Chapter 437: Ebert's Temptation

From the release schedules announced by major companies, this May seems unusually quiet compared to previous years, which were typically packed with films. The explosive success of The Fellowship of the Ring, the predecessor to The Two Towers, has caused other companies to avoid direct competition. Another significant factor contributing to the lack of major releases this May is George Lucas's Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, which is also scheduled for release in May.

However, Duke and George Lucas have maintained smooth communication. Privately, they had already discussed their plans: The Two Towers and Attack of the Clones would be released at opposite ends of May to minimize competition.

The car stopped in front of the Regent Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard. Ignoring the flashing lights from the cameras of media reporters, Duke walked straight into the hotel. Staff members from the Academy were already waiting inside to guide him to the banquet hall.

Upon entering the hall, Duke sat at his designated table and exchanged casual remarks with Nancy Josephson, who was already there.

This was the luncheon for nominees of the 74th Academy Awards. Duke had never attended such an event before, but this time he decided to take Nancy and Panny Kallis's advice and personally appear at the Regent Hotel.

The reason was simple. As a purely commercial director, The Lord of the Rings trilogy was his best chance to win the Best Director Oscar. The Academy has many unspoken rules, one of which is that if a director doesn't show respect for the Oscars, the Academy will, in most cases, ignore that director during the awards process.

In the history of the Oscars, there have been instances where a film won a major award without any lobbying, but such cases are exceedingly rare. Since the Weinstein brothers entered the game of fame and fortune, the notion of winning one of the four major awards based solely on the work itself has become nearly impossible—a mere daydream.

As the Academy claims, lobbying reflects the so-called competitive spirit. Without lobbying, how could the retired old men of the Academy showcase their importance?

Regardless of the circumstances, Duke needed to display a clear attitude: he cared about the Oscars and was determined to compete for the statuette.

As for fair competition? Only fools believe in such a thing.

Take the nominees announced this year as an example: several Black actors received nominations in major categories with unprecedented momentum. Was it because their performances were exceptional? Or was the Academy sending a political message?

Anyone with basic knowledge of the Oscars knows that this year's event would be especially politically charged.

"The nominees for Best Director at the 74th Academy Awards are…"

Surprisingly, the person announcing the nominations for the two most important categories was not a celebrity from the industry but a rather unattractive middle-aged man. As he read the nominations, he glanced at Duke's table.

Duke frowned slightly. Seeing Roger Ebert standing on stage reading the nominations, he couldn't help but wonder if the Academy was sending a subtle message.

He had never underestimated the influence of film critics during awards season.

Roger Ebert, standing on the stage, scanned the list of nominations in front of him before looking toward the quiet director seated not far away. The director appeared indifferent as if the nominations had nothing to do with him.

"Getting nominated isn't difficult. But winning Best Director…" Roger Ebert smirked internally, "That depends on whether the 300+ North American film critics agree!"

Although the Oscar nominations were announced today, the results of many awards had already been revealed during the awards season. In major awards like the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, the Directors Guild of America Awards, the Producers Guild of America Awards, and the Golden Globes, The Fellowship of the Ring had been nominated but failed to win.

He was confident that the film would win only a few technical awards at the Oscars and that winning any major awards was purely a fantasy.

Moreover, he had communicated with many people: a film that leaned so heavily into fantasy and escapism had no significant prospects, even in the following two years.

"The nominated directors are Ron Howard for A Beautiful Mind, David Lynch for Mulholland Drive, Ridley Scott for Black Hawk Down, and Duke Rosenberg for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring…"

The nominations were unsurprising. The Fellowship of the Ring was the biggest winner, receiving a total of 13 nominations, including Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Director, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Design.

But Duke was well aware that aside from a few consolation technical awards, The Fellowship of the Ring had little chance of making a significant impact at this Oscars.

And the next one wouldn't be any different.

It wasn't yet time for him and Warner Bros. to make their big push.

The nominees' luncheon was held in the form of a formal banquet. After the announcement of the nominations, the hall inevitably turned into a social gathering. As the biggest winner of the nominations, many people came to congratulate Duke, creating a lively scene around him.

Roger Ebert sat with several senior Academy members at the front of the hall. His position allowed him to see Duke's table clearly. Watching the young director surrounded by admirers, a flash of resentment appeared in his eyes.

Compared to his rival, who was basking in praise, Roger Ebert—a once highly regarded film critic—was now reduced to sitting with a group of old men, awaiting irrelevance.

No one willingly exits the stage of history. In the film industry, fame and fortune are closely linked; to lose fame is to lose most of one's fortune. Having had his own interests trampled by Duke, he was unwilling to retreat without a fight.

What he desired was to remain influential until the end of his days.

After a while, several old friends around him left the banquet hall after a light meal, but Roger Ebert declined their invitations and stayed, waiting for an opportunity.

Although his conflict with Duke was sharp and their interests irreconcilable, they had only met a few times.

The Oscar ceremony was still a month away, but in Roger Ebert's mind, he had already won a battle. If he didn't confront Duke Rosenberg directly, how could he savor his victory? How could he release the anger he had suppressed for years?

After waiting for a long time, Roger Ebert saw that the crowd around Duke had thinned. He stood up and walked over leisurely.

"Duke, someone's coming over…"

Just after Duke bid farewell to Ridley Scott, Nancy Josephson whispered a reminder. Turning to look, Duke's lips curled into a faint sneer.

Even a fool could see the slight arrogance in Roger Ebert's raised chin and the smug expression on his face, as if he were a triumphant king.

"May I sit here?" Roger Ebert gestured to the seat opposite Duke.

This was a public venue with many eyes watching. Duke couldn't simply turn him away, so he nodded and said, "Be my guest, Mr. Ebert. Sit wherever you like."

"Thank you."

Roger Ebert took the seat and kept his gaze fixed on Duke. "Congratulations on receiving 13 nominations."

Duke smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"Such a pity…" Roger Ebert's tone was full of mock regret. "The film is too escapist, too commercially oriented. It's likely to perform as poorly at the Oscars as it did during the awards season."

"It doesn't matter," Duke said indifferently. "I've always been patient."

"You won't win Best Director." Roger Ebert lowered his voice to just above a whisper, ensuring only those at the table could hear. "I can guarantee it. As long as you keep making commercial films, you'll never win Best Director. Just like this awards season, you'll only end up with a pile of nominations!"

"Even getting nominated isn't bad," Duke replied with a calm smile.

Roger Ebert frowned slightly, his lips curving into a strange smile. "Do you remember the advice I gave you the first time we met?"

"Our first meeting?" Duke had long since forgotten. Who would remember the words of a film critic?

"Exactly!" Roger Ebert's face darkened. The fact that Duke Rosenberg hadn't paid him any attention even when he was a small-time director was evident.

Pulling out a forced smile, he continued, "A director should pursue more artistic goals instead of producing visual and auditory garbage!"

"Artistic goals?" Duke chuckled. "How to make an art film? I'm sorry, I haven't learned that yet."

"It's simple…"

Roger Ebert's tone now brimmed with patronizing advice. "Critics are the best guide to ensuring films avoid excessive commercialization and retain artistic value. If you start listening to critics, I can assure you, within five years, you'll win a Best Director Oscar!"

Ebert knew exactly what Duke's foundation in Hollywood was: commercial success. If Duke truly craved an Oscar, he might make decisions that would destroy the foundation of his career.

As he approached Duke, this was his plan. He wanted to gloat over his small victory and, if possible, plant seeds of doubt to undermine the director who had shattered the financial base of critics' influence.

What was Duke Rosenberg's greatest asset? Roger Ebert saw it clearly: his commercial appeal.

Without the "vulgar" themes and plots, without the endless special effects spectacles, would Duke Rosenberg still be Duke Rosenberg?

He would inevitably be abandoned by audiences.

As an acclaimed veteran critic, Roger Ebert knew the allure of an Oscar statuette for directors. Look at Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, and Steven Soderbergh—didn't they all adjust their styles and cater to the Academy's tastes to win the coveted prize?

Hearing Roger Ebert's words, Duke suddenly laughed, his smile unusually bright. Who would've thought someone would use the same tactics he had once employed against him?

...

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