A_nobody
patreon
Chapter 104: "Real Steel" Premiere
🕑 Added 2024-11-06 19:32:22 +0000 UTCMatt Damon and Cameron Diaz arrived again, with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock also attending, seemingly still together. This time, Spielberg didn't show up, but George Lucas did.
He's the owner of Industrial Light & Magic, and "Real Steel" could become a signature piece for their visual effects, so it makes sense for him to show support.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who crossed paths with Gilbert at the Oscars, also attended, his charm already hinting at his future heartthrob status.
Another unexpected guest was James Cameron.
"You brought down Michael Ovitz, Gilbert. Good job!" James Cameron said bluntly, as he's known to do.
Both men weren't fans of CAA, so James Cameron saw Gilbert as a kindred spirit.
He continued, "Agencies like CAA don't belong in Hollywood."
Gilbert just smiled and gestured for him to enter, "Welcome to the premiere. Please, come in!"
James Cameron nodded and walked into the theater.
With the red carpet ceremony over, fans without tickets slowly dispersed as "Real Steel" was finally unveiled to the audience inside the theater.
After a brief introduction, the movie officially began screening.
James Cameron sat in his seat, patiently waiting for the film to start.
With the sound of soft country music, the scenic countryside of the American Midwest unfolded onscreen, with a large truck driving down a road. The protagonist, Charlie, soon appeared.
The beginning was quite ordinary, with a normal pace and nothing particularly dramatic.
The robot Ambush made its first appearance, and the banter between Charlie and three little girls brought laughter to the theater.
Scarlett Johansson, accompanied by her mother, also attended the premiere. Seeing herself on the screen felt surreal.
"Mom, look, that's me."
Mrs. Sloan looked at her daughter on the screen, also feeling the magic of it all; a chance moment had led to Scarlett Johansson's debut as a Hollywood child actor.
Of course, Scarlett couldn't quite compare to Ryan Gosling. His first role was as a supporting lead, almost as prominent as the main character.
Soon, the film reached its first highlight. Seeing Ambush dismantled by Black Thunder brought excitement to the audience.
The robot fight scene successfully captured the audience's attention, drawing them further into the story.
James Cameron focused on the special effects in this scene. The film's $80 million budget had been well-spent, as the fight between the robot and the bull looked incredibly realistic.
Without the saturation of effects-heavy blockbusters from later decades, audiences of the 1990s were naturally amazed by the visual effects in "Real Steel."
James Cameron felt that the effects surpassed those in "Jurassic Park," proving once again the rapid advancement of Hollywood's special effects technology.
The story progressed, with Charlie losing his robot and needing a new one to continue competing.
To get the funds for another robot, he even made a deal, selling his son's custody to his estranged brother-in-law for $100,000.
However, he still had to spend two months with his son, whom he'd never met, during summer vacation.
It was a typical commercial film setup, but very effective. Charlie wasn't a perfect person, and he was even a lousy, irresponsible father.
Besides the robot battles, the father-son dynamic added an interesting layer to the film, becoming a main point of interest.
Ryan Gosling's performance was commendable, and he had good chemistry with Bruce Willis. Naomi Watts fully embraced her role as eye candy, making the film visually appealing.
But none of the human actors could compete with the boxing robots.
Soon, the first real robot battle arrived—Charlie's Noisy Boy against the Chinese bot, Midas.
Jackie Chan made an appearance in Hollywood again, portraying a robot operator.
Watching Noisy Boy get pounded by Midas, George Lucas, who attended the premiere, felt quite moved.
As the owner of Industrial Light & Magic, he was naturally aware of some of the technical aspects behind "Real Steel."
He noted that Gilbert was also a tech-driven director. Despite his youth, his use of special effects in movies was already quite advanced.
The robot designs were highly creative, and although the box office for this type of movie might not explode, the merchandise sales could be substantial.
This was George Lucas's judgment, and in fact, Disney and Warner had also placed their financial hopes on merchandise sales.
For this type of movie, box office revenue wasn't the main profit driver—it was the merchandise.
As Max found Adam, a damaged robot in a junkyard, the film picked up pace.
With Noisy Boy scrapped, Charlie had no other suitable robot, so Max decided to take Adam to fight in amateur and underground boxing matches, since Adam wasn't qualified for professional fights.
Surprisingly, Adam, though an older model, proved capable in combat, quickly gaining fame.
As Charlie and Max spent time together, their father-son relationship gradually warmed.
Eventually, they received an invitation to participate in the professional robot boxing league.
Their first match was against the well-known Twin Cities.
Charlize Theron waited nervously, and soon her character appeared onscreen.
In fact, her appearance was quite stunning—she wore a white bodycon dress, her long legs and delicate face instantly winning over male viewers.
Although her character seemed to be an antagonist, Charlize Theron's beauty couldn't be ignored!
The Twin Cities match was another highlight, making the audience's blood boil.
Leonardo, sitting in his seat, couldn't resist throwing a punch along with the characters, exclaiming, "Wow, this movie is awesome! I really love Adam."
Matt Damon, seated next to him, had a different opinion, "I still prefer Noisy Boy."
"But he got KO'd, man," Leonardo responded, "I want to buy an Adam as a collectible."
In fact, Leonardo wasn't the only one thinking this. Among the fans at the premiere, those with means were already considering a visit to the merchandise store.
After defeating Twin Cities, Max challenged the most powerful robot, Zeus.
Father and son went through a series of ups and downs, ultimately reconciling and growing even closer.
The final battle with Zeus soon arrived, with everyone expecting Adam to be down in one round, a nearly guaranteed loss.
Professional commentators were brought in to narrate this climactic fight, adding to the intensity.
Unexpectedly, the final battle was thrilling and intense, with the smaller Adam standing toe-to-toe with Zeus.
Adam had a mimic feature, so in the end, Charlie used his own boxing skills to lead Adam in the fight against Zeus.
Watching Adam land punch after punch on Zeus, the audience in the theater felt as if they were watching a real robot boxing match.
The cheers from the crowd onscreen blended with the cheers of the audience offscreen, merging into one voice.
James Cameron commented to someone nearby, "To take a concept that's not top-tier and make it this exciting and romantic—Gilbert is indeed the movie genius people say he is."
George Lucas held a different opinion, "In Hollywood, creativity has never been the issue—the challenge is bringing it to life.
Gilbert has that skill. One day, our names may be listed after his."
If it hadn't been for the round limit and Zeus's earlier advantage, Adam might have won.
But although Adam lost the fight, he won the applause and cheers of the audience, as well as the applause within the theater.
The film ended triumphantly, with applause resounding through the theater.
At a premiere, applause is a polite gesture, but this film was impressive enough to genuinely deserve it.
Before "Real Steel," no Hollywood film had depicted robots like this.
Though there were films like "Terminator," those featured human actors portraying robots, rather than towering, steel-composed robots.
Mechas carry a certain romanticism. At the very least, male viewers were fired up and excited watching this movie.
When the credits rolled and the lights came on, Gilbert and the crew took the stage, thanking everyone for their support.
Following this, there was an interactive session, with questions from the media and fans.
After the screening ceremony, a banquet was held to thank everyone for attending.
During the banquet, James Cameron exchanged a few words with Gilbert.
"Gilbert, this film is really good, thrilling and exciting. It makes me want a boxing robot like that."
"Thank you," Gilbert replied modestly, "This film was made possible by your developments in film technology.
The new technology you used in 'Terminator' was eventually applied here."
"Let's not flatter each other. I sincerely invite you to attend the premiere of 'True Lies' this July."
Since he had nothing else planned, and since James Cameron had kindly attended his premiere, Gilbert agreed as a matter of courtesy.
Afterward, George Lucas also approached him, saying, "Gilbert, I'm very impressed by the technology showcased in this movie.
Thanks to this film, Industrial Light & Magic's effects production business is likely to reach new heights."
Gilbert then asked, "Director Lucas, I heard that 20th Century Fox intends to push for a 'Star Wars' reboot. Is that true?"
This wasn't really a secret anymore, so George Lucas readily confirmed, "Yes, it's true.
Why? Are you interested in directing?"
Becoming the director of "Star Wars" would be a dream for an American director, given its iconic status.
But Gilbert's soul was Chinese, and over there, "Star Wars" didn't resonate as much, with a limited fan base. Naturally, Gilbert wasn't a fan of this classic series.
"I'd still prefer to make my own movies, Director Lucas…"
George Lucas just smiled, then remarked, "One day, you might change your mind."
With the banquet over, "Real Steel" was ready to enter the theater market.
