My teacher is Bruce Lee, who dominated Hollywood.

Chapter 122 The Oscars

Chapter 122 The Oscars

It was a heavy piece of cardstock with an intricate gold foil pattern around the edge.

At the very top, the "Oscar" logo gleamed brilliantly under the lights.

The 4th Academy Awards ceremony was held on April 15, 1973. Isn't that this Sunday?

Looking at the words and date on the cover, Qin Han let out a long sigh of relief.

Lately, my mind has been filled with assassinations, guns, suicide squads, and security, and I've completely forgotten about this grand event in the film industry.

Ashley, seeing Qin Han's thoughtful expression, smiled and took out a cigar: "Yes, the annual performance is about to begin again. But this year is a bit special; this ticket is much more sought after than in previous years."

"I've reserved the best seat for you—right in the second row, diagonally behind Marlon Brando."

Qin Han closed the invitation and put it in his inner pocket: "Special? Is it because that vagrant who was exiled for twenty years is coming back?"

Ashley paused for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Your information network is always so excellent. Yes, Charlie Chaplin is back."

"The academy has decided to award him the highest honor. The old man who was driven to Switzerland by McCarthyism is finally going home."

""

Qin Han certainly knew what this meant.

The night of the 1973 Oscars was destined to be a night that would go down in history.

The Godfather swept the Oscars, and Marlon Brando refused to accept the award, sending an Indian girl on stage to protest, which sparked heated discussions.

Finally, the old man with a cane and a full head of white hair stood on the stage in Los Angeles again.

When Chaplin accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award trophy, the entire audience rose to their feet and erupted in thunderous applause that lasted for a full twelve minutes.

That was Hollywood's most profound confession to that crazy and fanatical "witch hunt," and a tribute to the end of an era.

At the same time, this is also a signal that Chaplin's return means the era of the "blacklist" is completely over.

With the lifting of the "blacklist," a large number of talented screenwriters and directors who were once rejected by mainstream Hollywood studios will return to the light of day.

The most famous among them is Dalton Trumbo, who wrote "Roman Holiday" but couldn't go on stage to accept the award, as well as the other members known as the "Hollywood Ten".

This group of people, with their exceptional talent and seasoned writing skills, were the most valuable asset of Hollywood in the last era.

However, due to the two decades of censorship and marginalization, most of them lived very poor lives, which could even be described as destitute.

For Hans Films, this was a godsend.

For an extremely low price—perhaps only one-tenth the salary of other top screenwriters—you can get a top-notch script that's good enough to contend for an Oscar.

Qin Han smiled and said, "Ted, I'll be there on time. This is Han's Film Company's first official appearance in the mainstream."

"Very good." Ashley nodded in satisfaction. "I'll introduce you to those old fogies at the academy. They're not very interested in box office numbers, but you can get Bruce to chat with them about philosophy."

Qin Han stood up and straightened his collar. "Of course. Well then, Ted, I have to go now. A tough battle awaits me."

Ashley watched Qin Han's retreating figure and shook his head helplessly: "A tough battle? You mean going to the Black Tower?" What a greedy and busy man.

"6

After leaving Warner Bros. Studios, Qin Han drove onto the Hollywood Freeway.

In California in April, the air is already filled with the heat of early summer.

He held the steering wheel with one hand, and touched the invitation on his chest again with the other.

Oscars —

For him in his past life, it was just a grand carnival on television, an unattainable dream.

Now, what he holds in his hand is not just an admission ticket, but a key to unlock the top circles of Hollywood.

At this dinner party, amidst the clinking of glasses, decisions are often made about where tens of millions of dollars will go, and the direction of popular culture in the coming years.

If Hans Films wants to transform from an outlier that started with "kung fu movies" into a true giant that can influence the Hollywood landscape, it must have its own voice on this stage.

"Dalton Trumbo —"

I wonder what kind of expression this stubborn old man would have if he knew that a young man from the East was going to offer him a contract that would not only credit him but also give him a share of the box office profits?

After the car exited the highway, the "Black Tower" soon came into view.

As winter passed, Universal's movie theme parks reopened, with tour buses packed with tourists shuttling between the Bates Motel from "Psycho" and the castle from "Frankenstein," amidst screams and laughter.

Qin Han parked his car at the entrance of "Black Tower". Upon entering the lobby, he was both amused and exasperated to find a long queue in front of the pong machine placed in the corner.

The receptionist immediately stood up with a smile upon seeing him: "Mr. Qin, Mr. Sinberg is already waiting for you."

Upon entering the executive vice president's office, he was greeted with a warm greeting: "Qin! If you had been ten minutes later, I would have thought you had been kidnapped by those Japanese."

Sidney strode over and gave him a warm hug.

Clearly, with the news about Lorna published this morning, he has figured out the whole story.

"If the Japanese really had that ability, I'd probably be lying on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean feeding sharks by now," Qin Han joked as he sat down on the sofa.

"Hahaha! Well said!" Sidney poured him a cup of black tea himself. "Spielberg is a complete madman when it comes to our shark."

"He showed me his latest idea yesterday, and oh my god, he doesn't want to use the water tanks in the studio; he actually wants to shoot all the scenes on location in the sea!"

Sidney shook his head, though he was complaining, the light in his eyes betrayed him.

"Isn't this great?" Qin Han took the teacup. "Only a madman can make a great movie. Sidney, if you filmed it in a water tank, it wouldn't be 'Jaws,' it would be 'Seafood Feast.'"

"Of course, of course. Although the budget may be exceeded and the filming period may be extended, I've decided to support him. However, before we talk about the budget, Qin, I have something personal I'd like to ask you."

Sidney leaned against his desk, pulling a letter from under a stack of documents as he spoke.

Both are made of rigid cardboard and both have gold foil edges.

He handed the invitation to Qin Han, a smug look on his face: "The Oscars ceremony on Sunday. Universal Pictures has a few VIP seats. I'd like to invite you as a special guest of Universal."

"The real highlight is the Vanity Fair dinner that follows. I can introduce you to those old Jews who hold the power of life and death."

Qin Han looked at the second invitation handed to him, and his expression became quite interesting.

He slowly pulled out the note Ashley had given him earlier from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

Two identical gold cards sat side by side on Sidney's desk, gleaming in the sunlight like twins.

Sidney's eyes widened as he looked at the two cards on the table, then at Qin Han, who looked completely innocent.

"Warner Bros. Just an hour ago, Ted Ashley shoved it into my pocket."

"He said he'd saved me a seat in the second row, right behind Marlon Brando."

Sidney's lips twitched.

It would be one thing if it were any other company, but it just had to be Warner Bros.!

In Hollywood, Universal and Warner Bros. are like two neighbors who can't stand each other, fighting openly and covertly for decades.

From vying for scripts and stars to competing for release dates and awards, the rivalry between the two sides has long permeated every pore of their being.

"That cunning Ted—" Sidney muttered under his breath, "I knew it. From the moment you sold Rocky to him, he wanted to tie you to Warner Bros.' 'Qin,' you agreed?"

"I have no reason to refuse, Sidney," Qin Han said frankly. "After all, Rocky is Han's Pictures' big project for next year."

Sidney scratched his thinning hair in frustration.

He originally thought that as a newly emerging producer, sending out this invitation was the best way to win him over.

But now it seems that this young man is no longer someone who needs to wait in line outside the door of a big shot.

"Alright, alright." Sidney somewhat listlessly took back his invitation. "Since that old fox Ted beat me to it, I'm not going to join in the fun."

"However—even though you're a Warner Bros. employee on the red carpet, that doesn't prevent us from working together on the Jaws project, right?"