"The premiere of Kingdom of Heaven is scheduled for May 26. Gilbert, do we need to mobilize the media, maybe find a way to discredit this film?"
At the marketing meeting, Warner's publicity director Rossobert Woll asked for Gilbert's opinion.
Gilbert, however, said, "There's no need. Ridley Scott is a veteran. As long as Kingdom of Heaven doesn't attack us, we won't attack them.
Trust me, Woll, Kingdom of Heaven will ultimately surprise you greatly."
Surprise? Woll didn't quite understand—what kind of surprise? A surprise of failure?
Earlier, Gilbert had analyzed the prospects of epic blockbusters with Warner executives over the past two years, summarizing it in one sentence: the market is saturated, and Kingdom of Heaven was born in the wrong era.
But at this moment, Ridley Scott felt that Kingdom of Heaven was not only born in the wrong era but also with the wrong company.
Although he was co-producer and director of Kingdom of Heaven, the greatest authority on set lay with Blanco Rastig, the lead producer.
More importantly, Ridley Scott did not secure final cut privileges, resulting in 20th Century Fox editing the film he envisioned into something entirely different, almost unrecognizable.
Ridley Scott argued strongly but still could not obtain the final cut.
He even overheard a remark from a 20th Century Fox vice president: "You're not Gilbert. If you were Gilbert, you'd have full control over the project."
Hearing that, Scott finally understood that the gap in status had already affected his control over the film.
Final cut privileges are something only top-tier directors possess. Only elite directors can have them.
In Hollywood, the number of directors with final cut authority is extremely limited, and Ridley Scott was certainly not among them.
"Ridley, who do you want to invite?" Producer Blanco Rastig asked while drafting the guest list for the premiere, checking with Scott.
"If possible, invite Director Gilbert to the premiere," Ridley Scott said.
Blanco Rastig shook his head: "That's unlikely. Batman Begins is running concurrently with Kingdom of Heaven, and Gilbert has gone to Istanbul."
"Why is he going to Istanbul?" Ridley Scott asked, curious.
"Surprising that you're British yet not interested in football. The Champions League final is in Istanbul," Blanco Rastig explained. "Gilbert's team made it to the final, so he went to watch the match live."
"???" Ridley Scott admitted he really didn't know.
Although born in the UK, he had lived in the U.S. for so many years. In America, more people discussed American football, and soccer wasn't widely talked about.
Gradually, Ridley Scott had long abandoned football from his mind.
Had Blanco Rastig not reminded him, Scott might have forgotten that as a child, he once dreamed of playing for Sunderland.
Later, he studied art, joined the BBC, then moved into filmmaking, drifting further from football.
If a Brit living in the U.S. for so long could forget, it was no wonder that Gilbert, a native Californian, played football casually.
Unexpectedly, Gilbert even formed a football team, which advanced to the Champions League final.
While Ridley Scott was lost in thought, Gilbert had already arrived in Istanbul.
Arsenal had prepared tickets for him, including a VIP box for the match.
Gilbert brought only his assistant and no female companion, but he brought along the Sun newspaper's three-page model, Jilly Hazel, to accompany him.
So when Gilbert stepped off the plane, he was greeted by the stunning Jilly Hazel, leaving him speechless.
"What are you doing here?" Gilbert asked.
Possibly from too much sun on the beach, Hazel's skin had a healthy wheat tone. Her tank top and denim shorts complemented each other perfectly, highlighting her excellent figure.
A model featured in the Sun newspaper would, by Western standards, have a top-tier body and face, rivaling or even surpassing major Hollywood actresses.
Seeing Gilbert admiring her figure, Hazel felt a small sense of pride but did not forget her task.
"I'm here to be your guide."
"Is that so?" Gilbert tilted his head. "Then you must know Istanbul very well."
"Somewhat, I've been here a few times for photo shoots," Hazel replied.
"Ah, right, you're still a model," Gilbert realized. "Let's go then, first to the hotel to rest."
Arsenal staff escorted Gilbert and his assistant team to the hotel. He stayed at the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul.
This historic hotel was built in 1892 by French-Turkish architect Alexandre Vallory.
The hotel offers views of the Golden Horn, the historic peninsula, and the Bosphorus Strait.
The Pera Palace witnessed many historical events, including the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire, the end of World War I, and the birth of the Turkish Republic.
It also inspired numerous writers and artists, such as Agatha Christie, who wrote part of her famous novel Murder on the Orient Express there.
This hotel has long been the preferred accommodation in Istanbul for many artists, movie stars, and prominent political figures.
Among them were the renowned suspense and horror director Alfred Hitchcock, Queen Elizabeth, Agatha Christie, Greta Garbo, actress Sasha Garbo, and Iran's Shah Reza Pahlavi, among others.
One of Gilbert's favorite authors, Ernest Hemingway, had once stayed at the Pera Palace Hotel as a journalist, typing away on his typewriter while standing at the hotel bar.
The history of the hotel was all introduced to Gilbert by Jilly Hazel, showing that she had indeed done a lot of homework.
"You've really prepared well. I didn't expect you to know so much," Gilbert praised.
Jilly Hazel blushed: "I arrived two days early, so I memorized a lot of knowledge."
"You really went to a lot of trouble. Which room will I stay in?" Gilbert asked.
"The presidential suite is currently available. King Edward VIII of England and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary have both stayed there.
There's also room 201 and 301, which still preserve the legacy of Turkey's second and third presidents, İsmet İnönü and Celal Bayar."
Jilly Hazel added, "But I especially recommend the Hitchcock room. This is the room where the famous film master Alfred Hitchcock stayed, and it still preserves Hitchcock's manuscripts.
I thought you might find that interesting…"
Staying in the same room as a celebrity, even at different times, allows one to connect with them in some way within the same space.
Following Jilly Hazel's arrangement, Gilbert checked into the Hitchcock suite.
It was a three-bedroom suite with two bathrooms and a bar. In the display cabinet by the bar were photos of Hitchcock with the hotel manager at the time, as well as Hitchcock's manuscripts.
The cabinet was locked, presumably to prevent guests from touching these valuable manuscripts.
The suite also included a small kitchen, likely to allow guests to prepare dishes of their own choosing.
From the living room, one could access the balcony, which offered a perfect view of the bay. Whether day or night, the scenery was utterly refreshing and relaxing.
However, Gilbert had no time to admire the beautiful view. After a quick meal, he went to rest, even politely declining Jilly Hazel's offer to warm the bed for him.
....
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