章 524: Chapter 525: Stirring the Pot
[Chapter 525:- Stirring the Pot]
As Jurassic Park entered its final phase of intense promotion before release, on May 28, Carolco Pictures officially launched its first summer film, Cliffhanger, on over 2,300 screens. This film marked the arrival of the 1993 summer movie season.
Cliffhanger starred Sylvester Stallone and told the story of a rescue climber, played by Stallone, who faced a group of ruthless criminals while stuck on a snowy mountain. With a hefty budget of $70 million, the film was backed by German capital and produced by Carolco Pictures, which had just undergone a restructuring, with MGM handling distribution.
Interestingly, this situation had its complications. Originally, Carolco's films were to be distributed by Columbia Pictures; however, after Columbia struck a partnership with Firefly Films last year, Peter Guber canceled the collaboration with Carolco.
After being taken over by creditors due to the fraudulent activities of Italian businessman Giancarlo Parretti, MGM was auctioned off by French bank Lyonnaise de Banque at the end of the previous year. Unfortunately, no one was interested, and the bank opted for a restructuring instead, bringing in former Warner Bros. executives Frank Mancuso and John Calley to form a new management team. Coincidentally, MGM's restructuring aligned with Carolco's urgent need for a distribution partner, prompting the new management to sign a deal with Carolco.
But dreams often clash with harsh realities.
Despite Stallone's dedicated performance, the film's first three days at the box office, starting May 28, only totaled $16 million, alongside a wave of criticism. Most movie critics rated the film poorly, claiming its plot was cliche and juvenile, stating they could guess the full story within just ten minutes.
Furthermore, a scene in which the lead character burns cash for warmth became a media focal point for ridicule. With a production cost of $70 million, MGM had already spent an additional $30 million on marketing, rendering the total cost to a staggering $100 million, which led to jokes about it being a literal cash burn -- yet the film's quality did not seem to rise with the expenditures.
While $16 million over the opening weekend wasn't catastrophic, the impending release of the highly anticipated Jurassic Park led box office analysts to predict that Cliffhanger would only reach around $50 million in North America, which was less than half its total expenses.
With such disappointing North American numbers, other channels would hardly perform better, leaving both the production and distribution companies facing considerable losses.
MGM's management team was understandably disheartened having taken over the film company only for its first major release to falter. After the results from Cliffhanger's opening weekend came in, MGM's upper management convened an emergency meeting, quickly devising a response plan.
Since it was nearly impossible to overturn the negative reviews for Cliffhanger, MGM decided to take an alternative route. The next day, numerous articles began to appear in the newspapers proclaiming fairness for Cliffhanger, asserting that its quality wasn't as bad as critics claimed and that the one-sided criticism stemmed purely from malicious competition.
These articles created quite a stir. Jurassic Park was set to release just a week after Cliffhanger, while other films released at the same time couldn't hold a candle to such major titles. Thus, the 'competitors' referred to in the articles were blatantly obvious. Consequently, many readers instinctively felt sympathy for Cliffhanger's 'tragic fate.' Given Firefly Films' growing dominance in Hollywood, other media outlets controlled by rival movie companies were eager to add fuel to the fire, which only complicated things for Firefly.
In just a few days, the media erupted with a trend attacking the 'evil forces' in the film industry.
Simultaneously, Jurassic Park was ramping up its final week of frenzied promotion. Beyond ramped-up print media and television ads, the creative team began a promotional tour in major North American cities after May 25, hosting screenings in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, and other locations.
Amidst the criticism directed at Cliffhanger, Firefly Films remained silent.
This silence didn't mean that some individuals would allow it to continue unchallenged. MGM aimed to escalate hostilities between the two films, hoping to trigger a box office revival for Cliffhanger.
However, throughout the promotional tour for Jurassic Park, the media outlets invited were primarily friendly to Firefly, and MGM had found no opportunity to launch a counterattack.
...
Due to a simultaneous release in the UK for Jurassic Park, the creative team needed to fly to London on June 3 for the premiere there, with the North American premiere scheduled for June 2, just two days before the film's release.
As usual, the North American premiere took place at the prestigious Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Initially, everything went smoothly, but during the Q&A segment, a reporter abruptly asked Eric, "Mr. Williams, what do you think about the recent critique of the Stallone-starring Cliffhanger being overshadowed by competitors?"
Instantly, Charlie West, the Firefly executive organizing the premiere, broke into a cold sweat, and the atmosphere instantly froze.
Firefly had discussed this internal matter previously, and Eric decided on a hands-off approach, instructing the distribution team to make no comments. Unexpectedly, this major slip-up occurred at a sensitive event like the premiere.
Charlie wiped his forehead in anxious anticipation, casting a disapproving glance at the reporter, wishing he could leap up and silence him. After all, Fox was broadcasting this premiere live.
"Mr. West, should we pause the broadcast?" the Fox executive hurriedly inquired.
Charlie shot him a look -- it was an obvious point. The question had already been aired, and pulling the plug now would only slap the face of everyone present on stage.
With the microphone in hand, Eric paused as he considered how to react. Having read the articles a few days ago, Eric understood the context of the situation. These tactics, though foreign to him in many aspects, were familiar from his experience in the industry.
If Cliffhanger had been a well-crafted film with a dedicated fan base, MGM's strategies might have made a tangible impact. Unfortunately, it was simply a mediocre popcorn flick without the cult following that could be relied upon. As a result, while MGM's tactics might garner sympathy for Cliffhanger from some, the majority of ordinary viewers would remain mere spectators, observing the unfolding drama.
Furthermore, Firefly had not engaged in the character assassination of Cliffhanger, leaving MGM without substantial evidence to make direct allegations against Jurassic Park. They could only mislead readers with vague statements.
What MGM wanted was for Firefly to respond. If that occurred, MGM's retaliation would be justified, embedding a perception of a 'foregone conclusion' in the public's mind.
Now, facing the camera rolling live, Eric realized he needed to respond on the spot.
After a moment's pause, Eric picked up the microphone again and asked the reporter, "How many friends do you have?"
The reporter was taken aback, not understanding why Eric asked this, though he instinctively grew defensive. "Mr. Williams, that doesn't relate to my question. Please answer directly."
Eric's gaze met the reporter's, and he responded earnestly, "The question you asked has nothing to do with this premiere, but I'll address it. So, tell me first, how many friends do you have?"
Feeling the pressure of Eric's penetrating gaze, the reporter instinctively recoiled and replied, "Uh... I suppose I have a lot of friends."
"Do you often discuss movies with your friends?"
The reporter, regaining composure, confidently answered, "Yes, Mr. Williams, being an entertainment journalist, they frequently ask me about movies..." As he spoke, the realization hit him, fearing Eric was leading him into a trap regarding his views on Cliffhanger.
However, Eric continued without elaborating on the inquiry, stating, "Alright, I can now share my perspective on your earlier question. Hollywood films have developed over the past eighty-plus years and have become an essential part of our entertainment lives. Even if many don't visit cinemas, they can still see movies through television, tapes, and other channels. This lengthy timeframe has fostered audiences' ability to independently judge a film's quality."
"Mr. Williams..."
The reporter attempted to interrupt as Eric avoided answering directly once more, but he halted when met with Eric's decisive stare.
Eric pressed on, "People's judgment of a film isn't determined by its production budget. Otherwise, two years ago, Cutthroat Island would have surely been the highest-grossing film of that year."
At this, laughter erupted among the crowd, and the reporter couldn't help but interject again, "Mr. Williams, you still haven't answered my question."
"Fine, I'll answer you. Regarding your earlier remark, I hold no opinion. The film's promotion exists simply as a marketing tool to inform people about an upcoming release. Ultimately, deciding whether to watch a movie depends not just on media reviews, but significantly on how the people around them perceive it, just like you stated earlier -- your friends consult you about movies."
Eric continued, "So, if people feel a film is being tarnished, they should ask friends who have seen it. If they say it's good, they should check it out. If not, they can skip it -- it's that simple." He then smiled at the camera, adding, "Of course, this methodology applies to Jurassic Park as well. You can disregard any media reviews; rely on your friends' viewing experiences to gauge whether to see the film."
Hearing Eric's confident tone, the audience at the premiere broke into applause.
The previously disruptive reporter sank back into his seat, no longer daring to pursue the matter.
At the same time, families across the nation, who had felt sympathy for the 'smear' against Cliffhanger, began to reconsider. While many still hadn't fully sided with Firefly's innocence, numerous viewers moved away from their outrage, choosing instead to consult friends about Cliffhanger.
Once the reporter settled, the host of the premiere exchanged looks with Eric, silently asking if they should continue with the Q&A.
Eric subtly nodded.
The host signaled to another journalist, inwardly hoping that no more troublemakers would surface.
"Mr. Williams, I could sense your confidence from your earlier comments. Given Firefly's deviation from the norm in arranging 3,000 screens for Jurassic Park, do you have expectations for its box office performance?" This question came from a dark-haired woman wearing glasses, and it was polite enough.
A collective breath of relief flowed through the back and front of the venue...
Eric glanced at this woman and replied with a smile, "You know, prior to a film's release, both the distribution company and industry professionals often make box office predictions. I'm sure you've seen this on many newspaper articles."
"Certainly, mainstream predictions suggest Jurassic Park's North American box office could reach between $200 million and $300 million," the female reporter replied adeptly. Her gaze shifted, revealing a mischievous look aimed at Eric. "However, I think people are more curious about how, since you've broken the norm by allotting 3,000 screens for this film, what your personal box office expectations might be?"
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット