Chapter 584: Monster in the River

The vicinity of the makeshift set resembled a bustling flea market, teeming with activity. It was unclear when a rumor had begun to circulate, but within minutes, it had reached the ears of everyone present.

"I overheard some production staff talking. They're planning to take a group to the nearby hot spring village for a bikini scene," one person shared.

Another chimed in, "I heard they've lined up over 20 young and stunning girls for it."

Rumors quickly snowballed in their exaggeration. Each time the tale passed through someone's lips, it grew wilder. By the time it had circulated throughout the makeshift set, it had transformed dramatically.

"They say Martin Davis and Charlize Theron are headed to the Hot Springs Village for a grand, open-air scene, featuring more than 20 beautiful girls without any clothes in the first week," someone exclaimed.

"It seems like it's part of some special ceremony in the film, and Martin Davis and Charlize Theron will be seen in the nude," another person added.

Excitement filled the air. Not only were the men intrigued, but the women were equally curious.

A group of young girls inquired eagerly, "Can we catch a glimpse of Martin's backside?"

A gray-haired aunt interjected, "What's the fuss about Martin? I heard his best friend, named Mene, will also be in this production. I wonder if we can see his backside."

Amid the chatter, the most conspicuous large trailer on the makeshift set swung open, and twenty shapely women emerged one by one.

They were dressed provocatively, sporting nothing but skimpy three-point bikinis, with only their footwear for modesty.

The lead woman appeared to have headlights equipped with automatic spring mechanisms. Her strides seemed rehearsed, causing her headlights to bounce with each step.

Even the young Kate Upton, who was not yet 18, sported a remarkable figure, despite her slightly curvier appearance.

As they headed toward a bus, most onlookers averted their gaze. Over twenty bikini-clad women boarded the bus and blew kisses through the windows, confirming the rumors that had been circulating among the crowd.

Several utility vehicles and Cadillacs departed ahead of the buses.

The set descended into chaos as bystanders followed the convoy to the hot spring village. The journey wasn't overly long, and some could have easily walked there.

Even the majority of media reporters had left.

Before long, the makeshift studio fell silent. Only a handful of curious onlookers and a smattering of reporters remained, inconsequential to the ongoing shoot.

On the set, David Fincher disembarked from a trailer and picked up a walkie-talkie. He bellowed, "All departments, begin preparations immediately."

The once tranquil makeshift set quickly came to life as everyone disembarked from their trailers and got to work.

Martin approached David Fincher, clutching the storyboard in his hand, and surveyed the surroundings. "The effect looks quite promising."

David Fincher nodded approvingly. "Your approach is working splendidly. Let's get prepared."

"I'm going to rehearse my moves," Martin replied. But just as he was about to depart, he recalled something important. "By the way, all of what just happened should be recorded for the crew's behind-the-scenes footage. It'll be great for publicity later on."

David Fincher was momentarily taken aback, then quickly regained his composure. He turned to his assistant and urged, "Take notes, quickly!"

Apart from his directing prowess, when it came to publicity and marketing, Nolan could outshine David Fincher.

The location had three primary scenes. First, Nick Dunn, the scoundrel character, strolled along the river, engaging in conversations with his wife Amy, his sister Margo, and his mistress Andy.

Sweet-talking Amy, attempting to persuade her to invest in opening a bar.

Discussing with his sister how to convince Amy to provide the money.

Meeting his mistress here for a secret rendezvous and admiring Andy's exceptionally bright car headlights.

In this context, not undressing was considered a lack of artistic expression.

Without sufficiently captivating artistic scenes, competing for Oscars would be futile.

Today, the crew was indeed filming a significant scene between Martin and Charlize, but it wasn't set in the hot spring village; it was right here.

The hot spring village scenes revolved around Amy's disappearance.

Once Martin and Charlize had rehearsed their moves, David Fincher gave the order, and filming commenced.

As Martin and Charlize strolled by the river and exchanged a few lines, a loud "bang" echoed from nearby. Something leaped out of the river and splashed back down with a resounding splash.

Startled, Charlize quickly sought refuge by Martin's side.

Martin caught sight of the commotion. "That's a sizable fish."

From his observation, it seemed to be a carp or herring, collectively known as Asian carp in the United States.

Word had it that the Mississippi River was teeming with these fish.

David Fincher didn't pause the shoot.

Martin and Charlize promptly adjusted to the unexpected occurrence, using it to enhance their performance.

Ultimately, this scene's outcome wouldn't change. They would soon disappear into the woods, shed their clothing, and indulge in an intimate moment.

For the Oscars, a plethora of artful scenes were essential.

In David Fincher's shooting plan, there were over 15 such scenes between Martin and Charlize alone.

Although not all of them would make it into the final edit, capturing various angles during filming was necessary.

The two, now disheveled, individuals emerged from the woods after startling numerous birds.

Martin had a subsequent scene where he entered a trailer to change clothes and apply makeup.

Charlize followed him into the trailer.

Martin inquired, "I heard rumors that scenes like this were shot in the 1990s. Is that true?"

Charlize, her expression stern, retorted, "What, you want to do that too? I won't engage in such audacious antics with you!"

Martin raised his hands in defense. "I was merely curious, just asking."

Charlize scrutinized him, satisfied that he was genuinely curious, and replied, "There are plenty of rumors, but only those directly involved truly know."

As Martin entered the trailer, he remembered something else. "Sally, are we going on that trip this weekend?"

Charlize had wanted to join but had been tied up with work. "An official South African World Cup film crew is coming, and I need to collaborate with them on some promotional videos."

Curious, she inquired further, "What sort of activities are you planning?"

Martin, inspired by the fish incident earlier, came up with an idea. "I heard there's a fishing event on the Mississippi River."

Charlize turned her gaze toward the river. "Asian carp have taken over this area. It seems officials and environmental groups are grappling with it. I've heard they often leap onto boats and cause harm."

"I've been to Asia, and they tend to be peaceful in the rivers there," Martin remarked, sharing some gossip. "Who would have thought they'd become river monsters here? Perhaps something in the water turned them into giants."

Charlize chuckled. "Since when did you become a supporter of this conspiracy theory?"

Martin responded earnestly, "Ever since I became more involved in politics."

With a wave of her hand, Charlize headed to her trailer.

Martin climbed into his car, changed into his costume, and touched up his makeup. Then he returned to the set to join Léa Seydoux for the scene of their riverfront walk.

In this story, the character Nick relied on Amy for all his financial needs: housing, transportation, and daily expenses. Even the money for his sister Margo to open a bar came from Amy's funds. In essence, Nick was quite a successful man initially.

In this particular scene, Nick and his sister Margot discussed how to persuade Amy to invest in opening the bar.

Unfortunately, carp once again made an appearance in the river. Martin managed to handle the situation smoothly, but Léa Seydoux's composure and adaptability couldn't match Charlize's, and she stumbled out of character.

David Fincher had no choice but to halt filming and restart the scene.

Unexpectedly, the river's fish transformed into lively spirits. During the break, the crew took the opportunity to rest, and some of them even played around with the fish, tossing water at each other.

After several consecutive retakes, David Fincher's frustration reached a boiling point, and his face turned an irate shade of green.

Léa Seydoux approached him to apologize, but David Fincher waved it off. "It's not your fault."

Many actors would lose their focus when faced with disruptions like these, and it wasn't fair to blame them.

David Fincher didn't hold Léa Seydoux accountable; he was merely exasperated with the river's fish.

Martin called over a few stage managers and started tossing stones into the river. Some of the fish were scared away, while others leaped out of the water as if they were trying to be bombastic showstoppers—whether out of courage or fear remained uncertain.

God only knew how many gigantic Asian carp resided in that river.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to scare the fish away, the crew rapidly wrapped up filming the scene.

Kate Upton then circled back to get her makeup done and change her clothes.

David Fincher walked over to the riverside viewing platform, which would be used for filming. Leaning against the guardrail, he peered down and noticed several shadowy figures in the water.

Martin approached from behind and suggested, "Why don't we take a break this weekend? How about a fishing competition? Let's show those fish who's boss."

David Fincher agreed, "Great idea, count me in!"

Martin gestured to Bruce, signaling him to take charge of organizing the event.

Bruce promptly approached Gillian Flynn, who hailed from Missouri and had spent some time in Cape Girardeau, making her familiar with the area.

The crew efficiently set up the necessary equipment, including rails and cameras, for the event.

Kate Upton also returned to the set.

David Fincher called her over and engaged in a brief conversation.

Kate Upton's character served as the catalyst for the conflict between Amy and Nick in the story. Her appearance prompted Amy to shed her "cool girl" facade and take a stand.

Charlize Theron possessed remarkable looks and charisma, but her only shortcoming was her breast size.

In Gillian Flynn's original novel, when Amy criticized Andy in her thoughts, her focus shifted to Andy's ample breasts, which overshadowed her own.

As a result, when Kate Upton made her first appearance on screen, the camera naturally emphasized her chest rather than her face.

During filming, Martin's role required him to be entranced by the exaggerated headlights. There was no need for him to do or say much.

Kate Upton wanted Martin to test her dedication.

However, Bruce had reminded Martin that Kate Upton was not yet eighteen years old. Considering Martin's role in previous controversies, such as "nannygate," "teachinggate," and the Harvey incidents, he couldn't afford to make such a mistake.

During filming, Martin's performance was limited to displaying Nick's attraction to the exaggerated headlights.

On a different note, I have to go to the hospital today and may need to stay for an extended period. There's been quite a bit of chaos lately.