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Chapter 71: Shadows Behind the Premiere
🕑 Added 2024-10-03 15:14:12 +0000 UTCUnder the glow of the setting sun, the cool sea breeze swept across Devil's Island, dispelling the remaining heat of the afternoon. The once bustling tourists were nowhere to be seen, replaced by numerous men and women in elegant attire, along with the indispensable reporters holding cameras.
This was the evening of Thursday, May 6, 1993. Although "The Rock" was set to premiere in North America the next day, the premiere event had kicked off on Devil's Island.
"Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson, Demi Moore…"
The cameraman clicked away while speaking to a female reporter beside him, "I just got a call from Colstanson. Almost all the A-list stars from CAA are at 'Interview with the Vampire'! Why are we sent to Devil's Island instead of another premiere?"
"Movies always have to speak for themselves at the box office."
At only 25 years old, Sarah had been in the industry for years and was a formidable reporter for the entertainment section of the Los Angeles Times. She tied her long reddish-brown hair into a neat ponytail and said, "No matter how impressive the red carpet lineup is, if the movie isn't compelling, the audience won't buy it."
"Do you really think Duke Rosenberg's new film can compete with 'Interview with the Vampire'?"
Hearing the cameraman's words, Sarah smirked slightly. "I've interviewed Duke. He's a confident and talented young director. Even if 'The Rock' doesn't perform as well as 'Interview with the Vampire,' it won't be far behind."
Suddenly, a wave of cheers erupted from the audience across the reporter area as Christopher Lee, the legendary actor who had been heavily promoted by the media, walked down the red carpet. It was clear that he had gained significant recognition from fans, and Sarah could even hear some calling him the coolest old man.
Once Christopher Lee passed by, the red carpet quieted down. The figure coming up next was someone not widely recognized.
"Sarah, Hollywood's most handsome director is coming over."
The cameraman reminded her, and Sarah grabbed her tape recorder and slipped into the interview area.
Dressed in a sharp suit, Duke walked down the red carpet at a rapid pace. Even when approached by reporters in the area, he merely glanced and didn't pause to take photos. If it weren't for Warner's people waiting at the entrance to the interview area, he would have walked straight into the outdoor entertainment square of Devil's Island.
As soon as he entered the interview area, Nancy Josephson quickly approached Duke, reminding herself of her potential biggest client.
This interview was nothing special; Duke spoke only the prepared statements crafted by Nancy and Warner's PR team. The media present had certainly been vetted by Warner, so no inappropriate questions were asked.
"Duke…"
As he was about to leave, a somewhat familiar crisp female voice called out. Duke glanced and recognized the female reporter who had interviewed him before, although he couldn't remember her name.
The female reporter had a slim waist, red hair, and long legs; her face was quite beautiful, making her more suited to be a model than a journalist. However, the questions she asked were anything but pleasing.
"Which do you think will top the box office this week: 'The Rock' or 'Interview with the Vampire'?"
"'The Rock'!"
With that remark, Duke turned and left the interview area.
The outdoor entertainment square of Devil's Island had undergone a transformation. After coordination between Warner and the management, a massive open-air movie venue had been constructed. Although the viewing and sound effects for the premiere would certainly be compromised, it served as excellent promotional bait.
In the absence of many big-name stars, the premiere still attracted hundreds of media outlets due to Devil's Island's renowned reputation.
"How did you get here?"
As Duke walked towards the entertainment square, he asked Nancy, who had followed him, "Where's my mother? You didn't accompany her?"
"Don't worry," Nancy Josephson quickened her pace to walk beside Duke. "Sophia is with her."
Although the premiere was held outdoors without a specific VIP lounge, Duke still mingled with several industry figures under Nancy's guidance. At this stage, he wasn't yet capable of wielding the same capital as a truck driver in the future to dominate Hollywood; thus, maintaining intricate social relationships and networks was equally important.
After about half an hour of socializing, Duke finally managed to break free from the crowd and found his mother sitting in a quiet area.
The seating in the entertainment square wasn't arranged in a traditional cinema style but instead set up like a banquet, with nearly a hundred round tables. Whether the invited guests, media, or lucky fans who bought tickets to enter Devil's Island, everyone could enjoy food while watching the movie.
Duke approached the leftmost table and sat next to Sophia. "Mom…"
"Done with your business?"
Madame Leah was talking to a little girl beside her when she looked up.
"Just dealing with them…" Duke exaggerated slightly, "It's honestly more exhausting than filming."
As he spoke, his eyes turned to the little girl, who looked around ten years old with lovely golden hair, dressed in a pink dotted little dress, a big bow on her head, and a slightly chubby face with a pair of lively, strikingly colored eyes—one deep blue and the other bright green.
Duke remembered the little girl as a young actress in the crew, the only one who appeared in scenes set on Devil's Island.
"Godmother…" The little girl jumped down from her chair, her demeanor very well-behaved. "I'm going back to my mom now."
"Godmother?"
After the little girl left, Duke looked questioningly at his mother.
"I recognized her as my goddaughter when I went to New York a while back," Madame Leah explained. "She's also of Jewish descent."
Hearing his mother's words, Duke nodded. It's well known that Jewish people are known for their close-knit communities. It was perfectly normal for his mother to recognize a Jewish girl as a goddaughter.
"She's an actress."
The girl evidently charmed his mother. "Her mother was a writer and producer for several ads for Santa Fia. Last month, she appeared in one of Santa Fia commercials. Duke, within your capacity, please take care of her."
"Sure, Mom."
Just as he was about to ask what the girl's name was, Nancy approached with a few people, pulling Duke back into the socializing scene.
Above Devil's Island, a meteor streaked across the sky from north to south, trailing a long light toward the City of Angels, sweeping over the Chinese Theater.
However, the once-celebrated meteor went unnoticed, as the flash of cameras turned the evening into daylight, and the bustling crowd congested the road in front of the theater to the point of being impassable.
Pulling Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise rushed out of the reporters' encirclement and finally entered the ChineseTheater, but instead of going to the VIP lounge arranged by the staff, they turned to a side staircase and went directly up to the second floor, pushing open the door to a private room.
"Pat!"
Looking at the middle-aged woman in the room, Tom Cruise asked the female manager as soon as Nicole Kidman closed the door, "How did it go?"
"I contacted Roger Ebert's agent." Pat Kingsley gestured for them to sit. "His agent is willing to accept the $500,000, but he himself has declined."
"When did Roger Ebert become so high-minded?" Tom Cruise replied with heavy sarcasm.
"Don't forget, Tom," Kingsley reminded him. "Those vampires are greedy, but they also follow certain rules. Roger Ebert has already accepted Warner Brothers' public relations and cannot unconditionally accept our demands to slander 'The Rock'!"
Receiving money for work is a basic rule in this industry, and Tom Cruise knew that well. He then asked, "What about the box office progress?"
"$3 million has already been distributed across major cities in the U.S.," Pat Kingsley adjusted her glasses. "Our people purchased $1 million worth of tickets for 'Interview with the Vampire' tomorrow, and the remaining $2 million will be gradually allocated to the film's box office over the next two days."
"No, Pat! I've changed my mind." Tom Cruise said with an undeniable tone. "Immediately notify them to invest the entire $3 million in tomorrow's box office. On Saturday and Sunday, we'll adjust the investment to $500,000 to $1 million based on the situation. I want to secure this weekend's box office champion!"
Although she was somewhat opposed in her heart, Pat Kingsley understood her client's proud nature and could only nod in agreement before leaving the room.
Throughout the conversation, Nicole Kidman stood next to Tom Cruise, not having said a word. She knew she had no say in matters like buying box office with their own money, and she had long since grown accustomed to it; this wasn't the first time Tom Cruise had done it, nor would it be the last.
To be precise, it's quite common in Hollywood for big stars to spend their own money to boost opening weekend box office figures. The theaters and distribution companies also tacitly accept this behavior; after all, isn't everyone just making money?
At the same time, in a villa in Chicago, a man who looked like a broker was giving a passionate speech to Roger Ebert.
"Roger, they've changed their requirements. They no longer ask you to discredit *The Rock*. They only ask you to give a good review of *Interview with the Vampire*! You've seen the movie, and it's worthy of a high review. It won't affect your reputation."
Roger Ebert's right index finger gently tapped the armrest of his chair, and he was obviously thinking.
The agent continued, "This will not touch Warner's bottom line, nor will it violate the unspoken rules of Hollywood and the film critics. This is $500,000!"
The last number seemed to have magic power. Roger Ebert's right hand stopped moving and he nodded slowly.
This was the night when the 1993 summer movie season truly kicked off. Two blockbuster productions with a combined production cost of $100 million were competing against each other. Despite the glamorous premiere, the box office and media reviews were far from being as real as they seemed.
