Chapter 235: A Bit Clingy
[Chapter 235: A Bit Clingy]
In its third week of release, Speed earned $21.08 million, accumulating a total of $71.06 million and securing the second spot at the box office. The Lion King maintained its lead, with a two-week cumulative box office of $104 million, becoming the fastest film to reach $100 million in North America this year. In third place was Michelle Pfeiffer's Wolf, which collected $37.51 million during its two-week run.
Other films released around the same time struggled to earn over $5 million. The major studios' attempts to undercut Speed by releasing competing titles saw those movies barely making a few million and quickly heading to losses. Amidst this adversity, Speed's success became a testament to Link and Guess Pictures' ability to withstand the first wave of attacks from the major studios. Many people in the industry couldn't help but look at him with admiration.
Harvey Weinstein and Robert Shaye both called to praise him, eager to forge connections. They reminded him not to forget about them when he had a good project.
The Hollywood media also adjusted their narratives. Initially suggesting that he would inevitably fail under the pressure from the major studios this summer season, they now cautiously remarked that Link and Guess Pictures had gained a slight edge in their competition, but they warned that a strong counterattack was imminent and defeat was still a possibility.
...
While the success of Speed was certainly a good thing, Link had his own set of worries. The first was regarding the Titanic project. After news got to 20th Century Fox that he was willing to invest in this major project, they acted quickly to retain director Cameron, who was planning to retract the project. They expressed willingness to invest in the movie and discuss terms.
Fox's sudden enthusiasm stemmed from the fact that Link's instincts had been validated by multiple successful films, apart from The Underneath. Every project he believed in, besides that movie, turned out to be a hit. Titanic had great potential, and even if it incurred losses, it wouldn't land in the hands of their rival, Link. Director Cameron apologized to Link over the phone and promised to collaborate in the future. Link was a bit disappointed but didn't mind too much.
Universal Studios had teamed up with superstar Kevin Costner for the ambitious Waterworld, investing nearly $200 million, and the film was already in production. Meanwhile, Carolco Pictures and MGM had joined forces for the pirate film Cutthroat Island, with a budget close to $100 million. Both movies shared an aquatic theme and ended up losing heavily the following year, scaring Fox into pausing its investments in Titanic, giving Link another potential opportunity to step in later.
...
The second issue troubling him was Winona Ryder's growing attachment after their in-depth interaction. She began seeking him out for dates, even following him to the Ohio set of The Shawshank Redemption. At first, Link was patient, but as the visits became frequent, Winona seemed to grow infatuated, insisting on becoming his girlfriend, proposing marriage, and even planning to have kids together. Link was nearly taken aback.
He clearly told Winona he had no plans for marriage or children, suggesting they continue dating if she was comfortable with that arrangement. Otherwise, they might have to part ways. Winona reluctantly agreed, visibly upset. Seeing her mellow demeanor, Link didn't want to come off as too heartless. He advised her to focus on her career for the time being, promising to help her find a few suitable scripts later. Someone as talented as her deserved more iconic roles. Winona brightened up, her fair skin glowing under the sun.
---
Having managed to pacify the love-struck Winona, Link returned to his work on The Shawshank Redemption set, striving to gain deeper involvement in the project.
"Link, are you so free that you're even handling this kind of work?"
On The Shawshank Redemption set, Tim Robbins finished his scene and sought out Link for a chat, only to find him helping with prop management.
"I've just finished editing and had nothing else to do. I saw they needed a hand here, so I jumped in. What's up?"
Link brushed the dust from his hands. Tim Robbins was bewildered; a renowned director and billionaire doing manual labor on set seemed like such a waste of talent.
"I wanted to ask your advice on something script-related. After accepting the role of Andy, I visited a few prisons, talked with many inmates, and read numerous articles. Recently, I came across a story that moved me deeply. It's about Sister Helen Prejean."
...
Tim Robbins began recounting Sister Helen Prejean's story. Sister Prejean was a prominent figure in the anti-death penalty movement in America, influential in both religious and political circles. She opposed the death penalty, arguing that America's judicial system was flawed. Wealthy individuals often escaped death sentences by hiring top lawyers, while the poor, unable to afford legal counsel, were more likely to receive such sentences. Hence, the death penalty didn't seem fair.
Prejean hoped to abolish the death penalty, using faith to redeem every misguided soul. In Robbins' tale, Sister Prejean received a plea for help from a death row inmate. Initially hoping he was innocent, Prejean later discovered he and his accomplice had murdered a young couple, bringing immense grief to the families of the victims. Sister Prejean, with great courage, approached the victims' parents, pleading for forgiveness and mercy towards the inmate. In turn, the inmate, influenced by her, confessed his guilt and sincerely repented, accepting his fate with a clear conscience.
The story unfolded into a narrative about humanity and divinity.
Link found the story familiar; it reminded him of Dead Man Walking, a film starring Tim Robbins' girlfriend, Susan Sarandon, who had won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role.
...
"What do you think of the story? You're a professional screenwriter; I could use your input."
Tim Robbins asked.
"The story's structure and primary character designs are solid and worth adapting. I'd need to see the script to comment on the details."
"Great! With your feedback, I'm reassured. Once we're done filming, I'll start writing the script and seek your advice."
Tim Robbins grinned, and Link agreed.
...
"Link! Weren't you moving props? Why are you lounging over here?"
Chris Barnes, clad in a tank top, his arms bare, approached him.
"Get lost! I'm just here to experience things, not to be an actual laborer."
Link tossed aside his gloves and returned to the director's area to continue editing. This stage was rough editing -- the director removed large, unusable portions immediately after shooting, retaining only the main components, akin to tracing and cutting before working on a paper-cut crafts project. Once filming concluded, fine editing of various scenes would reduce the workload significantly.
As an experienced filmmaker, Link was adept at such tasks, and director Frank Darabont was consistently impressed by his work, praising him as a genius and master in the film industry.
*****
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