"Hello, Murphy."
Facing the cameras and media, Harvey Weinstein once again opened his arms. Murphy didn't hesitate and stepped forward to hug him, as if they were still partners from years ago.
"Director Stanton..."
A reporter's voice rang out, but Murphy had no interest in interviews. He deliberately invited, "I'm heading inside the theater. Care to join me, Harvey?"
"Sure, let's go together."
Harvey Weinstein wouldn't back down and immediately followed, walking alongside Murphy. They ignored the reporters' questions and went straight into the Dolby Theatre. Due to the renaming, some of the VIP lounges were still under renovation, so the early arrivals were mostly waiting in the theater's lobby.
Once inside the Dolby Theatre and seeing no one else around, Harvey Weinstein smirked, "The recent rumors about you and your lead actor are quite damaging. Are they true?"
"Does it really matter if they're true or false?" Murphy shrugged, then countered, "The media is full of praise for you, calling you a master at maneuvering the Oscars."
He sighed, "I've thought about it. The Oscars really are almost yours and Bob's. Only by following you can one succeed at the Oscars. I should have had Weinstein Company distribute my film."
Harvey Weinstein's lips curled into an ambiguous smile, "You should have realized this sooner. Weinstein Company has been the Oscar winner in the past, is now, and will be in the future."
"Really?" Murphy shrugged, "There are no perpetual winners in this world."
"Heh..." Harvey Weinstein lowered his voice slightly, "You'll soon understand what it means to make futile efforts!"
With that, he didn't give Murphy a chance to reply and turned, heading straight into the main hall of the Dolby Theatre.
Compared to him and the entire Weinstein Company, Murphy Stanton was just a newcomer. He had been a perpetual nominee, never even touching the Oscar's threshold!
The media hype did affect him, but relying on such ambiguous tactics to compete with him? What a joke!
This is the Oscars! Not the summer box office!
"Simply relying on media hype won't be enough to deliver a fatal blow," Murphy knew this well. He whispered to Gal Gadot, "These public opinions will have an impact, but not a decisive one. Our real effective attack comes from other sources."
Gal Gadot understood what Murphy meant. Those subtle hints, if not paid special attention to, would be hard to notice. Harvey Weinstein seemed completely unaware that his past Oscar victims had formed a covert anti-Weinstein Company alliance.
Murphy looked around the lobby and, not seeing anyone from his crew, said, "Let's head in too."
Inside the main hall of the Dolby Theatre, many people had already arrived. Murphy quickly made his way to the front row. As a film with ten nominations, "Diego Ross" had been allocated a very prominent position, slightly to the left of the center in the second row.
"You finally made it." Robert Downey Jr. stood up as Murphy approached, "I thought you might chicken out."
Murphy first let Gal Gadot sit down, then said to Robert, "I'm counting on you to win Best Actor."
"Who knows if I can get it." Robert Downey Jr. also sat down, "My odds aren't that great."
"Better than mine."
Margot Robbie walked over from the hall entrance, catching Robert's words. She sat next to Gal Gadot, "I'm the least likely to win Best Supporting Actress."
Gal Gadot smiled and comforted her, "You're still young. There will be plenty of chances in the future."
More crew members soon entered the hall. Besides Jodie Griffiths, who didn't participate in editing due to personal reasons, everyone from Murphy's team was present. Murphy himself had handled the editing of "Diego Ross," so the Best Editing nomination was credited to him.
As the start of the ceremony approached, the Dolby Theatre quieted down. Many, including Murphy, focused their attention on the stage.
The stage was set up lavishly, with the Academy clearly putting a lot of effort into it.
Murphy and others understood that even the Oscars require investment to yield returns. In recent years, the Oscars' influence had been waning, and the Academy had been striving to reverse this trend.
From certain perspectives, the Oscars are also a business, directly affecting the Academy's revenue.
For the film companies competing for Oscars, it's equally a business.
It's well known that the Oscars are Hollywood's biggest PR battle each year. Films that receive nominations see their box office revenue increase by at least a few million dollars. Winning Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, or Best Picture can boost North American box office revenue by $20 million to $50 million, and that's just box office. Including other rights revenue, it would be even more.
Actors and directors who win awards see their pay and market value skyrocket. For instance, Halle Berry's salary skyrocketed nearly fifty times after winning Best Actress for "Monster's Ball," though one unsuccessful film later brought her back to reality.
Music started playing from beneath the stage. Feeling Gal Gadot tug on his arm, Murphy returned to the moment and joined in the applause that filled the theater.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
A deep voice resonated in the theater, "Please welcome Mr. Morgan Freeman."
Dressed in a black suit, Morgan Freeman walked out from the left side of the stage and stood at the far left. He said loudly, "Compared to the first ceremony in 1929, films have changed significantly, but one thing remains the same for every generation of filmmakers. Whether live-action or animation, black-and-white or color, silent or sound, we are all enchanted by the magic of cinema."
He playfully winked at the audience and continued, "Events like this allow us to toast today's achievements and nostalgically reflect on past glories. Welcome to the 84th Academy Awards...ceremony!"
As Morgan Freeman finished, the red curtain on the stage slowly lifted, revealing the large screen behind it. Billy Crystal then appeared on the screen, and his classic skit began.
"Wake up, we're all waiting for you."
In a scene from "The Descendants," George Clooney said to the comatose Billy Crystal, "We're waiting for you to come home. That's where you belong."
Then, he kissed him.
Billy Crystal opened his eyes.
He started appearing in every nominated film, including "Moneyball" and "The Artist"...
Finally, Billy Crystal stood in a dilapidated house in downtown Los Angeles, from "Diego Ross," recognized as a classic long take. Billy Crystal took Robert Downey Jr.'s place, hesitating at the doorway with a large Oscar poster behind him.
"Should I go this way..." Billy Crystal's voiceover began, "Or that way?"
The sound of a carriage came, and Billy Crystal walked out of the house.
A young man's head popped out of the carriage, inviting Billy Crystal, "Come on, I'll take you!"
"Who are you?" Billy Crystal shouted.
The man revealed his face, "I'm Justin Bieber. They got me to help you attract the 18-24 demographic!"
"Alright!"
Billy Crystal got into the carriage, which headed straight for Hollywood.
The audience erupted in applause. Billy Crystal was undeniably the best Oscar host of the past twenty years.
"Please welcome Billy Crystal!"
The applause grew even more enthusiastic.
"This is my ninth time hosting the Oscars..." Billy Crystal's stand-up time had begun, "I just filed for bankruptcy on behalf of this theater!"
He started with jokes about Kodak's bankruptcy and the renaming of the Hollywood and Highland Center.
"While we create lasting memories with the Oscars, we're also nourishing lifelong resentments!"
After a serious discussion about the 'stick and ball' topic, he added, "Tonight, we enjoy this entertainment feast because the best cure for the world's economic woes is watching a bunch of millionaires giving each other gold statues!"
The theater burst into laughter again. Despite the somewhat somber nominated films this year, Billy Crystal's performance shone brightly.
From Murphy's perspective, Billy Crystal alone was far better than last year's duo of James Franco and Anne Hathaway.
Although James Franco, his good friend, was very talented and funny, hosting isn't a job just anyone can do well.
"Tonight's star-studded event's first presenter is..."
Billy Crystal extended a hand toward the backstage entrance, "Two-time Oscar Best Actor winner, Tom Hanks!"
Tom Hanks walked onto the stage. Unexpectedly, he twisted his ankle halfway, limping the rest of the way. Fortunately, he made it to the microphone.
"Every Oscar ceremony is special! Tonight is no exception." After the customary introduction, Tom Hanks got to the point, "The first award tonight is for Best Cinematography..."
From the audience, Murphy glanced across the aisle at the "The Artist" crew's section. He noticed Harvey Weinstein watching him. Their eyes met briefly before looking away.
Both films were nominated in this category. The competition had begun!
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