America 1987

Chapter 17 New York City's Safety

David Ovitz acquiring the rights to the script ahead of time was purely by chance and good luck.

When he first came into this world last year, after deciding to make it in Hollywood, the first thing he did was ask his uncle to help him stockpile the rights to some feminist film scripts.

He did this not because he was a feminist, but simply because it was easier to find a bargain this way.

The United States has experienced three feminist movements, and the third one will begin in the late 80s, which is academically called postmodern feminism.

In fact, signs of this had already begun to appear in Hollywood movies in the 1980s. For example, Ripley in "Aliens" and Sarah Connor in "Terminator" broke the stereotypical "decorative vase" image in previous Hollywood movies.

However, these are just isolated cases and have not yet become the mainstream.

Once we enter the 90s, the creation of feminist films will experience an explosive growth, and films born under this theme will become equally powerful as male action films.

Such a huge gold mine, yet few people in Hollywood are paying attention to it. If David doesn't strike first, he'd be doing a disservice to his identity as a time traveler.

However, at that time his memory was still very hazy and his mind was not very clear. He had no impression of any good movies in this regard, only that there was such a trend. So he simply mentioned it to his uncle and then put it aside.

Once his memory was fully restored, he was already busy preparing to film "Ghost".

If Tony hadn't brought up Jodie Foster with him today, he wouldn't have remembered the movie that won her her first Oscar for Best Actress.

Although "The Robbery of Pear Blossoms" performed only moderately at the box office, it received exceptionally high praise from critics. It not only won the Best Actress award at the Oscars, but also played a role in promoting the revision of laws in the United States.

In 1990, New Hampshire revised its criminal penalties, explicitly classifying "knowingly inciting or assisting another person to commit a violent crime" as conspiracy.

California has cited similar principles in subsequent cases, finding that bystanders who incite sexual assault, take photos and distribute them at the scene can be guilty of aiding and abetting rape.

Attorneys' offices in several states have begun introducing "secondary injury assessments" in sexual assault cases, limiting defense attacks on victims' private lives, clothing, drinking habits, and other irrelevant information to prevent bias from influencing the trial.

Almost every one of these events had the influence of this film.

Isn't this just the American version of "Dying to Survive"?

It would be a disservice to his amazing talent not to make a film. After confirming that his uncle had obtained the copyright, David Ovitz said a few more words and then hung up the phone.

"I've made up my mind. My second film will be 'The Robbery of Pear Blossoms.'" David thought to himself as he walked back to the hotel.

However, one must eat one bite at a time, walk one step at a time, and make one movie at a time. After David got up the next day, he was still focused on filming "Ghost".

They are currently in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City.

"Is it really as dangerous as described in the script?"

Catherine turned to look at David's face, her amber eyes filled with curiosity.

“Of course,” David Ovitz said quite frankly, “actually, not only here, but apart from the police station, there isn’t really any absolutely safe place in New York City.”

They had just finished filming the scene where the male and female leads are robbed on the street after watching a play.

It's understandable that Catherine, who arrived in London at the age of 15 and had always lived in the safe central area, would have questions about this plot.

London's West End is located in the heart of the city, and its excellent safety record is among the best in the UK.

The crimes are relatively scattered in the outer areas, and are mainly petty theft, drunken harassment, and property crimes. As in the script, it is very rare for someone to pull out a gun and threaten someone at the slightest disagreement.

But this was a common occurrence in New York during that era.

Before 1990, New Yorkers would always carry $10-20 in change in their pockets as "lifesaving money" when they went out.

Because of the constant threat of armed robbery by strangers, there's even a local saying: "Anyone who hasn't been robbed isn't a true New Yorker."

New York City in the 80s was on the verge of bankruptcy due to economic recession, leading to a surge in violent crime. Several major gangs controlled the city, drug dealers traded in broad daylight, gunfights frequently broke out in the streets, and murder, robbery, and rape were commonplace.

In 1981, the New York subway saw 1.4 criminal cases in just one year, earning it the title of "the most dangerous place in the world."

Therefore, the scene in "Ghost" where the male and female protagonists encounter armed robbers on the street is not exaggerated at all and is completely in line with the social reality of New York at that time.

This situation did not improve significantly until the mid-90s when Bratton implemented the "broken windows theory" and adopted a tough approach to governance.

and so……

"So why haven't any of our crew members encountered something like this?"

After David gave a brief introduction to the safety situation in New York, Catherine became curious and pointed to a spot.

"Is it because of the police there?"

Two armed guards stood next to the equipment vehicle, accompanied by two police dogs that looked quite aggressive.

This was an additional security measure offered by the local police department when they learned that the group was going to film on the streets there.

As mentioned earlier, the New York City government streamlined the approval process to attract Hollywood film crews, with multiple departments, including the Mayor's Office, the Police Department, and the Department of Transportation, coordinating their efforts. After all, GDP is always the most important factor, no matter the country.

If a film crew wants to shoot on the street, they need to apply for a permit in advance to give staff from various departments time to coordinate and avoid any accidents.

When film crews legally occupy streets for filming, police officers are usually present to maintain order.

The story of "Free America, shootings every day" only happens in poor neighborhoods. In wealthy neighborhoods, because they pay enough taxes, they provide sufficient financial support to the local government, resulting in abundant police resources. With 24-hour intensive patrols, apart from a few mentally unstable criminals, no one usually comes looking for trouble.

and so……

"Yes," David replied affirmatively. "We are taxpayers, so they will naturally protect our personal safety."

Catherine's eyes flickered, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

David Ovitz immediately saw through her thoughts and chuckled, "You want to ask me about the safety situation in Los Angeles, right?"