Chapter 111: Wes Craven

The luxurious fashion party took place at a Beverly Hills manor. Bruce followed Louise's Bentley in his Volkswagen to support Martin.

As they reached the manor's gate, they spotted Louise, elegantly dressed, entering with Martin, and Bruce couldn't hold back his surprise.

Bruce commented, "I've been overfed lately; I feel like I might vomit."

The party had the typical stylish atmosphere, with Georgina, the hostess, standing by a fountain to welcome guests.

Kate Winslet, eagerly waiting for Louise, rushed over to hug her, saying, "You look stunning tonight."

Turning to Martin, she added, "Finally, you've come to Los Angeles. It's quite a change... Let me take a closer look. You and Louise are a golden couple."

Martin, the gentleman, kissed Kate's hand and said, "Beautiful English rose, we can dance later, shall we?"

Kate led the way, saying, "No problem. I'll introduce you."

Louise nodded, "It's better to be introduced formally than to rush."

They approached the fountain, where Kate introduced Louise and Martin to some UK acquaintances of Joanna's.

Harvey Weinstein joined them briefly for a chat with Louise before the three moved on into the crowd.

Louise asked Kate, "Are you planning to leverage Harvey Weinstein's influence?"

Kate shook her head, "Not this time. The movie isn't his, so he won't be of much help. I'm aiming for the Best Actress Oscar. If it doesn't work out, Joanna might assist."

Louise suggested, "Consider a challenging or unattractive role."

Kate chuckled, glancing at Martin, "You said the same thing last time."

Martin agreed, "I'm clueless about which way to a college entrance." Kate approached Louise, taking her arm, and whispered, "If Harvey Weinstein tries to talk to you privately, make sure Martin accompanies you."

Louise understood Kate's intent, "I won't cooperate with him, and I have no interest in working with him."

Kate replied, "I'd rather not either. But if I don't win an Oscar, there's always something wrong."

Louise wished her well, "I hope your dream comes true soon."

Kate gestured in frustration, "Because of my high box office, I'm discriminated against by a group of old men with no commercial success. It's hard to reason with them."

Louise advised, "Let's not dwell on it." They whispered for a while before stopping.

Kate reassured, "It's not about you; it's mainly because Martin treated me well in Atlanta." Louise's expression changed abruptly, and her provocative demeanor was evident even in her elegant attire, "Why? Sam can't satisfy you? Kate, if you want to join, I don't mind sharing, and I'm sure Martin wouldn't either."

Kate pulled away, exclaiming, "I'm going to find Wes Craven."

Martin followed and asked, "Do you think that would work?"

Louise queried, "Do you doubt Kate's acting skills?"

Martin glimpsed Wes Craven in the distance and pulled Louise along, saying, "Let's try another approach."

Louise asked, "Are you sure it will work?"

Martin responded, "Not sure, but you mentioned Wes Craven likes group gatherings, so it's worth a shot. We'll give it our all, and if it doesn't work, we'll think of something else."

He whispered, "You've invested a lot here. If I don't make it to the big leagues soon, I'll have to find a way. Do I really want you to support me? What if you drain me and leave?" They continued to navigate the party, waiting until Kate engaged Wes Craven in conversation before approaching, greeting others along the way as if in normal social interactions.

In addition to Kate, Wes Craven's small circle included "Scream" series actors David Arquette and Courteney Cox.

The latter is one of the beloved heroines from "Friends" and enjoys widespread fame.

These individuals are engaged in a discussion about horror films.

Martin and Louise approached, with Louise warmly greeting Kate, "So, you're here."

Kate grinned, "I bumped into Wes, and David and Courteney happened to join us. We've been talking about horror movies."

Craven briefly glanced at Louise, remarking, "You're Mel's daughter."

Louise affirmed, "Yes, my father has mentioned you several times. He's a loyal fan of the Nightmare on Elm Street series."

She then introduced Martin.

Even in formal social settings, bringing an unfamiliar male companion inevitably draws attention.

If Martin wanted to navigate this circle successfully, he had to rely on Louise's influence.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was being looked after.

After some brief pleasantries were exchanged, Kate shifted the conversation back to horror movies, noting, "The first Scream dissected the clichés of the horror genre, but in the end, many films still follow these well-worn paths."

Craven nodded in agreement, "In today's American horror cinema, innovation is hard to come by. The Scream series is essentially old wine in new bottles, with the murders being more unexpected and the motives even more outlandish."

Courteney chimed in, "Some Eastern horror elements are intriguing. DreamWorks adapted a Japanese horror film." Craven noted, "The response has been mixed due to cultural differences and varying market reception."

Louise, viewing it from an investor's perspective, shared, "There's still an audience for traditional slasher films, and in recent years, they've made a comeback."

Martin added his thoughts, "The concept of 'Final destination" is intriguing, but the sequels have become formulaic."

Louise observed, "Introducing a new horror film model is challenging, and investors are wary of it."

Craven concurred, "No one wants to take the risk; production companies prefer sticking to proven formulas. Innovation entails substantial unknowns."

Martin remarked, "Hence, we kept getting Freddy and Jason sequels."

Seeing Martin and Louise join the discussion, Kate took a step back.

Louise contributed, "I even invested in a Freddy vs. Jason film last year. It was interesting to see monsters from different franchises together."

Craven, who produced that film, quipped, "It could be seen as a modest innovation within the established norms."

Martin continued, "What if we incorporate various horror monsters into one film? Picture pythons, unicorns, tooth fairies, slashers, giant bats, ghosts, zombies, witches, werewolves, and more. Find a compelling storyline and concept, throw them into a movie, and unleash a massacre. Would horror fans be hooked?"

Craven playfully imagined, "It sounds chaotic; I can't even visualize it."

Martin, with newfound enthusiasm, proposed, "This is just an idea. How about a scary monster-themed costume party next week? Imagine a night filled with all sorts of terrifying creatures. It could be thrilling."

Louise agreed, "You decide."

Kate chimed in, "That sounds intriguing; can I attend?"

Martin gladly accepted, "Of course, it would be an honor. David, Wes, Courteney, if you're interested, feel free to join as well."

Louise jokingly added, "He always boasts about being the king of parties and loves coming up with creative ideas. You can judge for yourselves."

David and Courteney checked their schedules and expressed their willingness to attend.

Craven, a fan of parties, had been absent from many gatherings in recent years due to a lack of novelty. Intrigued by Martin's proposal, he added, "Bring forth your scary monsters; I'd love to see the effect when they're all together."

Martin introduced himself, "I've also been involved in the production of horror films. In fact, we're organizing a special seminar on horror film themes."

Craven maintained his composure, "Such a topic holds great research potential."

Louise exchanged business cards with Craven, agreed on a date, and informed everyone, "I'll send formal invitations next Monday."

Their conversation continued to flow pleasantly for some time before they parted ways.

Later, Louise made an excuse about something urgent at home and bid farewell to Georgina.

In the parking area, Martin and Louise called Bruce instead of getting into the Bentley.

When Bruce's Volkswagen arrived, Martin inquired, "I'm thinking of renting the Malibu villa where I shot 'Entourage' last time. I'll cover the expenses, but I need professional staff. Can you assist again?"

Louise offered a reminder, "Your debt to me is growing."

Martin replied nonchalantly, "Consider it paid in kind." Louise opened the Volkswagen's door, pushed Martin inside, and instructed the driver, "Boss, take this guy to the Malibu seaside, and I'll settle the bill later."

Bruce turned with a grin, "No worries; civilized folks handle things properly."

As Martin settled into the car, he handed Louise a small notebook, saying, "Can we settle the debt?"

Louise opened it, glanced at the contents, and smiled with satisfaction, "Bruce, keep him around a bit longer."

The Volkswagen's door closed, and it sped away.

Louise entered her car and phoned her assistant, Nikki, instructing, "Secure a villa in Malibu as soon as possible."

Bruce drove out of Beverly Hills, heading northeast on the highway, and asked, "The investment this time is substantial; are you confident it'll pay off?"

Martin, with determination, replied as he dialed Jenna Jameson's number, "Invest now for higher returns in the future."