King of Hollywood

Chapter 318: Chapter 45: Hot Topics Chapter 318: Chapter 45: Hot Topics In just three days, “Forrest Gump,” playing in 2,300 theaters, had swept up over 42 million US Dollars at the North American box office, easily pushing the previously top-ranked “Speed” down the charts. Though this achievement couldn’t be considered unparalleled, it was indeed unprecedented, especially since it far exceeded the original’s performance from my memory.

Adrian found this to be quite normal because he had spared no effort in promoting the film from the very beginning: posters in hot spots, advertisements across various media, all available means were utilized. Besides, he had a television station at his disposal; if the box office figures couldn’t exceed the original’s under these circumstances, then he might as well have thrown in the towel.

However, it was somewhat regrettable that the current state of the internet, although essentially formed, was still immature. Although Adrian had someone create an official website for “Forrest Gump” and placed links and ads on Yahoo, the response it elicited was not much more than what traditional media could achieve. If it had been a few years later, or even just two years later, such online promotion would have definitely added around 10 million US Dollars more to the opening week’s box office.

Viral marketing isn’t some profound theory; similar tactics existed before the internet, but the spread through the web can be several times faster than that of newspapers and television, hence the name emerged. For professionals, it’s merely a change of terminology; only the general public might find it sound impressive.

Regardless, at the end of 1994, movie theaters were utterly dominated by “Forrest Gump.” When families went to see a film after Christmas, their first choice would undoubtedly be this one. Across the United States, cinemas often found themselves selling tickets several days in advance—a spectacle that probably only the big ship and the space opera prequel in the coming years could match.

The unanimous acclaim in the critical world goes without saying. This was a film that epitomized mainstream values to the point that even finding faults could only be directed at the filming techniques or the actors’ performances. Few attacked the film’s core message, whether it was mainstream media or tabloids—though tabloids are unscrupulous, they have to choose their battles wisely. In the current climate, any reckless talk would undoubtedly provoke an onslaught, drawing not eyeballs but universal scorn.

As for Gluum Winston, who had been fiercely critical before the release, he was now mute. While the old man was stubborn as a mule, he was no fool, so even though he saw the film on opening night, he wrote no targeted reviews. The next day, the papers were full of praises, with barely any criticism of a plot that deviated from the original. With the film’s overwhelming popularity leading to a surge in sales of the source material, Winston had no desire to write when approached by tabloid journalists looking for sharp critiques and firmly yet helplessly refused them.

“Mainstream movies are always popular in mainstream society, especially well-made ones that know how to market themselves,” Adrian remarked upon receiving the data. He recalled a rather scathing brief review of “Forrest Gump” he had read in a previous life which implied: following the government always yields favorable outcomes.

That really seemed to be the case, although “following the government” should be replaced with “following mainstream values” like participating in anti-war rallies or exposing the Watergate scandal. Production mastery and promotional strategies truly made a difference. Considering some films from China that he remembered, while there were many other factors at play, their production refinement and marketing techniques were frankly embarrassing.

Well, enough about that. Despite entering the busy Christmas season a little late, “Forrest Gump” was unmatched in popularity, particularly among those who grew up in the 60s and 70s who were now married with children and hustling for a living. They held a special fondness for this film.