone? '

'Shit! '

‘This is a script written by some silly screenwriter! Which silly director made a movie? '

‘We bring our children to watch movies, hoping that they will be happy and maintain family harmony! '

'Instead of being taught by you to be more rebellious, continue to resist! '

‘If I knew it earlier, I would have watched Disney’s "Little Heroes to the Rescue"! '

' "Home Alone"? What spicy chicken! '

When these parents discovered that their children had a tendency to riot, they really wanted to pull each other out of the theater.

If it weren't for the fear that those little guys would make a fuss on the spot, they might have started it long ago.

Of course, it may be to know the inner thoughts of the parents, but it is more like understanding the real state of the public. The montage narrative shot used to describe Kevin’s happy life did not last too long. After several camera cuts, the mother The worry of the father, the comfort of the father, and the appearance of the two thieves brought the unscrupulous and cheerful plot back on track.

Although it is very unrealistic for a work to please everyone.

But "Home Alone" written by John Hughes can at least please two groups.

One, it is the main force of the box office, those children who want to enter the theater.

The second is the parents of the main force, those real money bags, the guys who let the children walk into the theater.

Just to describe to those children on the screen how wonderful life is at home alone?

How can it be!

Not to mention anything else, if it's just like this, then the ninety minutes of time can't be made up at all!

So, when Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, who played the thieves, appeared on the screen, and when the mother's worries flashed across the screen, those parents who thought this movie might teach their children bad suddenly felt that they In his hand, there was an extra preaching weapon, and he looked at the screen, and Kevin was hiding under the bed with a dazed expression and trembling, and they started talking—

"Look, it's really not that comfortable to stay at home alone."

"Once the thief appears, you will be unable to deal with it."

"You don't have the ability to face the danger. If you stay at home alone, things will easily happen..."

However, before these parents could carry out the behavior of precepts and deeds, the picture on the screen changed again——

Kevin, who was lying under the bed and shivering, gave himself a period of inspiration and encouragement to his soul. He plucked up his courage and rushed out of the house, yelling at the surroundings, wanting to have a fight with the two thieves just now. A head-to-head duel.

Unfortunately, just when he was venting, the horrible murderer described by his brother earlier, the strange old man next door suddenly appeared, looking at the figure holding a shovel and dragging the trash can, he was still the boss of the sky, the second son of the earth, and my elder brother. Three's Kevin suddenly changed color, screamed, turned his head and ran, and his two short legs were like riding a sword to ride the wind, helping him rush back to the bed.

Then-

trembling.

"Ha ha ha ha…"

"Kevin is so timid!"

"If it were me, I would definitely not be scared by that weird old man..."

"It hasn't been half a minute since I swore and swore, and I was scared back again. No wonder he has grown up and been bullied all the time."

have to…

What a fart to teach!

Listening to the sudden roar of laughter in the theater, those parents who wanted to educate their children immediately shut their mouths.

Although the funny plot just now did interrupt their educational ideas, the content reflected on the screen is consistent with those parents' way-tell children that there are many dangers in this world, and let them not be obsessed with the beauty of being alone at home.

Even though children won’t be able to understand these contents for a while, it doesn’t matter, right?

At least, for these parents, the two-way thinking of the whole movie is full of help for their own family education.

And when the child is satisfied, the child's six purses are also satisfied...

This means that this movie, which has been screened for half an hour, has been able to keep these audiences until the end.

After all, children-oriented movies are most likely to lose audiences.

Compared with those adults who watched bad movies and would rather sleep in the theater than leave, once children find this movie very boring, they will not be polite to you, and it is considered easy to leave directly. The most uncomfortable thing is to speak bad words at each other.

Of course, compared with the first half hour, the subsequent plot is naturally not so superficial.

In order to satisfy the children, Kevin in the film naturally has to reflect his intelligence.

At the same time, in order to satisfy the six money bags, the thief in the film naturally had to be 'smart'.

Once entering this stage, Kevin in the film has officially caught people's attention.

Whether it’s looking for pocket money, going shopping alone, or relying on wisdom to get rid of two thieves on the street, or decorating your own home to scare off the thieves, or the final battle, one against twenty...

The shrewd Kevin becomes particularly interesting under the foil of the two stupid thieves.

Of course, the most satisfying plot for parents and children is the scene at the end of the film, where Kevin is caught by two thieves and hangs on the button of his clothes. After all, children are children. An adult in anger, and at this critical juncture, the neighbor's grandfather's rescue is full of neighborly warmth.

Different from those 18+ vulgar comedies full of feces and farts, the reason why "Home Alone" was hailed as Topone's classic family comedy in Roland's previous life is because the whole movie not only satisfies the needs of children when they are growing up. Fantasies and needs, at the same time, it is also full of warm elements. The brothers and sisters who usually bully you will still care about you when they meet for the last time. The warmth brought by this transformation is what most children long for. After seeing this movie, the elders in the family will also find out how their usual actions will affect their younger siblings.

In addition to warmth, the vicious old neighbor is also the guy that children often meet in ordinary life. Many times, the neighbors are dissatisfied with you because you little ghosts are really annoying. When you really grow up, you will be kind-hearted. Seeing injustice and roaring, the guy who took action when it was time to do so still exists...

In the embrace of Goose Feather Baixue, the film came to an end. With the presentation of the subtitles, happy smiles appeared on the faces of the audience who got up and left in the theater. Although the movie-watching mentality was not the same when it came, for the vast majority of audiences, this is a pretty good movie. There is no such complex editing and shooting techniques as in Olympic films. The content of the book is not only funny, but also full of interpretations of family, family, and neighborhood relationships.

Children can understand and enjoy watching, which has achieved the original purpose of those parents, and at the same time, the educational significance contained in it is really a surprise, and it is precisely this kind of The accident mentioned by film critics gave parents the idea of ​​Amway, and they want to share this movie that can improve their children's relationship with others.

"Mom, Kevin is really handsome!"

"George didn't see this movie at the first time, it's really his regret."

"I must tell him after I go back to ask his mother to bring him to the cinema tomorrow."

"Okay, baby, you can go find him when you get back later."

...

"Dad."

"uh-huh?"

"Don't leave me at home like Kevin, okay? I don't want to meet those thieves."

"Oh, honey, this kind of thing doesn't happen."

...

"Jonathan?"

"What's wrong?"

"You seem to like my Skywalker toy?"

"Yeah, didn't you already know about this?"

"Okay, it's yours."

"Wow? Really fake!"

"Of course it's true, don't you still doubt me?"

"No, no, no... I'm just a little surprised... Hiss... Of course, if I can, I actually want Solo more."

"Solo? Hmm... how come you are more greedy than Kevin in the movie? Oh... well, I'm sorry, I shouldn't say that about you, give it to you if you want it, and open the cabinet when I get back..."

"So...can you give me Chewbacca too? Anyway, they are..."

"roll!"

...

Dialogues like this appear in every corner of America.

For the guys after watching the movie, what T-800, what Terminator, what little monster, these are not important anymore, the little audience who came with the unknown have already got the best Christmas gift, in Christmas On the eve of the eve, fulfilling a dream they once had, turning their fantasy into a beautiful story, and spending 90 minutes amidst laughter and laughter will already satisfy them, and the money bags...

Watching the elder son share toys with the younger son—

This kind of breakthrough is far more than the face value of the family.

Of course, the two people in San Francisco are happier than those who are preparing to share movies with their friends.

After watching the movie in a private theater in San Francisco, the bearded man twisted his neck, squinted at the little brother beside him, and said with a smile: "Chris is much smarter than you. It's impossible to fail."

"Don't think that you are David Lean, just make the greatest epic film, you can see that Chris's idea is right, embrace business first, and talk about art after gaining a firm foothold in Hollywood, if you You can’t even earn money, you can’t prove to the world that you have countless fans, in this case, how can others watch your art films?”

Such preaching has appeared many times over the years.

Listening to Lucas' words, Spielberg, who was watching the movie with him, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "George, that's fine, you've told me these things many times, and I'll follow what you said. You can't let me make four or five "Raiders of the Lost Ark" first, and then go to the Oscars... I invite you to watch a movie today, just to let you see that kid."

"Child? Kevin? Roland?" When Spielberg said this, Lucas gave him a blank look, shook his head, and said, "I will take an apprentice, and you will also take an apprentice. My apprentice was compared to your apprentice." I went down, and then you brought your apprentice's apprentice to anger me? OkOkOk, I admit that your ability to teach students is better than mine, are you satisfied?"

The words of complaining and admitting defeat made Spielberg laugh. Although the movie "Home Alone" has nothing to do with him, he will be very happy to win Lucas.

You know, since 1967, they have been fighting each other.

"Jaws" became the world's box office champion?

Sorry, I beat you to the punch with Star Wars.

"Star Wars" raised the box office ceiling to an unmatched level?

Sorry, my E.T. the Extraterrestrial upped it again.

Of course, although they are constantly competing in various fields such as the box office, winning or losing is not important to them at all.

What they enjoy is the thrill of the moment of victory. As for what this success can bring to them?

They don't care about money or status.

As the lights in the movie theater came on, looking at the smiling little brother, Lucas punched him with his elbow.

"Let me ask you, have you had any contact with him?"

"Didn't you tell me last time that Robert didn't confirm that Roland was taught by him?"

"Contact? Don't worry." Spielberg shook his head and said, "Looking at Roland's performance, who else in the world do you think can teach it? His position in front of the close-up is what we usually use The teaching method, when I was filming "Raiders of the Lost Ark", you were watching from the sidelines. I took the close-up shots of Harrison with a camera on my shoulders. Now Hollywood can use them, except for Robert, isn't it? Are you?"

"If you have taught him, you would have shown it off in front of me."

"As for Robert's refusal to admit it, it's not like you don't know about him. What he wants to make most is not a feature film, but a special effects film. Whenever he has the opportunity, he will go to Industrial Light and Magic Drill, and he will not admit it when we catch him. Under such circumstances, if he really wants to deny it, who can make him admit it voluntarily?"

"That's right." When Spielberg said this, Lucas nodded in agreement.

He knows that Zemeckis guy, he's obsessed with movie stunts.

Under his orders, ILM even had a team working on motion capture technology.

And every time he was discovered, he denied it.

This is always the case, how do you want him to admit it?

"Okay, then I will follow the previous process and issue a press release?"

The Jewish gang is stingy, that is a well-known thing in the world, but when facing their own people, they have all kinds of conveniences, but they think of a way. Whenever their companions have a movie released, they will go there as soon as possible. Watch the movie, and then you will miraculously find that in the morning of the next day, those directors who were not very prominent at first all posted movie reviews, and those reviews were even more frighteningly explicit.

Lucas took a deep breath, and while recalling the film, he also said: "For the difficulties that Francis caused John, I will mention John, and for Martin's sake, I will mention Joe. , for Woody’s sake, I’ll mention Daniel, for yours’ sake, I’ll mention Chris, and of course, the most important thing is Robert’s student Roland?”

"What did you say? Why can't I understand?" Spielberg pretended not to know, and looked at each other blankly.

It's just that the smile hidden in the corner of his eyes betrayed his current mood.

"Come on! You can't understand at this time!" Lucas raised his fist angrily, and touched Spielberg's shoulder, "I'm helping you and writing a public relations draft. , if you say that you don’t know, then I won’t write it!”

"Okay, just kidding...you can write whatever you want." Spielberg shrugged and broke his work in a second.

"Really?" Lucas didn't believe it.

"Of course." Spielberg nodded.

"What about you? You can't stop writing, right?" Lucas wanted to know how Spielberg would evaluate his descendants.

"Me? Of course I won't write it." Spielberg's answer was very calm.

"What?" Lucas suspected he had misheard, "You won't write? Are you sure?"

"That's right, of course I won't write it." Spielberg reconfirmed, but this time, seeing that the other party was about to raise his fist and gouge himself, he didn't keep it up, but quickly expressed his thoughts and said He came out, "Because I told Catherine to let him announce tomorrow that the filming of "Captain Hook" is about to start."

"Of course, while announcing the starring role, there may be a mention in the news that Roland Allen has been selected by me and will appear in the film. As for the specific time..."

"Unknown."

Note: ①David Lean, a leading figure in the British film industry, has been in the film industry for more than 40 years, shot 16 films, won nine Oscar nominations, and won two best directors. Spielberg's idol, he shot The epic trilogy was Spielberg's original goal, but since the failure of "1941", a collaboration between Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis, Lucas persuaded him not to please Oscar, and then there was "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "E.T.", "Jurassic Park". ②When Spielberg and Lucas appear at the same time, they like to joke with each other. There is a very classic photo of Lucas drawing scissorhands and acting as a rabbit with Spielberg. Yes, they are the kind of young people Love the motion of the strokes while taking pictures. ③ It’s not a day or two since the two of them wrote hydrology to each other. "Star Wars" was not released. Spielberg posted that this movie would break his own "Jaws" record. "Alien E.T." The cover page of Variety was bought by Lucas, "Star Wars" announced its rerun, Spielberg sent a hand-drawn robot manuscript, and the reason why "Home Alone" in reality shot up at the box office was the same as that of a rocket , It is also because of him and Martin that they helped Chris and Joe write the propaganda hydrology.