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Chapter 78 Tricky Question
🕑 Added 2024-10-03 15:36:35 +0000 UTCSitting in their respective chairs, Duke and the others were all staring at the television in the lounge. It was an entertainment program from NBC Los Angeles, showing footage from an interview conducted earlier that morning.
On the screen, a handsome, dashing face was smiling with its signature charm, but the words that came out were far less pleasant than his appearance.
"Let me point out a few logical and plot-related errors."
Watching Tom Cruise on the TV, Duke knew that Cruise was about to make some bold statements. His past experiences had taught him that without any reminders from his publicists or agents, Tom could sometimes behave and speak in ways that shocked everyone.
"At the beginning, when they steal the missiles, how come the ropes from the Marines' grappling guns are sparking in the darkness? And the iron arrows, when they are shot into the wall, based on the way the arrow tails move, they couldn't possibly bear the weight of a person. So, how did they slide across the ropes?"
"Sliding across the ropes, breaking the glass with a kick, and knocking down the guard on the tower—wasn't the noise loud? How did no one notice? And where did the iron arrows land to ensure they penetrated the glass? How come the guards didn't see it when it was shot?"
"A tall soldier hides behind a pillar, holding a gun in both hands, then turns around and takes down two men. According to the shot, his arms were fully exposed, and yet the enemies didn't notice?"
"The hand-to-hand combat between the Marines and Mason was completely amateurish. General Hummel's command was full of errors. How is that consistent with being the most outstanding commander of the Vietnam War? Their actions didn't match their identities!"
"Mason and Goodspeed are imprisoned, but there are no guards? And after Mason creates a huge commotion, he easily escapes? Isn't this the most amateur mistake?"
"Mason and Goodspeed switch from fighting underground to fighting above ground, and in the end, Goodspeed is blasted into the sea and then saved. How did their clothes dry so quickly?"
Clearly, even though Tom Cruise had only watched *The Rock* once, he was paying attention!
"When Goodspeed sets off fireworks, how could they be spotted through binoculars at the last minute? Where were the binoculars positioned? According to the shot, the bomber jets were just overhead. How come the pilots didn't see it with their own eyes?"
"Goodspeed gets blasted and manages to arc perfectly into the sea, landing without injury in a spot with no surrounding reefs?"
"When and where did Mason find clean paper and a pencil to write a note?"
"And the much-praised bomb perspective shot—the F-18 jet drops a bomb and immediately ascends at a 90-degree angle. What kind of tactical maneuver is that, and what kind of mechanical capability? I know about jets, and there's no jet or pilot in the world who can do that!"
In just a few short minutes, Tom Cruise had pointed out ten errors in *The Rock*!
Sitting there, Duke remained calm, showing no particular reaction. Tom Cruise wasn't an idiot; everything he pointed out was an objective issue in the film. Even though this was typical for action movies, and if you wanted to nitpick, you could find a bunch of details and logical errors in any sci-fi action movie, including *Terminator 2*. Most people wouldn't care, but no one could underestimate Tom Cruise's influence. His words would definitely impact the film.
Slandering one's competitors was the norm in Hollywood. It didn't bother Duke, nor did it seem to surprise Nicolas Cage or Ed Harris, who were sitting with him in the lounge. If competitors got along too well and didn't use underhanded tactics, that would be more unusual.
In fact, starting this morning, the media had been full of both positive and negative reviews of *The Rock* and *Interview with the Vampire*. Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox were both doing things behind the scenes, and Tom Cruise was merely a small reflection of that.
In this battle for fame and fortune, the media competition was the battleground. The two sides weren't just going to throw a few harmless criticisms or say that the movie wasn't good. If given the chance, they would seize on every mistake the other side made and pursue it relentlessly until they achieved total victory.
Of course, Duke was never the kind to silently endure and take the high road. Before coming to the NBC studio today, he had already discussed things with Nancy, Warner Bros., and NBC. If this was going to be a smear campaign, how could he miss out on joining in?
Besides, reputation was critically important to a star like Tom Cruise, but for a director who was mostly behind the scenes, it was barely significant. In the past, present, and future, directors never needed fame to speak for them. There were countless directors with loose tongues, like the future Michael Bay, who constantly argued with the media and critics but still produced box office hits.
Then there were directors plagued by scandal…
Perhaps Nicolas Cage and other actors needed to be mindful, but Duke didn't care. Since Tom Cruise had made a move, he would definitely retaliate. If there was going to be a smear campaign, they could all join in.
After talking to Nancy for a bit, Duke went into the makeup room.
There was no such thing as a bare face in front of the camera. Even those with the best skin needed makeup, or else they would look terrible in close-up shots. Duke sat still as the makeup artist applied makeup to his face, casually chatting with Christopher Lee about trivial matters. When host Jay Leno came in, Duke quickly ran through the script with her.
This show was called *The Tonight Show with Jay Leno*, one of NBC's flagship talk shows. As usual, the focus of the show was not on the director but on the three main actors.
So after the show started, Duke, sitting off to the side, spoke very little.
"Director Rosenberg, it's said that your favorite character is General Hummel?"
After a string of questions, the host finally brought up Duke, who had been mostly silent, "What's your opinion of Ed and his portrayal of General Hummel?"
"I wouldn't say favorite. All the characters in the film are like my children. No matter how the film is received afterward, each character I choose is chosen for a reason. I don't have a favorite or least favorite."
The host continued to look at him, "Can you talk more specifically about General Hummel and Ed's performance? According to media reports, this is considered the most touching character in the film, and I believe the audience here would love to hear your thoughts!"
Applause came from the audience below.
"If everyone has seen the movie, they should understand that General Hummel isn't an evil villain. He could even be considered a hero."
This wasn't a planned question, but it wasn't difficult for Duke. He organized his thoughts for a moment and said, "He didn't take hostages for personal gain but to defend the honor of his fallen comrades—unfortunately, that one wrong move nearly turned him into a terrorist willing to slaughter civilians."
Duke then turned his gaze to Ed Harris. "Ed has a remarkable military presence. Even in an action movie like *The Rock*, he conveyed the character's psychological shifts with great clarity. He was always our first choice for General Hummel, and I never considered anyone else for the role."
In this situation, Duke was generous with his praise, "In my opinion, Ed is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He can play any role. He captured the emotion of a military leader's dissatisfaction with the government, and he nailed the essence of General Hummel. In my vision, General Hummel is exactly as Ed portrayed him."
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Anyone who had seen the movie would understand that Ed Harris deserved such praise.
"And how do you view your performance and character?" The host timely asked Ed Harris himself.
"Playing General Hummel was more challenging and complex than many roles I've played before, but I think I did a good job."
Ed Harris smiled and then humbly added, "I got a lot of help from Lieutenant Colonel Lenhock. He's a former Navy SEAL and was the military consultant for the film. We went over the dialogue many times together to make it more authentic and give it more… naturalness. But some of the lines were a real mouthful, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the revolution—it was really tough to say…"
The audience burst into warm laughter and applause.
Much of the earlier portion of the show had focused on the three actors, but it was clear that the final segment was reserved for Duke as the host continued to ask him, "I heard that you specifically asked for Lee to play John Mason. Do you think his performance met your expectations?"
"Of course!" Duke made a point of giving a thumbs-up in Christopher Lee's direction. "The first scene Lee shot was when Mason walked out of the prison, and I was blown away. Lee exuded a complex aura. He wasn't simply a good guy or a bad guy—he gave off this incredibly dangerous vibe! I think no one could have played John Mason better than Lee."
"And there's a scene where Mason stabs one of the Marines with a knife."
"I remember—it's in the morgue," the host chimed in.
Duke adopted a mysterious tone, "I once tried to guide the actor on how to make sounds when the knife was being plunged in, but Lee interrupted me!"
"Oh?"
The host was intrigued, and so was the audience.
"Lee told me directly," Duke didn't leave anyone in suspense, "that when someone gets stabbed, they don't scream 'ah, ah,' but make short, sharp sounds like 'huh, huh.'"
"As for why Lee knew this kind of knowledge..." Duke deliberately turned his head to look at Christopher Lee and smoothly changed the subject at the right time. "So, I dare say that the scene you saw on the screen is one of the most realistic assassination scenes in film history!"
The room suddenly fell into silence. The news surrounding Christopher Lee and Sean Connery had been hotly reported by the media some time ago, and people naturally understood why Lee knew so much about this topic.
Then, there was another round of warm applause, directed at Christopher Lee. After Duke's words, everyone clearly had a deeper respect and recognition for Lee.
Although Duke's statement was somewhat exaggerated for promotional purposes, what he said was true. During filming, Lee did indeed talk about the sounds a person makes when dying in different ways.
As the show gradually approached its conclusion, it was time for those tricky questions.
The host, Leno, didn't intend to put the three actors on the spot. Instead, he directly turned to Duke and asked bluntly, "Can you comment on *Interview with the Vampire*, the current competitor to *The Rock*"
