Capítulo 256: Chapter 256: Because of the Suspense
[Chapter 256: Because of the Suspense]
But everything was far from over. As the second week began, box office statistics showed that the ticket sales for The Others showed no signs of declining. In fact, there was even a slight increase in revenue during the first few workdays.
"It's simple, because of the suspense!" Eric said in the banquet hall of the Sunset Tower Hotel, responding to Jonathan Demme's curious inquiry. "In The Others, I set up enough suspense, like the fog in Grace's house, the dream that Grace had at the very beginning, and the deeper meanings hidden in many of the lines.
The most important thing is the surprising twist at the end where the living and the dead switch places. These elements have drawn curious filmgoers who want to get to the bottom of it back to the theater repeatedly.
Remember, humanity is the most curious of animals. On top of that, I intentionally suggested to Disney to stoke these curiosities through newspapers or television programs to maximize fan interest, leading to the current situation."
Jonathan Demme asked, "So, if enough analysis of the film's plot appears in newspapers and gradually solves all the suspense, doesn't that mean the film's box office potential would be capped as well?"
Eric shook his head, sporting a sly smile. "Critics will inevitably begin to analyze, but don't worry, what you mentioned won't happen. Many questions will remain open to debate. Just like why Grace would kill her two children; even in the three-hour cut shown at the Venice Film Festival, there's no clear answer, just some vague hints in the characters' dialogues. Based on those hints, some might think it's because Nazi soldiers occupied the island, and to avoid enemy capture, Grace kept her children quiet and ended up accidentally killing them. Others might argue, according to the hints, that Grace likely killed her children after the war, suggesting she went mad or had some other reason. In short, it's hard to find a unified answer, which means that in their quest for more evidence to convince each other, some will choose to watch it again."
Jonathan Demme seemed to understand something, nodding his head. He then asked, "Eric, I pretty much memorized the script while shooting this movie, but I'll admit I couldn't find out why Grace killed her two children. You must know, right? What's the deal?"
"I don't know either," Eric replied.
Jonathan Demme looked at Eric in disbelief, raising his voice in amazement. "You... you don't know?"
"Yep. Because I never really thought about it. From the start, I didn't consider why Grace would kill her two children. I just wrote the story. In the story, Grace killed her two children, and everything else in the mansion unfolded from there."
Jonathan Demme burst out laughing, as though everything suddenly made sense. "No wonder you weren't worried at all; I guess for not just this matter, but perhaps many of the suspense elements, you don't even have the right answers, do you?"
"Bingo!" Eric smiled and snapped his fingers.
They exchanged a few knowing laughs, and then Jonathan Demme said, "By the way, Eric, Miss Murdoch got in touch with me about that Silence of the Lambs script. I heard that you endorsed it, so I agreed to it."
Eric paused for a moment, thinking that Jonathan Demme wouldn't just casually bring this up. He asked, "Is there a problem?"
"Yes," Jonathan Demme nodded. "Miss Murdoch mentioned that you suggested Jodie Foster for the lead role. But after reading the script a few times, I feel like Michelle Pfeiffer might be a better fit."
Eric recalled quickly and remembered some details about the actress. Though Michelle Pfeiffer had decent acting skills, with a few Oscar nominations under her belt, she hadn't really had a standout role. Plus, her blonde beauty didn't quite resemble Jodie Foster's Clarice from The Silence of the Lambs in his memory.
Deep down, Eric really hoped Jodie Foster would play the lead. However, if Jonathan Demme was set on this, he wouldn't intervene too much. After all, Eric still felt that the film didn't have much to do with him. Due to the girl's deliberate secrecy, Eric had noticed a bit of spending when he saw the credit card information during that last transaction for the adaptation rights. But he never considered that the girl would hide $3 million from him; if he had discovered it, he probably would've just given her a good scolding. Thus, he was still unaware of Drew's 30% stake in TG Films.
"Why do you think Michelle Pfeiffer is suitable?" After pondering for a while without clarity, Eric tossed the question back to Jonathan Demme.
"I've seen Michelle Pfeiffer in several films, especially last year's Dangerous Liaisons which got her an Oscar nomination, and also The Witches of Eastwick with Jack Nicholson, Cher, and Susan Sarandon. Michelle Pfeiffer has an accomplished acting range and has played various roles. I believe she could bring Clarice to life in a remarkable way."
Eric nodded in agreement. With the success of The Others, Jonathan Demme had become a top-tier director. Though he knew that if he expressed his opinion, the grateful Jonathan would likely compromise, he also realized he wasn't the producer; intervening would likely be frowned upon. Furthermore, it would be interesting to see if Michelle Pfeiffer in the lead role would yield the same impact, a thought that was quite intriguing, wasn't it?
"Then just go with your own instincts. I'm confident you can make a great film as long as you can persuade Liz to cast whoever you want for the lead role," Eric encouraged.
Jonathan Demme nodded confidently, exchanged a few more words, and they parted ways.
As Eric moved through the crowd at the party, he accidentally overheard several people huddled around a table discussing something that seemed related to The Others. Curious, he inched closer to listen in.
*****
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