"You are one of the most talented young directors I’ve seen," Roger Ebert said, sitting at a table facing Duke, resembling a wise teacher guiding a student with potential but lacking experience. "You have a unique approach to capturing visuals, logical editing, and camera techniques..."
He continued earnestly, "You shouldn’t waste these talents on mediocre commercial films. Go into the independent film circle; that’s where extraordinary artistic refinement can be honed."
"Art?" Duke responded with a puzzled expression.
"Only there can you gain artistic recognition," Roger Ebert replied. "That’s how you become a top director."
"Mr. Ebert, you’re an authority in film criticism. I’m young and inexperienced, so I believe you won’t deceive me," Duke said, pausing to think before adding, "Does that mean directors who only make commercial films can never reach the pinnacle of the film world?"
"Commercial?" Ebert shook his head. "Mainstream means vulgar; art is always in the hands of a few! Duke, your destructive impulse far exceeds your artistic pursuit—this is a wrong path..."
With a pained expression, he added, "I truly admire you, as do Kenneth and other critics; we all see your talent. You’re young, talented, and ambitious. If you can correct your missteps early..."
The critics’ admiration made Duke want to roll his eyes but he held back. He genuinely didn’t care about their opinions.
Besides, was it impossible to become a top film director by making commercial films? James Cameron had never made an art film and yet his status in the industry was unshakeable.
With a mature perspective, Duke wouldn’t change his plans based on one critic’s long-winded opinions, even if that critic was Roger Ebert.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Duke said, "As far as I know, George Lucas achieved..."
He was interrupted by Roger Ebert, who cut in sharply, "Lucas? Has he won an Oscar for Best Director?"
Ebert’s expression soured, clearly touched by Duke’s remarks. Over a decade ago, he was among those who lambasted "Star Wars" as a doomed film. The slap in the face he received back then still stung.
"I think the Oscars don’t represent everything," Duke tried to soften his tone.
With "The Rock" set to be released soon, alienating top critics wouldn’t be beneficial. While he didn’t care about their voices, they still wielded some influence.
The difference in their views on film was stark. After a few more failed attempts at discussion, Roger Ebert left in frustration.
"The Oscars don’t represent everything..." a monotonous nasal voice suddenly chimed in from the side.
Sofia walked over, pulling out a chair to sit beside Duke. She teased, "Director Rosenberg’s confidence is off the charts."
"Everyone wants to win an Oscar," Duke shrugged nonchalantly. "But there’s no need to take it too seriously."
Regardless of how other directors approached their work, Duke wouldn’t change his filmmaking approach just to chase awards.
"Why aren’t you upstairs doing interviews?" Sofia shifted the topic. "The media’s feedback on the film has been quite positive."
"The current promotional focus is on Lee," Duke explained, spreading his hands. "Besides, I’m a director, not a star needing exposure."
The fallout from Sean Connery’s recent scandal was still unfolding. As his ex-wife joined the accusations, more dark history emerged, and with Warner’s public relations strategizing, the media frequently compared Christopher Lee to him, bringing John Mason’s character and "The Rock" into discussions. The promotional impact was precisely as intended.
Apart from routine promotional tasks, "The Rock" was mainly centered on the legendary experiences of Christopher Lee. After the film’s release, new promotional points would take over.
This was the basic promotional strategy; they wouldn’t reveal everything at once.
The party’s PR was primarily led by Warner, with Duke merely playing the role of an attendee, smiling when necessary and saying a few words in response. He wasn’t an arrogant person; he understood this was just normal social interaction in Hollywood.
However, building relationships with critics who were like leeches in the film industry was entirely superficial. The key was still the checks and expensive gifts sent by Warner.
According to Robin Grand, just for Roger Ebert alone, Warner had allocated a budget of $250,000.
Even though Ebert had a newspaper column and film critique program, that was still a sum hard to resist.
The PR party lasted late into the night, and when Duke finally walked out of the hotel, he felt as if his face might be stuck in a smile.
As the night deepened, the top-floor conference room of the Fox building was brightly lit, with several Fox executives, including Thomas, the CAA talent team led by Martin Bob, and key creative figures like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, gathered around a long conference table.
"I have received the audience survey feedback from ’The Rock’ screening," Martin Bob announced after hanging up the phone.
For Hollywood bigwigs, there were few secrets in this circle, especially since the screening results typically weren’t confidential.
Martin Bob had no intention of teasing; he directly stated, "Warner received a total of 456 surveys, with 415 scoring A or A+; only 17 were rated C or lower!"
Everyone’s expressions darkened. Thomas Rothman’s brows even furrowed slightly; this was a staggering result that easily overshadowed the screening reception of "Speed." If the audience response to "Speed" converted into box office earnings, "The Rock" could likely achieve astounding numbers in North America.
At that moment, Thomas Rothman considered postponing the release date of "Interview with the Vampire," but quickly abandoned the idea. Since the film started shooting, its promotional campaign had been planned for a May weekend release, with nearly $5 million already spent on promotion. If the film’s release date were abruptly changed, a significant portion of that investment would be wasted. Not only would the promotional efforts become futile, but they would also void contracts with theaters, incurring further penalties.
Moreover, "Interview with the Vampire" had recently held a screening, and its reception was comparable to "The Rock," with the only disadvantage being the film’s genre.
"Thomas, they lack a first-tier star in their promotions," Martin Bob said confidently, glancing at Cruise. "Don’t forget, we have Tom."
Tom Cruise instinctively lifted his chin. He indeed had grounds for pride; as a top-tier superstar of the era, he held box office appeal unmatched by the information age. Since "Top Gun," he had become a reliable box office draw.
From any angle, "Interview with the Vampire" was not only on par with "The Rock," but might also have the edge. According to Hollywood’s past experience, films released simultaneously with minor gaps often displayed significant differences in box office earnings.
After a brief discussion among Fox executives, they settled on a plan: "Interview with the Vampire" would keep its original release date while increasing promotional efforts. Any gossip surrounding Tom Cruise was beneficial, no matter how trivial, as it would help attract public attention and media focus.
The question of how to better promote the films was not solely faced by 20th Century Fox but also by Duke and Warner. Just like "Interview with the Vampire," if "The Rock" were postponed, they would face massive losses. Moreover, every weekend of the summer had commercial blockbusters vying for attention, none of which were easy opponents.
Fortunately, "The Rock" had already aired a trailer during the Super Bowl, leaving a lasting impression on the North American audience, which somewhat mitigated the disparity in star power.
As May approached, preparations for the premiere of "The Rock" were nearing completion. The premiere was finally scheduled at Alcatraz Island’s entertainment plaza. In terms of venue attraction, "The Rock" surpassed "Interview with the Vampire."
Ultimately, the quality and commercial success of the films would speak for themselves, and specific feedback would only come post-premiere.
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