Nostalgia, in whatever form it is presented, is a sweet melancholy. It gilds the past, subtly expressing dissatisfaction with the present and apprehension about an uncertain future. Nostalgia is not something sparked by a few films; it has been simmering in the arts and fashion worlds, with films merely confirming an underlying collective unconscious. In the current period of Western economic recession, many people yearn for the good old days.
In this regard, "The Artist" naturally holds an advantage.
After the nomination luncheon, everyone moved to the lobby of the Regent Hotel for the mandatory Oscar nominees' super group photo.
"This is the best chance," Robert Downey Jr. whispered to Murphy as they stood together waiting for the photographers to set up. "If we give it our all, we have a good shot."
Murphy nodded lightly. "We're this far; no need to hold back now."
Winning the awards wouldn't just fulfill a long-held dream for both him and Robert Downey Jr., but it would also honor the wishes of his friend, Ross. Regardless of the public opinion, it would make the name Diego Ross known worldwide and frequently mentioned in the future.
Murphy understood Ross's mindset. Since Ross committed to this irreversible path, he seemingly feared nothing but being forgotten.
Robert Downey Jr. also knew this was his best opportunity. He added, "Old Robert has started mobilizing contacts. Just let us know what you need."
Murphy wasn't shy about it, "We need to go all out."
"Mr. Stanton…" A staff member approached, gesturing, "This way, please."
Murphy nodded to Robert Downey Jr. and his wife before following the staff member to the photo area. More people soon gathered, and he noticed his position was quite central.
Such group photos weren't a matter of personal preference; those in the middle and towards the front were industry heavyweights and the big winners of the nominations. Murphy undoubtedly fit both categories.
Murphy glanced around and saw, just past Meryl Streep, the current president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Tom Sherak.
"Attention, everyone look here!"
The photographer's voice drew Murphy's attention back to the camera. The flashbulbs went off three times, and the photo session ended.
Meryl Streep walked away, but Tom Sherak turned and gestured to Murphy.
"Hi, Tom."
Murphy approached, shaking hands with Tom Sherak. They had met many times before at 20th Century Fox.
"Congratulations." Tom Sherak's smile was noticeably more sincere than Harvey Weinstein's earlier, "Ten nominations this time."
"But we still need to work hard to win," Murphy replied casually.
Tom Sherak laughed heartily and walked with Murphy toward the hotel entrance. Once they were away from the crowd, he said, "The situation is very favorable for you. Many within the Academy, myself included, support 'Diego Ross'."
Murphy knew he was referring to the conflict between the film and the Catholic Church. "I didn't expect the Church to be so sensitive."
"They're used to meddling in worldly affairs," Sherak, clearly not a fan of the Church, said, "They think they can still interfere with Hollywood like in the last century."
He didn't elaborate further, simply patting Murphy on the shoulder, "Keep pushing."
Murphy nodded, walking through the open glass doors and leaving the hotel.
Once in his car, he glanced back at the Regent Hotel. From every angle, this seemed to be the best opportunity.
Tom Sherak had come from 20th Century Fox and had worked as an executive there for many years. It was hard to believe his stance wouldn't favor Fox. Among the Academy's past rotating presidents, he was considered one of the more assertive. During his tenure, he made several changes, including expanding the Best Picture nominations from five to ten and modifying the voting mechanism. He also established the Governors Awards in 2009, separating honorary awards from the main ceremony.
Murphy knew Sherak had discreetly expressed his support in private. Though the Academy president's power was limited, their influence was undeniable.
Murphy's phone rang, and he saw it was Gal Gadot.
He answered, "Hi, darling."
"The nomination list is out, right?" Gal Gadot asked, concerned, "How many did we get?"
"Ten nominations," Murphy said simply, "Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture are all included."
"Great!" Gal Gadot then asked, "What about Weinstein Company's two films?"
Murphy switched the phone to his left hand, "'The Artist' also received ten nominations and will be our biggest competitor."
"And 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'?"
Murphy shook his head, even though Gal Gadot couldn't see it, "The young wizard got a few nominations, including Best Picture, but they're not a threat."
"Alright then." Gal Gadot sounded busy, "I have a lot to do here. I might be home late."
After hanging up, Murphy pondered. There was a belief that the Academy would use major Oscar wins to affirm the significance of the 'Harry Potter' series upon its conclusion, but this was mostly Warner Bros. PR.
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' wouldn't win any major Oscars. It wasn't 'The Lord of the Rings,' and J.K. Rowling wasn't universally recognized as the father of modern fantasy literature like J.R.R. Tolkien.
Moreover, the Academy's bias against such genres wouldn't change despite 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' sweeping the awards.
Apart from technical awards, fantasy and sci-fi films, except for 'The Return of the King,' were typically shut out of the Oscars. Few actors received nominations for performances in these genres. To date, besides Peter Jackson, no director had won Best Director for a fantasy or sci-fi film—demonstrating the Academy's historical lack of appreciation for these genres.
As a quintessential commercial fantasy series, 'Harry Potter' was particularly disliked by the Academy. If Murphy remembered correctly, the entire series had many technical nominations but never won an Oscar.
So there was no need to worry about 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' posing any threat to 'Diego Ross.'
After the nomination announcement, according to Academy rules, all public campaigning had to stop. But Murphy had no intention of stopping, knowing his competitors wouldn't either; they'd simply move their efforts underground.
Instead of heading directly to Wave Manor, he had the driver take him to Century City. The Regent Hotel was nearby, in Beverly Hills.
Arriving at Fox Tower, Murphy met with Carla Faith. Due to her busy schedule, they didn't talk much, just exchanged views on the upcoming campaign. 20th Century Fox would continue using its resources to push 'Diego Ross' for several major Oscars.
Winning the awards required the full support of the studio.
Additionally, Fox was urging Murphy to start preparing for 'City of Chaos 2.' James Murdoch even met with him in Carla Faith's office.
Murphy knew well that to get the horse to run, you have to feed it. So he promised James Murdoch that preparations for 'City of Chaos 2' would begin in Los Angeles before the 84th Oscars ceremony.
This promise significantly boosted the spirits of 20th Century Fox's executives. Their collaboration with Murphy wasn't for artsy films like 'Diego Ross,' but for those grand commercial epics with a dark, epic vibe.
Only commercial blockbusters could bring massive profits and fully utilize Fox's industrial advantages.
To date, Carla Faith, James Murdoch, and other Fox executives knew one thing: as long as Murphy maintained his film quality, the sequel to 'City of Chaos' would be a massive hit.
This was confirmed by multiple surveys showing that 'City of Chaos' had topped DVD sales, rentals, and online streaming among Hollywood films last year!
In other words, the film had a significant impact beyond theaters, attracting a large audience.
These are the foundations for the future!
After spending over an hour at Fox Tower, Murphy said his goodbyes and left. On his way home, he called his lawyer, Robert.
When the call connected, he said, "Please arrange it as soon as possible. I need to visit Ross in the state prison."
Since Christmas, Murphy had been too busy to visit the state prison.
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