Chapter 136: Chapter 135: The Parents' Protest
Los Angeles, the small fan group of Lewis and Salati Merton did not rush to the cinema to watch The Rock's midnight showing last night.
It wasn't that they didn't want to see it right away, but rather that the more luxurious cinemas were sold out of tickets. Only the cinemas in the suburban towns still had tickets available.
But no one wanted to travel so far, so they had to wait for the first show of the morning.
When the cinema opened, one of the group members complained, "Lewis, it's all your fault! If you had gotten the tickets, we wouldn't have had to wake up early and wait for the cinema to open."
Lewis quickly apologized, "Sorry, guys, I didn't expect the movie to be so popular. The midnight tickets sold out."
"Alright, don't blame Lewis. After all, we're in Los Angeles!" Salati Merton defended Lewis.
This argument made sense. Missing the midnight showing was a rare occurrence in a few cities.
Los Angeles fans were incredibly supportive of Gilbert, this genius director from their own hometown.
By the time the cinema opened, it wasn't just this group of fans waiting in line. Many others who had missed the midnight showing for various reasons gathered at cinemas across the city.
At the time, buying movie tickets wasn't as convenient as it is today with online booking.
Back then, you had to either call the cinema or go there in person to buy tickets.
No matter which way you bought them, fans knew they had to arrive early. Otherwise, the tickets for hot summer blockbusters could be very hard to get.
Fortunately, even though Friday was technically part of the weekend, it was still a workday, and fewer people were available in the morning.
After waiting for a while, the cinema staff opened the door.
When the door opened, the staff was startled by the crowd, "Guys, are you all here to watch the movie?"
"Stop talking, hurry up and let us buy the tickets!" one fan shouted as they rushed into the cinema, afraid they might miss out on tickets.
Other fans followed quickly, and if the cinema staff hadn't moved aside in time, a stampede might have occurred.
Similar scenes happened at many cinemas.
The passionate fans seemed to flood the cinema, and due to the rush, some cinemas didn't even have time to prepare snacks like fries, popcorn, and sodas.
At first, some fans were dissatisfied, feeling that the experience wasn't the same without the usual snacks.
But when they came out after watching The Rock, they eagerly shook hands with the cinema staff, "You guys really had foresight! I was so engrossed in the movie, I didn't even think about popcorn and soda."
The cinema staff was dumbfounded. In their many years in the business, this was the first time they'd seen such a thing.
Was this the power of the national-famous genius director? The popularity and influence were simply unmatched.
Lewis and Salati Merton's group of fans came out still savoring the movie, and several of them were excitedly discussing the plot.
"I've seen other movies with Nicolas Cage, but honestly, he's more charming in this one. I suddenly see him as a tough guy."
"Roger Moore was so cool. At his age, he was still so agile. No wonder he was once a secret agent."
"I love this movie! I love Gilbert! He always surprises the fans."
Others around them nodded in agreement.
Gilbert wasn't loved simply because he was handsome... Well, okay, many female fans might like him for that reason.
But most fans loved Gilbert because, unlike other Hollywood directors, he always brought something fresh to the table. That was the main reason so many people admired him.
In San Francisco, Sullivan and Bauer, who had attended the premiere, enthusiastically told their families and friends about their experiences at the premiere.
"I saw Tom Cruise, and even the T-800! He was so cool," Sullivan said, his face flushed with excitement.
"How was the movie?" his sister asked.
"It was amazing! I want to watch it again," Sullivan looked at his father.
When the father heard this, he made a decision: "Let's skip the weekend outing and go to the cinema to watch it tomorrow."
Once the decision was made, the kids immediately cheered.
But the mother was still worried: "Isn't this movie a bit too hasty? I saw the trailer, and there's quite a lot of violent scenes in it."
The father reassured her: "I checked the rating. It's PG-13, so it should be suitable for the whole family."
Since the father had made the decision, the mother no longer objected.
However, this turned out to be a mistake.
On the first day of The Rock's nationwide release, various media outlets began reporting reviews, and one issue caught some attention.
CBS TV interviewed theatergoers after a screening, and one angry father spoke out.
"This movie is not suitable for parents to bring their kids to see. The movie should be rated R, not PG-13. Look at my child—he was perfectly terrified by the violent content in the film, and now he's crying. The movie's producers should take responsibility…"
The TV station even showed a twelve- or thirteen-year-old boy wiping his tears, hiding in his mother's arms.
This wasn't an isolated incident. Soon, parents from many cities across the U.S. united in protest, claiming that The Rock was misclassified and that they had mistakenly chosen the movie for their children.
The parent representatives quickly accepted an interview with the TV station: "The movie's producers should take responsibility, and the ratings board should apologize for this mistake. They owe an apology to our poor children."
Turning off the TV, Martin Bob couldn't help but clap and laugh. "Ha ha ha, now Gilbert won't be able to argue with parents like he did with the animal protection organizations."
Lovett raised his thumb, praising, "Boss, your strategy is brilliant. By using the parents to sway public opinion, you've managed to put The Rock in a passive position."
Martin Bob seemed to have everything under control. "Lovett, every situation has two sides. When it brings negative impacts, it also gives us an opportunity."
Lovett complimented again, "No wonder I'm starting to admire the boss more and more. You've really taught me a lesson."
Martin Bob sneered, "This time, we've stirred up the parents' attack. Let's see how Gilbert responds."
What was Gilbert's response? He quickly got together with the publicity department and consulted PR experts to come up with a strategy.
Despite the backstage dealings, the country had strong laws protecting children, so at least they had to appear to be doing the right thing.
Gilbert had seen a news story in the past about a baby in New York who was denied insurance reimbursement for ICU treatment because the baby was still breathing. At that time, some people praised the advanced U.S. healthcare system, admiring the light of the "beacon" shining on the people.
As for the public revelations about the island event, it had completely shattered the facade of child protection laws.
But that was decades later. In the 90s, no one dared to openly harm children in this way, or they would face serious charges.
Since last year, Michael Jackson had been attacked by the media for alleged child molestation, despite the boy and his family defending him.
Of course, that was just an excuse. The deeper reasons were related to issues of race and conflicting interests.
When the mainstream white society in the West united behind a common cause, no one could oppose that wave—except for the East, decades later.
Fortunately, the issue with The Rock wasn't as severe, and it didn't escalate to the legal level. Gilbert was also white, so his situation wasn't as bad as Michael Jackson's.
The parents' protest did affect The Rock's box office, but the film still made $15.26 million on its opening day.
If it had been rated R, the opening day would have broken records, but The Rock was PG-13.
Gilbert wasn't concerned with such superficial accolades. For him, the box office was what mattered most.
With the help of PR experts, Gilbert and Nicolas Cage, Roger Moore, and Ed Harris split up into two teams.
Roger Moore and Ed Harris went to visit World War II veterans to thank them for their great contributions to the country and world peace.
Warner Fox and Disney's TV stations followed them, reporting on the visit to create a positive image for The Rock.
"Here's Fox News. Behind us is the home of war hero Henry Carl. The Rock's stars Roger Moore and Ed Harris are visiting the esteemed veteran to offer their warm regards…"
Meanwhile, Gilbert and Nicolas Cage visited a welfare center to do volunteer work. Gilbert even cooked dinner for the kids.
"This is ABC News. Today, The Rock director Gilbert and star Nicolas Cage are visiting a welfare center, interacting with the children, and playing games with them."
Gilbert was shown holding the hands of two children, one a Black girl and the other a white boy—an example of political correctness.
"I've always cared about children. I believe the future belongs to them, and we adults are just temporarily holding it for them. As a Hollywood director, I hope children will maintain their innocent imagination, grow healthily, and live with positivity."
Having never eaten pork, Gilbert still managed to say all the right things like a seasoned Washington politician.
These tactics worked. They helped alleviate some of the public resentment.
But the impact of the protests couldn't be erased that easily, and the movie's box office was still somewhat affected.
Martin Bob, ever watchful of the situation, could not help but acknowledge Gilbert's skill in handling this crisis.
Although his actions seemed manipulative to some, they were undeniably effective.
In the end, Gilbert's strategy helped maintain the film's momentum, and the movie's success at the box office continued.
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