Chapter 348: Heartfelt Thoughts

[Chapter 348: Heartfelt Thoughts]

As the astronomical tide approached in Australia, Johnny let go of Bodhi. Hearing his colleagues swear that they would capture Bodhi upon his return, Johnny muttered to himself, "He's not coming back."

After locating Bodhi, Johnny completed the first and only task of his FBI career, fulfilling the wish of the deceased Angelo, and then tossed his FBI badge aside, beginning his own journey of self-discovery, or perhaps stepping into confusion.

Unlike Johnny, Bodhi understood his purpose from the start. He and his friends traveled the world, seeking ever higher and more dangerous waves, igniting their passions and pursuing untamed wildness.

They lived recklessly, rebelling against the power structures and conventional moralities. In a world that stifled the spirit, they created their own set of rules. But such a system was destined to be unwelcome in the real world. The moment Johnny Utah intruded into their lives, their demise was sealed.

...

Noticing Eric put down the script, Kathryn Bigelow perked up, ready to address any questions Eric might have about it. Yet, instead of doing so, Eric picked up the budget sheet to examine it further.

"Twenty million isn't enough," Eric looked up from the budget sheet. He turned to Kathryn Bigelow and said, "If we follow the script exactly, with all the skydiving scenes and surfing stunts, the costs are bound to soar to thirty million, plus additional expenses for later promotions. This film needs to gross eighty million to break even."

Eighty million?

Kathryn Bigelow felt a moment of shock. Her previous film, Blue Steel, had only made just over eight million. While it turned a profit with a budget of under three million, the thought of needing eighty million for her current film unsettled her.

She was still just a small director, lacking the reckless ambition of someone like Cameron. Even he had moments of almost cracking under pressure. Starting a film with the necessity to gross eighty million wasn't something most people could handle, especially since it was only 1990. Hollywood produced hundreds of films each year, yet often fewer than ten exceeded one hundred million at the box office; films surpassing eighty million barely crested twenty.

Furthermore, Kathryn was acutely aware that Point Break was not a typical Hollywood commercial film. This realization prompted her to glance at Cameron.

She had originally envisioned making an art film that satirized the federal system and exposed human nature, intending only minimal surfing and skydiving scenes, which could keep the budget below ten million.

However, this script was crafted under Cameron's influence, undoubtedly including those large scenes by his encouragement.

Eric noticed Kathryn directing glances toward Cameron and fully confirmed his suspicions. He had previously watched Kathryn's films, including Near Dark and Blue Steel, and knew her style well. As he read the script, he could guess which elements were Cameron's additions.

"Eric, the script can still undergo adjustments to reduce unnecessary scenes. In that case, twenty million would suffice," Kathryn suggested, slightly lowering her head as she flipped through the script a few times before setting it down.

Eric sensed a hint of redness in Kathryn's face while she spoke. Remembering her slight gasp as she flipped the script, he became convinced that he hadn't imagined it; Kathryn had indeed blushed.

Clearly, she was using one of Cameron's old tricks: securing the film first and dealing with costs later, leaving the investors to figure it out. However, Kathryn lacked Cameron's audacity, resulting in her somewhat unnatural expression.

"But I think this script is great as it is; it needs no adjustments," Eric stated, retrieving the script and mimicking Kathryn's previous motions, flipping through the pages.

"Ah, well..." Kathryn's face lit up at Eric's approval. It meant securing the funding was likely. However, once she noticed Eric imitating her earlier behavior, her face flushed again. She realized he had caught on to her intentions.

Though Eric wanted to tease a bit more, he held back upon seeing her slightly embarrassed expression. He already had the upper hand in the conversation, and besides, Kathryn didn't seem as formidable as James Cameron.

"All right, Kate, let's put off the budget talks until we begin filming. For now, let's focus on the script. I'd like to know what your vision for Point Break is, or what you aim to express."

A worldly person would have realized Eric's comments about the budget were merely a way to gain negotiation leverage. But Kathryn, typically awkward in social situations, missed that cue. Her face revitalized, she eagerly declared, "I prefer to see this as a sports movie -- a story about the pursuit of freedom. By the end, the characters find their place; Tyler forgives Johnny, Angelo dies beneath the robber's wall, Johnny leaves the FBI, and Bodhi loses all his friends, throwing himself into the ocean without hesitation."

Eric nodded slightly. "And what about the scene where they rob a bank with the president's face?"

"Eric, let me clarify; depicting such actions does not mean I condone them."

"Of course, I understand that. Otherwise, all those directors making slasher films should be in prison by now."

"No, it's different. Those filmmakers are catering to humanity's deepest, most twisted desires with graphic images. I just want to convey my viewpoint."

She was certainly an artistic youth -- a beautiful introverted woman who was not particularly sociable. Eric couldn't help but find that endearing.

As Eric absorbed her serious remarks, the thought crossed his mind, then he continued, "Kate, the script makes it clear that the message should be a satire against the federal system. But have you considered that audiences typically despise being preached at? We should embed those themes in the storyline instead of stating them outright; doing so risks cheapening the overall message. Look here..."

Eric flipped to a specific page in the script, spreading it out on the coffee table between them.

Kathryn leaned in slightly, finally kneeling beside the table, tilting her head to listen intently to Eric's views. Famke Janssen, having remained silent beside them, started to notice the proximity of Eric and Kathryn. She instinctively glanced back at Cameron, who sat with his back to them on a large armchair, skimming through the script.

Though they hadn't spent much time together, Famke felt she understood Eric somewhat. At that moment, she sensed his focused exchange with Kathryn, spotting the mischief in Eric's typically serious demeanor. It was clear that he was harboring thoughts about Kathryn because Famke knew that the more earnest he seemed, the more mischief he likely cooked up in his mind.

Talk about bold; after all, the woman's husband sat right in the room! Plus, the age difference was certainly notable.

Famke watched for a moment in amusement before feigning a check of her watch, announcing, "Eric, it's already eleven. Should I prepare lunch?"

Startled from his thoughts, Eric displayed no displeasure and turned to Kathryn, "Kate, what do you and Jim like to eat? I'll have Famke prepare it."

Famke confirmed Eric's inclination: if Eric had been completely absorbed in discussing the script with Kathryn, he would typically show irritation at being interrupted. However, now, he appeared completely unfazed.

In contrast, Kathryn seemed momentarily thrown off balance by the interruption. Nonetheless, she managed not to show any displeasure. Hearing Eric's question, she replied, "Anything will do; Jim and I are not picky."

Eric then told Famke, "Let's just call for takeout according to our usual menu. Also, please grab us a couple of pens."

Famke rose and walked to the desk, pulling out two pens from the holder while stealing a glance at Cameron. He was furrowing his brow, deep in thought as he examined the script, clearly unfazed by the women surrounding him.

Famke thought about reminding Cameron of something but hesitated; she wasn't clueless about the renowned director. After all, he had been married three times, revealing a history of being a bit of a womanizer. With that in mind, any stray thoughts Famke had faded away.

After handing the pens to Eric and Kathryn, the two quickly started jotting down notes in the script.

Famke observed for a short while, then shrugged lightly and left the study.

...

James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow spent the entire day at Eric's villa, during which Eric and Kathryn discussed the filming details of Point Break in depth. Cameron also went through Eric's disaster movie scripts. He showed a keen interest in Independence Day, but nothing was finalized yet.

Independence Day was tailor-made for Cameron, resembling the Terminator series' multi-threaded narrative style, and Eric believed Cameron would make it even more spectacular than Roland Emmerich might.

Yet, concerns lingered for Eric. As a special effects blockbuster, Independence Day, even without Cameron's direction, would come with an overwhelming budget. He was certain that if Cameron took the reins, the budget would double, possibly approaching two hundred million.

As he recalled that Terminator 2 only grossed two hundred million at the North American box office, he recognized that Independence Day, like Terminator 2, was more about spectacle than depth -- merely another popcorn flick. It lacked the box office potential of Titanic, so without absolute confidence, Eric wasn't about to hand it over to Cameron.

After all, Firefly Films had only recently established its reputation in Hollywood, and a two hundred million dollar investment that flopped would be devastating. After all, Cameron wasn't infallible; take The Abyss, for example, which had an eighty-million budget yet only matched that figure at the box office. Although overseas sales and DVD releases could ultimately recoup costs, the profit would be minimal.

...

In the days that followed, Eric continued discussions with Kathryn Bigelow regarding various aspects of Point Break. Preparations for Terminator 2 progressed steadily. However, while negotiating with Arnold Schwarzenegger for a role, some complications arose. Though Schwarzenegger was also with ICM, he and Eric didn't share much familiarity. His agent quoted a staggering fifteen million for the role.

That was indeed a high price. At that time, the top male stars in Hollywood typically earned around five million, meaning Schwarzenegger was demanding an increase of threefold. Eric of course could not comply.

Both sides found themselves at a stalemate. Under Cameron's mediation, Schwarzenegger was somewhat willing to negotiate, but his concessions were minimal. Moreover, he didn't seem very enthusiastic about participating in Terminator 2.

After Eric had a thorough investigation done, he uncovered the truth: the root of the issue lay with the Germans.

That's right -- the Germans.

However, it wasn't a story that could be explained easily in a couple of sentences; it involved a great deal, tracing back to the reunification of East and West Germany.

Ever since the Berlin Wall fell, the merging of the two Germanys resulted in the government having to issue a significant amount of currency to quickly assimilate the two economies, leading to a level of inflation. The rise in the Deutsche Mark's value acted similarly to the appreciation of the yen, causing domestic capital to flow towards international markets.

Of course, that was only part of the problem. Then came tax reforms: personal income tax rates for high earners in Germany soared to 51%. Wealthy individuals felt the pinch, and in efforts to stimulate the German film industry, the government encouraged local investment in filmmaking. If Germans invested in film production, the income they generated that year would not only be exempt from personal income tax but also provide a certain percentage refund. Unlike other countries that mandated local filming with domestic crews, German policies allowed filming to be conducted hence without any requirement of local scenery.

Thanks to these incentives, a substantial influx of German capital soon flooded into Hollywood. These investors had no interest in independent films; they were focused solely on big-budget productions that featured major stars.

With the assistance of high-profile producers in Hollywood, the Germans quickly zeroed in on stars like Stallone and Schwarzenegger, leading to a natural rise in their pay, with both quoting figures around fifteen million for participation. Terminator 2 struck right as this price surge began.

*****

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