制霸好莱坞

The entertainment industry is not very large. Although movies, TV series, musicals, and stage plays seem to be clearly divided, in fact, cross-border phenomena are everywhere. Each circle has its own information channels and rules of the game. In the eyes of Jon and Harry, Jenny is not famous yet—this view isn't wrong. Outside of a few fan gathering places online, Jenny's name rarely appears in other comprehensive forums, and no one in everyday life talks about Jennifer Jefferson. You might talk to classmates about Johnny Depp or Charlize Theron; if they don't know, it's their problem. But when it comes to Jennifer Jefferson, it's normal for others not to know. Aside from entertainment enthusiasts, no one would be aware that the film Pirates of the Caribbean, currently being filmed, has chosen a heroine named Jennifer Jefferson.

However, this fame is more for outsiders. If people in the industry don't know that this year's A-level production, Pirates of the Caribbean, has a new heroine named Jennifer Jefferson, that would be more of a misstep. Additionally, New York is a major performing arts center in the U.S., and the whirlwind Jennifer created on Broadway has made many in the musical theater circle remember her name. Those attending the premiere of Chicago tonight will have some recollection of the "Roxy War." Some directors, producers, and even film critics who have read reviews are looking forward to Renee's performance. Jefferson's performance has at least garnered both critical and box office success. Even though they haven't seen the reality show, if Renee's performance fails to impress, then this matchup will be considered a loss for her.

A popular actress who holds a comedy with a modest box office miracle has lost to a newcomer in acting. Hmm, it sounds interesting.

Of course, this is just a small part of their interest. Many are more curious about Rob's interpretation of the whole story, the acting performances of Renee, Catherine, Richard, and others, and, of course, the technical details of singing and dancing.

With the sound of melodious jazz music, the opening credits ended. Wilma, played by Katherine, stepped out of the car and quickly walked into the backstage of the club, tearing off the part of the performance poster that showed her younger sister along the way. For many in the industry, just this opening shot is eye-catching.

"Not bad, very sophisticated. This is the advantage of movies, and the use of camera language is a great advantage for musicals," Brantley, a movie enthusiast, remarked, showing no bias against beautiful art.

Using short shots and dialogue, the background of Velma rushing to perform after killing someone was quickly established. Whether it was Catherine's performance, the background voice of the theater manager, or the switching of several shots, it all seemed effortless, maintaining a tight rhythm. Harvey Weinstein, the world-renowned film producer, nodded in approval. Even though he had seen it several times in advance and the final cut was decided through discussions with Rob Marshall, Weinstein still enjoyed the song and dance in the opening. "Rob is a director with great potential. This film will give him a strong start in the industry. His artistic talent is enough to cover up any character flaws. Catherine's performance is also her best. Entrapment was a waste of her talent."

Soon, Velma went on stage, and several details perfectly explained the astonishment caused by her sister's absence, such as the light hitting the empty space, with Velma signaling the lighting technician to shine the light on herself as she performed. The rich visual information and fast pace made veteran film critic and Pulitzer Prize winner Roger Ebert smile. Despite his declining health in recent years, Roger always felt a sense of pleasure beyond the physical when immersing himself in a good movie. "From the setting, we know it will be a good movie. Let's see how Roxy appears."

Ordinary audiences Jon and Harry thought bluntly, "Well, it's been wonderful so far. Velma is really beautiful, but isn't Katherine too strong? She'd look better if she were thinner," Jon thought. "This has always been Katherine's problem. She sometimes appears too strong in front of the camera. But strangely enough, I didn't feel that way when I saw her in person just now."

Soon, Velma's performance ended, and Roxy appeared on camera. She stared at Velma on the stage with obsession, tightly clutching a handkerchief. The camera jumped, and the imagined Roxy donned a luxurious dance dress, singing the last climax part for Velma, "All-That-Jazz..."

"Not bad!" Roger Albert was excited. "Renee's appearance can be said to be stylish."

"Very good," Harvey Weinstein nodded with satisfaction. "Based on this appearance, I'm confident Renee will get a nomination."

"Alas," Brantley shifted in his seat, whispering his thoughts to Patry. "The appearance is too different."

"The world is unfair," Brantley's tone was tinged with bitterness. Renee's performance was impeccable, fully showcasing her Oscar-level acting skills, but to Brantley, her Roxy look was incomparable to Jennifer's. This direct difference in appearance made him feel for Renee—it seemed unfair. If she had Jennifer's beauty, the competition would be much fairer.

As for Jon and Harry, they almost laughed aloud. The more sarcastic Harry whispered to Jon, "Do you remember the first version of Velma? Now it's a reappearance."

Jon nodded knowingly. "But this time, it's Velma who has the absolute advantage."

In the previous musical, Dietrich's Velma was unremarkable beside Jennifer's Roxy and could not compete. Although both actresses in the movie had strong acting skills, Catherine completely overshadowed Renee in appearance.

In any case, the film continued, and the marvelous performances, songs, and dances fully immersed the audience. They sighed in their hearts—the revival of musicals is coming. A wonderful film can lead a wave of trends. If Moulin Rouge starring Nicole Kidman was the beginning, then Chicago is undoubtedly the climax. The entertainment, song and dance appreciation, acting skills, costumes, props, scenes, and more were all exquisite, and the film was worth analyzing. The audience was effortlessly drawn into the play, their emotions fluctuating with the script's pace. They felt overwhelmed by the multiple songs and dances.

"Well, the solo of the female reporter was deleted," Brantley quickly noted. Ignoring Roxy's less-than-perfect appearance, he muttered, "She's beautiful," to convince himself and refocus on the play. Now, as he watched, he organized his thoughts as a critic. "Rob's adaptation is undoubtedly very successful. The rhythm is more compact. Of course, one regret is that, except for Richard, Catherine and Renee did not get songs and dances as long as in the musical. This is a huge shortcoming for song and dance lovers."

At this point, the plot had progressed to Roxy's fame and her solo dance "Roxy." Both Brantley and Jon sat up straight with interest. In the previous two singing segments, "Funny Honey" and Richard's solo "We Both Touched the Gun," Renee and Jennifer's acting styles were almost entirely different. Due to the nature of musicals versus movies, it was hard to judge whose acting was superior. Of course, Renee's performance lacked a bit of momentum, but under the lens art, her performance stood out. At the very least, she clearly portrayed several layers of Roxy's personality, and her subtle expressions and small movements were remarkable. This is the performance space that Roxy in the musical lacked—audiences could only assess her general impression, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly where she excelled.

As Roxy sang, the music gradually became louder. In the dark room, there were only Roxy, her mirror, and the lights. In the slightly psychedelic atmosphere, Renee performed her "Roxy." She twisted her body in front of the mirror, describing her delusion in a half-neurotic way. The entire solo was impeccable. Director Rob, film critic Roger, and producer Harvey Weinstein nodded in agreement.

Brantley couldn't find fault with Renee's performance, but he was sure he wasn't as excited as when he watched Jennifer's performance. Renee's performance was flawless, but...

"Jennifer's 'Roxy' is better." Patry leaned over and whispered, his tone emphatic, almost implying more.

Brantley opened his mouth but closed it again. After a pause, he whispered, "Yeah."