King of Hollywood

Chapter 365: Chapter 89 Kung Fu in Editing

“Like the previous ‘Howards End,’ he put a lot of effort into the costumes and settings, and the use of tones was just perfect, showcasing the quintessential British charm beautifully. The cinematography was equally impressive, perfectly conveying what he wanted to express: playfulness, fun, suspicion, subtlety, and more. Adrian must be the director in Hollywood who understands the United Kingdom best. I only hope that when the film is officially released, we can still see such splendid visuals, and I hope Miss Gwyneth maintains the standard of the trailer.” This article published in the Daily Mail about the trailer for ‘Emma’ reflects the attitude of most British media.

Firstly, as mentioned before, there were both praises and criticisms, but they were all subtly hinted at, at most grumbling about using American actresses for British roles and jesting about putting all the essence in the trailer; secondly, the publication was in a small corner on the bottom right of page four of the entertainment section, above was a celebrity scandal and below was a sunglasses advertisement.

“This film will soon have a preview screening, and I hope that those invited will attend,” Adrian stated simply through his spokesperson in response to these reactions, yet unexpectedly, this statement stirred much speculation.

Generally speaking, in Hollywood, a few preview screenings are held before a film’s release, attended mostly by film company staff and renowned film critics. The difference is that staff members are given vouchers to attend—of course, these vouchers can be transferred—while critics are invited. After the viewing, critics will express their opinions and write reviews in their columns, and ordinary people will make preliminary judgments and selections about the upcoming film based on these reviews. Therefore, the opinions of critics are very important, and many commercially-oriented films are often modified based on these opinions. Film companies also try their best to please these critics.

However, while critics might seem to hold a high status, the most famous ones often rush between three or four screenings a day, creating a symbiotic relationship. If a critic becomes too sharp-tongued and offends a film company, the company can blacklist them from preview screenings of all films produced by the company. This action, although might seem ineffective as there are other companies to attend, can, in fact, lead to a decline in popularity over time—never assume critics lack popularity.

Moreover, this involves dealing with film companies. If conflicts escalate to the extent that a film company seeks higher support, even the most famous critic must weigh their own importance. Hence, even if blacklisted, critics might still mock in their columns, but reconciliation is usually necessary in the long run. Those who are too arrogant don’t last long in any profession.

As a result, when Adrian released this statement through his spokesperson, many speculators began to wonder if he was displeased with a particular critic and wanted to warn or even blacklist them? After all, several critics had previously mocked him without mercy, and his company had just acquired ABC, holding a significant position in the media industry—and settling scores seemed quite plausible. These spectators analyzed excitedly back and forth, with the tabloids also joining in. What was merely a courteous statement was interpreted by them into countless possibilities, influencing even reputable media to some extent.

“How could that be possible, do I seem like that type of person?” At a cocktail party, when an amateur critic made an indirect remark, Adrian responded with a laugh.

He indeed found it amusing. Even if he wanted to teach someone a lesson, he wouldn’t use such methods. He preferred to use facts to slap their faces, just like with ‘Howards End,’ slapping them loudly was much more interesting, wasn’t it? However, if necessary, he wouldn’t mind using such methods to showcase his power, just like another foolish person who had subtly acquiesced over the phone and became much more respectful in person, though failing to completely hide his displeasure. Adrian was patient, waiting for him to lose his usefulness before naturally giving him what he deserved.