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好莱坞式结局
瓦克斯曼十年前执导过的、获得奥斯卡奖的影片曾使他风光无限。然而时过境迁，如今他的事业已经黯淡无光，只能靠为一些公司拍广告片维生。他落到如此地步都是因为他特立独行，坚持艺术至上的原则而从不考虑票房效益。不过眼下他的运气来了。一家制片公司的头儿给了他一个机会，拍摄一部大预算的影片，这将是他东山再起的绝佳契机。但是就在影片开拍的前一天，他却突然失明了。在经纪人的极力说服下，瓦克斯曼决定瞒着众人将影片拍完。这毕竟是个千载难逢的好机会，放弃就意味着永无翻身之日。于是影片就在他的瞎指挥下开拍了，也由此闹出了许多笑话……
这就是伍迪-艾伦最新影片《好莱坞式结局》的情节。自20世纪60年代伍迪-艾伦开始电影创作以来，他的作品历久不衰，而近几年他更是才思泉涌，几乎每年都推出一部新作。几十年来，伍迪-艾伦的电影风格几乎没有改变，却为什么能受到如此持久的欢迎呢？这是因为其影片的严肃内容与轻松形式具有对立统一的张力，通过讽刺与幽默来探讨和揭示社会问题与生活真谛。在这一点上，伍迪-艾伦与默片时代的电影大师卓别林很相似。
Val Waxman used to be a very successful director believing in art for art's sake.He even won two Oscars 10 years ago.But now he is nearly forgotten by the film circle and has to shoot commercials<注1> for some big companies.His wife Ellie left him and was engaged to producer Hal Yeager, a philistine<注2> whose only interest is profit.
Coming back from the shooting site in chilly cold Canada, Val is happy to be with his girlfriend Lori again.She gives him a feature film script sent over by Val's agent Al.The name of the script is The City That Never Sleeps.Val is immediately attracted by the excellent story set in New York City.He is an expert in making films about New York after all.
Val goes to see Al the first thing in the morning and is surprised to learn that the very studio to make the 60-million-dollar film is Galaxie Pictures and Hal Yeager is the producer, the man who stole his wife. Actually it is Ellie who strongly recommends Val to direct the film against the opposition from the studio. Val immediately rejects the proposal, but Al talks himsintosaccepting it by emphasizing the potential to win another Oscar and make a comeback to the film circle.Besides, the fat pay of half a million dollars is alluring.But Val is still not convinced.
When Val tells this to Lori, a small time stage actress, she is very unhappy for his giving up the golden opportunity.Obviously, she wants to take the opportunity to turn herselfsintosa film star.Persuaded by both Al and Lori, Val decides to attend the audition<注3> in which both Al and Ellie try their best to help him convince the studio that he is the best man for the job.After a few days' nervous waiting, Val is informed that he is hired.To ensure the success of the film, Hal appoints Ellie as the executive producer, actually a go-between and buffer<注4> between the director and the studio.Val has a drink with Ellie to discuss the script, but the talk soon turnssintosa row with Val accusing Ellie ofshavingscheated and left him for Hal.Ellie denies Val's allegation<注5> and walks out of the bar in anger.
In the audition to select actors and actresses, Val insists on hiring Lori even though her performance is below par<注6>.Ellie does not know that Lori is Val's girlfriend but finally agrees to hire her since the role is minor.Val also gets his way inshavingsa Chinese as his cameraman because he doesn't like American photographers who can hardly bring out the texture effect of the picture he wants.However, as everything gets set for "action", Val is terrified to find that he suddenly goes blind while revising the script at home.Getting Val's urgent call, Al takes him to hospitalswheresVal is thoroughly checked.The doctor tells Val that he is perfectly healthy and normal, and the only possible reason for losing sight might be a psychological inner conflict.His sight might recover some day, but nobody knows how long it could take.
Al suggests that Val tell nobody about his eye problem and pretend to be normal for the first day shooting.Val doesn't like the idea and would like to tell the truth and put off the shooting till his eyesight recovers.Al warns him that it means he'll be finished in the film business and ends in poverty since Hal will definitely hire someone else to direct the film.So Val appears at the shooting site on the first working day, but he is accompanied by Al who plans to secretly help him on the scene.Unfortunately, Al is asked to leave the site since his presence as an agent is against the studio's policy.In despair, Al has to ask the Chinese translator, whose major is business investment and who knows little about film making, to help Val by promising to pay him handsomely.The first day is a mess since Val cannot see anything about the lighting, scene and the facial expressions of the actors.He can only make random decisions about the shooting relying on the translator's explanation.
Val has a hard time before the long day comes to an end.While walking out of the site, Val bumpssintosa worker carrying a board.He immediately apologizes to him again and again before the translator reminds him that he is talking to the air.After a few days, Val seems accustomed to this special way of working and nobody seems to notice his secret.They simply take his random directing as the uniqueness of a great director.The major sexy female star even fancies Val and invites him for a "talk about her performance" at her place in the evening.It takes a while before Val finds her real intention of making love to him.He manages to escape.
When the project is half finished, the studio sends Ellie over from L.A. to check the progress though Val tries every way to stop her from coming.By this time, the Chinese cameraman can no longer bear Val's illogical way of directing the movie and quits on spot after a row with him.The translator, who has been the indispensable<注7> help to Val, also has to go since there is no need for translating any more.Ellie watches some of the dailies<注8> and cannot figure out the sense out of them.She discusses the problem with Val and Al who has to tell truth as Val needs her around to finish the shooting in the last few weeks.Ellie has to accept the arrangement as it is the only way out for the film.
There are more difficult situations for Val to deal with later on.One is the early homecoming of his girlfriend Lori when he just enters his room with Ellie's help.Val has to pretend to be in love with Ellie again and kisses her in front of Lori to keep her out of the secret.Lori leaves them alone after being promised that there is no change of her role in the film.The second crisis happens on the shooting site and is more serious.During the break, the journalist who has been reporting about the project happens to sit beside Val who takes her as Ellie since they wear the same perfume.Val tells the woman his fear and nightmare caused by the well-kept secret without being aware of the difference.Afterwards, Val and Al can only wish the secret did not leak out before the film is finished.
The toughest ordeal<注9> comes when Hal comes over to check the result in the last couple of days.Ellie and Al design the meeting place so that Val is able to find the sofa and chair easily.They patiently teach Val to count the steps from the door to the chair and sofa and rehearse the scenario again and again to make sure nothing could go wrong.Though Val is very nervous meeting Hal and even breaks a glass, Hal does not even suspect his being blind, taking his strange behavior as being nervous and working too hard.
However, Hal is very unhappy after watching some dailies of the film.He blames Ellie for failing to inform him of the situation.Ellie argues for Val saying that he has talent and criticizes Hal for lack of trust in him.Hal only wishes the post-production<注10>, especially the cutting, could compensate for the drawbacks of the film.
At the wrap-up party<注11> for the shooting, everyone is there drinking, eating and dancing, except Val who now is visiting his son from his first marriage.Val tries to reconcile with<注12> him after many years of not speaking to each other.Arguing about music composing and film making, the two are surprised to find a common ground they are both revolutionary in their own respective field, to create original music and film.It does not matter what the critics say and how the audience respond.
Just a few days before the test reviewing<注13>of the film, Val suddenly finds himself recover from blindness while enjoying the beautiful scene of the city.Ellie is truly happy for him.However, the test result from both the audience and critics are mostly negative.What is worse, Hal has got the copy of the journalist's report about the shooting and is shocked to learn the truth.Hal blames Ellie forshavingshelped Val to cover the secret of shooting the film in a totally blind state.But Ellie criticizes Hal for only caring about money.She breaks up with Hal and goes back to Val.
When Val is suffering from the failure about the film in the domestic market, Al comes in with some good news that the film is a huge success in France,swheresit is claimed to be one of the best American films in 50 years, and Val is invited by the French to direct a new film in Paris.Val and Ellie depart for their new project.Definitely, this one will not be a work of a blind man.
Excerpts
Al Talks to Val after They Come Back from Seeing the Doctor
Val:(Door Closes)There goes my comeback.
Al:You cannot breathe a word of this to anybody.
Val:I gotta tell'em<注1>, Al.You know, I just dread telling Ellie.
Al:Are you nuts<注2>? They'll fire you.
Val:Fire me? I obviously can't direct the picture.
Al:What are you talking about?How can you blow this shot?
Val:What are you talking about?I'm blind.
Al:Nobody knows.
Val:What the hell does that mean?What are you suggesting?
Al:If you pull out of this project now because psychological stress has caused you to lose your sight, you'll never work again. They'll burn your union card<注3>.
Val:Maybe they could postpone it.
Al:Oh, yeah, because you're blind?Val, direct this picture and bring in a hit or I leave you with two words: homeless man.
Val:I can't direct How can I ?
Al:I'm telling you how.You're going to muddle your way through<注4> until your sight returns.
Val:Al, I, I can't direct a picture.I'm blind.
Al:Have you seen some of the pictures out there?
Val:The first five minutes they'll catch me.
Al:Maybe they will, maybe they won't.If they do, you're no worse off than if you confess because you're finished in the business anyway.
Val:What hell... You gotta be joking.I'll take one step on the set, I'll break my neck.
Al:No, no, no.I'll come with you.
Val:They won't let you.The actors get nervous when agents hang around.It's against Galaxie policy.
Al: Listen.Once you get on the set, you get relaxed.You won't even need me.
Val: There's no way to do this.I mean... I would have to take somebodysintosmy confidence<注5>.
Al:Absolutely not.No.Never.Not a hint.This can't get out.You'll direct a hit picture<注6>.Sometimes God works in strange ways.
VAl:Like Job<注7>?
1. gotta tell'em：= got to tell them。
2. nuts: (俚)发疯的。
3. union card:指电影工会会员卡。
4. muddle through: (费力地)对付过去。
5. take somebodysintosone's confidence:将秘密与某人分享，依靠某人。
6. hit picture:卖座(成功的、引起轰动)的影片。
7. Job:约伯，圣经《旧约》里的人物，一生经历了许多危机。
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submitted at 2003-12-9 12:09:00
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