[Chapter 215: Hong Kong Beauty]
Link was visiting the set of Rumble in the Bronx when he received a call from Harvey. He was checking in on the filming progress.
...
The story of Rumble in the Bronx took place in New York, revolving around a Hong Kong cop named Keung who traveled to New York city for a wedding. Due to his sense of justice, he inadvertently got caught up in a diamond theft and found himself on the run from the mob.
To save on expenses, the main filming locations were set at Universal Studios, Hong Kong, and Toronto in Canada. Guess Pictures handled the production coordination, while Golden Harvest Films was responsible for filming.
Thanks to the cooperation between the two companies, production was moving along smoothly, with completion expected before June.
...
Link heard Harvey on the line asking if there were any good strategies to promote Pulp Fiction. After thinking about it, Link said he did not think so, as the film had a niche appeal. Its fans would wholeheartedly embrace it and regard it as a classic of violent aesthetics, while those who disliked it would simply not watch it.
Such films primarily relied on word of mouth to gradually boost box office numbers, and not much else was needed for marketing.
However, he considered that Quentin was a very distinctive director -- one who generated considerable buzz. He suggested arranging more television interviews for Quentin, allowing him to speak on controversial topics. By generating hype around Quentin, this could also draw attention to the film itself. Quentin's rising fame would also benefit Miramax; in the future, they could save on promotional costs when releasing Quentin's films.
Harvey nodded, suddenly appreciating Link's perspective. Link indeed knew how to promote a film, even one as uncontroversial as Pulp Fiction; he could find angles worth publicizing, something Harvey couldn't match.
...
"Call an ambulance! Jackie fell from the rig!" a crew member suddenly shouted, gathering a crowd around to see Jackie Chan sprawled amidst a pile of wooden crates.
Hearing that an ambulance was needed, Jackie quickly waved it off, claiming he had only twisted his ankle and scraped some skin, nothing serious that he couldn't handle himself. He called for his assistant to bring over his medical kit, cleaned up his wounds, and was back on set within ten minutes to continue filming.
Link sought out director Stanley Tong and reminded him to review safety protocols before action scenes. It was essential to check props and minimize the chance of injuries.
He recalled the tragic accident last April when Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee's only son, had died on the set of The Crow due to a prop gun misfiring. At just 28, he had faced too much blood loss from a shot to the abdomen.
Link felt deeply sorry; he had never thought about Brandon Lee until hearing of the incident. Now working with the superstar Jackie Chan, it was wise to be extra cautious.
...
"Mr. Link, good morning!"
While chatting with Stanley Tong, the lead actress, Vivian Chow, quietly approached, greeting him softly. In her early twenties with an oval face and exquisite features, she sported flawless skin and framed her eyes with elegant platinum glasses, her voice sweet and demure.
Link nodded back, replying, "Good morning, Miss Vivian Chow."
There were two primary female roles in Rumble in the Bronx. Out of respect, Golden Harvest had sent over profiles of ten actresses, including stars like Anita Mui and Vivian Chow, allowing Link to truly grasp the difficulty of selecting from such talented candidates.
After consulting Stanley Tong about the requirements for the lead, he ultimately chose Vivian Chow. It was not simply coincidence; she fit the character perfectly and was a well-known singer and actress in the region, boasting significant box office appeal across Asia.
"Is everything going well for you on set, Vivian?"
"Very well, everyone is taking good care of me," she said, glancing at him shyly as her cheeks turned a rosy hue.
"This is my business card. If you run into any issues, feel free to call me." His assistant Annie handed her a card.
Vivian Chow thanked her, her face still flushed with gratitude. As the two spoke, many crew members turned to glance, exchanging looks of amusement, as if they had witnessed an affair again.
After a brief conversation with Vivian Chow, Link bid farewell and continued visiting other sets to check on any potential issues.
---
The script problems for Good Will Hunting had been resolved; Matt Damon had rewritten a new script per Gus Van Sant's request, but after Gus read it, he felt it was inferior to the original and decided to go with the original screenplay for filming.
...
For The Man from Earth, Sofia had invited several veteran actors to portray professors and had them undergo three weeks of extensive dialogue training. Furthermore, Francis Ford Coppola had heard about Sofia's film project and had requested to be involved as a producer and artistic advisor, determined to be a responsible figure.
The crew -- a mix of camera operators, sound engineers, and prop masters -- came from Link's and old-man Coppola's teams, all seasoned professionals.
Sofia's crew was nothing short of luxurious.
"With all these seasoned actors, do you have enough budget for the film?"
Link glanced at the modest crew packed with lesser-known yet talented actors. The $20,000 budget only covered a single actor's fee.
"Absolutely enough! They reached out to join for no pay," Sofia replied, dressed in the same kind of director's vest and jeans, her ponytail making her look even more capable than usual.
"There's no need for them to work for free. We could raise the budget to under $200,000."
"No need. They want to act in the film because the script is great and piques their interest. There's no need to inflate expenses. Besides, you managed to produce Buried and Paranormal Activity on $20,000; why shouldn't I be able to do it too?"
Sofia shot him a glance, her face showing a spirited determination that made her seem quite endearing.
"Yes, you can. You'll be the best female director in the world."
Link wrapped an arm around her waist and chuckled.
"Why put 'female' in front of 'director'? Just call me a director."
Sofia nudged him with her arm.
"Because I will definitely be the best director in the world in the future."
"You? A director of bad movies, the next Ed Wood?" Sofia teased him.
Link laughed and prepared to leave, as during his chat with Sofia, Francis Ford Coppola had kept casting uncertain glances at them, his demeanor rather grim.
"Don't rush off. We'll all be busy in the coming weeks, and who knows what our next meetup will be. Since you're here, let's plan something now."
Sofia tugged him towards the upstairs room.
"Here?"
The filming location for The Man from Earth was an old-fashioned villa in the southern suburbs, where eight actors were rehearsing their lines. Was a rendezvous with Sofia appropriate here, especially when Coppola was in attendance?
"Come on! I know you can manage," Sofia insisted, urging him to the upper room while instructing the older actors to continue rehearsing lines.
Coppola glared at their retreating backs, his expression as stern as his nephew Nicolas Cage's.
The older actors had intended to crack jokes, but seeing Coppola's displeasure, they discreetly remained silent and returned to studying their scripts.
*****
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