Bab 168: Chapter 168: Exit Stage
Although Ethan Jones was able to press down his impulsive nature and act with prudence, George Lucas, who had been pent up for months, could not wait any longer. Upon returning to Los Angeles, he immediately accepted an invitation from CBS and made a victorious appearance in their studio.
During the nationally broadcast talk show, George Lucas spoke eloquently to the cameras. He unreservedly shared the behind-the-scenes stories of "Star Wars," detailing the difficulties, doubts, and challenges encountered during the film's production. He emphasized how he fearlessly persevered and steadfastly brought the movie to fruition against all odds.
Notably, while boasting of his own achievements, he did not forget to acknowledge the other heroes of the film. He expressed immense gratitude towards Steven Spielberg and Ethan Jones, stating that without their support, "Star Wars" might never have come into existence.
"Steven has been inspiring and supporting me since I began writing the screenplay. He firmly believed in the creativity of 'Star Wars' and was convinced that the film would bring joy to our country's audience. Without his encouragement, the movie might have died in the financing stage," Lucas shared.
"Ethan, from the very beginning, affirmed that 'Star Wars' would resonate with the audience's tastes. To prove this point, he even used his own games to promote the film. I can say that, in terms of movie promotion, he did a better job than Fox because if it weren't for his games, North American cinemas would not have been as eager to schedule showings as they are now."
"They are my best brothers, and I am deeply thankful to them."
This heartfelt narrative moved the CBS host to tears.
"Perhaps this is the key to your success?"
"Through 'Star Wars,' you told us how a character named Luke Skywalker overcame his enemies with belief. And in reality, with the support of your friends, you've steadfastly held onto your own beliefs, sprinting down the path you love."
"Yeah~" The host's words made Lucas nod vigorously.
"Belief keeps the Force with me!"
It was unclear whether CBS's interview with George Lucas was a strategic move by Fox in the film's promotion, but everyone was aware that after the interview aired, the next day, May 27, 1977, a Friday, interviews related to Spielberg also became a morning news topic on many radio stations.
ABC's "Good Morning America" dedicated fifteen minutes to airing their freshly filmed mockumentary. Spielberg, in his Los Angeles mansion, shared his creative journey related to "Star Wars" and revealed his collection of three arcade machines to the viewers.
"Actually, Ethan and I met through Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. This signed 'Snake' arcade machine witnesses our first encounter!"
"That day was thrilling! Not only did I meet them, but I also completed 'Snake' in front of its creators!"
"Wow! Isn't that cool?"
"And this 'Pac-Man' machine is the world's first 'Pac-Man' arcade machine, as it was the display model at the product launch, which I personally brought back!"
"As for this one..."
"I think no one is unaware of 'Star Wars' now, right?"
"I know you're here for 'Star Wars,' but I really don't know how to tell its story anymore. All I can say is, 'Star Wars' is a magnificent film! It will be even greater than my 'Jaws'! 'Star Wars' is a fantastic game! I'm writing a strategy guide for it, to help gamers achieve higher scores!"
"I don't know if there will be works surpassing them in the future!"
"But I know that perhaps only they themselves can break the current craze!"
"George is the best director I've ever met!"
"Ethan is the world's finest game developer!"
"And they are also my best brothers!"
When these deeply moving interviews emerged, media outlets across America began to freely express their interpretations, comparing the difficulties faced during the production of "Star Wars" to dragons and portraying the determined individuals as warriors.
NBC even ran a headline stating 'The fall of an old era, the birth of a new order'.
To outsiders, this kind of promotion might seem exaggerated.
But in America, it was just right.
Because this is exactly what the American public devours.
The reason Oprah became a megastar, achieving success, was by tearing off the 'celebrity' facade, showing their most vulnerable and tear-jerking side to the public. When the North American public wept profusely, the ensuing emotions guaranteed her high viewership ratings.
And this tactic...
Hollywood has been playing it for many years.
Whenever a project needed promotion, related celebrities would conjure up some tear-jerking stories. Take Steven Spielberg, for example; during the promotion of "Jaws," he was portrayed as a big boy chasing his movie dreams, even dedicating over twenty years of his precious time!
As for his father's success
?
Please!
No one likes to watch a rich second-generation entrepreneur!
People only enjoy the struggles of the underdog!
Because it gives them...
Fantasies!
Thus, when the hardships behind "Star Wars" were revealed, its box office soared, claiming the top spot in its first week with a divine presence, amassing $106,893,232 in North America alone!
Compared to the future, where movies easily make over a hundred million on their opening day, "Star Wars'" box office might not seem impressive, but back then, breaking ten million on the annual North American box office charts was a feat!
When "Jaws'" premiere breaking a hundred million became a world record...
"Star Wars'" achievement was a massacre for any movie!
And when May 30th arrived, the number of "Star Wars" viewers was significantly higher than a usual Monday. Though it was Memorial Day in America, a day when people commemorate all soldiers who have died for their country since the 1775 Revolutionary War, this was mostly an adult affair, right?
For kids, it was still a holiday of jubilation!
And for cinemas...
It was an excellent opportunity to rake in money!
When this scenario unfolded, the launch of the new Atari and Magnavox Odyssey consoles on June 1st suddenly seemed lackluster. Even though Warner and Philips used their distribution channels, with the former pushing the new console into music and video stores across North America and the latter placing the Odyssey in every store that stocked Philips domestic appliances, few were willing to spend their money.
According to information received by Spielberg, the new console sold only five hundred units in three days on shelves. The reason? People were crowding at the cinema doors!
And two weeks after their launch, Spielberg called Ethan again—
"Oh, Ethan, this is just hilarious!"
"Did you know? Those music and video stores think Warner's new console takes up too much space!"
"So, they've asked Warner to take those machines back!"
"Warner offered them a higher sales commission!"
"But the stores refused, saying their consoles wouldn't sell even to dogs!"
"Even with a higher commission, it's pointless!"
Ethan was overjoyed at this news.
"Really? No one's buying their machines?" he asked, chuckling.
"Of course! Who would spend two hundred dollars on a console without 'Star Wars' at this time? That would be insane!" Spielberg said. "You know, two hundred dollars could give you eight hundred gameplays! If a kid could achieve that, he'd definitely become the king of the playground! No—he'd be the king of kids!"
"Hahaha—" Ethan laughed heartily at the title of "king of kids."
The dismal performance of the new consoles and the Odyssey allowed him to set aside his concerns and step into the public eye.
He accepted an invitation to "The Tonight Show" and headed to Johnny Carson's studio in Burbank. When the host asked him how he viewed the video game industry and how he managed to grasp players' psychological needs, consistently producing games loved by the masses, Ethan said, "Actually, I've never delved into the psychology of players. I simply consider the production process from the perspective of the general public. When you design a game from the standpoint of a player, you'll find that the public's needs are quite simple—they want fun."
"When it comes to this point, everything becomes simple, right? As long as you sincerely bring those interesting ideas to life, the public will genuinely appreciate your efforts."
Carson nodded in agreement throughout Ethan's response.
Although games are not movies, the ability to move people is universal.
Carson then asked, "How do you view the criticism from Warner and Philips towards you? As I understand, these two companies even sued you over reputation issues?"
"Yes," Ethan nodded.
"Their criticism initially made me quite angry."
"Because it was clear they wanted to use me as a hotspot to promote their machines."
"But now..."
"The market has proven that Hollywood's little tricks don't work in the electronics field."
"In the electronics field, it's all about the product."
"Of course, to create a good product, we also need the right tools."
"Take 'Pac-Man' and 'Star Wars,' for example. Both games were developed using computers from Apple, and to assist more enthusiasts in game development, Apple's latest computers come with a comprehensive game development tutorial manual for buyers."
"If anyone is interested in game development or wants to bring their ideas to life, I personally recommend trying an Apple computer. The included materials will show you how simple game development can be..."
Ethan believed he had been subtle enough. Now that he had reached the pinnacle of his era, openly criticizing Atari and Magnavox would seem distasteful to the public.
A slight dig was sufficient; the rest of his effort was better spent endorsing Apple.
Yet, even so, he received two pieces of news the next day—
"Warner Group has announced that Nolan Bushnell, CEO of
Atari, will be officially dismissed by Warner Communications, a subsidiary of the group. From today onwards, all daily operations of Atari will be taken over by Warner Communications. The founder of Atari will leave the company he started..."
"Philips announces it will send a task force to its subsidiary, Magnavox, to restructure its personnel framework, including but not limited to adjustments to the CEO, president, and marketing director positions at Magnavox..."
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