Chapter 411 The Silence of the Lambs box office reboot
"How much? Thirty-one million? Oh, okay... Why am I not excited enough? No, I am very excited. This is already the first weekend box office performance of the three two years ago."
During the first weekend after its premiere, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" was simultaneously released in more than 2,200 theaters across the country. For a time, science fiction movie fans across the country were talking about this matter. When I watched the first movie, I was still a teenager.
Movie fans, many of whom are now parents, are calling their friends to relive the touching moments this movie brought to them.
On Monday, box office statistics were sent to Ronald. The average box office per theater was US$13,000.
Ronald still sighed after hanging up the phone. This result was still far from what he expected. After all, his movie marketing team spent so much energy on getting so many big stars to say good things about the movie on TV.
.
But I think of Batman the year before last. It was released in almost the same number of theaters and got a box office of 40 million in the first weekend, and the single box office was as high as 18,000 US dollars.
Even if Batman has a certain number of comic fans who support him, the ground-breaking special effects scenes like Terminator 2 are not that different.
"Are you still not satisfied? In fact, Terminator 2's box office in the first five days was 50 million, which is very close to Batman's box office in the first five days. The difference between 53 million and 53 million is only 3 million, which is the second best result in history.
Already."
Ronald's marketing consultant, Michael Gray, handed him a document containing the various box office records of The Terminator in film history.
"It's hard to compare. Although Batman also opened on Wednesday, there were only small-scale screenings in the first two days. Its box office was mainly accumulated in the three days of the weekend. And Terminator 2, on July 4th, Independence Day
It was released on a large scale that day.
This is not the same thing. You can tell by looking at the box office results of individual venues."
Ronald knew that Michael Gray wanted to take credit, so he handed him the average box office of a single theater.
"But Terminator 2, CinemaScore's audience rating was A, which is the highest box office rating for an R-rated film in history." Michael Gray still found some achievements for the marketing actions he led.
"You're right. This is a great thing. I shouldn't be upset because I didn't win the box office championship in film history. I will give your marketing consulting company a bonus. Well done."
…
"The box office of The Silence of the Lambs has immediately dropped to less than a thousand dollars per theater, and it will be released almost next week. Unfortunately, the influence of this movie cannot last until the second half of the year, otherwise when the awards season comes, it will be very popular.
Strong."
Michelle Cannold, Ronald's distribution director, came to Ronald with various data to report to.
Because there was no money or resources to operate both Dances with Wolves and The Silence of the Lambs at the same time, two films that had potential to win Oscars were released at the same time. So Ronald put Silence of the Lambs in 1991.
To be fair, the quality of The Silence of the Lambs is better than Dances with Wolves. Jonathan Demme is more like a great conductor and made this movie very rigorous. When watching this movie, it is like watching a strict
A well-trained symphony orchestra performed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under his baton.
Every aspect is so perfect, including casting, makeup and editing. It seems that every dollar Ronald invested in this film was used where it was most needed.
What's even more valuable is that although this is a film with a director's authorship, it is not bad in commercial terms. For ordinary viewers, you don't need to know anything about the director to appreciate this film.
.
Except in non-Christian cultural areas, certain cultural barriers have hindered the audience from enjoying this thriller. In the main markets of America, Europe, Oceania, North America and Korea, the audience was fascinated by it. It was very
Enjoy the thrill of being scared and screaming.
Dances with Wolves is more like a young director with rough skills, rushing forward with his own passion. This movie has many plot and rhythm problems, especially those caused by Kevin Costner.
In the edited director's version, the plot is even more lengthy.
Although he himself did not put much effort into making this director's cut, as the new Oscar-winning director, he still took the initiative in the editing work. The editor must follow his opinions at all times, and in the end his will
Led the special edition.
He made the same mistake that all new directors make. He was reluctant to cut out the scenes he had finally shot. Especially the close-up of himself on the screen. Among the added time, there were a full ten minutes.
It's just his pretty face.
But this movie is very contagious because it has such bloody courage. It is like a person full of desire shouting loudly. Everyone who sees this scene will be moved by his passion.
move.
Relying on this momentum and the momentum of the Indian legislation, this movie actually won a big win at the Oscars, which really shocked many people. For example, CAA's Ovitz and Columbia's Peter Guber
, they didn’t expect that such a movie, which was not very good in terms of public relations, would have so many members vote for it.
So this also made Ronald feel even more regretful. If it had been decided to release Silence of the Lambs first and Dances with Wolves to this year, then maybe it would have swept multiple nominations at the Oscars at the beginning of the year and won several awards.
, it will be Silence of the Lambs.
"Try to extend the screening time in our theaters as much as possible. I have said hello to the Hollywood Cinemas and the Palm Cinemas of Saudi Capital. You should also do some work in the Chinatown and other cinemas we acquired to let them extend the screening time as much as possible.
, we can provide subsidies when necessary."
Unlike Dances with Wolves, which took advantage of the situation, this year's Silence of the Lambs, if it can get a few Oscar nominations again, the image of Daydream Pictures will be completely established. Small and medium-sized companies that can and cannot win awards
Production companies are two completely different types.
Minahan Golan has worked hard to become a true Hollywood insider by winning an Oscar. For companies like Orion, United Artists' executives can gain recognition in the industry when they start a business, and big directors and stars are willing to trust them.
It has a lot to do with their first film "Love at Sunset Bridge" being nominated for an Oscar.
The subsequent "Mozart Biography" also attracted Milos Forman to direct, which was a great success. After that, many stars were introduced. As long as the director has a non-commercial production he wants to make, he will immediately think of the Age of Orion.
Ronald also had this idea and opened up a small unit in Daydream Pictures to specialize in these award-winning films. This time The Silence of the Lambs is a very good opportunity.
It's a pity... I'm not strong enough and didn't get the exclusive end-of-year schedule for award-winning movies. Now I have to extend it day by day and try to survive until August. I hope that at the end of the year, there will still be judges who can remember the plot and the actors' performances.
This business unit specializes in making films for awards. Ronald has spotted a good candidate, James Shams, the producer who serves as Ang Lee's "promoter". He is well known in the New York film circle.
Knowledge passed down from family after being immersed in it for a long time.
The promoter is preparing to participate in many film festivals, especially the Golden Horse Awards and the Berlin Film Festival. With Ronald's relationship with Berlin, they happily accepted the film to participate in the screening.
On the other hand, Chief Song of the Information Bureau invested some money in this movie. He wanted to take advantage of the Singapore-Malaysian Awards to create conditions for his subsequent political progress. So the promoter soon joined the film at the end of the year.
Participation in the Golden Horse Awards.
Because that party wants to make a splash with the Golden Horse Awards, the film's release will be held at the end of the year. Then the release in America will be synchronized accordingly.
James Shamus is very capable and handles many film festival affairs in an orderly manner. Ronald talked to him and asked him to take charge of his own small unit. He was also very interested and was ready to wait for the promotion of this promotion.
After the award activity is completed, talk to Ronald about a new job.
Because he wants to distance himself from studio brands like Daydream, which makes low-budget exploitation films, Ronald may directly adopt his "Good Machine Pictures" brand. From now on, it will be used as an exclusive production company for art films.
Film brand.
…
"Am I asking too much? I'm always not satisfied if it doesn't surpass Batman's box office record."
A few days later, Ronald and Cameron were fishing in a creek in the National Reserve Wetlands north of Los Angeles. They were wearing galoshes and using artificial flies to catch trout.
"I'm already very satisfied. At least my child support payments are settled." Cameron smiled and shook the fly away. Since they met in Roger Corman's company, the two have maintained a good relationship.
Because of our relationship, we get together when we have time to do things that ordinary people do with friends during holidays.
"Hey, you and Catherine, I really didn't expect..."
Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow have also reached the end of divorce. When two directors get married, there will always be various problems. When the two are good, they can still discuss business, but when the relationship is bad,
All that's left is contempt for the other person's artistic vision.
When it came to the specific reasons for the breakup, Ronald didn't go into details. However, he also heard some rumors that Cameron and Terminator 2 heroine Linda Hamilton are now in a heated relationship. And Kathryn Bigelow was involved in the new film because of the
The reason is that I also had a very secret relationship with a man.
However, Kathryn Bigelow's career meant that when he and Cameron broke up, it was not as exaggerated as last time. Gale Hurd was the producer after all, and Cameron had to give up the copyright of the previous movies, which was equivalent to
Cut off some of his most successful early films.
But this time, it was just an ordinary breakup between two artists.
However, alimony to his ex-wife still has to be paid. Cameron will lose a large part of his salary for filming the Terminator sequel this time...
"I said, Jim. In America, there is something called a prenuptial agreement. Don't you know?"
Ronald really couldn't stand Cameron's way of getting married like a truck driver. He was obviously a successful director, but his marriage was still the same as when he got married for the first time. The two of them seemed right to each other.
Married immediately.
"Now it's a matter of whether I have more wealth or less than Linda..." Cameron also felt that he was at a bit of a disadvantage.
"Hey, it's okay if you don't get married. It's not the Hollywood of the 1930s. Stars had to divorce and get married if they changed their girlfriends. Nowadays, the audience's tolerance for the private lives of Hollywood stars is very high."
The recent gossip in the entertainment industry clearly reflects the change in audience tolerance. The young actor Emilio Estevez, who had a disagreement with Ronald back then, had two children with his Latino girlfriend.
It was picked out by the gossip media again.
He was engaged to Demi Moore, but his reputation fell into disarray. But recently, Emilio found a rich woman, the former backup dancer of Michael Jackson, and now the popular female singer Paula Abado.
Her new song Rush Rush has been at the top of the charts for five weeks, and she has entered the ranks of popular Diva. Of course, her relationship has also attracted media attention.
Emilio Estevez's two illegitimate children and the custody case he lost were uncovered again.
However, most of the public's reaction was to lament the amazing charm of this man, who has continuously attracted popular heroines in Hollywood and the record industry, and also has Latin beauties who are willing to bear children for him without disturbing his normal life.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "It's okay, keeping a boyfriend and girlfriend is also good for Linda's star status." Ronald nodded in agreement. America is a conservative after all.
In this country, it is nothing for a man to have some tidbits, but it is better for a female star to be single. Once she gets married, her starlight will be dimmed. After all, most fans of female stars fall in love with them because of their charm.
"Have you studied the box office and got any results?" Cameron put away the fishing rod, took out a bottle of light beer from the small refrigerator of the pickup truck, and threw it to Ronald.
"The biggest reason is because of the rating." Ronald took the beer, opened it and took a sip.
The box office of Terminator 2 was not as good as Batman. He asked Daydream's department and external consultants to publish separate research reports. They all said it was because of ratings.
Terminator 2 has broken the box office records of many R-rated films, but there is still a big gap compared to Batman, whose special effects are far inferior. Moreover, the box office decline rate after the first weekend is also faster.
This is actually very unsatisfactory. The audience reputation of Terminator 2 is far better than that of Batman. There is no visual breakthrough in the entire Batman film, and the performances are not much better (except for Jack Nicholson's
Joker). How can such a tight leather suit, plus some flying and boxing scenes of the 1970s, achieve such good results?
The final result is that because of the rating, teenage males, the main group of moviegoers, have no chance to see this movie. Although most of them will be the video viewers in the future.
In fact, this movie is most suitable for the tastes of teenage male audiences.
"In the future, we will still have to make movies below PG-13. In the current film market, if we don't catch them, no matter what, we will get half the result with twice the effort..."
"Indeed, if this level of special effects is a PG-13... Steven (Spielberg) still knows how to make money."
"By the way, the movie theater I bought in Chinatown, Los Angeles, will be renovated and will open soon. Will you come and show your face?" Ronald finished his beer, packed up his fishing gear, and prepared to go home.
"Is there anything special?"
"It used to be showing Chinese films. After the new renovation, it will be merged into the Hollywood theater chain. In the future, our movies will be more scheduled. I always feel that we need to have our own theater to be strong-willed."
"Okay, I'll do it..."
…
"Can't take the midwinter gun..."
Chinatown celebrates the reopening of the cinema with traditional firecrackers and lion dances. This is not a very famous cinema, but it is one of the few places where Chinese in Chinatown can promote Chinese culture. During this opening celebration, screenings will be held
A month of Chinese-language films as a retrospective.
"Crackling..."
Firecrackers were blasting and gongs and drums were noisy. It was the first time for Cameron and Linda Hamilton to see such a live scene, and it was really noisy. After the two entered the cinema hall, they could still hear the gongs and drums outside.
"Hey...what did you say? I can't hear you, Silence of the Lambs, what happened to Silence of the Lambs..."
Ronald was also inside, holding a mobile phone and walking around in circles, looking for a place with a good signal. Finally he found a corner where he could hear clearly.
"The box office is back to $1,000 per venue? Why?... Did the FBI catch a real Buffalo Bill-style serial killer?"