《速度與激情7》這樣紀念保羅

Paul Walker is all over the world. As Universal Picture’s “Fast & Furious 7” is expected to screech out of the blocks across the globe, the star stares down from billboards everywhere, a deluxe model of boy-next-door appeal.

全世界都有保羅•沃克的身影。隨着環球影片公司的《速度與激情7》登上全球各大院線。，身爲主演，保羅的海報登上了世界各地的廣告牌。海報中鄰家男孩豪華版的保羅目光犀利。

The ubiquity of the late actor in the marketing campaign has come as a tasteful delight. As one studio insider put it: “At the end of the day, he’s a star of our film, and he should be celebrated.”

在電影宣傳中，處處都是這位已故演員的身影）。正如電影公司一位內部人員所說：“最後的最後，他成了我們電影的亮點，因爲他值得被紀念。”

Walker’s global family of admirers wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Indeed, there is an argument for saying they made it this way. But it took a while to get there. The studio’s decision to keep the Brian O’Conner character front and centre was born out of tragedy. Walker’s death in an unrelated car accident during production in November 2013 prompted Universal brass to halt the shoot immediately.

這(電影宣傳到處都有保羅的身影)正是保羅的粉絲們想看到的。而事實上，正是他們促成了這一切。這一切並非一蹴而就。2013年11月，保羅因爲工作之外的一場車禍而離世，環球影片公司很快叫停了拍攝。而這場車禍悲劇促使公司將保羅飾演的布萊恩•奧康納推上前臺。

There followed a four-month period of soul-searching as those working on the film agonized over how to use the footage they had and get the lucrative series – which has taken $2.4bn （14.9bn yuan ）worldwide from the first six episodes – back on track.

隨後的四個月，除了深刻反省，電影製作方也絞盡腦汁，希望可以利用已有的鏡頭完成這部利潤豐厚的系列電影。畢竟，前六部電影的全球票房已達24億美元（約合人民幣149億元）。

Support and encouragement from fans of the franchise has never wavered, and the studio kept them apprised every step of the way. Universal issued three messages via social media during a seven-month period immediately after Walker’s death, until “Fast & Furious 7” wrapped in July 2014. The correspondence was respectful and illustrated the uncommon dialogue the studio, Vin Diesel and other cast members have enjoyed with the films’ audience. “Fast and Furious” had built up a cinematic superpower over 14 years, a borderless social media tribe of millions.

面對影迷們從未動搖過的支持與鼓勵，電影製片方也是一有行動就及時發佈消息。自保羅意外離世到2014年7月電影殺青，環球影片通過社交媒體三發消息。每一次都行文恭敬，其中不乏製片方、範•迪塞爾以及其他演員想要和觀衆分享的不同尋常的對話。過去的14年間，《速度與激情》在沒有邊界的社交媒體上已經積累了千萬粉絲，堪稱電影界的“超級帝國”。

They wanted the show to go on. Who could, or would, ignore that? Not Universal. The screenplay was rejigged and effects wizards superimposed Walker’s face on the bodies of his brothers Cody and Caleb, who joined actor John Brotherton as body doubles.

粉絲們希望這部電影能繼續演下去。而誰又能忽略這些聲音，或是對其視而不見？至少電影公司不會。於是，劇本被修改，保羅的弟弟柯迪和迦勒 “獻身”其中，與約翰•布羅特頓一同擔任替身，特效師再給他們“換上”保羅的臉。

Universal paid tribute to the fans in its third note, in July 2014, which announced the end of the shoot. “There was a time when we didn’t know how we could go on, or even if we should. But we listened to you, and you inspired us not only to keep going but to try and make the best FAST & FURIOUS movie yet.”

2014年7月，殺青後環球電影在第三份通知中致謝粉絲，他們寫到：“我們一度不知該如何繼續，甚至懷疑我們是否還要繼續。但是因爲聽到了你們的聲音，感受到你們的鼓勵，我們才能堅持至今、不斷嘗試，完成了最好的一部《速度與激情》。”

The film’s finale is poignant and deftly executed. So is the presence of Walker in the marketing materials, which the decision makers realized was what everyone wanted to see. On a massive billboard in Los Angeles, the 40-year-old actor stands among the seven key cast members staring into the distance, flanked by Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel. The legend reads: Vengeance Hits Home.

這部電影的結尾製作巧妙、催人淚下。保羅也“現身”宣傳材料中，因爲發佈方相信人人都想看到他。在洛杉磯的一幅巨型廣告牌上，這位40歲的演員站在米歇爾•羅德里格茲與範•迪塞爾中間，和其他六位主演一起凝視着遠方。上面還寫着一行字：復仇燃及家園。