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Chapter 151: 42nd Street
🕑 Added 2024-11-07 18:27:49 +0000 UTC"Use the explosives! Get back!"
On the beach, Tom Hanks shouted loudly, lying among a group of soldiers, "Use the explosives!"
"Aim for the sand pit!"
"Aim for the sand pit!"
The engineers shouted in succession, "Aim for the sand pit!"
Explosives were thrown into the sand pit behind the sand dunes, and Tom Hanks and the others, who had practiced multiple times, quickly crouched down and held tightly onto their heads.
Not far behind them, Duke nodded at Joss Williams, who pressed the detonator. A series of explosions erupted, shaking the entire beach, with sand flying everywhere, some even landing beside Duke, creating an impressive spectacle.
The shooting was not yet finished. Laurent Coit, playing Sergeant Howatt, shouted loudly with sand covering him, "We can counterattack now! Quick! Find cover on the other side of the sand pit!"
A group of American soldiers stood up with him, braving the German artillery fire, charging forward as several cameramen with handheld cameras followed.
Once Duke shouted "cut," this scene came to an end.
Over the next few days, the crew filmed scenes of the Allies landing on the beach. As Christmas approached, the landing battle scenes gradually came to a close, leaving only some large-scale explosive scenes remaining.
The temporary structures on the coast would eventually be dismantled by the crew. To save costs, Duke decided to use a relatively labor-saving method and directly blow up some buildings during the battle.
Most of these structures were merely facades, requiring only a small amount of explosives to achieve a violent demolition.
"Joss, should we add some gasoline barrels?" Duke asked Joss Williams, standing in front of the largest bunker. "The flames need to burn inside the bunker, but I've placed the main camera on the beach, so the flames must shoot up from the front firing positions, ideally reaching high into the air, like an explosion."
Upon hearing Duke's words, Joss immediately understood. This wasn't just about burning the Germans; it also needed to have visual impact!
"I understand!" Joss replied promptly. "I'll make the necessary adjustments; I'll ensure it meets your requirements."
This was the third film they were collaborating on, and Duke trusted the professional capabilities of Joss's team. After discussing a few more details, he bypassed the bunker and returned to the beach.
"Is it true what the media says? Were you born when a comet struck the Earth? Or is it that explosions are really in your genes?"
Only Sofia Coppola could make such a sarcastic remark. She stood beside Duke, holding the script, speaking in a monotone voice, "Even with a film filled with humanistic care, you can't forget to show off explosions!"
"Dear, reflections on war and humanistic care don't attract enough viewers."
Actually, the two had significantly different philosophies about filmmaking. Duke shrugged, not overly concerned, "For a film to become a recognized classic, it must first reach a wide audience."
"Explosion maniac!" Sofia said, no longer wanting to say anything, simply throwing out that line.
Duke had thick skin and took it as a compliment, "Thank you!"
Rolling her eyes, Sofia simply closed her mouth. If Duke didn't flaunt visual impact, would he still be Duke?
News arrived that the pyrotechnics team was ready. After confirming the area was clear twice, Duke instructed the assistant director to notify all departments to prepare.
"Scene 12, Act 14, now begin!"
As soon as the assistant director's voice fell, several cameras aimed at the German bunkers facing the beach, some using wide-angle shots, some readying mid-range captures, while others focused on the Allied soldiers on the beach.
Suddenly, bright orange flames erupted from the bunker, shooting up over ten feet high. The dull roar of explosions and waves of heat followed, turning half of the sky red. Several burning, human-like figures fell from the flames of the bunker onto the beach.
The Allied soldiers raised their guns, aiming in that direction. One of them turned back, shouting towards the main camera, "Don't shoot! Let them suffer a bit!"
"CUT!"
After waiting a few seconds, Duke called a halt. The firefighters, who had been on standby, rushed over with fire extinguishers to spray down the remaining flames, eliminating all potential hazards before they could escalate.
"Transition!"
Duke instructed the assistant director, who immediately shouted, "Move to location five! Move to location five!"
Location five was behind the bunker, and they were still filming explosive scenes.
This scene had no significant challenges. Joss Williams's pyrotechnics team buried special explosive packages in the dirt mound while dozens of Irish soldiers playing American soldiers served as background. After a deafening bang, the impressive explosion displayed itself on camera, sending dirt flying up to a hundred feet high.
In this opening battle, Duke's approach differed from that of previous directors. Besides conveying the brutality and reality of war, he also added some visually impactful scenes, determined to keep the audience engaged.
At the same time, these scenes had to be controlled within a certain range and were definitely different from the earth-shattering explosions in *Independence Day* to avoid aesthetic fatigue and damage the documentary feel at the beginning.
Before the Christmas holiday, Duke finally completed the filming of the opening landing battle. The cleanup work would be handled by dedicated personnel. After discussing the filming schedule for after Christmas, the crew officially took a break. The cast and crew from North America took the opportunity to return home to spend Christmas with family and friends.
Duke did not return to North America but went straight to London. Mrs. Leah was still in London, and he had no need to go back to Los Angeles. Since he was temporarily living in a hotel, it was impossible to celebrate Christmas like he would at home.
"How should we spend Christmas, Mom?"
In the living room of the Hilton Hotel suite, Duke sought his mother's opinion, "We're in London; should we do it the British way?"
Mrs. Leah was sitting on the sofa, reviewing materials, and without looking up, said, "What's so special about the British way?"
"As far as I know…" Duke had no real knowledge about British customs; he was only sharing hearsay, "The British go to watch football matches at Christmas or catch a theatrical performance in the West End."
"English football?" Mrs. Leah shook her head immediately, "I'm not interested."
Hearing his mother's response, Duke asked, "What about a play? Or we could throw a party here."
"Duke," his mother finally raised her head and asked, "do you have any friends here?"
"No."
Organizing her materials, Mrs. Leah stood up and placed them on the bookshelf, saying, "What shows are on at the West End tonight?"
"I'll find out right now."
Walking to the phone, Duke dialed the hotel's front desk number and made some inquiries. Covering the receiver, he told his mother, "The musical *42nd Street*, and the play *Notable Scenery*."
"*42nd Street*, book tickets."
Seeing his mother's interest, Duke notified the hotel's front desk to reserve a VIP box for them, so they could go straight to the theater in the West End after dinner.
Similar to Broadway in New York, the West End in London is one of the world-renowned theatrical centers and a symbol of the British theater scene. Although it might be slightly less famous than Broadway, the West End is historically much older.
*42nd Street* is a traditional musical that has been performed for decades without decline, setting a remarkable record of 3,486 performances on Broadway.
After dinner, Duke and his mother took a rented car from the hotel to Shaftesbury Avenue, got out, crossed the busy road, and walked directly into the theater.
Due to traffic delays, they arrived a bit late, just as the show was about to start. Fortunately, Duke had booked a box on the second floor, so they wouldn't disturb anyone else.
Upon entering the box, Duke ordered coffee and some snacks for his mother, sitting comfortably beside her to enjoy the show.
"The first time I watched this show, I was younger than you,"
During an intermission, Mrs. Leah spoke to Duke, "Decades have passed; the productions have become more glamorous, but I always feel something is missing."
Duke just smiled and said nothing.
Even the most classic musicals must be updated and changed to adapt to social developments, yet people always tend to be nostalgic, especially the older generations, like the old men who hold the power at the Oscars.
As a director, Duke had also studied some productions, and *42nd Street* was certainly no exception. It was an ancient Broadway inspirational story, especially noted for its tap dance, which was one of the most exciting segments.
However, these aspects did not particularly attract Duke's attention, as he recognized a familiar figure among the main female characters.
Tilting his chin, Duke watched the woman dancing on stage and, after a brief recollection, confirmed he wasn't mistaken. She was a trained actress who had performed in stage plays in the West End…
However, it was still a bit early for him; his next project wouldn't start for at least a year, and finding an actress with sufficient acting skills who could also dance at a competent level wasn't easy.
Taking advantage of the stage change, while his mother went to the restroom, Duke signaled to the VIP box attendant.
"Is *42nd Street* still playing frequently?" Duke asked.
"Yes, sir," the attendant replied politely. "There are six shows a week, and it will run throughout the season."
"What about tomorrow?"
"Yes, there is!"
After getting a confirmed answer, Duke waved his hand and the waiter walked out.
Duke is here to watch a musical with his mother tonight, so of course he can't go backstage to find the actress. He plans to come back later if he has time. Even if he doesn't have time, he can let Nancy or someone else get in touch with her.
