[Chapter 132: Breaking Down]
After Robert Downey Jr. and Richard Gere publicly praised The Blair Witch Project in the media, Trimark Pictures and director Ed Merrick expressed their gratitude towards them, claiming these stars truly understood the film.
Robert Downey Jr. cheerfully responded that no thanks were necessary, hoping for future collaboration opportunities with Trimark Pictures and Ed Merrick.
Richard Gere also complimented Ed Merrick, calling him an outstanding young director -- humble, talented, and with great potential for the future.
During a promotional event for the film, Ed Merrick thanked Gere for his support, stating he was a dedicated actor and hoped for a chance to collaborate in the future.
The two sides frequently interacted through the media, exchanging compliments, which brought significant attention to the currently-released The Blair Witch Project. This also showcased the character of veterans like Downey Jr. and Gere, who displayed a willingness to mentor new directors and films, contrary to the rumors of their jealousy towards younger filmmakers like Link.
Jay Goode, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, commented on this, asserting that seasoned actors like Gere, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert Downey Jr. were professionals who wouldn't intentionally target someone out of jealousy for their success. This was evident in their effort to promote The Blair Witch Project.
If anyone felt they were being targeted, they should reflect on their own actions and consider why they faced such criticism.
Other media outlets followed suit, praising Gere and others for their good character and hinting that Link's erratic behavior led to being singled out, urging him to engage in some serious self-reflection.
...
Amidst this media frenzy, the box office results for The Blair Witch Project in its third week were released.
In North America, it grossed $23.37 million this week. Although this was a drop compared to previous weeks, it was smaller than expected. The distribution team credited Gere and others for this comparatively minor decline.
With the latest box office numbers, The Blair Witch Project officially surpassed the $100 million mark in North America, reaching $106 million, becoming the first film of 1993 to achieve this milestone.
The film's success made Hollywood peers envious. The total production cost was at most $100,000, with marketing costs under $10 million, achieving over $100 million in three weeks -- an enviable feat.
Due to The Blair Witch Project's production and marketing structure closely mirroring that of Paranormal Activity, Hollywood studios were now eager to learn from its model, hoping to replicate the same blockbuster success as seen with the previous two films.
As reported by Variety, over sixty similar projects were slated for production that year, given that these films involved lower investments and shorter production cycles, many of which were expected to be released within the year.
...
"Link, the papers say a lot of film companies are copying the production and marketing style of Paranormal Activity. Will that affect your company?"
In their apartment, Jennifer Connelly leaned against him while flipping through a magazine.
"That's fine. Let them copy -- if they succeed, it only proves that my marketing model is quite effective," Link said, wrapping an arm around her waist with a chuckle.
Without systematic box office subsidies, those who tried to mimic would fail miserably.
It was easy to predict that Hollywood would be alive with excitement once those films hit theaters.
"Your marketing model is indeed impressive. The Blair Witch Project copied your approach and grossed over $100 million in North America, which just shows how talented you are."
Jennifer hooked her arms around his neck and looked at him with admiration.
Link kissed her forehead, then moved on to her sea-blue eyes, her delicate nose, and her rosy lips.
Jennifer eagerly responded to his affection.
Before night fell, the couple found themselves lost in passionate activities on the couch, engaging in things meant for after dark.
...
Just as the box office results for The Blair Witch Project were announced, another event unfurled.
The Los Angeles Times released a study in its latest edition titled "How Cognitive Differences Lead to Polarized Reception of The Blair Witch Project."
The article highlighted that after surveying 2,000 viewers of The Blair Witch Project, the reporter discovered an astonishing fact. Among the film's audience, 96% were educated below high school level, with many being uneducated.
These individuals believed in the existence of ghosts, witches, vampires, underwater monsters, and bat-boys. They often discussed such topics in their social circles.
To them, The Blair Witch Project served as a documentary exposing the truth of the world, not just a film. This was why they enjoyed it.
On the other hand, viewers who didn't like the film generally held higher educational qualifications, mostly possessing college degrees or higher. Some had lower educational levels but had seen more films, averaging over five each year, primarily in the art-house genre.
Based on this study, The Los Angeles Times concluded that the supporters and detractors of The Blair Witch Project were deeply connected to their educational levels. Those with lower education tended to rate the movie favorably, while those with higher education gave it poor reviews.
Moreover, it was challenging to persuade less educated viewers; even when told that the film was a hoax, they would still head to the theater.
The LA Times believed that the film's success at the box office, juxtaposed with the critical reception from reviewers, stemmed mainly from the differing educational backgrounds between audiences and critics. This situation closely resembled that of Paranormal Activity.
Both films targeted the average viewer as their demographic, which was a key reason for their success.
...
After the article was published, it sparked considerable debate in Hollywood. Some found the investigation insightful, while others reacted with outrage upon reading it.
"The lower your education level, the higher you rate this movie? What kind of absurd rating is that?"
"Come on, who says more educated people can't enjoy this type of film?"
"The Los Angeles Times' report is nothing but garbage."
Seeing the analysis from The Los Angeles Times, Robert Downey Jr., Richard Gere, and Dustin Hoffman were furious, grinding their teeth.
They had publicly praised The Blair Witch Project, asserting how brilliant and entertaining it was, insisting that those who didn't think so simply hadn't understood it.
Now this ridiculous newspaper claimed that less educated people favored The Blair Witch Project, that the lower one's education, the higher the rating.
It was as if they were being directly insulted for their lack of education.
It was terribly embarrassing.
For public figures, nothing was more humiliating than acknowledging a lack of culture.
How could they face the fans who admired and idolized them after this incident?
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.