America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 879 A Qualified Popcorn Thriller

Beaches, surfing, bikinis, and great white sharks are the most eye-catching elements of the premiere poster for "The Shallows".

Huge posters hung from the roof of the Chiefstone Theater, covering all the walls above the main entrance.

Hundreds of young girls gathered on both sides of the long red carpet, each holding up a poster of Blake Lively with various slogans on it.

"Women are independent and strong!"

"Women's mutual support!"

"Girls help girls!"

Blake Lively's character in this film was marketed and packaged as an independent woman.

As Blake Lively walked down the red carpet, the girls let out a series of piercing screams.

She excitedly went up to the girls and signed autographs for them.

Strictly speaking, Blake Lively has been in the industry for ten years, and this is the first time she has played the absolute female lead in a movie.

The premiere was not large in scale, and apart from the main cast and crew, there were basically no guests invited.

Martin made a grand finale appearance, walking down the long red carpet, drinking Coke with members of the Coke Cult, and then entering the media area.

The main members of the production team are all here.

Everyone gathered in front of the sponsor's backdrop for a group photo.

Blake Lively was in a great mood, with one arm constantly linked with Martin's.

After the group photo, the host kept Martin and Blake Lively behind.

Next, there will be a brief interview.

The host asked Martin, "It's said that you decided to cast Blake Lively as the female lead even before the film was greenlit?"

"To be precise, the Shallows project came about because of Blake." Martin knows how to create buzz: "When I was doing pre-production for John Wick 3, Blake was talking to me about how she was practicing swimming and surfing. I thought surfing was a great subject, so I started imagining how to make a movie about Blake surfing. Coincidentally, she had just watched Jaws the day before and was scared, so that's how the initial idea for Shallows came about."

He looked at Blake and praised her, "Blake is the only female lead. If she hadn't acted in it, there wouldn't be this movie. And during filming, the crew witnessed Blake's perseverance. She is very strong and very smart."

The host then turned to Blake Lively: "Your fans are following this film on social media. Is there anything you'd like to say to them?"

Blake laughed and said, "Sharks can attack at any moment, so stay alert and focused!"

The host readily agreed: "Next, we'll see how you fight the shark."

After a brief interview, Martin and Blake went into the theater together.

Bruce then followed from behind, handed Martin his phone, and whispered, "Robert just sent a message."

Martin stopped, glanced at his phone, and said to Blake, "I'm going to make a call."

Blake nodded slightly: "I'll go in first and wait for you in the screening room."

Martin dialed Robert's number, and after the call connected, he said, "It's me. Are you ready?"

Robert, the high priest of the Cult of Cola, said, "I made a slight change to the ritual; it should be fine."

Martin was seeking reassurance: "Okay, do it your way of thinking. This is what you do best."

The other end replied, "Okay, I'll get started right away."

Atlanta, Peachtree Street.

At the headquarters of the Cola Cult, Robert, swaying his bald head, pasted the Shallows poster that Martin had mailed him onto the wall behind the altar.

This is Martin Scorsese's directorial debut, and the ceremony included an additional element compared to previous ones.

Robert wasn't actually sure what the specific effects would be.

Just like when Martin got his first major role, the glass bottle of Coca-Cola he touched played a key role.

But Martin said he would do it.

Robert was well aware that one of his greatest values ​​was to put Martin at ease.

He took out a glass bottle of Coca-Cola from 2003, smeared it with the corresponding olive oil, placed it on the wooden altar in front of the poster, and whispered, "A box office hit! A box office hit..."

In Los Angeles, Martin put away his phone, feeling a strange surge of confidence in the film.

Bruce asked, "Why do I feel like Robert is the key to your success?"

Martin chuckled softly, "Your feeling is right. Without Robert's performance back then, I would definitely have taken many detours."

The two arrived at the side corridor, met up with the film crew, and went into the screening room together.

Amidst enthusiastic applause, Martin waved repeatedly to the back of the group before taking his seat in the front row.

Then, Alan Horn came over to say hello.

Martin noticed Robert Iger sitting next to him and said, "Bob, you're here too?"

"This is your directorial debut," Robert Iger smiled. "I can't miss the chance to witness history."

Martin chuckled. "You're exaggerating."

Robert Iger has exceptionally high emotional intelligence: "No, I always believed that you would become the next Clint Eastwood, and you even have advantages that Eastwood didn't have back then."

"Thank you for your kind words. I hope this film will be a success." Martin knew his own limitations. Clint Eastwood had directed nearly thirty films. Not to mention directors who started as actors, even among professional directors in Hollywood, few could compare.

The old cowboy was both smelly and tough, partly because he was genuinely capable.

The movie was about to start. Martin said a few words and turned back.

Blake Lively leaned over: "I forgot to ask, what are your expectations for this film?"

Both Davis Studios and Disney Studios conducted market outlooks based on test screenings and pre-sales of the film, and their conclusions were similar.

"The film's pre-sale box office is close to $1000 million," Martin said simply. "The North American opening weekend is estimated to be over $2000 million, but the final figure is hard to say, because most of the moviegoers who bought tickets in the opening weekend are your and my fans."

Blake understood: "The box office performance will depend on word-of-mouth?"

Martin said, "Audience word-of-mouth is very important."

Just two rows behind them, Robert Iger and Aaron Hawking were also whispering to each other.

The topic of their discussion was, naturally, Martin's directorial debut.

"Regarding the collaboration between Disney and Martin, I suggest adding one condition," Alan Horn said softly. "Sign a director-distribution contract with him."

As the CEO of a large company, Robert Iger naturally considered business realities: "Let's wait a bit and see how the film performs in the market."

Alan Horn, of course, did not object and replied, "Yes."

In Robert Iger's view, no matter how many experienced assistants Martin Scorsese has found, his own role as director cannot be ignored. Scorsese has money and resources, and he is able to effectively integrate these into a box office hit, which is a skill in itself.

This is a one-man show, with 99% of the film taking place in the bay from beginning to end.

There are no more than ten human characters, most of whom are minor characters who only appear briefly, and are the targets of Jaws' revenge.

This is a story of beauty and the beast. The film has no male protagonist; it's just the female lead and her deadly game with the shark.

Blake Lively appeared in a bikini throughout, showcasing her hot and attractive figure. Despite being seriously injured, she persevered for two days against a ferocious shark and successfully killed it, thus saving herself.

This also aligns with the current mainstream trend in the film market: princesses and fairies no longer passively wait for princes to rescue them, but instead take the initiative to save themselves.

In the past, Blake Lively was just a pretty face, playing repetitive roles.

Although she was considered a "pretty face" in this film, her performance was a significant improvement over her previous work. She portrayed fear, despair, courage, and determination quite realistically, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

It's no exaggeration to say that Martin helped her achieve a qualitative leap in her acting skills.

As the credits rolled, Robert Iger said in a low voice, "The film is well-made, not one of those cheaply made splatter movies. Every shot, every special effect, every piece of music is made with great care."

Alan Horn said, "This film cost $2500 million to produce. Bob, look, from the seawater to the sharks to the wounds, everything is incredibly realistic. Martin spent the money where it was needed."

Robert Iger nodded: "That's quite remarkable for a new director."

Directors like Martin Scorsese, who wield immense power and can control the budget themselves, are actually quite formidable.

Most people who sit in the director's seat become unrestrained scoundrels, with no one above them, spending money inexplicably, driving investors crazy.

If we ignore the success after its release, James Cameron is a prime example.

Then there's the Wachowskis, I don't know if they're brothers or sisters, their films have incredibly high budgets, but the results are inexplicable.

Applause erupted, and many audience members stood up and clapped.

Some of them were just clapping politely.

This film is quite watchable, but to say it's amazing would be a lie.

The film didn't go out of control and its quality was above average. It even offered some pleasant surprises, which is quite good.

In the eyes of movie fans, this is a high-quality, lighthearted ocean monster thriller.

Amid applause, Martin stood up and first hugged Louise on his left: "Thank you, this film wouldn't exist without you."

Louise encouraged her, "You did a great job."

Despite his average talent, Martin has truly worked incredibly hard to achieve all this.

Of course, monetary power cannot be ignored.

Martin hugged Blake again: "Thank you."

Blake patted him on the back with his other hand.

Martin released Blake and hugged Robert Eggers, Joel Negroon, and other key members of the production team, sincerely thanking them.

A film crew is a team, and movies are always the product of teamwork. For a new director like him, without these experienced professionals, there would be no film like "The Shallows".

Martin waved and led the main creative team of the film to the stage, where they bowed to the audience in thanks.

The enthusiastic applause lasted for a long time.

But the success or failure of a film has little to do with the applause at its premiere.

It depends on audience feedback after the screening.

After the premiere ended, Disney staff quickly collected the questionnaires distributed to moviegoers upon entry and compiled relevant post-screening feedback.

Martin received relevant feedback data before he even left the Chiefstone Theater.

Louise asked, "What's the feedback like from the audience?"

Martin put away his phone and said, "The overall fan rating is A-."

"It's alright," Louise said honestly. "It's better than people expected."

Martin said, "You don't have high expectations of me."

Louise made a ring toss gesture: "High in that aspect, average in directing."

Martin went outside and saw Bruce driving up. He said, "I'm going home. No matter what you say, I'm not going with you."

Louise shook her head, got into her Rolls-Royce, opened her phone, and started scrolling through related comments on social media.

Most of the reviews for the film are positive.

"Martin's debut was unexpectedly brilliant. He didn't just use blood and gore to get the audience's adrenaline pumping; instead, he designed it in a more sophisticated way, creating a strong sense of visual pressure and a tense and suspenseful atmosphere."

"I really didn't expect Martin to have such excellent control over his directorial debut. The Shallows is arguably the sexiest thrill escape movie in recent years."

"Blake Lively is amazing! Have you guys noticed that she and Shaq have this weird vibe: 'Come on up here' vs. 'Come on down here!'"

However, there were also negative reviews.

"Martin Davis is better suited to acting; his directing talent is mediocre. This film is so simple it can hardly be called a movie."

"Blake Lively has a body that's criminally good, but Martin's trope of a beautiful woman tearing apart a great white shark is just too old-fashioned."

"Did Martin and Blake Lively take on some high-end swimsuit gig? The whole movie felt like a joke."

Louise checked on her phone and found that as more and more fans watched the film, the IMDb rating dropped to 7.8.

Overall, however, The Shallows still maintains a good reputation among audiences.

Compared to IMDb, the film received better reviews from critics; a day after the premiere, its freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes remained at 80%.

It has received numerous positive reviews such as "breathtaking, superb acting" and "extremely sensory impact".

Kenneth Turan's review for the Los Angeles Times is representative.

"Martin Davis's directorial debut is not a classic horror film that can be savored over time, but it is definitely a decent popcorn movie."

Todd McCarthy, who previously expressed skepticism about Martin in his column, has somewhat changed his mind in the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter.

"Martin's film is quite conventional and not particularly amazing, but he knows how to create tension in this type of subject matter. He uses multi-layered shots to present a suspenseful and tense atmosphere, making the film very well-made. The whole film is both beautiful and scary, and there are often unexpected scares."

At the end of his column, he emphasized: "It must be admitted that Martin Davis has breathed fresh energy and life into the almost extinct shark-themed film genre, reviving the original thrills and pointing out a new direction for this subject."

(End of this chapter)