Chapter 160: The Verdict Is In! - Part 1
In fact, when Ethan Jones set his entrepreneurial sights on electronic arcade games, he had always considered North American cinema chains as potential clients. Firstly, cinemas possess stable operational venues with steady customer traffic, meeting the deployment standards for arcade games. Secondly, from his past life's experience, various arcade machines were indeed stationed in major cinemas.
During his school years, he was drawn into a New York cinema by the allure of Tom Cruise's name, only to watch a terribly disappointing film, "The Mummy."
However, although the film was a letdown, the "Mummy" arcade game placed in the cinema was intriguing. IMAX and HTC collaborated to create a VR monster-fighting game offering a rich experience across over ten different settings, allowing players to battle an endless army of mummies alongside Tom Cruise.
Moreover, he faintly remembered his hometown in the East, where many cinemas were equipped with various arcade games. These included claw machines disguised as merchandise vendors, basketball arcade games for entertainment, and the all-too-understandable fishing game machines placed for profit...
It was these setups that left a lasting impression on Ethan, making him genuinely excited about the prospect of "Snake" conquering North American cinemas two years ago when he first collaborated with Atari.
But, who wouldn't prefer such vast and stable clientele?
However, after a month of shipments with Steve Jobs, he was surprised to find that his desired target clients weren't as interested in electronic arcade games as he had hoped.
At the time of selling "Snake," only a handful of cinemas across North America had purchased the arcade game. "Pac-Man" fared slightly better, but the audience was still limited to just over a hundred cinemas.
This reality puzzled Ethan. He couldn't understand why cinemas, as popular entertainment venues, would reject such a high-margin product. He hadn't found an answer until Fox presented their marketing plan, prompting Ethan to voice his concerns.
Only then did he learn the truth from industry insiders.
"Ethan, your question is quite simple," said a jovial Fox executive. "Why don't North American cinemas buy a large number of electronic arcade games? Because we don't allow it. It's not just us at Fox who don't allow it; Warner, Universal, Disney, Columbia, MGM—they all don't allow it."
"And why don't we allow it?"
"The reason is even simpler."
"Because we all understand that once electronic arcade games enter North American cinemas, our box office revenues would suffer a significant impact."
Indeed!
This was the key reason why "Snake" and "Pac-Man" weren't widely purchased by cinemas.
Hollywood moguls had recognized the threat posed by video games!
They were fearful of protecting their interests!
Before the advent of electronic arcade games, movies were the cheapest form of entertainment in North America.
The $200 million box office miracle of "Gone with the Wind" was essentially lifted by nearly two hundred million viewers, a prime example of thin profit margins on high volume.
Despite years of growth and increased movie ticket prices in America, the cost remained extremely low compared to other forms of entertainment.
Unfortunately...
With the arrival of electronic arcade games, the affordability of movies was no longer a given.
Many might think that spending fifty cents for a few minutes on an arcade game seems more expensive than several hours of visual entertainment, but that's not the correct calculation.
Fifty cents represented a lower barrier to entry.
Additionally, video games had a transparency advantage over movies.
In life, many people have been deceived by Hollywood's promotions after spending a dollar to enter a cinema, only to find they've wasted two hours and even paid for the displeasure.
Arcade games were different; they were openly available in public spaces, allowing potential players to watch others play before deciding whether to participate.
When low barriers and choices were available, it was clear to those in Hollywood that arcade games could potentially outperform movies. Thus, when Nolan Bushnell sought to sell Atari, Universal and Disney made contact, attempting to enter the market.
Before making their own entrance...
They absolutely couldn't tolerate game companies encroaching on their turf!
Ethan was somewhat moved after hearing the executive's explanation because this kind of unrelated conflict of interest was never part of his initial considerations.
The leakage of these insider details also excited Ethan, as he understood that if not for Fox's desperate attempt to recoup their multimillion-dollar investment in "Star Wars," they wouldn't be as supportive as they are now.
Of course, Ethan also harbored doubts.
Was Fox's leading role in breaking the unwritten rules destructive? After all, the collective decision by Hollywood's major companies to prohibit the purchase of electronic arcade games was a mutual agreement, and now Fox was breaking this pact, wouldn't this provoke a collective backlash?
When Ethan voiced this concern, the Fox executive laughed heartily.
"Us, breaking the rules?"
"Oh, Ethan, if the other companies dare say that, we'll definitely rip their mouths open!"
"What are 'rules'
?"
"They're nothing more than agreements made by companies in an industry who believe that cutthroat competition doesn't make money, so they're forced to sit down and negotiate in hopes of using rules to protect their interests!"
"If any company can break free from the vicious cycle of malicious competition..."
"Then they will definitely tear up the 'rules'!"
"And, from the current situation, it was Warner who first broke the rules, right?"
"They acquired Atari!"
"Although Atari is currently focusing on home consoles, no one can guarantee they won't return to producing electronic arcade games. When Warner takes a big step ahead of us in the gaming industry, what we want to do most is grab a knife and kill them all!"
"If allowing you to sell arcade games in cinemas could force Warner's multimillion-dollar investment to go down the drain, I believe, whether it's Universal or Disney, Columbia, MGM, they would all support it wholeheartedly. Or rather, they might not openly support you, but they'll definitely help you behind the scenes, not to help you succeed, but to annoy Warner!"
"Moreover, doing this has another advantage."
"You won't have to worry about subsequent attacks from Warner and Philips."
"When your counterattack makes them uncomfortable, they'll definitely try to find ways to regain their lost face. In such a situation, once you release a game, they will definitely try to smear you."
"If your clients were still individuals, they would definitely be influenced by public opinion, after all, not every customer can come to California to see the machines. But if your clients are North American cinemas with thousands of branches, then communication becomes easier. As long as you reach an agreement with the boss, all branches will surely stock your products!"
...
This conversation from a few weeks ago was still fresh in Ethan's memory.
He was beaming because he knew he wasn't fighting alone.
After greeting the cinema chain owners, the group didn't waste time. They sat in Fox's screening room, ready to review the movie "Star Wars."
And then...
Ethan finally experienced the joy of his past life once again.
After Spielberg's revisions and Industrial Light & Magic's post-production work, "Star Wars" finally acquired its unique identity. The opening text scrolling backward against the starry sky brought a smile to Ethan's face.
The absence of "Episode IV: A New Hope" made it the most authentic original movie.
The opening scene, where Darth Vader pursues Princess Leia, was a classic example of Hollywood's narrative technique—quick, accurate, and fierce introduction to the main theme, letting the audience know who the protagonists and antagonists are.
Once the sides are clear, the audience's viewing experience is greatly enhanced, as they navigate the story based on the characters' morality.
The content of "Star Wars" is straightforward—it tells the story of a galaxy far, far away, where an oppressive Galactic Empire rises to power through disgraceful means. Despite its establishment, a Rebel Alliance exists, fighting against the Empire. To eliminate the rebels, the Empire constructs a superweapon called the Death Star, capable of destroying entire planets.
In an attempt to thwart the Empire's use of this superweapon, Rebel leader Princess Leia steals its plans. While fleeing, she is captured by the Empire's dark lord, Darth Vader. Before her capture, Leia hides the Death Star's blueprints and a distress message inside a droid, R2-D2, sending it to the desert planet of Tatooine to seek help from the legendary Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
During the rescue mission, the droid encounters a young man named Luke Skywalker. After a series of events, Luke finds Obi-Wan and learns about his heritage—his father was a Jedi Knight, killed by Darth Vader. Obi-Wan invites him to join the Rebel Alliance, but Luke initially refuses. However, upon returning home, he discovers his aunt and uncle murdered by the Empire's search droids. This motivates him to accompany Obi-Wan to rescue the princess. Along the way, they hire a bounty hunter named Han Solo and board his ship, the Millennium Falcon...
Truth be told, the plot of "Star Wars" isn't profound. If one were to describe it, it's the quintessential Hollywood hero's journey: the protagonist encounters a problem, seeks to solve it, grows in the process, with a dash of family and kinship, ultimately triumphing over the antagonist.
Its selling point is the special effects.
From an audience's perspective, Ethan found the movie's special effects outstanding. Even after years, he could still appreciate George Lucas's imagination.
However, after watching the movie, the cinema chain owners were visibly conflicted, their brows furrowed as if they hadn't relieved themselves in seven days.
"Will audiences actually like this movie?" asked GCC's owner, Richard Smith, leaning on the cinema seat. "The story is complete, but it lacks originality."
Mann Theatres' owner, Ted Mann, nodded, saying, "
I thought it would be similar to 'Planet of the Apes,' where science fiction serves as a backdrop to discuss human essence, but... I didn't expect this..."
AMC's owner, Stanley Durwood, didn't hold back either. "The movie seems too flashy, employing too many lights and explosions. I don't understand why."
"If it were an action movie, I could understand, but a sci-fi film... Aren't current sci-fi movies supposed to explore the meaning of life?"
As the conversation progressed, Durwood turned his gaze to George Lucas.
"George, this isn't our first encounter. You did a great job with 'American Graffiti'... I always thought you were a smart director, having learned from Francis (Coppola), who made 'The Godfather' in your presence. So... can you tell me why you chose to make a movie like 'Star Wars'?"
"Do you really believe..."
"Audiences will like this movie?"
As this question was posed, everyone's attention turned to George Lucas.
Facing the scrutiny, Lucas, lacking his earlier confidence, pursed his lips. "I..."
He hesitated, then fell silent.
Witnessing this, Ethan patted him reassuringly.
This gesture drew everyone's attention.
Realizing he was the center of attention, Ethan didn't beat around the bush. "It's normal for you to think this movie won't work."
"Because this movie is made for those who dare to dream."
"You see it as a sci-fi film, but it's actually a fairy tale. It depicts the heroic dreams that have once lived in everyone's heart..."
Only then did Ethan finally understand why "Star Wars" wasn't well-received.
Because when industry insiders search for depth in a fairy tale, when cinema owners compare it to hardcore films for its core, they'll never understand "Star Wars" in their lifetime!
What does "Star Wars" talk about?
It tells the story of the underdog, Luke Skywalker, how he picks up his father's lightsaber and saves the world!
The entire story is what the general public loves—a thrilling narrative!
The movie is paired with classic special effects!
When Luke Skywalker wields the Force and defeats the evil Stormtroopers...
Ordinary people dreaming of heroism and conquering the world's pinnacle feel exhilarated!
In this context, expecting some money-minded owners and bitter industry workers to evaluate this movie?
It's like a blind man telling a deaf person he saw a mute singing!
Before this movie succeeds, they won't understand what ordinary people truly need!
And Ethan...
Had no more words for them.