[Chapter 458: The Release of Kill Bill]
"Link, congratulations on winning the Oscar for Best Screenplay -- I've won that one myself."
In the Guess Pictures cafe, Quentin Tarantino clinked his glass and smiled warmly.
"Thanks! This is my second time winning it."
Last year, Link took home the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The English Patient.
Quentin smirked. "Back in November when Saving Private Ryan hit theaters, the buzz was fantastic. Everyone thought you'd nab Best Director this year. Haha, nobody saw Titanic coming out of nowhere to steal all the spotlight from Saving Private Ryan. Link, I gotta say, your luck's been a bit off."
Quentin's hearty laughter bubbled up uncontrollably.
"Well, maybe a bit, but it's okay. Both movies are Guess Pictures projects, and the more awards Titanic wins, the more we'll earn overseas. Honestly, I care more about the company's profits than golden statuettes."
"You're worth over 10 billion, how can you still fuss about money? You blinded by cash?"
Link chuckled. "I have a big family and daily expenses easily top hundreds of millions annually. If we don't bring in more, we won't make ends meet."
Quentin pouted in irritation. Link not only made money hand over fist but was also a ladies' man -- now all the hottest actresses lived at his place and were even having his kids.
This son of a gun was living the dream.
...
"Link!"
His assistant, Aishwarya Rai, walked in carrying a folder. Dressed in a fitted white blouse that accentuated her curves and a sleek gray pencil skirt paired with black heels, her long, shapely legs and graceful posture turned heads. Her delicate features were even more refined than Hollywood's leading ladies, and she carried an exotic charm quite different from the usual Western style.
Quentin's eyes glazed over, nearly drooling.
"Link, Kill Bill's box office numbers are in -- $30.81 million for the weekend, topping the charts," Aishwarya reported.
"Only 30.81 million?" Quentin blurted out, disappointed.
"Over 30 million for the opening weekend is solid, March is an off-season, so Kill Bill pulling these numbers means it's quite popular," Link reassured him.
"30 million is nothing. Your films open with at least 50 million in the first weekend. Kill Bill isn't any less than your movies -- why the lower box office? Didn't you market it right?"
Quentin pressed.
Aishwarya rolled her eyes quietly; the guy was verbose and arrogant. An ordinary director like Quentin couldn't be compared to Link -- they simply weren't in the same league.
"Marketing was fine. Kill Bill is rated R, more niche than my usual movies, so audiences are smaller. Making this much in the North American theaters is actually pretty impressive, don't be discouraged," Link explained.
Kill Bill cost only $30 million to produce, around $40 million including marketing and distribution. Breaking even in the first weekend meant it had strong potential.
Quentin wasn't comforted at all.
"Before filming, I thought I knew the audience and what they wanted, so I made the movie as cool as possible. I even predicted that, even if it didn't outperform Saving Private Ryan, it wouldn't do worse than popcorn flicks like The Rock. But the numbers show otherwise -- it didn't even beat your Primal Fear's opening. I'm really confused about what the audience wants."
"Don't worry, take your time. Make more movies; your box office will grow," Link said.
...
Link reviewed the box office summary for the quarter. Guess Pictures had released four films in three months: besides Kill Bill, there was Nothing to Lose starring Tim Robbins, Anywhere But Here directed by Wayne Wang, and One True Thing directed by Jodie Foster.
Nothing to Lose opened in early January with $41.8 million domestically, produced at $25 million -- factoring in overseas markets, home video, and advertising, the company expected a modest profit.
Anywhere But Here was an adaptation of Mona Simpson's novel, about a middle-aged woman and her daughter chasing dreams in Hollywood, starring Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman. It had grossed $16.75 million over five weeks but was expected to incur a few million dollars in losses on its $23 million budget.
One True Thing told the story of an independent young woman caring for her mother battling cancer. After three weeks, it earned $23.18 million against an $18 million budget, likely breaking even.
All four films, including Kill Bill, were well-received with IMDb scores no lower than 7.
Link handed the folder back to Aishwarya as she left.
...
"Hey Link, does your new assistant have a boyfriend?" Quentin asked quietly, eyeing Aishwarya's enticing figure.
"Why?"
"I've always liked blondes, but I'm starting to think Indian girls are pretty nice too. Can you set me up?"
"No chance, Aishwarya has a boyfriend," Link smiled.
Quentin's face fell. "That boyfriend's you, right?"
Link just smiled softly, no denial.
Indeed, Aishwarya was his girlfriend. When they first got together, she was innocent, but after becoming official, she grew more enamored. Sometimes they even met in the office, and now she rarely left his side.
"You--"
Quentin noted Link's smile and didn't need to guess what was going on. Thinking of yet another goddess-level beauty falling for this scoundrel, he clenched his fists, wishing he could eradicate him on behalf of men everywhere.
"Enough chit-chat. How's your next film coming along? You promised last year to learn from me, dedicate more time to filmmaking, and shoot at least two movies a year. When do you start?"
"Not planning to shoot, no mood right now," Quentin said gloomily.
Link smiled gently, not pushing further.
...
After Quentin left, Link glanced at the newspaper and returned to work.
The new year brought plans -- Guess Pictures aimed to invest in producing 16 films, including The Truman Show, Toy Story 2, Scream 3, Final Destination 4, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Big Daddy, The Cider House Rules, Runaway Bride, Chocolat, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Lord of the Rings series.
They partnered with Columbia Pictures on Contact and Cruel Intentions, New Line Cinema on Austin Powers 2 and Magnolia, and co-produced Tarzan and Pirates of the Caribbean with Disney.
Link was also prepping his next film, The Truman Show. Production began late last year, with filming set to start next week and wrap by May if all went smoothly.
...
Knock knock knock--
"Link, busy?"
Monica Lewinsky tapped at the door, dressed in a professional skirt suit that accentuated her figure. Her curvy silhouette was unmistakably alluring.
"Come in!" Link set down his pen with a smile. "Looking for work?"
"No, I want a date. Is that okay?" Lewinsky blinked her big eyes, smiling.
"Sure! Just give me a little while; I've got some work to finish."
Link patted her backside playfully.
Lewinsky smiled softly, leaned in to kiss him, then sat in his lap to brief him on work.
After stepping down as an assistant, Lewinsky hadn't moved into the script department but joined legal as a paralegal. She assisted the Legal Manager and liaison between him and the legal team.
She also studied law part-time, enrolling last year in UC Davis's law master's program, aiming eventually to qualify as a lawyer.
Link supported her education and offered many conveniences at work and home.
This time, Lewinsky came not only for a date but also with updates.
First, an investigation into a shooting incident from late '96 concluded yesterday -- Puff Daddy was sentenced to 16 years without parole or sentence reduction for various crimes.
Second, the family foundation setup was complete. Managed by a trust company, a portion of funds would be invested to generate profits distributed as living and education allowances for family members.
Currently benefiting were Monica Bellucci, Lily, Sophie Marceau, and their children, plus Cici. Other girlfriends who had kids would join the beneficiary list later.
This foundation acted as a financial tool alongside Rose Garden Investments, ensuring day-to-day expenses and long-term security for the family.
Third, after Harvey had called revealing the mastermind behind the shooting was Michael Ovitz, Ron Meyer, Barry Diller, and others. He had informed Sean Tangney to arrange an investigation.
After months of covert inquiry, no direct evidence linked the suspects to the shooting, though clues indicated involvement from a complex Jewish organization composed of elites across industries.
The investigative team advised slowing down, holding action until solid proof emerged.
Link nodded. He was aware of such organizations, many of which had invited him to join.
But busy with work, he only joined a few professional groups: an amateur golf club, the Vanguard Capital elite club, Bill Gates's Microsoft shareholders club, and the Hollywood Producers Club.
He tended to avoid unrelated social orgs.
Through others, he kept tabs on their power and influence -- but even with his worth over $20 billion, fighting such a group single-handedly was tough.
To avoid trouble, Link decided to leave matters to the legal department. Once evidence was firm, the judiciary would handle it, making proceedings smoother.
"Darling, I'm Jewish too. Let me join that group and find out who's after you," Lewinsky offered.
"No need. Focus on your studies. With my support, you can become a top lawyer, judge, governor, even Secretary of State someday. No need to risk yourself over this."
"You think I can be governor? A woman governor?"
Lewinsky fluttered her thick lashes, eyes sparkling with passion, cheeks flushed.
"Not a problem."
"Okay, I'll listen. First, a lawyer, then politics. Then I can help you more."
He felt her excitement, the captivating scent filling the room.
Though he planned to return to work, seeing her glowing face made him relent, so he patted her ample backside and got busy at his desk.
*****
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