Exploiting Hollywood 1980.

Chapter 1303: Make the Saturn Awards a Festival for Movie Fans

"Hi everyone, I'm Chris Conley, and this is MTV. I don't need to remind you that this is the most award-giving time of the year in Hollywood, with all kinds of awards coming out one after another.

But few awards focus on science fiction and horror, and even fewer would attract Arnold Schwarzenegger to present an awards ceremony.

If we add Ronald Lee and James Cameron, two directors, there is only one award that can do it. Let's turn the time over to Melissa Samuel who is here..."

The Saturn Awards, which are popular among science fiction and horror movie fans, have never been taken seriously in the traditional Hollywood celebrity circle. Therefore, only the MTV channel, whose audience is more than 80% of teenagers, broadcasts the film.

“Ding dong ding dong… Ding ding dong…”

MTV's female host, Melissa, jumped from the hotel entrance where the awards ceremony was held to the camera, constantly throwing the wireless microphone between her left and right hands, which was a typical display of the characteristics of MTV's channel.

Their audience is middle school students, the program is MTV that middle school students like to watch, and even the host speaks and dresses like a middle school student.

"Hi, is this Oscar?

No!

This is the 18th Saturn Awards ceremony... Let's go take a look..."

"Are you a security guard?" Melissa saw a handsome man wearing a black suit and wireless headphones on his ears, so she went over to interview him.

"Ha, no, I was actually breakdancing at the award ceremony..." The handsome guy danced a few steps on the spot, imitating the dance at the supermarket entrance in the movie "Breakdance".

"Oh... looking forward to seeing you inside..." Melissa wanted to chat more with the handsome guy. At this time, the cameraman was behind the camera, desperately making gestures to her.

"Oh, it's Linda Hamilton and James Cameron..." Melissa knew that these were some of the biggest stars the Saturn Awards could invite, "Linda... James...!"

She waved desperately at the two stars a few meters away, hoping to get them to stop and be interviewed.

But Cameron and Linda Hamilton were both wearing big sunglasses, dodging the cameras that kept flashing at them. I don't know if they were afraid of the flash or disdained the influence of MTV, but they turned around and said hi to Melissa, then walked inside.

"OK, see you later!" Melissa had no choice but to find the stairs to go down towards the camera.

"Hmm? Oh oh..." Melissa saw the photographer making gestures to her again and came to her senses from the embarrassment. She turned around and saw that it was action star Lundgren who arrived.

"Who do you think will win the award tonight?" Melissa wanted to ask him who was better in a fight between him and Monk Gwendon. But this topic was too explosive and not suitable for a TV station that mainly caters to teenagers. Fortunately, she reacted quickly and immediately switched to another question.

"Well, I think Arnold has the best chance..." Lundgren was also stunned. The audience loves to watch awards like the Saturn Awards. Schwarzenegger also agreed to come. Who else could it be but him? Why is this female host a little stupid?
"Hmm, hmm..." The photographer was hinting again.

Melissa turned around and saw Ronald Lee and Diane Lane.

"Ronald, Diane!"

"Hello, are you from MTV? I really like watching your music videos..."

Ronald takes this award much more seriously than Cameron. Cameron came here because of his win for "Terminator 2", while Ronald also has "The Silence of the Lambs"...

"Oh, I'm so happy... (You actually accepted my interview?)" Melissa smiled happily. "Diane, do you like the Saturn Awards too?"

"Of course, have you seen my Streets of Rage? The only positive award nomination I've ever received was from the Saturn Awards. I'll always love the Saturn Awards."

“Oh, oh, okay, okay, let’s interview you again when we’re inside…” Melissa was a little confused and had to answer perfunctorily.

"Hahaha..." Ronald laughed and walked in with Diane. The reporter didn't understand what Diane meant. Back then, "Raging Street" was very popular among teenagers. Although the box office was not good, the video tapes have been selling well (otherwise, Director Zhu would not have seen it...).

But mainstream Hollywood did not have any positive reaction to Diane. Instead, the newly established "Golden Raspberry Awards" gave her a nomination for Worst Actress, which made Diane, who was still a little girl, feel very bad.

This kind of witty remarks are more suitable for occasions like the Oscars. From the host, reporters, to the award presenters, the Saturn Awards all have a sense of fun and humor. Most people don't take this award seriously, so no one responds to this kind of remarks...

"Ah, Arnold is here..." Melissa was still reporting live there, "He's really big, I'm not kidding you, standing next to him, you'll feel he's really big..."

“Do you think such an award can be made on a larger scale?”

When he arrived at the awards ceremony, Ronald immediately felt the organizer's roughness. Like the Golden Globe Awards, it was also held in a hotel lobby, but it was obviously not as spacious as the Hilton. Everyone was sitting a little crowded.

But the few fans who were let in or stayed outside were still very enthusiastic. When Ronald and Diane came in, there was a group of her loyal fans who exchanged information through the Usenet BBS and made an appointment to get her autograph here.

Diane was also very surprised. She didn't expect that the three movies she shot back then, "Undercover", "Bridget and the Dark", and "The Little Brats", were still remembered by people after so many years.

These people are in their twenties or early thirties, Ronald's age. When they were young, Diane was a teenage idol, their goddess. These people are loyal users of Usenet, of course, they are a bit of a stay-at-home, not a sports genius. These people like Diane's image of a "bad girl" at the time, which is irresistible from the bottom of their hearts.

When Diane was happy, she signed autographs for them one by one. There was also a most loyal Diane Lane fan who took out the "Rage" poster that he had collected for many years and asked the goddess in his heart to sign it.

Ronald also felt that such fans were truly respectable, and took the disposable Polaroid cameras they brought with them and took a photo of him and Diane.

"Oh, my life is complete... well, just a little bit short, if Diane Lane could dress like Streets of Rage and take a photo with me, I would dress like Cody (Cody, the male protagonist of Streets of Rage, and one of the protagonists of Capcom's game Street Fighter).

This fan works at Microsoft. He was so excited to take a photo with the goddess that he spoke out his true feelings.

"I think in my dreams..." Ronald also heard it and couldn't help but mutter. He turned around and saw Diane looking at him with a smile on her face. Suddenly, he thought, "Honey, can you change into that Armani leather skirt tonight?"

"As you wish..." Diane laughed.

……

"There aren't many celebrities attending this award ceremony. The purpose of award ceremonies is to see the celebrities... Most Hollywood stars prefer to avoid gathering with fans like the Oscars..."

Ronald collected his thoughts, and Cameron also felt that this award was a good opportunity to promote the status of directors of commercial films like theirs, and not let everything be monopolized by a few actor judges. It seemed that the status of directors and other positions needed to be recognized by them.

But the reality is that America is a commercial society. Without stars, there will be no ratings, and without ratings, no stars will come, which is equivalent to falling into a vicious circle. Only a small TV station like MTV broadcasted it, and sent a confused reporter.

"But the fans are really enthusiastic. I've never seen so many such enthusiastic fans gathered together..." Ronald agreed with Cameron, but he was thinking of the fans at the scene. Although there are not many TV viewers, if the scene can gather these loyal fans of the stars, it will also become an occasion that the stars love to come, right? For example, Diane and Linda Hamilton signed as many autographs as they could today.

Moreover, these fans are very hardcore and know all the movie appearances of the stars. These people will really spend money to buy peripheral products for the stars. For example, if Diane dresses like in "Rage" and Linda Hamilton dresses like in "Terminator", wouldn't the people who take pictures with them be hundreds of meters away?

"Hmm?" Ronald's thoughts suddenly diverged. This idea seemed good, didn't it? Although there were some comic exhibitions in America, and some amateur models or actors cosplayed famous characters, celebrities had never done this on a large scale.

Besides, being a star is a profession that easily becomes outdated. Helen Slater played Supergirl, Lea Thompson and Elisabeth Shue played Back to the Future, and Ralph Mazzio played The Karate Kid. These stars don’t have many film offers now.

If they are willing to attend such large-scale fan gatherings, regaining their sense of presence is secondary. If there are producers who recognize their appeal again and use their influence to negotiate loans with banks and invest in new movies, there will definitely be many stars who will support them.

"Hmm..." Ronald felt that he seemed to have opened up a new path. To gain influence in the industry, he didn't necessarily need an award like the Oscar?

"I've won many awards, but this, without a doubt..."

Ronald, who was distracted, was poked by Diane, and Schwarzenegger won the Best Actor award as predicted.

The Saturn Award trophy is very strange, it is in the shape of Saturn, mounted on a pedestal. It may be designed by a science fiction enthusiast who stays at home. There is also an attachment of a planetary ring, which makes it very inconvenient for Schwarzenegger to hold it in his hand.

"There is no doubt that the trophy I received tonight is..." Schwarzenegger's acceptance speech was very graceful. He seemed to be saying that the Saturn Award was the most meaningful. It is not wrong to say that he has never won any real professional awards.

But Schwarzenegger is a star with a salary of tens of millions after all, so saying this is a great honor to the Saturn Awards. The audience held their breath and waited for him to finish.

"The trophy I received tonight is the most recent one..."

"Hahaha……"

Ronald and Cameron both laughed and applauded. They didn't expect that Schwarzenegger, an action actor, was also talented in comedy. This dry humor was really good.

……

"What the hell is Ronald doing? Why is he investing money to cooperate with the Saturn Prize to expand the influence of such an award?"

The news that Ronald was going to establish a larger awards event with the Saturn Awards reached the ears of CAA and various stars aiming for Oscars.

While attending various campaign parties every day, Warren Beatty keenly felt that something was unusual.

"He probably thinks he has no hope of winning the Best Director Award, so he wants to get a trophy to comfort himself..." Annette Bening has nothing good to say about Ronald. Warren Beatty spent a lot of money on "The Best of Times", holding parties and various activities non-stop, chatting with judges every day to get some impression points.

This is not possible for a big star like Beatty. Not to mention the cost of hosting such a party, if he didn't show up, others might not appreciate it, especially those actors who have the right to vote for the Oscars.

Last year, she starred in "The Grifters" with full nudity and passion. She made such a big sacrifice, but she only got a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. This year, Diane Lane just wore a suit and swung her waist, and she was able to get the same nomination. Isn't it because of the role of men?

"As far as I know, he's not that kind of person..." Warren Beatty laughed and rejected Bening's statement.

He always gave people the impression of being slow to react and having a good appearance. He often answered questions irrelevantly. But those who knew him knew that this was just a disguise to pick up girls and avoid trouble.

Warren Beatty is a very shrewd person, and he used to have a very good eye for selecting films. When he made his debut in "Splendor in the Grass", he saw the opportunity of Natalie Wood's transformation from a child star.

Later, he starred in "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Reds", both of which caught the trend of the times, leading the New Hollywood movement and winning the Best Director Award. However, in recent years, as the women he attracted were more middle-aged women in their thirties, his judgment began to decline. He starred in a box office failure with Dustin Hoffman and fell out with his girlfriend at the time, Isabelle Adjani.

"But Ronald certainly can't compete with you this time, right?" Annette Bening was happy when she heard Ronald was humiliated.

"He didn't do any canvassing, Ovitz told me. Maybe he really didn't have confidence?" Warren Beatty touched his daughter Catherine in the cradle. He was very satisfied to find a partner like Bening.

"Right, he himself has no confidence..." Annette Bening heard that it was Ovitz who said that, and she was willing to believe it immediately. This time, the Oscars will definitely win over The Silence of the Lambs and all other competitors, just like the Golden Globe Awards.

(End of this chapter)