I am Hollywood

[Chapter 1062: Safety First]

The running time of The Horse Whisperer was 2 hours and 50 minutes, and considering its length, the premiere had started quite early.

Around nine o'clock, as the end credits rolled and the lights came up, a polite round of applause filled the theater. Eric felt a bit stiff, but he patiently stayed seated and didn't rush to get up.

Overall, Eric had a positive impression of The Horse Whisperer. The story flowed beautifully, blending warmth with inspiration and tinged with a hint of melancholy. The scenic views of Montana were simply breathtaking. However, Robert Redford suffered from the common ailment of seasoned Hollywood filmmakers: a slow pacing. With nearly three hours of run-time, it truly tested the audience's patience. This slow rhythm also led to a somewhat aimless emotional expression that lacked a compelling force to resonate deeply with viewers.

As the applause died down, the filmmakers started taking the stage to give speeches. Elisabeth leaned in close to Eric and whispered, "What did you think?"

Eric pondered for a moment before responding, "It really depends on how Harvey operates."

If he were to give it a score, Eric would rate the film a solid 7.5. It wasn't quite deserving of an 8 or higher, but far exceeded passing marks. Yet, this score wouldn't ignite much desire in viewers to rush to theaters. To achieve that, the Weinstein brothers would have to work their marketing magic to elevate the film's reputation to above 8.

Elisabeth had a similar assessment. Hearing Eric's expected response, she felt a bit deflated but accepted it.

...

After the screening, the after-party hosted by Miramax took place at a nearby hotel. With still some time before the festivities, Eric and Elisabeth didn't rush back to rest and decided to head to the party together.

"Maybe it's because he directed and acted in it, but I feel like Redford didn't infuse enough passion into the story," critic Ruth Stein from the San Francisco Chronicle unabashedly shared his thoughts with Eric, Elisabeth, and Harvey. "He was a bit out of place, just like Scott Thomas. It was really disappointing."

Elisabeth frowned slightly at Ruth's words while Eric remained composed beside her. Harvey, on the other hand, grinned as he listened. After Ruth finished, Harvey affectionately draped an arm around Ruth's shoulders and said, "Ruth, I have to admit, you're right -- those are indeed some minor flaws in the film. But let's be honest, there's no such thing as a perfect film. We should allow for some shortcomings. Moreover, apart from the performances, the film has plenty of strengths. How about we discuss it more over there?"

"Of course," Ruth nodded slightly, casting a glance at Eric and Elisabeth as he diplomatically clarified, "Mr. Williams, Miss Murdoch, I absolutely don't mean to take a jab at this film; I'm just calling it like I see it."

Harvey kept his arm around Ruth's shoulder, applying just a bit more pressure as he replied, "Eric and Liz wouldn't mind, ha ha. Let's move along now. Oh, Eric and Liz, feel free to enjoy yourselves."

Once Harvey led the critic away, Eric wrapped an arm around Elisabeth's waist and smiled, "What's there to take offense at? You've been a little princess for too long. Just think back to when Michael Ovitz faced all those clients' sarcasm. Instead of getting angry, he tap danced right on the table to win their trust. He ended up becoming one of the most powerful people in Hollywood."

"I'm not bothered by it. That guy clearly only said that to get our attention as we walked by," Elisabeth retorted, glancing at Harvey and Ruth as they chatted animatedly. Then she picked up on Eric's words, "But the most powerful person in Hollywood right now is you. Would you dance for a client?"

"Well, if it were necessary," Eric replied, "I'd have Jeffrey do the dancing."

"You sly dog," Elisabeth laughed but pressed on, "But what if the client insisted that you dance yourself?"

Eric confidently shook his head, "That scenario doesn't hold water. No one in the world is qualified to require me to dance for them."

"Hmm," Elisabeth emulated a playful grunt, "But what if I told you to dance?"

Eric, as if he had completely forgotten his previous comments, eagerly nodded, "No problem, I'll dance for you when we get home."

Elisabeth's smirk reflected her disdain, "Lame! I couldn't care less to see you do a tap dance."

Eric immediately countered, "Not happening! I keep my promises. You'll just have to watch me dance for half an hour when we get back."

Having shared a laugh, they made their way to an empty table near the banquet hall, noticing that Harvey was already deep in conversation with another critic not far away. Elisabeth raised her chin, signaling to Eric, and remarked, "Given how things are going, the film's reputation should be just fine, right?"

Eric could tell that Harvey was genuinely invested in The Horse Whisperer. This was easy to understand; it was the biggest investment Miramax had made in a dramatic film so far. The Weinstein brothers were already displeased with Fox's imposed $50 million cap on investments for Miramax, and the box office success of The Horse Whisperer directly impacted whether they could break this barrier.

If The Horse Whisperer could achieve box office numbers akin to a typical commercial film, Fox would likely lift this limit for future projects. But if the film was a failure, Miramax wouldn't be able to risk funding high-budget art films again.

"The film's reputation should be no issue," Eric nodded and stated. "But ultimately, it depends on whether audiences buy into it. With a run-time of nearly three hours, many impatient viewers might just skip it."

Yet, Elisabeth didn't wholly agree, "Remember that film you coerced me into buying, Dances with Wolves? That was four hours long, but it grossed over $180 million in North America and $420 million worldwide, with just a budget over $20 million. I see a lot of similarities between these two films. They're both adaptations of novels, directed and starred in by the main creators, and feature spectacular settings."

"But you have to admit," Eric interjected, "The Horse Whisperer's political themes and emotional depth don't compare to Dances with Wolves. On the bright side, the original novel's profile is significantly higher than that lesser-known Dances with Wolves. Still, with your point in mind, I think I should remind Harvey to link The Horse Whisperer with Dances with Wolves in the media. It might yield some unexpected results."

...

The secret behind the Weinstein brothers' Oscar strategy was actually quite simple: through powerful media and jury public relations, they created undeniable acclaim and a significant number of award nominations for Miramax films.

Of course, the specifics of their strategies were intricate and complex.

Due to the financial pressure from the $50 million investment in The Horse Whisperer, the Weinstein brothers opted against the gradual accumulation of box office and reputation through limited releases this time. However, their years of accumulated media marketing techniques still played a significant role for the film.

After the premiere, Miramax immediately launched a robust PR campaign. The next day, almost all major North American print media published positive reviews of The Horse Whisperer. Even the few critics who were not fond of the film offered milder critiques than expected.

Initial assessments from critics showed that The Horse Whisperer successfully crossed the 8-point threshold, achieving an average score of 8.2, significantly higher than Eric's personal rating of 7.5.

The Horse Whisperer was published in 1995, meaning it was only three years old. Though the novel enjoyed worldwide popularity and many viewers appreciated the film's adaptation, it had a clear drawback -- a lack of discussion-worthy topics.

Often, the buzz around a film can be even more important than its score.

In this regard, the spark that happened between Eric and Elisabeth during the after-party significantly influenced the narrative. Following their reminder, the Weinstein brothers swiftly connected The Horse Whisperer with Dances with Wolves in their marketing efforts.

Although it had been seven years since Dances with Wolves came out, this long interval had solidified its status as an irrefutable classic that had once won numerous prestigious awards including Best Picture and Best Director.

...

Seeing certain media outlets draw parallels between The Horse Whisperer and their cherished classic stirred discontent among Dances with Wolves fans. In just a few short days, discussions erupted across major North American media outlets, debating the superiority of The Horse Whisperer versus Dances with Wolves.

Supporters of Dances with Wolves were many, but with The Horse Whisperer selling over 10 million copies of the original novel worldwide, its fanbase was similarly significant.

As a result, the back-and-forth argument intensified, capturing attention and boosting ticket sales for The Horse Whisperer, while also creating a resurgence in Dances with Wolves videotape and DVD sales. What many didn't realize was that the rights to Dances with Wolves also belonged to the Firefly Group.

Amidst this high-profile debate, The Horse Whisperer ended up grossing $32.15 million over its first weekend. While that performance couldn't compare to blockbuster hits, it was still deemed very satisfactory by many.

With a first-weekend gross of $32.15 million, the film was expected to reach around $45 million by the end of its opening week.

Based on the positive reputation The Horse Whisperer had established, even with competition from other new releases in the following weeks, a predicted drop of around 30% in box office revenue seemed quite manageable.

As long as it maintained a low decline rate, The Horse Whisperer was on track to cross the $100 million mark at the North American box office.

With a budget of $50 million and projected box office returns exceeding $100 million in North America, not to mention overseas revenue, this project would yield substantial profits for Miramax and its parent company, Fox.

Moreover, leveraging the Weinstein brothers' Oscar campaign expertise, as long as The Horse Whisperer secured some wins at this year's Oscars, its subsequent merchandise release profits would skyrocket even more.

...

In Ventura, north of Los Angeles, this was the first time Eric had visited since the private airport was officially opened.

Compared to the expansive agricultural fields of the past, this 1,500-acre site was now fenced in with tall barbed wire. Inside the airport were two intersecting runways, a navigation and monitoring center, and six large hangars. However, at that moment, only two Gulfstream V jets were housed in one of the hangars.

It was now November 10th, and Eric arrived in the morning, planning to board a Gulfstream V that had just recently been acquired and fly directly to London.

The Gulfstream V was the first ultra-long-range business jet from Gulfstream Aerospace, capable of a range of 7,500 miles, making trans-Pacific flights feasible between Los Angeles and London a mere breeze.

However, after touring the Gulfstream V cockpit, Eric quickly dismissed the idea of flying to London in it.

The reason was simple and blunt.

It was too cramped.

Compared to the Boeing 767 he frequently flew in two years prior, which featured luxurious suites and ample space, the Gulfstream V's cabin width was only a bit over two meters. With couches and chairs lining both sides, there was hardly any spare room to move around. Eric found it hard to imagine spending over ten hours, flying more than 8,000 kilometers to London in such a small aircraft. He always suspected he might have some form of claustrophobia.

"Let's reserve this small jet for short-haul flights," Eric suggested to Drew who had come to see him off, "By the way, how is the construction progress on those two 747s?"

"It should take about six more months," the girl replied, "But I can follow up with Boeing on it."

Eric chuckled and shook his head, "No need to rush on those kinds of things. Safety first."

"Alright, I won't push them," she said, glancing at her watch. "The Boeing 767 won't be here for at least another hour. How about we take a walk instead?"

Having abandoned the idea of flying overseas on the Gulfstream V, Eric opted to call back the Boeing 767 he initially planned to use.

*****

https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.