Although everything went smoothly, the battle in Helm's Deep still took at least half a month to a month to film. As the most important plot of the second movie, it was different from the battle between the Ring's Keepers and the Uruk-hai at the end of the first movie. This was a real war. Rohan's army of less than a thousand had to defend against the attack of nearly ten thousand Uruk-hai. For this reason, there were hundreds of extras on location during each shooting. They also had to put on makeup, wear armor, and carry weapons. Moreover, a scene could not be completed in one take, so the efficiency was naturally not high. Not to mention, this was Adriaan's first time filming a war scene.
"If I knew this would happen, I would have made 'Saving Private Ryan' myself," Adriaan couldn't help muttering to himself as he looked at the messy location.
Although he had tried to arrange big scenes during the production of "The Shawshank Redemption", and he did a good job of making the classic scene in the prison square disappear, the battlefield scene was another matter. Fortunately, this was within his expectations. He had enough time to slowly adjust, so … he did not feel the slightest pressure to leave again at the end of the month.
After all, he was the miracle director. There were always social engagements that he could not shirk, and he did not intend to shirk this time. Although Adriaan did not feel any pressure, the other assistant directors could not help but sigh. As long as he left, the burden of filming would fall on them. If they did not do a good job, they would be reprimanded by Adriaan when he came back. It was really depressing. Jackson, on the other hand, was very excited. He was now in charge of one of the teams. If Adriaan left, his power would increase a lot, which would allow him to film the movie according to his own ideas.
Adriaan also knew this, but he did not care much about it. Anyway, the script was very much to Jackson's liking. It was not a big deal to give him more power. Whether it was suitable or not, it was still up to him.
This time, they left New Zealand on the opposite route. They first went to London, then to New York, and then to do everything they needed to do there before returning to Los Angeles. Actually, he could have gone straight back to Los Angeles and then New York, but since his main business was in New York, and the casting in London was also in full swing, he couldn't just ignore it.
The efficiency of casting for "Harry Potter" was similar to the efficiency of filming for "The Lord of the Rings". During this period of time, they had only narrowed down the scope to a few hundred children. Other than Emma's Hermione, the other main characters had not been formally considered. The only thing that was confirmed was the Weasley twins. As Adriaan had expected, they were not the Phelps brothers from Birmingham, but the O 'Doherty brothers from Liverpool.
The twins were red-haired, lively and mischievous. They were chosen because they dared to play tricks on Columbus during the interview. It could be confirmed that if Adriaan didn't interfere, none of the original actors would have appeared except for Emma. There were too many random factors and uncertainties in this matter.
As for Emma, after confirming that she was going to play the role of Hermione, she became engrossed in it.
"About this problem, how did you solve it, Professor?" She often read the words from the novel to herself in the mirror. Sometimes, she would even make up some scenes. She was having a lot of fun.
Although Adriaan was only staying in London for two days, she deliberately performed in front of him. She wore the Gryffindor uniform — not the original one, but the one that Adriaan specifically asked the crew to tailor for her. It fit her very well. In addition, she kept waving the prop wand, which further enhanced the temperament and characteristics of Hermione.
"You know, Eide, when I told Ruth over the phone that I was going to play Hermione, she screamed on the other side." Little Emma was still proudly telling the story between her and little Emma.
Adriaan was very happy that she was engrossed in it, but he had a feeling that the little girl was planning something, especially when she looked at him with a mischievous smile. That feeling was especially obvious. Of course, it should not be anything bad, so he did not pay too much attention to it. There were more important things to deal with at the moment: to rush to New York, adjust for the time difference, and attend the movie premiere.
At the end of May and the beginning of June in 1999, a super production was about to be released in the United States. This super production was not because of the huge investment or the strong cast, but because its name was known by everyone in the United States. It had a huge fan base, and it had influenced at least a generation. It was the most beautiful memory in the hearts of many Americans, and also one of the representatives of American culture.
Many film companies delayed the schedule of their movies because of it, and AC Media was no exception. Be it The Mummy or The Sky-Stealing Trap, they were all outstanding works. There were even people who suggested moving it to the Christmas slot, but there were still movies like Notting Hill and Spiderman in the Christmas slot. It was enough to challenge themselves once or twice.
In short, when the movie had just begun to be prepared, countless fans had been looking forward to it. Now that the movie tickets were in advance, there was even a long line outside the major cinemas, especially in New York, where the premiere was held. The long line of people could almost stretch from one end of Manhattan to the other! To have such a grand occasion and receive such popularity, it could only be directed by George Lucas himself. It was one of his space opera sequel trilogy, "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace"!
Although Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" and Lucas's "Star Wars" series were almost ten years apart, they were both representative works of American science fiction films and had set off different trends. It was after watching "2001: A Space Odyssey" that Cameron had the idea of making a movie.
However, "2001: A Space Odyssey" was, after all, too inexperienced. Although the special effects were top-notch at the time, the appearance of the space opera "Star Wars" series immediately won the love of most people and went on to become a cultural phenomenon in the United States. Even though Lucas only had a few films to his name, and even though the Academy didn't like him, he was still one of the greatest directors in the world.
This could be seen from the fans cheering outside the Empire Theater in Times Square after nightfall. They were either wearing Darth Vader helmets, holding toy lightsabers, or wearing Jedi robes, venting their enthusiasm under the giant poster of "The Phantom Menace". The lively scene was far more lively than "The Expendables".
"I know that many film critics criticize me for not making progress and that my concept of movies is still stuck in the 70s and 80s. It's just that the special effects are richer, but so what? I don't need to care. " Lucas stood on the red carpet in front of the theater and faced the questioning of the reporters.
As a commercial film, "The Phantom Menace" naturally had a media conference. Most film critics thought that the graphics and special effects were good, but the story was still stuck in the 70s and 80s.
"That's right, George Lucas doesn't need to care about that." A voice came from behind him. Lucas immediately turned around, then smiled and hugged the person.
"I thought it would be a while before you came." Lucas laughed and said to Adriaan.
"How can I do that? I still have to share the passion of the fans. After all, I also contributed, although it was very small," Adriaan said half-truthfully.
The reporter next to him seized the opportunity to ask, "I heard that you also participated in the screenwriting of 'The Phantom Menace'. Mr. Adriaan, what do you think of the critics' comments?"
"I didn't participate too much, I just gave some suggestions." Adriaan first corrected them, then he flattered Lucas, "Forget about that, gentlemen. Tonight, you just need to remember one name: Star Wars! God, I've waited for almost 15 years, let me enjoy it for once. "
The people around him laughed, and Lucas also smiled. He believed that most people who loved this space opera series thought the same, but that didn't stop the reporters from asking questions.
"Do you think the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy you are currently producing can surpass the 'Star Wars' trilogy?" a guy suddenly asked.
Unfortunately, Adriaan didn't buy it, "These are two completely different themes, there's no way to compare them. Also, you should know a lot about 'Lord of the Rings,' so today, let's focus on other aspects."
As time passed, the media under AC Media began to selectively report on the production of "The Lord of the Rings." Needless to say, the sources of the news were well known. Although the other media hated this, they could do nothing about it. Until now, they still did not know where Adrian was filming this fantasy masterpiece.
But it wouldn't be long before the filming location in New Zealand was revealed. The reporters couldn't think of it now, but it didn't mean that they would never think of it. So, before they found out, he had to use his own method to reveal it at the right time. Perhaps there would be a lot of flies around him, but at least he could prepare for it.
After chatting with the reporters for a while, he discreetly pushed away the questions about "The Lord of the Rings". Just as the red carpet erupted in cheers — Master Yoda had also come to attend the premiere. Even though he was just a robot, and his movements were very stiff, he still poured a ladle of boiling oil on the fans' fiery passion. Then, Adriaan and Lucas entered the theater together.
Like all premieres, most of the guests were chatting and laughing in the front hall, waiting for the time to come before entering the theater. Adriaan accompanied Lucas to greet several important actors, such as Liam Neeson, who played Qui-Gon Jinn, and Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan. Lucas still chose them.
"By the way, why isn't Queen Amidala here?" After chatting with them for a while, Adriaan suddenly asked jokingly.
"Her Majesty has to take an exam, and her goal is Ivy League. She can't be distracted, so she didn't come," Lucas replied humorously.
In fact, Adriaan already knew that Natalie wouldn't attend the premiere of "The Phantom Menace." After all, he had been in contact with Natalie, and he couldn't let Lucas know about it later. The reason why he asked this question now was to show that he couldn't ignore the absence of one of the leading actors, and … to verify it.
That's right, verification. Natalie said on the phone that because her graduation was imminent, and her goal was to get into Harvard, she had to focus on the SAT and AP exams, so naturally, she couldn't attend the premiere. No matter what she did, she wanted to be unique. Although she would become one of the most popular actresses in the United States after the release of "The Phantom Menace," and it would be very easy for her to get into Harvard, she certainly didn't want others to think that she got into Harvard because of the movie instead of her own achievements. But …
Adriaan always had a feeling that something was wrong. In fact, this feeling had been there for a long time, but it could be ignored in the past. Now, however, it began to become a little more obvious. Especially during this period, although he was busy with the production of "The Lord of the Rings," he took the time to come to New York, but every time, Natalie either had something to say or left in a hurry after a quick meeting.
"It's really annoying …" Adriaan knocked his head. "Maybe I should find a chance to talk to Natalie?"
Thinking back, this situation should have started after the Academy Awards ceremony. She was likely to have started to become a little dissatisfied, so it was time to talk to her openly. But that definitely wasn't the time now. Adriaan still had a lot of things to do, and Natalie was still busy with her studies. After the summer vacation, Harvard would approve her application, and she would live in college for two months. The filming of "The Lord of the Rings" would also come to an end. Then, it wouldn't be too late to sit down and talk.
After making up his mind, Adriaan immediately turned his attention to the others. Although Queen Amidala wasn't here, her double was. Kyla, who was dressed up with her parents, was often teased. She basically dealt with it appropriately, except when she was facing Adriaan.
"It's … not bad. This is my first time … attending a premiere." Kyla kept twisting her head, not daring to look at him. There was a faint blush on her cheeks, and there was shyness and annoyance in her eyes.
She was like this on the plane. When Adriaan went to London, he invited the Knightleys along. Obviously, she hadn't adjusted after that day. Not only did she let a stranger touch her, she almost had an orgasm because of it. Every time she thought of the situation at that time, Kyla would have a strange and indescribable feeling in her heart. Even if Adriaan wasn't a stranger, they weren't particularly familiar with each other. How could she be so stupid at that time?!
So, Adriaan didn't excessively provoke her. Besides, her parents were nearby, so he left after saying a few words. Of course, when he left, he still saw the look of disappointment in Kyla's eyes.
After that, it was time for the movie to play. There was nothing much to say about it. Compared to the version in his memory, although there were many changes in the scenes, overall it was still the same. As for Queen Amidala's geisha costume, Adriaan directly chose to ignore it.
However, there were still some differences in the later parts. After Anakin participated in the race, the slave owner wanted to go back on his word. So, he gathered a lot of people to force him, but they were defeated by Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. However, Anakin's mother was killed because of that. The young Skywalker hugged his mother's body and cried bitterly, while Amidala, who was disguised as a maid, comforted him softly.
At this time, the apprentice Sith also caught up with them. After a chaotic battle, although Anakin was brought onto Amidala's ship, he couldn't retrieve his mother's body. In the end, he cried bitterly in Amidala's arms until he fainted.
Lucas could be said to have accepted all of his suggestions. He even deliberately foreshadowed the love between Anakin and Amidala. He believed that after the release of the second movie, the relationship between the two would not be so abrupt. Other than that, he also changed the identity of Anakin's younger brother, so that when Luke was adopted, he wouldn't have an uncle out of nowhere.
After that, the plot returned to the original version. The protagonists returned to Naboo and raided the Trade Federation. After Amidala appeared and united the local natives, the Trade Federation was finally chased out. Qui-Gon still died in the battle, and Obi-Wan accepted Anakin as his apprentice. To be honest, if Natalie didn't wear that strange costume, she would still be quite beautiful. One could even vaguely see the shadow of Matilda in her. Unfortunately, she was not by his side at this moment.
Of course, if he could admire her while moving his hands up and down her petite body, that would be even more wonderful … Well, this was the aftereffect of playing too many cosplay games in New Zealand.
Although there was no doubt that Star Wars was very popular, and many Star Wars fans were the first to show their support, perhaps due to the media saying that the target audience of this movie should be children over 10 years old and long-term Star Wars fans, or that Lucas pushed the Star Wars movie to the edge. Based on this, the future Star Wars movie should be a computer game, and so on, although the box office of The Phantom Menace that was released in 2,900 cinemas exceeded 30 million, it was a little weak the next day. The box office only increased by a little more than 10 million, so the final box office for the three days of the weekend was only 60 million.
However, everyone knew that this was just the beginning. Star Wars had cultivated more than this number of fans. Besides, it was not that all the media had nothing good to say. It was only a matter of time before North America broke 100 million, and it was very possible for it to break 1 billion worldwide.
However, this had nothing to do with Adriaan. After attending the premiere of Star Wars, he asked the female secretary who rushed over from Los Angeles to decline a series of invitations. Then, he took her on a luxury private yacht on the Hudson River to attend a low-key wedding of a media tycoon. Yes, the wedding of Murdoch and Deng Wendi.
Although some things had changed because of him, some things would not change, especially those with brains and skills. They always took the initiative, so Deng Wendi still met Murdoch.
In the past year, the divorce case between Murdoch and his second wife had also caused a lot of uproar. Although the media under News Corporation tried to exercise restraint, and although The Sun pretended to ridicule and even claimed that even if it was their own boss, they still had to report what should be reported, insiders knew that they were just burying their heads in the sand.
However, after all, he could not control the world's media, so there were still a lot of unfavorable reports coming out, so he could not keep a low profile even if he wanted to. At this time, AC Media restrained its media to show goodwill, and carried out a "neutral" and "objective" analysis. That was why Adriaan appeared at this low-key wedding.
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