Chapter 458: Elegant Violence

[Chapter 458: Elegant Violence]

Eric briefly recounted the outline of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Nicole listened intently. Once he finished, she remarked, "It doesn't sound particularly special. It's bound to be just another popcorn flick that markets itself with gimmicks like killer gunfights."

"The rigidity of human thinking is quite severe. It's easy to talk about innovation, but much harder to accomplish it. Ninety-nine percent of Hollywood films can find similar counterparts. The key is how they're shot."

Nicole shot Eric an amused look. "I'm just sharing my thoughts; no need to elevate this to the 'human' level."

Eric chuckled, "Actually, your understanding of this story only scratches the surface. Of course, that likely represents the perspectives of over ninety percent of the audience. But if we delve deeper, this story is a true reflection of marriage in people's real lives."

"Hmm?"

"John and Jane's marriage resulted from typical love at first sight. In reality, many marriages are born out of such impulses. Yet, they don't truly understand each other. Though they love one another, they remain guarded and tentative, which seals their doom for a lasting marriage. When the initial passion fades, their relationship tends to become dull and monotonous, leading them to seek psychological counseling. At the same time, they receive orders to kill each other. This drastic turn causes the invisible barriers between them to collapse. As they attack one another, they start to truly understand each other. This closely mirrors actual marriage dynamics; when spouses find themselves in disputes, the aspects of themselves they've carefully concealed often come to light, leading to either a rebirth through fire or a complete split."

After Eric finished speaking, he noticed Nicole had set down her utensils, propping her chin on her hand, gazing at him intently.

"What's up? Are you suddenly in awe of my vast knowledge? Relax, honey; you're not the first and certainly won't be the last."

"I'm just wondering when this 'John Smith' of yours will come clean about your true identity."

Eric smiled but didn't respond. He knew many around him were very curious about the peculiarities he displayed, and some had asked repeatedly. However, some things could never really be explained, and he had no intention of offering an explanation. "In many films and novels, the protagonist often remains in a state of mediocrity for a long time. It's only after certain stimuli that they discover their brilliance, eventually becoming the superheroes who save the Earth, like Superman or Spider-Man."

Nicole made a face of disbelief. "Stop rambling; I won't ask again."

"Okay, let's continue discussing Mr. & Mrs. Smith. You can play the female lead -- this script could kick off a collaboration between Disney and Columbia, and it would be perfect for Paula Wagner to produce. It's a win-win!"

Nicole nodded, looking at Eric. "Eric, what do you think about you playing John Smith? Didn't you just star in 17 Again?"

Eric shook his head. "I don't have the time."

Nicole realized she was being a bit fanciful. Unlike a few years ago when he filmed 17 Again, Eric now had to manage the expansive Firefly Films and also direct Jurassic Park. He couldn't just drop everything to participate in another film.

...

The primary work for Jurassic Park wouldn't start until after the Oscars at the end of March, and after acquiring Disney, Firefly Productions was getting into a good rhythm, with everything settled for the collaboration with Columbia. Eric suddenly had a month of leisure time.

So while he couldn't spare any time to act in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, he had plenty of time to write the script. He typed out a page per minute, making slight adjustments according to the current context based on his memory, completing it in less than a week.

During those days, Nicole stayed at the Liberty CIty Manor, witnessing Eric typing out the Mr. & Mrs. Smith script on his computer. Sometimes they went out together, and they ended up in a few photos snapped by paparazzi, leading to some inevitable gossip.

Once the script for Mr. & Mrs. Smith was completed, both Disney and Columbia quickly reviewed it. Although they had some reservations that it wasn't a special effects blockbuster, Columbia accepted the project promptly.

With the project confirmed, as luck would have it, Eric had some time available. Disney and Columbia eagerly jumped into the pre-production phase. Within just a week, they produced the budget report. Since this was the first collaborative film of both parties, the budget was quite generous to ensure everything went off without a hitch.

...

In the screening room, Eric, Katzenberg, and Peter Guber watched the intense gunfight scenes on screen. Mr. & Mrs. Smith featured a substantial amount of gunfights. However, in the list of potential directors from Disney and Columbia, not a single one met Eric's satisfaction. 

"Hong Kong action films prioritize making the viewing experience visually pleasing. Just look at this gunfight sequence -- the narrative setup, the atmospheric buildup, all culminating in that three-minute action scene reflect the director's superb control. For Mr. & Mrs. Smith, what I wanted was a kind of elegant violence, a feeling that even when the hero and heroine looking at each other with large-caliber shotguns, they should seem to be flirting," Eric explained softly.

This three-plus-minute gunfight sequence, devoid of dialogue, was a single, continuous shot from A Better Tomorrow by John Woo. To a casual viewer, it might simply be a movie's climax, but many directors regarded it as a significant benchmark for imitation.

"Eric, you're not seriously considering inviting those directors who only make B-movies from Hong Kong to direct Mr. & Mrs. Smith, are you?" Peter Guber's tone carried a hint of disdain. 

"Why not?"

"Nothing, I'm just a bit worried they might ruin the film," Peter replied, sensing Eric's firm tone and letting out an awkward laugh.

Eric didn't want to create tension with Peter. He clarified, "The Hong Kong film market is too small. To ensure they can recoup costs, directors there have to trim budgets, but that doesn't mean they can only make B-movies."

"Eric, do you have your eye on the director for this film?" Katzenberg asked, pointing to the movie that was currently playing.

Eric nodded. While in the original timeline, John Woo's career took a down turn after the new millennium, he was considered one of the best action films director of 90s. Given the time frame, it was about time for him to make his Hollywood debut. Because Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was still in production for its sequel, Firefly had maintained connections in Hong Kong, making this the perfect opportunity for Eric to reach out.

*****

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