On the set of monster, Eric handed the script to Patty Jenkins.
"blue is the warmest color is almost finished. There are 5 scenes left, and I expect it to wrap up tomorrow."
Patty looked it over carefully. It was the familiar style, a storyboard detailed to the extreme.
"So, you want me to finish it, or...?"
"It depends on your progress. This time, I'm giving you more authority. You can freely express yourself."
"What?"
Eric took the script back from Patty's hand, then violently tore it. A dozen pages of the script were immediately ripped off by him.
He then picked out the text pages and handed them to her: "Look, the storyboards are gone. You can use your creativity; I won't restrict you."
"OMG! This is truly a rare generosity!" Patty Jenkins's mouth gaped open in surprise.
"Hehe, art films are different from commercial films. blue is the warmest color needs creativity. Perhaps you can bring a different feeling to it."
"Alright, I accept this temporary employment."
Watching Patty leave excitedly, Eric was still quite relieved.
Perhaps she wasn't suited to direct big commercial blockbusters, but for art films, especially female-centric art films, she could definitely produce satisfactory work.
Just like wonder woman 1984, this film was entirely written and directed by Patty Jenkins. She had absolute dominance on set.
The result was a superhero blockbuster that was stubbornly turned into an art film, lacking the thrilling action scenes that audiences wanted.
Although the dramatic scenes, which audiences didn't like, were delicate and could move some female viewers, for a superhero film, it was undoubtedly a minus point; it was too drawn out.
What percentage of female viewers like superhero movies? Everyone wants to see Gal Gadot wielding her sword and fighting enemies! Just like the first wonder woman.
And the success of the first film wasn't entirely due to Patty Jenkins; this time, Warner Bros. really deserves thanks.
If you've seen the movie, you'll notice that the main villain, Ares the God of War, appeared out of nowhere. There wasn't enough groundwork laid for him; he just seemed to pop up suddenly.
The reason is that the film originally didn't intend for Ares to be the villain, nor was there the big battle at the end. Warner Bros. felt it wasn't good enough; it wasn't'superhero' enough, so it decisively intervened and changed the script.
How much the second film faltered after she was given full authority is common knowledge!
Watching Patty leave, Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci walked over. The latter's most well-known role is Wednesday from The Addams Family, with an ageless doll-like face.
She is 23 years old this year, but still looks like a twelve or thirteen-year-old. Even ten years from now, she will still look like a twelve or thirteen-year-old.
"Eric, why did the director leave?" Theron asked curiously.
Eric shrugged: "Now, I am the director of monster. Patty has been assigned other work."
"Ah?" Both women simultaneously showed confused expressions.
"Don't be surprised, it's just a guest appearance, only for this afternoon."
The two women breathed a sigh of relief. This was more acceptable. Their collaboration with Patty had been smooth, and suddenly changing directors was always a bit unsettling.
Especially since Eric's reputation was severely polarized, in a Schrödinger's cat state. Before his first work was released, no one knew what his actual skill level was.
Noticing the two women's concerns, Eric smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I'm good at shooting female-themed films, especially LGBTQ+ themed ones."
"Let me see which scene we should shoot first."
Wednesday held up the script in her hand: "Scene 25, the first night Selby and Aileen spent together."
"Okay, give me ten minutes to get the plot straight."
Eric quickly flipped through the script. As a classic film that won numerous awards worldwide back then, he had naturally watched it several times, and he was quite familiar with both the film and the real events, having even watched documentaries.
monster, as an adapted film, actually had some intentional creation of dramatic conflict and tension.
For example, Theron's character, the prostitute killer Aileen. Although she looked very ugly in the movie, this image was designed based on the real Aileen after many years in prison.
In reality, during the years she committed crimes, including the period before she was imprisoned, Aileen had certain requirements for her appearance. Her looks might not have been beautiful, but at least passable, definitely not a face full of flesh.
Otherwise, why do you think she could solicit clients? Moreover, she had once married a wealthy boss, so she did have good looks.
Selby, on the other hand, was completely altered. The real Selby was named Tyria Moore, not the somewhat naive girl in the movie, but a woman a few years younger than Aileen.
Her personality was also different from the completely selfish and self-serving portrayal in the movie. She lived with Aileen for five years.
In the first three years, Aileen didn't commit crimes and even gave up bad habits like stealing and violence, which shows that their life together should have been relatively happy.
In reality, these two women should have genuinely loved each other, unlike in the movie, where Selby was purely using Aileen.
Eric quickly skimmed the script and then discussed it with Theron and Wednesday, confirming that Patty was still following the path of significant alteration.
Eric decided to add a touch of helplessness and warmth to this case. This wasn't to whitewash it.
After all, serial murder is a very obvious form of retaliatory psychopathy, and no reason can whitewash it. But at least it makes it a bit closer to reality.
People are complex, and this should be reflected.
After a moment of thought, Eric picked up a pen and paper and began to revise the dialogue. Watching the pen glide quickly across the paper, Theron turned and walked to the side, trying to read the upside-down words she couldn't understand.
Feeling a shadow, Eric lifted his gaze to look at her, then continued writing.
"Sorry, if you're uncomfortable, I can move further away," Theron said softly.
"It's alright, you'll be using these lines soon anyway."
"Are they for me?"
"Both of you, but mostly you. I want to add some tension to this scene and make Aileen and Selby's characters more fully developed."
Hearing this, Wednesday walked to his other side and looked down.
He revised for about an hour, constantly deleting and writing, until Eric finally produced a result he was quite satisfied with.
Theron and Wednesday stood by for an hour, constantly looking down at him writing and drawing.
The staff nearby cautiously watched the three of them. As the big boss, Eric frowned silently, so no one dared to approach him.
Originally, there were dedicated staff on set responsible for moving actors' chairs, but they also stood frozen nearby, not daring to approach, so Theron and Wednesday could only keep standing.
However, both of them are very professional actors. Seeing Eric revising the script on the spot, they were engrossed and didn't feel tired at all.
"OK, I think this is about right," Eric said slowly.
Then he looked at the two: "Sorry, the handwritten notes might not be clear, and it's a bit messy. You can ask me if there's anything you don't understand."
Theron and Wednesday exchanged glances. The former shook her head slightly; the latter had fewer lines and also shook her head, indicating no need.
"You can understand it?"
Theron nodded gently: "I was standing right next to you, so it seems this was the right choice. In fact, I've almost memorized the lines."
"I'm fine too, I've memorized the lines, and Director, you look so handsome when you're serious!" Wednesday also didn't want to be outdone.
"Really?"
"Of course!"
hahahahaha
Working with excellent actors is so comfortable; it even saves the time of having someone make copies.
Eric stood up and said loudly: "Everyone, take your places! monster, Scene 25, action!"
The plot of this scene is that Selby brought Aileen home, allowing her to enjoy a long-awaited hot bath and a warm bed. Before, she used to live in a dirty and messy warehouse.
Two marginalized individuals came together, finding warmth in each other and experiencing affection, and incidentally, they also rolled in the hay.
Eric added a scene after the two had rolled in the hay.
At this point, the two were intimately intertwined, and Aileen, feeling the taste of love, also opened her heart.
She recounted her past, and Eric directly incorporated Aileen's real-life experiences to flesh out her character.
Actually, Patty's opening also briefly mentioned some of Aileen's past, but the script didn't elaborate much on this, portraying it too simply. Eric completed it for her.
In the shot, the two, having enjoyed themselves, embraced in the afterglow.
Wednesday was lying on her side on Theron, only showing half her face, not needing to express any emotion.
Theron, on the other hand, was in the male position. She had to gently embrace and pat the other person like a man, while also showing a post-coital expression like a woman.
Looking at Theron, who had her eyes closed and was breathing softly, Eric immediately called cut.
"Theron, make your expression a bit more dramatic. You have to understand that Aileen is a prostitute. The nature of her work has made her numb to lovemaking."
"But now she feels she has found true love, and that love is passionate. Her physical and facial reactions should also be passionate."
"Okay, Director, I understand!"
Theron made an OK gesture.
"monster, Scene 25, action!"
This time, Theron's expression was much more pronounced, and she even added a "God!" herself.
Her eyes were hazy, like a long-deprived smoker, the enjoyment and intoxication of that first drag of nicotine entering the lungs were spot on.
However, after a moment, her expression changed again. She rubbed her eyes and then roughly grabbed a tissue to wipe her nose.
Seeing this, Wednesday looked up: "Aileen, what's wrong?"
Theron blew her nose hard and shook her head slightly: "Nothing."
"No, something's definitely wrong. What happened? Did I make you uncomfortable?"
Theron quickly denied: "No, of course not, Selby. It's my own reasons."
"Tell me, why exactly?" Wednesday continued to press.
After a moment of hesitation, Theron said in an awkward and hesitant tone: "I just thought of some bad things, but they're all in the past."
But in the close-up shot, Selby looked at her with wide, unblinking eyes.
Wednesday's eyes were already very large, and they contained intense curiosity, just like her somewhat childish personality.
"Tell me, I want to understand you, Aileen, just as you already understand me."
"Cut!"
Eric shouted, interrupting the filming.
He pointed at Wednesday: "Ricci, this line has two layers of meaning. One is that you've already revealed your past to Aileen at the bar, and the second is that you two have just completed the great harmony of life."
"During lovemaking, Aileen, as the dominant partner, controlled and explored you, which is why she already understands you very well."
"So, when you say this line, your tone should contain a hint of shyness and cuteness, which better suits your age and personality."
After hearing Eric's interpretation, Wednesday was a little surprised: "Director, does it really have that meaning? I didn't realize it at all."
Eric chuckled: "I told you, I'm very good at shooting female romance films."
"Yes, I can see that now."
Filming resumed. At Selby's request, Aileen slowly began to recount her tragic past.
"Selby, my life used to be terrible. My father was a bastard and a pervert. He liked to assault young girls."
"Later I heard he went to prison, and perhaps unable to endure the beatings inside, he committed suicide."
When speaking of her father's suicide, Theron smiled, showing her resentment towards her father.
"Then one day my mom disappeared, I never saw her again, and I was adopted by my grandparents."
Wednesday sighed slightly: "Parents just like to abandon their children. Luckily you still had your grandparents."
Theron, however, said with a tone full of sarcasm: "Luckily? That word is really wonderfully used."
"Hehe, do you know? From the moment I—"
At this point, Theron suddenly became manic, violently throwing off the covers and roaring with all her might, like a sudden flood breaking its dam.
Wednesday, on the other hand, seemed startled, showing a frightened expression and quickly moving away from her.
It wasn't until Theron finished her outburst, looking at the other person with eyes full of anger and tears.
Wednesday then slowly crawled over and hugged Theron, their positions at this moment completing a gender reversal.
Theron, weakly, continued: "When I was fifteen, my grandmother died, and then I was kicked out of the house, until you met me."
"What I regret most is why that old bastard didn't commit suicide like his son-in-law. Perhaps he's still alive and well now."
"Oh, and something I almost forgot, I became addicted to drugs and started using my body to get them."
"Later, I—"
"No, don't say anymore, don't say anymore, Aileen!"
Wednesday interrupted Theron's narration, holding her even tighter. The two just leaned against each other like that.
"Cut! Excellent, your performance was perfect, this take is passed!"
Hearing this, the two women breathed a sigh of relief and released each other. It was June, and even with air conditioning on set, filming under the covers was still quite hot.
"I thought it would take many takes, but I didn't expect it to go so smoothly. Ricci, well done. Theron, I told you you'd win an Oscar."
Theron laughed heartily: "Director, you've also changed my opinion. It seems what those newspapers said were all lies."
"What?"
"They said you didn't understand directing at all, just a hot-headed rich second generation. If they were here, they should all apologize to you."
Eric put on a very serious expression: "On this point, our views are consistent."
"Really? But I was just joking, saying some polite compliments to you."
"What? Hiss... It seems the marketing and PR costs for monster can be saved."
Eric scratched his non-existent beard, pretending to ponder.
Theron immediately waved her hand: "Oh no, Patty will tear me apart. That last remark was just a joke."
"Really? Me too."
hahahahaha